Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 1467: Chapter 1466: Shield Axe Super Solution! (Heroes Really Are All Idiots)

Fang Zheng is feeling super frustrated right now.

Although his own strength in this world is practically sky-high, as he told that idiot king before, if provoked, he could easily destroy the country before the tide comes.

But the problem is that it’s not him who’s leveling up, it’s his shield!

Not only that, after some experiments, Fang Zheng found, much to his dismay, that there are only two ways to gain experience points.

Either smash the opponent to death with the shield, or have Raphtalia and Liphana go up and beat the opponent to death. Because after buying the latter, it seems they activated some team system, and then the three can all gain experience.

So, it’s not Fang Zheng himself who’s leveling up, but the shield’s rank......

Which means, this is essentially a training gear-like game, where the player’s own attributes don’t mean a thing......

If Fang Zheng used magic or royal wealth to kill, he could certainly kill those creatures. But he wouldn’t get a single bit of experience points......

That’s pretty annoying, right?

This damned shield, trying to level it up, who knows how long that would take!

While he could fight barehanded, cosplaying as Kyo Kusanagi once is enough, any more would be pointless, as for Yagami...... let’s just say Fang Zheng’s outgrown that phase.

This kind of setup is intended for teaming, and it’s apparent that the Three Heroes Sect deliberately made sure the four of them weren’t together...... but whatever, those three clueless twits, Fang Zheng can’t be bothered to mess around with them. Team members like pigs are better off not having.

But hold on... using the shield to attack... maybe there’s a way after all.

With this thought, Fang Zheng’s eyes lit up.

”Raphtalia, Liphana, let’s head back to the city first.”

”Yes, Master.”

Not knowing what was happening, Raphtalia and Liphana obediently followed Fang Zheng, returning to the King’s City, and then Fang Zheng took the two little girls back to the bald uncle’s weapon shop once again.

”Welcome back... oh, young man, why’re you here again? Anything else you need?”

”Boss, do you have an axe? The higher grade, the better, like a long-handled battle axe.”

”Of course, but... young man, you can’t use other weapons, right?”

The bald boss clearly knew that as the Hero of the Shield, Fang Zheng couldn’t wield other weapons.

”Doesn’t matter, I’m just doing an experiment, I’ll pay the full amount.”

”Got it, hang on.”

Hearing Fang Zheng, the bald boss turned around, rummaged in the warehouse, and pulled out a massive battle axe.

”This is the best weapon we have here, a battle axe made from meteorite iron, priced at thirty gold coins, too expensive for anyone to buy.”

”Never thought about discounting it or lowering the price?”

”Are you kidding? This is a masterpiece from a famous smith, lowering the price would tarnish its reputation.”

”Alright then.”

Since bargaining failed, Fang Zheng didn’t mind, just shrugged, and reached out again...

”Clack!”

As expected, it repelled before he even touched the handle.

”Boss, help me out, please insert this axe into here.”

While speaking, Fang Zheng pointed to the emerald in the center of the shield on his arm. Though he didn’t know what Fang Zheng intended, the boss nodded and took the battle axe, inserting it towards the shield’s central emerald.

Yet......

”Clack.”

It bounced away again.

”Still can’t use it?”

Fang Zheng wasn’t bothered by this, just waved it off and sat down to the side.

”Give me a moment.”

While saying so, Fang Zheng opened his personal terminal, and soon, a screen popped up. He quickly reached out and tapped a few keys, seeing a series of characters and codes appear on the personal terminal, then......

”Beep———!”

Accompanied by a warning sound, a red information box popped out.

[Connection Refused]

”Heh, I knew it.”

Seeing the [Connection Refused] alert, Fang Zheng sneered. He had figured it out earlier: if the shield employs something like skill books from online games for leveling, it must have its own system. Never mind those three brainless players; being the planner himself, the first thought was hacking the code when the system couldn’t be tackled regularly!

But now...... you ignore me?

”Beep!”

[Connection Refused]

”Beep beep!!”

[Connection Refused]

”Heh.”

Looking at the warning message glowing red, Fang Zheng sneered again, raising his left hand. Soon, the red primordial fire appeared in Fang Zheng’s hand.

Then, Fang Zheng gazed at the shield in his hand.

”I’ll give you one chance. You should know full well that even without your damned shield, it’s as easy as pie for me to save or destroy this world. If you refuse to cooperate, I’ll just torch you into firewood. After all, you’re useless and annoying to me, and if you don’t listen, you might as well go up in flames sooner rather than later!”

”Ding.”

[Connection Successful]

Refused the drink offered only to drink the penalty.

Seeing the pale green connection notice, Fang Zheng snorted, then began typing on the keyboard while humming.

So, sometimes you just can’t give things too much face, or they’ll really think they’re something special.

”Um...”

Watching Fang Zheng converse with the shield in his hand, both Raphtalia and Liphana were rather surprised. Raphtalia then curiously asked.

”Excuse me... What kind of person is Master?”

Although Fang Zheng’s attire seemed noble, it was entirely different from the nobility Raphtalia had encountered before. Moreover, the events that had taken place earlier had been witnessed by both of them, making it clear that this man was no ordinary person.

”Huh? Didn’t you tell them, young man?”

”Either way, it’s not a good reputation, so saying or not saying doesn’t matter.”

While tapping the keyboard, Fang Zheng casually replied.

”In this world, I am the Hero of the Shield... at least for now.”

”Huh?!”

Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s answer, both Raphtalia and Liphana widened their eyes in surprise.

”The Hero of the Shield, Master?”

”Hm?”

Their voices contained no coldness or disdain; rather, they seemed to be filled with excitement. Fang Zheng glanced at them, realizing what the Bald Shopkeeper had mentioned earlier: the previous generation Shield Hero was a Savior who protected subhumans. Unlike his reputation plummeting among humans, it soared among subhumans.

However, he was modifying the code at a crucial stage, so he didn’t say much, just shrugged his shoulders and refocused on his work.

Just like in SAO, to be cautious, Fang Zheng didn’t alter the core attributes of the ”Shield” system. He merely transformed part of its attributes, incorporating modifications to part of the weapon’s performance, and added modeling himself...

All in all, the shield remains a shield, and its attack method won’t change, but Fang Zheng specifically added another transmutation skill to it.

It’s like the gun Fang Zheng created in the SAO world, which, despite its external appearance and performance resembling a real gun, the system recognizes as a ”non-flying object.”

In summary, this is another way to exploit system loopholes without triggering a bug.

”Done.”

Fang Zheng hit the enter key, then quickly closed the interface and stood up.

”Boss, could you please give me the lowest-grade battle axe?”

”Huh? Switching to the lowest-grade this time?”

”No choice, let’s give it a try first.”

Compromising with systems is very difficult, although Fang Zheng had tried to completely lift the rank lock. However, the shield system was quite stubborn in this regard, with an attitude of ’you may take my body but not my heart.’ Eventually, Fang Zheng had to reluctantly give up.

The final outcome was that the shield could only absorb transformations from weapons of the same rank and not from higher-ranked weapon transformations.

But for Fang Zheng, this was more than enough.

”Here, this is the lowest-grade Black Iron Battle Axe.”

”Let’s try again.”

”Okay.”

Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s words, the Bald Boss nodded, picked up the battle axe, and once again placed it into the emerald at the center of the shield.

Then... the battle axe seemed to sink silently like it fell into water.

Following this, the shield in Fang Zheng’s hand suddenly emitted a radiant glow and then expanded significantly. A small shield transformed into the size of a regular shield, and it was equipped with a handle.

”Let’s give it a try.”

Fang Zheng moved the shield to the back of his left hand, then reached out, grabbed the handle, and forcefully swung it forward!

”Super Solution!!”

With Fang Zheng’s furious shout, a long handle suddenly emerged from the shield, and the entire shield expanded rapidly, resembling a giant axe smashing heavily on the ground.

”Whoa!”

Seeing this scene, the Bald Boss couldn’t help but exclaim.

”Is this possible?”

”Even if it’s a shield, it would hurt if smashed into one’s face.”

”Of course it would.”

Hearing Fang Zheng’s words, the Bald Boss nodded repeatedly.

”Some shields are heavy enough to crush someone to death.”

Moreover, after the Super Solution, the edges of the shield became extremely sharp, like real blades. Naturally, for an average person, even swinging it would be challenging due to the weight, but for Fang Zheng, it was easy to wield it with one hand.

”Indeed, having something big in hand feels comfortable.”

He swung the shield axe a few times, nodding satisfactorily. After all, he was used to wielding greatswords, and not having something on hand to slash around felt a bit off.

”Well then, let’s go.”

Retransforming the weapon back to shield form, Fang Zheng planned to leave.

But at that moment, Liphana suddenly ran to Fang Zheng’s side.

”Hero! Master! Please, let me fight alongside you!”

”Hm?”

Faced with Liphana’s sudden request, Fang Zheng was taken aback and then looked at the little white tiger in front of him.

”You don’t need to fight at all?”

”But, I want to become a companion of the Hero of the Shield!”

”I too...”

At this moment, Raphtalia also raised her hand timidly.

”Being my companion isn’t easy...”

Contemplating their request for a moment, Fang Zheng finally decided.

”Alright then... let’s let you guys try first.”