The crest of the three heroes church was torn down the next morning, and by the time you watched Naofumi leave to get Filo her class upgrade, a shield was up there with the other three weapons.

Raphtalia had decided to go with Naofumi to see the sight, while you stayed behind to oversee some matter at the castle. Mainly speaking with Mirellia of your and Naofumi's adventures.

Of course, Naofumi and the others soon returned, granting audience to the Queen.

According to his account, Filo got her upgrade, but she couldn't choose the one she truly wanted.

To understand why this was, you would have to rewind to when you and Naofumi split up due to Fitoria.

In that time, Fitoria had taught Naofumi of his curse shield, along with the benefits and detriments it offered. The following morning, shortly before he met with Motoyasu before getting attacked by the pope, Fitoria had tested Filo in a trial by fire, facing her descendant in a duel to determine her worthiness. In the battle, Filo had prevailed, earning her the title of future queen of the filolials. This, in turn, gave Filo an ahoge. That ahoge from Fitoria is what Naofumi theorized to be the cause of Filo's lack of choice with her class upgrade.

"Fitoria?" Mirellia seemed taken aback by the name.

"You mean the Filolial Queen?" Mirellia asked in wonder.

"Oh, I wish you could've seen her." Melty lamented.

"She looked so sublime!" Mirellia reached off the arm of the throne, grabbing Melty's wrist.

"Melty! Could you tell me more?" She asked, amazed. So the Queen did have a softer side.

"Of course! Fitoria in her bird form was as big as a Tyrant, and her feathers were the color of the sky!"

"What else?" Mirellia stepped off the throne, excited to hear Melty's account on the subject.

"On her head, she had special feathers that were kind of like a crown. When she gave me a ride, I really felt like I was in a dream!"

"Ah, how wonderful!" Mirellia let go of Melty to hug herself, smiling with glee.

"I wish I could experience that just once in my life! It must've been wonderful..." After this, she turned back to the hero in the room, covering her smile with her hand.

"Ah, pardon me." She requested.

"No, no, you're quite alright." You assured her. Naofumi simply smiled at the sight.

"So, why were we called here?" Naofumi asked. Mirellia looked at you, nodding towards the hero. You cleared your throat, stepping forward.

"You see, a party will be thrown tonight. One with all four heroes in attendance." You announced to Naofumi.

"Is that so?" Naofumi asked, glaring at you.

"Well, I do plan to privately meet with you heroes as well. All of us, at once. For some very important things, and some well due... explanations." You specified.

"I would've given you longer notice, but if I had, you may not have come." Mirellia told Naofumi.

"I get that..." Naofumi kept his gaze on you, and the ultimate weapon on your back.

"I hope we will see you in attendance... Good Hero."

True to your invitations, all four heroes had arrived. A party was hosted outside, with music and drinks for everyone to enjoy. Those sounds, however, were muffled by the several doors between them and you.

You stood by an empty seat at a table of six. In all of the other seats were each hero, and the Queen herself.

"I would like to begin this conference, but you don't seem to be very comfortable." Mirellia pointed out. The awkward silence she got in return was proof enough of her words striking true. You felt a pair of eyes land on you, before you sighed, raising your hands to clap.

"I believe the first place to start is a proper explanation. Isn't that correct, Mirellia?" You asked.

"Hey, isn't that really disrespectful to the Queen?" Motoyasu asked, giving you an uncomfortable look.

"Yeah, this is worse than Naofumi saying 'Yo King' when we first met." Itsuki said.

"Please, don't worry, heroes." Mirellia lifted her hand to silence the two.

"If anything, I should be bowing to him." She admitted.

"Huh? You bowing to Y/n? I know he's strong and all, but-"

"That's not all there is to it." Ren interrupted Motoyasu's words, looking at you.

"Y/n has more experience with the scourge of beasts then any of us. The scourge that started when we arrived here." He pointed out.

"Well said. For that, I would ask none other then the being responsible for starting this same plague." You suggested.

"You mean Paleblood?" Naofumi asked. You smiled at him, slowly shaking your head.

"This time, I mean-"

"Y/n is referring to me." Mirellia interrupted. Silence surrounded the group, before Mirellia swallowed, nervous.

"I already feared the possibility of my husband acting against my will and summoning you all at once, so in order to keep you all alive and try to promote unity between you four..." Mirellia sighed in defeat, raising her head.

"I made a prayer to Paleblood, and bargained for the safety of Melromarc and its Heroes. But the price was... steep, for the outcome." Mirellia revealed.

"The price? You don't mean..." Motoyasu was struck silent as Itsuka stood up for a moment, fist clenched.

"You... started the plague in order to force us to work together?" He asked. Mirellia nodded her head slowly.

"I was given a vial of corrupted blood to start the plague on the night you four were summoned. In return for this scourge, I was granted another favor, to help me as I went." Mirellia clenched her teeth, looking at you.

"Y/n L/n was allowed to walk this world's soil, to go and hunt the beasts he had done for so many years." Mirellia revealed.

"So, you were summoned?" Naofumi asked. You nodded your head in response.

"Same as you four. The difference between us, however is our status." You told the heroes.

"Right. We're the four Cardinal heroes, and you are Paleblood's chosen one, aren't you?" Motoyasu asked.

"No, I suspect it's more than that." Ren cut in.

"Do you?" Naofumi asked, curious. Ren nodded, looking at you.

"Before our battle against the pope, we were brought to a place called the Hunter's Dream." Ren told everyone.

"Oh yeah. There, we met a lovely woman, the Doll." Itsuki remembered.

"She guided us down a path towards some iron gates, and told that when we stepped through, we would find Paleblood on the other side." Ren explained.

"But when we did, we were waken up, and faced by you." He finished.

"Yeah. I still can't believe we were so close, only to get lied to." Itsuki remarked.

"No, we weren't." Ren corrected.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Itsuki asked. Ren looked at you again, his eyes fixed on your own.

"We went through those gates, and we met with you." Ren stated, pointing at you.

"And?" You rolled your hand for Ren to continue.

"In your incantation for that Paleblood Sky spell, you described yourself as the 'Aspect of Paleblood.'" Ren recalled.

"An Aspect? I remember the term, but can someone refresh me?" Motoyasu asked.

"I remember it from when I played some MMO in my home world." Itsuki raised a hand up to get everyone's attention.

"Its similar to an Avatar, which is a god's appearance in the mortal realm, but an Aspect is different in a way. An Aspect is the physical embodiment of a God's certain traits. If I understand Ren's point, I believe he's trying to say..." Itsuki paused for a moment, to think of how to phrase his next sentence.

"Y/n, you're no follower of Paleblood. You ARE Paleblood, or at least what little of his humanity that exists, made into a humanoid form." Itsuki stated.

"Hold on, are you implying that this guy is a god?" Motoyasu asked, standing up.

"I am. Remember the Amygdala?" Ren asked.

"That? Yeah..." Motoyasu cast his gaze downwards again as Ren continued.

"Y/n showed complete control of a creature that could've crushed us like ants. It's not just control over the beasts granted by Paleblood's blood. It was created through Paleblood's own blood, the very same liquid pumping through your veins." Ren told you. You held a hand to your heart, staying silent.

"Y/n, is there anything obvious we missed?" Itsuki asked. You still stayed silent, before Naofumi spoke up.

"Your level doesn't appear to be a real number. It's simply runes instead." He spoke aloud, for the heroes to hear.

"You see? I believe this only serves to prove my words." Ren added.

"Wait... Y/n is Paleblood, and his blood is what made those beasts?" Motoyasu summarized. You smirked, waiting to see how he would react. Slowly, the dread of the truth was beginning to lay down on them. Ren and Naofumi were the least effected, with Naofumi surely already having had his doubts about you, and Ren being the one to figure it out.

"But... we had to fight him. I went into a duel with him to free Raphtalia. I... He..." Motoyasu stood up, sweat beading on his forehead.

"No, if Y/n really were a god that the Queen summoned to fight with us, then-" he raised his spear at you, raising the tension by at least ten notches.

"He would be able to come back if I kill him!" You sighed in disappointment as the other heroes stayed silent, watching you stare down the shield hero, before lifting your hand, prompting a few gasps of shock.

"Wait, that's-" This time, Naofumi's shock was the highest at the sight of the gun in your hand.

"-Evelyn. She's a hard hitter, so I suggest you sit down and keep talking in a civil manner." You warned. Motoyasu fell backwards in his seat as you lowered your gun, feeling it disappear. You felt the stares of all four heroes on you, crossing your arms.

"One should be more wary when faced by the Great One." All eyes snapped towards the Doll in your seat. It hadn't moved, yet everyone heard the light voice that emanated from it.

"While he is indeed the source of the scourge, as you suspect, he is also the only reason you have survived such a scourge." With a twitch, the Doll's fingers began to move, startling Motoyasu.

"That... that toy's alive!" He shouted.

"That's not a toy." Itsuki pointed out.

"That is the Doll. Attendant of Paleblood." Ren corrected.

"Indeed. I hope you are all doing well with the news of the Great One's direct interference." She stated. Her lips still haven't moved, but her eyes had. Now, they focused on whoever was talking at the moment.

"I..." Motoyasu held a hand to his forehead, taking in a deep breath and letting it out again.

"So... Paleblood. Why did you decide to come to this world?" Itsuki asked.

"You may still call me Y/n. I am, as you put it, an Aspect. As for why I came here..." you shrugged.

"I needed a good hunt after millennia spent alone." You revealed.

"All that, because you had nobody to speak with." Naofumi repeated.

"Precisely. Over time, people forgot the power behind the moon, and then of the Great One's themselves. Nobody was there to worship me, nobody was there to start the scourge anew. I grew up in the very same dream you saw, with only the doll as my companion." You reached a hand out, holding the Doll's cheek gingerly.

"And then, Mirellia found record of elder gods, and decided that in the final stretches of her desperation, one should be called." You smiled, chuckling.

"And the next thing you know, my blood flows through the veins of all but the most pure creatures." You finished.

"So, when people worship you, you just let them live, while others die by your hand?" Ren asked again.

"It was never my will to choose who became beasts, Good Hero. I simply chose who didn't. And even if I desired it the most, I couldn't dare allow the Spear to become a beast, despite how many times he has raised his weapon against me." You lamented.

"The Queen's pact?" Naofumi asked. You nodded, leaning on the chair.

"While I walk this world, the heroes are to never face preventable death. That is why I helped you in the first wave. The second was just embarrassing to witness." You glared at Motoyasu and Ren.

"They were simple Mad Ones and Witches. How did you fail to see the way to kill them?" You asked.

"Actually, don't answer that question." You sighed, shaking your head.

"I was called here to help you work together. I'm not gonna be able to do that if I keep myself on your mistakes and inability to fight." You rubbed the bridge of your nose, your displeasure obvious to the stricken heroes.

"So... is this all? Did you just call us here to reveal the presence of a god and rub it in our noses?" Itsuki asked. While looking as young and lively as he had before, he now bore a dark look under his eyes. He was tired of this. He had taken the news well, but it weighed on him. And it did not weigh well.

"No. In much lighter news that I'm sure will come as a delightful surprise..." Mirellia looked at you again, as you rolled your hand for her to continue.

"...it seems Cal Mira Archipelago will activate soon." She revealed.

"Oh?" Ren's eyes brightened up. He was clearly thankful for some kind of light.

"It's going to generate a bonus field?" Itsuki was happy as well, trying not to take note of the elder god present. Naofumi, still the least effected, put a hand to his chin, thinking.

"Activate?" He asked. Mirellia looked over at him, beginning to explain the situation.

"By 'activate,' we mean the once-in-a-decade event where XP gained in the area is boosted." She explained.

"Wow, you didn't even know about that?" Motoyasu asked, looking tired. You narrowed your eyes at him, irked.

"Seeing how he was treated, I see it quite reasonable." Mirellia stated.

"Anyhow, I am unsure of the status of the scourge in Cal Mira, but if it is strong, then the increased XP from beasts is theorized to stack with Cal Mira's effect, meaning you will all be able to grow significantly in power during your time there." She explained. Before anyone else could speak, a light knocking echoed through the room.

"Excuse me?" You heard Melty's muffled voice. After a moment, the princess entered the room, whispering into her mother's ear. After a moment, the Queen sighed in exasperation, laying her face in her hand.

"It's a good thing we didn't attend the party." She stated.

"Mal- no..." She unfolded her fan, covering her mouth as she spoke.

"Bitch apparently tried to poison the food meant for Iwatani's party." She lamented. In response, Motoyasu stood up, hands on the table.

"Lies! My- I mean, Slut would never do that!" He argued.

"No, Si-Bitch admitted it, thanks to her slave pact." Melty stated. You gave your own sigh, prompting Mirellia to look up at you.

"Great One, I hope you can overlook this attempt by Bitch?" She asked.

"If you can manage to keep her in check, and stop any problems before they can reach a stage where it effects me or Raphtalia, I will not act on it." You promise.

"Thank you, it means more to me than one would initially think. Now, Kitamura, you have a slave crest with Bitch yourself, don't you? Why don't you confirm this for yourself later?" She asked.

"Let's forget that for now. Keep going." Naofumi urged.

"While my daughter's role certainly played a part, your infighting among each other that Y/n did his best to stop has prevented you from leveling up more. To ensure you get the most benefit out of Cal Mira, why don't you speak your minds and exchange information?" Mirellia asked.

"Now why would we do that?" Ren asked.

"Exchange information? There's nothing to say." Motoyasu tried to point out.

"What's the point in it anyway?" Itsuki asked. You shook your head, watching Naofumi's exasperated expression.

"Since it seems you don't understand the point, let me emphasize." Mirellia closed her fan, her look becoming serious.

"If you refuse to work together any longer, I will no longer allow Y/n to save your lives in the waves. Iwatani will be the only one to even make it past the third wave." Her tone took a cold turn, shocking the three heroes opposite of her.

"You can't be serious, right? What about Y/n wanting to fight that Glass lady again?" Motoyasu asked. You smirked, shrugging.

"Even if I was permitted to fight her again, she's not the only one strong enough to kill you. Besides, my pact bids me to follow only Mirellia's command. The only reason I would go against my word is if the orders I were given placed my student in danger." You told the spear hero.

"Not to mention how utterly defeated you all were in that last wave. If it wasn't for Naofumi's protection, my battle against Glass would've blown you off the ship. If you refuse to actually rally any longer, and I'm not there to tell you what to do, you will most certainly die." You told the three.

"Call me crazy, but I think we should listen to the god with millions more years of experience then we will ever live." Ren stated, his tone darkening at his own words.

"Yeah, you're right." Itsuki agreed.

"So, I propose we start by asking Naofumi. Where did you get that cheat shield?" The Bow Hero asked.

"Let me get this straight, first." Naofumi leaned back, his gaze hardening as he spoke.

"This shield is not a cheat. It is the result of my own hard work." He insisted.

"Naofumi..." you muttered.

"Fine. I'll tell you everything I know, but first..." Naofumi looked across all three heroes, squinting.

"...you talk first."

Motoyasu had started, with the tip of picking up weapons with the same type as the legendary one. For instance, when Motoyasu picked up a normal Iron Spear from a blacksmith shop, his spear would gain the ability to morph into an identical copy.

Ren revealed that with the proper material's, a legendary weapon had the ability to automatically craft whatever item one needs at the time.

And Itsuki informed Naofumi of a waypoint system. Anywhere marked by the weapon, a hero had the ability to teleport to.

After this, things began to fall apart. Itsuki tried to tell Naofumi that weapon rarity is what led to power. Ren tried to call Itsuki a liar, instead saying proficiency was key. Motoyasu intervened, trying to make the claim that skills and stats were the way to go.

You personally agreed with Ren and Motoyasu. Knowing how to swing a sword is the first step, but you can't do it if you can't lift the sword.

The issue with a disagreement between the three other heroes was... well... they never mixed well. It almost scaled into a a duel, before Naofumi clearly decided he had enough.

"You guys... are a lost cause!" With a fist to the table, Naofumi stood up, pushing his chair back and walking out of the room. You watched him leave with a sigh, looking down at the doll.

"It seems this meeting is now adjourned." You stated. With a whirl of mist, the doll disappeared from her seat.

"Y/n, once the heroes have left, I have some news for you, news you may not like." Mirellia told you. You nodded, looking at the other heroes.