chapter 10

The sun dipped beneath the horizon, bathing the town of Axel in the soft glow of twilight as Aqua and I settled into the inn. Aqua, predictably, had already started boasting about her divine status to the innkeeper, who seemed unimpressed but remained polite nonetheless.

Meanwhile, I sat at a small wooden table in our room, contemplating our next move. 'The Konosuba world presented unique challenges. Unlike the structured society and well-defined power dynamics of the New World, this world was chaotic, its strength centered around adventurers, monsters, and gods who meddled indirectly in mortal affairs creating avatars and cults to empower them but atleast they can't show up with their full power, I can take them all in head on battle but it's going to be hassle.'

I needed to understand the balance of power here. There was no point in drawing unnecessary attention from other deities or powerful adventurers until I had a better grasp of how this world worked. Aqua would be useful for now, but I would need to tread carefully. Her foolishness could easily draw the wrong kind of attention.

"Aqua," I called out, my voice calm yet commanding. She stopped bragging to the innkeeper and turned her attention to me, her expression smug.

"Yes, Gilgamesh?"

"Come here we have something to talk about" I whispered to her "We need to move carefully in this world. As a goddess, you should have some knowledge of the other gods here. What can you tell me about them?"

Aqua's face twisted into a pout. "Ugh, don't get me started. Most of them are stuck-up, holier-than-thou types. There's Eris, for example. She's always pretending to be so perfect, but everyone knows she wears pads to enhance her chest." Aqua crossed her arms, clearly annoyed. "She's probably the most popular goddess among mortals. I don't get why people like her so much. She's so fake!"

I raised an eyebrow at the pettiness of her complaint, 'same a the canon huh? Great!it wasn't some kind of weird fanfic world',Eris. A rival goddess, and she seemed to have a stronger influence on this world than aqua but if I'm right even in the manga aqua is still superior than her just due to her follower being fanatic. Perhaps someone to keep an eye on them, they might be trouble if I started corrupting aqua.'

"What about powerful adventurers? Are there any I should be aware of?" I asked.

Aqua scratched her head, thinking for a moment. "Well, there are a few famous ones—those that have taken down high-ranking monsters or completed legendary quests. But honestly, most adventurers here are weaklings compared to someone like you. The real threats are the Demon King and his generals."

Ah, the Demon King. Every world seemed to have one. He would make for an interesting target later, but for now, there were other priorities. Building a foundation of power here would take time, and I couldn't afford to be reckless no matter how strong am I arrogance is the death of a man.

"Understood," I said. "For now, we'll focus on gathering information and acquiring resources. I want you to keep a low profile, Aqua. If you flaunt your divinity too much, it could attract unwanted attention."

Aqua huffed. "Low profile? Me? But I'm a goddess!"

"Exactly," I replied coolly. "A goddess whose presence could attract enemies that we aren't prepared for yet. If you want to survive in this world, you'll do well to listen."

Aqua grumbled something under her breath but ultimately conceded. "Fine, fine. I'll keep it on the down low."

Satisfied, I turned my attention back to the innkeeper "we would a room please two beds and make it the best you" I smiled at them a toss a gold coin. The next day, we would begin exploring Axel and the surrounding areas. I would need to establish connections with influential figures, gather resources, and begin laying the groundwork for my long-term plans.

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Morning arrived, and Aqua and I found ourselves once again in the bustling streets of Axel. Adventurers hurried about, preparing for their quests, while merchants shouted out deals on weapons, potions, and food. The town was alive with activity, but beneath the surface, it was clear that most of these adventurers were novices at best. This was a beginner's town, after all.

As we made our way through the crowd, I kept my senses sharp, scanning for anyone or anything of interest. It didn't take long before something caught my eye—a group of three adventurers standing in front of a large quest board. They seemed… different from the others. More competent, perhaps. Their gear was of higher quality, and their expressions were confident but not arrogant.

Aqua noticed me watching them and tilted her head. "What's up, Gilgamesh? You see something interesting?"

I nodded slightly. "Those three. They seem more capable than the rest of the rabble here. Let's observe them for a while. They could prove useful allies… or targets."

Aqua followed my gaze and shrugged. "If you say so. But I bet they're not as impressive as they look."

I ignored her commentary and moved closer to eavesdrop on their conversation. The trio consisted of a swordsman, a mage, and a thief, each discussing potential quests with a seriousness that set them apart from the usual chatter of novice adventurers.

The swordsman, tall and lean with a sharp gaze, spoke first. "We should take on the wyvern hunt. It's a high-risk quest, but the reward is substantial. We need the funds if we're going to upgrade our equipment."

The mage, a woman with flowing crimson robes, nodded in agreement. "Agreed. My magic will be more effective against flying enemies. And we'll need to prepare carefully—wyverns are no joke."

The thief, a sly-looking woman with quick reflexes, grinned. "I'm all for it. The challenge will be good for us, and I've been itching to test my skills."

This group clearly had experience and ambition. If they could take down a wyvern, they would be worth watching. Perhaps I could use them as pawns in my own plans, or at the very least, keep them close as potential allies.

Turning to Aqua, I made a decision. "We're going to follow them. Let's see how they handle themselves in battle."

Aqua blinked in surprise. "Wait, you want to stalk them? That's kind of creepy, don't you think?"

I smirked. "Call it reconnaissance. We need to understand the power dynamics in this world, and watching capable adventurers in action is a good place to start."

Reluctantly, Aqua agreed, and we began tailing the trio as they made their way to the outskirts of Axel. The hunt for the wyvern would soon begin, and I was eager to see just how much this world had to offer.

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'The hunt would serve as the first step in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of this world's adventurers. As the trio prepared for battle, I would be watching closely, analyzing their strategies and gauging their power and it would interesting how mitsurigi would deal with this wyvern.'