Hey guys. Now, I have finally started The Rising of the shield hero, and I felt like I wanted to rewrite the story. To me, it felt like it could be really good, but it missed the chance to make Naofumi look truly sympathetic, or make him seem like he is the better option in the entirety of the show. So, I've decided to rewrite the series, with the experience that I have gotten writing my previous series. Now, let's start the first chapter of The Rising of a True Hero, which starts just before Myne/Malty accuses him.

I woke up, with just the clothes on my back.

My money, stolen.

My other clothes, stolen.

I was then confronted by the King's knights, saying that the king summoned me.

'Why bring all of his knights to summon me?'

I followed them regardless.

I followed them, and next thing I knew, I was pushed towards the floor, and I had spears at my throat.

'What the hell…'

"That hurts!"

I looked towards the king, who looked at me in… disgust?

"What's going on?"

I saw Myne in front of me, but she seemed… terrified of me as well.

"Myne! You're okay?" I breathed out a sigh of relief, seeing her face, but it didn't seem happy. She hid behind the spear hero, in fear?

'What… happened?'

"Myne?"

The other heroes looked at me with disgust as well, and all I could feel was confusion.

"Yo, King!" I said rather informally.

"I had all my money and equipment other than my shield stolen while I was asleep!"

The king looked even more pissed off, and before I could finish my request, he yelled with rage,

"Quiet, scumbag!"

I shrunk back, becoming even more confused.

"What? What's this about?"

'Is this because I'm the shield hero? First when he failed to ask my name, now this?'

I couldn't think why they would treat me this way, other than if I violated some rule of theirs.

'What did I do?'

I looked around at everyone, and all I could see was disgust in their eyes.

"Myne, you poor adventurer…"

My eyes focused once more on the king.

"Could you please testify once more for us?"

I looked at her once again, and all I saw was fear in her eyes.

She stuttered out, "Th… the shield hero barged into my room drunk and he pinned me down…"

'What?'

"Huh? What are you talking-"

"SILENCE!" The king shouted.

She continued to stutter out her testimony, looking over the shoulder of the Spear Hero.

"He said, "The Night is still young," and he tore my clothes off!"

'What? Then how are you still wearing clothes?!'

I shook that thought out of my head, and continued listening.

Her eyes were closed, and even tears ran down her face.

"I somehow escaped, and ran to Sir Motoyasu, who happened to be staying in the same inn, for help!"

"What the hell?"

I didn't know what to say other than that.

The spear hero, Motoyasu, continued speaking for her.

"If she hadn't asked me to wait till dawn to call the knights…"

Pure rage encircled his eyes.

"I would've cut you down myself!"

"What are you talking about?!"

He didn't flinch, so I continued.

"I went straight to sleep after dinner!"

Then, I looked at him, and saw… my armour.

"Wait… that chain mail…"

With equal fervor, I said, "You were the thief?!"

He chuckled, as if it was a joke.

"Who are you calling a thief?"

He embraced Myne, while saying, "Myne gave this to me as a present when I met her at the pub yesterday."

'Wait, I was with her all day yesterday, even in the pub, excluding when…'

The King interrupted my thoughts.

"To think the shield hero would commit the greatest sin in this country."

"Sin?"

"In Melromarc, even attempted sexual assault of a woman is punishable by death!"

'What about if a man gets raped?!'

I shook that thought away again.

"If you weren't a hero, you would be executed immediately!"

"Executed?!"

I pushed against the guards, and continued.

"I'm telling you, you've got the wrong idea! I didn't do it!"

They didn't flinch, so I yelled out,

"If you're so convinced I did, show me proof!"

That piqued the interest of one of the guards.

One of the guards bowed in front of the king.

"When we searched the Shield hero's room."

He pulled something from behind his back.

"Um… we found this on his bed."

One of the guards brought an undershirt, which made Myne screech and hide behind Motoyasu.

'Is he lying?' He seemed like he wasn't saying it with anger, but rather, guilt.

"You animal!" Motoyasu went in front of Myne, as if he were protecting her.

"There you have it. Undeniable proof."

"How?! That wasn't there when I woke up!"

My words fell on deaf ears.

"It's too bad." The bow hero, Itsuki, came in.

"I was worried something bad would happen, but I was hoping you'd know better."

He sounded… almost sympathetic.

The Sword hero, Ren, didn't.

"He thinks a hero can do whatever the hell they want and get away with it."

"That's not true!"

The spear hero came in again.

"You aren't everything and everyone in this world."

Pointing his spear at me, he said.

"Know your place!"

The spears came closer to my neck.

'Myne… Myne…'

I looked down.

'Did I really try to rape you?' Dozens of thoughts swirled in my head.

'No, I didn't!'

'How do you know? Didn't you think she was cute?'

'Yeah, but I didn't drink! I didn't even leave my room! I didn't do it!'

'Who knows? Your urges could have been done in the night, and you forgot it.'

'No! I didn't do it!' I tried to convinced myself.

But my thoughts continued to haunt me.

'Wait, what if she is lying, all to frame me? She did originally want to join Motoyasu, after all.' A third, doubting part of me came in.

I felt as if someone was holding my heart in their grips.

'Tell me! Did I do any of the things you said?!' I asked her in my head.

I looked up, and gone was her crying face.

She was teasing me, sticking her tongue out at me, while pulling down her eyelid.

It was if… it was a lie.

My fist tightened.

'Of course she didn't want to join you.' The doubting part of my brain came back again.

'Why would she want to join the weakest hero? You have nothing to protect her with.' I felt as if someone whispered that in my ear.

"Why? Why did you trick me?!" I stood up, and the spears went closer to my neck, but I didn't care.

"Sir Motoyasu, I'm scared." She buried the side of her cheek in his chest.

"Shut up, you criminal!"

He embraced her more with his left arm, while she looked at me, her terrified face back on her face, but I knew it was an act.

"Screw you!" I said to the Motoyasu's face.

"I bet you did this so you could steal my money and equipment! Are you two working together?!"

'She only ever called you Sir Hero, but now… she's calling him by name. It makes sense. Why would she respect or care about such a weak hero?'

"Refusing to admit his guilt and making nonsensical accusations?"

"I know, right? I don't think he deserves any mercy, either."

Itsuki lost any sympathy he had for me.

Meanwhile, other people continued talking.

"They never should have summoned the shield hero."

"Who would have thought he'd be so scummy?"

"Trying to solve his inferiority complex of being a weak her by inflicting it on a woman of power."

"Disgusting."

'Why? Why do they think that? I've done nothing… So why? Why do they keep mentioning that I have a shield?'

"Who would've though the person they would summon would turn out to be a rapist?" One of the people there said.

"I'M NOT A RAPIST!" I yelled at them.

Everyone backed off, even the guards.

'Why are you screaming? You know that it won't do anything.'

'No. Say the truth, and nothing but the truth.'

"I'VE NEVER VIOLATED ANY WOMEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND THIS ISN'T ANY DIFFERENT!"

'Please… believe me.'

At first, I thought that they would believe me. Even the king seemed to believe me, and almost seemed swayed.

"How should we believe the words of a rapist? Someone who… violated..." She started crying again.

She cried against Motoyasu, and he comforted her against my chain mail.

"I'm sorry, Myne. For a minute there, I almost believed him. Forgive me." The King sighed.

This time, I was angry.

'Why would they believe you? They had a hard time asking your name. Why would they care for what you had to say?'

The guards continued to trap me, but this time, I retaliated.

'Because you're the shield hero… you are weak. Everyone will trample over you. You. Are. Scum. To. Them.'

Something I couldn't accept.

"Fine! If you don't believe me, why make me fight for you?" I pressed against the hilts of the spears.

"Send me back home."

I looked the King in the eyes. "Do whatever you want once I'm gone! You can even summon another shield hero!"

I looked towards Itsuki and Ren.

"Make sure you tell them how shitty people will treat them once they come here! Don't wait until the last moment!"

Ren couldn't have been more cold. Neither could Itsuki.

"You're going to run as soon as things go south? Could you stoop any lower?"

"After all you've done, how could you even think about not doing your job?"

'Try being accused of being a rapist, and then we'll see how your loyalties shift!'

"Yeah, get lost. Who wants to fight alongside a rapist?"

"SHUT UP!"

My sympathy ended for them as well.

Motoyasu's expression turned sour once again.

"Send me back to my world, NOW!"

The King sat back down.

"Well, I'd love to do as you wish and banish you."

He covered his face.

"However, Legend says new heroes can only be summoned once all four Cardinal heroes die."

All of the heroes' expressions became grim.

"So… I can't even go home?" My rage was beginning to show on my face.

"Well, you can, after you fight off the incoming Waves."

The heroes complained, saying,

"We have to fight with a guy like him?!"

"Fuck that!" I said.

"I'll fight the waves on my own. Without any of you!"

The guards tried restraining me, but I sent them all away from myself.

My shield power activated, and all of them backed off.

"So, what will you do, King? You can't put me in jail until the waves, will you?"

My sympathy ended for him as well.

He turned grim as well. "No. The wave will come shortly. Even though you are scum, you are still one of the only beings who can fight the waves."

I stood up tall.

"But news of your deed has already started spreading to the people. That is your punishment."

I knew what he would say next.

"You won't ever live a decent life here."

"I know! And I don't care!"

As I walked, I heard the clanking of silver coins, still in my shield.

I grabbed them, and put them in my hands, to Motoyasu and Myne's surprise.

"This is what you wanted, right? Money?"

I grit my teeth.

"You can shove it up your asses!"

I sent it flying at them, not registering their expressions as I walked away.

But then, Motoyasu came and ran up to grab my arm.

"You all told me yourselves." I looked at Motoyasu, Ren, and Itsuki.

"I'm weak. Unlike you three, I don't have a second to waste."

I threw my arm out of his grip.

'I can't believe you fell for someone's trick. Did you really think they would back the weakest hero? You? Don't make me laugh.'

I grit my teeth again as that thought stayed in my head as I walked out of the castle, penniless, and heartless.

And that's the first chapter. Sorry if that seems rather similar to the first episode, but that's going to be an exception, unless the plot requires it in the story. Though, let me just say this here, this story will become darker as time goes on. So, be warned. I'm not sure if it will qualify as a Mature rating however, so someone will have to read over it first and tell me once the next few chapters come out.