The Rising of the Shield Hero (episode)


 * This article is about the anime episode titled "The Rising of the Shield Hero". You may be looking for the anime The Rising of the Shield Hero.

The Rising of the Shield Hero (盾の勇者の成り上がり) is the twenty-fifth episode of The Rising of the Shield Hero anime.

Synopsis
Glass, like L'Arc, turns out to also be a hero from the otherworld. Naofumi barely fights off their combo attacks and corners Glass in a one-on-one battle. He is then faced with an all-important question: does he truly wish to protect this world?

Plot
The battle between Naofumi's party and L'Arc's party still rages, as Queen Mirellia deduces that the Catastrophe Wave won't fade until L'Arc's side is defeated. Glass attacks Naofumi, who resorts to his Soul Eater Shield to try to drain her SP. She quickly steps backward, a change in her stoic aggression that puzzles Naofumi. Therese summons a Bejeweled Compression Bomb and combines her Bejeweled Blizzard with Glass's Combo-Stance: Reverse Hail Seasons, all of which Naofumi surprisingly blocks with his Meteor Shield and Shield Prison. Naofumi feels bothered by Glass' reaction to his Soul Eater Shield, so in order to minimize the usage of the dangerous Wrath Shield, he decides to take on Glass alone while Raphtalia, Filo and Princess Melty fight L'Arc and Therese. Naofumi and Glass go to one of the ships so they can duel without interference. He asks and confirms that she is a Hero from another world just like L'Arc - she is a "Vassal Wielder," precisely the Fan Hero. Therese casts a Bejeweled Flame Bulwark, which is countered by Melty's Zweite Aqua Slash. L'Arc takes on Raphtalia and Filo in physical combat.

Glass' Rupture-Stance Rondo: Tortoise Shell Cracker is countered by Naofumi's Dog Bite Shield, rapidly changed into Soul Eater Shield, which successfully absorbs her SP and has an additional lifeforce draining effect on her. With this advantage, Naofumi tells her to stop fighting, but she says that the battle requires one of them to die. As she is caught again by the Soul Eater Shield, Glass states that she doesn't mind dying in order to save her own world. She tells him that as a Hero of his world, he should be able to kill to protect his world. Naofumi once again questions if he truly wants to save this world which caused him so much pain and suffering, and crush her own hopes to protect her world; he even sees a vision of Glass' world where her people fight against the Waves that happen there as well.

L'Arc throws Glass a soul-soothing potion, which restores her status entirely. Raphtalia jumps into the duel, reassuring to Naofumi she is her sword, willing to help him against Glass and vowing to spare her world from the same suffering she and Rifana had endured. Glass tries to attack Raphtalia, but is repelled by Air Strike Shield. Naofumi changes into Wrath Shield, which unleashes an explosive Dark Gas Burning. Mirellia ponders her options to assist the Shield Hero, and notices Rishia atop a floating luchol cask. Glass barely tanked the explosive damage, but decides to risk as a last move, the Blank-Stance Rondo. Naofumi, under the excuse of going back to his own world, states that Raphtalia, Filo and Melty are more than enough to protect this world, and prepares to use his Blood Sacrifice. Just before he finishes his cast, Mirellia and Rishia alert him of incoming cask bombs launched by Rishia's Fast Wind Blow. He quickly reacts with Meteor Shield to detonate the cask bombs in mid-air, dousing Glass with the Lucor Fruit juice and rendering her severely inebriated. Glass refuses to give up but L'Arc and Therese hold her back, deciding that the battle is over with 1 minute left on the timer. The trio teleports away and the Wave finishes. The other three Heroes question if Naofumi "did it solo again," to which Mirellia declares that, since each one played a part in the fight, it's a victory of everybody. Naofumi, however, looks at the skies, thinking about the Vassal Wielders' sudden retreat.

Back at Cal Mira, Naofumi considers returning to Melromarc as soon as possible, but Raphtalia warns him about an incoming storm, so they'll have to stay for some more. The Shield Hero ponders about Glass, L'Arc, and Therese fighting the Waves too, and their need to kill the Heroes from other worlds in order to save their own world. As he considers about the Next Wave, he remembers Fitoria's words about choosing to save the world or their people. He also thinks it's a good idea to acquire more battle equipment and recruit new party members, for Raphtalia and Filo would be the hope of this world if the Cardinal Heroes were ever killed.

Filo finds and saves Rishia, who tried to commit suicide by drowning in the sea because she was expelled from the Bow Hero's party under the false accusation of breaking Itsuki's favorite accessory. Naofumi's party states Itsuki trusted this lie blindly and kicked her out when she actually stole the spotlights he wanted for himself during the Wave's decisive battle. Feeling sympathetic for someone victim of a false charge just like he himself was, Naofumi encourages Rishia to join him and grow much stronger so she'll get back at Itsuki someday. They start traveling back to Melromarc, and Queen Mirellia intends to generously reward Naofumi for defeating the Church's malevolent Pope and saving the Cal Mira people, to which the Shield Hero determines a request.

Back at Melromarc, the party visits Erhard's shop in order to buy some equipment for Rishia. They soon head to Raphtalia's village under reconstruction (much to the tanuki girl's surprise), where Keel and Van Reichnott are part of the crew. Melty presents a royal decree officially conferring Naofumi the title of the new governor of Seaetto's Demi-Human lands - this was indeed what he had asked as his reward from Queen Mirellia the day prior, for he doesn't want to run into Trash and Bitch again at the capital. Furthermore, he also intends to restart the fishing business in order to revive the local economy. He has called Granny to train all recruits he can assemble to his party, the medical shop owner and even the magic shopkeeper to help rebuild Seaetto faster with medicines, books, and everything useful. Naofumi also has plans of training Seaetto people into a big army to fight against future Waves. Despite all this good news, Raphtalia cries over the notion that Naofumi seems to be planning for his return to his world, as she cannot imagine life without her beloved Shield Hero. Weighing all his past deeds and the friends he met along the way that allowed him to open up, Naofumi declares that Seaetto is his new starting point, his home, and dedication to protecting the world as the Shield Hero. Raphtalia wants to keep fighting as Naofumi's sword... and even kisses him! Keel hastens the village flag, which reminds Naofumi even deeper of what he's been fighting for. Naofumi declares his story as the Shield Hero now starts anew.

Light Novel & Manga Differences

 * Naofumi obtained the right to govern the land of Raphtalia's village, but in the Light Novel and manga that does not happen until after the Spirit Tortoise Arc.
 * In the Light Novel as well as the manga, Naofumi was more much outraged at Itsuki and his party for using false allegations to kick Rishia out, so much so that he goes to confront them.

Trivia

 * This is the fourth episode without any opening theme.

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