The Substitution of the Shield Hero

I immediately ignored Mirellia and started tapping on the tooltips for all the classes listed in the party menu for details.

===

[A-Ray]

A being modified and enhanced as the next evolution of Homo Sapiens Sapiens to be able to survive even in a world ravaged by nuclear destruction and bioweapons. Knowledge and materials from numerous worlds have been incorporated.

Sets baseline parameters to D-Rank.

===

[SABER]

A container housing the powers of a heroic spirit. The characters originally denoting this class have been sublimated and interpreted.

Also called Heroic Spirit of the Swordsman (Kenshi no Eirei), those of this class are agile and powerful melee warriors possesing high ratings in all categories and adept at swordsmanship.

Provides various corrective effects.

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[Heavenly Empress]

Also known as the Pacifier, this class denotes one who possesses authority over the planet's Weapon System, which includes the Legendary and Vassal Weapons, along with the Guardian Dragon.

For the reader's convenience, this is a similar existence to Archetype Earth in terms of protecting and safeguarding the planet, but far from the same level of power.

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[Ji Clan Heiress]

The heiress of the Ji Clan, rulers of the Ninth Mountain and Sea. Bears high affinity to the Xuanwu turtle.

Bestows Essence of Heaven-Sealing.

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[Redeemer]

Those with this class are ones who have discarded their past identity due to various circumstances and resolved to live a new life in direct opposition to their past one.

Grants high corrective growth when operating against past instincts and nature.

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[Onion Knight]

A class symbolizing a knight who possesses as many layers as an onion. Though some would be tempted to call this class a jack-of-all-trades, it would be incorrect as this class allows mastery of all fields.

Initial growths are at the absolute minimum, but skill expertise is set at the absolute maximum. Upon level 90, all stats +100 per level up.

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[Sylpheed]

Winged beings of divine nature, bearing a trace of draconic lineage. Skilled with various forms of magic.

Grants high corrective growths to magic-related stats.

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[Zenithian]

Winged beings of divine nature, rumored to be servants of either a divine goddess or a divine dragon. Skilled with creation and light magic.

Grants allies advantage against beings aligned with darkness or malice.

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[Dominant Eikon]

Primordial beings from another realm, once revered as gods. Usually associated with elements and crystals.

Although normally present in a mortal vessel known as a Dominant, the unique circumstances have incarnated the Eikon directly in a hybrid form.

Can utilize primordial magic as well as authority governing the world. Degree varies with world's permission/resistance.

===

[Sekirei]

A term originally utilized for winged beings from a different world, seeking refuge after their home was destroyed. Although possessing potent magic and abilities, their full potential is revealed upon finding their other half, a genetic complement, and creating a soul bond.

This class draws inspiration from the original term, symbolizing a mutually beneficial relationship empowering both members of the union through a bond at the soul level.

All abilities amplified by the Ashikabi's capacity.

===

I was quiet, mulling over the implications.

Mirellia cleared her throat, looking concerned. "Did... something come up, Naofumi?"

"Yes. And no. Yes, in that this applies to me. No in that it doesn't matter too much to the issues at hand."

I dismissed the class tooltips.

...Although I was extremely curious at the many, many, MANY implications of both the term 'A-Ray' as well as the explicit statement of incorporating multiple world technologies...

I put a pin on that for now.

Especially since I just realized that <Parallel System> probably wasn't even that thing's real name.

I had an idea on what it was... but that could wait a bit until I confirmed the extent on the Army of the Wave's capabilities.

"So." I looked back at Mirellia and said, "To reconfirm, unless the heroes have registered with a Dragon Hourglass, they won't be warped to a wave. But there are multiple Dragon Hourglasses... which is why the other kingdoms are angry since the waves are a global phenomenon, not just country-based?"

"A-Ah." Mirellia focused and nodded. "That is correct, Naofumi. Although, Four Bray has numerous Seven Star Heroes to help with the waves, and I have heard that there are a few in Siltvelt and Shieldfreeden as well. The main concerns had been with us, Melromarc, as the only Seven Star Hero we have... had, was that Utter Trash, and with Zeltoble. ...Though neither are a concern now."

"Hm..." I tapped my fingers on the table to think. "Are the waves at a set timer? Synchronized, I mean."

Mirellia shook her head. "No. From my understanding, the Dragon Hourglasses are slightly staggered. And as we now know, the count can accelerate."

"...Right." I hummed. "That's true."

With the Legendary Shield gone, the count in Melromarc's hourglass had gone from 21 days to 14 in an instant after the wave.

"...Wait." I blinked. "Doesn't this mean that the other countries are going to be scrambling to stop their own waves? It can't be that only Melromarc's hourglass accelerated."

Mirellia's eyes widened. "That's true. Nobody expected the Dragon Hourglass to accelerate its countdown."

"Perfect. I have leverage then."

Mirellia paused. "...Leverage?"

"Of course." I chuckled. "After all... people only really listen when they're desperate. Right? So... shall we show this world despair?"

"...I'm listening."

===

The plan was simple.

Since Zeltoble vanished overnight, and since it happened so fast, the people who I didn't ki- 'process' to help Libertas (name still pending) would have an incoherent retelling of events.

But since Occam's Razor applied, the simplest answer and simplest story would be what the country leaders accepted.

And what was simpler?

The fact that the former Shield Hero showed in out of the blue, freed all the slaves like a mythical hero, then murdered everyone who sinned?

Or that Zeltoble got ambushed when the wave suddenly erupted and people didn't notice until the first travelers and adventurers arrived?

'Well, if it's Siltvelt and Shieldfreeden, probably the first... but Four Bray will definitely believe the second.'

Right now, I was back at Zeltoble with Mein. Since she had the Seven Star Staff and was the best magic user... at least, most versatile magic user, other than me, we were working together to plan act two of Zeltoble's downfall.

Mein waved the Seven Star Staff, petrifying the corpses I laid around. "...We're really going with divine retribution, huh?"

I sat down in front of a wooden crate and typed on its surface as a makeshift keyboard, mapping my finger taps to a holographic keyboard. At the same time, I shifted the 3D models of the bioweapons I remembered from that incident back when I was in middle school during 2012, examining the details to ensure 100% fidelity in appearance.

"Oh, absolutely, Mein." I pointed Laevatein at the ruined plaza of Zeltoble and started spawning in dismembered gangly monster corpses.

Twisted limbs, distorted features, long fleshy tendrils...

The usual fare for bioweapons, of course.

Mein flinched when she saw them plop to the ground with a fleshy thud. "Th-Those aren't real, are they?"

"Relax. They're just literal sculpted flesh."

"I THINK THAT'S WORSE?!"

The Seven Star Staff violently vibrated in Mein's hands, either outraged or terrified.

Probably both.

"What?" I looked up. "It's just like a clay sculpture, only using flesh. To be exact, protein composites. It's not even human DNA at this point, just globs of randomized inert protein strands woven together over calcium bone-like frames."

I made EXTRA sure of that.

Did NOT want magical bioweapons running around.

Dealing with Lickers and Crimson Heads at Marhawa Academy was bad enough. Dealing with those things and adding magic on top of that... Nope.

Hard pass.

So I made sure that the props I placed around Zeltoble to make a hellscape had zero chance of being actual bioweapons.

And for good measure, I made sure they were structurally unsound and also hollowed out, as well as petrified them with magic into a fossil-like state.

Mein grimaced as she started petrifying the other 'props' I was placing all over the place. "Definitely a Demon Lord. There is no way you are a hero..."

"Never said I was. I just do good things. Sometimes. And I have a moral code."

Mein gave me a blank stare. "You? A moral code?"

"Yep. Don't hurt children, kill people who abuse children in 'that' way, punish degenerates, and make sure those who dodged karma get what they deserve. Also, freedom and liberty, along with respecting human will."

"...You realize how hypocritical you seem, right?"

"Oh, I'm aware." I nodded as I started making a copy of Nemesis, a towering muscular creature with an arm cannon, and someone that Dad jokingly called Mister X. "But it makes perfect sense to me. Morals are optional, you see. It's something my mom always said. Morals are great, except for when you need to get paid, get laid, or get away."

"...That's... No. I won't dignify that with a response."

Mein sighed and kept petrifying things. "...But I'm beginning to think that it wasn't just Daddy who became senile. What in the world was the Shield Spirit thinking in choosing you?"

"Well, I'm really good at parrying."

"...What? Parrying?" Mein blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean parrying. You know, deflecting things. It's from Dad. He once deflected a rocket with a hatchet."

"...A rocket?"

I paused. "Right. You wouldn't know what that is. Mm... he deflected the equivalent of a siege engine with a hatchet?"

"WHAT?! How?!"

I made a few more flesh sculptures of ReDeads from Zelda, a Deadhand, Floormasters, and Wallmasters to leave all over the place.

Mein gave me a blank look. Then she slowly said, "...I get it now. Your world already faced its end times, didn't it?"

"Huh? Nah, these are fictional monsters."

"WHAT WORLD DO YOU LIVE IN THAT PEOPLE DREAM UP MONSTERS TO TERRIFY OTHERS?! AND MONSTERS THIS REALISTIC?"

I paused. "...You know. That's a good point." I chuckled and said, "People from Earth really have too much free time on their hands."