The Substitution of the Shield Hero

Ren leaned over the railing of the boat, face pale as he tried to not vomit.

I watched him, amused. Mostly because Motoyasu and Itsuki were both in similar states.

Well, mostly Itsuki.

Yuki, Motoyasu's white-haired Filorial Queen, had kidnapped Motoyasu the moment he said he was seasick and kept him in the fancy carriage he brought along.

Lyno, that blonde adventurer lady, had joined them, also seasick.

Meanwhile, Itsuki was laying on the deck and being pampered by Elena, Motoyasu's last party member.

Apparently, they'd gotten close to each other at some point.

Not sure how that happened, but I was happy for him.

Even if it just seemed like Elena was definitely clinging onto Itsuki simply because he had tons of benefits for being a hero.

...Well, at least she seemed sincere in sticking around. She might be using Itsuki, but she didn't seem to have any intentions of switching up on him. Instead, she seemed to be investing in him like you would invest in a stock... which made sense considering how business oriented she was.

"Urgh." Ren groaned and glared at me. "How are you fine?"

I shrugged and said, "Even before getting summoned here, I've been on worse rides."

Like the time Dad insisted on recreating his escape from a giant fish bioweapon in the middle of a lake by cramming me into a tiny speedboat with him while he fought off said giant fish bioweapon with just a harpoon gun.

...Honestly, in hindsight, I'm surprised I'm still alive...

Must be the Kennedy genes. That, or good karma for my distant uncles being assassinated while working in the government.

Either or.

I glanced at Ren and said, "If you're that seasick though, wanna chat? It'll keep you distracted."

Ren turned around and stared at me. "Can't you just fix me or something? You're practically a god at this point, aren't you?"

"I mean, I could kill you."

Ren gave me a blank stare.

"What? Motion sickness is a status condition. And you'd respawn anyway. Maybe if you're lucky, you'll respawn with immunity."

Ren kept staring at me. But then he put his hand on his chin as if seriously considering it.

At that time, Mirellia walked over, chuckling. "Threatening to kill your fellow heroes, Naofumi? I thought we were past that?"

"Well, he'd get better." I shrugged. "Death is kind of not a thing for these guys while I'm alive. It's complicated, but I basically put them in a personal cycle of life-and-death. They need to choose to die to stay dead at this point."

Ren gave me a blank stare. Then he slowly said, "Are you telling me that I get to just tell Death no?"

"*I* get to tell Death no. You just get to hide behind me. And for the record, I figured out how to deal with Death. Literally and figuratively, so no worries about that."

Ren sighed and said, "Are you SURE you're not a god, Naofumi?"

"From what Motoyasu told me about A-Rays, I'm better than a god, so no."

Ren gave me another blank stare.

I just smiled.

Ren sighed. "...I'll pass on the murder. But can you at least just knock me out or something? I'd ask Welt, but he went off on an adventure with Farrie somewhere."

"Oh, I was wondering about that. I wanted to pick that guy's brain about some stuff since he seemed smart..."

Ren gave me a side-eye. "...Literally or figuratively?"

"As a matter of speech, not physically. What am I, Sylar?"

Ren blinked. "Who?"

"...You don't have the Heroes TV show in your world? That's sad... Save the cheerleader, save the world? Not ringing a bell? Hiro Nakamura and timestop?"

"...No." Ren frowned. "Why would saving the cheerleader save the world?"

"...Forget it." I sighed. "I get how Dad feels now..."

There was no point in making references if there wasn't anyone who got them...

Mirellia leaned against the railing, a warm smile on her face. "Well, if you would like to explain it, I would be happy to listen, Naofumi."

I gave Mirellia a side-eye. Then I gave her a once over, taking in how she was wearing a deliberately provocative purple one-piece dress with a deep slit on the sides as well as a clear view of her cleavage. Then I said, "You do realize the more you actively try to appeal to me the less I'm interested, right...?"

Mirellia blinked. Then she turned a deep red, instinctively covering her chest. "I-I had no such intentions! I simply enjoy dressing like this!"

"...Oh. Huh. So THAT'S where Mein gets it."

Mirellia huffed.

Ren groaned and said, "Hello? Naofumi? Knocking me out?"

"Oh, right. One second."

I opened up <Parallel System> to make a quick Sleep spell. At least, I planned to.

But then I decided to try something else instead.

Since the Legendary System apparently included Autocast and let skill and spells be used without casting or understanding as long as resources are available...

And since Solaris basically gave me inexhaustible resources...

I pointed at Ren and said, "Sleep."

Ren blinked. "What is that going to-?" His words cut off as he suddenly slumped against the railing, passing out.

I caught him before he fell off the railing and then carried him to the middle of the boat before tucking him between some heavy barrels so he wouldn't roll around.

Mirellia watched me with an amused look and said, "Not even bothering to place him somewhere comfortable?"

"He'll be fine. If he's sore from sleeping like this, then he needs to power level some more. It's kind of sad if his body is that weak."

Mirellia laughed. "I suppose that is true..."

I took a look around the boat to check on Bahamut and Morgan. Thankfully, my son was behaving himself by chatting with Melty and Filo.

Morgan was sitting nearby, chatting with them like an excited child.

...Which he technically was, despite looking like a teenager.

I watched them for a bit and murmured, "They really did take the saying 'age is just a number' and made it codified law in this world, huh? Guess that's what happens when you keep summoning degenerates from Japan where lolicon is such a big thing..."

Mirellia blinked and said, "Pardon?"

"Don't worry about it." I waved my hand and said, "Just reflecting on how this world got so corrupt. But anyway." I stared at Mirellia.

Mirellia stared back, subconsciously fidgeting in place as well as preening.

Then I said, "So, do you like younger men or something? Or did the fear turn into affection at some point? Maybe you just like powerful men?"

Mirellia froze. Then she turned a deep red. "I-I-I b-beg your pardon? What? Affection? Younger men? M-Me?!"

"Oh come on. It's obvious. You're coming onto me."

Mirellia turned an even deeper shade of red. "Th-That is...! I-It would be improper- Hypothetically! Hypothetically, that is!"

I rolled my eyes. "There's no need to be ashamed. I'm aware of the effect I have on people." I pointed at my face and said, "I have my father's general facial structure and my mother's charm. If I try, I can talk the pants off women. Probably. Haven't tried, but it seems pretty easy."

After all, Dad kept getting beautiful young women throwing themselves at him even in his 40s and 50s.

And Mom was still, as she kept reminding me, objectively hot despite her age too. An asset that she constantly pointed out kept her alive and unharmed after decades of being a freelance mercenary.

Mirellia was still red. But it seemed like my words had caused her to get a bit of her composure back, simply from the sheer audacity of them. "...You are the worst kind of man, Naofumi."

"That is, objectively, incorrect considering the King of Four Bray exists." I paused. "...Existed. I think he's probably lynched by now, actually..."

Mirellia rolled her eyes and then crossed her arms, staring at me.

I stared back.

Mirellia blushed again and then laughed. "You really have no shame, do you?"

"Shame of what? Staring at beautiful women? Never. I'm more cautious if anything. You see, I was raised and birthed by the worst kind of temptress who led men on and threw them away for coin. My dad was her one and only exception, and that was because he apparently reminded her of a lost golden retriever."

I could write a whole series on their lovestory... and apparently, there were multiple games about it in different worlds, so-

Wait.

"Huh."

Mirellia blinked. Then she laughed and gave me a teasing smile. "What thought distracted you this time, Naofumi?"

"I just realized that my parents existing as fiction in other worlds implies that they're a big enough threat for whatever interdimensional entity is behind the waves to take note of them." I paused. "...And for them to apparently note that it would be best to keep them away from each other as a will-they-won't-they sort of couple- WAIT."

The fact that Mom and Dad existed as fiction in Ren's, Itsuki's, and Motoyasu's world but as a couple that never got together implied that the Army of the Waves (name pending) didn't know about me.

Either that, or...

"...Oh my god." I laughed. "Am I a singularity?"

Mirellia blinked. "A... singularity?"

I turned to look at her and grinned. "Yes. A singularity. A unique, one of one entity that exists only in this here and now even across multiple parallel dimensions and iterations."

Mirellia paused. Then she looked at me, concern in her eyes. "...That implies that other people are not singular. Are you saying there is some world out there with another 'me?'"

"Probably- No. Considering that I've read a story with another you, definitely."

The Rising of the Shield Hero existed in multiple forms in my world. Which implied that there were probably multiple 'canons' at play.

...In fact...

I rubbed my chin. "I wonder if I can meet the real Naofumi if I dig enough?"

If Mirellia's conjecture was correct... and I was feeling that it was.

The 'fiction' in our worlds were all glimpses into a particular iteration of a world. A record of what 'was.' Worlds where that Army of the Waves had lost.

Which, of course, had MANY interesting implications...

Mirellia gave me a blank stare. Then she laughed, genuinely amused.

I frowned. "What's so funny?"

"Mm... Naofumi." Mirellia stared at me. "Can I try something?"

"...I'm hesitant to say yes. You aren't going to jump me or anything, right?"

"Of course not. So, can I?"

"...Sure."

"I love you."

I gave her a blank stare.

Mirellia burst out laughing and said, "Yes. That is the reaction I expected..." She let out a warm smile and said, "Never change."

"...You say that while having changed a lot since I met you. Is retirement suiting you that well?"

Mirellia hummed. "Perhaps. Or perhaps it is because a certain someone here keeps occupying my every thought with your ridiculous antics?"

"...Like I've told a few other people already, I'm postponing romance until I tidy up this world."

Mirellia laughed. "I'm only teasing. Partially." She winked.

I shuddered. "Okay, can confirm. I need to complain to Mom when I meet her. She's scarred me for life with her 'anti-honeytrap' training..."

Mirellia doubled over in laughter that time, wiping tears away from her eyes.

I gave her another blank stare and said, "Glad someone is enjoying the fact that I have a trauma response to women being seductive..."

===

Earth-30847.

Leon's house.

Picking up his trusty hatchet, as well as the spare he got from killing a Connections Commander, Leon suited up and glanced over at Ada. "You ready?"

Ada finished zipping up her usual red dress while strapping on various weaponry, including a few of the laser pistols Leon had grabbed from the Maverick Hunters. "More than ready. But you sure Shinra's okay with you using the Portal Stone so willynilly like that, Honey?"

"It's fine. I talked it over with them and they said since our son's in a world facing a similar situation, it'll be good data."

Ada snorted. "Of course... Well." She smiled. "Shall we go hunt our little boy down?"

"Yeah." Leon finished his final checks and said, "Let's get going. Rose needs her Uncle Charlie too."

Ada laughed. "I suppose that's true." She draped herself around Leon's left arm and said, "Then, I'll give you the honors, Honey. Let's go get our little boy."

Leon pulled out a glowing stone. Then he pulled out his phone, inputting in the coordinates that X gave him. The moment he did...

"Let's go."

...A blue light swept up, wrapping around both Ada and Leon.

===

I paused in the middle of teaching Bahamut the trusty Kennedy Parry, sensing something off.

Bahamut stared at me and said, "Father? What is the matter?"

"...I have a bad feeling."

"What kind?"

I cautiously stared in the distance, sweeping my gaze across the horizon. "...The kind that says Mom is somewhere close."

"???"

"...You'll understand when you're older, Boy. Children develop a sense for where their parents are and how far they are from their parents. Especially if their parents are trouble."

"Ah, so like how I knew you were on your way to Siltvelt when I rescued Lucina."

"...YOU KNEW?!"

"U-Um..."