"Want to learn? Kneel down and beg me!"
Jason's words caught Ren off guard.
"What, you expect to gain something without even showing sincerity? Do you think I'd just agree? If you won't kneel, at least offer some gold coins—consider it tuition," Jason said with a smug smile.
"But you already took everything from me... you snatched it all away," Ren protested, though he quickly altered his phrasing.
"No, no, no... those things were never yours, they belong to me now. You lost, and naturally, they're my spoils of war." Jason's tone was firm, as if it was the most logical thing in the world. Ren's head spun—what kind of reasoning was this?
But no matter how absurd it seemed, Jason had the upper hand, and Ren could do nothing about it.
"Are you going to learn or not? I don't have time for this, I'm in a rush to get to Carte Village," Jason said impatiently.
Ren hesitated, deep in thought. With no money to pay the "tuition," his only option was to kneel, as Jason had demanded.
It felt humiliating for a hero like him to kneel—there was no dignity in it at all. But if he didn't ask Jason for guidance, he'd remain weak. Right now, he couldn't even defeat Jason's followers, let alone hope to match Jason in the future. At this rate, he'd never even catch a glimpse of Jason's back, let alone surpass him.
Frustration boiled in Ren's chest as he clenched his fists. It was like being defeated in an online game and mocked for being worthless. Any man would struggle to swallow that insult.
In a game, you could always spend money to get stronger, but there was no such option in this world. Ren had no other path forward but to seek Jason's guidance. Jason had grown so powerful that others could only look up to him. They had all been transported to this world together, yet Jason had already reached this level. The conclusion was clear—Jason must know the quickest way to grow stronger.
With that thought, Ren slowly knelt to the ground, no matter how much it pained him. He lowered his head and tapped it against the dirt. "Please, teach me."
Jason nodded in satisfaction. "Well, at least you can be taught."
In Jason's eyes, helping Ren grow stronger had its advantages. If Ren remained weak, the rewards from future tasks would be minimal—barely enough to satisfy Jason's needs. He needed Ren to get stronger. Besides, Jason didn't think Ren was inherently bad. He wasn't exactly stupid either—just young, inexperienced, and a bit too arrogant. Ren had been thrust into the role of a hero while still mentally immature.
Jason wasn't concerned about Ren ever surpassing him. He had no intention of teaching him everything, and they both knew this.
"First lesson: Put away your arrogance and face the world head-on," Jason said calmly.
"Arrogance?" Ren looked up, confused.
"Yes. I heard you went to Kat Village to slay the dragon. I've seen the dragon materials you're carrying, so I assume you killed it. How did you handle the dragon's corpse?"
"I took what I needed and left the rest for the adventurers who followed."
"So, the dragon's body wasn't fully dealt with. Don't you think there could be consequences from that?" Jason smirked. "No, I won't explain it now, you wouldn't believe me anyway. Just come with us and see for yourself. Kat Village happens to be our next destination."
With that, Jason turned and called out to Jack and the others, "We're done here, let's move out!"
The ground was slick from the downpour as they traveled, and by the time they reached Kat Village, it was already night. They found an inn to stay at.
The next morning, though the rain had stopped, the sky remained overcast. Dense fog enveloped the village, making it hard to tell if it was day or night. Everything felt ominous.
Jason and his group had just finished washing up when they heard commotion outside. Skipping breakfast, Jason stepped out of the inn.
He immediately saw several people lying on the ground, bruised and battered, while a crowd gathered around them.
"What happened?" Jason asked as he pushed through the crowd.
"Thick fog suddenly rolled in from the mountains. Those who went up the mountain were trapped near the dragon's body. We managed to come back down but were attacked by monsters along the way..." one of the men explained with difficulty.
Jason had initially thought the dragon had revived, but it turned out they had merely encountered monsters. He wasn't interested in tending to their injuries—someone else would handle that.
"I'll give you ten minutes to prepare. We're heading out," Jason said as he returned to the inn and addressed Jack and the others.
"The fog is still heavy. Isn't it a bit too reckless to head into the mountains now?" Ren asked, having followed Jason ever since their previous conversation. He had no choice but to go along with Jason until he learned how to grow stronger.
"It's just fog. You'll lead the way," Jason replied confidently.
Ren hesitated but could see no point in arguing further. Jason's confidence silenced him.
Ten minutes passed quickly, and everyone set off for the location of the dragon's corpse.
Along the way, they encountered many monsters, but Jason didn't need to act. Jack and the others handled the threats with ease. Though the dense fog obstructed their vision, causing them to veer off course a few times, they eventually reached their destination.
They arrived at a mountainside where, surprisingly, there was no fog. The area was clear, offering a wide field of view.
As they approached, they saw about 20 people waiting anxiously. These were the adventurers who had been trapped by the thick fog—many of them were the same people who had come to witness Ren slay the dragon.
"Master Ren, he really came to save us!"
"Hey~~~ Master Ren, what's wrong? Why is your armor damaged?"
"He must've come to rescue us! It's been hard on you. We don't know how to repay such kindness."
"But wait, something seems off... These wounds don't look like they were caused by a monster—they look like sword cuts."
The adventurers, overjoyed and tearful, mistakenly believed Ren had come to rescue them. However, a few more experienced members grew suspicious of the wounds.
Ren, caught off guard by their gratitude, felt utterly embarrassed. He had never intended to save them; he'd simply come along with Jason. As for his wounds, they hadn't been inflicted by monsters but by Irene and Raphtalia during their earlier fight.
Cough "Sorry to interrupt, but your Lord Ren didn't come here specifically to rescue you. He's here with me, so you've been thanking the wrong person," Jason said, stepping between Ren and the adventurers.
"Nonsense! Who do you think you are? Why would Master Ren follow someone like you?"
"Yeah, it's obvious that Master Ren came to save us!"
"I've seen people try to steal credit before, but this is a new low."
"If you're the one who saved us, then I'll eat my own shit right here."
Jason's remarks stirred an uproar. There were only about 20 adventurers, but their quarrels sounded like a noisy, chaotic marketplace.
"Ren, are you sure you don't want to explain?" Jason shrugged, glancing at him.
Despite his embarrassment, Ren finally spoke up. "Sorry, everyone. I did come here with Jason. He's actually the Shield Hero."
At Ren's admission, the atmosphere turned deathly quiet. The adventurers' faces shifted from red to pale in an awkward silence.
"Good!" Jason nodded, then pointed at one of the adventurers who had spoken earlier. "Now, about what you said—you promised to eat your own shit. Go ahead."
"That... I was just speaking figuratively! Besides, I don't really feel like doing that right now," the adventurer mumbled, looking down in discomfort.
"No, no. You said it, and you meant it. Jack, help him out."
At Jason's signal, Jack and the others rushed forward, holding a blade to the adventurer's throat.
"Time to make good on your promise. Get it done, now."
"You heard him—do it!" Jack and the others glared at the adventurer with vicious expressions.
The poor man was on the verge of tears. Some used knives to force people to kneel, others to hand over money, but this was the first time someone had been threatened into eating their own filth.