Chapter 54: Heading to the Guild, A New Commission?

Mystery — this Development Ability was so rare in the recorded history of Orario that its official description alone was enough to set people's imaginations alight:

[Permits the activation of miracles and the creation of magic items.]

In Ryota's memory, the best-known example was Asfi Al Andromeda of the Hermes Familia, a living legend of Mystery.

Her creations were countless and beyond imagination.

In Ryota's mind, Mystery was not merely about extending magic. It was the marriage of creativity and miracles.

True Mystery was never just a power boost in battle. It was a key — a key to break through conventions and overturn rules.

And at that moment, his instincts were screaming at him:

Is Mystery… really just for making magic tools?

Ryota didn't think so.

Compared to patching together items with materials and magic triggers, what he was truly familiar with was forging — merging chakra into weapons.

He could feel it: there was a profound resonance between Mystery and his own smithing skills.

Maybe he could forge weapons with special effects — even weapons with their own will.

Or create artifacts that transcended the very logic of Orario's established magic system.

For example… a cursed sword that could repair itself and grow stronger by drinking blood.

Or a belt that could store jutsu formulas.

Or even a breastplate that released genjutsu illusions on command…

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… okay, cut it out, that's getting way too crazy."

Ryota scratched his head and shook off those bizarre ideas.

First things first — he needed to head to the Guild's trading center and buy materials.

"Steady and methodical — that's my motto."

—

Orario at dawn was still drowsy and half-asleep.

The streets were misty with early dew, dampening the cobbled stones so that every step felt a little slick.

Since it was so early, the usual flood of adventurers hadn't yet begun. 

Only a handful of merchants were up and about, pushing carts of vegetables, fruit, and bread slowly through the alleys.

The air carried the faint aroma of bread, fresh grass, and cool dew.

Less noise, more peace — a rare stillness.

Ryota actually enjoyed that quiet. As he walked, his mind turned calmly and unhurriedly.

Loki had warned him that adventurers usually had an adjustment period after leveling up.

But so far? Nothing.

No dizziness, no wobbly steps — if anything, he was moving more steadily than before.

He could even pick out the faint cough of someone far down the street with perfect clarity.

"…No sign of that 'adjustment period' Loki mentioned."

He thought about it for a moment and came up with two possible explanations:

First, the thick chakra within his body was circulating with perfect stability, woven like an invisible net that bound all that power firmly in place.

Second… well, it probably had to do with his freakishly resilient body.

After being transported here, bonded with a system, training like mad in the Trial Space, and refining everything with his Sharingan —

His entire body had already been "rebuilt" several times, far beyond what an ordinary adventurer could ever dream of.

In other words — his "level up" was basically just another layer of self-adaptation.

Turning these ideas over in his mind, Ryota soon arrived at his destination.

The Adventurer's Guild, that familiar and dignified building, stood quietly in the morning light.

He followed a small stream of early risers and pushed open the door. The entrance bell let out a soft, familiar chime.

Even at this early hour, the lobby was already bustling with adventurers handling their business.

Ryota quickly made his way to the reception counter — and sometimes fate just had a funny sense of humor.

The one on duty was the same pink-haired human girl as always — Misha Flott.

She was carefully filling out some paperwork with a feather pen, but looked up the moment she spotted him, flashing a bright, familiar smile.

"Ah, Mister Ryota! Long time no see."

"Good morning, Miss Misha."

Ryota answered politely.

Misha blinked, sizing him up with those bright eyes of hers.

She was a human, not a member of any Familia, so her perception wasn't as sharp as an elf's or a dwarf's.

But after working at the Guild for years and meeting countless adventurers, she'd long since honed a receptionist's intuition.

And today — Ryota felt different.

She couldn't quite say what had changed.

His aura? His expression? His steps? His breathing?

All familiar — yet subtly different.

Like a melody played in a new key: the tune was still the same, but every note now rang sharper and clearer.

A quiet but undeniable sense of pressure radiated from him.

Misha couldn't help but mutter in her heart:

…Mister Ryota really feels different today, doesn't he?

She glanced down at the Loki Familia's record sheet.

It still showed Ryota as LV.1.

Of course, he'd only advanced to LV.2 this very morning, and the Guild's records hadn't been updated yet — that kind of lag was common with active Familias.

But if she'd known this seemingly fresh rookie had leveled up from LV.1 to LV.2 in under a month…

Her professional smile might have cracked on the spot.

Forcing down her faint sense of unease, Misha smiled brightly.

"What can I help you with today, Mister Ryota?"

"I mainly want to head over to the trading area, see if they have any good smithing materials."

"The trading area, right…"

Misha nodded, just about to say more when Ryota added,

"Oh — by the way, is there any paperwork I need to go in there?"

She froze for a moment, then instinctively glanced at the sword hilt sticking out behind Ryota's shoulder — the Kusanagi Sword.

A trace of confusion flickered through her mind:

Since when did the Loki Familia have a member who could smith? Shouldn't that sort of material-buying be what the Hephaestus Familia does all the time?

Even though she wasn't a fighter herself, receptionists were expected to understand each Familia's roster.

The Loki Familia was known for its overwhelming combat might, overflowing with powerful warriors — but it didn't have any serious crafters.

Yet here was Ryota, with a weapon like that, asking about forging materials — he definitely didn't look like some dabbler playing at a hobby.

Still, Misha didn't press, maintaining perfect professional courtesy as she rummaged through a drawer.

"Please wait just a moment, I'll get you a pass for the trading area."

After a moment, she pulled out a document stamped with the Guild's crest and handed it over.

"Take this to the clerk over there and they'll let you through."

Ryota took it, glanced over it, and nodded.

"Thanks, Miss Misha."

Then, under her puzzled gaze, he turned and walked away, following the wooden directional signs toward the Guild's trading area.

As befitted one of Orario's most powerful organizations, the Adventurer's Guild's trading sector absolutely lived up to its reputation.

Clean, bright halls, neatly categorized supply counters, a strictly managed resource system — every service was efficient and professional.

Here, if you had the valis, there was basically nothing you couldn't buy.

Ryota moved through the rows with machine-like precision, sweeping up goods without pause.

He'd just spent three days practically living in the forge at the Hephaestus Familia, hammering away day and night.

Besides forging some basic weapons with his own hands, he'd memorized the uses, elemental properties, and fusion thresholds of countless materials.

So facing these fully stocked counters, he had no hesitation whatsoever, picking out targets with surgical accuracy:

Metal Rabbit Fur, mithril ingots, mystic crystals… and plenty of other odds and ends with hidden potential.

Ryota didn't hold back at all.

If it looked even remotely useful in the future, he threw it into his pile.

Forging was the foundation for his future.

And Mystery was the key to unlocking that foundation.

So to him — every single valis he spent now was a guaranteed investment.

Before long, the staff behind the counters were sweating bullets, staring at the five entire sacks of materials Ryota had stacked up.

Even veteran adventurers above LV.3 rarely bought this ridiculously much in one trip.

But Ryota calmly counted out valis, one handful, two handfuls, three handfuls…

Until the last coin clinked into the payment tray.

Clink.

The sound fell, and his money pouch collapsed, empty.

Ryota looked down. Totally empty.

The funds he'd saved through Dungeon fighting, commissions, and selling magic stones — all gone in this one huge haul.

There were even some rare materials he'd wanted, but he could only stare at their price tags in frustration.

In the end, he had to compromise and swap them for cheaper substitutes.

After paying the last valis, Ryota gave the stuffed-to-bursting supply bag a pat and let out a long breath.

He was now, in every sense of the word — back to zero.

Not a single coin left.

He couldn't even find a piece of candy if he looked.

"…Completely stripped down."

Ryota chuckled, shaking his head.

He hefted the heavy sacks and turned to leave the trading area, heading toward the Guild's exit.

But just as he stepped through the doorway, a soft but slightly urgent voice called from behind him.

"Please wait, Mister Ryota!"

Ryota paused and glanced back.

He saw a tall, well-proportioned woman hurrying toward him. Under her thin-rimmed glasses, her eyes shone a gentle, rational shade of green.

Her uniform traced a calm, elegant silhouette, radiating a composed and friendly aura.

Ryota recognized her instantly.

Eina Tulle.

One of the Guild's most popular half-elf receptionists, practically a beacon of guidance for new adventurers.

She must have jogged over, because her chest rose and fell with each breath, her breathing still slightly uneven.

Once she reached Ryota, she steadied herself and put on her usual soft, impeccable smile.

"Huff… sorry to keep you waiting. I'm Eina Tulle."

She spoke gently, then pulled a piece of paper from the folder she carried and handed it over.

"Mister Ryota, you've triggered a new commission. Misha forgot to mention it, so I hurried to catch you."

"—It's a designated commission."

Ryota raised an eyebrow, reaching out for the paper —

when suddenly, in his ear, that familiar mechanical voice rang out:

[Ding—Main Branch Quest triggered!]

[Defeat a Minotaur solo (0/1), incomplete, reward unknown]