Acquiring Equipment, Adventurer Registration

Early morning, birds chirping.

The sun had only just risen, yet Liber was already up and about.

Liber stood by the window, gazing out at the still-misty weather.

He dove into his consciousness, seeing seven new star points scattered across the starry expanse of his mind.

The number matched the Familia executives he had met yesterday exactly, bringing the current total to fifty-three.

It seems the star points increase whenever I make contact with major characters from the original story.

Liber scanned the room, lost in thought for a moment.

There are about two years left before the main plot officially unfolds. I need to acquire strength as quickly as possible to ensure my own survival amidst the coming turmoil.

I've finished reviewing the information; I need to prepare a sturdy, durable new weapon first. The longsword I had was bought in a small town and isn't of great quality. Between the journey to Orario, clearing paths through the woods, and camping in the wild, it's already quite worn down.

I should also pick up a set of armor while I'm at it. The books say the environment in the Dungeon is rather harsh, and armor will provide better protection.

After that, I'll head to the Guild to register as an adventurer.

Finally, I'll head to the Dungeon to begin my own adventure.

Liber organized his thoughts, mapping out his upcoming actions.

He sighed, "I certainly have a lot to do today."

After a quick wash, Liber left his room, greeting other members who were already up and busy along the way.

As he walked toward the courtyard of the Twilight Tower, he suddenly heard the sharp whistling of wind being cut.

Liber followed the sound and arrived at the courtyard floor. A girl who looked like a golden-haired doll was holding a sharp rapier, swinging it continuously through the air.

Her usually calm and indifferent face appeared exceptionally cold and stern while she wielded her blade, her clear eyes filled with intense focus.

The sharp sword in her hand slashed through the air, producing a continuous, piercing sound.

Before the sound even reached Liber, he saw several flashes of sword light; her hands moved with such speed they left blurred afterimages.

Her face was as beautiful as a goddess, and her movements were as graceful as an elf. Thrusts, slashes, vertical cuts, diagonal parries... the girl continued to wield her weapon in the empty space, dancing a fierce sword dance all by herself.

Liber did not call out to disturb her, nor did he make any unnecessary movements. He paused to watch the scene, observed for a while, and then continued on his way, heading out of the Twilight Manor.

As his figure gradually moved away from the Twilight Manor, the girl who had been practicing her swordsmanship slowly came to a stop. Watching his retreating shadow, her expressionless face seemed to betray a hint of distress.

Liber, of course, was unaware of what happened afterward.

After leaving the Twilight Manor, he headed toward the streets in the northwest of Orario.

The intersection of this street was home to the Guild headquarters, which managed the labyrinth city.

Because of this, the surrounding streets were always crowded with adventurers.

Seizing this opportunity, the northwest street of Orario was filled with shops catering to adventurers, from equipment stores specializing in weapons and armor to pharmacies selling recovery and healing potions.

This attracted even more adventurers with money to spend, and due to these factors, the street had earned the direct nickname of Adventurer Street.

As he walked, Liber planned out how to use the starting funds he had obtained last night.

"One hundred thousand Valis isn't a small sum; it's enough for a newcomer to buy a decent set of gear. Though, it won't be enough for anything particularly precious or rare."

To a high-level adventurer, this amount was merely a few grains of rice falling through the cracks of one's fingers.

Adventurers had a high earning potential, but their spending speed was equally rapid.

Take, for instance, the staff used by Riveria, an executive of the Familia and known as the strongest mage in Orario.

The craftsmanship fee alone exceeded 300 million Valis, and that's not even accounting for the unimaginable cost of the materials.

Not to mention the rapiers of Ais, the boots of Bete, or the scimitars of the Amazon sisters—none of those were small figures.

Because people of the Lower World, after receiving a god's blessing, had a small chance of gaining additional Development Abilities upon leveling up, one of which was called Smithing.

This allowed for the addition of special attributes and effects to forged items. Depending on the artisan's skill and the level of their Smithing ability, the quality of the forged weapons varied significantly.

People generally categorized the quality and price of equipment into three tiers: First Grade, Second Grade, and Third Grade.

The minimum requirement to enter these grading standards was that the item had to be a special weapon or tool crafted by a blacksmith who possessed the Development Ability.

As for weapons crafted by mortals who had not gained the Smithing ability or had not received a blessing, no matter how sharp or durable they were, they would not be listed in the grading standards—meaning they were not considered graded weapons.

Even a Third Grade weapon, the lowest tier, if forged by a specialist with special abilities, would cost far more than one hundred thousand Valis.

Following his personal preferences, Liber selected a standard broadsword; it was of moderate length and had a well-balanced center of gravity.

After picking out the broadsword, he suddenly wondered what it would be like to use a weapon enchanted with Levitation.

Seeing that no one in the shop was paying attention to him, he silently cast the magic to test it out. He found that the enchanted weapon felt weightless when swung, though its actual mass remained unchanged.

Driven by curiosity, he decided to experiment with a greatsword as well.

The greatsword he tested was as wide as an adult's torso and over 1.6 meters long.

Liber tried to lift it and found he couldn't budge it at all, so he silently cast his magic and began swinging the massive blade, much to the astonishment of the people around him.

He made a brief attempt, bought the greatsword, and quickly departed under the astonished gazes of the crowd.

Liber walked out of the weapon shop, slipped out of sight, and stowed the weapon into his inventory at the corner of the building.

Following his plan, he then arrived at an armor shop to purchase equipment. Considering that armor had to be worn at all times, heavy metal gear would hinder his movement and increase his physical stamina consumption.

Thus, he purchased and donned a tunic reinforced with two layers of leather and chest plating. Liber's lower body was also clad in leather, featuring a tasset made of a mix of leather and metal plates at the hips.

He pulled on a pair of non-slip woven gloves, completing a set of full-body protective gear designed for mobility, with light casual clothing worn underneath.

After Liber finished his purchases, the 100,000 Valis sponsored by the Familia had dwindled to just a few hundred—barely enough for a single serving of yakisoba.

He then followed the main street toward the Adventurer Guild headquarters.

On the way to the Guild, Liber saw many well-equipped adventurers, including sturdy humans and petite demi-humans, most of whom were heading along the road toward the Guild.

Liber followed the crowd, venturing deep into the main street until he arrived at a magnificent temple. The temple was constructed entirely of white marble, with a smooth finish and beautiful decorations.

The spacious hall was surging with people coming and going; many fully armed individuals were crowded noisily inside the temple.

This was the Guild. It served functions such as managing the city, providing strategies, recording Dungeon maps, and exchanging items for money.

Most of the adventurers gathered in the hall were those aiming to conquer the Dungeon.

Besides them, there were others there to exchange magic stones dropped by Dungeon monsters for money, or to provide various pieces of information about the Dungeon.

Liber followed the queue for processing, moving forward step by step until he reached a counter.

"Hello, I am here to register as an adventurer."

He informed the dignified female clerk behind the counter of his business.

"Certainly, please wait a moment."

The clerk immediately and efficiently produced some paperwork and began recording his adventurer information.

"Your name?"

"Liber Miller."

"Race?"

"Human."

"Approximate age?"

"14 years old."

"Which deity is your Familia affiliated with?"

"My Familia is the Loki Familia."

After Liber announced the name of his Familia, the female clerk behind the counter looked up at him in surprise.

The surrounding crowd also let out gasps and murmurs upon hearing the name of his Familia.

Liber raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "Is the registration complete?"

The clerk composed her facial expression, offered him an apology, and continued to lower her head to fill out the registration details. The surrounding crowd grew noisy, and the sound of their discussion gradually spread throughout the entire hall.

"He just became an adventurer, but he looks a bit young."

"Has a new member joined the Loki Familia?"

"He must have some extraordinary talent."

"I wonder what it takes to join the Loki Familia."

"Don't even think about it, not with your skills."

Various noisy discussions poured into Liber's ears. He let out a soft breath to calm his nerves.

He had anticipated that this might happen long before he decided to join the Loki Familia.

As one of the top Familias in Orario, the Loki Familia was either worshipped or feared by many, and its reputation even extended far beyond Orario to other countries.

However, looking at the situation, he feared his name would attract the attention of certain people—those who specialized in collecting information on prominent Familias to pass on to others or sell for profit.

He didn't need to worry about the Guild's registration data, as it only recorded basic information like name, Familia, and level; he didn't need to be overly concerned about such simple details.

He watched as the Guild clerk finished the registration process, and after bidding her farewell, Liber left the noisy Guild hall.

He began his journey toward the Dungeon to embark on his first adventure.