16 Official Quest
Miach and I set off to the Guild separately. He reports my level-up, and I sell Magic Stones.
'Well, a believable amount anyway.' The Magic Stones left in my Inventory are more than ten times the amount I give the employee at the exchange window.
After that, I go to my advisor 'Eina Tulle'. I inform her about my level-up. She isn't surprised since I had told her before that I'm about to level-up.
Instead, she starts to give me a completely useless lecture on what I should do as a rookie Upper-class adventurer.
Don't be reckless, wait until your body is used to your new power, you can now venture into deeper floors, monsters are strong, be careful, etc… MY GOD! She's telling me to run away from Minotaurs.
Will she ever shut up? Oh, this part is interesting!
"Obviously, after accepting an official Quest and completing it you get the monetary reward. By completing a certain number of quests, you can increase your Familia's rank.
And by continuously completing the same Quest issued by certain Familias, you may earn their trust and enter a long-standing business agreement with them.
But be wise and think carefully before accepting quests. Failing one quest has more demerits that than the merits of completing ten quests. Having a failed quest on your Guild File can't be undone… " She continues with her lecture.
Not knowing what to do with the piles of Drop Items stored in the Inventory was a problem for me. But Eina's talk about Quests has given me an idea on how to solve it.
I can accept 'Material Gathering Quests' for items that I already have, wait a few days then deliver the materials required.
By doing that, I can get rid of the heaps of Drop Items that have been bothering me, and I will also increase my reputation and raise the Familia's rank.
"Are you listening to me, Mr. Rick? Eina asks in an irritating tone.
"Yeah, you were saying that failing a Quest is bad. Aside from that, is there anything else I should know?" I say it while standing up from my chair.
----
The first thing I do after leaving Eina's desk is accepting a quest and filling out the form for it. The one I accepted requires delivering 10 Crystal Mantis Wings. Crystal Mantis is a monster present on the Middle Floors).
I have 18 Wings in the Inventory right now. I can clear this Quest at once but I won't do that. I'll deliver them and officially complete the quest tomorrow to avoid suspicion.
---
The next order of business is going to a book store to find out more about light magic. Nahza told me where to find one.
It turns out that I don't have to buy the books I can read through whatever I like in the store. Then I would pay 50 Vals for every hour I spent in the store.
It took me less than two hours to go through all the books with titles related to light magic. There weren't many books anyway.
I couldn't find a way to learn any spells. But I got to know that all the light magic on the Lower World came from a spirit named Lux. Of course, there were a lot of adventure stories dedicated to children that included the spirit in it.
---
I walk around the streets of Orario with no particular destination. I spent too much time in the dungeon that I'm enjoying myself just by walking under the sun. I enjoy walking around the overcrowded market area and listening to haggling random banters.
After a couple of hours of aimless walking around the market area, I make my way to the Blue Pharmacy.
As I'm passing by Amor Square, I notice a high-class clothing shop. I draw closer and look through the glass at an outfit on display.
'Woah!' The price is 21.000 Vals. Still, I want it. Since I got here, I've only worn the cheapest clothes sold on the free market. Now that I'm rich, I think I deserve this much.
And so, I enter the shop. The bell on the door rings as I open the door.
Ding!
"Welcome!" The cat-girl in the shop seems disappointed as she looks at my clothes. Still, she quickly puts on a business smile and speaks in the monotonous salesperson's voice.
"How can I help you today, sir?"
"I'd like to buy a few outfits," I say.
"I'm glad that you came to us…" I smell sarcasm in the air. "We offer the HIGHEST-class selection of outfits for ARISTOCRATS and Deities."
Can't you emphasize that a little more? Well, let's have some fun.
"Really? That's weird… I thought this was a second-class shop since there is an outfit on display worth only 21." I fake being confused as I say it.
"I'm sorry. It's actually 21 THOUSAND Vals, sir." She says as she tries to cover her smile.
"And?" I ask.
"Huh?" Her reaction is priceless.
"It seemed that you were about to correct me on something. What is it?" I press her more.
"I- I'm s-sorry…" Her cat ears twitch violently. Her face starts to get red as she scrapes to say something in embarrassment.
For some reason, I can't just help myself from teasing animal-people. It's probably their overtly visible emotions. Anyway, I have to stop now or I won't be able to contain my laughter.
"It doesn't matter. So, how about you show me those outfits?" And thus, she starts showing me some expensive clothing.
After buying two outfits for myself, I decide to buy a super classy cloak for Miach. He should wear something threatening to the Denatus.
Maybe it will make some of the gods wary of Miach, so they won't antagonize him by giving me a bad title.
Who am I kidding? Those old foxes will drive their pleasure from the suffering Miach and his peers.
Getting clothes for Miach and myself while I get nothing for Nahza leaves a bad taste in my mouth. So, I buy her an expensive party dress.
---
I spend the next few days doing the same routine. I finish my Daily Quest, have breakfast then go to the Guild.
I sell some Magic Stones, deliver the materials of some quest, and receive the reward, accept a new quest then leave.
I walk around the city, maybe buy some fruits or trinkets and go home.
During that time, I heard that Bell Cranel had beaten a Minotaur and leveled-up.
---
Today is the Denatus day. I wait at the Blue Pharmacy for Miach to return. He seemed pretty nervous about it.
The only thing that could calm him down was the fact that his friends; Hestia and Takemikazuchi would share the same fate with him.
Anyway, he's been out for a while. He should arrive anytime now.
.
Ding!
The bell on the door rings as Miach enters the pharmacy. He carries a grave expression on his face as he walks towards me in shame.
"I'm sorry Rick." He apologizes.
"What is it? Tell me." I ask.
"I promise that I will get you a normal name on your next level-up. But for now, your official Title is Apostle Warrior of the Divine Justice." He says.
"Pfffft… Hahahaha they got us good… hahaha." I couldn't contain myself as I exploded in laughter.
Then I notice it. The look on Miach's face... Shit! I messed up.
.
Humans of the Lower World would find this title awesome. Other adventurers would envy me for it. But to the gods coming from the Upper World, my title is worst.
Knowing that fact, the gods of the Denatus choose bad titles (from the gods' point of view) for the adventurers. They do it so that they can enjoy the misery of the adventurer's god (Miach in my case).
I was supposed to feel extremely happy over this title here. And Miach would suffer seeing me (his child) in joy over something so bad.
But what happened here, is me (a human who read DanMachi's novel and knows the reality behind the scene).
I not only knew that the title was bad, but I also knew that it was chosen as a prank.
I messed up badly here.
.
I cut my laughter abruptly. "Mhm… Sorry about that. It's a cool name so don't beat yourself up over it."
Yup, that made it worse. The look on Miach's face was 'surprise' before, now it's 'suspicion'.
"Anyway, what title did Bell and Mikoto get?" I change the subject.
---
I continue with the same routine as before for a few days. But today, some adventurers have been following me since I left the pharmacy.
They're doing well to hide their presence but they don't know that I have a 'Sense' stat. I can feel their Mana even if I can't see or hear them. From the amount of their mana, I assume that they are five Level-2 adventurers.
I have no idea why someone would follow me. Do they want to recruit me? Is it the Guild investigating me? Oh, did I arouse suspicion by clearing several Quests in a short time?
Anyway, I don't know the reason, so I'll act normally as if I don't sense them. I follow the same routine as every day.
But after I accepted a new quest and left the Guild, I could sense only two adventurers following me. Oh, are they checking the contents of the quest I accepted?
If the ones following me are from the guild. I can't just walk around then show up the next day with materials. Now I have to go to the dungeon and collect materials for real. What a bother!
The quest I accepted requires gathering 20 Almiraj's Fur. So, I head to Middle Floors of the dungeon to hunt some Almiraj.
---
After a while, in the dungeon hunting Almirajs. Since I didn't want to carry a sword around the city. I had left it in the inventory. Now I would be strange if I conjure a sword out of nowhere. So, I'm hunting monsters with my bare hands.
But I'm not having a hard time because of it or anything.
[A beast-type monster has been detected. The effect of the title 'Beast Lord' has been activated. All your stats have increased by 40%.]
.
'Now this is weird.' The three adventurers that stayed at the Guild just joined the other two that kept watching me. But they came from ahead of me and not from behind.
Instead of joining the other two right away, they circled around and went ahead. They did something ahead. Did they lay trap there?
If so, then they stayed at the guild to check the quest I accepted. They found out that I would be hunting Almirajs on the 12-14th Floors. And that's where they'd lay their trap.
But why lay a trap for me? Who are they anyway?
The reason I let them follow me was that I thought they were from the Guild. Now I regret not shaking them off the second I sensed them. Even if it's the Guild, I shouldn't have let anyone follow me.
I can take a sudden turn ahead then use 'stealth'. They won't be able to follow me after. But I won't do that. I want to know who they are and why they are following me.
So, I continue forward. 'Let's see what kind of trap they prepared'.
A few minutes later, stand before the room they prepared for me. I can sense an army of monsters in there. It seems that they put Items that attract monsters in the room.
'So, they want me to enter this room and die in there?' That's stupid. Do they think that I come here alone if I can't deal with some Hell Hounds and Almirajs?
Even though, I stop and turn around. 'Let's see how they react'.
Looks like they were prepared because they are already blocking the way. Now, I'm pinned in the corridor leading to the trap room.
'I have a monster army from behind and them from the front, that's pretty smart.'
"Well, how about that! Do you think he somehow sensed the danger or it's just some good luck?" The one with the biggest amount of mana (probably their leader) speaks with leisure to his companions.
I calmly ask, "Is there a particular reason for this ambush?"
"What ambush? We came to give you a once in a lifetime offer. Abandon Miach and join Dian Cecht Familia, or you die right now. So, what do you think?"
'Dian Cecht! So that is why.' I joined Miach Familia and helped them with the monthly payment for their debt to Dian Cecht. That foiled Dian Cecht's plan to destroy Miach Familia. So he sent his boys to scare me into leaving Miach Familia?
"How about a counteroffer then?" I suggest.
"What's that?!" He asks.
"You can leave right now with your dignity intact, or you leave after I beat you all up," I say.
"Don't get cocky, rookie… Guys, let's teach him a lesson, shall we?" My behavior irritated them but they are still calm and confident.
Three of them start attacking. The leader and an elf girl are standing back.
All of them are weaker than me. I could sense it even before I laid eyes on them. But together I think they can be a pain. That doesn't mean I'm worried. It might be tough but manageable.
I summon my sword 'Heartseeker' from the Inventory then I charge at them. Their eyes widen a little but they are still calm as they relentlessly attack me.
My sword is supposed to stop three weapons. But that's alright, they aren't that fast.
Clang! Clang! Whoosh! Clang!
It's harder than I thought, they are maintaining a good formation. Each one is covering the blind spots of his colleague.
'What is that?' This is the first I've felt this Mana turbulence in the air. I can see that the elf standing behind the leader is reciting something.
'Whatever this spell does, I must stop it'.
I use 'Swift Strike' to reach the elf girl in a moment then, I stab the elf in her right shoulder. But…
Ring~
[Killing intent directed towards the Player has been detected. Emergency Quest has been created.]
'Shit!'
[Emergency Quest.
Those who wish to harm the Player has been detected.
Quest Clear Condition: Eliminate your enemies (0/5).
Quest Clear Reward: 1. Status Recovery
2. +10 Stat Points
3. Skill "Bloodlust".]
'I'm not forced to clear the quest? That is new'. Still, I want the rewards.
As soon as I stab the elf mage, the leader pounces on me. He uses a big axe, it looks expensive and dangerous.
I avoid his attack and before I can counter, his allies arrive at my back. I use 'Whirlwind' to spin half around.
Whoosh!
They retreat with some light wounds on them. And then, I feel it …
The elf started casting again. 'I don't know if all magic causes this disturbance or she is just casting an extra nasty one. Still,'
'Swift Strike' … Stab! ... 'Swift Strike' … Slash … 'Swift Strike' … Stab!
I bounce on him and stab, my strike stops his spell. Then I bounce on the rest of them, one after the other.
Then I create some distance and say, "This is your last chance, walk away or die". I don't think I can resist the quest rewards any longer.
"You scum!" They all attack me at once, they aren't maintaining their formation anymore.
'Looks like they are blinded by anger … good'.
With their formation gone, they are just lying ducks waiting to be killed one after the other. The only one that doesn't attack right away is the elf. She drinks a potion then start casting.
I start with her since her magic seems to be troublesome. I shoot a 'Light Arrow' that passes right through her chest.
I activate 'Rulers Hand' to grab one of the adventurers and use him as a shield. The leader's axe obliterates his skull like a watermelon.
"Jonah!" The leader then is taken aback by what he did. I use this chance to attack him. I wanted to decapitate him but he uses his arm to block. So, his arm is cleanly cut off.
"Damn bastard!" The other two charge at me together.
I evade one of them and stab the other through the chest. The one I evaded reclaims his balance and attacks again. I leave the sword stabbed in the chest of his friend as I summon the 'Beast Lord' sword and I spin around to slash across his abdomen.
The only one left is the leader. He holds his axe in his only hand as he charges at me.
"You will regret thiiiiii…" I cut his cry short by decapitating him.
…
I inspect their equipment to find nothing special except for the leader's axe. I don't take it even though it looks expensive because it has some insignia. People might recognize it.
I accept all the rewards and use the stat points.
To cover what I did I have to make it look like monsters killed them. So I enter the room with the Monster horde, kill a few of them, and run back to the corridor.
I take a few steps and stop to kill another patch of monsters then run. I repeat that all the way to the end of the corridor. I just passed by their dead bodies.
I don't know if Monsters would eat them or just step over them while following me. 'Eaten or bruised, either way, it leads to monsters'.
I don't collect any loot around them. It's known between adventurers that 'Uncollected loot means an accident'.
Now, there is an army of loose Monsters on this floor. I can't let that pass. If an unprepared party meets them, they will die for sure. I don't want anyone else on my conscience, five is already too much.
So, I lead the monsters away from my crime scene then I kill them all.
---
I don't tell anything to Miach or Nahza. As far as I know, I've never met those adventurers in my life. I don't even know their names.
A few days later, I hear about the accident of Dian Cecht Familia's main raiding party. Dian Cecht requested the Guild to investigate.
The Guild found items that attract monsters -often used in laying traps for other adventurers- in the room and the dead adventurers' equipment.
The Guild concluded that either they failed to lay the trap and the monsters attacked them or they were killed by the party intended for the trap in self-defense. Either way, no need for further investigation.
I don't know if Dian Cecht knows that I'm the one that killed them or not. Well, he can't do much with his main Raiding Party gone anyway.
Losing their Raiding Party didn't affect the rank of Dian Cecht Familia that much. They are originally an Item-producing Familia, the Dungeon-raiding was just a bonus (that they just lost).
[Bloodlust (Level: 1)
Active skill.
Mana cost: 100
You emit your killing intent to inflict "Fear Status" on your target for one minute. You can choose multiple targets at once.
Fear Status: -50% All stats.]
Looking at this skill, I don't regret choosing 'Immunity' Advanced Ability over 'Hunter' anymore. The only major difference between Bloodlust and Hunter is that Hunter is a passive effect while Bloodlust is an active one.
