"Odinson. Swordsman."
He'd hesitated for just a fraction of a second before giving his name. Saying "Yamamoto Odinson" out loud felt… strange, embarrassing, even—like he was pretending to be some anime protagonist. 'Ahhh~ why did I ever think this was a good idea?' He shed a tear inwardly.
Well, the lad before him seemed to really be good mannered. If he noticed the brief hesitation, he didn't comment on it. Instead, his face lit up. "A fellow adventurer! I didn't expect to find one all the way out here in Salt Fish Town. This is fantastic!"
His enthusiasm was almost infectious. Yamamoto found himself relaxing slightly, shielding himself from the beams of positivity he could smell on the youngman. "You sound, surprised."
"Well, yes! Most adventurers stick to the cities or at least the larger more active towns. The hunting grounds and dungeons there are better organized and the guilds offer support, there's actually proper infrastructure." Kenneth leaned forward mischievously. "Between you and me, places like Salt Fish Town are usually just waypoints. People pass through but don't stay."
"But you're here," Yamamoto pointed out frankly, managing a laugh, dry almost.
"Ah, yes, well…" Kenneth looked slightly embarrassed. "I'm here for a specific reason. There's a dungeon a day's travel from here—small one, nothing too dangerous, but it's got good loot for the level range. I'm organizing a party to clear it in a few days." He explained.
'A dungeon?' Yamamoto's interest perked up. Dungeons meant experience, loot, and most importantly, its translation into money.
Their conversation was interrupted by a serving girl bringing their meals. Roast chicken, as promised, with bread and vegetables. Yamamoto's stomach growled appreciatively as he smelled the food before him. He didn't fancy the bread, but in hunger, everything tastes good, right?
As they began eating, Kenneth continued talking. "So, Odinson, what guild are you with? I'm with the Iron Vanguard myself—just a provisional member, but still."
Yamamoto paused mid-bite. 'Guild, huh? Guess NPCs take over what players are supposed to champion.' He thought to himself.
"I'm not with any guild."
Kenneth's eyebrows rose. "Really? Are you registered with the Adventurer's Association at least?"
'Adventurer's Association?' It seemed the world was making up for things by adding additional things.
"No."
Now Kenneth looked genuinely surprised, and something else—a flicker of suspicion. "You're not registered? But you said you're a Swordsman. You're clearly equipped for combat..."
Yamamoto realized his mistake. An unregistered adventurer probably looked suspicious, like someone operating outside the law. A kind of rogue element.
Without even thinking, he found the words spill from his mouth, "I only recently became an adventurer," Yamamoto explained, keeping his voice casual. "Needed the money, you understand? But I haven't made enough yet to afford the journey to a city where I could properly register. I've just been doing small jobs around here—hunting in the forest, that sort of thing."
After chewing on it for some seconds, the explanation seemed to satisfy Kenneth. His expression cleared, and he nodded sympathetically. "Ah, I see. That's actually pretty common, you know? Lots of people start out that way—taking odd jobs, building up funds before they can afford the registration fees. The Association understands that. As long as you register eventually, there's no problem."
'This guy's so simple.' Yamamoto thought to himself with a sigh of relieve.
Relief washed through him as his lie worked like a charm. "Exactly. I'm planning to head to a city once I have enough saved up."
"Well then, this is perfect timing!" Kenneth's enthusiasm returned. "The dungeon run I mentioned—the payout should be more than enough to cover your travel and registration fees. We're splitting the loot evenly among the party members, and even a small dungeon could yield at least a few silver coins when distributed, as long as its not giant rats or goblins, haha, those are too common. You're interested, aren't you?"
'A few silver, huh. quick money for high risks indeed. The lure of the adventurer lifestyle.' That was definitely what a normal person would make in a few months. Well, he wasn't too sure how labour and pay worked exactly in this world.
"I am," Yamamoto said carefully. "What's the dungeon? What level?"
"It's called the Whispering Caves. Average monster level is around 8-10, so it's accessible for newer adventurers, but I got some info, so this one will be rather profitable. The layout is fairly straightforward—mostly tunnel systems with some larger chambers. The boss is supposedly a level 12 beast, but with a proper party, it should be manageable."
Level 8-10 monsters, a level 12 boss. Yamamoto ran the numbers in his head. He was level 4 with optimized stats and good skills. It would be challenging but not impossible, as long as he was with a party. Not to mention, he knew the dungeon, it was a one time dungeon, which meant it disappeared after one clear.
Thinking about it though, he'd already cleared the time-sensitive quest, and the Midnight Dungeon was behind him. The remaining hidden quests he knew about were level-gated—they'd still be available as long as he stayed below level 10. He wouldn't go above level 10 with this dungeon.
"When are you planning this run?" Yamamoto asked.
"Four days from now, in the morning. I'm still putting together the party—we need at least four people, ideally five. I've got myself, you if you're interested, and I'm waiting to hear back from two others. A Mage and a Cleric."
'A balanced party. Warrior for tanking, Swordsman for DPS, Mage for ranged damage and crowd control, Cleric for healing. Everything looks solid.'
"Count me in," Yamamoto said.
Kenneth's face broke into a wide grin. He extended his hand again, and they shook on it. "Excellent! Meet me here in four days, early morning. We'll set out at dawn, clear the dungeon, and be back by nightfall if everything goes well."
They finished their meals while Kenneth talked more about dungeons, adventuring, and the various guilds operating in the region. Yamamoto mostly listened, absorbing information. This world was so much more complex than the game had portrayed. There were systems, organizations, and rules he'd never encountered before.
Eventually, Kenneth yawned and stood up. "I should get some rest. Early start tomorrow—I've got to check in with the others, make sure they're still committed."
"See you in four days," Yamamoto said.
"Four days," Kenneth confirmed with a nod, then headed upstairs.
Yamamoto sat alone at the table for a while longer, thinking. The dungeon run was a good opportunity for money, and a chance to see how parties operated in this world. Kenneth seemed trustworthy enough, and having allies would be valuable.
Just then, all the isekai stories where party members betray the isekied MC came to him, sending a shudder down his back and legs… 'this won't be the case, right?'
Thinking about it, he decided it'll be good to get equipped before then to stay safe.
Then again, he had four days before that, and he knew exactly what he needed to do next.
Yamamoto stood, nodded to Grom behind the bar, and headed upstairs to his room.
'Maybe going with the most optimal quest for a newbie is best?'