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Jason clearly remembered that the [Shield of Will] was only at level 1 before, with all resistances increased by a mere 50%. Now, however, it had reached level 7, enhancing all resistances by 57%.
"It actually upgraded," he mused. "So the Shield of Will levels up according to my own progress. But level 1 only increased resistance by 1%, doesn't that seem a bit inadequate?"
Jason frowned, suddenly feeling that the [Shield of Will] wasn't as powerful as he initially believed.
However, he quickly noticed a line of text under the description of both [Shield of Will] and his other shield skills that read, "ability not released."
"What does that mean?" he wondered.
Ever since time traveling, Jason had been relying heavily on his fists to tackle problems, leaving him a bit out of touch with the intricacies of the Holy Shield.
Curious, he examined his shield attentively. Immediately, a row of icons appeared before him. Next to the [Weapon Manual] icon on the weapon bar, he spotted the [Support Options] icon, which provided information about the shield.
[Weapon Changes, Bonus Effects, and Ability Release]
Weapon Change: This means the ability to alter the currently equipped shield into various shapes. By simply reciting the name of the desired form in his mind, the transformation could occur. For instance, if Jason silently thought [Shield of Will], the shield in his hand would morph into that shape. This was something he was already aware of.
Equipment Bonus Effect: This refers to obtaining additional abilities when transforming the shield. For example, if equipped with a [Small Orange Shield], the bonus effect of this form would grant an extra 2 points of defense. If this form included extra skills, those could also be utilized.
Ability Liberation: This is the process of using a specific shield form. After sufficient practice, the equipment's bonus effect would be permanently conferred onto the user. For example, once the ability of [Shield of Will] is released, the bonus effect would become a permanent enhancement, meaning he could enjoy the 57% resistance boost without needing to summon the shield.
"Looking at it this way, the [Shield of Will] is practically overpowered, as long as its ability is successfully released."
Jason's eyes sparkled at this revelation. Once the ability was liberated, the implications of having permanent bonuses made it immensely valuable.
At that moment, sparks from the campfire erupted, followed by a series of coughs.
"Cough cough cough..."
Turning to see what was happening, Jason found Raphtalia clutching her chest tightly, her face contorted in pain.
"No...don't do it~~~"
Suddenly, it seemed Raphtalia was trapped in a terrifying nightmare. She writhed in distress, cries escaping her lips.
"What's going on, Raphtalia?" Jason exclaimed, rushing to her side and wrapping her in a protective embrace.
"Don't...Dad...Mom..." she murmured, eyes tightly shut as she called out for her parents in her dream.
Tears streamed silently down her cheeks, and her hands flailed forward as if reaching for something unseen.
Understanding dawned on Jason—her parents had likely been murdered, casting her into a dark life of captivity, leaving her with deep emotional scars. This was likely why the slave trader warned that after nightfall, she would suffer from panic attacks.
"Poor girl, it's okay," Jason comforted, holding her tightly as she cried freely in his arms.
With the surrounding mushroom monsters already taken care of, he felt reassured that no further threats loomed.
After some time, Raphtalia's condition began to stabilize, although she continued to cough unsteadily.
Setting her down gently, Jason moved over to the campfire and retrieved the potion he had obtained from the slave trader. He placed one packet into the pot to heat it up and set another in front of the gems mounted on his shield.
As expected, the potion was drawn into the shield.
The condition of the Healing Shield is liberated.
The condition of the Potion Shield is liberated.
[Micro-Medicine Shield]: The ability has not been released, and the equipment bonus effect: the efficacy of the medicine has increased.
[Medicine Shield]: The ability has not been released, and the equipment bonus effect: identification of medicine.
"Sure enough, just as I suspected, it's a sacred artifact after all. This is incredibly convenient," Jason remarked with a slight smile. He transformed the shield in his hand into the Medicine Shield and placed it atop the last pack of medicine.
Immediately, the names of the potion and the herbs required for the formula were converted into text and appeared before Jason's eyes.
"This makes things simple. It looks like I've gathered all the necessary herbs!" he thought, feeling pleased with himself.
At that moment, the medicine was finished cooking. Jason summoned the Micro-Medicine Shield and approached Raphtalia. After all, the bonus effect of this shield enhanced the medicine's efficacy.
"Drink slowly," he encouraged as he gently lifted Raphtalia's head, carefully pouring the medicine into her mouth.
With the aid of the Micro-Medicine Shield and the potion, Raphtalia quickly stopped coughing and drifted into a deep sleep.
"Hey... why do I feel like an old father? No... more accurately, like a caretaker for a child bride," Jason mused, shaking his head with a sigh as he looked at the sleeping Raphtalia.
"Father... Mom... and Brother Jason, I will definitely become strong and protect you!"
At that moment, Raphtalia's innocent voice echoed softly, her eyes still closed as she spoke in her sleep.
"Interesting," Jason thought, a peculiar smile forming at the corner of his mouth. He knew the medicine would only alleviate her symptoms; it wouldn't cure Raphtalia's panic disorder.
"Heart issues need heart remedies, and it's time to truly heal your scars, Raphtalia!"
Jason steeled himself, not as soft-hearted as Iwatani Naofumi.
When Raphtalia finally opened her eyes, she found herself lying on Jason's back. The unfamiliar surroundings made her feel as though she had traveled through time after her sleep.
"Brother Jason, where are we?"
Having come to trust him significantly, she was no longer worried about his intentions.
"Going to a place that can help you heal your condition," Jason replied confidently.
After an hour of fast travel, a desolate mountain range came into view. There was a weed-choked road leading to a waste pit at the far end.
Without a moment's hesitation, Jason plunged directly into the waste pit, still carrying Raphtalia on his back.
As they descended, a cave came into sight. Despite the stark environment of the stalactite-filled cavern, small rivers and waterfalls graced the area. Various ores embedded in the cave walls emitted faint glimmers of light, resembling stars scattered in the night sky.
However, beneath such beauty, a massive, multi-headed black dog lay in the center of the cave. Its menacing face and razor-sharp teeth gave it the appearance of a fiend that had clawed its way out of hell.
Jason carefully set Raphtalia down and urged her forward, his expression serious.
"Now, go kill it. And just so you know, I won't be doing you any favors in this fight!"
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If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 50+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11
If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 50+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11 Additionally, I have many other works you may be interested in. Please enjoy!
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Raphtalia was born in a humble demihuman village along the coast, not too far from the nation's border. Although life was not abundant, her parents were gentle and kind, and they lived harmoniously among the other villagers.
That tranquility shattered on the day when a horde of bone soldiers erupted from the disaster wave. Despite their overwhelming numbers, the individual soldiers were relatively weak, allowing nearby adventurers to fend them off initially without much trouble.
However, as more monstrous creatures joined the fray, the line of defense comprised of adventurers began to falter and retreat steadily. Ultimately, a monstrous three-headed dog appeared, its power incomprehensible. Even the strongest adventurers were rendered helpless before it, crushed like ants underfoot.
The village where Raphtalia resided could no longer withstand the onslaught. The villagers did everything they could to hide and survive. Sadly, her parents were trapped amidst the chaos. Though they managed to escape with Raphtalia, they were pushed to the edge of a cliff by the relentless monsters.
Realizing there was no escape, her parents turned to her with warm smiles, offering comfort as they faced their doom. Even in their final moments, they tried to reassure the panicked Raphtalia, knowing that they intended to sacrifice themselves to save her.
"No! Dad! Mom!" Raphtalia screamed, her voice breaking with despair.
In that agonizing moment, her parents urged her to jump off the cliff, pushing her into the sea below. As she fell, Raphtalia watched helplessly as the three-headed dog lunged toward her parents, their bodies torn apart before her eyes.
Miraculously, the currents of the sea carried her to safety on a nearby shore. When Raphtalia awoke, the wave of disaster had subsided. Refusing to believe the grim reality, she returned to the cliff, desperately searching for her parents.
But they were gone. All that remained were haunting bloodstains and fragments of flesh scattered across the ground.
Confronted with this brutal truth, Raphtalia was forced to accept that her parents were gone—shattering a part of her spirit in the process. She wept in agony, calling out to the sea until her voice grew hoarse, her tears mingling with the torrential rain that fell from the sky. Eventually, the bloodstains faded, but the poor little girl remained, kneeling with lost eyes, frozen in a painful emptiness, perhaps too overwhelmed to think of anything at all.
Later, Raphtalia fell victim to a slave-hunting operation and was captured. During her time as a slave, she endured cruel torment. Eventually, she was sold to a slave trader, where she finally crossed paths with Jason.
It was evident that Raphtalia suffered from a panic disorder linked to the trauma of losing her parents. The monstrous three-headed dog that had attacked her in her past bore a striking resemblance to the two-headed black dog now looming before her.
As she beheld the two-headed creature, buried memories surged forth, threatening to overwhelm her.
"No... don't... I don't want to!" Raphtalia exclaimed, her face pale as she shook her head. If Jason hadn't trained her the day before, she knew she would have crumbled under the pressure.
"What? Didn't you say you wanted to be a warrior strong enough to protect your parents? Just a puppy, and you shrink back? Your parents are gone, yet you lack the courage to avenge them? Do you think you're worthy of their sacrifice?"
Jason leaned closer, his voice steady but imbued with an enchanting intensity.
Raphtalia's breathing became rapid; her wide eyes gleamed with a renewed focus.
"Exactly! While you can't bring them back, you can grow stronger and seek vengeance!"
Jason continued to softly press her, knowing that to help Raphtalia overcome her panic disorder, he needed to tap into her hidden strength—even if it meant becoming the demon dragging her through hell.
"Ah~~~!"
Caught between courage and rage, Raphtalia lunged toward the two-headed black dog, dagger in hand. Despite the beast being over five times her size and completely dominant in terms of power level, she charged forward without a hint of hesitation.
The two-headed black dog, disturbed from its nap by a tiny intruder, sprang upright and let out an angry roar.
"Raphtalia, hatred can be a powerful motivator, but don't let it blind you! Stay aware of your surroundings!" Jason cautioned, his voice cutting through the rising tension.
With this reminder, Raphtalia regained a sliver of rationality, just in time to see the two-headed black dog barreling toward her.
Having undergone training, she instinctively took a step back. One head of the beast snapped at the ground right where she had been standing a moment before. Had Jason not warned her, she would have been caught directly in the creature's jaws. The sight of those two rows of gleaming teeth sent a jolt of terror through her.
However, instead of retreating further, Raphtalia steadied herself and advanced, plunging the dagger in her hand into the head of the two-headed black dog that had just attempted to bite her.
"It does seem like she has the potential to be a fighter," Jason thought with relief. "In this moment, she maintains her reflexes. Unfortunately, her strength is still far too lacking."
Indeed, while Raphtalia had managed to stab the creature, the wound was shallow, and because of the two-headed nature of the beast, her strike wasn't fatal. The result was swift and uncontestable.
The two-headed black dog roared in pain and fury, hurling Raphtalia away with a powerful swipe.
"Roar~~~!"
The agony only intensified the creature's brutality.
Raphtalia crashed to the ground but disregarded the jarring pain shooting through her body. Desperately, she scanned for her dagger and soon realized it was still lodged in the head of the two-headed black dog.
As the monster approached again, Raphtalia shut her eyes and allowed a flood of thoughts to wash over her.
"Sure enough, I'm still too weak. I'm sorry, Mom and Dad. I can't avenge you. I'm sorry, Brother Jason. I promised I would grow stronger and protect you in the future... I'm so sorry…"
"Crack!"
Suddenly, she heard a breaking sound. Expecting the imminent pain of being bitten by the two-headed beast, Raphtalia slowly opened her eyes, shock registering on her face as she took in the scene before her.
"Brother Jason!" she gasped in disbelief.
Jason had positioned himself protectively in front of her. One head of the two-headed black dog had sunk its teeth into his arm while the other bit into his shoulder.
But what caught Raphtalia's attention was something unexpected—the two-headed black dog appeared to be crying.
"Tick!"
A tear, round and gleaming like a soybean, plopped onto the ground. The creature truly was weeping.
Raphtalia felt utterly confused. Why was the two-headed black dog crying when it had just bitten Jason?
Her mind raced, grappling with the absurdity of the moment. What was happening?
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