Chapter 4

I stopped creating skills when Motoyasu spoke up, "This is like MMO Emerald Online, don't you think so?"

"Excuse me? This isn't like an MMO. This is like that A.I. guided console game, Dimension Wave!" Itsuki retorted immediately.

Ren joined. "Console game? Who plays with such an outdated thing! Nowadays, everyone plays VRMMO, and this is like VRMMO Brave Star Online!"

I silently watched the idiot trio arguing. At the same time, I activated Presence Detection.

There were some presences hidden on the ceiling. I decided to ignore them.

Suddenly, the idiot trio dragged me into their stupid argument, demanding me to agree with their respective opinions. In the end, I had to stop their argument before it escalated even more.

"Wait for a moment! Before you argue even more, listen to me. Maybe, we come from a different Earth? Try to compare your common knowledge since you three are from Japan!" I said to them.

They looked at me dubiously, though they still followed my advice. I quietly watched them comparing their common knowledge and how they figured out that they came from different versions of Earth.

"It kind of seems like we all came from different Japans. I certainly can't imagine how we could be from the same place, I say!" remarked Motoyasu.

"I guess that means that there is a Japan in all our parallel worlds?" muttered Itsuki.

"I thought at first that we could just be from different time periods. But none of our experiences match up, so that can't be it," said Ren.

"If that's the case, it seems like we were all brought here for different reasons, and in different ways," said Motoyasu meaningfully.

"I'm not really into having useless conversations. Do we really need to have these things in common anyway?" Ren spoke up and got a nod from Motoyasu and Itsuki.

He sighed as if he was bothered, yet he told us how he died. "Well, I was on my way home from school when I hit a spot of bad luck and got caught up in a murder case. It was the talk of the town at the time. I was with a good friend. I remember saving him, and I remember the criminal getting arrested…"

He paused and rubbed his side softly. Then, he continued, "Anyway, so then, before I knew it, I woke up here."

"Ok, I guess I'm next," said Motoyasu, lightly pointing at himself. "I have… Well, to put it simply… I have quite a few girlfriends. And well…"

"You had too many at once, and they stabbed you or something?" Ren said, laughing to himself.

Motoyasu widened his eyes in surprise and nodded slowly. "Yeah well… Women are terrifying," he muttered with a traumatized look, and I snorted at that.

'Sure. I bet you will forget and start picking up chicks soon!' I thought with sarcasm.

Itsuki placed his hand over his heart and began to speak. "Now it's my turn. I was on my way home from prep school. I went to cross the road, but a dump truck came screaming around the corner at full speed. And then…"

We all fell into awkward silence. He was certainly hit by a truck…

'I think he's the real Isekai Protagonist among the four of us,' I thought, amused.

Finally, it was my turn. The idiot trio demanded my story with their silent gazes.

"I'm not sure if I'm dead or not…" I began, but Motoyasu cut in. "What does that mean?"

"I got an online ad offering me to be the Shield Hero. After humoring it, nothing happened. A while later, I went to sleep and woke up here," I told them.

As I expected, they gave me cold looks. A few seconds later, Motoyasu stopped giving me a cold look and eyed me with a ridiculing look instead.

'Here it comes!' I rolled my eyes as I could guess what would happen next.

"But, you're really unlucky getting Shielder Class," Motoyasu jeered at me.

"Perhaps, but from the light novel I read, I'm not entirely useless," I retorted, which made the idiot trio give me a look of pity.

Motoyasu changed his look of pity to curiosity. "Wait for a moment! What do you mean by a light novel? Don't you know this world from a game?" he asked me.

Ren and Itsuki also showed their curiosity. I decided to tell them: "I know about this world from novels, not a game like you three."

"Even so, in Emerald Online, Shielder Class sucks, no offense!" said Motoyasu.

"Shielder Class is a joke in Brave Star Online." Ren nodded coolly, wholly agreeing with Motoyasu.

"I concur. The Shielder Class is also a bad class to play in Dimension Wave," said Itsuki with a schadenfreude look.

"I'm aware of the Shielder's flaws. I mean, my physical attack is only one point. However, this class is good for support," I retorted.

They shot me a look of pity again as if they were looking at someone in denial. I shook my head.

"Anyway, even though I won't be a good damage dealer like you three, one of my shield's power-up methods is good. I mean, I can unlock the exclusive methods of the other weapons," I told them.

"For real?" "Huh?" "Really?"

The idiot trio finally showed a strong reaction, though they still had some doubts.

"Yup." I nodded. "It's Share, and it allows me to unlock the exclusive methods of the other weapons as long as I know about it. If you don't believe me, do I have to describe all methods of your weapon?"

They showed deep intrigue and nodded their heads. I had to stop myself from smirking victoriously.

I began describing their exclusive power-up methods. It took a while.

"That's unfair that you can have our power-up methods while we're locked up with only our methods," Itsuki said accusingly after I was done telling them.

The other two idiots agreed with a nod and an accusing glare. I rolled my eyes in return.

"Who said you three are locked up with only your own methods. In fact, you should have unlocked other methods after listening to my method," I said to them.

"Really? Then, why don't I unlock the other methods?" demanded Ren with a sharp look. Motoyasu and Itsuki nodded in confirmation.

"You need to believe in it. If you have a problem believing this, just think of it as a new DLC for your game. Belief is important, here," I told them with a serious look.

At the same time, I used my newest skill to persuade them. By the way, the detail was as follows:

[ Persuasion: The user can persuade the targets. The more energy consumed, the better the effect. No Cooldown. SP Consumption: varies. ]

At the time, my maximum SP had broken through 100 points mark from leveling up and Super Energy Growth. They kept rising every second.

In addition, there was Instant Recovery. With my perpetually recovering and increasing SP, added in their low resistance around this time, they were easily affected by my skill.

The first one who succeeded was Motoyasu, and I wasn't surprised by this. After all, he was the most gullible among the four of us!

After that, it was like a falling domino. Ren and Itsuki also unlocked more power-up methods.

"So, I realized that each weapon has four methods, but we only know one of yours. Share the other three with us, I say!" Motoyasu said after finishing reading his interface.

After careful consideration, I told them the Shield's Trust and Energy Boost, and since I didn't know the fourth method, I told them about Empowerment. Thankfully, they unlocked Empowerment and stopped bothering me.

To be honest, I helped them for the benefit of Share. Although they would get a boost for their power-up methods, my own boost was better than theirs.

Each one of them only gained a 10% bonus. I, on the other hand, gained 15% - 5% per hero - bonus since they unlocked other power-up methods through their knowledge of my Share.

Stacked with the Legendary Jewel's Sharing, I got a 30% bonus in total, and if I helped more Legendary and Vassal Weapons/Tools, the bonus would keep increasing.

'I think I'll build a battle harem armed with Vassal Weapons or Tools,' I thought after careful consideration about my future.

As a man of culture, I, of course, am interested in a harem!

By the way, I was aware how redundant the power-up from the exclusive methods of the Legendary and Vassal Weapons/Tools would be if I compared them to my cheating skill, Skill Creation, but I would say no for extra power.

"Excuse me. Heroes, we have prepared a meal for you."

We all heard a female voice from outside, interrupting our focus on our respective things. I stopped scheming, and the idiot trio stopped focusing on their interface.

After that, we exited our room and were led to the dining hall for our dinner by the maid. Then, we all had our first meal in another world.

As I expected, the food here was different. I was filled with doubt when I saw some strange looking dishes, so I chose the normal looking one.

Even though the tastes were strange, the foods were edible. Alas, my problem wasn't only with the food.

My dinner wasn't peaceful. I mean, we were the center of attention!

The servants, cooks, and knights were watching us so much. Fascination, awe, and wonder painted their faces, and as a self-styled introvert, it bothered me.

But that's not all! Those positive looks were for the idiot trio while I got the indifferent, doubtful, and even contemptuous looks because I was the Shield Hero!

The discrimination against me was annoying and so unfair. My emotions fuelled my grudge for this damn country.