Pride Series

The Pride Series is the Curse Series unlocked by the Bow Hero Itsuki Kawasumi after the Spirit Tortoise catastrophe by Malty through manipulating his sense of justice.

Overview
After being bullied in his original world, Itsuki savoured the opportunity to become his own type of hero. When he finally got the chance to be the hero he wanted to be in Melromarc, Itsuki quickly took up the challenge. Unfortunately, his sense of justice was superficial and he savoured both getting praise and seeing evil get "defeated." During the Spirit Tortoise catastrophe, Itsuki was captured and his reputation as a hero was shattered.

After Malty and her companions had manipulated Ren, they next went to Itsuki. Malty played on his sense of justice and told him what he wanted to hear. Itsuki fought in the Zeltoble coliseums for money to "save" people, however at the same time Malty and her companions used Itsuki's name to live lavishly and rack up his debts. Due to Malty playing on Itsuki's desire to be a "hero", Itsuki eventually unlocked the Pride Curse Series.

Naofumi eventually found Itsuki in Zeltoble. With Itsuki deluding himself into believing that Naofumi was the great evil, he tried to defeat the Shield Hero. However, Rishia offered to duel him and eventually convinced the bow hero to reason. Upon reaching Itsuki's residence, Malty's deception was revealed as she had already left with a massive amount of debt. As a side effect of using the Pride Series, Itsuki was cursed to lose his sense of volition and would do whatever he was asked to do.

Trivia

 * The trap name "Phalaris Bull" is a reference to the Greek tyrant Phalaris, who was offered a large brazen bull by a man named Perillos of Athens. The bull was a torture instrument with a door on its side. The victim was pushed into the hollow bull, the door shut, and a fire lit below it, heating the metal until it turned yellow. This led to the victim's skin roasting, causing them to burn alive, a slow and painful death. The bull was designed with a trumpet-like device in the head to amplify their screams to turn them into the sound of a raging bull. It is said that Phalaris then said, "Let the music-master be the first to play," and ordered Perillos to be stuffed in the bull, in order to make sure Perillos hadn't built any escape method into it.