Chapter 23

The ash settled over the crater. The chimera was gone, leaving behind a massive, glowing pile of high-tier loot.

Ren sheathed his sword, rubbing his bruised arm. Itsuki was still coughing up the remnants of the poison, and Motoyasu was clutching his ribs. They all looked at Maya, the imposing Iron-Fisted Hero who had just barked orders at them and effortlessly shattered the boss's core.

Maya’s heavy [Meteoric-Iron Gauntlet] retracted, returning to its default, sleek silver state. The terrifying raid commander vanished, replaced once again by a calm, calculating strategist.

"Don't just sit there in the dirt," Maya said, her voice steady. "The Wave is over. We need to distribute the drops."

Motoyasu groaned, pushing himself up with his spear. "Right. Since we all fought it, we should split the Boss core—"

"Wait," Maya interrupted, raising her silver hand. She looked past them, toward the rolling hills leading back to Lute Village.

Walking up the ash-covered incline was Naofumi, his green Wyvern-scale shield strapped tightly to his arm. Behind him walked Raphtalia, wiping monster blood from her iron sword. They both looked exhausted, but entirely uninjured.

"What is he doing here?" Itsuki scowled, adjusting his bow. "The Shield didn't even fight the Boss. He shouldn't get any of this loot."

"If he hadn't been here, there wouldn't be a village left to return to," Maya countered sharply, her dark eyes flashing. "While you three were spamming your ultimate attacks at a piece of wood and ignoring aggro mechanics, Naofumi and his vanguard held the main gate of Lute Village against the horde. He stopped the swarm. He gets a cut."

Ren looked toward the distant village walls, realizing for the first time that they had completely left the civilians exposed. He looked down, a flicker of shame crossing his usually cool features. "She's right. It was a tactical oversight."

Naofumi stopped a few paces away. He didn't smile, and he didn't thank her. He perfectly maintained the cold, hardened outcast persona the kingdom forced upon him. "I didn't do it for you," he grunted. "I did it because those monsters were in my way."

Maya walked over to the loot pile. She picked up the glowing purple Chimera Core—the most valuable item—and immediately absorbed it into her Gauntlet's sapphire. As the MVP who landed the killing blow, that was her undeniable right.

But then she picked up a massive chunk of Wave Forged Iron and a Chimera Bone. She tossed the bone to Ren, who caught it cleanly. She kicked a stack of high-tier monster hides toward Motoyasu and Itsuki.

Finally, she picked up the Wave Forged Iron—an incredibly rare, highly durable crafting material—and tossed it directly to Naofumi.

Naofumi caught it against his shield. He looked at the heavy, pulsing metal, then up at Maya. A silent current of understanding passed between them. Upgrade your gear, her eyes said.

"Now that that's settled," Maya said, crossing her arms and looking at the four young men gathered in the crater. "I have a question for you three. Was that chimera exactly like the bosses in your games?"

Ren frowned, leaning on his sword. "No. The HP pool was massively inflated. And it didn't strictly adhere to its aggro table. In Dimensional Wave, the serpent head only attacks the player with the highest defense. Here, it specifically targeted Itsuki, the squishiest backliner."

"The attack patterns were faster, too," Motoyasu admitted reluctantly, rubbing his ribs. "It didn't telegraph its tail swipe."

"Exactly," Maya said, her voice dropping to a low, intense whisper. She stepped closer, ensuring her words wouldn't carry past the crater. "The monsters here aren't perfectly following your game lore. They are adapting. They are smart. Which means you need to wake up and realize something crucial."

She looked pointedly at Ren, Motoyasu, and Itsuki.

"If the monsters aren't playing by your assumed rules, neither are the people running this world," Maya warned, her tone deadly serious. "You think you're safe because the King gave you gold and a royal party? You think you're the main characters? Think again. High-profile people manage their assets. And when they manage them, they watch them."

Motoyasu blinked, confused. "Watch us? What do you mean?"

"I mean spies, Motoyasu," Maya stated bluntly. "Informants. Hand-picked party members designed to feed your every move, weakness, and secret back to the Crown or the Church. If you keep treating this world like a predictable game, someone is going to put a knife in your back while you're looking at your status menu."

Itsuki puffed out his chest, though he looked slightly rattled. "My party believes in absolute justice! They would never—"

"Just watch your backs," Maya interrupted, cutting him off. She gave Naofumi a brief, sideways glance. He was already surviving the kingdom's treason; he understood her warning better than anyone. "Trust your weapons. Trust your own stats. But question every smile you get in that castle."

Before the boys could fully process her heavy warning, the sound of galloping hooves echoed across the plains.

Over the ridge rode a heavily armored squadron of the King's elite knights, their banners fluttering in the wind. Behind them, riding a beautiful white horse, was Myne. She looked completely spotless, having safely stayed behind the village walls the entire time.

"Heroes!" the Lead Knight called out, reigning in his horse at the edge of the crater. He looked at the massive scorch marks and the dissolved boss remains in awe. "The Wave is repelled! King Aultcray commands your immediate presence at the royal palace for a grand victory banquet!"

Myne slid off her horse and ran gracefully down the ash-covered hill, heading straight for Maya.

"Maya-sama!" Myne cried out, her voice dripping with manufactured relief. She threw her arms around Maya in a dramatic hug. "I was so worried! You were so brave, charging out here all alone!"

Maya instantly shifted her demeanor, returning the hug with a soft, perfectly innocent smile. "It's alright, Myne. I had the other Heroes to help me. We did it together."

Over Myne’s shoulder, Maya made brief eye contact with the four heroes. Ren looked thoughtful. Itsuki looked paranoid. Motoyasu just looked confused. And Naofumi… Naofumi gave her a single, sharp nod of respect before turning his back on the royal knights.

"The Shield Demon is not invited!" the Lead Knight sneered, pointing his lance at Naofumi. "The King's banquet is for true Heroes only!"

Naofumi didn't even look back. "Keep your poisoned wine," he muttered, walking away with Raphtalia at his side, the heavy Wave Forged Iron safely in his inventory.

Interactive Choice: The Victory Banquet

The King has summoned the "recognized" Heroes to the castle to celebrate the end of the first Wave. Maya must navigate the treacherous waters of the royal court now that she has proven her immense strength.