Reborn as shield hero with Garps Template

------------

If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11

-----

It turned out that when the Wave of Catastrophe hit, Irene was standing at the village entrance and witnessed Jason descending from the sky, wiping out hundreds of zombie soldiers in one powerful move.

Such a grand entrance and overwhelming strength left an indelible impression on her.

"At that moment, the Shield Hero-sama was truly captivating."

Irene, now with slightly flushed cheeks, looked like the "ice-cold beauty" Jack had always described her as. Despite her usual demeanor, she was still an ordinary girl at heart.

"Is she really the Irene we know?"

Jack, surprised by this side of her, questioned Lily while staring in disbelief.

"Of course... After all, Lord Shield Hero is so handsome. Even I want to marry him. He's the perfect man every woman dreams of—handsome, powerful, and dependable. You're no match for him, Jack, so you should learn a thing or two from Lord Shield Hero."

Lilith smiled, making it hard to tell if she was being serious or simply teasing.

"Don't exaggerate so much!"

Jack made a slightly exaggerated expression in response.

"Jack, is Lord Shield Hero's strength all you see? Don't you notice his other qualities?"

Lilith sighed, shaking her head.

"Well… At the time, I saw Lord Shield Hero punch the head off that giant zombie captain with just one blow. He was brimming with masculinity. So, yeah, he was really cool. I wonder when I'll be able to reach that level."

As Jack spoke, he mimicked the move Jason had used, punching the air dramatically.

"What a shame. By the time I got there, Lord Shield Hero had already defeated the giant zombie captain," Irene said, her face filled with regret before reverting back to her usual icy demeanor, keeping people at arm's length.

"By the way, Jack, where were you? How did you manage to see Lord Shield Hero defeat the giant zombie captain?" she asked.

"At the time, I was hiding at home, trembling in fear. I just happened to see Lord Shield Hero's heroic figure through the window, haha..."

"That's such an embarrassing story. Why are you smiling so proudly?"

"Is it? The Wave of Catastrophe is terrifying, isn't it? Don't normal people hide at home?" Jack replied defensively.

"Jack, your thought process really is different from most people's."

"Are you insulting me? I'm your younger brother! Besides, I want to become stronger too, so I won't have to be afraid of those monsters anymore."

As they chatted and laughed, they soon forgot the exhaustion weighing down their bodies and lost track of time.

About five hours earlier, Jason had returned to the inn with Raphtalia. He asked the innkeeper to bring lunch to their room, teasing Filo, who was perched on his shoulder, before starting their meal.

During the meal, Jason noticed something was off with Raphtalia's expression. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's nothing. Seeing those villagers just reminded me of my past. If I had the strength I have now, maybe my parents wouldn't have died, and I could've saved my friends."

Raphtalia shook her head, her voice tinged with disappointment, but quickly forced a smile. "But then again, if that hadn't happened, I might not have met Master Jason. As you once said, it's a case of misfortune turning into fortune."

"Is that so? It seems like you still have unresolved feelings. If this continues, it might affect your morale."

Jason narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her, knowing she was hiding her true emotions behind that smile.

"Don't worry, Master Jason. I'll work through it," Raphtalia said, clenching her fists, as if trying to motivate herself.

"No, you don't really understand the situation. If you don't deal with the knot in your heart, it will keep growing. Eventually, it will take a toll on you, just like the panic attack you had before."

Jason shook his head.

"But..." Raphtalia hesitated.

"Your parents are gone, but your friends might still be out there."

"I don't even know if they're alive. We were all captured as slaves by mercenaries pretending to be soldiers of the kingdom. Only I was sold to a slave trader. Back then, Rifana was in poor health…"

Raphtalia's tone was calm, but sadness echoed in her words.

Rifana? Hearing the name, Jason's brow furrowed. He recalled in the original story that by the time Raphtalia found her, Rifana had long since passed, reduced to mere bones.

If we rush over now, we might be able to save Rifana by shifting the timeline, Jason thought to himself, though he wasn't entirely certain.

Jason put down his utensils and pulled out a map of the world. "Where were you imprisoned back then?" he asked Raphtalia.

"Here!" Raphtalia quickly pointed to a location on the map.

"The Saiyates territory in the southwest?" Jason noted.

"It used to be called the Saiyates territory, but after the first Wave of Catastrophe, the lord was punished and removed from power. The territory now belongs to a different noble."

"I see."

Jason nodded. According to his knowledge from the original story, there were two key locations they had to visit—one in the southeast and the other in the southwest.

There were still 45 days before the next Wave of Catastrophe, which meant they had enough time. They could head to the southeast first, and then make their way to the southwest.

After confirming the route, Jason raised his head and said seriously, "Next, let's go rescue your friend."

"Master Jason are you sure it's okay?"

Raphtalia was stunned for a moment. Although the thought of rescuing her friend made her happy, she was worried about whether this would delay Jason plans.

"It's fine. Besides, it's more or less on the way. The monsters around here are too weak, and we haven't gained much experience from them. It's time for us to embark on a longer journey."

Jason gently placed his hand on Raphtalia's head, ruffling her hair to reassure her.

"Thank you, Lord Jason."

Raphtalia finally smiled, this time from the heart.

Just then, Filo let out a little chirp, shaking her head, as if asking to be petted as well.

"At such a young age, she's already learned how to compete for attention and act cute. Amazing."

Jason chuckled and naturally patted Filo on the head too.

"That's not what Filo meant, Master Jason. You're overthinking it," Raphtalia said.

"No… You'll understand soon enough," Jason replied with a mysterious smile. He then stood up and walked out of the inn. "We've finished lunch. Let's get some exercise."

After finding an open space, Jason began practicing the Navy's Six Powers techniques and their advanced applications, working to fully adapt to his current, more powerful body.

Meanwhile, Raphtalia stayed nearby, leading Filo in practicing magic.

Before they knew it, the sky had gradually begun to darken.

"Alright, let's go see how many villagers have survived,"

Jason said, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he glanced toward the village with a slight smile.

Just then, the sound of the mission selection system rang out.

------------

If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11

-----