Danmachi: Is It Wrong to Aspire to Be an Adventurer?

[Veltoria]

Prologue

My limbs wouldn't move. Consciousness was fading.

I knew this day would come eventually. I had killed countless people, just as I was ordered. Now, the time had finally come to face the consequences.

Ah, finally I would be free. I didn't feel pain or sorrow, what came to me first was that strange sense of release.

Footsteps approached. A large shadow blocked the faint moonlight filtering into the alley. That shadow was the target I had been trying to kill just moments ago.

Because of the backlight, I couldn't make out their expression. But this was the person who had tried to kill me not long before. Surely, they didn't have kind feelings toward me.

Strangely, I wasn't afraid. I closed my eyes and waited for my death.

But no matter how long I waited, that moment never came.

Carefully, I opened my eyes. The shadow still looked down at me, without any flicker of emotion, just calmly observing.

I don't know how long I stayed like that, but eventually the figure seemed to lose interest, turned on their heel, and left.

(...Did they spare me?)

It took me several minutes to accept that fact. And when I did, the emotion that rose within me was not relief or joy at surviving, but humiliation at being spared.

I didn't understand why I felt that way. I'm no warrior, just an assassin. A cowardly, despicable piece of trash who kills targets ordered by others, relying only on my innate skills.

Yet this feeling grew stronger, like a spring of water welling up inside me. I was losing grasp of who I was.

I thought hard, recalled everything about my short life, and reached one conclusion...

(So that's it. I was envious...)

I wasn't a warrior. But the person I fought was. It was only for a few minutes. But in those minutes, I was captivated by their strength and nobility.

Damn it. Now, I don't want to die anymore. I want to fight again, not as an assassin, but with honor. I want a real duel with the person who didn't even glance my way. That's why, that's why...

"I don't want to die...!"

…
Footsteps echoed softly. At first, I thought it was them returning, but I quickly realized it wasn't.
There were two sets of footsteps. One belonged to a woman, with small steps and lighter sounds, and the other to a man, clearly not the same person I had faced earlier, judging by their stride and weight.

A couple? Why would two people be alone in this alley?

Soon, the footsteps came closer. The woman quickened her pace, moving as if to shield the man ahead of her, and spoke to him.

"Hermes-sama, please step back. There's something here."

Hermes, yes, the god who rules a Familia headquartered in this Orario. Not well known, but not weak either. A strange Familia that doesn't ally with others.

The woman came closer. For a moment, I thought about killing her, but considering she was a god's retainer, and I was weak and injured, I decided against it and feigned unconsciousness.

I didn't want to die, but maybe, just maybe, I could accept the judgment of a god at my end. A thought that would never have crossed my mind before.

"You're just a child. There's a faint scent of blood. What should we do?"

"Hmm, let me think..."

Hermes approached.

"H-Hermes-sama, please step back! We don't yet know if the child is safe!"

"Oh, come now, don't be so rigid."

The woman sighed, she seemed tired, though why, I didn't know.

Hermes looked down at me.

"Hmm? Hey, are you awake?"

"As expected of a god. You noticed quickly..."

Resigned, I opened my eyes. The woman grew more alert.

"Well then, what were you doing here?"

"I... was trying to kill a demi-human... but got beaten instead."

The air froze. The woman gasped, but Hermes burst out laughing.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ahahaha!"

"H-Hermes-sama, this isn't something to laugh about!"

After a while, Hermes sat down, still chuckling.

"Ah, that was a good laugh. But boy, why tell me that?"

"There's no point in lying... so please... judge me."

"You want me to judge you?"

"Yes."

Hermes was silent for a moment. The woman looked anxious despite her earlier caution.

"Well, I'm not exactly a god of judgment. Hmm... boy, is there something you want to do?"

"Yes."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"To become an adventurer."

Again, the air froze. Hermes laughed once more.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! I can't believe I'm laughing this much twice in one day! How about it, Asfi? Sometimes it's good to take a detour home, isn't it?"

"H-Hermes-sama, no way..."

"Boy, what's your name?"

"Toki Ortyx."

"Alright, Toki. Then I hereby declare my judgment."

Hermes stood up and pronounced his verdict.

"I will welcome you into my Familia! But you won't become an adventurer right away. For three years, you will serve as my attendant, then for another three years, you will do menial tasks for the Hermes Familia. After that, you will finally become a full-fledged adventurer!"

At first, I didn't understand what he meant. But as it sank in, tears welled up. This whimsical god would accept me.

"Well then, Asfi, take him with you. Let's head back."

"Sigh... I'm so tired..."

Carried by Asfi, I moved through the night streets of Orario. Wherever she walked, my tears fell like scattered drops along the path.

 

[Rodvek97]

Thanks for the great chapter

 

[Veltoria]

The city of Orario, built atop the sprawling underground labyrinth known as the Dungeon, is home to all kinds of people.

But there's probably no one as unusual as the boy I'm currently teamed up with–Bell Cranel.

We happened to register as adventurers at the same time, and by chance, we ended up diving into the Dungeon together. Bell is a strange kid: white hair, red eyes, and a vibe that somehow makes you think of a rabbit. He seems to be chasing encounters within the Dungeon.

At first, I thought,"What the heck?" But after listening to him, it became clear his upbringing was the cause. He dreams of harems and"male fantasies", goals most people wouldn't even consider.

Yet, just because he dreams about that stuff doesn't mean he's some kind of pervert. On the contrary, he's pretty innocent, which only shows how oddly mismatched this boy really is.

By the way, all this info came straight from him. Whenever I asked, he honestly answered. Too honest, in fact, he seems like the type to fall for scams immediately.

Anyway, right now, me, Toki Ortyx, 14 years old, and Bell...

'Vvvoooohhhhhh!!!'

"Hyaaaahhhh!!"

We're being chased by a Minotaur.

After finally becoming an adventurer just two weeks ago, we got cocky and descended all the way to the fifth level. Big mistake.

"Why the hell is a Minotaur here? Aren't Minotaurs supposed to appear on the 'middle floors,' Bell?"

"Forget that! Just run!!"

Yeah, he's right.

Then I realized something important.

"Bell..."

"What!?"

"If we don't turn at this corner, it's a dead end..."

"What?"

Sure enough, we found ourselves cornered.

"Damn!"

I spin around to face the Minotaur head-on. Taking a closer look at the enemy: over two meters tall, armored with thick muscles, massive horns on its head. Its main weapons are those three. But with the huge difference in stats, our attacks don't even scratch it.

At least, not normally.

I have the weapon, or rather, the skill, to injure this thing. But the question is...

(Is my skill enough?)

Before I can think further, the Minotaur lunges forward, hooves raised to claim our lives.

(No time to hesitate!)

I concentrate my magic at my feet,

In that instant, a sharp line appeared across the Minotaur's torso.

"...Huh?"

Bell, I, and the Minotaur all make dumbfounded sounds.

The line spreads, cutting across its chest, arm, calf, foot, shoulder, and neck, one after another.

The monster I had prepared to fight desperately simply collapses, its life ending quickly.

Then a huge spray of blood splashes toward us.

"Whoa!"

I instinctively shield myself in shadow to avoid the spray, resuming the action I had stopped earlier.

After protecting myself, I deactivate my skill and look up at the person who defeated that beast.

"...Are you alright?"

It's someone even a newbie adventurer like me knows.

Golden hair that shines, a lithe figure, beautiful golden eyes. From the [Loki Familia], known by the title"Sword Princess", her name is...

"Ais Wallenstein..."

"Uh... are you okay?"

Her voice pulls me back to reality.

"Yes, I'm fine…"

"Hyaaaaahhh!!"

Something whizzes right past me.

"...Huh?"

The thing was red and shaped like a person.

I look around, my friend who was just here is gone.

Q: What was that red thing?

A: That was my friend, Bell Cranel.

"Ais Wallenstein, thank you so much for your help! Excuse me!"

I bow sharply, then sprint after Bell with all my might.

I can still catch up, I have to!

 

[Veltoria]

In the end, I couldn't catch up.

I was pretty confident in my [Status] skill, but since that guy ran without paying attention to his surroundings, I was stuck trailing just behind him the whole time. People really do show power beyond their limits when they focus on something.

Anyway, the blood-soaked red blur, Bell, had sprinted all the way from the Dungeon to the Guild at full speed. Man, I wanted to stop that from happening…

Honestly, the real reason was simple, I didn't want anyone I knew running around town covered in blood.

I thought maybe I'd just pretend he's a stranger starting tomorrow. But if I did that, I'd have no one to party with. So, it looks like I'm heading back into the Dungeon with him tomorrow, too.

…
"So, that's what happened, Misha-san."
"Wow, sounds rough." my advisor, Misha Flott, replied with a sympathetic nod.

By the way, what am I doing right now? Waiting for Bell.

Bell belongs to the Hestia Familia, which currently only has him as a member, just starting out. Because of that, all his Dungeon knowledge and training comes from his advisor, Eina Tulle. She's really dedicated to new adventurers like Bell and gives detailed, careful advice, so it always takes time.

I, on the other hand, have plenty of senior members in my own Familia, and get decent advice, so things move faster for me.

Misha says I'm a very low-maintenance guy.

Oh, and another thing: I'm waiting for Bell to give him his share of today's loot. Since we belong to different Familias, we have to properly split the cash after converting the Dungeon treasure.

…
"...Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Ah, finally… You look kinda down, though?"

"...Yeah, just a little."

Bell returned with Eina, clearly not his usual self. But Bell's simple, he'll be back to normal if something good happens.

"Here's your share from today."
"...Thanks."

Bell took the money slowly.

"1,200 Valis, huh…"

"Well, we didn't spend much time in the Dungeon today. I also got 1,200 Valis."

I showed him my earnings, signaling that I wasn't cheating him out of his cut. Normally, I'd convert the treasure with him there, but today felt like it would take too long, and I already had magic shards on me, so I cashed it in early.

"Alright, let's call it a day."
"Yeah, same time tomorrow?"

"Yeah, looking forward to it."

"...Bell-kun?"
"Y-yes? What is it?"

On the way out, Bell was stopped by Eina who had come to see him off. I wasn't so lucky, but hey, having a beautiful woman see you off isn't something to be jealous about! (Not at all!)

Anyway, I couldn't help but eavesdrop a little.

"You know, women are attracted to men who are strong and reliable…"
I was surprised. I'd thought Eina would prefer someone more like Bell, less reliable, but maybe that's just me.

"Just keep trying without giving up, okay?"

Bell listened seriously to Eina's advice. I might've never seen him this earnest before.

"...Maybe even Wallenstein-san will notice you once you get stronger."
Ah, so that earlier conversation was a love consultation, and as an advisor, Eina was telling Bell to be realistic. That's why Bell looked down before. And now she's giving advice as a friend, not just an advisor.

...Eina really is a great person.
Hearing that, Bell's face lit up with a big smile. He took off running, then turned back and shouted:

"Eina-san, I love you!"

"...Eh!?"

"Thank you!"

Eina's face flushed bright red. Bell laughed and left. She stood there dazed for a moment. She looks like she needs someone to snap her out of it.

Trying not to smile, I approached her.
"But... what you just heard, "

She whipped around to face me.

With a big grin, I said:

"That sounded like a confession, you know."

"N-no way, n-no way!"

She quickly spun around and hurried off.

"D-don't tease your seniors!!"

I ignored Eina's shout as she stormed off.

 

[Veltoria]

A stone mansion of decent size, reasonably decorated, and with a fair amount of presence. This is the home of the Hermes Familia, the guild I belong to.

Overall, it's a decent building, but its construction is solid, sturdy enough to be like a small fortress. It might not look like much at first glance, but inside, it's something else entirely. Kind of like the god who rules this mansion, powerful and unpredictable. With that thought, I step inside.

"Oh, you're back. That was quick."

"Thanks, Meryl."

Inside, I bumped into Meryl, a female dwarf from the Pallum tribe. She's one of my seniors in the Familia and one of the top-tier adventurers here, especially when it comes to magic power.

"Where's Hermes-sama?"

"He's in the back room."

"Thanks."

I thanked her and headed straight to the back room.

When I reached the door, I knocked.

"Hermes-sama, it's Toki."

"Hm? Ah, come in."

I opened the wooden door and stepped inside. There, I found the very god himself.

If I had to describe this room in one word, it'd be"map room." Hermes was surrounded by various maps, sitting alone playing chess. He paused, then turned to me.

"You're early. Did something happen?"

"I got chased around by a Minotaur on the fifth floor."

The atmosphere instantly froze.

"...A Minotaur? You mean that Minotaur?"

"Yes, the bull-headed humanoid monster that usually appears in the 'middle layers.'"

I told him the brief version of what happened, expecting his reaction. True to form, Hermes burst out laughing.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! Minotaur, huh? Ha ha ha ha!"

"Okay, laughing's fine, but I was almost killed!"

Suddenly embarrassed, I shot back at the god. After laughing for a while, with tears in his eyes, Hermes stood up.

"I see. So that's why you came back so quickly. Let's update your [Status] then."

"Please. I ran all over today, so I'm confident my agility has improved."

I took off my jacket and lay down on the sofa in the room. Hermes took a needle from his pocket, pricked his own finger, then traced his finger down my back, leaving a glowing mark.

Every adventurer belongs to a Familia and receives a [Status], a"divine blessing" granted by their Familia's god. This is the only power gods can wield on Earth: a miraculous force that records one's history and draws out abilities that match their experience.

By the way, the first time I got my Status marked, I was struck by the fact that gods' blood is red just like ours. I always imagined Hermes with yellow or green blood, so that was surprisingly down-to-earth.

While Hermes updated my Status, I detailed what had happened today. Stories like these are a god's favorite. I like talking about it too. To me, Hermes is my benefactor, my mentor, my father figure, even though I'd never say that out loud. Never.

"All done. Hmm, your agility really is impressive."

He put on his jacket and showed me a paper with my updated Status written on it, not in common Koine language, but in the Sacred Hieroglyphs used by gods. Hermes believes in practicing these sacred texts since you never know when human knowledge might come in handy.

Apparently, no one else does this, so I'm the only one in this Familia getting this kind of treatment. Strange.

Anyway, after deciphering the Sacred Hieroglyphs, here's my new Status:

---

Toki Ortyx
Lv.1

• Strength: H103 → H105
  
  
• Endurance: I15 → I16
  
  
• Dexterity: H126 → H130
  
  
• Agility: H130 → H154
  
  
• Magic Power: G214 → G225
  

[Magic]

Infinite Abyss

• Skill magic.
  
  
• Nullifies"God's Power."
  
  
• Chant:"This body is filled with the abyss; those who touch it are stained pitch black; reflections fall into twilight; eternal city, new moon; I am the wandering slayer; manifest the power of judgment."
  

[Skill]

Endless Abyss

• Skill magic.
  
  
• Nullifies"God's Power."
  

---

A solid, well-earned update. Magic power grew quite a bit though.

"You're really never boring to watch." Hermes said with a smile. I know why.

These two fill my Magic and Skill slots.

Infinite Abyss and Endless Abyss are actually the same skill. But Infinite Abyss increases power and mass by about ten times when chanted. It's a magic skill I have had since before I could even remember.

Its defining feature? Nullifying"God's Power", meaning it ignores the opponent's Status when attacking. That's why I could kill adventurers back when I was an assassin.

Note: It's nullification, not neutralization. Neutralization would prevent me from even having my Status marked.

Because of this Status, I can never show my full strength in front of Bell. If I do, he might get suspicious, and this rare skill might be exposed. Though honestly, I doubt he'd do that.

"Well then, Hermes-sama, I'll be going."

"Yeah. I look forward to your growth."

I bowed and started to leave the room.

"Oh, wait, Toki."

Hermes called after me as I reached for the door.

"Yes?"

"What's the name of the girl you're at the party with again?"

Hermes is always overprotective of me, subtly concerned for my safety. Whether that's out of parental care or because he sees some value in me, I don't know.

"He's Bell Cranel, a human from the Hestia Familia."

"Bell Cranel...?"

His mood suddenly shifted.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes."

After I answered, he seemed to think deeply. Does he know Bell?

"Toki." he said,"Don't ever let her go."

It was an unusually serious order from the god himself. I grinned and replied,

"Not a chance."

Hermes smiled back.

"That's good to hear. Oh, and while you're at it, find Asfi for me."

"Going somewhere? Didn't you say you'd attend the next 'Gods' Meeting, Denatus'?"

"I'll be back soon this time."

With that, Hermes started preparing something. His sudden whims always throw us for a loop. And our Familia leader, Asfi Al Andromeda, always ends up tagging along.

Feeling a bit sorry for her, I left the room.

--------
Note: "Infinite Abyss" was inspired by the Powers of Pride, a homunculus from Fullmetal Alchemist, not that mine's anywhere near that OP. Otherwise, I'd just be unstoppable. By the way, it does have weaknesses. But that's a story for another time.

If you guys want to read up to 20+ chapters in advance of the current story, you can support me on Patreon. You can read up to chapter 35 there! Patreon.com/Veltoria

 

[Raphiel]

"Toki." he said,"Don't ever let her go."

Click to shrink...

her?