Chapter 73

The day after my encounter with the Flame Wielder Meneas, I visited a facility I was using for the first time in the city of Fias.

"Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild! What brings you here today...? That proof!?"

"Hehe..."

It felt fresh to have a conversation with a general NPC who had a certain level of knowledge, something I hadn't done in a while. This was my first conversation with an NPC in an administrative role since the registration office, so it made sense.

The proof I always wear around my neck, a token of a solo slayer, is an item that almost no one possesses. For NPCs, it serves as proof that I've defeated a named monster solo, making it the ultimate proof of strength. However, it's unclear whether this item can only be obtained from solo named monsters or if it can also be obtained from regular named monsters through solo slaying. So far, only six named monsters have been defeated, and each of them, like Meneas, has an overwhelming strength that doesn't match their level, making them far from easy to defeat solo.

Still, the conversation won't progress unless I get her to snap out of it. I decided to speak to the frozen female staff member.

"Um..."

"Ah! I apologize. Are you here to register today?"

"Yes."

The Adventurers' Guild. It's the name of the organization that oversees the player-created Clans, and it also serves as a mediator for various jobs, or quests, from ordinary people, nobles, and even the government. NPCs like Kohaku and Melty, whom I met the other day, are also part of this organization, and most of the combat-capable NPCs are officially affiliated with it. The Adventurers' Guild is also the organization that officially sets titles like "City Breaker."

There are several advantages to joining the guild, but from what I've researched, there are two major ones. The first is related to Clans. If you want to create or join a Clan, you must be a member of the Adventurers' Guild. As I mentioned earlier, Clans are directly under the Adventurers' Guild and are treated as mutual aid organizations for adventurers affiliated with the guild.

The second advantage is the ability to accept quests at any time. There are various types of quests, including those that naturally occur in the city, those that anyone can accept from the same NPC, and special extra quests like the one I'm currently on. The guild offers permanent quests, such as slaying a certain number of monsters or collecting items. These can be considered a bonus for your regular gameplay, and completing many quests can also raise your rank as an adventurer, which in turn can increase NPC favorability.

That's the information I have about the guild. I hadn't bothered to join until now because I didn't plan to join a Clan or accept quests, but since I'm focusing on leveling up for a while and the registration process doesn't take long, I decided to come and register.

I handed over my menu card and had the registration processed. While waiting, I thought about how long it was taking and whether it would be better to have a beautiful woman at the reception. After about five minutes, the process was complete, and I got my menu card back.

"I've checked your battle history on your menu card. There are no criminal records, so your registration is complete. You'll also receive discounts when shopping at guild-operated stores, so please make use of them."

"Got it."

"There's no quota for adventurers, but your rank won't increase unless you complete quests. When accepting quests, you can use your menu card in front of the bulletin board or come to the reception."

"Understood."

"Information on how to use the Adventurers' Guild is available in the help section of the menu. If you have any questions, feel free to ask the staff. That concludes the registration process. Do you have any questions?"

"Not at the moment."

"Then, Mr. Sukuna, we look forward to your contributions. Would you like to accept a quest right away?"

"Sure."

While thinking that the process was more administrative compared to the registration office, I confirmed that the word "adventurer" was now part of my status and decided to accept a quest.

"Deliver 10 gorilla furs," "Deliver 30 rabbit meats, quality not specified," "Deliver 10 mid-level potions," "Slay 10 Kirabits." Even a quick glance showed that most of the quests were related to slaying or delivering items, which made sense for permanent quests.

"Delivering potions is also under the guild's jurisdiction. I see."

"Ah, this one looks good."

The request I picked up was "Wanted: Mysteria Rabbit Furs." The more, the better. Compared to other requests, the rank evaluation and rewards were higher. The deadline was 10 days, and failing to complete it within that time would lower the rank evaluation.

"You want Mysteria Rabbit Furs... I'm not doubting your abilities, Mr. Sukuna, but this is a very difficult quest. It might be hard to find and slay them even with 10 days."

"I'm fine. I've hunted a few before."

The guild staff member looked worried when she saw the request I handed over. I appreciated her concern, but this monster was a good match for me. I had planned to leisurely explore around Fias today, so I decided to accept the quest without any issues.

"In that case, you might want to take on a rabbit-related quest as well. You can accept up to three quests at a time."

"Oh, then I'll take this one... the Kirabits are also rabbits, right?"

"Yes. You might see black rabbits outside the city. They often hide in deep grass, but they don't appear much along the roads."

Black rabbits... I've seen them but haven't slain them. So, those are Kirabits.

"Then, I'll take this one and... the rabbit meat delivery quest!"

"Understood. ...Here, the process is complete. You can report your progress at any Adventurers' Guild, not just in this city. Good luck."

And so, I set out to tackle the permanent quests.

☆

"Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm."

Blown by the pleasant wind, I threw an iron ball and a throwing knife at the rainbow-colored shadow I saw in the distance. Trying to hit with a throwing knife from the first throw always feels like threading a needle, but with an iron ball, I can just aim for the reflection, making it easier. Once I hit with the ball, hitting with the knife is no problem, so it's a move I recommend.

After about an hour of wandering the grasslands, I had already slain three Mysteria Rabbits and was now searching for Kirabits. They are supposed to be black rabbits hiding in deep grass, but they were hard to find. I had slain about five, but they were quite challenging.

Unlike regular rabbits, rabbits are generally about twice the size of regular rabbits. Sometimes you might encounter a large rabbit like a "Decarabbit," but most rabbit-type monsters are about the same size. The Kirabits, however, are simply small and hard to hit. They are about half the size of a regular rabbit, maybe as small as a mouse. Despite their size, they have very high attack power, and when I tested it, a clean hit took off about 10% of my health. They aren't impossible to defeat, but finding them is a challenge, making them a tough opponent.

"But I've gotten used to it."

With a light "Pang!" sound, I sent a Kirabit flying. Kirabits are indeed small and hard to hit, but since they attack me, there are plenty of opportunities. When I see a chance to hit, I swing my metal bat with speed, aiming for a counterattack. Since rabbits generally have low HP, I can usually defeat them with my strength.

In the end, it took a lot of effort to find them, and I ended up slaying five more Mysteria Rabbits while slaying 10 Kirabits. Good job. Clans can also include NPCs as members.