My Misadventures as a Hotel Owner
Chapter 12: New Ventures
Naruto calmly walked through the streets while dressed in his casual clothes since he hasn't been going to the dungeon these past days due to recuperation and wanting to take a break after everything he had gone through. He could hear the whispers from the people whom he passes by but paid them no mind for his main destination is none other than the Guild. Upon entry, he wasted no time in locating Eina and going to greet her.
"Hiya Eina-san!" said Naruto amicably.
Eina smiled in response "Hello to you too, Naruto. You seem rather cheerful today, did something good happen to you?"
"You noticed, huh?"
"Your atmosphere just screams your desire to show off to me,"
"Is that so, then care to notice anything different about me besides the obvious?"
Eina took a good look at Naruto, mildly taking note of his unusual style of clothing which she could tell it's meant for daily wear, there's no changes on his body either so what else is there for her to take notice? Then her eyes caught sight of Guild Gem and noted that the crystal is White but wasn't it supposed to be Grey? Eina's eyes suddenly widen in shock upon realizing what Naruto's trying to tell her.
"You're now a D-Rank Adventurer…in just a month and a half?!" Eina exclaimed in disbelief at what she's asking. The only person to have ranked up that much with such an amount of time was the Sword Princess Ais and yet here is this guy who just shattered that record.
"Bingo! I found out about it after the tussle against that Mutated Minotaur, made it worth the fight after all," said Naruto happily.
"It's obvious that it isn't faked, would it have to do with those parts of his stats which were concealed from my view? I really want to know about it!" thought Eina before resuming her conversation "So, when do you plan on going into the dungeon again?"
Naruto hummed in response "I can't say just yet, there's some things that I'll need to do before going back in but I'll be sure to let you know when I'll be going,"
Eina nodded in understanding "Very well, I'll be waiting till then,"
Afterwards, Naruto left the guild and made his way back to the church while taking a few detours to while away the time before arriving at his destination. No sooner did Naruto enter the church that he was immediately pounced on by Hestia who was already checking him all over.
"I'm so glad you returned safely! Why did you take so long? Did you fall down, catch a cold, ate something bad, ran into evil strangers?" Hestia asked such questions in rapid succession.
Turns out that the incident with the Mutant Minotaur had turned Hestia into a bit of a mother hen and kept trying to extend his number of days to recover before returning to the dungeon even though it has already been a week and Naruto had fully recovered thanks to his strong healing factor.
Naruto sighed "I keep telling you that I'm fine now and not in a hurry to head back to the dungeon, Hestia-chan?"
Hestia wasn't so easily convinced "Are you sure?"
"Yes I am, I'm even considering starting up a small side gig so it won't be like I'm always going to the dungeon," Naruto assured her and spoke of the idea he has in mind.
"What will you be doing?"
"I plan on running a food stall with recipes from my world to make some money as well as to take a break from dungeon exploring every now and then," Naruto explained.
"Sounds like what some of the MCs from those Isekai manga would do except this is for real," Kurama commented.
"No doubt you'll attract a lot of potential customers this way, but what's stopping others from copying your recipes?" asked Sora curiously out loud.
"Already working on that," Naruto responded.
Hearing this, Hestia felt calm and also happy since she could also spend more time with Naruto this way since he wouldn't be going to the dungeon all the time plus she could earn money to repay the debt she owes Hephaestus…not that she knows that Naruto's aware and working to help her with the debt.
"I'm happy to hear that, we'll talk more about it when I get back,"
Now taking a better look, Naruto saw that Hestia isn't wearing her usual attire and sought to inquire "Where are you going?"
"Today's the day when the gods meet in Denatus which is held every three months, it's also when we choose titles for adventurers who have ranked up and accomplished great feats,"
"So, does that mean?" Naruto inquired excitedly.
Hestia smiled "That's right, you're getting a title. I won't be gone for too long and be right back before you know!" she then left the church for the meeting with the other gods.
Not having anything serious to do in the meantime, Naruto laid back on the couch and let out a long sigh while looking up to the ceiling, a familiar feeling of restlessness flowing throughout his body. Swiping the air with one hand, Naruto called upon his Status Screen and went to the Equipment Section to check on the state of his arsenal; the Uchigatana and Hestia Knife are still in good condition but it was the armor that was damaged beyond repair plus the ammunition for his firearms are almost completely exhausted.
"I'm definitely not ready to head back into the dungeon with my gear being like this, plus I still need to figure out how this new skill of mine Argonaut really works," Naruto mutters as he looks at the aforementioned skill recently added to his Skill Section of the Isekai System.
"I rather see this to be a wakeup call for you to head back to Inn, you've been away for far too long and need to check up with the rest on the other side while acquiring the necessary things before returning," Kurama pointed out to the blonde ninja.
"He's not wrong, I know you planned on returning earlier but the recent events kept forcing you to postpone until now," Sora added in agreement to the Bijuu's statement.
"You get no arguing from me on this matter, the only problem is that we'll need to go all the way down to the 4th Floor in order to reach the door to the Inn and the Guild Gem records my actions when in a dungeon or on a quest. I kinda wish that there's a better alternative to accessing the Inn," Naruto mused to himself.
Then Naruto notices that something is glowing in his pocket and takes it out to reveal to be the master key to the Inn, the Key shoots a beam of light into the keyhole of a closed door which piqued his curiosity, he approaches the door and inserts it into the keyhole which oddly fits. That's when a screen appeared before him with information.
[New Feature Discovered]
[You have discovered the ability to access the other world through the use of the Master Key to create gateways between worlds. Notice; Only the Owner and those granted permission can access the gateways]
Naruto blinked at the message and got annoyed "So you mean I was able to do this the whole time? Why didn't you tell me?!"
[Notice: You didn't askㄟ( , )ㄏ]
Naruto growled at being snarked but managed to calm himself down since he has better things to do than being snarked by a system of all things. Now that he's aware that he can access the Inn from anywhere without any drawbacks, Naruto waited for Hestia to return which she eventually did and he told her about it.
"That's great! This way we won't have to worry about going all the way to the Inn from the 4th Floor in the dungeon and we can reach it from anywhere too!" said Hestia happily, knowing that gods shouldn't enter the dungeon due to its violent reactions to their presence inside and so this method pleases her greatly.
Naruto nodded in affirmation "Which is why I'll be gone for a few days to prepare and catch up with what's going on with everyone back home. By the way, what's the title you got for me?"
Hestia smiled playfully "I'll tell you when you get back, no doubt you'll like it,"
"Alright then, see you later,"
Naruto inserted the master key into the door and turned it before opening to reveal the Inn's hallway, he waved at Hestia before going through and closing it behind him. Hestia checked to make sure by opening the door only to reveal that the gateway has closed.
At the other side, Naruto walked into the lobby and immediately called out "Felicia-chan, I'm back!"
Suddenly there was a flash of light as Felicia teleported right before him and was ecstatic upon seeing that it really is her master who has finally returned after so long.
"Naruto-sama, it's so great to see you again!" said Felicia happily with a bow.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly "Sorry about being away for so long, a lot of things happened at the other side. I can tell you all about it over lunch, did anything happen while I was gone?"
"Actually yes, we now have additional Zashiki-Warashi with two being twins and one a yokai. They appeared several weeks ago and I'm acquainted with the twins," Felicia explained.
"We have more? Could it be because of my recent level-ups and advancements in rank?" Naruto muttered to himself thoughtfully.
"It's most likely since you're the owner of the Inn so what affects you would also affect it as well," said Kurama.
Felicia spoke up "Let me introduce you to them, they're in the living room," she led him to the aforementioned room where he came across the three Zashiki-Warashi who were sitting on the couches.
First were the twins who share the similar appearance of silver hair with red accents and two long bangs framing the sides of their faces. They both wear a red furisode-style kimono with the differences separating them being the varying floral designs and the colors of their obis and rope cords around their waists, white tabi socks and pairs of black zouri sandals. (an. Refer to Zashiki-Warashi from Shadowverse)
The third of the Zashiki-Warashi is much shorter than everyone in the room to almost dwarfish height. She has long black-and-ash grey hair which is hime cut with two long and thick ponytails which have four golden charm bells and red tassels tied to each end and seem to be floating in the air up to her shoulders. The most defining feature would the horn protruding from her forehead. She wears a crimson red-and-black furisode kimono with a large black obi around her waist, and a pair of black-and-red zouri sandals. (an. Refer to Zashiki-Warashi from Onmyoji)
"Allow me to introduce them to you; the Twins are Sachie and Sachiko," Felicia gestured to the aforementioned twins who bowed their heads in greeting.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Naruto-sama," said the Twins simultaneously.
"Sure, it's nice to meet you too. Hope we can get along," Naruto replied with a smile.
Felicia continued on to the next one "And she's Nonaka; a yokai Zashiki-Warashi,"
Nonaka grinned "How's it hanging, boss? Hope we can get along,"
"Nonaka-san, you're being rather rude!" Felicia scolded the yokai spirit.
"Relax, I'm sure he doesn't mind plus it's only when we're alone with no guests,"
Naruto waved his hands in a placating manner "Calm down, Felicia-chan. Everyone has their way of interacting with others, I used to be the same too,"
"Used to be?" asked Kurama skeptically, knowing full well that Naruto hardly has that much respect for authority unless it's a serious matter.
The blonde ninja pointedly ignored him and continued their conversation "Anyways, what can you tell me about yourselves? I heard from Felicia-chan that you two knew her well in the past,"
The twins nodded in affirmation as Sachie spoke "Yes we do, the Inn is where we first met each other…,"
In the past, Sachie and Sachiko were young girls who were looked after by Felicia before she passed away then the Inn got closed down and abandoned. They wanted to be maids just like Felicia as they looked up to her as their ideal role model due to her kind demeanor and hardworking attitude. They would often come to the Inn to be her helpers and had been assisting her when she at times struggled. Unfortunately like Felicia, they too got sick by an unknown disease which was Tuberculosis that led to their deaths. They tried to fight back against the sickness but eventually succumbed to it. After Felicia and now both the twins passed the way, the Inn was forced to close down. And just like Felicia, their souls were bound to the Inn due to their love for Felicia and the Inn which transformed their souls into Zashiki-Warashi as they hope to forever reunite with Felicia and one day become Maids together.
Naruto smiled softly at them; their connection with Felicia reminds him of his with Iruka and the others back in Konoha "I'm glad that you finally reunited and will finally fulfil your dream of working together as maids. Let's make this Inn a wonderful place to be!"
The twins and Felicia smiled happily "Yes, Naruto-sama!"
Naruto then turned to Nonaka "So, care to tell us your story?"
Nonaka shrugged her shoulders "Sure, why not?"
As it turns out; Nonaka is a Yokai Zashiki-Warashi who's friends with Sachie and Sachiko when they were little kids when Felicia was alive. Nonaka is the youngest by appearance but she acts like the oldest to them as she was their imaginary friend only they could see. She is mischievous, friendly, playful and clever. However, there are times when she can be serious when the situation calls for it. When she is happy, good things happen. When she is upset, scared or mad, bad things happen. She took a keen interest in being a maid whenever she silently sees Felicia around the Inn and how the Twins seemed to want to be like her one day. So, her friendship with the twins and admiration for Felicia tethered her spirit to them and would awaken alongside them.
Naruto turned to Felicia "Looks like you left quite a powerful impression on them to wish to be with even beyond death,"
Felicia looked away shyly "I-I was just doing what I do best,"
"And yet that's what attracted them to you," Naruto pointed out to the embarrassed maid as he rose from his seat "Anyways, I'll be going to my room to rest since I've some things to plan out for the next few days,"
"Okay Naruto-sama, we'll call for you when food is ready or anything which requires your attention," said Felicia.
With that said, Naruto went to his room to rest, leaving the maid spirits to converse amongst themselves.
"He seems like a nice person," said Sachiko with Sachie nodding in agreement.
Nonaka shrugged her shoulders "He's kinda okay, we'll just wait and see about him as time goes,"
"Naruto-sama is a kind master, I'm sure you'll see that soon enough," Felicia pointed out to them.
"We'll take your word for it,"
In his room, Naruto was lying on his bed and typing up a to-do list on his phone for tomorrow; he needs to check in with Rav, Mrs. Cho, Fuji Kazuma, Tohijo Clan and had even sent a text to Yasuko who was already launching multiple messages at him judging by the constant message notifications.
"You'll need to come up with a cover story to explain your absence for the past months and also for the future," said Kurama.
"Already working on that one, plus I plan on leaving behind some reinforced Shadow Clones to take my place while I'm gone," Naruto responded while he continues to work on the list and chat with Yasuko. It seems like she in a slump and doesn't know the kind of plot to come up with, Naruto then thought to use one of his past missions as an idea to help, he just needs to think of which mission he should refer from.
Sora then spoke up "There's also something that I want to talk to you about, Naruto,"
"What is it?"
"Given your recent level and rank, I believe you're eligible to learn the next tier of magic. Meaning that your Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard Magic can now be upgraded," Sora explained.
"That's great to hear, no doubt that the monsters at the Middle Floors will be much stronger so I'll need better spells to handle them," said Naruto.
"And you'll need to recall more of your past jutsu if that's the case," Kurama pointed out to his partner.
"There's that too,"
"Also there's something I'd like to add to this too…," said Sora.
Naruto nodded in response "I'm all ears…,"
On the next day, Naruto set out in his Subaru to visit everyone in the city, starting with Rav who was understandably upset and concerned that he had been gone for so long without telling anybody and that even Yuki was worried about him. After apologizing many times, Naruto explained the reason for his absence to be due to an invite to a project abroad and just came back for a short break before returning in a few days time as a way to cover up what he has really been doing. Sighing in exasperation, Rav accepted the explanation and went on to tell Naruto that the late night street racing circuit has been picking up due to new drivers participating and this could be his chance to make his debut but would need to spec his vehicle in order to be ready and he could contact Yuki when he wants to start racing.
Afterwards, Naruto left to check on the others such as Mrs Cho who told him that she would need his help in a couple months' time due to a wealthy man hiring their catering services for a dinner party at his penthouse. Next, he went to the Tohijo Family clanhouse to meet with Tohijo and his daughter Fuyumi with the latter very happy to see him after so long. He also visited Yasuko as her home and shared an idea with one of his past missions as reference which was the inspiration that she needed and was already making fresh drafts for her manga.
After visiting his coworker friends at his parttime jobs, Naruto arrived at the reason he went out of the Inn, the shrine which he has been going to before all this happened. Reaching the top of the long uphill stairs, Naruto was like always welcomed by the foxes although he still couldn't the usual two vixens which was starting to worry him a bit.
"I wonder where they are, I'll try to figure that out since I also need to find out more about the Reward System," said Naruto thoughtfully.
Then his HUD became active with a small compass appearing in the place of the Minimap which was beeping as if signaling for him to follow its directions. Not wanting to question it any further, Naruto followed the compass's direction to a Sakura tree behind the temple which has a rather ancient-looking offertory box. Then a window appeared with a message which he began to read.
[Welcome to the Reward Station]
[This is the station of the Reward System where you can exchange Achievement Points for various items ranging from artifacts to weapons. You can also can convert currency from the Isekai world into that of the modern world and vice versa. Note that no one can see the box due to enchantment. As a first-timer of the Reward System, we'll offer you a Starter Pack of five Charms to use]
"I see, that makes things a whole lot easier for us since we won't have to worry about changing the money we earn whether here or in the other world," said Kurama.
"True that, now to see what the Reward System has to offer for us to purchase. Hope there are some good ones," said Naruto as he approaches the Offertory Box.
A large window appears before the ninja while displaying a variety of items for him to purchase with his Achievement Points that he has on hand. There were many items which were tempting to acquire but the number of points needed to get them were rather much, so he settled for these three special artifacts:
Name: Peace Bell
Type: Artifact
Element: Null
Bio: Emits a purifying chime which holds monsters and demons at bay, reducing the encounter rate of monsters and makes escaping easier.
Name: Golden Lucky Cat
Type: Artifact
Element: Null
Bio: Draws valuable treasures and items closer to the holder within a certain range.
Name: Thief's Glove
Type: Artifact
Element: Null
Bio: Grants the holder the the ability to steal items and treasures from demons.
After receiving the artifacts, Naruto was notified of receiving the starter pack which he checked to see the kind of charms he has received as well:
Name: Charm of Dual Destruction 1
Type: Accessory
Element: Null
Bio: Attacks have a 5% chance to deal double damage
Name: Charm of Takemikazuchi
Type: Accessory
Element: Null
Bio: Killing an enemy increases Melee damage by a Minor amount for a few seconds.
Name: Charm of Resistance 1
Type: Accessory
Element: Null
Bio: Reduces all damage by a Minor amount
Name: Fire Charm
Type: Accessory
Element: Fire
Bio: Boosts Fire Resistance by 16%.
Name: Paralysis Charm
Type: Accessory
Element: Null
Bio: Boosts Paralysis Resistance by 16%.
"These will definitely be of help to me when in the dungeon or on a quest outside of Orario," said Naruto as he looks at the new additions in his inventory.
"We'll just have to keep in mind to visit this place often besides the blacksmith in case the Reward Station has something that we'll surely need that will help us in a pinch," said Sora.
"Alright then, now to change the gold I have into money for tomorrow's shopping and also to install a few more things into the Inn like internet and stuff like that," said Naruto, then he went on with the money conversion before taking his leave and heading for home.
Unbeknownst to him, Yozora had been watching him from atop the temple's rooftop ever since he first arrived until he left. She sensed that the aura emanating from him is much stronger compared to the last time he came.
"It would seem that venturing into the other world is helping him awaken his dormant powers while also gaining new ones along the way. I'm sure that the next time he comes here, he'll be ready for the tasks awaiting him in this world as well. It would seem that he's looking for those two, I'm sure they'll be happy to hear that once I tell them,"
The next morning, Naruto had woken up early and driven to the market district alongside Sora who decided to accompany him in her human form instead of her grimoire form. The duo went around while buying various ingredients such as vegetables which are also common in the Isekai world, spices and seasoning, they also went to get cooking tools and materials, recipe books etc. Naruto passed by the hardware store to purchase building which he would use to build the food stall as well. All these items were stored in his inventory once he went somewhere that no one would see him.
"I think I got almost everything, just one more place to go to," said Naruto thoughtfully as he checked out the list on his phone and nodding in approval so far.
"So, where are we going to next?" asked Sora curiously while munching from a bag of potato chips, mildly reminding Naruto of his 'big boned' friend Chouji.
"To the black market, old man Fuji gave me directions to meet someone there who could supply me with what I need. Just need to say his name to the person and he'll help me," Naruto explained.
"Alright then, let's go,"
Due to being a White Hat Hacker and a friend to the Tohijo Family, Naruto knows the way to the concealed section that is the black market, it's where one can acquire items that aren't available to the general public even information on great secrets can be bought here. Naruto looked around for someone whom Fuji described to him before finding the person leaning back against a wall leading into an alleyway.
"A red flaming tattoo on the left side of the neck…this must be the guy," Naruto approached the man and stood close enough to whisper to him "I was sent here by the gentle Wind God…,"
The man perked up upon hearing those words and responded quietly "So, you're the fox he told me about…," Naruto nodded in affirmation "Follow me…the name's Kyosuke by the way,"
Kyosuke gestured for Naruto to follow him into the alleyway with the latter complying, apparently Sora changed back into her grimoire form so as to prevent problems since only Naruto was being expected while not including her. The two men walked through the alleyway to a metal door where Kyosuke knocked on it in a certain pattern, a small panel slid open for someone from inside to peer at them before closing up and unlocking the door to let them in. they continued through the dimly lit hallways before going through another door with an electronic lock which Kyosuke unlocked with a finger print scan to gain access.
Inside, Naruto was greeted with the sight of numerous weapons and firearms placed on many shelves and packed in wooden crates at the back. Kyosuke went to sit behind a desk with his guys standing nearby to aid him in the forthcoming business.
"Fuji-sama has been singing praises about you for quite a while, especially with how the Tohijo Family view you as a friend which gives you quite the street cred. Glad to finally get the face to place the name on. So, what can we do for ya?" Kyosuke stated before making an inquiry.
"I want to purchase ammunition for the firearms I have in hand while purchasing new ones to add to my arsenal," Naruto provided a list to Kyosuke to show him what he has.
"Hm, that's a nice lineup. Can I ask what you're packing the heat for?" asked Kyosuke curiously.
"For a bodyguard gig abroad, the place is mostly rural which makes it hard to get the extra ammo there," Naruto explained, using this as his cover story.
"Then you came to the right place, allow my boys and I to give you some recommendations to add to your arsenal," Kyosuke passed the list to one of the men who proceeded to do what is required of him while the others were instructed to pick out certain weapons for Naruto to see.
The blonde ninja was presented with great deals of firearms such as the Colt Anaconda revolver, Benelli M3 shotgun, Heckler Koch MP5 submachine gun amongst several others that caught Naruto's eye to purchase them before leaving the place with a black duffle bag in hand which he placed in his inventory once out of sight then heading back to the Inn.
The next seven days went by in a blur and it was soon time for Naruto to head back to the Isekai world with his new items and equipment, but the blonde ninja created a reinforced Shadow Clone to remain so as to take care of things while he's gone.
"Okay, I'm off but I'm leaving behind my Shadow Clone to help you guys out if anything happens while I'm gone," Naruto spoke to the three maid spirits who nodded in affirmation.
"Do be careful, Naruto-sama," said Felicia.
Sachie and Sachiko gave their response as well "Please make sure to return to us safely,"
Nonaka crossed her arms "Try not to get killed out there while I'm just starting to like you,"
Naruto smiled as he approaches the door "Don't worry, I'll definitely come back and that's a promise. See you later!"
"Goodbye!"
Naruto went through the door to find himself back in the church room where he saw Hestia sitting on the couch and perked up upon seeing him as she rose from her seat to approach him with a smile.
"Welcome back, Naruto. You've been gone for a bit," said Hestia fondly.
"Well, I had to refill the supplies as well as get new items for things both in and out of the dungeon," Naruto explained, taking out a recipe book from the Inventory and giving it to Hestia for her to look through.
"Are these some of the food that you want to sell at the stall?" asked Hestia while looking at the illustrations depicting some of the recipes.
"Yeah but not all since it will be those that aren't too eye-catching that we can pass off as food from my 'homeland'," Naruto explained.
Hestia was a bit concerned though "But what won't stop others from copying the recipes for their own gain?"
Naruto grinned as he made several seasonings and spices appear in his hands "By using these to make the food taste unique that it can't be perfectly imitated by others,"
"Oh, I get it now,"
"By the way, what's the title you got for me?" asked Naruto curiously.
Hestia beamed at the blonde ninja in response to his curious question "I'm sure you'll love the title I was able to get for you, it's actually…Wildcard,"
"Wildcard?" asked Naruto, his mind going through the name and trying to figure out the reason he was given it.
[Title 'Wildcard' has been added to the Status]
[Passive Ability unknown]
Hestia smiled excitedly "That's right, it's your very own title…amongst the others you already have,"
"I see…,"
"So, your new title is Wildcard?" asked Lili curiously.
"Yup, that's what they gave to me," Naruto responded in the affirmation.
The two are currently sitting at a table in pub, wanting to meet up since they haven't seen each other in a long while and Naruto wanted to inform Lili of the new title he got as well as plans for when they would be going back into the dungeon and also his food stall project.
"And to be honest, I actually like the title," Naruto admitted with a smile.
Lili tilted her head in mild confusion "Why's that?"
"Think back to the first day you met me, have I ever done things like a regular adventurer?"
"…,"
Lili looked back on her memories with her time spent with Naruto and began to realize something about him; he goes about things that no adventurer would even think of doing, actions that defy common sense and yet still accomplish things in the end, being very hard to figure out no matter hard one tries to the point of describing him as…
"Unpredictable…," Lili noticed that Naruto was grinning like a fox at her answer which meant that she guessed correctly.
"Bingo, my friends back home called me the most unpredictable knucklehead because I don't follow an obvious pattern but rather make my own," Naruto explained with a nostalgic smile at the adventures he had with everyone in the past.
"That title really suits you well," Sora spoke in support.
"Believe me, I've seen the things he's done back then which always took his enemies by surprise," Kurama commented.
While they were talking, Naruto and Lili noted that the other adventurers sitting around in the pub have been stealing glances at them for a while and they already have a good idea as to the reason why they're doing so. Apparently, Naruto's recent feat of defeating the Mutant Minotaur which had been killing adventurers and also his rapid advancement in rank within such a short time, and let's not forget him beating up Bete in that very pub that has spread throughout the city which might be a good thing but at the same time a bad thing. They were snapped out of their musings when Syr and Ryuu approached their table with trays of food and drinks in hand.
"Congratulations on your new title and rank, Uzumaki-sama," said Ryuu.
"Please drink all you like," said Syr amiably.
Naruto was a bit confused since he and Lili hadn't ordered anything yet "What all this?"
"Mama Mia-san said you could borrow us, so please drink to your contentment and spend lots of money too," Ryuu explained, Naruto looked to see Mama winking at him with a mischievous grin.
"She certainly doesn't waste any chance to gain money," thought Naruto in amusement before bringing himself back to attention when he heard Ryuu speaking up.
"So, are you two planning to head down to the Middle Floors of the dungeon?" the elf waitress asked curiously.
Naruto nodded in response "That's the idea once I'm prepped up for it since I need to acquire new armor among other things before entering,"
"I hate to sound like I'm meddling, but I'd like to advice against diving too deeply until you've formed a party with more than the current members if you wish to survive against stronger monsters as well as other hazards in the dungeon," Ryuu explained.
Naruto hummed thoughtfully "Well, you're not wrong and I've been thinking about it for a while when I was resting. The main issue I have is finding someone trustworthy to be a party member since the last thing I want is for someone to stab me in the back while in the dungeon,"
Hearing that statement made Lili flinch, she knows that it wasn't his intention but hearing him say that kind of hurts her a bit because Naruto is a very loyal person who gave her many chances to change for the better in spite of what she did back then and resolved herself to never betray him again. Ryuu noticed her expression but chose not to say anything since it's none of her business.
Suddenly, they heard a loud laughter and turned to see a roguish looking man wearing adventuring gear approaching their table in a swaggering manner.
"Sounds to me like you're having trouble with your party, 'Wildcard'," said the man.
"I guess you could say that," said Naruto with a small frown, the negativity he's sensing is putting him off, not to mention that he can smell the alcohol wafting from him.
"In that case, how about joining my friends and I? We're all D-Ranks and so can handle the Middle Floors together," two more men joined him to show their agreement. Seeing this, other people started whispering among themselves.
"Doesn't he have any clue what he's doing?"
"Look at him and his friends, they're drunk and not thinking straight,"
"I was there when he beat up Bete, this might end up the same way,"
"At least it's them and not us,"
"But in exchange…," the man looked at Ryuu and Syr with a lustful expression "Lend us these pretty girls, will ya?"
"What did you just say?" Naruto asked with an underlying tone of anger while everyone looked at the drunk trio with eyes of disbelief at their stupidity.
"Come on, we're all adventurers here which makes us friends. And friends share after all," said the man arrogantly.
"Oh, I'm gonna share something alright," thought Naruto angrily.
"Please do,"Kurama growled while Sora was glaring daggers at them.
"Begone," Ryuu spoke with a tone so cold that it made the bystanders shiver "You're not worthy of Naruto-sama,"
"Calm down, Miss Fairy. You'll have more fun with us than this stupid kid," the man reached out to grab Ryuu's shoulder and Naruto was about to snap right then and there.
"Don't touch me," Ryuu suddenly shot up from her seat with her empty mug in hand as she slips the mug's handle in between the man's fingers then gave a sharp twist, breaking them "I won't allow you to insult my friends,"
"Whoa…," Naruto was surprised by her skill while Syr simply smiled in amusement.
The man flung the mug away and rose to his feet while glaring at Ryuu "You bitch! You may be a woman but I won't go easy on you!" he prepares to attack as Ryuu quickly takes out a knife to defend herself.
Crash*
Everyone turned to see Mama Mia with her fist buried halfway into the counter and looking at the man and his two friends with a scary glare.
"If you want to cause trouble, then do it outside," Mama Mia's glare intensified "This place is for eating and drinking,"
Obviously frightened, the man and his cronies decided that leaving the pub and not coming back for a long time to be the best option "W-We're leaving!" they tried to run off but…
"Dumbass, I'm not putting it on your tab!"
Hastily dropping a bag of money on the broken counter, the men left the place like bats out of hell.
"Wow, what a woman. Reminds me of that Senju woman," Kurama commented.
"Tell me about it," thought Naruto, he turned to see Ryuu back on her seat and calmly eating her food as what happened earlier didn't occur "Her actions certainly speaks far louder than her words,"
After his meal, Naruto returned to the church and was soon having a discussion with Hestia about the kinds of food they would be selling to both citizens and adventurers alike which includes the style of packaging should they request for takeout.
"I'm still searching for a good spot where we're likely to get lots of customers so we can build the stall there. But I'm wondering if there'll be days when we're not selling since you would be going to the dungeon?" Hestia inquired.
"Actually, I intend on having a disguised Shadow Clone handle the stall with you while I'm gone," Naruto explained to her.
"Alright then, but what kind of foods will we be selling?"
Naruto hummed thoughtfully "First, we need to consider the ingredients we can obtain to make food which is both affordable and delicious to make them want to come back for more. So, I'm thinking along the lines of…,"
The next day, Naruto was at the weapons shop where he had gotten the first armor in the hopes of finding another just like it but is having no luck with doing so much to his disappointment.
"Could it be that the creator has stopped making this type of armor?" Naruto muttered to himself.
"How about asking the owner of the shop, maybe he would know the creator so we can ask him directly," Sora suggested.
"Sounds good to me, let's go and ask him,"
As he went over to the counter to inquire from the shop owner, he notices that there's a commotion going on as the owner seems to be arguing with someone and decided to find out who he is.
Apparently, the person is a tall male with short spiky hair. His attire consists of a blue scarf around his neck, dark blue long-sleeved shirt underneath a black kimono with a brown belt tied around his along with tanned white pants and brown long boots.
"I'm asking why you keep putting them in the corner, I'm risking my livelihood here! Can't you treat me a little better?" the man inquired pleadingly.
The shop owner saw Naruto approaching and used this as an opportunity to escape from the conversation "Welcome, is there anything I can do for you?"
Naruto quirking an eyebrow at the whole thing made his enquiry "Actually yeah, I wanted to ask if you've stopped selling armor made by Welf Crozzo? I'm hoping to buy another set since my previous one got destroyed,"
No sooner he asked that question, the man next to him laughed out loud as he reached down to pick up a wooden box and placed it on the counter. Naruto looked inside and was surprised to see a similar set of armor like the old one except they appear much more durable and have red accents on them.
"If you're looking for Welf Crozzo's armor, then I got them right here!" said the man cheerfully with a wide grin that reminds Naruto of his own.
"By any chance, could you be…," Naruto began to ask but the man stopped.
"What say we have this conversation somewhere more sunny and cheerful instead of gloomy like this place," said the man with the shop owner feeling offended, knowing that it was a dig at him because of their earlier conversation.
"Uh sure,"
Sometime later, they were seated at a public area with people bustling about as the two sat on a stone bench with the man lending on the wooden box of armor that he brought with him before he started up the conversation.
"I can't believe that the Wildcard whom everyone's talking about has been buy my armor," said the man.
"What's not to like about your armor, it allows me to fight freely without restrictions. Although I wasn't expecting to meet the maker of the armor when I came to the shop this morning, nice to meet you, Crozzo-san," Naruto responded.
The man's smile faded a bit "Hey, would you mind not calling me Crozzo-san? I can't say I care for it,"
Sensing the discomfort at his family, Naruto complied "Then I'll be calling you Welf if you're okay with that,"
The smile returned on Welf's face "Totally cool with it!" then he spoke rather loudly "So, Naruto Uzumaki. Considering that you came to buy my wares twice, then it must mean you're my regular customer now, right?"
"I guess you can say that," said Naruto, he heard a 'tch' and looked to see several merchants walking away while sensing their disappointment and got an idea on what's going on.
"Sorry about that, just a bit of a turf war," said Welf sheepishly.
Naruto smiled in understanding "I get it, it kinda makes sense since you brought me to a public area so as to stake your claim instead of a more private place for our conversation,"
Welf smiled "Glad to see that you really get me, there's something I would like to ask,"
"What is it?"
"Would you like to form a contract with me?"
Naruto crossed his arms with a quirked eyebrow "What does it mean to form a contract with you?" he kept his senses upon for any signs of deceit.
"By forming a contract; I'll work only for you and make weapons, armor…anything you want. But in return, you can help me out with something. Of course I'll thank you properly for it," Welf explained and Naruto senses that he isn't lying.
"So it's like a 'You scratch my back and I scratch yours' kind of contract," thought Naruto musingly "So, what is it you want right now?"
"I would like to join your party as a member," said Welf with a serious expression, surprising the blonde ninja especially since he isn't sensing any negativity when he made the request.
"Can I ask why?" Naruto inquired for the reason out of curiosity.
Welf proceeded to explain "As you know, my occupation is of a blacksmith which means that I need to create various weapons and gears of the highest grade. In order for me to achieve that, I need to obtain the Blacksmith Development Ability which is by venturing through the dungeon and defeating monsters along. Not only will I advance further as a blacksmith, you'll also benefit since you'll be my personal customer,"
Naruto sensed the truth in his words but wondered about something "If that's case, then why haven't you gone with the members of the Hephaestus Familia into the dungeon?"
"Believe me when I tell that was the very first thing I did and yet they refused to party with me for reasons I don't know. This forced me to trying gaining help from other Familia but the issue still persisted with them refusing to let me form a party with them. So this leaves you as my own and only hope: please let me join your party,"
"Why not let him join? We both sense that he's being honest plus we can use this as an opportunity to test his skills to see if he's really legit," Kurama suggested.
"I was going to suggest the same along with helping him improve as a blacksmith would also gain better equipment as time goes or even create certain weapons that you would need to face particular monsters or enemies," Sora added.
"Then if that's the case…," Naruto turned to Welf.
"I can't believe that I'm finally here in the 11th Floor!" Welf ran out into the open area with a greatsword harnessed to his back as he turned to face Naruto who's now wearing the new armor and a rather disgruntled Lili walking next to him "I really owe you for this,"
Naruto smiled in response "It's no biggie, plus this is a chance for us to test how well we can work together,"
"Oh, I totally get what you mean by that,"
Lili wasn't so cheerful "I can understand his reason for wanting to come to the dungeon but…why doesn't he party with his own Familia?"
"According to him, they don't want to do so and he doesn't know why. And I could tell that he's telling the truth," Naruto tried to explain to her.
"But then why didn't you consult with me first?"
"That one I can admit is a mistake on my part for not doing so, but I can assure that he's not being shady about things,"
Welf decided to speak up "Am I really that much of a problem, Lil Shrimp?"
Lili glared at him "My name isn't Lil Shrimp, it's Liliruca Arde!"
"Then it's nice to meet you, Lil Lili!"
"Don't call me that!"
"Please calm down, Lili-chan. Welf is the one who made this armor that I'm wearing right now and I happen to like it," Naruto tries to placate his annoyed Supporter.
Pausing for a moment upon hearing the name, Lili looked at Welf "Welf, by any chance are you talking about Welf Crozzo? The cursed magic weapon blacksmiths? The fallen blacksmith nobles?"
"What do you mean by that?" asked Naruto with a small frown, he glanced to see Welf turning away from them and senses his negative reaction to the family name, just like when they had that conversation before.
"You mean you never heard of it, Master Naruto? The Crozzo Family was a clan of blacksmiths that were famous for their creation of powerful magical items. But one day, they all lost their abilities and are now completely destitute," Lili explained.
"Yeah, it's a family of broke nobles," said Welf with his back still turned to them "But it doesn't matter anymore, it's all in the past,"
Lili was about to speak when they heard footsteps and turned to see a group of monsters approaching them revealing to be Goblin Warriors equipped with tattered armor, shortswords and wooden shields, Treants and also some Orcs.
"We can always chat later," Welf took the greatsword from his back and held it at the ready "You can leave some of the orcs to me since I should be able to handle them till you're done with your side of things before coming over to back me up,"
"In that case, I'll help too," Lili stepped forward with her crossbow gauntlet prepared to fire.
"I thought you didn't like me, Lil Lili?"
"I don't, but I won't let my personal feelings get in Master Naruto's way,"
Smiling at Lili's newfound concern, Naruto took out the Hestia and was just as prepared to fight monster "This is our very first time together so watching each other's back! Let's go!"
Naruto dashed towards the Goblins Warriors who were already charging at him with their swords raised to attack him. Naruto performed a slide across the ground then twisted his body around to initiate a 180 spinning low sweep kick which knocked several of the goblins of their feet to the ground while the goblins were out of range and lunged for an attack but the ninja was already back on his feet.
"Hah!" Naruto swiftly darted in and out of their attacks or even striking them before they do so with quick slashes of the Hestia Knife while also punching and kicking the Goblin Warriors in spite of the usage of their wooden shields that hardly did a thing to protect them.
After quickly dashing backwards to build some distance between himself and the Goblins, Naruto swiftly placed the Hestia Knife in the sheath then unholsters his dual Taurus PT92 pistols and starting shooting at the Goblins, landing several headshots while also hitting vital areas to kill with the shields being ineffective against the incoming bullets.
Back with Welf, he was busy with the orcs and proving to be capable with his greatsword as he cleaved one of the monsters in half with one swing then took a moment to look over at where Naruto is and was impressed with his combat skills and usage of unique weaponry "Wow, I'm starting to see why people are talking about him,"
"Welf, stay focused!" Lili chided as she rapidly fired bolts from her crossbow gauntlet at the approaching monster, holding them at bay.
"Sorry about that, Lil Lili. Was a little distracted,"
"I told you not to call me that!"
Back with Naruto, he had just killed the last Goblin Warrior with a headshot "Alright then, that takes cares of the goblins. Next up are the Treants!"
"And these monsters require stronger attacks in order to be dealt with," said Sora.
"Yup," Naruto places the pistols back into their holsters then unsheathes the Uchigatana "This is also a chance for me to try out my upgraded spells too,"
The treants approached Naruto and began attacking him by swinging their large thick branches in an attempt to bludgeon him with them while others launched tendrils to capture him. Naruto evaded the incoming attacks with short dashes and somersaults with his Inner Focus triggering to make his evasion more effective and also using the Uchigatana to cut the tendrils attacking him to pieces.
"Whirlwind Slash!" Naruto performed a small hop into the air whilst simultaneously spinning his entire body and slashing with his katana outstretched, slicing off large pieces off the treants which forced them back and gave him enough room for his next attack "Thundara!" he raised a hand above his head to call upon a cluster of lightning bolts to rain down on the Treants around him.
"Time to finish them off, Shadow Clone jutsu!" Naruto creates a copy of himself next to him as they both jump away from the Treants and speed through two different sets of handsigns and prepare to execute their jutsu.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball jutsu!" Naruto opens his mouth to expel a massive orb of roaring flame.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" the clone took in a deep breath before opening his mouth to unleash a power blast of wind.
Both elemental attacks fused together midway and transforms into a massive inferno which engulfed every single Treant, reducing them all to ashes within seconds and none survived. Naruto and his clone exchanged high fives before the latter dispelled himself. The ninja turned to see that Welf and Lili are holding their own against the remaining orcs and prepares to assist them as he starts running in their direction.
"Welf! Lili! Move to the side, I'm coming over!" Naruto called out, catching their attention and complying as they quickly moved out of the way. He gripped the handle of the sheathed katana and concentrated while running "Sakura-Endo!" he channels chakra to his legs to suddenly move at blinding speeds to seemingly flash past the orcs and stopping behind the monsters while already returning the katana to its sheath in hand then they all dispersed at the same time upon fully sheathing the weapon.
"Looking good there, I can tell you're getting stronger," said Kurama with approval.
Naruto smirked mentally "Gonna have to be if I want to reach the top and make this world aware of my presence,"
"Already looking forward to that,"
Seeing that all of the monsters have been defeated and none have appeared yet, the trio decided to rest for a bit while Lili went around to pick up the Magic Crystals and Magic Cores which seem to be a lot this time than usual. Welf sat atop a large rock while Naruto was doing a few stretches with his body to work out some kinks out of the joints when he heard the blacksmith speak up.
"Phew…it's really nice to be in a party, feels good to know that someone has my back," said Welf with a smile.
Naruto nodded in agreement "There's no denying that and you're pretty good with that greatsword,"
"Yeah, but I need to get back into shape if I wanna keep up with you and Lil Lili. But I gotta say that you got some unique weapons on hand, I could tell that Hephaestus worked on your katana and those other two remind me of crossbows but much smaller and fires so quickly,"
Naruto took out the Uchigatana and one of the Taurus PT92 pistols "Yeah, the katana broke a while back so I had Hephaestus reforge it into a much stronger weapon. Also the pistols originate from my homeland and it fires small metal pellets that can pierce through many things at highspeed and long distances depending on the form and type of ammunition,"
Welf let out a low whistle when hearing about the latter "Seeing them in action against the goblins, I got the general idea. Can I take a look at it?"
Thinking for a moment, Naruto nodded in affirmation as he ejected the clip before handing the pistol over to Welf who held the firearm in his hand; looking at it from different angles, testing the weight and examining a bullet which Naruto showed him.
"Hmmm…I can tell that it's one of many but the designs and internal working is something to behold. I can hardly imagine the level of security that your home has," said Welf thoughtfully as he passed the firearm back to Naruto.
"Like you wouldn't believe," said Naruto, recalling of the military grade weapons in his world and wonders how they'll compete in this one. He heard footsteps and looked to see groups of other adventurers appearing on the 11th Floor "Looks like other parties are showing up here,"
"You're right, we can leave the monster to them and continue on our way once Lil Lili finishes gathering the Magic Crystals and Magic Cores," Welf suggested then he noticed something on Naruto "Say Naruto, what going on with your right hand?"
At his question, Naruto raised the mentioned hand and was confused upon seeing it glow faintly with sparkles of white and blue lights around it "What's going on with my hand?" he was about to check with the Isekai System when they heard screaming and turned to see the adventurers running away from something.
"It's a Wild Boar, run!" screamed one of the adventurers as they ran past. Sure enough, it was indeed a giant boar with red fur and large tusks as it snorted angrily with its bloodshot eyes looking around for prey.
"Wait, where's Lili?" Both Naruto and Welf quickly looked around for their Supporter and found her still gathering the drops. Unfortunately, so did the Wild Boar as its eyes locked on to her.
"Lil Lili, run!" Welf cried out frantically.
Realizing that she's in danger, Lili started running as fast as she could but her bag was slowing her down and the Wild Boar began charging after her.
"Lili!" Naruto had already taken off after them with chakra pumped into his feet while quickly acting to save her "Blizzara!" he thrust a hand forward to launch a large ice crystal which flew forward and struck the Wild Boar in the legs, causing it to trip and fall with its feet encased in ice. Not wasting a moment, Naruto leapt high into the air with the Uchigatana unsheathed as the blade is being wrapped in lightning "Thunder Edge!" he swiftly descended and cleaved the Wild Boar in half before it dissipated much to the awe of everyone witnessing it.
Naruto immediately went over to check on Lili "Are you okay, Lili-chan?"
Lili nodded in affirmation "I'm fine, just a little shaken,"
"I'm glad to hear that," Naruto was relieved but then he thought back on what happened earlier.
"Glad to know that combining your magic spells with sword skills and movement skills to create something powerful is proving efficient," said Sora.
"Yeah, but have you noticed that the attack was stronger than usual?" thought Naruto.
"It might have to do with the glowing on your hand which by the way is no longer there," Kurama pointed, Naruto looked at his right hand and saw that it wasn't glowing anymore. He had a thought but decided to deal with it later.
"I think I speak for everyone when I say we've had enough dungeon exploration for the day," said Naruto, receiving nods of agreement from Welf and Lili.
"RAAAH!" a bandaged Bete roared out as he charges towards a group of giant golem-like beings with large mouths on their stomachs and red glowing monoeyes along with the other members of the Loki Familia. Suddenly Tione and Tiona rushed past him towards the monsters.
"Stay out of the way, Bete! Don't want you blaming us if you get cut!" said Tiona as she and her sister rushed past.
"Like any of your slow attacks would hit me!" Bete retorted as he smashed through one of the monsters' legs with a powerful flying kick.
Meanwhile high up on a ledge, Ais was watching the ongoing battle alongside the other leading adventurers of the Loki Familia.
"What's got them so worked up? The others won't be able to learn from this," asked Gareth the dwarf curiously, wondering about the reason why Bete and the Amazon twins are being so proactive in the battle.
Riveria was the one who answered his question "It seems that an adventurer got under their skin, mostly Bete though,"
"Oh, so they met a merry adventurer on the way before our groups met up?"
Finn interjected "I won't exactly say that it was a merry encounter, and I believe that you're familiar with him; his name is Naruto Uzumaki,"
Hearing his name, Ais recalls Naruto's words of eventually catching up then overtaking her "I'm going as well," she strode forward and jumped off the ledge whilst unsheathing her sword, mildly surprising the others.
"It would seem like she's fired up as well," Riveria commented.
"Apparently so, what more can you tell me about this young man?" Gareth inquired, wanting to know more.
Finn hummed thoughtfully to himself "I wonder how Lady Loki will react to the news of rivalling goddess having such a powerful adventurer in her Familia compared to her,"
Freya sits alone in her personal chambers at the tower as she leans back on her cushy sofa and was looking at a floating magic mirror which was displaying the scene of the battle between Naruto and the Mutant Minotaur, her glazed eyes upon the expression on the blonde ninja's face.
"Such ferocity and yet his eyes retain such purity of heart…," Freya mutters in a daze.
She saw how the red aura sprung up from within and yet it didn't overwhelm the golden aura but rather harmonizes with it. Two auras which are polar opposites and yet are capable of syncing together as one. she shudders with excitement whenever she sees him unleash that beastly power and how he utterly dominated the monster like he was the ultimate predator.
"Haaaahhh, the feeling is seeing him become stronger and reveal more of his secrets…I simply can't resist wanting to know everything about you," Freya barely withheld a moan which nearly leaked out when she sees Naruto's expression stares into the Minotaur's eyes and desires for him to look at her the same way.
"Without a doubt, it must be the new skill Argonaut. It's the possibility to overcome any adversity," said Hestia as she sits next to Naruto on the couch.
"I see...," Naruto mutters in response as he calls upon the Skill List to learn more about the Argonaut skill.
[Argonaut]
[Allows a charge for an active action. It can be used for any type of attack but the effects will dissipate after launching the attack, the user is attack or they lose focus]
[Duration for a Full Charge: 5 mins LV1]
"In other words, this skill is capable of enhancing your next attack after gaining a Full Charge, whether it being a jutsu, magic spell or combat skill. It's certainly ideal for when you need to turn a rough situation around or deal a decisive blow to an enemy," said Sora thoughtfully.
"But it requires good timing and focus to utilize it properly, so you'd better be careful when using it," Kurama pointed out.
Naruto mentally nodded in response "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind,"
"By the way, Naruto. Are we going to be selling only these?" Hestia inquires from the blonde ninja as she gestures to the food spread out on the table.
Turns out that Naruto had served different kinds of sandwiches as samples for them to try out to see if they can be sold at the food stall amongst other recipes.
"Not exactly, we would be serving different types of foods and drinks on certain days and time as a way to exhibit our flexibility and develop our clientele as time goes on," Naruto explained as he picks up an egg salad sandwich whilst Hestia went for a grilled chicken sandwich. They were eating when Hestia spoke up about something.
"By the way, I've heard a few things about that blacksmith who joined your party," said Hestia.
"You mean Welf, what about him?" asked Naruto curiously, he shouldn't be surprised since it would be either Lili telling her about it or she went to find out on her own.
"I've heard about him in Hephaestus's Shop, it turns out that he actually can make magic items and powerful ones at that. His Familia say that he's wasting his talent,"
Naruto was surprised to hear that "He can? But I thought the Crozzo have lost that ability years ago. And what do they mean by he's wasting his talent?"
"That's because he refuses to make any, otherwise he would have been rich and famous, even restore the Crozzo family to what it was. But whatever the reason, he absolutely refuses to make any magic items,"
"But he was truthful in wanting to grow as a blacksmith, so why doesn't he want to make magic weapons?" Naruto muttered to himself, could Welf's negative reaction to the Crozzo family name and past have to do with his refusal to make magic items?
"I don't know either but it's why everyone thinks that he's hiding something," said Hestia.
"…," Naruto didn't say anything but she could tell that he's deep in thought.
The next day, Naruto met up with Welf for their next venture into the Middle Floors of the dungeon but then the latter noticed that something or rather someone is absent.
"Hm, Lil Lili isn't coming with us today?" asked Welf confusedly.
Naruto nodded in affirmation "Yeah, I learnt from her that the gnome who owns the place that she stays is sick and so she's staying back to take care of him till he's better. It seems like today's exploration won't be coming on,"
"I see…,"
"In that case, guess I'll-,"
"Hey Naruto, would you mind coming with me somewhere today?" asked Welf hesitantly.
Naruto quirked an eyebrow at the blacksmith's request "Uh sure, I'm not gonna be busy since today's exploration won't be coming on,"
"That's great to hear, I did promise to thank you for letting me join your party after all. After all, I'm going to make you all-new equipment! Come on, it's this way," Welf began leading Naruto somewhere.
"I wonder where he's taking us?" asked Sora curiously.
"We'll soon find out eventually," said Kurama.
As it turns out, the place that Welf was taking Naruto to is actually his very own workshop which looks ready rickety and old but still holding strong.
"Sorry about the filth, just try to put up with it," said Welf as he invites Naruto inside.
"Whoa...," Naruto looked around and his eyes set upon the various kinds of swords on display on the wooden wall and went to take a closer look "Can I touch these?"
"Sure, you can,"
Naruto picked up a shortsword and took a few swings with it, he could see that it was very well made and could serve any adventurer well "It's a good weapon,"
"You got a good eye, too bad no one wants to buy it," Welf commented.
"Sounds like they don't know good quality then,"
"Guess you could say that, so is there anything you'd like for me to make?"
Naruto thought for a few moments "Well, I have a Mutated Minotaur Horn and several Jasper Stones with me. Maybe you could do something with the former and enhance both it and my Uchigatana,"
"Alright then, is there anything else?"
"None for now,"
"Are you sure?"
Naruto turned to Welf and felt that there was more to these questions then gave his response "No, I'm okay,"
Welf smiled a bit "You know you could be a bit greedier, Naruto. No doubt your goddess told you that I could make magic items since I learnt she had been asking around about me,"
"Any normal inconsiderate adventurer would do so, but I'm not going to make you do something you don't want to. I got a clear idea that there's a personal reason why you refuse to make magic items and I'm not gonna force you on it,"
"Heh, I'm really sorry for testing you like that. I was worried that you would change your attitude once you found out the truth about me," Welf lowered his head in apology.
"It's cool, Welf. I get why you were being cautious around me since we don't know each other that well," Naruto understood why the blacksmith acted that way, no doubt many before him tried to have Welf make magic items for them.
"Now then, I believe I said that I would be making new equipment for you. What say you hand the items over and I'll get started?" said Welf, looking more cheerful and Naruto could sense that he's much happier and open to him now.
"Sure,"
Naruto handed over the horn, Jasper Stones and katana to Welf who changed into his work clothes and began the preparations for his upcoming work. As the work went on, Welf began to speak.
"To tell you the truth, I don't like magic items. I used to have plenty of customers but they were all who learnt that I was a Crozzo and wanted me to make magic items for them. I got really sick of them, they all just wanted a magic tool to make them stronger, make them famous," said Welf as he continues to make the horn into a weapon.
"I see...," Naruto sat on a stool and carefully listened to Welf's reason.
"But that's not right, it's not how a weapon is supposed to be. It's neither a tool nor a way to get famous, a weapon is a part of its wielder. No matter how bad things get, your weapon will never betray you for it is your partner which travels alongside you. That's why I don't like magic items, they'll shatter and leave their wielder behind. Their power wastes human talent. Neither a wielder nor the blacksmith will take pride in them, that is why I don't make magic items,"
"I understand it all now, you wish to make weapons that can help nurture a wielder's natural talent while forming a strong bond between them that could last for a lifetime," Naruto could see where Welf is coming from since he himself strongly believes that one gains great strength from bonds. So for a blacksmith like him, he desires to create strong bonds between wielders and his weapons as they grow together on their journeys.
By the time the sun began to set, Welf was finally done with his work as he has forged a dagger from the Mutated Minotaur Horn then enhanced both it and the Uchigatana with the Jasper Stones.
"Now then, now to name it. How about Ushiwakamaru? Since it's a minotaur dagger, maybe Mino-tan?" Welf muttered thoughtfully while looking at the newly forged dagger.
"Wait, hold up! I like the first one!" said Naruto frantically, ain't no way he's gonna be carrying around a dagger named 'Mino-tan'!
"Oh, if you're okay with the first one then sure. Ushiwakamaru it is,"
"That guy has a bad naming sense," said Sora with a sweatdrop.
"You think he's bad, you should have met the kid's dad," said Kurama with a huff.
Naruto scans the two weapons with the Isekai System.
Name: Uchigatana 1
Type: Katana
Element: Null
Ability: Laceration LV2 [Induces a Bleeding Effect on the enemy which reduces VIT and SPD over time]
Attack: 150
Defense: 60
MAG Attack: 0
MAG Defense: 80
Bio: A unique weapon wielded by warriors from the eastern continent. The blade with its undulating design boasts extraordinary sharpness and its slash attacks can cause blood loss
Name: Ushiwakamaru
Type: Dagger
Element: Null
Ability: Bloodlust LV1[Attack power increases when enemy is in a bleeding state]
Attack: 80
Defense: 30
MAG Attack: 0
MAG Defense: 15
Bio: A unique weapon forged from the horn of a Mutant Minotaur, it's lightweight and razor-sharpness makes it an ideal weapon for throwing and assassination
"Anyways, here you go and let me know if there's anything you'd like for me to make or enhance," Welf held out the weapons to Naruto to take.
"Sure thing," Naruto took the weapons but noticed that Welf wasn't letting go "?"
"I know that we've just met each other for a few days so I won't ask you to trust me completely, but…," Welf looked at Naruto with a sincere smile "I'd like for you to treat me as a companion like Lili does,"
Realizing the weight of the request, Naruto smiled in understanding "I will, Welf. It's a promise of a lifetime,"
"Thanks, Naruto," Welf releases his hold on the weapons for Naruto to take as they smile at each other.
Before leaving the workshop, Naruto turned to speak to Welf "I almost forgot to tell you; I'll get in contact with you later so we can hold a discussion with Lili-chan and Hestia-chan about plans to venture beyond the 11th Floor,"
Welf nodded in affirmation "Sure thing, you know where to find me,"
Nodding in response, Naruto finally left the workshop and began making his way back to the church to meet up with Hestia and make dinner so they could eat together.
"Alright them Hestia-chan. I'll be heading off now," said Naruto.
He and Hestia were standing outside in front of the church during the morning, Naruto is all prepped to go to the Middle Floors for real with no further incidents alongside his new party members after a few days of preparation and teamwork exercises.
"okay, but you know…," Hestia looks at the red cloak that Naruto is wearing over his armor "That Salamander Wool is really standing out in the light,"
"I know but when I told Eina-san that I would be going beyond the 11th Floor, she strongly suggested that I equip myself with it. Honestly, I kinda feel nostalgic while wearing it," said Naruto, recalling when he used to wear cloaks during some of his missions.
"Well, if your advisor says so then she's sure to be right…just as long as she doesn't keep underestimating you," said Hestia causing Naruto to sweatdrop.
"Geez, she still hasn't let that go," thought Naruto.
"Can you blame her? She takes pride in you and won't tolerate anyone looking down on you," Kurama retorted.
Hestia continued to speak "Anyways, don't overdo it just because you're a D-rank now, okay?"
Naruto smiled at her concern for his safety "Don't worry, Hestia-chan. I'll be careful and make sure that we return safely and alive to you. We do have a food stall to open up after all,"
Hestia smiled back "That we do, so you'd better make sure to come back,"
"I will, see ya later!" Naruto turned around and began running in direction of the dungeon since he doesn't want to be later in meeting Welf and Lili.
Hestia turned and started walking back to the church then she paused to look back and see Naruto barely being a tiny dot before disappearing from her sight. For some reason, she began to feel a sense of foreboding but shrugged it off with the belief that Naruto would return to her like he always does but that feeling continues to lingering at the back of her mind.
This is Hussbek online with the latest chapter. Naruto goes to visit Eina at the guild about a week after the incident with the Mutant Minotaur in the dungeon to show her his recent advancement to D-rank which surprises her since it wasn't that long since he became an adventurer. Apparently his exploits has also spread throughout the city and many eyes are all on him now. Naruto returns to the church where Hestia informs him that she's going to attend a meeting with the gods in order to obtain a title for him due to his advancement in rank, during then he discovers a way to access the Inn from anywhere without having to go all the way to the 4th Floor to do so.
With that, he goes to the Inn and reunites with Felicia while also learning that three more spirits have been added to aid in its development and it appears that they share a history with Felicia back when she was alive. The next few days were spent visiting friends and workplaces while also purchasing new items and equipment which will prove to be of help to him when he returns but not before creating a few Shadow Clones to take his place while he's gone.
Upon returning to the Isekai world, Naruto learnt of his new title being Wildcard which he finds rather suiting and went to celebrate with Hestia along with Ryuu and Syr albeit there being a mishap some drunk adventurers that tried to bully them but ended in humiliation. While shopping for a replacement for his destroyed armor, Naruto ends up meeting the very creator of the armor and forms a contract as well as attaining a new member of his party.
The newly formed trio venture through the dungeon several times while learning about each other, particularly Welf and his reasons for refusing to create magic items which led to deeper understanding and camaraderie. Now the time has come for them to venture further in the Middle Floors but a sense of foreboding bothers Hestia as she watches Naruto leave.
In this chapter, I had Naruto return to the modern world to acquire new firearms and other items to help in a 'repeatable sidequest' of sorts, I also added in the concept of Welf creating AND enhancing equipment for Naruto and the others in the future, I know that some would be a bit let down that I still went with the canon Minotaur Dagger but I made it slightly akin to an Isekai version of a kunai for assassination along with a suiting ability for it. I also took some ideas from games like Nioh, Ghost of Tsushima and Kingdom Hearts Recoded to make things more interesting in the story for your enjoyment. In response to some questions; there'll be an arc for Naruto and co when they return to the modern, so be sure to look forward to it. Read and review like always.
This is Hussbek from Ghana.
Signing out and staying alive.