The Guild...
Okay, so we before we start, there are a few things I'd like to say.
I understand that some people are unimpressed because MC is already strong and whatnot.
He's meant to be like a gag character, which is the point of the story. Instead of focusing on his ascent to power, this story is meant to focus on his everyday life, and eventually the people around him once he becomes more well known, how his existence will push others forwards.
Just like one punch man.
However, I have already begun on actual fic that will focus on the person's rise to power in Danmachi. It's my other one called Chaos has come to Orario. It's off to a shaky start but I am working on it.
With that out of the way, let's move on.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I made my way down the steps to the reception after locking up for the night. I'd only booked one night so I had to return the key to the desk now. From a large door to my right. I could smell the scent of food and I could hear chiming laughter.
My stomach rumbled in hunger at the scent, but I wasn't interested in eating in a hall of strangers.
I smiled as I felt the shadow demons following behind me. For some reason, they hadn't been de-summoned yet. I hadn't created them from corpses, which to my understanding is what made them permanent in the New World for Ainz.
Perhaps it was my magic that was sustaining their continued existence? I'd had a few theories regarding my skills and abilities after my talk with Nekros last night.
But it was nothing to dwell upon until after I'd got a blessing. Only a status sheet would reveal everything I needed to know, or rather everything I needed to derive my abilities from.
I'd had tried looking at my own stats, but it only showed in the format of Yggdrasil, the kind I'd find in the light novels. That system was fundamentally different from the one of the world in which I currently walked.
For instance, it did not show any numerical values, just a bar graph. But everything on it completely went off the table, chief among them being physical attack power, HP and MP.
So with no statistics to go off of, I couldn't estimate my current amount of MP. I guess one of the things I truly had to do in order to gauge the extent of my magic power, I had to use some more higher tier spells.
Using the 9th Tier undead spell [Grasp Heart] last night took way too little of my MP points, and it was completely replenished afterwards. On the Yggdrasil status sheet, it showed me as a level 100 player. My job class appeared to be Fighter mainly.
It made sense since I was a hand-to-hand combat fighter in my old life. Just a bit of amateurish MMA in my free time. But my small stature paired with strength I was quite proud of, I was able to fight quite nimbly and land solid punches within my opponents personal space.
Being small meant I was able to move in close once a taller and bigger opponent had stretched out too far, and it took to much time for them to draw back their limb before I socked them clean in the jaw or managed to grapple them.
But I had kind of deprived myself of that advantage now that I was tall. I'd have to make adjustments to my new stature. I still walked with a bit of a wobble as I wasn't used to being so tall.
Coming back to the job class thing, I guess I was a Fighter because of my past experiences and the fact that without a doubt, my physical abilities far outweighed my magical once in terms of raw power, and not variety or skills.
I'd had no real training with a blade either. I'd been guided around a rapier for a few years in my old life but I never really did join tournaments and the like despite my instructor insisting that I did so.
Rapiers were completely different from swords. Fencing was a sport, for elegance and entertainment. This lot of adventurers trained to kill. And not to just kill people, but monsters. Plus, combined with their superhuman strength and the integration of magic into their fighting styles, the damage they could do and the things they were capable of nullified any usual tricks that could be played upon them.
Hour by hour this became less of a fantasy dream and something more of a reality as I realized the differences between the norms of this world and my old one.
Despite that, I was fairly confident that the abilities I was currently stacking at the moment still put me on top of them. I'd just have to see what I could do in a real fight.
'Which is hopefully something I'll get started on today.' I mused as I walked up to the desk and handed in the key. Serra was not there this time, but some old dude with a scruffy white beard. I just passed the key over the desk and he grunted in acknowledgement.
I didn't need to say anything and nor did he as he would just have to look at the door number and cross out my name on the chart. Which is probably very bad for security reasons and definitely not something that would be tolerated nor exercised in any hotel back home but hey, new world, new rules.
Walking out of the Horseshoe, I made my way down the street towards Babel. I'd find the guild sure enough near there. I'd just have to see if I could find a large gathering of adventurers and I bet a hundred Valis, that the guild would be there.
I knew what it looked like sure enough from the anime depictions but there was not enough info for me to know where it was.
'If only I'd read the light novels. I'd know the addresses and street names of this city.' I moaned inwardly.
I suffered a few culture shocks again as I walked by different races. Dwarves were short but stocky people for sure, but they way they looked plus they way they walked indicated they were not easy to pick up (for any other but me) and it probably was not a good idea to bump into them.
I wish I would stop having these small moments of surprise but everything was just so different than I was used to. Even the air around me carried the scent of sand and moisture as well as the scent of cloth and sweat from the crowded streets.
The shadow demons in my shadow shivered in indignation and repulse at having to pass by mortals and 'lower-life forms' so frequently in such abundance. I figured if I just let them loose to do as they pleased, they'd end up slitting the throats of everyone here.
Ideas for the future. Even though they were always used just for gathering intel from what I saw, I had no doubt they could hurt somebody. Perhaps not a seasoned adventurer but a normal thug or crook. yeah, I don't see any complications with that in the future. Although if I did want to use a summon to kill someone powerful off, I was certain I had plenty in my arsenal to do. Holy, demonic or unholy you name it.
Lots of variety, lots of possibilities.
Man it was a good idea to wish for Orlen. With it's power at my disposal, it was possible I could create new summons unseen before. A world item with unlimited uses had limitless potential.
"Could Orlen be the reason for my absurd magical power?'
It made sense. World Items were said to contain the magical power of an entire world, DEFINITELY a lot more than a level 100 player would have, even an exceptional player like Ainz.
And Ouroboros was amongst the most powerful, if not THE most powerful of all regardless of the in-game functions. Because of Orlen, was it possible I had enough Mana to fill an entire planet?
While definitely minute compared to what someone like Rimuru would possess at their best, it was beyond what Ainz could conceive (not that he could conceive anything at all anyway). I doubted if even the Gods here possessed that much magical power since they all seemed to share the same world.
Nah, but that logic is flawed on my part. Just because they shared a world, doesn't mean they don't have the power of an entire one. They created this world after all, so it was possible they did. Although... Genkai was not individually created by any one god here, they all created it together...
Who's to say I had the power to create a world either?
Pointless ruminations in the end I guess. I wasn't ready to know anything until a confrontation happened which I wasn't intending on pursuing any time soon. If I wanted to start any conflict with a god, I'd have to do it further off into the future. It was too early.
Slowly the surroundings changed for me as I entered the market place. It was honestly a sight to see. To think that this was normal shopping for everyone here, and yet to me it looked like something that would only happen at a fair or an amusement park.
Well, I found that stall food was delicious for the most part as opposed to ready-made pre-packaged stuff, so I'm not complain.
My nasal senses were immediately assaulted by an assortment of aromas, of fresh fruits and poultry, as well as fried foods and cooing meat. As a self-confirmed carnivore that hated it when vegans tried to shove the garbage preaching down my throat, I made my way over to wherever the tantalizing smell of spiced, cooked meat was.
Not that I had anything against veganism. If you want to live that way, its your choice of living. I don't have any right or say in that. Just don't crowd restaurant entrances and singing cringey anti-meat songs in annoying screeching voices and ruining cooking tutorials with stupid comments in the comment section and we're good, you and me.
I came upon a short stout man with an Italian moustache at a larger stall who was cooking meat skewers over a grill. I spent about 200 valis for four skewers and eagerly grabbed them from his hand as he took my money.
Guess what his name was?
Denelli. If you know, you know...
As for the meat itself, it was like spicy beef seasoned with garlic, ginger, chilli and mixed spices. A little too hot but nothing that would cause any serious problems.
I'd had my fair share of curries as a typical Englishman. The heat was nothing new to me.
As I threw the last of my skewers away into my inventory (I wasn't going to litter), I finally caught sight of a large area full of adventurers. And what do you know, there was the guild behind them.
Not much bigger than a mini apartment complex but it was certainly kept in better condition than some I'd come across.
I pushed my way through the rowdy adventures as I made my way to the door. As I made my way there, I noticed some people giving me the side-eye and then whispering to their associates. Slowly, more and more people began to take notice of me. I guess that as I'd wanted, rumours had already began to spread about me.
Hopefully they were rumours that made people stay away from me if they sought trouble. Though that hope was instantly disproved the moment somebody purposefully backwards in my way.
I just continued walking on my path. Just doing that sent him tumbling the moment my body made contact with his. Just to make sure that the typical 'ganging up on the MC becuase he was underestimated' scenario didn't happen, I decided to try something.
Instead of releasing my mana to ward off danger, I decided for something different that served the purpose to a greater extent. Although this was considered a skill of an undead and not a spell in itself, it was worth a try.
'[AURA OF DESPAIR: LV 1]'
Immediately, I emitted a cold aura of sickening malice that was meant to stimulate fear in people. The idiots that were about to gang up on me suddenly held back, looks of strain and wariness on their faces.
Probably straining themselves to prevent any crapping in their pants. Because even I could feel that this skill was a horrible one to use against an adversary. perhaps it was best to not use it too often. if this was level one, I dreaded to think what level five could do to someone. Instant death if I recall correctly.
I only turned it off once I reached the guild doors. As soon as I stepped in, I was greeted by a more modern looking reception area. The floors were clean as it could get in the morning with countless people walking in and out. The receptionists were standing behind a long desk that was separated into different parts for each receptionist. The whole thing had a mini glass screen.
To the left side was a the exchange boxes where I guessed the monster cores were traded for Valis as well as monster drop loot. Off to the right was a noticeboard with pieces of paper. I guess they were the special request which adventurers could complete for payment by the issuers.
Something that screamed opportunity and possible scams and haggling but worth a try sometime soon.
I scanned the reception desk before finding who I was looking for. The most infamous half-elf of the Danmachi franchise, Eina Tulle. I made my way over to her side of the desk as she turned to greet me...
.
.
.
.
...and walked straight past her to the receptionist on her left.
If I wanted a nagger to advise me on my journey down the dungeon, I'd have wished to bring my mother with me.
I guess that I was probably being a little harsh on the poor halfling. But I just couldn't bear naggers. With the exception of my mum, anybody who did it in my previous life would get a slap on their ears. I just hated nagging that much.
Advise me, and I'll appreciate it with a grateful heart. Nag me, and I was going to punt you to the moon with my newfound strength.
Eina had suffered many losses in the form of her adventurers dying to monsters in the dungeon. Hence why she acted the way she did with Bell and the others, and that was understandable. But I just couldn't deal with her.
I really hated it in all those fanfictions where authors would just pair their characters with her or made her their advisor simply because she was pretty. I mean no doubt she was attractive to some if their tastes were ordinary and schoolgirlish, but she did not appeal to me. She was just average to me, always.
It just seemed like very childish reasoning to bear with someone who would screech down your ears like some deranged parrot just because you wanted to test yourself by going to a lower floor than she wanted you to.
How the hell were you supposed to advance if you didn't take a little risk? How were your stats supposed to grow? Whatever the case, this bloody woman was not coming near me when it came to my business in the dungeon.
Instead, I took my business to her friend, Misha Flott. Eina raised a brow a little bit before she turned back to whatever she was doing before. That's right banshee, just look away and ignore what's going on.
"Hello there. I'm Misha Flott, a receptionist of the Adventurer's guild. How can I be of service?" she asked cheerily. I still have to get used to pink hair it would seem.
"I'd like to register as an adventurer if possible Miss Misha."
"Mhm. And what Familia are you part of mister...?"
"Garth Ragnar, miss Misha. And I'm not part of any Familia."
"Oh dear. Oh dear. I'm afraid I can't register you as an official adventurer if you're not part of a Familia."
"I know. But do I need to be part of one to enter the dungeon."
She pursed her lips cutely.
"Technically no, although it is the preferred way for people to do things. I can register you as a free-lancer until you join a Familia or if you join a Familia at all. You can then enter the dungeon and kill monsters like anyone else. However, the guild will impose a greater exchange fee on you. Is that how you would like to proceed?"
"Yes miss Misha. But only until I find a Familia. Could you please see if there are any who are recruiting right now?"
"Please call me Misha mister Garth. And yes, I'll see if there are any doing so at the moment. Just give me a minute." She said as she stepped out of her little cubicle.
"Then call me Garth, Misha. And I'll gladly wait for you. Thank you very much."
She smiled and walked off to the back to sift through some papers. She came back not a minute later.
"Would you mind if we both went to a box to sort out your options?" she asked me.
"Yes."
She gave me another smile as she led me to one of the boxes with seats and tables. I couldn't shake the feeling she was a little too cheery than she should be.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read ahead on my p@treon:
https://www.p@treon.com/user?u=80317004
And to support me further, as well as request new chapters, or anything you want in any fic of mine:
https://ko-fi.com/vulkizarozoromi
Tips are not necessary but massively appreciated.