The Substitution of the Shield Hero

To sum up the situation.

First, the Shield Spirit sucked and got deprecated. World's Status Magic System got an update specifically for the Legendary Heroes.

Second, I was apparently a Legendary Hero the entire time, just not the Legendary Shield Hero since I'd been kidnapped from my world and my world had split off a branch of its consciousness using the first-principles magic system I'd been developing to keep me safe... which, due to interdimensional rule conversions, led to the birth of a new Legendary Weapon by proxy even though it *technically* wasn't a full Legendary Weapon in the same way that EMIYA's Unlimited Blade Works *technically* wasn't a Noble Phantasm.

Third, and most important of all... This implied that I could copy systems.

Like, wholesale.

Which was why I could still keep using the world's Status Magic System even though I technically wasn't attached to it.

The Legendary System had just... literally ctrl+c, ctrl+v the world's entire Status Magic System into my soul. But like, not as a PART of my soul. As like an installed program in a sandboxed environment.

Which explained why I could bypass the system when I wanted to with my 'magic' and just murder people.

And also why my conceptual stuff said 'no' to other conceptual stuff: mine had logic behind it.

I laced my fingers together as I rested my elbows on the table, looking at Ren, Itsuki, and Motoyasu. "...This changes things. Many things."

Mirellia sighed and massaged her temples. "I've given up trying to understand this, Naofumi. Can I just call you a god and be done with it?"

I paused. "I'm not one-"

Ren gave me a blank stare and said, "You LITERALLY terraformed the moon. For fun. In like, ten minutes last night."

"...But it wouldn't be inaccurate to consider me one. It's like... calling a square a quadrilateral."

Itsuki stared at me. Then he slowly said, "Does this mean you could copy Kamijou-kun's Imagine Breaker?"

I stopped to consider it. Then I shook my head and said, "It'd be useful. But Imagine Breaker only removes 'supernatural' abilities. It's similar to what Naofumi uses in the NovelPhoenix to defeat the Goddess at the end, kind of. By utilizing the power of the world, he gets to reject the extraplanetary abilities the Goddess had."

Silence filled the room.

I paused, realizing my misstep.

Ren's eyes widened. "...You're borrowing the name of the hero in the novel you read. The one that represents this world."

I coughed. "Well... I will neither confirm nor deny that statement." I paused. "...And I clearly need more sleep. Rishia will probably be my body pillow for the foreseeable future..."

Mirellia cleared her throat. "Setting aside the implication that Naofumi possesses machinations beyond our understanding..."

Ren nodded. "Clearly."

"...Before all of... this." Mirellia vaguely waved in the air. "I wanted to suggest that you heroes take the time to rest and level up. The Cal Mira Archipelago is currently due to release a wave of monsters that provide vast amounts of experience."

Itsuki gasped. "That's right! The level grinding secret island!"

Motoyasu looked excited and he said, "You mean we don't have to burn entry tickets? We can just... sit there? And farm experience? All day? Every day until the wave?!"

Ren placed his hand on his sword, already running mental calculations. "...With these updates and our clearing speed, we can probably hit level 100 in a week. More if we don't sleep. Although our party members will hit the class up limit, the exp is stored anyway, so-"

Motoyasu jumped to his feet and said, "24/7 grind session, baby!"

Mirellia chuckled, amused at the heroes' excitement. But then she paused when she noticed I wasn't reacting. "...Naofumi?"

"Oh, sorry." I shook my head and said, "It would be good to go on a tropical resort vacation and have fun level grinding. But, uh. I don't level up with experience."

Silence.

Ren looked at me. "...You don't?"

Motoyasu smacked his fist in the palm of his hand, like he got an epiphany. "That's right! You're leveling up like an idle clicker phone game!"

Itsuki's eyes widened. "So you don't use experience... Then do you use resources to level, Naofumi? Like... mana crystals?"

I glanced at my inventory where [Gold Embers] from the overflow of fusing the Vassal Book weapon remained. "I think so. But I'm also at my level cap... I think I'll need something that raises the caliber of my soul to be able to level more?"

"Huh?" Motoyasu tilted his head. "Then can't you just kill monsters?"

I looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Motoyasu waved at his spear and said, "The Legendary Spear's power up method uses monster souls to strengthen itself... Here. We took shared notes on the power up methods the other days." He reached into his inventory and slid over a stack of papers, listing the power-up method for the Legendary Sword, Bow, and Spear.

I read them. Then I face-palmed. "...We REALLY should have had a strategy session sooner."

===

Dante rolled his neck and said, "Damn. Didn't think Lucy still had it in him." He glanced over at the temporary party leader. "You alright there, King?"

'King,' the Demi-Fiend that had survived the countless Conception phenomena of his world...

With a tiny Pixie sitting on his left shoulder, he looked at Dante and gave a thumbs up while keeping a blank expression.

Vergil clicked his tongue, brushing off his tattered blue coat. "Such foolishness..." He glared at the starry void where Lucifer's true form had just faded. "With such strength, he still fears 'Him?'"

"Hey now." Dante used his demonic powers to repair his hat before placing it back on his head. "Don't take His name lightly. This might not be the same plane of existence, but if we get back, our version of Him might get offended."

Vergil froze. "...Point noted. I will refrain."

Demi-Fiend tilted his head, his emerald marks glowing with crimson power.

No words were spoken.

But Dante and Vergil had gotten used to the teen's method of communication by now.

Dante nodded and said, "As much as we'd like to help you rally against the heavens and all, King, we're still in the middle of a commission."

Vergil's sword hand twitched. Almost like he was imagining rampaging across heaven and carving down angels. But he sighed and said, "Indeed. And if what the Morning Star said is true, the boy is not 'dimensions' away, but 'planes of existences' away."

Demi-Fiend frowned. Then he nodded, a determined look in his eyes.

Dante looked amused and said, "You wanna come along, King? What about the whole war against Heaven and stuff?"

Demi-Fiend shrugged and made a vague gesture.

Vergil snorted and said, "That is true. The Morning Star did not set a particular limit on when to begin the war. And he DID say to prepare yourself fully." He smirked. "...So you, too, shall learn power."

Dante rolled his eyes. "You *really* like saying that, huh?"

"No more than you say Jackpot. And why such a droll term? Jackpot... were you that poor, Brother?"

Dante laughed. "Not as poor as King here in trying to recruit allies. How many times were you robbed again?"

Demi-Fiend let out a long suffering sigh.

At that time, Pixie finally spoke up. She brushed aside her brown bangs and said, "Are you going to just bully King all day, or are we actually leaving?"

Dante reached up to stretch and said, "Well... We're going to have to bust out of this Mandala or whatever and fall down a few planes of existence. Might run across more weird worlds... you sure you're up for that?"

Demi-Fiend gave a thumbs up, his golden eyes already glimmering with anticipation.

Vergil chuckled and placed his hand on Yamato. "Very well. Then..." He cleaved through the floor, revealing a distorted space of countless overlapping colors. "...Let us go, in pursuit of more power."

Dante ran in first, hand on his hat. "Last one in the next world's a rotten egg!"

Demi-Fiend laughed and walked towards the gash in existence.

Pixie rolled her eyes, holding on tight to Demi-Fiend's shoulder and said, "You're seriously looking for more power? Even after you broke past the limits that demons normally possess?"

Demi-Fiend paused. Then he spoke for the first time since he became the Demi-Fiend. "I killed my friends, destroyed the world, and beat Lucifer with the power of friendship and this gun I found." He held up Tyrant Pistol EX, an ominous black and red pistol that looked like an elongated demon's mouth with an eye on both sides of the grip. "...At this point, why stop?"

"...Fair." Pixie giggled and said, "Well, King~ No matter what, I'll be on your side."

Vergil rolled his eyes and said, "Spare me your sentimental drivel." He walked towards the gash in existence and said, "If we waste more time, my dear brother will have already run through the next world."

Demi-Fiend's eyes widened and he immediately jumped through the gash.

And when he landed...

"Who the hell are you, Pretty Boy?"

...He saw Dante standing in front of a young man in futuristic armor with flowing blue hair.

Demi-Fiend tilted his head, slowly walking out with Pixie.

Vergil walked onto the scene after Demi-Fiend. Then when he looked at the mysterious young man with blue hair, he smirked and immediately drew Yamato. "Ah. This one... he understands."

The young man-

No.

The Nahobino swept his right arm out, making a glowing blade of pure energy crackle into existence.

Dante's eyes widened. "Oho~? That's almost like a Devil Trigger... No, I think you're pretty similar? But that's not demon power in you... is it from the big guy up top? No, from something similar..."

"Murakumo!"

"HOLY SHI-!"