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As the behemoth descended from the sky accompanied by a horde of zombie soldiers, Jason and Raphtalia, along with the villagers who emerged from their houses, watched the unfolding spectacle.
Some timid villagers collapsed to the ground, trembling with fear, paralyzed by the sight before them.
"It's...it's a giant zombie captain! Why is it here?" one villager whispered in terror, unable to tear his eyes away from the colossal figure.
"You've heard of it?" Jason, rushing toward the village center, overheard and asked curiously.
"Yes, Lord Shield Hero," the villager replied. "I've heard tales of such creatures. They appeared during the first wave of calamities and nearly annihilated a village. It was only the timely arrival of the army that prevented disaster."
The villagers were understandably afraid of the formidable giant zombie captain.
"Master Shield Hero, you've already vanquished so many monsters; you must be exhausted. Let's wait for the army to handle the captain," another villager suggested, eyeing Jason with concern.
"No need," Jason replied confidently. "The army won't make it in time. Don't worry, despite having used a lot of SP, handling this won't be a problem. Raphtalia, let's go!"
Without waiting for the villagers' reactions, Jason and Raphtalia charged toward the center of the village.
Watching them leave, the villagers grappled with their fear, clenching their fists and gritting their teeth. One villager finally shouted, "This is our village! We can't run away and let the Shield Hero fight alone!"
"Yes, we're not cowards!" others echoed.
"Let's help Lord Shield!" rallied another.
Encouraged, many villagers picked up their weapons and followed Jason toward the central square.
Lute Village, being small, allowed Jason to reach the center quickly. There, he found the square swarming with zombie soldiers and, towering above them, a giant zombie.
Standing over three meters tall, the giant zombie, clad in formidable-looking armor, wielded an enormous, chilling axe. While perhaps not the main boss of the disaster wave, it was certainly a sub-boss.
Jason had wisely directed the villagers to shelter at the village's edge, preventing what could have been massive casualties.
"Raphtalia, stay back! I'll handle the big one!" Jason declared.
"Yes, Master Jason!" Raphtalia replied.
Stepping forward, Jason's shield morphed into a blue shield emblazoned with a bear's head—the [Storm Bear Shield] obtained from the Earth Violent Bear, boasting the skill: Earthquake.
Jason raised his shield and slammed it into the ground with force.
Boom!
The ground quaked as the shield struck, sending cracks racing outward to encompass the village square.
Given Jason's current level and strength, the [Great Earth Crack] wasn't at its peak power, extending only 10 narrow cracks. However, the loose soil of Lute Village and the weight of the many zombie soldiers and the giant zombie captain caused the ground to collapse.
The zombie soldiers fell, immobilized, and the giant zombie was caught in the shifting earth, letting out a furious roar.
But Jason wasn't finished. Pocketing his shield, he leaped from one zombie soldier's head to the next, swiftly closing in on the giant zombie captain.
From its sunken position, the giant zombie captain swung its massive axe at the fast-approaching Jason without hesitation.
Before the giant axe struck, its wind pressure reached Jason first, tousling his hair slightly.
As the enormous axe, larger than Jason himself, descended, he swiftly raised his shield to meet it.
"When~~~"
The giant axe clashed against the shield with a resounding clang akin to a church bell, the force creating a gust of wind.
Jason stood his ground, unmoved, while the giant zombie captain staggered backward. It couldn't comprehend how the small human before it possessed such strength, almost causing it to lose its grip on the axe.
Yet, with its limited intelligence, it had no time to ponder this.
Jason leaped again, his right fist clenched, and delivered a powerful blow to the captain's head.
In a burst of force, the giant zombie captain's head exploded, leaving no chance for resistance.
The remaining zombie soldiers, now stuck and in disarray, were swiftly dispatched by Jason and Raphtalia. Jason's strength was formidable, able to eliminate many foes with a single punch.
"Let's defend our homeland!" a villager shouted.
"Even if we're not strong, we can support the Shield Hero!" others cried.
The villagers' calls echoed, but their arrival coincided with the end of the battle, thanks to Jason's and Raphtalia's swift actions.
As the villagers reached the scene, they halted, gazing in awe at the defeated foes littering the ground, with Jason and Raphtalia standing victorious.
"Charge—wait, what's happened?"
"Wow, the monsters are already defeated by Lord Shield!"
"Isn't that the giant zombie captain with its army of soldiers?"
"See for yourself!" the crowd moved aside, allowing others a view of the aftermath.
"Lord Shield Hero is incredible!"
"Praise Lord Shield Hero!" they cheered.
Though their contribution was minimal, Jason found the villagers' enthusiasm endearing. Those willing to risk themselves to aid others always deserve admiration.
"The giant zombie captain might be defeated, but more monsters could be on the way. Stay alert, everyone. Raphtalia, can I count on you to handle the rest?"
Jason surveyed the area, noticing the significantly reduced number of monsters, and addressed both the villagers and Raphtalia.
"Of course, we will handle it!" Raphtalia assured with confidence.
"Great, I'll head out now!"
And with that, Jason vanished, sprinting towards the origin of the disaster wave.
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If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11
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If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11
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"Lord Jason, I hope you are safe and sound."
Watching Jason's retreating figure, Raphtalia planted her long sword firmly into the ground, clasping her hands together in a prayerful gesture.
"Don't worry, Lord Shield Hero will be fine," one villager reassured her.
"Absolutely! With such a powerful Shield Hero, he easily defeated even the giant zombie captain. Nothing will happen to him!" another villager chimed in.
"That's right! After all, he is shield hero, the savior of this world!" the villagers of Lute Village added, their faces bright with hope.
Feeling their encouragement, Raphtalia's unease began to dissipate.
"Master Jason will be fine. I need to do my best!" she resolved.
Drawing her long sword, she announced, "Everyone! Please join me in fighting off this wave together!"
"Let's go!" the villagers replied in unison, their spirits high.
...
"A significant number of monsters have been defeated, and with Raphtalia's skills, they should manage the situation well alongside the village militia." Jason thought to himself, urgency propelling him forward. "I need to hurry; if the main boss behind this disaster wave is eliminated while I'm occupied, all will be lost."
With that in mind, he quickened his pace.
As he moved, some wasp-like monsters attacked from above, but he dismissed them; they were not a threat to him. His primary focus was reaching the source of the disaster wave.
However, the situation took an unexpected turn.
Suddenly, a barrage of fireballs erupted from the forest ahead, soaring through the air like raindrops, heading straight for him.
With no time to react, Jason raised his shield just as the fiery projectiles began to fall.
The rain of fire descended, bringing an unbearable heat that would be overwhelming to ordinary people.
The hornet monsters surrounding him were quickly obliterated by the fireballs, exploding into larger bursts of flame as they hit the ground.
In moments, Jason found himself surrounded by a raging sea of fire, flickering flames casting eerie shadows across his figure.
While this level of attack posed no threat to him, it fueled his irritation.
"What's going on? Monsters? No... Monsters summoned by the disaster wave wouldn't attack their own. That means—"
As Jason stood enveloped in flames, his expression darkened, the killing intent radiating from him causing the fire around him to sway violently. Even in the intense heat, a chilling aura seemed to permeate the air.
At that moment, a group of armored humans emerged from the trees, advancing in precise formation.
"Haha! Just as I expected from Lord Shield Hero—there's no issue here. Don't look at me like that; I am the commander of the Knights of the Kingdom, and we're here to assist you in eliminating the monsters in the vicinity."
A man with a prominent mustache stepped forward, smiling smugly.
It was clear that he was the one who had orchestrated the fire attack that had narrowly missed Jason, yet there was no hint of an apology for the collateral damage.
"The Knights of the Kingdom? Just in time. But tell me, was such a large-scale attack really necessary with the few monsters around? Or were you trying to kill me instead?" Jason stepped forward, emerging from the flames, ice in his gaze.
Jason recognized the group leader as one of Myne's loyal followers, his face a mask of self-importance.
"Hehe... Of course not! We only wish to eliminate the monsters. Moreover, it seems you're just fine, aren't you?" the leader retorted, brushing his mustache nonchalantly.
"Really? I don't think so. Your attack was too weak to harm me, yet I could see a flicker of disappointment deep in your eyes," Jason replied, moving closer until he locked eyes with the leader.
"Even if you are a hero, you shouldn't slander others without cause," the leader said, his bravado faltering under Jason's scrutiny.
Under Jason's intense gaze, the leader's expression turned rigid, but he quickly regained his composure, the arrogance returning to his demeanor as he sneered:
"What? Do you intend to attack me? I am the commander of the Knights of the Kingdom, representing this nation. If you go against us, you go against the country itself. Even a hero must face the consequences of the Kingdom's laws."
It was impossible not to find his brash attitude—and the absurdity of his mustaches—entirely irritating.
Jason's lips curled into a slight smirk. "Of course... a hero wouldn't attack the Knights of the Kingdom indiscriminately."
"Good, then step aside! Even if you're a hero, you shouldn't interfere. We have monsters to deal with."
The leader's tone dripped with arrogance as he stood before Jason, his confidence swelling.
"But what if you're not really the head of the Knights of the Kingdom?" Jason responded, still unfazed. The smile on his face brightened, and now it was more reminiscent of someone reveling in chaos.
"What do you mean by that?" The commander frowned, a hint of unease creeping into his demeanor as he sensed something amiss.
"Now, I'm certain that you're actually a spy for the calamity wave, trying to manipulate the Knights of the Kingdom to attack the hero in an effort to destroy the country!" Jason's voice thundered with accusation.
"Bull—" the leader stammered, but his rebuttal was cut short as Jason surged forward, his fist arcing toward him.
Boom!
With a single punch, the leader was sent flying, crashing into a nearby tree and crumpling to the ground, bloodied and barely recognizable beneath his helmet—a mangled mass of flesh.
The surrounding soldiers of the Knights stood frozen, stunned into silence.
"Did… did the leader just die in one blow?"
"How could he? One punch was all it took to take him out?"
Jason's voice broke through the numbness. "I've eliminated the spy hidden in your ranks. Now, I command you to head to Lute Village and aid the villagers against the monsters."
The blood still dripped from Jason's fist, and his imposing figure, coupled with the energy he radiated, left the soldiers trembling.
The Knights shuffled uncomfortably, glancing at each other, uncertain of how to proceed.
"The deputy commander of the Knights accepts the orders of the hero! Let's move! To Lute Village!" A charismatic soldier stepped forward, his authoritative voice cutting through the confusion.
"Yes!" the others echoed, rallying under this new command.
With renewed determination, the soldiers began to march toward Lute Village, ready to support the desperate fight against the ongoing threat.
"Enough time wasted; let's hurry!" Jason said, striding ahead. As he continued on, some monsters began to descend from the trees, drawn by the scent of blood. They tumbled toward the corpse of the fallen commander, hungry and unrelenting.
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