Chapter 18: Adventurer Registration and Completing the Side Quest

"My name is Ryota."

"I'd like to register as an adventurer, but..."

He paused briefly, then slipped off the backpack from his shoulders, rummaged around, and took out a bulging cloth pouch, placing it onto the table.

"Before that, I'd like to exchange these Magic Stones first."

Misha Flott had been professionally jotting down his name, but when she realized this young man, who wasn't even a registered adventurer yet, had just casually placed a whole bag of Magic Stones before her, the quill in her hand paused mid-stroke. 

Her eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"Ah... Mr. Ryota, may I ask..."

She cleared her throat softly, her voice tinged with obvious confusion:

"You said you're here to complete adventurer registration today?"

"Yes."

"But these Magic Stones are..."

Ryota nodded matter-of-factly:

"I got them from killing monsters."

Misha: "..."

An awkward silence stretched between them.

The next moment, she blinked rapidly, her professional smile returning flawlessly—though her voice was half a pitch higher than before:

"Ah... I-I see, of course."

("What's going on here? How can someone who isn't even registered yet be hunting monsters and collecting Magic Stones? Are newcomers these days really that intense?")

("Could he be some noble young master out to experience life? But that doesn't quite explain it either!")

Ryota, oblivious to the pink-haired girl's internal monologue, reached into his bag again and pulled out the War Shadow's Finger Blade he'd obtained earlier, asking casually:

"By the way, can I sell this as well?"

Misha: "........."

Her smile stiffened slightly as her gaze landed on the pitch-black, metallic finger blade. The corner of her mouth began to twitch uncontrollably.

A material of this quality... How could a newcomer possibly get their hands on it?

Internally labeling Ryota as a "rich young master," Misha maintained her strained smile and said softly:

"Please follow me."

Leading Ryota around the reception desk, the two arrived at the exchange counter located on the right side of the Guild hall.

Several Guild staff members were already busy at work there. A middle-aged man wearing a monocle sat behind one of the counters. Seeing them approach, he glanced up and nodded briefly:

"Exchanging Magic Stones?"

"Yes, it's this gentleman's request," Misha politely introduced, stepping aside to wait patiently.

Ryota didn't waste time speaking further. He simply handed over the bulging cloth pouch.

The staff member took the bag, opened it, and poured the Magic Stones onto a tray-like device.

A magical glow flashed briefly beneath the tray.

Ryota heard a soft "click," and a black metal box popped out on the other side of the tray.

Immediately afterward, coins cascaded along a chute, clinking pleasantly as they landed neatly into the box.

The staff member skillfully drew the box closer, flipped open the lid, and quickly counted the coins, scanning each layer and verifying the total amount.

After confirming the sum, he efficiently transferred the coins back into the original cloth pouch Ryota had provided. The crisp sound of metal rubbing against fabric gave Ryota a nostalgic satisfaction of a neat transaction.

"Exchange complete."

The clerk handed back the now-heavy pouch, stating formally:

"Your total is 10,000 Valis. Please take care."

Ryota gave a slight nod, lifting the heavy pouch and lightly weighing it in his palm.

The reassuring heft of the coins felt satisfyingly real.

Meanwhile, standing quietly to the side, Misha Flott was utterly stunned.

She blinked repeatedly, staring blankly as Ryota casually tossed the pouch filled with Valis back into his backpack, his expression as relaxed as if he'd merely bought a cup of juice during a leisurely stroll.

That was ten thousand Valis!

Misha nearly couldn't resist the urge to cover her face in disbelief.

To put things into perspective: in Orario, even a fully formed small team of Level 1 adventurers, cautiously exploring the Dungeon's upper floors for an entire day—after splitting the profits, deducting supplies, and equipment maintenance—would only net around twenty thousand to twenty-five thousand Valis at most.

Yet the boy standing before her—a newcomer who hadn't even officially registered yet—had casually walked away with ten thousand Valis as if it was nothing!

["Rich Young Master"] ["Suspected Noble Lineage"] ["Definitely Not Ordinary"]

Misha mentally added several more labels to Ryota.

Though numerous questions swirled chaotically in her mind, she continued to maintain her sweet, professional smile as she gently advised:

"Mr. Ryota, regarding the material in your backpack, I'd recommend visiting the Hephaestus Familia to sell it."

"Their appraisal and pricing for materials are the most professional and reliable in Orario."

Ryota nodded calmly:

"Understood."

Misha smiled faintly, gesturing gracefully toward the reception desk:

"Then, please follow me back to the counter so we can complete your adventurer registration."

Returning to the counter, Misha skillfully assisted Ryota in filling out the necessary forms.

However, when she heard him state the name "Loki Familia," the quill in her hand noticeably paused, her expression subtly shifting.

["Loki Familia"] ["Absurdly Overpowered Starting Point"]

Having mentally added yet another label, Misha quickly regained her professional composure. After filling out the paperwork, she looked up and announced:

"Your registration is now complete, Mr. Ryota."

Then, she reached to the side and retrieved a brand-new Adventurer's Handbook, presenting it respectfully with both hands.

"Please take good care of this. You're now officially permitted to enter and explore the Dungeon."

Ryota took the handbook, nodded appreciatively, and thanked her.

Just like that—quickly and neatly—he had officially become a registered adventurer.

At that moment, the familiar mechanical notification rang clearly in his ears:

[Ding! Side Quest "Explore Orario's Three Iconic Landmarks" Completed!]

[Calculating Rewards—]

[Reward 1: Basic Ninjutsu—Three Basic Jutsu (Clone Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, Transformation Jutsu)—Unlocked!]

[Reward 2: Chakra Limit Increased: +2000!]

As the notification faded away, Ryota felt a surge as his internal Chakra expanded once again.

Simultaneously, vast knowledge and techniques regarding these basic ninjutsu swiftly flowed into his memory like streams of light.

"The Three Basic Jutsu, huh?"

Ryota whispered quietly to himself.

He had finally filled in this fundamental gap in his ninja skills.

"Well then, looks like it's time to head back into the Dungeon and explore again."

Flipping through the Adventurer's Handbook in his hand, Ryota exited the Adventurer's Guild and set off toward Babel Tower.