Kasman looked with disdain at the man who interrupted him and shook his hand.
He tried to pull his hand back, but saw that the man smiling with his eyes closed didn't even flinch.
Veins began to bulge on Kasman's forehead.
"You bastard..." he growled and wanted to get revenge by tightening his grip on the man's hand.
However, the man was still smiling.
The worst came next.
"Ohh, I see you want to have a handshaking contest with me." He said as if it were a fact and began squeezing Kasman's hand.
At first, Kasman's hand just turned red.
"Ow, let go of me!" Kasman shouted in warning.
"Already giving up?" Tomoya asked in a friendly tone.
That only made Kasman even angrier.
"Go, go, finish him!"
The people who had been eating and drinking as if they were in a restaurant started cheering like they were hoping to watch a good show.
It was presumed that such events were common—after all, adventurers were often muscle-brained men constantly in conflict.
Only a few were exceptions to the rule.
A good example was that even the guild staff who served drinks and food were muscular men wearing only a black thong, black thigh-high socks held by suspenders going over the shoulders, and a helmet.
In short, it was a place full of eccentric people.
"You sons of bitches..." Kasman looked around, then focused back on Tomoya.
He tried to tighten his grip, but when he did, his fingers were crushed. Loud cracks echoed.
"Ahhhh!" It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!
"Sorry, did I hurt you? I thought you were strong, since you promised to protect Aria, even wear armor and carry a sword, but in the end, you're... pretty average, even though I'm a mage?" He feigned innocence.
The humiliation Kasman felt was unbearable.
The booing made him hyperventilate.
His face was the same color as his hair.
"You bastard, you bastard..." His visible veins were about to burst.
With his good hand, he drew his sword.
Tomoya opened his eyes: "Oh, are you sure you want to fight me? I am, after all, a mage."
It was as if he was saying: You lost to me in strength, even though I'm a mage—if I use magic, wouldn't you die?
Kasman's hand holding the sword trembled.
A good coward only has the courage to intimidate those weaker than him. However, in front of someone who seemed stronger than him, his legs trembled.
It was similar to a drunk husband who only has the courage to beat his wife when she doesn't dare to fight back.
He went after Aria because her rank was lower than his. But if she showed herself to be stronger, he wouldn't even dare approach her.
Behind Kasman, a large man appeared. He was bald and wore the same outfit as the other men working in the guild. The only difference was that he didn't wear a helmet.
"Little Kasman, my dear..." The voice of the large, wall-like man was soft and high-pitched: "You're not seriously thinking of brandishing a sword within the Guild, are you?"
Looking back, Kasman, who looked up directly into the man's purple eyes, trembled even more.
It was clear that he feared this man deeply.
"O-Ohh damn, look at the time!" He broke into a cold sweat. "I better get going!"
As soon as the man dropped the sword, he put it away and ran off with his tail between his legs.
"No need to run so fast..." The muscular man looked worried, but had veins even on his shoulder.
"Already leaving? I thought he wanted to keep comparing strength with me." Tomoya pretended to sigh.
"Hey, you." The big man in a thong said: "I see you're a very naughty boy. But, I Ana, love it~"
He winked at him.
Tomoya's whole body shivered.
"Haha." He laughed awkwardly.
"Fufu~ Don't worry, I don't force anyone~" He said, winking again: "By the way, I'm Arnald Horizegger, but I prefer you to call me just Anna. You're new around here, right? Want to register at the Guild?"
"Yes, I want to become an adventurer." Tomoya said: "Thanks for the help earlier. My name is Tomoya Yamano."
"Little Tomoya, right? Are you a friend of Aria?" He asked.
"You could say so." He replied.
Aria, who had been silent, said: "He helped me earlier and I brought him to the guild."
"Ara, I see." Anna said: "Follow me to the counter~"
Turning around, Anna walked away swaying.
Aria whispered to him: "Don't underestimate Anna, he's a former Rank B adventurer."
Tomoya already figured he was strong. From the small display of strength Anna showed, it was clear his power was no joke.
Honestly, he didn't know what scared Kasman more—Anna's strength, or the volume Anna had in front of the black thong that looked more like a fanny pack.
No wonder Kasman ran off in such a weird way after Anna locked him from behind. He must've felt the volume of the fanny pack...
At the counter, Anna handed a clipboard for Tomoya to fill out as a new adventurer.
The moment he saw the strange letters, he automatically learned the writing system and even knew how to write it.
[Name: Tomoya Yamano
Occupation: Adventurer
Class: Mage
Origin: Vila Boa Vida.]
After making up any name for where he came from, putting some random village—since it was easier to lie—he handed over the clipboard.
"So little Tomoya is a Mage~" Anna smiled, saying: "Ah yes, for registration, the fee is one silver coin. You'll start at the lowest rank which is Bronze E. But, if you advance to Bronze D, we'll return the silver coin you paid to register at the guild as an adventurer. And, it's important to remember that after 1 week without any news from you, your adventurer license will be revoked. To have the time extended, you need to work hard and rank up, okay?"
"I understand."
Tomoya hadn't asked before whether there was a fee, so he didn't have money from this dimension with him. However, he managed to find it in the shop. It was one gold coin for a thousand silver coins or 10 gold coins.
He chose 10 gold coins worth the same as a thousand silver coins.
[-1 gold coin]
He chose to have it delivered to the Item Box.
Pretending to take a coin from his pocket, he took the gold coin from the Item Box and handed it to Anna.
"I see money isn't a problem for you." Anna winked at him and went to get the change.
Soon, a pouch with 99 silver coins was handed to him.
"You can count it." Anna said.
"No need." Tomoya replied: "Aria seems to trust you and I trust her judgment."
Anna's smile deepened.
Even Aria looked a little happy with his comment.
After handing over the bronze medallion with a visible E and a black cord, Anna's attention turned to Aria.
"Little Aria, dear, finished the mission?" He asked.
"Yes." Aria replied with a smile and crescent moon–shaped eyes.
From a cloth bag, she pulled it out and placed it on the counter.
Anna picked up a wooden tray and began removing the goblin ears.
A total of 6 goblin ears were counted.
"Okay, okay~!" Anna hummed: "With this, you complete the mission. Little Aria, you'll be promoted any time now, right?"
"Yes!" Aria replied excitedly.
'So she'll be Rank C soon.' Tomoya thought.
While Anna and Aria talked, he read about the adventurer ranking system.
Each mission yielded a certain number of points. To be promoted from Rank E to D, it was necessary to accumulate 100 points. From Rank D to C, 10,000 points and complete at least one Rank C mission.
From Rank C to B, it was necessary to accumulate 100,000 points and complete at least 5 Rank B missions. Also, points were not cumulative. In other words, when he reached Rank D, for example, the points he earned to get promoted from Rank E would be reset.
A mission to kill 3 goblins gave 5 points. It was a Rank E mission. An easy mission to complete and could be done solo.
Additionally, the reward for such a mission was between 30 to 50 copper coins.
He quickly understood that 1 copper coin was the same as 1 dollar. So, between 30 to 50 dollars could be earned per day by completing such missions.
Of course, harder missions like exterminating Orcs, which were Rank D, yielded from 50 to 150 copper coins. Or 1 silver coin and 50 copper.
Rank E adventurers could only take missions up to Rank D.
The sky outside was still clear.
From what he learned through Aria, on the first floor of the labyrinth, one could find goblins and rarely a goblin mage. On the second floor, there would normally be Orcs, goblin mages, and goblins.
He went to the mission board.
The missions that caught his attention the most were:
[Rank E Mission: Kill 5 goblins. Reward: 50 copper coins and 8 points.
Rank D Mission: Kill 2 Orcs. Reward: 1 silver coin and 20 points.]
He took both missions and went to the counter.
At this moment, Anna and Aria had already finished processing Aria's completed mission.
"I'm going to complete these two missions, want to come with me?" Tomoya asked.
Anna encouraged: "With this, you'd be promoted, Little Aria."
Anna liked Aria a lot, and knowing it was a good chance for her, Anna encouraged her to accept.
"Can I really?" Aria asked.
"Of course. With you by my side, the missions will be completed faster." Tomoya replied.
"Then, I hope we have a good collaboration." Aria extended her hand and Tomoya shook it.
Before they left, Anna said: "Ah yes, Little Tomoya, dear, your adventurer card should be ready in a few hours. When you return from the labyrinth, it should be done."
"Adventurer card?" He was confused; Tomoya thought the medallion alone was enough.
"It's like this..." Anna began to explain.
Although the medallion served as proof that he was an adventurer, the adventurer card was a kind of ID. It had name, age, rank, etc. Most importantly, it was where each mission's points were recorded.
From what he understood, the card being made for him was linked to the medallion. The moment he had enough points on the card and was promoted, the medallion would change automatically.
--
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