Yari no Yuusha no Yarinaoshi (LN) - Volume 1 - Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen: Church of the Faux Heroes 

Spending time with Fitoria-tan and the filolials that night had felt like a dream come true. But sadly, time marched on. We were making smooth progress on our way to Siltvelt, and we came to the consensus that we should arrive quicker than expected if things continued going so well. 
We’d stopped by a certain town and stayed the night at someone’s house there, which the emissary had arranged for. Perhaps it was because we were gradually getting closer to Siltvelt, but it had become much easier to find supporters and secure safe places to stay. 
We were right in the middle of getting ready to move on to the next town when it happened. 
“Bad news!” 
The supporter that the emissary had introduced us to suddenly burst in and yelled out. He had a look of urgency in his eyes. 
“Huh? What is it?!” Father asked. 
“S-some group claiming to be the ‘Church of the Four Heroes’ has sealed off the town gates! They’ve started capturing people left and right in the town square and threatening them!” 
I looked out of the window at the town. I could see smoke rising from several locations where it shouldn’t have been. 
“Just to make sure we understand the situation, what kind of threats are we talking about?” Éclair asked the man. 
She was furrowing her brow. 
“Th-the man said, ‘We know Shield and Spear Hero imposters are hiding in this town! Impersonating a hero is a grievous sin according to our religion, and we shall deliver judgment in the name of our gods! Furthermore, the people of this town are equally guilty for hiding them! If the imposters are not turned over to us, we’ll execute every man, woman, and child here!’” 
Expressions of disgust came over the faces of Father, Éclair, and the Siltvelt emissary. All three of them were shaking their heads. 
“So now they’re pretending to be the Church of the Four Heroes. I don’t even know what to say. This is clearly the work of Church of the Three Heroes extremists,” said Éclair. 
“I guess it’s similar to the idea of using a fake name to commit a crime. Only in their case, it’s the name of another religion,” Father replied. 
“I’m sure they realize what they’re doing is inhumane. Or perhaps they stand to gain something by claiming to be the Church of the Four Heroes,” Éclair supposed. 
“This is just a guess, but it’s probably something like the group out there is supposed to capture and kill us, and then just as they do, the Church of the Three Heroes will show up and dispose of the extremists. Then they’ll claim to have saved the town,” Father went on. 
Father was impressive, as always! To be able to imagine a scenario like that . . . I couldn’t help but admire his insight! 
“That makes sense. The imposters claiming to be the Church of the Four Heroes do something terrible, and the Church of the Three Heroes brings them to justice. And if it results in you two being erased, that’s icing on the cake. But in that case, why wouldn’t they just claim to be Siltvelt’s Church of the Shield?” asked Éclair. 
“I’m sure they have a reason. It would seem really fishy if the people taking control of the town weren’t demi-humans in that case. There might be other reasons too,” Father replied. 
“You’re right. Claiming to be the Church of the Shield wouldn’t work if the members weren’t demi-humans or therianthropes. But anyway, sitting around here thinking about these things isn’t going to solve anything,” Éclair concluded. 
Oh? Were we going to launch an attack? 
“Jeez . . . I really can’t help but wonder if being summoned wasn’t for the worst, after all,” Father said. 
“You need not wonder, Father! All of the blame lies with those cowards!” 
“That’s right!” Yuki exclaimed. 
“Something really stiiinks here! I hate this smell!” said Kou. 
“Hm? Umm, I like Naofumiii!” Sakura added. 
Our efforts to encourage Father brought a grin to his face. 
“You’re right. I’ll keep pushing forward for the sake of everyone that believes in me.” 
With a look of determination on his face, Father turned and spoke to the Siltvelt emissaries and the supporter. 
“I’m really tired of these disturbances. But it’s also a fact that this is happening because of us. I want to minimize the damage done, and I’d like you to help me do that.” 
“Of course! Anything you need, Shield Hero!” 
“Of course!” 
“I’m going to go confront the group in the town square. Motoyasu, you come with me.” 
“I shan’t leave your side, I say!” 
Yes! Things were starting to get exciting! Father’s wish was my command, and nothing could stand in my way, I say! 
“What about uussss?” Sakura asked. 
“I want Éclair and the three of you to take care of any church member imposters causing trouble around town. I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine. Okay?” Father told them. 
“With me there, we shall destroy the enemy in a flash, I say!” 
“Thanks. I’m counting on you.” 
Father had given the order! I was finally going to get some action! 
“I’d like the rest of you to help Éclair and the filolials.” 
“B-but . . .” 
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll have Motoyasu with me, and I’ve gotten a lot stronger too. Their attacks don’t scare me.” 
Father praised me and said this was all thanks to me, I say! 
“I’m really tired of dealing with this bunch. Whether it’s the Church of the Three Heroes or some other bunch of troublemakers pulling this stunt, if we expose them here, I’m sure it will throw their operation into disarray. I’m not trying to start a witch hunt, but perhaps it will put people on the alert and make it harder for the assassins to operate,” Father continued. 
He shifted his gaze over to Éclair and the Siltvelt emissary. 
“One of the legendary shield’s power-up methods that Motoyasu taught me works by trusting others and being trusted by them. I trust you, Eclair, and everyone else who has helped me since coming to this world. The benefit goes both ways. That makes both of us that much stronger. I want you to use that strength to go help those people.” 
“So that’s what that was. I thought I felt strength unexpectedly swelling up from somewhere recently. If your trust is a source of power, then I shall make sure it does not go wasted!” Éclair replied. 
“Very well. If that is your wish, Shield Hero, then we have no reason to refuse. To our triumph!” shouted the emissary. 
“Alright, everyone . . . Let’s do this!” Father said. 
They all let out a whoop and we left our hideout to begin the retaliation. 

“People are about to start dying! Hurry up and show yourselves, Shield and Spear imposters! If you don’t . . . we, the Church of the Four Heroes, shall end the life of this small child!” 
Father and I made our way out to meet the scumbags who’d gathered up the helpless townspeople in the town square, where they were making their self-righteous announcements. They had built a scaffold for the executions in the square and were planning on executing the townspeople one by one. They were in the process of securing a child in the guillotine stocks, as if to imply the child would die first. 
“Wahhhh! Somebody save me! Daddy! Mommy!” 
“S-stop . . . this . . .” stammered a man tied up to a post behind them. 
His body showed signs of already having been tortured, but they continued to whip him. Next to him was a pig that was also being whipped. 
“Stop this! You’ve harmed enough people already!” Father shouted. 
“So you finally show yourselves! It’s the vile imposters that claim to be the Shield and Spear Heroes!” said an ugly, rotten-looking man wearing ostentatious religious attire. 
Glaring at us, he went on. “You’re the ones harming people! People of this town! Now you shall see just how grievous a sin pretending to be a hero is! We will prove to you that these fools are not the heroes we believe in! Come, imposters! The time for your judgment has come!” 
Some of the townspeople in the square began throwing rocks and other things and yelling at us. 
“Pretending to be heroes is ungodly!” 
“Boo!” 
“None of this would have happened if you hadn’t come here!” 
“Did you think this would make you famous?! Vile imposters!” 
I tightened my grip on my spear, but Father pat me on the shoulder lightly, as if to say, “Don’t worry about them.” He kept walking straight toward the man who seemed to be the leader of the imposters who claimed to be the Church of the Four Heroes. I followed behind. But mixed in among the things being thrown at us were countless blow darts. They had no effect on us since our weapons were powered up, but they were still incredibly annoying. 
With each step, the crowd before us parted to reveal a path leading directly to the scaffold. The leader was standing on the scaffold and shielding himself with a hostage in restraints. His intent was clearly to render us incapable of retaliation. 
“Come on, we’re not going to run or hide. Hurry up and let that innocent person go,” Father said. 
“Ah, yes, that’s right! But before that, you’re going to do exactly as I say! Stand in the middle of that circle there!” he commanded. 
There was a blatantly obvious circle drawn on the ground. All it took was one glance to see that it had been drawn there as part of some scheme. 
“Everyone! Now!” he shouted. 
Immediately after we stepped into the circle, a massive ball of light appeared above us. It looked like the ceremonial magic spell Last Judgment. The ball of light would condense and then come falling down toward a single point on the earth below. Landing a direct hit with the attack was difficult, but the spell was more formidable than Judgment if used successfully. 
The point of impact was undoubtedly the circle we were standing in. The fools really did never learn. We had turned the tables on them time and again, and yet they continued to use the same old tactics. I was getting ready to recite an incantation when the leader called out to us. 
“Careful, now! We’ve heard rumors of some kind of dirty trick that allows you to evade ceremonial magic. If you try anything sneaky . . . There’s no guarantee that your friends here won’t get hurt!” 
In other words, they would kill the hostages if I used Liberation Absorb. That wasn’t my problem! But Father signaled for me to hold off. 
“. . .” 
His expression was beginning to look like the Father I remembered from the first world. I knew it! In the end, Father was Father, I say! 
“Is this the kind of thing your religion deems righteous?” Father asked. 
“Hmph! What right does an imposter, who claims to be a hero, have to say anything about us, the Church of the Four Heroes?!” 
“Whether I’m an imposter or not has nothing to do with it! I’m asking if you really understand the implications of what you’re doing!” 
Father’s intensity made even the onlookers gulp. 
“You hide behind innocent people, call us out here, and take hostages just to pull a stunt like this — all for your own self-satisfaction. I’m asking if that’s what you call your religion!” 
“Hmph! You sure are a smooth talker, Shield Hero imposter. You speak of justice in an attempt to mislead these people and grow your own pathetic fold of worshippers! But we cannot allow that! Your wicked believers are guilty of the same sins as you! We act for the sake of the world and our gods! Dissidents like you must be judged in the name of our gods!” 
“I’m impressed. You express your selfishness so eloquently,” Father replied. 
He glared at their ringleader with a look of disgust on his face. 
“Ha! If you say you’re the real Shield Hero, then why don’t you just protect yourself and save all of your believers here with your own two hands? If you can, that is!” 
Having said that, their leader cut the rope tied to the blade of the guillotine, right in front of our eyes. And at the same moment, their attack came shooting straight down at us. 
“High-level ceremonial magic, Last Judgment!” the man shouted. 

Father held his shield up toward the sky with his left hand. He then turned to the guillotine blade — which was only moments away from severing the young boy’s head — and whispered, “Air Strike Feather Shield V!” 
It was a skill that called forth a shield. Assigning points to the skill and raising its level increased both the shield’s toughness and the skill’s range. In other words, the guillotine blade struck the shield Father summoned and stopped dead in its tracks. At the same time, the light of Final Judgment impacted Father’s shield and came to a halt, continuing to shine but failing to scorch us. It was like the sun on a clear day when it was just bright enough to make you squint. 
“What?! He was hit by the light of Final Judgment and survived?!” their leader screamed out in surprise. Did they really think they could defeat Father with such a meager effort? They were such fools, as always. 
The townspeople clasped their hands together and began praying to Father when they saw him standing there like he was. 
“Amazing . . .” 
“He saved the boy’s life while guarding against such a severe attack! And he’s still standing there unfazed!” 
“He truly is our savior, the Shield Hero!” 
That was the proper way to worship Father, I say! 
“Why are you praying to an imposter, you filthy heretics?!” the leader asked. 
“You can’t fool us!” others shouted. “Boo!” 
Just as I suspected, there were people planted in the crowd to stir up trouble. 
“Hmph! That’s far from worthy of being called a miracle! The executions are not over!” 
The leader drew his sword and swung the blade down at the young boy. Just how disgraceful did these scumbags plan on making themselves look in front of everyone?! I’d promised Father and Filo-tan that I would not allow such reckless violence, I say! 
“Don’t forget about me! Air Strike Javelin V . . . with a touch of . . . Aiming Lancer X, I say!” 
Air Strike Javelin was a skill that required me to throw my spear. I launched it straight at the leader of the Church of the Four Heroes. 
“Gaahhh!” 
It blasted right through his arm into the blade of the guillotine and blew them both to smithereens. Aiming Lancer went flying at the members of the crowd who had been trying to stir up trouble and skewered each and every one of them. 
“These barbarous acts of the imposters are unforgivable!” one of them cried out. 
“Don’t worry about killing any heretics that get in the way! Everyone! Attack!” the leader shouted. 
Father swiftly leapt up onto the scaffold. He grabbed the leader by the collar and tossed him to me, saving the young boy from his impending execution. With complete disregard for the townspeople, the Church of the Four Heroes tried to take advantage of that opening by firing a rain of arrows at us. Father swung his cape and swiped the arrows within its reach down, out of the air. He then raised his hand and cast two more skills. 
“Air Strike One-Way Shield IV! Second One-Way Shield V!” 
Shields appeared out of thin air to protect the townspeople. The arrows went flying off to the sides when they hit the shields. 
“Motoyasu! Help me protect everyone!” 
“Understood, I say!” 
I could do far more with my powers than simply defeat enemies, I say! Magic could be used like this too! 
“I, the Love Hunter, command the heavens and earth! Transect the way of the universe and rejoin it again to expel the pus from within! Power of the Earth Vein! Merge with this magic power of mine! Merge with the power of the heroes and forge a unified force! As the source of your power, the Love Hunter commands you! Let the way of all things be revealed once more! Bring forth a wall of fire to protect us!” 
“Liberation Firewall V!” 
A highly concentrated wall of fire rose up around us to protect us. That’s all it took to burn their magical attacks, arrows, throwing weapons, and everything else to ashes, I say! 
“You okay?” Father asked the boy. 
“Y-yeah.” 
“Sorry about that. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t been summoned here,” Father told him. 
“Are you guys really . . . heroes?” the boy asked Father after finally being freed from being held hostage. 
“We sure are. Even so, we’re being chased by all sorts of people. Motoyasu, please treat the wounds of this boy and his parents!” 
Father called out to me as he hurriedly untied the restraints of the boy’s parents, who’d also been held hostage. Leave it to me, I say! 
“I’m not as skilled at it as you are, Father, but healing magic is a specialty of mine, just like you!” 
“Yeah, I know I should probably be taking care of it myself, but . . .” 
“I know. You still can’t use magic. You mustn’t be so harsh on yourself, I say!” 
Father kept an eye on our surroundings as I cast healing magic on the boy and his parents. He was making sure that none of their attacks made it through the wall of fire. 
“Worry not, I say!” 
“I worry . . . They’re trying to cancel it out with their own magic, you know.” 
“Ha! Ha! Ha! Their pitiful magic could never interfere with my spells, I say!” 
We’d saved the townspeople and they started gathering around us. Their expressions made no attempt to hide their surprise. That’s how it was supposed to be, I say! 
“The scumbags continue to attack. It’s about time to make them pay!” 
I had added a certain little something something to my wall of fire. It was an effect similar to the ability of a shield Father used long ago. Flames lashed out from the wall of fire like whips and scorched anyone who attacked it. 
“Gaaaaahhh!” 
“Wh-what kind of magic is this?!” 
“Firewall isn’t supposed to have an effect like that!” 
“Ahhhhh!” 
The attackers were engulfed in flames and the fire began to spread beyond the town square. Ha! Ha! Ha! They were flames of purification, I say! 
“Is this going to be okay, Motoyasu?! The buildings are starting to catch on fire!” 
“Worry not, I say! I shall extinguish the flames eventually!” 
“That doesn’t sound like it’s okay! But jeez . . . There sure seem to be a lot of them hiding out in the town.” 
His voice trailed off. He was looking at the church members fleeing from the flames. They were pouring out of the buildings in droves. Seeing just how many people they had managed to gather was actually quite impressive, I say! 
“Motoyasu! We’ve finished taking care of the mob that was keeping the town sealed off!” Yuki shouted. 
“We took care of ours too! Siltvelt got wind of the disturbance and deployed an advance team from the army that came to our assistance,” Éclair yelled. 
She, Yuki, and the others had gone to unseal the town gates. Immediately after they called out to us, I caught sight of them approaching with countless troops in tow. I could hear the echoes of footsteps and triumphant shouts of victory extending far off into the distance. The time had come to put an end to this. I canceled Firewall and proceeded to annihilate the remaining Church of the Four Heroes. 
“I’m not done with you yet!” shouted the leader. 
“Watch out!” Father shouted. 
I thought the leader had died, but he suddenly got up and ran toward Father, swinging his sword with a crazy look in his eyes. Father jumped in front of the boy and his parents to protect them from the man’s attack. A loud shattering sound rang out as the leader’s sword hit Father in the forehead and the blade snapped right in half. 
“N-no . . . way . . . You’re . . . a monster . . .” he stammered. 
“Actually, he’s a hero, I say!” 
“D-damn you!” he shouted. 
“You really do need to learn your place. This is the perfect chance for me to teach you, I say!” 
There was a loud thud as I thrust my spear forcefully into the ringleader’s chest. 
“Ga . . . aahhh . . .” he yelled out. 
He was stuck to the end of my spear, dangling in midair and groaning. He was a tough bastard. 
“You want proof we’re real heroes, right? I’ll give you the chance to experience that proof firsthand. Be thankful for this!” 
Surely even Father, despite his immense kindness, wouldn’t be able to sympathize with a man who had taken docile children and adults hostage and then tried to execute them right in front of our eyes. The man had gone well beyond the limits of what was forgivable. 
“Now then, die, I say!” 

 

I released the full power of Brionac and launched the attack high up into the sky. I did it partially as a demonstration of what would happen to those who defied Father. A single beam of light shot straight up toward the heavens. 
“Gaahhh!” 
The leader of the Church of the Four Heroes imposters who had orchestrated this despicable scheme turned instantly into a pile of cinders. He’d most likely been either a priest of the Church of the Three Heroes or an adventurer. 
“Incredible! The heroes truly have returned! The rumors of their summoning were true!” the townspeople we had rescued said as they all clasped their hands together and began praying to us. 
“This is what happens when you defy Father’s authority, I say! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” 
“Umm, I’m pretty sure they’re praying to you now, Motoyasu.” 
“Then allow me to rephrase! If Father were serious, an attack like that would be child’s play for him! I am but the Love Hunter, I say!” 
“Did you hear that?! Oh, glorious Shield Hero! Please save our world!” 
The townspeople sure caught on quick! They were praying to Father now, I say! 
“Why did you do that?! Oh, good grief . . . Why are you such a goofball?” Father said. 
The family that had been taken hostage turned to us and bowed their heads. 
“Thanks for saving me!” said the boy. 
“You have our thanks!” his father added. 
“Oink!” 
I had no idea what the pig was trying to say. 
“Of course . . . I’m glad you’re safe, but there are still enemies here in town, right? Let’s hurry up and put an end to this mess! Everyone! Stay close to the Siltvelt soldiers!” Father shouted, issuing his orders to our party members and the demi-human soldiers that had accompanied Éclair here. 
“Go search the town and capture the Church of the Four Heroes and their leaders!” 
“Yes sir!” 
And just like that, we brought a swift end to the disturbance that had been jointly orchestrated by the Church of the Three Heroes and a bunch of Shieldfreeden troublemakers.