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Chapter 01 - Mysterious Portal Appeared
"Curse this world!"
Naofumi shouted at the top of his lungs as he falls on the ground, panting as he finished his training and he had leveled up ever since that incident happened.
After being accused of rape that he didn't do, he was now an outcast in the entire Melromarc and only Erhard, who is a weapon shop owner, is the only person who didn't treat him like a trash and is willing to hear the side of his story.
It's been months since then and whenever the people of Melromarc saw him, they were either looked at him with disgust or pity. It's amusing that there are people who looked at him with pity but didn't want to approach him in fear that they would be inflicted of the situation.
Well that's because of a certain Bitch who proclaims herself as the next Queen of Melromarc when in fact she is out of the line in succession because from what Naofumi had accidentally heard from the locals here, the first princess, which is the Bitch, (Naofumi refuse to addressed that woman because she deserved to be called bitch or slut and nothing else) is not a great candidate for the throne and she is abusing her power and authority since the King Consort, with is Trash (Naofumi just learned that Melromarc is a Matriarch Kingdom and the sole authority is none other than the Queen itself but the said Queen is out of business) is pampering his oh-so precious daughter of his.
The next in line in the throne of Melromarc is none other than the second princess, from what Naofumi learned, her name is Melty Q. Melromarc.
'Enough with those trashes, including those so-called Three Cardinal Heroes who think that this world is nothing but a silly game. Tsk! Hope that the three of them have died so that this world will be nothing but a total chaos!'
Naofumi wants revenge but he couldn't do it without so much power. Since he is the Shield Hero and the only thing that he could do is to be on the defense position.
He also couldn't find a team for his own because ever since that Bitch betrayed him, he became distrust and always on guard whenever he goes.
He avoided the other Three Cardinal idiots (He also refused to called them Heroes because they are nothing but a bunch of idiots who think of themselves that are too high for their own standards) because he didn't want to have another clash with them, especially that Spear idiot who keeps on challenging Naofumi whenever that idiot spotted him and proclaims that he would take revenge for that Bitch's sake.
'Oh Gods! Being a flirt, his brain has been damage and can no longer be fixed since he is too devoted to became that Bitch's slave that he didn't notice that way. Well what you can say since he is nothing but an airhead idiot and he also defended that Bitch because of what? He is a woman. My Gods!'
In those months that passed, whenever the Waves of Destruction appeared, Naofumi manage to gain some abilities because of his Shield that could devour some of the properties and gain a skills on his own and he also manage to became stronger on his own, without relying on those so-called party members. After that, he vanished like a thin air and he never showed up in the castle whenever that Trash of a King Consort summoned them.
After that incident and the accusation, Naofumi never go to the castle to collect his so-called contribution since he knew after that, they're going to mock him for being alone and no one is willing to team up with a 'rapist' like him.
As if Naofumi cares about that anymore. He preferred to be alone and working alone.
'Why would I go there when I knew that I would be humiliated then? I am not an idiot.'
They can't find him because of his Shield Ability, which is Invisibility and Camouflage. He got acquired the skills when he went at the mountains that is far away in the city and manage to defeat the Mareworlf that had the ability of invisibility.
Right now, Naofumi is already at Level 67 and had tones of skills had been unlocked and he is quite satisfied of his own achievements.
Although he couldn't use another weapon other than the Shield, Naofumi could use his Shield since there is a skill that he unlock and that is none other than "Weapon Requip". He can reshape the Shield into the weapon of his choices, which it suits him since he doesn't have a party member that could be his sword.
'I don't want to be associated with those people. After this so-called Waves of Destruction ended, I'll return home anyway.'
Naofumi looked up into the sky and he just noticed that it's already at night and he needs to take a rest since in two days time, another Wave of Destruction and another meeting with those Three Cardinal idiots.
He stood up and dusted off his pants and was ready to set off when Naofumi felt the sudden wave of energy from where he stood and that got him startled and prepare himself for what battle would happen.
"NAOFUMI!"
"IWATANI-SAN!'
'What the-?! How they are here?!'
Naofumi saw the Three Cardinal idiots who are running to his direction and shouting his name. But for Naofumi's observation, the Three Cardinal idiots are strange for some reason...
But Naofumi didn't think about that anyway and as he was about to activate his Invisibility and Teleportation, a huge portal suddenly appeared behind his back and suddenly pulling him from the portal.
"NAOFUMI! Hold on!"
Naofumi felt that someone is trying to pull him back from the portal and he saw Motoyasu who is frustrated as he is pulling him out.
'The hell is this bastard doing?! Did he hate me so much? Why is he helping me?'
"Ren! Itsuki! Do something! I can't hold on!"
Motoyasu is shouting from behind and Naofumi felt like his body became numb because of this portal's energy that is sucking him dry and he doesn't have much energy left.
'It seems like this portal who appeared out of nowhere is sucking me dry. I don't have the strength to hold on.'
If this is how he would die, then so be it.
'I don't know the reason why these morons are here and this spear idiot is trying to help me from here but I can't drag him and even in death, I would still be inflicted by these so-called accusations.'
"Naofumi! Hold on! We've been looking for you for a couple of months now! We need all four to talk!"
'Bastard, what are you talking about? What talk? Argh... My life force seems slipping away from me...'
With that thought, Naofumi closed his eyes and he let the mysterious portal to sucked him and with his remaining strength, he shoved Motoyasu off so that the spear idiot won't be dragged into this portal.
"NAOFUMI! NO!"
"IWATANI-SAN!"
That's the last thing that Naofumi heard from those idiots that he didn't know they were acting different from what he remembered....
.....
The portal where Naofumi had sucked into had vanished without a trace, along with the Shield Hero.
"What just happen?! That doesn't happen before!"
Motoyasu is the one who snapped himself when the mysterious portal had disappeared, along with Naofumi and he was the one who grab the Shield Hero to pulled back but the portal is too strong for him to contain and he was frustrated because he didn't manage to save Naofumi from that mysterious portal that appeared.
Ren slump on the ground as he punch the ground to vent out his frustration; "Ahhh! Why? Just why?! Why we only remembered what happen when Iwatani-san just had been accused?! Why we didn't go back to the time when where were first summoned?!"
Itsuki added; "That portal just now... that doesn't appeared in the previous timeline. Why is it here?"
The Three Heroes didn't know what to think right now and they just got back their memories from the previous timeline, where the Four of them have been fought in the war and they lose.
Their friends and party members lost their lives in the war.
Bloodshed had surround them and they fight until their last breath.
However, when they almost lost hope, the Shield Hero, Naofumi came up with an idea.
Naofumi's Cardinal weapon Shield activated Reverse Time.
The three of them are hesitant at first but Naofumi's firm voice woke them up.
"All of you have grown up to be the Heroes that everyone place their hopes for. I hope that when all of you came back, used the knowledge that all of you acquired and help them to succeed"
After that, all three of them placed their hands into the Shield and Naofumi starts to activate it and the light from the shield starts to glow.
"But there is a price to pay and that is... all of you could guess it what that is...."
When they heard it, they tried to break away from the shield but it's too late because the shield has been activated and the three of them watched Naofumi's body turned into ashes that makes the three of them cried to call for his name.
They never expected that it would be Naofumi to sacrifice his life for the three of them to went back in time.
But they went back far too late. They just recovered their memories a few months ago and the three knew that they have screwed up and the history repeat itself once again.
However, they never expected that unexpected mishap happens to the current timeline and that is.... Naofumi being sucked up into that mysterious portal.
"We need to notify the Queen. I don't want to be near that Bitch once again!"
"Me neither" - Ren
"So do I" - Itsuki
"And also, we need to find Naofumi!"
The three of them had a silence agreement since they were given the second chance to fix everything, they would do it, for Naofumi's sake.
They would find Naofumi, no matter what happens. They were indebted to him after all.
.....
'Argh.....my head hurts....'
Naofumi opened his eyes and blinked twice since all he saw is nothing but a blurred visions and when he had adjust his eyesight, his eyes got widen at the unfamiliar place where he ended up to.
"WHAT THE HELL?!"