Adventurer's Guild

"...Here."

Finding his destination, Vergil murmured to himself. In front of him stood a building with a more noticeable exterior than the others. Marked on it was the guild's emblem, the same one he had seen in a book. Since the city was circular and the guild was located at its center, he had no trouble reaching it from the library.

Many people were entering and exiting through the doors, most of them likely adventurers given their gear. Confident he had found the guild, Vergil tucked his map away and moved forward.

As soon as he opened the door and stepped inside, the strong smell of alcohol hit his nose, causing Vergil to grimace.

"Welcome! If you're here for a meal, please take any open seat! If you're looking for work, please proceed to the counter at the back!"

The red-haired woman who greeted him was holding a mug filled with a foaming yellow liquid that resembled beer.

The guild was a bustling place, filled with adventurers. In this establishment, which featured a statue of a knight with a sword planted in the ground at the entrance, quests were posted and a tavern was run simultaneously. Adventurers sat at wooden tables, enjoying drinks with their comrades while engaging in casual conversation. Near the quest board, a few adventurers were examining the available missions.

"Hey, you there, with the silver hair and blue coat."

"...Hmm?"

While he was staring at the statue, a voice called out to him from the left. Silver hair and blue coat, there was no doubt it was directed at him. Vergil turned to face the source of the voice.

Seated near the entrance was a burly man with a mohawk and beard, exuding an apocalyptic vibe with his bare torso, shoulder pads, and suspenders. He was likely an adventurer.

"Are you an adventurer?"

"About to become one."

"Heh, is that so, you daredevil? Welcome to the gates of hell! Guild registration is at the counter back there!"

Vergil responded honestly, and the rugged man, who had been glaring at him, broke into a grin and loudly welcomed him. Vergil looked in the direction the man pointed with his thumb and saw several reception desks. A long-haired blonde woman who appeared to be a receptionist was assisting an adventurer with a quest document.

"I see. Thank you."

Vergil briefly thanked the man and headed straight for the counter.

He approached the counter, seizing the moment when no one else was there.

"Hello. How can I assist you today?"

The receptionist noticed him and greeted him with a kind smile. Without delay, Vergil expressed his intention to become an adventurer.

"I wish to become an adventurer."

"An aspiring adventurer, I see. In that case, could you please pay the registration fee of one thousand Eris?"

"...What?"

"Yes, without the payment of one thousand Eris, you cannot become an adventurer."

Just when he thought he could smoothly transition into becoming an adventurer, an unexpected obstacle arose. Vergil could hardly believe his ears.

He knew from the books that the currency of this world was named after the goddess Eris, the religion's central deity. However, he hadn't anticipated a registration fee. Perhaps he had overlooked it while reading. Irritated at his oversight, Vergil clicked his tongue softly. Having just arrived in this world, he obviously had no local currency.

'That goddess, telling me to become an adventurer and yet… she didn't even warn me.'

He cursed the unhelpful, black-haired goddess in his mind. But there was no changing the situation now. Considering his next move, Vergil noticed the adventurers drinking and chatting nearby.

"...I see."

"Um, sir?"

"You said one thousand Eris, right? I'll have it ready shortly."

"Excuse me?"

The receptionist hesitantly called out to him, but Vergil merely assured her before stepping away from the counter.

Vergil moved from the counter to the tavern and called out to a man sitting at a table.

"Hey, you, the blond guy."

"Huh? Who are you?"

The man was accompanied by two other men and a woman, likely his party members. The blond man, who was drinking with his companions, turned to face Vergil. His face was quite red, indicating he had had a lot to drink.

"Oh? This guy was at the counter earlier... What do you need? We're just here for a meal today and don't have our gear, so we can't accompany you on a quest..."

The red-haired woman with a ponytail, who had been sitting next to the blond man, spoke up, having seen Vergil talking to the receptionist earlier.

"No, I'm just an aspiring adventurer."

"I see. Do you need help with the registration process? If so, I can──"

"Hold on, Taylor. I've got this figured out. You're broke, aren't you? You can't pay the registration fee, and now you want us to help you out, right?"

Interrupting the brown-haired man with a purple headband, another man with black hair, who looked somewhat shady and was clearly drunk, chimed in with a mocking smile. Hearing this, the blond man started laughing as well.

"So that's it, huh? If you get down on the floor and beg, saying, 'Please, Dust-sama, give this poor wretch a thousand Eris,' I might just give it to you."

"Hey, Dust! Keith, stop provoking him! I'm sorry, these guys are drunk... I can cover a thousand Eris for you."

The blond man, Dust, along with the black-haired man, Keith, began to taunt Vergil. Their female companion, who didn't appreciate their behavior, apologized to Vergil and started to reach for her pocket.

"You're right, I'm broke and can't pay the registration fee. But I have no intention of accepting charity."

"Then go find a day job and earn it."

"No, I don't want to work under someone else. It's much easier to just take your money right here and now."

"...Oh?"

Vergil responded boldly, maintaining a stoic expression. Dust, taking it as a challenge, stood up, veins bulging on his forehead.

"A three-minute match. For three minutes, you attack me continuously. I'll dodge your attacks. If you hit me even once, you win. I'll even grovel if you want. But if you can't hit me... you'll pay me fifty thousand Eris."

Vergil had a good understanding of the currency's value from seeing price tags at shops on his way to the guild. Fifty thousand Eris would cover unexpected expenses like the registration fee and still provide enough for a day's meals and lodging. That was why he proposed this wager.

"What!? Hold on──!"

"What are you thinking!?"

"Hoo, you're quite confident."

Seeing Vergil confidently challenging Dust, the woman and the headband-wearing man were flustered, while Keith seemed excited by the unexpected turn of events.

"Heh, you're challenging me, you, a rookie adventurer... Fine, I'm in. I'm confident in my fighting skills. One minute would be enough for me."

"I don't mind if it's five or ten minutes, but I don't like wasting time."

"...You've got some nerve."

Dust's face twitched in anger as Vergil's counter-taunt hit home. As his rage built, Dust and Vergil moved to the area in front of the knight statue.

"Hey, what's going on? A fight?"

"It's Dust and... who's the other guy? Never seen him."

"Who're you betting on?"

"Dust, obviously!"

"Hey! No fighting in the guild! ...T-They're not listening."

Adventurers in the tavern gathered around as the two prepared to fight. In less than a minute, Dust and Vergil were surrounded by onlookers. The guild staff tried to stop the fight with loud warnings, but their voices were drowned out by the crowd. Even if the staff's voices had reached them, neither would have stopped.

"Hey! Stop it, Dust! Are you listening?"

"No use, Taylor. He's completely lost it."

The young man with the headband, Taylor, called for the fight to stop, but Dust didn't hear him. Rin sighed in exasperation at Dust's quick temper.

"Well, it's fine, Rin. After all, it was the other guy who started it. Hey, Dust! I'll time the fight, so finish it quickly!" The black haired young man named Keith said with excitement.

Some of the onlookers were worried, while others cheered them on or started placing bets on the outcome.

"Alright, let's get this started! Axel Fight! Ready... go!"

"Axel Fight? What's that!?"

The battle began with the signal. Dust took a fighting stance, clenching his fists.

"I'll knock you out with one punch, you cocky bastard. If you apologize now, I might let you off."

"Enough talk. Come at me."

"I'll shut that mouth of yours right now!"

Provoked, Dust launched at Vergil with a powerful right straight punch. It was a fast punch, honed by his life as an adventurer, but Vergil easily dodged to the side.

"Take this!"

Dust followed up with a left straight punch, but Vergil dodged it just as effortlessly. Surprised that both his full-strength punches missed, Dust quickly faced Vergil again.

"Hmm... Don't underestimate me!"

Vergil's calm demeanor provoked Dust further. His pent-up anger exploded, and he began a furious barrage of attacks on Vergil. Each punch was delivered with full power, but Vergil dodged every single one without breaking a sweat.

"Hey, he's dodging everything."

"Not a single hit..."

"Dust! Stop holding back!"

"No, he's serious."

Despite Dust's relentless attacks, Vergil remained expressionless, evading every punch effortlessly.

Dust was a well-known adventurer in Axel's guild, although his reputation was more for causing trouble and getting into fights than for commendable deeds. Many knew he was a strong fighter. Yet here he was, unable to land a hit on an unknown aspiring adventurer. The sight was so unusual that the guild members and onlookers began to murmur.

The earlier commotion quieted down as the onlookers, both adventurers and guild staff, silently watched the duel's outcome.