Ashura's Incarnation Arc - Chapter 10: Mercenary (1)

"...So in other words, you're telling us that you're missing your clothes because of monsters. And now you look like that to cover yourself?"

Asura nodded just as I instructed. The interrogation was held within the inner walls of the city. It turns out to be the place where the sentries least get dispatched to guard.

To avoid suspicions towards Asura, I did my best in instructing the girl to lie.

"What are these things anyway?"

One of the female sentries touched Asura's exo skeleton and inspected it closely at every angle. She didn't falter at all during her investigation.

"Hey captain, this armor-like thing is connected to her like a skeleton. I'm thinking she's some sort of demi-human. You're an expert so you should know her tribe, right?" She stated after a while before finally leaving our side.

"This is a demi-human I'm not familiar with. The ones I know have a different pattern and body structure. In any case, why do you want to enter the city?"

"Because I live here and I need to buy new clothes..."

"R-Right, Karen go give her one of your spare clothes. We can't just let her wander the city like this."

"Yes captain. Good thing I have some extra clothes for events like this, though I didn't expect someone would actually come at the gate naked."

After a sequence of pampering of the sentries to Asura, we were allowed to enter the city again. We really should get a sort of ID if we want to enter freely.

「Asura, let's enter the mercenary guild later after you give those materials to the granny.」

"Understood."

After arriving to the old woman's house, Asura proudly presented the medicinal herbs she asked for. That being said, it was a bit hard considering it was very chilly outside so I'm expecting a good income.

"Hmm, they're in fine condition. You spilled some blood on them but their quality won't be affected all that much. All of this would go for about 4,000 Gryles I assume."

Jackpot, it's not too low nor too high. We can make do with this for a while and buy Asura new clothes, preferably some light-weight armor.

"Can you fetch that mortar and pestle for me, Asura? I don't have the energy to stand up."

「Old people sure have it rough, go do what she said, Asura.」

"Mhm."

After receiving what the instruments she asked for, the old lady started grounding the herbs together and performed other intricate processes.

『Observation complete, storing "Lesser Healing Potion Formula" data file in the Hall Of Memories.』

Looks like I can also acquire knowledge by simply watching the act. With this, I can make a healing potion. Except we don't really need it considering I can swiftly replace Asura's dead cells.

After receiving our payment, it was time for us to go outside and procure new clothes.

"Grandma, I'll be leaving now."

"Be careful on your way, dear."

After bidding her farewell, Asura exited granny's house and went through many different stores for any suitable clothing. Since I wanted something more special, I decided we go to a smithy of this area before going to the mercenary guild.

The one we went to looked rather rundown, but I can feel an intense heat coming from inside the building. Continuous hammering was reverberating through my internals.

Without further delay, we entered inside.  On the walls laid on brackets were many different types of actual combat dedicated weapons such as bows, swords, halberds, war axes and etcetera. At the far end of the right side was a blacksmith forging a hot and boiling blade.

"Good morning."

Asura spoke ahead. The blacksmith was atleast 20cm taller than Asura who was around 160cm so he looked towering, his eyes looked stern and his bald head was shining in sweat because of this fiery hot room.

"What do you want?" He asked straight to the point.

「I want lightweight armor.」

"I want lightweight armor."

Asura repeated after me. At the same time, she forked out the 4,000 Gryles contained in a bag. The blacksmith who I don't know the name of yet, inspected Asura's size at a close perimeter after checking if the amount we paid was adequate. Was he measuring her size for the new armor without using any kind of tool?

"What kind of light armor would you like?"

「Something that I can move on without difficulty but can defend my vital spots at the same time」

"Something that I can move on without difficulty but can defend my vital spots at the same time."

"For a kid, you sure speak like a professional."

He complimented us, but Asura didn't budge. Rather, she was staring at all the weapons piled up in the blacksmith's workshop.

"Hey kid, what'll you use the armor for?"

"For fighting."

"Fighting? How old are you anyway?"

"Fourteen, I'm going to apply in the mercenary guild."

The blacksmith gulped, he looked like he didn't expect Asura's answer. If I were him, even I would be surprised that a girl as young as her would be joining a flock of militants.

"I thought you would be applying to be an adventurer... Hey kid, can you even kill a fellow human?"

"I did yesterday."

"So blunt!?"

The bald blacksmith was so surprised by Asura's otherworldly honesty that he took a few steps back.

"Y-You sure you did that?"

At his ascertaining, Asura violently nodded her head as if she never lied all her life. And after receiving her answer, the blacksmith scratched his head and began talking about the youth of this generation being overly aggressive.

"Alright... So a two layered leather armor with chainmail armor in betwixt, along with some joint protectors would do right?"

Asura nodded. We didn't really care much about how strong the armor was, what was most important was that it should be able to serve as her clothes off and during combat without breaking away and leaving her naked during engagement.

「Also, can you please accommodate seven holes on the back as well? Something similar to what you would do for a  beastkin's tail.」

Asura repeated after me and the blacksmith listened to her without missing a single detail out. He nodded in affirmation in each addition we persuaded him to consider, because of our long list of customizations, he even had to write it down but refused to charge us an extra penny.

"Can I take a look at your weapons, please?"

"Sure lass, just don't break anything or you'll pay for it."

Asura's eyes strayed from the blacksmith walking back to his work to the weapons he already made. They were very diverse in categories and Asura instantly took interest in a long bow at one of the shelves.

My ability allows me to execute structural and biologically complicated modifications to Asura's body parts to shape innumerable varieties of close-ranged weapons into existence using her living cells as catalyst.

Which methodically synchronizes with her battle instincts and my shared [Martial Arts] skill.

However, our abilities had a certain flaw. I did not have any long ranged attacks nor did she which puts us at a disadvantage with long ranged enemies, but if there were any, I would be resorting to throwing a rock and that'd be a last resort or else it'd look funny.

Bows on the other hand can reach or fly more than a hundred meters to hit it's target if wielded by a highly skilled and well proportioned veteran.

"I'll be taking this."

Asura said as she picked one of the many bows on the brackets, the ones in the display was simply advertisement.

"A bow? So you want to be a ranger, huh."

The blacksmith made an impressed expression that even I didn't know how to explain. It must have been that he knew what weapon was best for us at the start.

"Yes."

"Hmm, it's a good fit for you, I say. I can even feel it's pulse saying you'll get along with it. It's true that the weapon picks it's owner."

He began caressing the bow and it's intricate string which didn't fail to creep me out. Naturally, Asura didn't react at all and simply watched him enjoy his time. I don't know if weapons really can speak to their creators but that still creeped me out nonetheless.

"Yes." Asura repeated.

"Would you like to buy 32 arrows? They come with a quiver at the first purchase." Blacksmith asked kindly while collecting arrows from a racket.

"Yes." Asura accepted.

"What color?"

I was nothing but befuddled of the color's importance. Perhaps camouflage?

"Yes." She repeated again before I finally realized she's like this because I wasn't giving her any more instructions since earlier.

"Brown it is then." He just decided it on his own, but brown I agree is a good color even if it's during this snowy weather.

We left the smithy once we obtained the weapon we wanted. The armor will be ready in two days or so and due to the expenses for both our weaponry and armor, Asura and I were left with only 290 Mithras to spare. This was only enough for two meals, but meals aren't our concerns just yet. It's the fact that we don't have much money in our disposal yet, that fact alone worried me.

「Asura, let's find the mercenary guild.」

"Yes."

「...Please stop that.」

"Y-Yes, I'm sorry."

It was time to check whether we could apply to mercenary guild or if they would accept a youngster like her. There was only one way to find out and that is to try.

However, I was anxious when an unfavorable possibility came to mind. What if she wasn't accepted due to her age? If one were to look at her closely, she looks younger than any 14 year old back in my world and I'm thinking it wouldn't be that different from here.

So with that in mind, I decided to tweak with Asura's body a little, once again. Thus after warning her about the incoming possible peculiarities, I started altering each and every one of her cells to adjust and improve in certain areas to force her appearance to change.

The end product was what I assume to be her older self. Having an increased height and physical appearance that just reached puberty, she looked no older than Seven at this moment which would make it easier for us to be accepted in most facilities. Additionally, her beauty was honed sharper than ever which would make us even more prone to the eyes of unwanted characters, but I didn't think that's something bad.

"Ashura-sama, did I grow taller?"

「Yeah.」

"I feel stronger too, do you think we can save the other Ashurans like this?"

「Definitely. All that's left is for us to get stronger, as you are now, I can't let you take on the personnel at that lab.」

Afterall, during my unwanted reincarnation there, I saw glimpses of genetically modified monstrosities like me inside their laboratory. If I rush in unprepared, then death is likely to pay another visit. But not just for me but including this girl too.

We'll come back once we harness enough power.

The mercenary guild was just as I had expected. It was of a bar interior within a massive building.  13 out of 24 tables were readily available inside, the staff looked decent and it was ofcourse a gathering of skilled fighters.

Magic lanterns lit up the whole space on each respective table and the ceilings of the reception. Unlike the inn where we use to stay, this was inferior with it's less modest design.

Amongst the plodding mercenaries, Asura walked over to the counter with leisurely steps as the receptionist took her presence into account.

"Good afternoon miss, how can we help you? Are you here to put on a request? I haven't seen you before so you must not be a mercenary of this guild."

"I'm here to register as a mercenary."

"So I was correct. Alright then! Please give me some time to get your papers. The files are in the guild master's room so I'll have to take some time to retrieve it. You heard it, Targa, lead her to the examination grounds."

A green haired girl who was presumably her adjutant, gestured us with her hands to follow her and we were lead by the girl called Targa to a spacious underground chamber. There was a figure sitting on a stool at the farthest wall of the chamber.

"He'll be your examiner, Jack Parkinson. Jack, we have someone wanting to join the mercenary guild."

"Oh? A girl? Why did you bring a mage to a mercenary guild?"

"Stop that stereotype. Can't you see she has a bow?"

"Ah, a ranger. Very well then."

The dark figure in front of us finally revealed himself and the chamber's darkness that engulfed him a while ago slipped back like a scared cat. He was a baldy just like the blacksmith from earlier, except this guy was slightly bulkier and taller than the last and had evidently war-shrewn scars on his half naked stature.

"So how about we get the party going already? Firstly, what's your name?"

"Asura. Just Asura."

"Asura just Asura, alright. You're not a ranger, aren't you? Rather, you're a close ranged."

He has a keen level of perception to notice that, although I can do that to other humans as well. But because of that, Asura began to feel wary over him.

"Want to know how I guessed? You don't move like one. You say you're a bow user but I can perfectly tell your body isn't even accustomed to having a quiver on your back just yet, you're feeling discomfort and you're not even bothering to check your arrows occasionally. On the other hand, your eyes shifting from the ground, your feet, my feet and the practical movements of your blood vessels on your limbs are metaphorically shouting you're a close ranged. In that regard, why don't you tell the truth and fight bare handed?"

This guy, may be the strongest instructor I've ever faced even during my life on Earth. Afterall, noone could tell such complicated notes like that in a single glance.