Light Iron Plate Armor

"That's actually a thing?"

The shopkeeper looked surprised, apparently having no idea that heroes were subject to such restrictions.

He bent down and examined Chuan Wenwu's shield with a magnifying glass, looking it over again and again before finally giving up helplessly. "I can't make heads or tails of it. All I can tell is that the gem at its core contains incredibly powerful energy... but since it's a hero's weapon, I suppose having some strange properties isn't all that hard to accept."

"If you can't use weapons, Sir Hero, then there's no need to buy a sword. Let's get you some high-quality armor instead. That'll save a lot of money!" Myne looked rather pleased, though it was hard to tell what she was so happy about.

Chuan Wenwu shook his head. "No, we're still buying a weapon, but it doesn't have to be anything too fancy. A Magic Iron Sword will do."

Myne looked puzzled. "But you can't use weapons... oh, is it for me? Sir Hero, you're too kind to me."

"Huh?"

Chuan Wenwu turned to look at her in confusion. "What are you talking about? Just because I can't hold it doesn't mean there's only one way to use a sword... this is for Bruce. Don't you already have a sword hanging at your waist?"

The smile on Myne's face froze.

Chuan Wenwu crouched down and signaled for Bruce to open his mouth and grip the sword's hilt between his teeth...

Whoa!

He held it perfectly steady.

Chuan Wenwu motioned for Myne to move farther away and clear some space, then had Bruce try swinging the sword in his mouth. He was bursting with energy and looked remarkably formidable.

With a different coat color, he could cosplay Zacian.

"Good boy, Bruce! I knew you could do it!"

Chuan Wenwu cheered Bruce on from the sidelines, deeply moved, while the weapons shopkeeper and Myne stared in utter disbelief.

"Ha... ha... ha." The shopkeeper gave a dry laugh. "Young man, that companion of yours really is something."

Chuan Wenwu looked smug. "Of course he is. He's Bruce!"

"Oh, right, do you sell protective gear for animals? I'd like to get him a neck guard or something, too..."

"...This is a weapons shop. A weapons shop for people. If you want to buy equipment for him, go to a monster shop!" the shopkeeper suddenly shouted.

Chuan Wenwu scratched his head sheepishly. "Ahaha, all right. I'll upgrade Bruce's gear later, then. I'll take that sword. Could you see what the best armor I can afford with the rest of my budget is?"

"You really don't hold back, do you..."

The shopkeeper pointed at several suits of armor displayed in the shop. "Take a look over there. Full plate offers excellent protection, but it slows the wearer down and takes a lot of stamina. Adventurers who spend long stretches out in the wilderness hardly ever choose it. Most adventurers use chainmail. It offers less protection, but it's lighter."

"How do the two compare at the same price?"

"Full plate is obviously the toughest, but it'll be heavy-dozens of pounds! The protection is very comprehensive, though. As for chainmail, there's only so much you can do with the way it's made. Even the best won't be that much better than the rest. After all, if someone has truly good materials, they won't use them to make chainmail. They'll have armor custom-made to suit them instead. The set of chainmail you're looking at is already the best and our biggest seller. I'd still recommend choosing chainmail."

Chuan Wenwu considered the shopkeeper's advice for a moment, then nodded. "As I thought, full plate it is. I'll treat it as weighted training."

"Huh?"

Startled by Chuan Wenwu's choice, the shopkeeper hurried to ask, "Young man, you should really think this through. Plate armor is heavy. It's not the sort of equipment a beginner can get used to..."

Chuan Wenwu waved a hand to stop him. "But I'm not an ordinary beginner. I'm the Shield Hero. Attacking isn't my strong suit to begin with, so obviously I should make the most of my strengths!"

"Tch, if you've made up your mind, I won't say any more. Just don't regret it... though I should mention that if you do regret it and want to return it, I'll only buy it back for half the price at most."

"What a rip-off! But don't worry, I won't be asking for a refund."

He bought a set of Light Iron Plate Armor right at the upper limit of his budget. Heavy plate cost more, since it used more materials, and was already beyond what he could afford.

Even the light plate wasn't exactly light, though. The full set weighed around twenty-seven pounds, and an ordinary person wouldn't be able to walk far in it.

"Thanks for your business. I'll throw in a set of underclothes, too. What you're wearing now won't be very comfortable under the armor."

"Thanks, then."

Probably because he was still making a profit even with the twenty-percent discount, the shopkeeper generously gave Chuan Wenwu a set of underclothes better suited to the plate armor.

The shopkeeper asked, "Want to change into it now?"

"Of course. We're heading out to find monsters and level up in a bit."

"This way, then."

The shopkeeper took Chuan Wenwu to the changing room, where he changed into the underclothes and light plate armor, then packed his original clothes into a bag the shopkeeper provided.

"Clack... click..."

Putting on the plate armor was quite a hassle. As its weight settled over his body, Chuan Wenwu couldn't stop himself from letting out an "Ohhh~~~"

"...What's with that weird noise?" The shopkeeper eyed him strangely. "Don't tell me you already can't take it when you've only just put it on. You're so well-built, too."

"No, it's just been a while since I've carried this much weight, and it feels kind of good. Reminds me of the training hikes at that summer camp I was sent to... easy stuff."

Chuan Wenwu moved his arms and lifted his legs, surprised by how smoothly the armor moved. It was heavy, but it didn't stop him from making broad movements, and the joints were all cleverly designed.

The supposed sluggishness that came with wearing plate armor hadn't shown up, either... or did that sluggishness refer entirely to the armor's weight?

Seeing Chuan Wenwu's surprised expression, the shopkeeper smiled proudly. "Didn't I tell you? My craftsmanship is the best around!"

"It really is. Your work is incredible. I'm impressed!" Chuan Wenwu clasped his hands in salute and praised him. "Whenever I need anything in the future, I'll be sure to come back here."

"That's wonderful. You look pretty impressive in that gear, too. Like a great general!" With such a silver-tongued customer, the shopkeeper couldn't stop smiling and returned the compliment.

The light plate came with a helmet, too, but Chuan Wenwu found it uncomfortable, and it would hide his handsome face, so he didn't wear it. Instead, he plopped it onto Bruce's head, claiming it would give Bruce some extra protection as well.

A big yellow dog wearing an iron helmet looked ridiculous and out of place, enough to make anyone laugh.

"We'll be off, then. See you next time!" Chuan Wenwu waved goodbye to the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper came to the entrance as well. "I'll be waiting for good news. Hope you come back with a fortune!"

"Haha, here's hoping!"

The two of them and their dog walked off without looking back. Chuan Wenwu waved, and Bruce gave two cheerful barks, the helmet bouncing on his head. It clearly wasn't secured very well.

They went farther and farther away, soon disappearing from sight.

"Looks like a pretty interesting hero has come to this country. I hope you can always stay this cheerful..." The shopkeeper shook his head, let his smile fade, and returned inside to carry on with his daily work.

[Light Iron Plate Armor (full body)]

[Defense increase (moderate); slash resistance (moderate); arrow resistance (moderate); weight burden (minor)]