While the heroes talked over one another, demanding the benefits they deserved, the king on the dais was also shooting meaningful looks at the minister beside him.
A sinister-looking man stepped forward and announced:
"Please rest assured, heroes. Since we summoned you here to help us, we would naturally never let your efforts go unrewarded. Our kingdom will offer generous compensation and the best possible support. We have also already raised a fund to assist you. We sincerely hope that you will rise to the occasion and protect this world, and we will do everything in our power to create conditions in which you can demonstrate your might!"
Hearing this, all the heroes clenched their fists in excitement.
"Oh-fine, as long as you're willing to agree."
"Don't think this means you can tame us. But as long as we don't become enemies, we'll help this country out for now."
"...That's right."
These three had been yelling that they wouldn't help this country just a moment ago, yet the instant they heard about generous rewards, they changed their tune. Sure enough, the problem had simply been that the money wasn't good enough.
Chuan Wenwu pinched the bridge of his nose. The band of heroes he had ended up in didn't seem very reliable-he even felt that none of these three were as dependable as his Bruce.
"Then...ahem. Heroes, tell your king your names!"
Only then did the king remember that he still didn't know the names of the heroes they had summoned. He cleared his throat twice and continued issuing commands with the same arrogance.
But the other three heroes were now blinded by the generous rewards the king had promised, and they introduced themselves without taking offense.
"My name is Ren Amaki. I'm sixteen, and I'm a high school student," the Sword Hero, Ren Amaki, said by way of a brief introduction.
He was a boy about 160 centimeters tall, with regular features, a slender build, and short black hair. His narrow eyes and pale skin made him look weak and frail.
Chuan Wenwu's assessment of him was: one casual bump on the basketball court would send him flying two meters.
"My name is Itsuki Kawasumi. I'm seventeen, and I'm also a high school student," said the Bow Hero, Itsuki Kawasumi, following the previous introduction's format.
He was even shorter, only about a meter and a half tall by the look of it. With his slightly curly short hair, he looked as though a gust of wind could knock him over-but some girls were into that type. What did they call it...a puppy boyfriend?
Chuan Wenwu's assessment of him was: he would never invite him to play basketball, for fear that an accidental bump would send him flying off the court, leaving him too dazed to tell up from down.
"Then it's my turn~ My name is Motoyasu Kitamura. I'm twenty-one, and I'm a university student," the Spear Hero, Motoyasu Kitamura, introduced himself with a grin.
He was the oldest of the three and also the tallest, at around 175 centimeters, though still shorter than Chuan Wenwu. His face was handsome enough, with a playboy look. His body was neither frail nor particularly strong, and his golden hair was tied in a high ponytail, giving him the air of a sunny, cheerful young man.
Chuan Wenwu sized him up. At least this one looks somewhat decent. He might survive one charge from me on the court...but only one.
The three finished introducing themselves. Although none had mentioned their country of origin, their language and the style of their names left no doubt that they were Japanese.
Once they were done, it should have been Chuan Wenwu's turn. But he had already introduced himself earlier, when the king had been giving Bruce a hard time, so he remained silent. The king also seemed to deliberately skip over him and addressed the other three:
"Hmm, Ren, Itsuki, and Motoyasu, was it? Now, I would like you to check your status and objectively assess your current strength."
"Status?"
What status?
Chuan Wenwu was a little puzzled.
"Um, excuse me, how do we check our status?" Itsuki Kawasumi asked nervously.
From the sound of it, Itsuki Kawasumi seemed to know what this "status" was, but not how to check his own.
Looking at the others, they seemed to know about it too. The one called Ren Amaki even looked dumbfounded as he asked:
"What are you guys doing? Didn't you notice that thing after you came to this world?"
Then explain it properly! What exactly is "that thing"?
Wait...
Motoyasu Kitamura said, "Don't you feel like there's an icon floating at the edge of our vision?"
So by status, you mean the system!
A system is a system. Who's supposed to catch on right away when you suddenly rename it "status"?
Chuan Wenwu gave them a dead-eyed look. He had already checked his system earlier. Many functions were still locked, and that pitiful little bit of attack power certainly wasn't worth looking at.
A short while later, they too had finished checking their status and began talking quietly among themselves.
"Only level one? That's pretty worrying."
"I'm only level one too. We were only just summoned to this world, after all. I wonder if we can even fight like this."
"Speaking of gaining experience and leveling up, we just need to kill monsters like in a game, right?"
"Yeah, definitely."
Leveling up by killing monsters. Not a bad setup.
According to the conventions of old-school system novels, the protagonists who traveled to fantasy worlds generally faced similar first enemies after obtaining their systems. So should he go kill a Wind Wolf to get his first taste of combat?
Chuan Wenwu rubbed his chin in thought.
Clap, clap, clap...
The minister standing beside the king clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention. "Now that you have checked your status, we would like you to embark on your adventures, hone your skills, and strengthen the legendary weapons in your hands so that you can grow stronger quickly."
"Strengthen our weapons? Aren't the weapons we're holding powerful right from the start?" someone asked.
No, no, no. How can you ask such a stupid question?
Anyone with even one working eye could see how terribly plain their current equipment looked. Plenty of people would believe they were practice toys for apprentices. How could anyone think the equipment in their hands was already in its final form?
The minister was very patient and continued explaining on the king's behalf. "No. It seems that the heroes summoned here must develop their respective legendary weapons and gradually improve their capabilities."
"So until then, there shouldn't be any problem using other, better weapons to tide us over, right?" Motoyasu Kitamura said, twirling his spear as he voiced his thoughts.
Ren Amaki also gestured with his iron sword and said, "We can slowly test things like that later. For now, since we've accepted the king's request, we should focus on getting stronger."
"Then should the four of us form a party and go level up?" Since Chuan Wenwu had remained silent throughout, Itsuki Kawasumi made the suggestion.
Chuan Wenwu nodded to show he had no objection. After all, he was weak right now and had no attack power. Leveling up alone would clearly be slow.
But before they could act, the minister immediately interrupted them.
"Please wait, heroes. You cannot travel together. You must each recruit companions and embark on separate adventures."
It was a completely absurd requirement, and the Sword Hero and Spear Hero immediately questioned him in turn.
"Why?"
"Hah, you're not plotting something, are you? You want to split us heroes up because you think that'll make us easier to control?"
"N-no, not at all." The minister was drenched in sweat as he hurriedly explained, "According to the records passed down to us, legendary weapons possess a mutually repellent nature. As such, if you travel in a party consisting solely of heroes, you will hinder one another's growth."
Itsuki Kawasumi twirled a lock of his curly hair. "So we won't be able to gain experience?"
Meanwhile, Chuan Wenwu silently checked the system information to see whether there was anything he had overlooked-
[Notice: Joint action by wielders of legendary weapons will produce adverse effects. Please act separately whenever possible.]
What the hell, that's actually a thing?
Chuan Wenwu's eyes widened slightly. He clearly couldn't make sense of this ridiculous rule.
If this world is a game, then the four of us are obviously the players, and our goal is to defeat the waves that will destroy the world. But the rules prohibit players from cooperating?
So...we each fend for ourselves, and whoever develops the best gets to challenge the final boss?
Then what the hell is the point of summoning so many heroes? Wouldn't it be better to summon just one and funnel the entire world's resources into raising that one hero, going all in on a single carry?
At this thought, Chuan Wenwu suddenly remembered the Four Holy Weapons Book that had caused him to travel to this world. It seemed to have told the four heroes' stories through an ensemble narrative-surely they weren't being forced to act separately just to make that damned ensemble approach easier to write?!
That would be way too crude.
The others also found the rule one after another. Ren Amaki shrugged and said helplessly, "In that case, we should each recruit companions before setting out on our adventures, right?"
The king's eyes lit up, as though he had been waiting for those very words, and he immediately declared with great generosity:
"Then I shall personally find traveling companions for each of you! It is getting late, heroes. Rest well and recover your strength, and set out on your adventures tomorrow. Before dawn, our kingdom will find elite individuals qualified to serve as your companions."
"Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty."
"Thanks, then."
Chuan Wenwu gave a calm nod of acknowledgment. After he and the other three heroes each expressed their thanks in their own way, attendants led them to the luxurious guest rooms the king had prepared, where they would spend the night.
Before you continue