An Adventurer
Disclaimer: If you are stupid and think I own Tensura, then sorry to burst your bubble. I don't. If I did, then Tensura wouldn't have succeeded as much.
Yo, it's been a while. I have been gone for like a month now. It's just been too chaotic. First week, I had my exams. Second week, my city got flooded by a Cloudburst. Third week, I had to travel to my home state for a family function and on the return journey, got sick. I am still sick, but meh.
Anyway, just know that I would be putting The Darwin Snake on hiatus for this year. I am currently in a very sensitive academic position and I want to do my best but having two ongoing stories is messing me up. Another reason is the fact that I still have to read the Light Novel of Tensura. I want to know all about the plot since wiki is very wrong at some places. Therefore this goes Hiatus. But don't worry, I would still be writing my other story. So let's meet after this year I guess.
I woke up on a bed that was, to put it mildly, a marvel of comfort. The mattress was crafted from a blend of monster materials and high-quality fabrics, giving it a unique, luxurious feel. My body had sunk just the right amount into it, the materials adapting perfectly to my form.
Of course, this wasn't how the bed was before I got in this room. I had used my "fuck reality" eye powers to make the bed softer and overall more comfortable.
What's the point of being a mage if you can't use magic for comfort? After days of living on hard, rocky surfaces, I was pretty happy to finally get to sleep in a bed.
As the sun started to rise, I came to the infuriating realisation that I needed to get up now. I really did wish with all my heart for the collapse of the world, but alas, it didn't happen.
I still didn't want to get up, but I was no time-controlling vampire, so I did have to.
Last night was my first in Dwargon, and it had gone surprisingly well. I stretched and got out of bed, the wooden floor cool under my feet. As I made my way downstairs, I thought about yesterday.
After my visit to the tavern, I had decided to find a place to stay. Thanks to the kind recommendation of Omu, who had taken a liking to me, I managed to get a decent discount at this inn. It wasn't just any inn, though. This place had a reputation for catering to adventurers, providing amenities tailored to their unique needs.
I registered myself at the hotel easily enough. The manager, a stern-looking dwarf named Grimnir, was initially sceptical of me, but once I had mentioned Omu's name, his demeanour had softened considerably.
"Any friend of Omuyokus is a friend of ours," he had said with a nod, offering me a discount without further questions.
Ugh, despite the discount, the rent was still high. But I did have a plan in mind for how I wanted to proceed.
Registering as an adventurer seemed like the most logical move. From what I gathered, it would open up a lot of opportunities for me, both for earning money and gaining experience. Not to mention it was a job that involves travelling the world, something which I am hoping to do.
As I was pondering over how beneficial being an adventurer would be for me, I found myself in the reception area.
The inn's reception area was bustling with activity. Adventurers of various races, sizes, and gear crowded the room, discussing plans and missions. The atmosphere was vibrant, filled with the sound of anticipation.
Ignoring the heads that turned my way, I approached the counter where Grimnir was busy with paperwork.
"Morning, Grimnir," I greeted, earning a brief nod from the dwarf. He looked up from his papers, his keen eyes examining me.
"Morning, lad. Slept well, I trust?" he asked, his voice gruff but friendly.
"Like a rock. Thanks again for the discount. I wanted to ask about registering as an adventurer. Where do I go, and what's the process?" I inquired, leaning against the counter.
Grimnir set his pen down and looked at me thoughtfully. "Ah, so ye're looking to join the adventurer ranks, eh? Good choice. Head over to the Adventurers' Guild. It's a fairly large building near the market square. Can't miss it. They'll ask ye for some basic information, fill up a form, maybe a demonstration of yer skills. After that, you'll be given a rank and can start takin' on jobs."
"Any tips for a first-timer?" I asked, curious about what wisdom an old dwarf who had been alive for a long time and had been involved in the trade would impart.
Grimnir chuckled. "Aye, keep yer wits about ye. Don't bite off more than ye can chew. Start with smaller jobs, build up yer reputation, and before ye know it, ye'll be rakin' in the rewards. And always, always, be wary of who ye trust. Not all adventurers are honourable. I know friends who have been killed because of who they trusted. Make sure to always check their card."
"Got it. Thanks, Grimnir," I said, giving him a nod of appreciation.
With the directions in mind, I made my way out of the inn, stepping into the bustling streets of Dwargon.
The city was already alive with activity, the sounds of merchants hawking their wares, blacksmiths hammering at their forges, and people going about their lives filled my ears.
I navigated the streets, heading towards the market square. The Adventurers' Guild was indeed hard to miss—a relatively grand stone building that was bustling with activity. The entrance was flanked by two statues of fierce-looking warriors, their stone gazes seeming to stare towards the horizon.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside.
As I pushed open the heavy wooden door, the chaos inside greeted me. Adventurers of all shapes and sizes filled the hall, some perusing the job board, others chatting in groups.
I sweat-dropped at just how many people were hoarding a single space. They weren't really fighting, but I have reasons to suspect that if it weren't for the guards standing outside, who were solid C-Ranks, they probably would be a bit more violent.
Most of the adventurers were D-Rank power-wise from what I could sense, with there being many C-Ranks too. Then again, I am just sensing their magicules. There possibly could be people who have low magicule capacity but are strong as fuck.
I know there are always people like those. At least in the few fictional works I read. And while this isn't a fictional world, playing it safe is better.
Maybe I would later look into this topic as well. I saved this thought line in my mind folder for potential things to research as soon as I have the free time required.
I was still scoping out the surroundings, and I could feel multiple eyes focusing on me. All of them were looking at me with a little caution mixed in with a not-so-little intrigue. Their eyes moved on quickly, focusing back on what they were originally doing.
"Well, this would be fun…" I muttered, looking at just how crowded it was. Even with such a large building, they were in need of space.
I carefully navigated through the crowd. In doing so, I really came to appreciate my towering physical form. If I wasn't such a big guy, I would probably be having a harder time getting people to make way.
I approached the counter where a black-haired man in his mid-thirties was engaged in conversation with another adventurer. His presence was commanding, and the badge with a sword on his chest marked him as a C-Minus ranked adventurer.
How did I know that? Well, it's obviously {Scholar}. It has collected all the information I am going to need in order to get by in Dwargon. It had also notified me about having some dirty information on some nobles too.
I would see how that could be used later for sure.
Kekekekeke.
Such thoughts aside, I had reached the counter now.
"Excuse me," I began, waiting for a pause in their conversation. "I'm Azridan. Here to sign up as an adventurer."
The man turned to me, sizing me up with a keen eye. "Newcomer, eh? I'm Jorin, the one… in-charge of this branch of the Free Guild here. I can help you with your registration but first answer me, are you someone who is unaware of even the basics?"
"No, I have done a bit of research but I am not sure of the details. I know I need to fill out a form with information like my name, age, country, and specialty but I am not really sure what comes after," I replied with a lie blended in.
I knew more than that, but what's the point of not confirming the info I have from my eavesdropping on other adventurers.
"Eh, you're right about the form part. After you have filled the form and suffered through a waiting period of a day to a few days, you would be officially registered in the guild's database and issued an ID card. BUT since this isn't exactly a branch, you would unfortunately need to wait for many days." He said with a strange amount of emphasis on certain words.
Why is this guy being so… weird?
"Hey, don't make the fella nervous, Jo," the adventurer next to Jorin said, slapping him lightly on the back. He turned to me with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. Name's Kael. Jorin here has a knack for dramatics. The thing is, because of Dwargon not being an allied nation of the Free Guild, this can't exactly be termed as a branch. The crybaby here was assigned this 'branch' and because of that, he has been sulking ever since coming here."
The Jo guy started glaring at the newly introduced Kael.
"Drama?" Jorin scoffed. "I'm just explaining things properly. Anyway, let's get to the meat of it. You now know about the forms and the waiting period, right? But there's more to it."
"Yeah, the Free Guild has some pretty nifty systems in place," Kael interjected. "One of their best is the identification system. After you fill out the form, your info gets sent to a magical database in a top-secret location that no one knows. Then you get an adventurer card."
"It's not just any card," Jorin added, leaning in with a conspiratorial tone. "It's basically your identity. It tracks your name, age, country, profession, and guild rank. More than that, it can be verified at any guild branch or customs point. So, no funny business. Any crimes you commit after signing up get recorded. You can't just skip town if you're wanted for something."
That… sounds an awful lot familiar to the government-issued ID cards back home. I guess they existed even before the modern era, but encountering the same things in a new world is indeed bizarre.
Especially something like this. Maybe all societies develop in a similar manner.
"So, it's like a magical background check?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Exactly," Kael said, nodding. "And it keeps track of your vital signs too. Similar to a particular life magic. If something happens to you in the field, they'll know without having to send a search party. You wouldn't believe how often this has saved lives."
I whistled, impressed. "That's pretty thorough."
Jorin nodded, looking slightly less grumpy. "It is. Now, about the Adventurer Guild itself. As you know, it's a part of the Free Guild but focuses on high-risk jobs outside city limits. To join, you need to be at least D rank in combat."
Kael leaned against the counter, crossing his arms and proudly puffing his chest. "The guild has three subdivisions: Collection, Exploration, and Subjugation. Collection is about gathering resources like herbs and rare materials. Exploration involves reconnaissance, tracking monster movements, and exploring ruins. Subjugation, which is the most dangerous, is about fighting and killing monsters. You need to be at least D-plus rank to join that division."
I could see a shining badge on his chest that had an insignia of two swords crossed over each other. Huh, that looks neat.
"So, you guys do it all?" I asked, intrigued while also trying to fake surprise at his level.
Well, at least he looks happy.
"Pretty much," Kael said with a grin. "But we also get perks that regular Free Guild members don't. Like the freedom to change our citizenship to any country and protection provided by international laws."
Okay, this is something new. I would look into the international laws later, but how cool would it have been if I could do that on Earth? One day I am American, the next day I am Egyptian. Oh, I could have also chosen to be Japanese too.
Escaping law would be so easy with that. Just as I was going to slow down time even more to monologue more, I heard a single word that was enough to draw my undivided attention.
"And if you're into magic," Jorin added, "there's the Magic Guild. It operates independently of the Adventurer Guild. You just need to be able to cast some form of magic to join. They have access to guild-owned magical resources like tomes and stuff."
… My magical Hogwarts life awaits me.
"Sounds like there's a lot of flexibility," I mused, thinking about the possibilities while also hiding my excitement at the prospect of learning more magic!
Sure, manipulating lightning and other elements is fun, but as I have come to know from my reconnaissance, there's more to magic than the elements.
"Exactly," Kael said. "That's the beauty of it. You can tailor your career to your strengths and interests. And don't worry about the wait. Once you're in, it's worth it. I got mine in 3 days, and I still remember pacing around my room waiting for it to arrive. Ah, the good old days..."
I nodded, feeling more confident. "Thanks for the info, guys. This helps a lot."
"No problem," Jorin said, his earlier grumpiness forgotten. "Just make sure to fill out that form accurately and be ready to wait a long time."
With a nod, I took the form from Jorin and found a quiet spot to fill it out. As I(or rather Scholar, as I didn't know how to write in whatever language this was) wrote down my details, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. This was the first step in carving out a new life in this world, and I was determined to make the most of it.
Returning to the counter, I handed the form back to Jorin. He scanned it quickly, then nodded. "Alright, we'll process this. Come back in a few days for your ID card."
"Thanks, Jorin. Kael," I said, giving them a small wave as I turned to leave.
"Good luck, Asmizan!" Kael called after me, and I could hear the smile in his voice.
I almost tripped on air after hearing such a profound sin committed.
It was nice knowing you, Kael, you would be going to hell later. See you there someday, hopefully never.
Also, don't fucking tell me Looney Tunes logic works here?! How the fuck did I almost trip on air?!
With my registration complete, I stepped out of the guild, the morning sun now fully risen. The streets of Dwargon bustled with life: merchants hawking their wares, adventurers swapping stories of their latest quests, and townsfolk going about their daily routines.
Looking at the merchants riding their vehicles, I remembered something important that I needed to do. I needed to earn some quick money, and an idea began to form in my mind.
"Let's see what we can do here," I muttered to myself.
Utilising {Scholar}, I scoured the nearby area for suitable stones. Not disappointing me, it identified a patch of high-quality stone in a secluded alleyway.
Perfect for my needs.
Finding a good spot, I rolled up my sleeves and activated {Fain Eye}. My hands moved with precision and purpose as I tried to craft a statue.
After a few minutes of work, the first result that came out wasn't good. It wasn't bad at all, especially for a first try. But it still felt lacklustre in comparison to what I had imagined it would look like.
Meh, practice makes perfect.
Just like that, I spent the next half an hour trying to make a perfect statue. One which didn't have any imperfections like a small nose, ears, or anything really.
As I continued to work on the statue, it started to look more and more lifelike.
That should be enough to earn me some good bucks. At least enough to pass by.
The statue I held in my hands wasn't an original creation. Drawing inspiration from ancient Greek art, I shaped the stone and created a figure that looked straight out of an art exhibition.
Sure, it probably had many flaws from an artist's point of view, but it was still something that would look good as a house decoration.
As I thought about how much this would fetch me, I etched my name, Azridan, into the base of the statue with magic.
{Scholar}, analyse this statue and create as many as 3 copies from the stone available.
[Answer: Affirmative. Initiating the scan… Data processed… Using Intrinsic Skill: Fain Eyes to create copies… Task completed.]
I swear this skill is the greatest possible cheat code available. It took me 30 minutes to do what it did in seconds. Not to mention it created 4 copies.
As I looked at the identical statues, I thought about what possible action I could take next. I didn't really know where I could sell it—{Scholar}, from the conversations you analysed, is there any mention of a statue market?
The day wore on, and I managed to sell the statues to a merchant who was leaving for a different kingdom. Apparently, blacksmithing wasn't the only art practised in Dwargon. There were actually many forms of art like pottery, carpentry, and statue making.
If one of the statue makers who spend literal days, weeks, and even months making a statue finds out how I had sullied their art, I would be facing a rain of stones and chisels in no time.
I am a Stormlord Serpent, not a rock or chisel one. I am not sure if I would be able to defend myself against their justified anger.
Anyway, I sold the statues for a hefty sum of 63 silver coins. That's a pretty good price, if {Scholar} is to be believed about the average prices of statues here.
By the time the sun began to rise above my head, people started leaving the market and heading towards their homes.
Of course, in such an arid and rocky area, people wouldn't want to spend the afternoon outside.
I wanted a good set of armour and weapons. But I don't really want to search for different stores for a long time. That's why I entered the tavern. It wasn't as crowded as last night. I made a bee-line path towards Omunyokus, and didn't bother sitting.
"Helloooo Omu!" I spoke in an abhorrently sweet voice.
"Back so soon?" he asked with a weird grin. "I can guess you need me for something. What can I do for you?"
"I'm looking for a good blacksmith. Any recommendations?"
He relaxed at my not-so-serious question. Then he picked up a glass from under the wooden table and started polishing it.
He nodded thoughtfully in answer to my question. "Kaijin is the best in town. His shop is just a few blocks away from here."
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