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"Hey~~~ Why is there no adventurer willing to join Lord Shield Hero? This king really didn't expect this; it's truly unfortunate!"
The king glanced at Jason, feigning surprise, but his rigid expression made it seem as fake as possible.
Jason returned the gaze coldly, having already figured out that the king had been acting behind the scenes, so he wasn't surprised at all.
"So what's going on?"
It was Kitamura Motoyasu who inquired on Jason's behalf. He felt that this grouping seemed to exclude Shield Hero, which was unfortunate.
It must be said that Kitamura Motoyasu is actually a well-intentioned person, but his intelligence is quite lacking.
"This king is not entirely clear."
As the saying goes, "take the act all the way," and the king continued to perform with exaggerated drama.
At that moment, a man in long robes slowly approached the king, bowed his head, and whispered something. If observed carefully, a faint smile formed at the corner of his mouth.
The robed man left after speaking, and the king nodded as if he understood.
"So that's how it is."
"What's the situation? You should explain clearly!"
"It is recorded in ancient documents that among the four heroes, the Shield Hero has the weakest overall strength and lacks any offensive capabilities. Originally, this was meant to be the kingdom's secret, but unexpectedly, it has somehow spread. As a result, the adventurers present might not be very optimistic about Lord Shield Hero."
The king explained with apparent seriousness.
Hearing this, Jason frowned, feeling that the king's dialogue differed from the original narrative. He couldn't help but speculate: Could my replacing Iwatani Naofumi have caused a slight alteration in the plot?
Of course, Kitamura Motoyasu believed the king's words as naively as in the original story. He stepped up to Jason and comfortingly patted his shoulder: "If that's the case, then there's no other way."
"Yes, after all, this is the adventurers' decision, Jason. If you need to blame someone, blame fate."
Ren Amaki chimed in with a detached attitude.
"Although it's unfair to you, people are born unequal, Jason... You should focus on improving yourself. There must be many adventurers in this world. Once you've become stronger and disproved the rumors, I believe there will be those willing to follow you."
Itsuki Kawasumi took a similarly matter-of-fact tone.
"It's fine, I'm okay on my own," Jason shrugged, conveying his indifference.
"But Shield Hero lacks attack power; it wouldn't be ideal without companions."
The king suddenly frowned, as if he was considering Jason's predicament.
"Ah... Lord, Your Majesty, I am willing to join the Shield Hero's side!"
At that moment, a woman in Kitamura Motoyasu's ranks raised her hand and shouted.
It was a red-haired girl who appeared lively, cute, and full of energy, with a rather tall figure.
"Oh? Is there really no issue?" the king asked.
"Yes, after all, Lord Shield Hero is so pitiable. I am willing to follow until he no longer needs me."
If one didn't know better, they might think the girl had a heart of gold.
"That's wonderful. Does anyone else wish to volunteer for Lord Shield Hero's team?"
The king asked again, but seeing no other hands raised, he sighed deeply: "In that case, there is no other option..."
"Wait..."
Jason interjected, cutting off the king's speech.
"Ding! Please make a choice!"
"1: Refuse Myne from joining your team, and be rewarded with a 10% completion of the Bon Clay template."
"2: Kiss Myne intensely, rewarded with a 10% completion of the Elizabello II template."
"3: Publicly beat up Myne, embarrassing her and receiving a 5% completion of the Garp template (due to the Shield Hero's low attack power, this option is temporarily restricted)."
Immediately afterward, the system interrupted Jason's words.
Myne, the girl who stood out, had collaborated with the king in the original storyline to deceive Iwatani Naofumi. Without the protagonist's luck, he might have been led to ruin.
Of the three choices, rejection seemed the easiest and offered the least reward. Jason found it hard to imagine himself using the Shemale Boxing Technique. The second option appeared somewhat challenging, and the Elizabello II template didn't seem ideal.
"It seems I can only choose the third option. Although it's quite difficult, the rewards are truly good. How can I adventure without taking risks?"
After contemplating, Jason declared: "I want to test this lady's strength first, is that alright?"
"Hey... what kind of logic is that? The girl is willing to follow you despite the rumors, and instead of being grateful, you want to test her strength. Isn't that going too far?"
Before Myne and the king could respond, Motoyasu interjected angrily, standing up for Myne.
In truth, Motoyasu felt a bit resentful that a beautiful woman was leaving his team.
"You said it yourself; it's just a rumor... My strength is substantial, and I'd rather be alone than have others hold me back," Jason retorted, sneering.
"That's not the point..."
Motoyasu was eager to argue back, but Myne stepped forward: "I understand Shield Hero's concerns, and I accept your challenge for a contest."
"Ah~~~ Isn't this too dangerous?"
The king feigned concern, looking at Jason: "While you're not wrong to be cautious as a hero, you've only just arrived in this world and have yet to fully develop your abilities, whereas Myne is already a skilled magician. If you compete and end up injured, you might hold grievances against this king and this country."
"No problem, I assure you I'll show restraint."
Myne smiled sweetly, and the smile almost melted Motoyasu's heart. What a kind girl, he thought. Why would she follow someone like Jason, who doesn't appreciate kindness?
Jason glanced at Motoyasu, shrugging off the naivety, then turned to Myne and finally rested his gaze on the king.
"A powerful magician? That's exactly what I want. If you're worried about me getting injured and not being able to protect this kingdom from threats..."
"Then I invite the other three heroes and His Majesty the King to witness. If injuries occur during our match, be it to myself or this lovely lady, I pledge not to hold any grievances. Do you agree, madam?"
Jason spoke calmly, an inscrutable smile on his lips as he looked at Myne once more.
"Indeed, should injuries occur during our contest, I guarantee there will be no grievances."
Myne agreed cheerfully, her smile full of confidence yet shrouded in scheming.
She had already planned to use her favored magic to seriously harm Jason, and then feign concern for his well-being with expressions of "I didn't realize you were so weak."
"In that case, Your Majesty... you should be able to approve this contest, right?... After the contest, please absolve me from the crime of injuring someone."
Jason added a note to ensure protection from repercussions.
Seeing a signal from Myne, the king quickly assented, "This king accepts your request."
Soon, a space was cleared in the center of the hall for Jason and Myne to face each other, ten meters apart.
Myne sneered to herself: "You merely have a shield. How do you plan to harm me? But it's a hassle to pretend innocence and sadness after hurting you."
Jason's lips curled into a mischievous grin, and although he lacked mind-reading prowess, he could roughly guess Myne's intentions.
"Start!"
At the king's shout, Myne immediately raised her hands.
"O source of strength, I command you to interpret the myriad phenomena and send down to this person..."
Myne began chanting, reminiscent of many anime scenes.
However, Jason wasn't going to be like anime characters who wait for their opponents to finish chanting before striking. As soon as Myne raised her hands, he charged forward.
His overall physical fitness had already tripled, making him far from what he once was. He covered the ten-meter distance in less than two seconds and, once in front of Myne, delivered a powerful punch aimed at her face.
With the fist drawing near, Myne had to abandon her incantation and dodge to the side.
Jason anticipated this move, twisting his waist abruptly and lashing out with his right foot like a scorpion's tail.
Boom!
The kick landed squarely on Myne's face.
It was a solid hit.
"Ah~~~"
Myne screamed as she was flung two meters before crashing heavily to the ground.
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