Chapter 4: The Kingdom Hero Proposal

With the thief bloody and immobilized on the alley floor, Ren and the woman left the cramped space behind without another word.

They walked side-by-side out into the brightly lit main street. As they moved, Ren caught a quick glimpse of the woman sliding the pulsating purple crystal securely into a brown leather pouch at her waist.

Ren cleared his throat with an intentional, loud cough.

"Excuse me, miss," Ren said, putting on his most professional facade. "As per our agreement... I believe it’s time for my compensation."

The woman stopped in her tracks and turned to face him.

"Of course," she said smoothly. Reaching into the pouch of her elegant gown, she pulled out a handful of heavy coins—a mix of copper and bright, glistening gold—and extended her hand toward Ren.

Ren took the coins. Looking down at the shimmering metal resting in his palm, a satisfied smile crept onto his face.

My first legitimate earnings in this world.

"By the way," the woman began, her eyes narrowing with curiosity. "What kind of weapon was that? I’ve never seen anything like it before."

Ren slid the coins into his shirt pocket. Reaching down, he unholstered the dark-gray firearm once more.

"You mean this?"

The woman nodded, leaning in closer. Her eyes widened with genuine fascination as she inspected the metallic object resting in Ren’s hand.

"What do you call it?" she asked softly, still eyeing the unfamiliar contours of the barrel.

"It’s a Gun," Ren answered, his voice flat and nonchalant.

"A... Gun?" she muttered, resting her chin on her thumb as if trying to locate the word in her knowledge of magic and warfare. "I’ve never heard of such a thing."

Ren chuckled inwardly. *Of course you haven’t. It’s 21st-century Earth tech.*

Outwardly, he merely offered a dry, awkward laugh.

Now that the job was done and his pockets were lined with fresh coin, Ren’s mind began to wander back to the absolute absurd power of his new cheat.

If this System can turn scrap into advanced items... I need to find garbage dumps, broken relics, or abandoned ruins right away, Ren thought, his eyes glazing over in deep contemplation.

If I gather enough Chaos Matter... couldn’t I build my own kingdom in this nightmare of a world?

The horrifying image of the purple humanoid beast flashed in his mind—the memory of his leg being severed like a twig sending a cold shiver down his spine.

Yes. To survive in a world filled with monster abominations, I need to build a base. No, something even bigger.

A home? Too small.

A fortress? Getting warmer.

What about a high-tech kingdom defended by automated war golems and modern weaponry?

A subtle, ambitious smirk began to form on his face.

Seeing him staring blankly into space with a strange grin, the woman waved her hand in front of his eyes.

"Hey. What are you daydreaming about?"

Ren snapped out of his trance, quickly shaking his head. "Ah, nothing. Just thinking."

He gave a polite nod and began to turn away. "If you don’t need anything else, I’ll be taking my leave."

"Wait!"

A soft, firm hand reached out, grabbing Ren’s sleeve.

Ren stopped and turned back, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Is there something else?"

The woman took a deep breath, her eyes locking onto his with absolute seriousness.

"I want you to become my partner. Are you interested?"

Ren blinked, utterly taken aback. "Huh...?"

Is this girl out of her mind? We’re complete strangers. Why is she suddenly asking me to team up? Partner for what?

The woman stepped closer, crossing her arms beneath her chest. "You possess a very unique and powerful weapon. One that could prove exceptionally useful."

Ren instantly caught her drift. She wasn’t asking *him*—she was asking his *pistol*.

"If you accept..." she continued, her gaze piercing right through him, "...I will pay you a sum of money beyond your wildest imagination."

Ren narrowed his eyes, weighing the offer carefully in his mind.

To be honest, he didn’t necessarily *need* a partner. With a System capable of deconstructing and constructing physical matter, his trajectory was already set: build, destroy, and conquer. With enough resources, he could eventually forge an army of his own and bypass the socio-political hierarchy of this world entirely.

However, as he hesitated, the image of the purple crystal in her leather pouch flashed through his thoughts.

That crystal is way too similar to the one in the pyramid back on Earth.

If I stick with her, I can investigate its origins. She clearly knows something about it.

Besides, his rational brain reminded him of a crucial fact: I’m still weak. If I want to conquer this world and build a civilization from scratch, I first need to learn how it operates—monster weaknesses, political structures, and magic mechanics.

Looking back at the woman, Ren decided to test the waters.

"What kind of work are we talking about here?" he asked coldly.

The woman’s expression hardened, her voice dropping into a solemn, serious tone.

"A Kingdom Hero mission."

"A Kingdom Hero mission," she repeated, her voice dripping with gravity.

Ren swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat.

Instantly, vivid horrors flashed across his mind—the six elite kingdom soldiers torn apart like ragdolls, their limbs flying, blood spraying into the cold night air, and his own leg being cleanly sliced off by a single grazing claw. A cold shudder ran down his spine.

Damn it...! Ren cursed mentally, his brow furrowing into a tight knot.

Is this woman out of her mind? Is she asking me to march right back into my own grave? What the hell does she even see in me?!

Just because she saw me shoot a street thief with a pistol, she thinks I can be a Kingdom Hero?!

Ren knew all too well how terrifying those beasts outside the walls were. That purple monster’s hide looked practically impenetrable—there was no guarantee a mere 9mm bullet could even scratch it. Worse yet, he possessed zero magic power. In his past life, he was a humble porter; in this life, he was still just an ordinary human without any offensive mana.

To a rational man like Ren—an architect who relied on calculated plans and structural blueprints—throwing himself into life-or-death danger without preparation was nothing short of suicide.

If he was going to face monsters again, it would be on his own terms: after he had fully prepared himself, gathered enough resources, and perhaps constructed a piloted combat mecha or an automated defense legion using his System.

Seeing the hesitation and apprehension written all over his face, the woman stepped closer, her sharp eyes studying him with intense focus.

"You clearly possess the ability to craft or summon highly unusual, devastating weapons," she continued, her voice remaining deadly serious. "Whether you hold magic power or not is irrelevant to me. The point is... I see something extraordinarily valuable in you."