Yuuya trudged down the cobblestone road, clutching his satchel like it was the only friend he had. Because it was.
The world of Eldoria stretched out around him in picturesque beauty—rolling green fields, distant mountains capped with snow, and a sparkling river winding lazily through the valley. Birds chirped. Butterflies fluttered. It was like walking through the background of a JRPG title screen.
Yuuya, however, wasn't feeling the magic.
"Beautiful world, sure," he muttered. "But what am I supposed to eat? Where do I sleep? And most importantly—where's the nearest toilet?"
The wind didn't answer.
After an hour of walking and mumbling complaints, he spotted a small settlement ahead. Wooden palisades ringed the outskirts, smoke curled from chimneys, and villagers bustled near the gate.
A signpost read:
[Welcome to Grimloch Village]
"…Grimloch?" Yuuya said aloud. "That's the most depressing name for such a scenic place. Should've gone with Meadowbrook. Or Happycowland. Anything better than Grimloch."
Still, a village meant food, and food meant survival. He squared his shoulders, tried to look confident, and strode toward the gate.
Two guards stopped him immediately. One was tall and lean with stubble, the other short and round with a helmet slightly too big for his head. Both eyed Yuuya suspiciously.
"State your business, traveler," the tall guard demanded.
Yuuya forced a smile. "Uh, hey there! I'm, uh… new. Just passing through. Thought I'd stop by, grab some food, maybe find a place to stay."
The short guard squinted at him. "You don't look like you're from around here. What's your status?"
"…My what?"
"Your Status Window," the tall one said impatiently. "Open it."
Yuuya blinked. Then remembered. The goddess had mentioned something about stats. He hesitated, then whispered, "…Status."
A shimmering blue screen popped up in front of him, visible only to his eyes:
[Name: Yuuya Morita]
[Race: Human]
[Level: 1]
[HP: 100 | MP: 50 | Stamina: 80]
[Strength: 8 | Agility: 10 | Vitality: 9 | Intelligence: 11 | Luck: ???]
[Skills: Junk Forge (7 uses/week), Limitless Satchel]
[Titles: None]
Yuuya nearly choked. Why is my Luck stat question marks?
The guards seemed satisfied, though. "Alright," the tall one said. "You're a registered adventurer, then?"
"…Sure," Yuuya said. "Totally."
"Good. Go find the Adventurers' Guild in the square. Register there properly before you cause trouble."
Yuuya nodded quickly and slipped past before they could ask more questions.
Grimloch turned out to be lively despite its gloomy name. Merchants shouted prices from stalls, children darted between carts, and blacksmiths hammered away at glowing steel. The air smelled of bread, sweat, and livestock.
For a second, Yuuya almost forgot his complaints. This was a world straight out of an RPG.
Then his stomach growled again. Loudly.
He sighed. "Right. Survival first, sightseeing later."
He followed a wooden sign shaped like a tankard until he found the Adventurers' Guild—a sturdy stone building with a swinging double door. The moment he pushed inside, a wave of noise hit him.
Laughter, shouting, clinking mugs. Dozens of adventurers filled the hall, armored and armed, boasting about monster hunts and loot. A giant quest board dominated the far wall, covered in parchment notices.
Behind the counter stood a woman with tied-up auburn hair and sharp green eyes. Her uniform was neat, but the exasperation on her face suggested she dealt with idiots daily.
Yuuya approached cautiously. "Uh, hey. First time here. Do I, like, sign up or something?"
The woman raised an eyebrow. "Another newbie, huh? Name?"
"Yuuya Morita."
"Origin?"
"Uh… Tokyo?"
She stared. "Never heard of it."
"Yeah, small place. Very exclusive."
The receptionist sighed, pulled out a crystal tablet, and gestured. "Place your hand here. It'll register your Status."
Yuuya obeyed. The crystal glowed faintly, and she jotted notes on parchment. "Level one, huh? And… oh. Oh dear."
"What?" Yuuya asked nervously.
The receptionist's lips twitched. "Your skill is… [Junk Forge]?"
Her tone made it sound like he had just admitted his profession was "professional toenail collector."
"Hey!" Yuuya protested. "Don't say it like that!"
"Sorry, sorry," she said, though her smile was clearly strained. "It's just… most beginners come in with combat skills. Fireball, Sword Mastery, Healing Touch. Yours is… well… unique."
"Unique is just a polite word for garbage," Yuuya muttered.
"You also have… [Limitless Satchel]. Hm. That one's actually impressive."
Yuuya perked up. "Really?"
"Oh yes. Merchants would kill for that kind of storage. Adventurers too. Infinite space, no weight limit—it's priceless. Shame about the other one."
"Shame about your attitude," Yuuya grumbled under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
The receptionist slid a wooden plate across the counter. "Here's your Adventurer's ID. You'll start at Copper Rank. Take quests, earn money, build reputation. You know the drill."
Yuuya picked up the plate. It had his name and a crude carving of a copper coin. He forced a grin. "Sweet. I'm officially an adventurer. Living the dream."
The receptionist gave him a flat look. "Try not to die."
Yuuya spent the next hour hovering near the quest board. Most of the postings were well above his ability:
[Slay 10 Dire Wolves – Reward: 50 silver]
[Escort caravan to Stonefang Keep – Reward: 80 silver]
[Eliminate cave trolls – Reward: 1 gold]
All sounded like easy ways to end up a corpse.
Then his eyes landed on a much smaller notice at the bottom.
[Quest: Collect 10 Slime Cores – Reward: 5 silver]
Yuuya grimaced. "Slimes. Of course it's slimes."
Still, it was that or starve. He pulled the slip off the board.
As he turned, he nearly bumped into a group entering the hall. His eyes widened as he caught sight of them.
Three women and a man.
The first was tall and striking, with long golden hair and pointed ears—an elf, dressed in flowing bardic garb with a lute strapped to her back. She moved with dramatic flair, as though every step was part of a performance.
The second was shorter, athletic, with sharp green eyes and wild catlike ears poking from her black hair. She wore light armor, two curved swords at her hips, and an eager grin that screamed "fight first, think later."
The third was a robed priestess with gentle brown hair and mischievous eyes, a holy symbol dangling from her neck. She gave off an air of serene kindness… until Yuuya noticed the stack of dice in her hand.
And behind them was a mountain of muscle—a broad-shouldered warrior with a permanent scowl and arms thicker than Yuuya's torso.
The four of them strode inside like they owned the place. Other adventurers glanced up, muttering. Clearly, this group was known.
Yuuya's gut twisted. He had a feeling fate had just thrown him face-first into trouble.
The elf's gaze swept the hall, landing squarely on him. She smiled—dramatically, like a stage actor spotting their cue.
"Well, well," she said, striding toward him. "A new face! And what an aura of misfortune clings to you. Delightful."
Yuuya blinked. "…What?"
The catgirl grinned, eyes flashing. "He looks weak. I like him."
The priestess giggled, rolling her dice in one hand. "I sense… unpredictable luck. Dangerous. Fun."
The muscle man just grunted.
Yuuya held up his hands nervously. "Uh, hi. Name's Yuuya. I'm new. Just trying not to starve, honestly."
The elf extended a hand with exaggerated grace. "Selene, bard of unrivaled beauty and wit."
The catgirl smirked. "Kaela. I fight. That's all you need to know."
The priestess twirled her dice. "Iris. Priestess of Lady Fortuna. Don't trust me with your savings."
The warrior crossed his arms. "Garron."
Yuuya stared at them all, realization dawning. This was his party. These were the lunatics he was doomed to travel with.
He swallowed hard. "…I'm so screwed."