Chapter 238: Johnn with Two N’s: Professional Attention Stealer.

Maddy gaze drifting toward the higher ranked boards as she whispered,

"The new Hero, thanks for the cover, Johnn."

A cold, calculating smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"You are making the disappearance of that S rank party, no, that son of Gilberto, something no one wants to talk about anymore. Everyone is so blinded by your light that they’ve forgotten to ask where the old shadows went."

She tightened her grip on her cloak, the fabric shimmering like a spider’s web. The first Hero, Gilberto, was a legend whose legacy was now being eclipsed by this new star. It was the perfect smokescreen.

"I’ll make sure to put it to good use. I’ll make good use of you... Johnn."

She stood motionless, her thumb tracing the edge of her cloak as she savored the realization. She had played the long game, burying her monstrous nature under a pile of F rank paperwork and "Motherly" goodwill. She was invisible. She was safe.

But the silence of her internal victory was shattered by the sound of the guild’s doors being kicked open with enough force to rattle the rafters.

"Clear the way! Johnn with two N’s has arrived!"

The voice was boisterous, youthful, and carried the kind of unearned confidence that usually made Maddy’s skin crawl. At the entrance stood Johnn, his teeth gleaming with a radiance that felt almost offensive in the dim light of the hall. But it wasn’t his smile that made the entire guild go silent—it was the trophy he dragged behind him.

He wasn’t carrying a trophy; he was dragging a nightmare.

On his back, secured by thick, straining ropes, was a head so colossal it dwarfed the statue of the first hero and even the monument of Prometheus in the square. It was a mass of obsidian scales, jagged horns, and leathery, tattered membranes.

The silence lasted for three heartbeats before a veteran adventurer at the front bar dropped his mug, his voice cracking in terror and awe.

"Is that... is that the Alpha? The Bahamut Bat?!"

The hall erupted. A collective gasp swept through the room followed by a deafening roar of cheers. People scrambled over benches just to get a glimpse of the kill.

"H-He really did it!"

"He took down a Dragon type solo?!" "

The Eternal Ember of Prometheus! He really is the one!"

"Look at him... he’s not even bleeding! He truly is the Hero!"

Maddy watched the scene unfold with a detached gaze. The receptionist, who moments ago had been sneering at Maddy with the arrogance of a bureaucrat, underwent a transformation so sudden it was almost supernatural. She smoothed her hair, popped the top button of her blouse, and leaned over the counter with a gaze so thirsty it could have drained a well.

"Oh, Sir Johnn!" she chirped, her voice a sugary falsetto that made Maddy want to gag. "We weren’t expecting you back so soon! Let me handle the paperwork personally... and perhaps we can discuss the reward over a private dinner?"

Maddy’s eye twitched. The hypocrisy was a physical weight in the room.

"One week of clearing every rat and grease fire in the district gets me a ’jobless’ smirk, but one big head and a loud mouth gets him the red carpet?"

Johnn didn’t seem to notice the tension. He marched toward the counter, his smile blindingly bright, waving a hand at the adventurers who were cheering his name. He moved with the effortless confidence of a man who knew the world was his stage.

"Easy, everyone! There’s enough of me to go around!" he laughed, his voice rich and effortless.

He slammed a massive, blood stained scroll onto the desk, the official quest log, and heaved the gargantuan head of the Bahamut Bat onto the reinforced floor with a bone jarring thud.

"Quest complete! Johnn with double N always delivers! One Alpha class terror, neutralized. You can check the flame signature; it’s the real deal."

The receptionist didn’t even glance at the monster. Her eyes were locked on Johnn’s, her eyelashes fluttering at a frantic pace. She leaned so far over the desk her chin almost touched the dragon-scales.

"Oh, I believe you, Sir Johnn. But such a victory must have been... draining. Why don’t we finalize the paperwork at that new terrace restaurant? You must be famished! A hero of your stature deserves the finest vintage and a quiet, private place to... unwind. And oh, do not worry, my treat. I’d love to hear the intimate details of the battle."

Maddy, watching from the periphery, felt a phantom headache forming.

"Intimate details? It’s a bat, lady. He hit it until it stopped moving."

Johnn laughed, a booming, genuine sound that echoed through the hall. He shook his head, oblivious to the woman’s blatant seduction.

"No can do, miss! I appreciate the offer, but I’m stuffed!"

He patted his stomach with a grin.

"That bat was huge, so I didn’t let the meat go to waste. I set up a campfire and roasted the best prime cuts of its haunches! I’m so stuffed with dragon protein I probably won’t need to eat again for a week! My metabolism is running at a hundred percent!"

The receptionist’s face fell, her seductive smile wavering into a look of genuine disappointment. The idea of a Hero choosing monster-meat over a high-class date was clearly not in her script. However, she didn’t give up; she quickly regained her composure, clutching his paperwork to her chest as if it were a holy relic.

"A week!? I see... a true warrior’s diet," she managed to squeak out, her eyes still lingering on his face. "Well... I’m very patient, Sir Johnn. I’ll keep the best table reserved for when you’re hungry again... Then, i’ll process your reward immediately, but don’t think I’m giving up. I’ll be waiting right here when you’re hungry again!"

Johnn turned away from the desk, as he strode through the crowd, his eyes landed on a familiar hooded figure standing near the empty quest board. His face lit up like a second sun.

"Oh God... It’s her. HER! HEYYY, YOHOOO!"