Chapter 94: Shield

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Translator: Soafp

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Shields… I discussed it with El when I returned to the Blue Ring. After almost being killed by the Wyvern, I’m considering implementing it again.

My fighting style, “Dodging,” unleashes explosive attacking power when on the offensive. However, when transitioning to a defensive stance, there’s no choice but to dodge, leaving me vulnerable.

Shields… they don’t naturally fit into my original fighting style, but in this magical world, things are different.

“El, making a shield is difficult.”

“Yes, I can make it right away if it’s just the shape.”

“Yeah, the shape is fine, but it lacks strength.”

“Indeed. With this…”

Today, we’re experimenting with creating a shield using magic. But unlike extending a sword, it’s not going smoothly.

The shield lacks durability. It’s not as hard as a sword, so it can be cut or shattered. Creating a shield with magic consumes a considerable amount of magical energy when it breaks. If it were to break or crack, it would consume nearly half of my magic reserves.

This is just speculation, but it’s likely because I’m not skilled enough. I started extending swords with magic at the age of 10… there’s a three-year difference.

Even with the current shield, it can probably withstand most attacks. I believe it would have been sufficient against the Wyvern’s magic we encountered before.

However, the issue remains whether I can entrust my life to this shield. To be honest, it’s challenging.

I know that with practice, things will change, but…

“Ah, my head is boiling. Shall we take a break?”

“Yes.”

We move to the living room and order tea from the maid.

My head feels hot. Fever of thought… If the brain is like a CPU, does excessive thinking generate heat, causing a fever of wisdom…? No, that’s not it. My thoughts are wandering.

I try to empty my mind and just space out. It feels nice.

We drink the tea brought by the maid. In this world, tea is usually black tea.

No sugar or lemon is added. I’ve heard some people add milk.

“I know I have to practice to improve, it’s just…”

I mutter to myself, and El responds.

“That’s right. If only there were one more thing, I believe it could be used effectively in situations different from a real shield.”

“I see. An ability unique to magic shields that real ones don’t have…”

“Is there anything?”

“Well, for example, could you put the Wind Barrier on standby?”

“Yes.”

“Not the Wind Barrier, but a magic shield. A floating shield.”

“If we could do that… wouldn’t it be invincible?”

“If we could.”

El and I immediately try floating the shield.

“No, it’s not working.”

El says so and taps the magic shield with his hand. The shield drifts and moves…

It’s not about the solidity but the inability to fix it in place. If we could fix it in place, it couldn’t be moved from that spot.

Then, if I instantly summon the shield… No, it didn’t work. It took 5 seconds to summon the shield. With 5 seconds, I would be killed twice.

The more we try, the more apparent it becomes that lack of skill is the bottleneck.

Thinking calmly, that’s probably it. If improving fighting strength was as easy as thinking, nobody would struggle.

Something… a shield… an armored vehicle… a tank… a tank!

I remember seeing a documentary about a tank with reactive armor, which had explosives attached to the armor to bounce off incoming projectiles… Reactive armor!

Explosives on the surface of the shield… embedding magic… someone attacks, and then…

Wait a minute!! If it explodes when attacked, wouldn’t the attacker get hurt too?

I’ll have El shoot magic at it from a distance.

“El, I need you to attack this shield. From as far away as possible.”

“Okay. From a distance.”

El moves about 100 meters away and waves his hand.

“Perfect!”

I cheer as El extends his right hand.

(But please don’t use Condense Ray. I might evaporate before testing it.)

El shoots a non-lethal Wind Bullet at the shield. An explosion occurs upon impact, but that’s it.

“El! Next, please use a lethal type!”

“Got it.”

El shoots a lethal Wind Bullet at the shield. Again, an explosion occurs upon impact. The impact seems unchanged from before. It seems the explosion alone neutralizes the Wind Bullet…

“El! Next, please use a lethal type for monsters!”

“Understood.”

This time, it’s a lethal type specifically for monsters. A direct hit could be fatal. However, it’s the same explosion as before… Slightly heavier perhaps? Honestly, it’s within the margin of error.

This seems more effective than I thought. It can be used for both defense and offense simultaneously. An explosion upon attack… How vicious. It’s like the work of a demon…

Next, I want to try close-range attacks, but I can’t ask El to do that.

I’ll have to try it during our next mission. There’s no need to hold back against monsters.

“Now, about the location of the shield.”

“The location?”

“I’m fine without a weapon for now, but I usually carry daggers.”

“That’s right.”

“So, I think embedding it in the gauntlets would be best…”

“But?”

“I’m undecided between the back of the hand or the forearm.”

“Um… While it might be easier to handle, having the shield on the back of the hand while holding a dagger…”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking too. Forearm it is. The Beam Shield is also in the same position.”

“Beam Shield?”

“Nevermind. Let’s just give it a try.”

It’s incredibly difficult to summon the shield from the forearm. It’s completely different from summoning it from the hands or feet. It’s probably a difference in visualization…

“Maybe attaching a small buckler to the forearm and using that as a focal point…”

“I see. To make the visualization easier.”

“Yeah. I’ll go to the armor shop for a bit.”

“May I come along?”

“Of course.”

“I also want to be able to use a magic shield in addition to the actual shield. The exploding shield you just used is also interesting.”

“Exploding… Ah, Reactive Armor.”

“Reactive Armor? Is that what it’s called?”

“Yeah, it neutralizes attacks with the blast. It’s a counterattack with close-range attacks.”

“It seems like it could be used with a real shield too.”

El’s shield is Reactive Armor… I might not be able to win anymore. My brother’s dignity is overwhelming.

Before heading to the armor shop, we should arm ourselves, or Grandpa will nag us.

We each return to our rooms to equip our weapons and armor.

Since there are only two of us, it’s much faster to move across the rooftops. We dash straight from the Blue Ring mansion to the armor shop.

As we open the door to the armor shop, we see an old man tending the store.

“Long time no see, old man.”

“Ah? Ain’t you the Wyvern kid?”

“I have something to discuss. Mind if we talk?”

“Hold on. I was just about to send someone to the Blue Ring mansion.”

“Is it done?”

“Yeah, I’ve finished the Wyvern Leather Armor for the remaining three.”

The old man took out three pieces of Wyvern Leather Armor from the shelf and lined them up on the desk.

“This one’s mine. Can I try it on?”

El is immediately intrigued by the Wyvern Leather Armor made specifically for him.

“Sure, go ahead. What about the other two?”

“Well, I could hold onto them, but it might not be a good idea to bring leather armor to the academy…”

“What will you do?”

“I think I’ll come back tomorrow with the others to pick them up.”

“I see, understood.”

“Also, I have a question to discuss today.”

“Oh? I’ve been up all night finishing the Wyvern Leather Armor… I’d appreciate it if you could make it quick.”

“I can only rely on you for this.”

“…Fine, go ahead.”

“Thanks, old man.”

I explained about the magical shield that El and I were testing earlier.

Surprisingly, the old man seems enthusiastic. Wasn’t he tired?

“I see. You want to incorporate a small shield into the forearm section…”

“Yeah, having something as a focal point makes summoning the shield easier.”

“Would it also be easier for magic to pass through?”

“Of course, but isn’t that impossible?”

“Hmm, can you leave both gauntlets with me for a day?”

“A day should be fine, but… can you fix them?”

“I’ve already started, so I’ll manage to finish them by tomorrow evening.”

“Seriously? Thank you, old man.”

“It’s a bit of a challenge. How big do you want the shield? And what about the weight?”

As we discuss modifications to the gauntlets with the armorer, El comes over wearing the Wyvern Leather Armor.

“What do you think, Nii-sama?”

El stands there in the brown armor. He’s slightly heavier equipped than others due to his knight swordsmanship. He checks for any discomfort or hindrance to movement caused by the armor.

“It looks great! Very cool!”

“Yeah, even a kid can see the quality of Wyvern leather!”

“I don’t think it looks that good…”

While El says something, we’re in agreement with the armorer. We return to discussing modifications to the gauntlets after chatting about Wyvern leather.

“That’s about it for our preferences.”

“Got it, leave it to me.”

“How much will it cost?”

“For this level of work, I’ll treat it as part of the armor adjustment fee.”

“Really? So it’s free?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks, old man. Actually, I didn’t have much money left because the Wyverns haven’t sold yet.”

“I see… I had a feeling that was the case… But, if I may ask, I have a small favor to ask in return.”

The old man looks serious, so I listen attentively.

“What is it?”

“You’re a fighter, right?”

“!! Who told you? Was it Joe?! I should’ve burned him…”

“That doesn’t matter… It’s just a small request. If you happen to come across any rare materials in the future, could you sell them to me?”

“…”

“I consider myself the best armorer in this capital city. I’ll do my best to provide you with the necessary equipment within my capabilities… Can you do that for me?”

“If that’s all, then it’s no problem.”

“Really? Sorry for asking. I know it’s a bit much…”

“Just don’t expect me to come across any rare materials.”

“You’re A-class… You might even have the potential for S-class. Don’t push yourself too hard. If you happen to find something, bring it to me.”

“Got it.”

El and I headed back to the mansion after handing over the gauntlets. El seemed delighted, moving his body around to enjoy the feel of the Wyvern Leather Armor.

By the way, regarding Brigandine, since the plan is to repair El’s gauntlets next, I left them as a trade-in.

Even with just the two of us, traveling was remarkably fast. We were already back at the mansion in no time.

With the gauntlets already handed over, there wasn’t much we could do today. Perhaps I should go to Rosa’s to learn about magic circles.

“El, I’m off to learn about magic circles from Rosa.”

“Understood.”

Next Day at the Academy ——

I informed Lewis and Nero that the Wyvern Leather Armor was ready, and as expected, they were eager to pick it up immediately. They kept talking about it even during class.

It was a bit annoying, but I understood their excitement. Today, I’ll skip the self-training and head to the armory.

“I brought them, old man.”

Entering the armory, I greeted the old man, who seemed visibly worse than yesterday.

“Old man, are you okay? You look worse than yesterday.”

“Yeah, just pulled an all-nighter. Don’t worry about it.”

Saying so, he brought out two pieces of Wyvern Leather Armor. Lewis and Nero happily took off their uniforms and started equipping the armor.

“Old man, didn’t you say you pulled an all-nighter yesterday as well?”

“Ah? Yeah, two all-nighters.”

“Seriously? Could it be because of my gauntlets?”

“Just tag along once you start, huh? It’s not your fault.”

“…”

“Don’t give me that look. Here are your promised gauntlets.”

The old man took my gauntlets from the shelf and placed them on the desk.

The gauntlets had a shield attached to the forearm, about 10 cm (3,93 inch) in diameter. People might wonder what I’d do with such a small shield, but for me, it was incredibly valuable.

Since it was just the gauntlets, I took off my uniform and put on the gauntlets.

The gauntlets exceeded my expectations. They were lighter than I imagined, the shield didn’t obstruct movement, and the flow of magic to the shield was better than I imagined.

“Old man, what’s with these? Why is the flow of magic so smooth?”

The old man seemed pleased that I asked and began explaining cheerfully.

“Well, I used mithril.”

“Mithril, as in the mithril from the god’s silver coin?”

“That’s the mithril.”

“I don’t have that much money…”

“I said it’s on the house. Can’t exactly ask you to pay now, can I?”

“… Old man, you’re bad at business.”

“What? Aren’t you going to say ‘thank you’?”

I expressed my gratitude with proper nobility.

“Thank you very much.”

The old man seemed a little embarrassed.

“Keh, throws me off my game…”

“Can I try them out right away?”

“Yeah, show me what you got.”

I infused magic into the forearm shield and created a magical shield. It was fast… I was able to create a magical shield in half the time it took when I tried it with El.

Next was the shape. Round, triangular, square, large shield, small shield… I could easily change both the size and shape.

“Old man, thanks. With this, I can definitely use it in real combat.”

“But don’t forget our deal.”

“Yeah, leave it to me.”

And so, my shield was completed. Even without embedding it into the armor, I can create a magical shield, but for everyday use, it’ll likely be the shield on my forearm.

If I decide on other spots to attach shields, I’ll ask the old man for help. Next time, I’ll make sure to pay properly.

It seems like Lewis and Nero also liked the Wyvern Leather Armor. Both of them are going home in armor, holding their school uniforms.

I, too, hold my uniform while wearing the gauntlets and head home.

All three of us return to our respective homes with smiles on our faces.