Chapter 2

The reality, hard to accept easily, makes the alcohol in my brain flee. This world I've experienced for 10 years is not just a virtual reality game but a horrific battlefield. Bone fragments piercing through wounds, entrails oozing and emitting a foul odor, a novice adventurer being torn apart by monsters while still alive—could this all be just the background of a game?

However, the hologram in front of me doesn't disappear. The beautiful woman who glares at the semi-transparent drone camera in the air doesn't disappear either. If this weren't a magical safe zone verified by the Adventurer's Guild, I would have doubted my eyes and stabbed my palm with a dagger.

'It's not an illusion.'

The possibility that the alcohol in the drink I had, which made me drunk enough to believe in the safety zone, contained drugs is obviously 0%. My strong body expels the alcohol that blurs the mind, and my mind starts to work sharply.

'It's obviously not an auditory hallucination, and other adventurers are also looking at that woman, Han Se-a.'

The deep gaze of an old adventurer reminiscing about his youthful days, the greedy eyes of mediocre men who think she looks good to eat, and the lecherous eyes of those who feel sexual desire at her beauty, which is incomparable to the female adventurers on the street.

This is a safe zone where veteran adventurers rest. If the adventurers here collectively went mad and saw the same hallucination, then Han Se-a would be a real person.

Then, I naturally had to form a party with her.

This is the first game system to appear after 10 long years. I can't immediately figure out why I ended up in this world with this body, but I will learn something.

I put the empty glass on the table as if throwing it, and the gazes that were focused on Han Se-a shift to me. The look in their eyes asks why a guy who usually stays until the master kicks him out on holidays is acting like this.

There are a few subtle looks because a pretty newcomer is involved, but what's important now is not such reputation. It's been 10 years since the first variable appeared; if I hesitate and miss it, who will I blame?

I walk down the street, expelling the alcohol.

The street, which feels the same as usual but a bit different. The street, cluttered with game elements and ambiguously busy, feels unfamiliar for some reason. Despite having traveled this street countless times over 10 years, the appearance of a hallucination like the game system in the air makes everything feel unfamiliar.

'...Now is not the time to doubt this.'

I cut off my doubts about the strange composition of this world and stride forward. People's gazes follow me, but I ignore them all, trying to arrive at my destination before Han Se-a, and I dismiss the adventurers who try to acknowledge me.

The destination is, of course, the Adventurer's Guild.

This world is a typical fantasy world, roughly a mix of a mobile game and a fantasy RPG. Powerful artificial monsters that provide magic stones and various rewards appear in the tower in the city center, and adventurers gather in the city to hunt them.

Thus, the Adventurer's Guild, which controls adventurers and protects their rights, exists on the street. The guild manages the tower's entry permits, disposes of loot, and takes commissions for personal requests.

If this world is really a game, then Han Se-a, who has just arrived in the city, has no choice but to go to the Adventurer's Guild.

"I thought there would be a lot of horse droppings on the street because it's a fantasy setting, but this street is almost modern. I was worried about the old and shabby carriage I rode in during the tutorial."

What a proactive woman.

I walked as quickly as possible through a different route to avoid looking like a stalker if the camera following me was visible, but Han Se-a is already chattering in front of the Adventurer's Guild sign. To others, the semi-transparent camera drone is invisible, and she looks like a dreamy young adventurer.

A worried innkeeper with many children is looking at Han Se-a, who is muttering to herself.

...She mutters a lot, which is hard for people in this world to understand. Is there some kind of filtering? Is it designed to skip over words like "tutorial" or "NPC" so they can't see the semi-transparent camera drone?

No.

Since I learned that this world is a game and I am an NPC, all my thoughts are focused on that. The stark difference between the city with the tower and the outside world, the convenient magical civilization that is almost modern, the existence of the alien tower...

"Hmm? Isn't today a holiday?"

"I can't play forever, can I?"

"You're saying something the master would be happy to hear. Did you start gambling? Or do you need money for a quick score?"

"If I needed money, I would have gone to the bulletin board, not here."

I steady my mind, which is drifting towards negative thoughts, and head towards the receptionist, Ellis. A beautiful woman with fair skin and blue eyes, fitting for the guild's face. Looking at her, I start to doubt again. Outside the city with the tower, farmers are exposed to the sun and have rough skin.

But the women in the adventurer city have fair, flawless skin, like white jade. Is it the difference between extras, supporting roles, and main characters?

"So, why are you here today? You should be drunk and sprawled out at this time."

"Isn't your tongue too sharp? It's been a while since I saw you."

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

While chatting with the familiar receptionist, the gazes of others start to gather. Despite my appearance, I am a veteran adventurer who has survived for 10 years. The rookies who stick to the guild can only look at me with envy.

This is a convenient fantasy world, but the battles with monsters are dark fantasy, where people die easily.

What can I say, the population is larger than medieval Earth thanks to advanced magic, but most of the increased population ends up being devoured by monsters. A normal farmer would struggle to survive even if they met a wolf, let alone a group of intelligent goblins or kobolds that attack villages.

"So, why are you at the guild so early?"

Ellis's clear blue eyes look at me with curiosity.

At the same time, people's attention naturally shifts towards me. With a veteran 10-year adventurer and a guild idol chatting at the counter, people's gazes can't help but gather. Adventurers know that picking up bits of information is beneficial, so some of them are intentionally guiding the conversation.

"It's early? The sun is high in the sky."

"It's not sunset, so it's early."

"Well, that's true. ...Actually, I came to play because I was bored."

"Bored?"

"Yeah. ...I thought I might take on a junior and train them."

The guild system, which has a modern feel, includes a mentoring system where senior adventurers help junior adventurers. On the surface, it's a way for retired adventurers to earn pocket money by becoming personal trainers for lower-level adventurers, but with the game system in mind, the story changes.

Isn't this a first companion recruitment event that the game company put in to take care of newbies?

If a newbie farmer forms a party with Hans, a clueless villager, most gamers would end up as goblin droppings on the first floor. Even with my blessed body, it took me almost a year to get used to combat. Most VR gamers, who are not used to combat, would take even longer.

So, the position I'm aiming for feels like a 5-star event character given in the tutorial.

A character that is forced into the party for free in the early stages to help with the initial story. Of course, considering my body and abilities, I can be confident that I will be a character that is carried until the end of the game...

I had to act like I was intentionally faking a weak breath. Not completely weak, but like a suitable senior adventurer.

If I completely dominate the field, how will the broadcast be entertaining? The most important thing here is that Han Se-a is a streamer. If she is a woman who is serious about game strategies, she will stick with me due to my overwhelming stats, but if she is a streamer who pursues entertainment, she might form a variety show-style party for a fresh start.

"Goodness, that lazy—"

"Hey, hello!"

"Oh?"

While I was engrossed in the conversation, Han Se-a burst in, cheerfully approaching the counter to greet us. Ellis's eyes widen at the exotic black-haired beauty.

Ellis, a receptionist known for her beauty. Her blonde hair, blue eyes, and large breasts hidden under her guild uniform are not important right now. The reason I deliberately chatted with her about training juniors is simple.

"Is this a new face? Are you here to become an adventurer?"

"Yes? Ah, yes!"

"Hmm, do you have any interest in becoming a receptionist?"

"No. I really want to go to the tower."

"Then... the timing is perfect."

Ellis, the receptionist, is very particular about appearance. She is not cold to unattractive people but extremely friendly to exceptionally beautiful people. In game terms, it's as if there is a charm value that affects her favorability.

"What do you think, Roland?"

"...Roland?"

"What do you think?"

"There's a cute and lovely junior here."

So, in the guild, a rookie who dares not even speak to a senior adventurer like me is boldly recommending an unverified newcomer to the city as a junior.

Naturally, there was no reason to refuse.