Chapter 9

Main Characters

Takayama Aruto - Male - Protagonist - The only E Rank in the class

Ishikawa - Female - Talkative - D Rank

Nagano-san - Female - No particular characteristics, a nice person - D Rank

Kagawa-chan - Female - Lolita - D Rank

We, the D and E Rank group, immediately left the great temple and headed towards the town's adventurer guild.

Having been confined in the great temple for a whole day, the outdoor where the sky was visible felt refreshing.

The streets here didn't seem to have changed much from what I remembered from my previous visit.

Had it not been much time since my last summoning?

Or was it that the streets remained unchanged even after time had passed? I couldn't tell.

Since the time axis issue would be understood eventually by working as an adventurer, I decided not to worry about it too much.

Leading the way with a map was Ishikawa, who claimed to be the leader.

While walking confidently with the map in hand, she occasionally made big mistakes in the direction.

Do you even know how to read a map?

Every time she made a mistake, I couldn't help but exclaim "Ah!" and each time, Ishikawa glared at me.

I hurriedly covered my mouth, but ended up being called a weirdo by Ishikawa.

"What are you doing, making weird noises? You must be excited looking at my plump butt, right? That's so creepy!"

"I'm not doing that!"

Yeah, she's a real pain.

After making countless mistakes, it took us 30 minutes to reach the destination, the adventurer guild, which should have taken only 15 minutes.

The place we arrived at felt like an old-fashioned tavern.

The inside was a bit dim due to insufficient lighting, and the adventurers coming in and out looked like drunkards and town thugs, making it far from a pleasant atmosphere.

Thinking there were many drunkards, I realized there was a bar inside.

Ishikawa seemed very interested in the bar. However, her interest was in the food, not the drinks.

"What's that? What are those people eating? It looks like grilled chicken. It looks delicious! That person over there is eating something like a steak! Oh, this person is eating something like a stew! I want to eat! Can I eat?"

"We don't have money now, so even if you want to eat, you can't."

"That's right, we don't have money. What a pity."

"If we complete jobs at the adventurer guild and our rank goes up, we'll get rewards, so let's eat then."

"Right. Yeah, let's work hard to raise our rank!"

But, even if we work hard, I don't think the rank will go up so easily.

Adventurer requests usually start with simple tasks like gathering herbs, collecting firewood, and mining for minerals, right?

I don't know, but I think that's how it is.

You can't get good requests unless you reach a high rank.

So, at first, we'll have to do simple jobs that anyone can do.

It's not easy to raise your rank with such simple jobs.

Of course, since anyone can do these jobs, the rewards are minimal, like a child's allowance.

No matter how hard you work, you won't save enough money to eat delicious food.

Eventually, you'll give up, and Ishikawa's heart will break.

That's when!

I'll give her the premium sweets and grilled chicken I bought from the System's shop.

Then, what happens!

Not only Ishikawa, but even Nagano-san and Kagawa-chan will be overjoyed, shedding tears!

By winning their hearts, they'll instantly fall for me.

Once that happens, driven by the desire for delicious food, they'll become obedient food slaves who can't live without me!

This will be the birth of a harem of slave girls and their master!

Hahaha!

While I was having these low thoughts, Ishikawa caught someone and asked about the procedure for submitting documents, then handed over the request form at the adventurer guild counter.

The job is tough, man.

The receptionist processed the request form.

By the way, she was a beautiful woman with blonde hair, a healthy tan, and a radiant smile.

It's probably a business smile, though.

It's a mystery why she can show a healthy smile in such a dim, black company-like atmosphere.

"Here you are. The requester is the High Priest, and the request is for 'Beginner Adventurer Training: 30 Days.' Are you the ones being trained?"

"Yes, these four."

"Let me see, you are Ishikawa, Nagano, and Kagawa, all D Rank Heroes, and Takayama, E Rank. Since you need to register with the adventurer guild, I'll issue guild cards for all of you."

Using a status appraisal stone, she read our statuses and wrote them on the adventurer guild cards using a device like a transcription machine.

We received the adventurer guild cards.

They were about two sizes larger than a business card.

The material was unknown, but it felt durable like plastic, so it wouldn't tear or break even if mishandled.

The rank on the guild card was F.

It's my first time receiving a guild card, so I'm quite happy.

Until now, my face was my ID wherever I went.

Living as a regular adventurer in a different world is a refreshing and good experience.

However, when Ishikawa saw the guild card, she started to complain.

She seemed unhappy with the F rank written on the guild card.

Ishikawa confronted the receptionist with a fierce attitude.

The poor receptionist, being harassed by a troublemaker, was truly pitiful.

"Why are we D Rank Heroes, but F Rank Adventurers? I can understand why the incompetent merchant Takayama is F Rank, but why am I, an excellent priest, two ranks lower and the same as Takayama? Are you crazy? Are you infested with maggots? With such a rank, we can't get good requests and will never be able to eat delicious food!"

Driven by the desire for delicious food, Ishikawa became a personification of greed.

Unable to bear it, I couldn't help but offer help, not to Ishikawa but to the receptionist.

"What are you doing? You're the crazy one! The names 'Hero' and 'Adventurer' are clearly different! Don't you understand that?"

"That's right. Even if they have the same rank name, they are completely different. I'm really sorry."

The receptionist just apologized to Ishikawa's unreasonable demands.

"Are you, a mere merchant, challenging me, a priest?"

Hey, you idiot!

Stop talking like a certain character!

I feel so miserable, like I'm a failed version of a certain character!

"I won't heal you if you get beaten by enemies in the dungeon and are on the verge of death!"

And she even made a declaration of abandonment!

Abandoning her role as a healer, a priest who is supposed to heal!

How selfish can you be?

The receptionist tried to persuade the now-complaining Ishikawa to protect me.

"I'm sorry, but the Hero Rank is unofficial, while the Adventurer Rank is an official certificate issued by the country, so everyone starts at F Rank."

"But I was summoned to this country as a Hero! And I'm D Rank! Why do I have to start over at F Rank? Are you crazy?"

"That's the rule, so there's nothing I can do about it."

"Fix it!"

Ishikawa threatened the receptionist by pointing her staff at her nose.

If this were Japan, it would be a case of intimidation and immediate arrest.

Then, a Mohawk muscular man came from behind the guild counter.

The frightened receptionist clung to him.

"Help me, Guild Master!"

"What's going on, a fight in my guild?"

The Mohawk muscular man glared at Ishikawa with a sharp gaze. Ishikawa glared back, not backing down at all!

"Guild Master! This Hero is demanding to start at D Rank because she's a D Rank Hero!"

"Ah, a capable Hero. Yeah, I see. Alright, this time as an exception, I'll make it D Rank, no, C Rank."

"Really?"

Hearing those words, Ishikawa's pride seemed satisfied, and her face instantly collapsed.

The Guild Master puffed out his chest and continued.

"However, only if you can beat me, a former A Rank Adventurer."

Hearing those words, Ishikawa suddenly lost her fighting spirit and started to panic.

"Wh-What!? Do I have to fight this bald, fat, muscular guy?"

That guy isn't fat!

He's not bald!

That's so rude!

The muscular man, who was extremely rude, aimed to finish off Ishikawa's heart.

"By the way, cheap swords won't work on me."

He thrust the tip of a sword into his chest plate, and like a clay stick, he bent a copper one-handed sword in half.

What a powerful chest muscle!

This guy seems to have a lot of strength beyond his appearance.

Ishikawa probably can't beat him no matter what.

It's good for such a stupid girl to experience the harshness of the world.

"Alright, I understand. I'll have the strongest member of our group, Takayama, fight! Get ready!"

"What? What's that supposed to mean?"

Ishikawa started saying something ridiculous. Why do I have to fight?

"Don't complain, just go and take him out quickly!"

"Hey, weren't you making fun of me for being E Rank just a moment ago?"

"I don't remember. I didn't say that."

"No, you did! You definitely said it!"

My protests were ignored, and I was grabbed by the neck and taken to the arena attached to the adventurer guild by the Mohawk muscular man.

The Mohkan muscular man was full of energy, moving his chest muscles and doing a suspicious dance.

"Alright, let's go!"

He suddenly attacked with full force, using his bare hands.

It seemed to be a combat style focused on physical strength.

He swung his fist at me with full force.

Indeed, it was a powerful punch.

For a regular person, that is.

But there was a fatal flaw.

It was very slow and full of openings.

I wondered if he was really a former A Rank adventurer.

His movements were so slow.

Besides, his defense didn't seem that strong, despite his high attack power.

Without even needing to appraise him, his defense was probably just a bit above a regular person.

I could probably knock him out without getting hurt by asking the System to drastically reduce my attack power and just tapping him with my fingernail, but is it okay for me to beat him?

If my true strength is revealed, it could cause trouble.

It might be a bit problematic for a newly arrived E Rank Hero to beat a self-proclaimed A Rank adventurer.

Or should I pretend to fall and accidentally hit him with a lucky punch and claim it was a fluke?

Hmm, what should I do?

While thinking about this, I dodged the Mohawk muscular man's punches, and he started to run out of breath and look like he was about to die.

He had only been punching for about a minute.

He clearly looked like he lacked training and exercise. His stamina was way too low.

This muscular man probably only focused on building muscles, drinking protein shakes, and doing weight training.

A true brainless musclehead.

"H-H-H-Running around like a mouse, h-h-h-trying to escape, h-h-h-h-"

He was sweating like a waterfall.

Sweating so much from a little exercise, he must definitely have diabetes.

He should go to a doctor and get a checkup.

His urine is probably sweet.

Then, a voice called out from the entrance.

It was a young woman's voice.

"Okay, that's enough!"

The owner of the voice was a girl who looked like a thief, wearing hot pants and a crop top.

By the way, she had silver hair, was slightly short, and her chest was a bit disappointing.

"You, stop interfering in the match!"

The angry Mohawk muscular man.

Despite his anger, he was drenched in sweat and out of breath, looking like he was about to die.

"Dad has been retired from being a B Rank adventurer for a long time, so don't push yourself. That kid is not someone you can beat. Can't you see from his movements?"

So, he was a B Rank after all.

That makes sense.

He probably reached B Rank only because of his attack power.

From my assessment, he has the strength of a C Rank, or maybe even a D Rank, except for his attack power.

The Mohawk muscular man said, "Hmm," and stopped fighting, lying on the ground and panting heavily.

His daughter then spoke to me.

"I'm Lily, the thief who will be your instructor. Nice to meet you."

Ishikawa approached the girl.

"W-What about the rank? Since I won the match, you'll make me C Rank, right?"

"Rank? Don't worry about the rank. You start at F Rank."

"Huh? But I won the match, why F Rank?"

"I'll personally train you, so in 30 days, you'll be C Rank, or even B Rank."

"Really?"

"Leave it to me!"

Lily's smile made Ishikawa, who had been looking scary, smile as well.

Kagawa-chan and Nagano-san also smiled.

"So, the receptionist, Minto, will explain the adventurer guild to you, so go back to the reception with Dad."

"Okay."

"Oh, and you, what's your name?"

"Takayama."

"You stay here. I want to spar with you to see your strength."

I was left in the arena with Lily, who held short swords in both hands.

"I'm going to attack. By the way, these aren't toy swords like the one Dad broke at the reception, so it will hurt if you get hit."

So, the one Dad broke was a fake sword.

That makes sense...

Lily suddenly attacked.

Her sword skills were accurate and sharp.

Moreover, unlike her father, she didn't run out of breath even after continuous attacks.

She seemed to have considerable practical experience and was still active.

However, her sharp sword skills were as slow as a snail to me.

I could easily dodge them.

No matter how many times she attacked, it was futile.

But after dodging for about a minute, I realized something.

"This won't end until I lose."

Her breathing didn't get heavy, and her attack speed didn't slow down, no matter how many times she attacked.

She was definitely a seasoned fighter.

It won't end until I lose or she makes me admit defeat.

I can't let her win, so there's only one option.

I should pretend to lose.

I called out the System.

"System!"

"Yes!"

"Break my left leg."

"Break? You mean break the bone? Are you serious?"

"Yes, do it quickly. If I keep this up, it will never end, so I need to get injured and stop the match."

"Understood. Here we go."

Crack!

The dull sound echoed in my ears.

At that moment, a sharp pain shot through my leg!

The shock traveled from my toes to the top of my head, making my hair stand on end from the pain!

Gah!

Ow!

It hurts!

I couldn't help but tear up.

It's been a while since I broke a bone, but it really hurts.

I should have asked the System to block the pain.

Now, I just need to act like I broke my leg in an accident.

I dodged Lily's attack and deliberately bumped into her elbow.

I didn't stop the impact and naturally fell over!

Then, I rolled 2-3 times! Oh!

Damn!

I rolled too much!

I can't stop!

I rolled towards the wall and crashed into it with a loud thud!

Blood gushed from my head!

This is bad!

My forehead was split open, and blood