The Hero With The Power of Song (Female Reader x Rise of The Shield Hero)

Episode 22: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

From what Malty said, I didn't have much of her Mana left in me. But, maybe there is still a trace that I can pull from.

So, I had went back into the dungeon outside the city to train. I've been killing off the beast creatures in here and managed to get a 20× EXP chain. Yet, I've only leveled up once. I can't seem to draw out any of Malty's power either. Maybe I'm missing something.

I sit down on a smooth rock to try and think. Then, I looked down at my leg, noticing that a blue balloon was bitting me. Guess I didn't notice. My stats must be at a point where I don't even feel it. Plus, I unlocked a passive healing skill that scales off my level, so that's probably why.

I grab the balloon and pull it off me before crushing it in my hands. I'm not making any progress. And I can't rest long if I want to keep this chain going.

I sigh and stand up before continuing in. I'm never able to get my chain over 20. Seems these guys are now too low of a level. At some point the monsters start actively running from me.

There goes my chain then....

...Well, I'm alone in here with some cowards for monsters...

...I should try this Curse Weapon again. Maybe I can do something with it now that I have a slightly better understanding of my powers.

I look at my hand and focus, trying to bring out it's power. I see black flames slowly form in my palm that slowly expands to my entire hand. The flame is extremely wild, even while I'm doing my best to keep it only on my hand. It's almost like playing tug of war with it.

But, it slowly started to move up to my wrist. I grab my arm and try to control the flames, but it's no use.

𝒮𝓉𝑜𝓅 𝓉𝓇𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓁 𝒾𝓉. 𝐼𝓉 𝓌𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓀.

Huh? Who?...Wait-

(Y/N): Kanade?

At the mention of Kanade, the flames returned to my palm.

𝒮𝓉𝑜𝓅 𝒻𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓁. 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝑜, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝒾𝓉 𝓌𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓃.

(Y/N): B-but it's a curse, isn't it?

𝒩𝑜, 𝒾𝓉'𝓈 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒶 𝒸𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒 𝒶𝓉 𝒶𝓁𝓁. 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝑜𝓌𝑒𝓇 𝑜𝒻 𝒟á𝒾𝓃𝓈𝓁𝑒𝒾𝒻 𝒾𝓈 𝒽𝑜𝓌 𝓂𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝓎 𝑔𝓇𝑜𝓊𝓅 𝑜𝒻 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑜𝑒𝓈 𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒶𝑔𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒹𝑒𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓋𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒.

Dáinsleif? What even-

𝐿𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓃, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝑜𝓈𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻 𝒾𝓈 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓇𝑒𝒿𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓉'𝓈 𝓅𝑜𝓌𝑒𝓇. 𝐼𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝒸𝒸𝑒𝓅𝓉 𝒾𝓉, 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝒾𝓉.

(Y/N): So I just have to...let go?

𝒲𝑒𝓁𝓁....𝓎𝑒𝒶𝒽. 𝐵𝒶𝓈𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎.

I sigh. Might as well go with it.

I close my eyes and let the flame travel up my arm. My instincts try to get me to fight against it, but I take some deep breaths before I feel a sudden heat all over my body before it vanished.