The afternoon sunlight bathed Axel in golden hues as Cecilia made her way toward a familiar storefront, her katana resting comfortably in its sheath after a successful quest.
The hum of conversation and laughter filled the streets, but amidst the lively atmosphere, something unusual caught her attention.
Up ahead, two figures stood in the middle of the road, locked in a heated argument.
The first was a young man dressed in a green tracksuit, frustration evident in his furrowed brow and sharp gestures. (of course, it's Kazuma) The second was a woman with long blue hair, wearing a sleeveless blue short skirt outfit, waving a pink staff adorned with a floral design. (Of course, it one and only the useless goddess- Aqua)
The intensity of their discussion made them oblivious to the people casually stepping around them.
As Cecilia approached, their voices became clearer.
Kazuma: "What do you mean we don't have anything?!"
Aqua: "It's exactly as I said—you dragged me into this mess out of nowhere! Of course we don't have any money! Not a single penny!"
Kazuma groaned loudly, clutching his head. "Wow, what a useless goddess I have here! What can you even do, huh? HUH?!"
Aqua gasped, pointing her staff at him indignantly.
"Excuse you! You're the one who dragged me into this! I was supposed to be relaxing in the limbo, sipping fine divine wine, and sending poor souls like you to other worlds! But nooo—thanks to you, my perfect life is ruined!"
Cecilia watched in amusement as their bickering escalated, catching the attention of some passing adventurers who chuckled at the spectacle.
Just as she was about to walk past them, Kazuma suddenly turned to Aqua and asked with genuine curiosity, "Hey, Aqua, why is there a samurai in this world? Aren't there supposed to be only mages and medieval knights in these kinds of settings?"
Aqua pouted, crossing her arms. "How should I know? I've sent all sorts of interesting people to different worlds over the centuries.
There was even that one woman I sent recently, but honestly, the most fascinating one was a guy I sent here decades ago. I granted him the ability to invent things, and I heard he even created a whole clan here."
Kazuma's eyes gleamed with interest. "Is that so?" he muttered to himself.
(If someone invented things here, that means there might be some advanced weapons lying around... I need to find them.)
Cecilia rolled her eyes at the sudden scheming look on Kazuma's face.
Then, for no particular reason—perhaps out of instinct or pity—Cecilia casually turned around, tossing a small bag of coins and a short dagger toward Kazuma. He caught it with surprising reflexes, eyes wide in shock.
"What the—" He looked at the bag and the dagger, blinking in confusion. Aqua leaned over his shoulder, eyes sparkling as she peeked inside.
"Is this… actual money?!" Aqua's voice was tinged with disbelief.
"You'll really need that to survive in this world," Cecilia remarked, her tone calm yet knowing. Before Kazuma could ask who, she was or why she had done that, she was already walking away, disappearing into the streets of Axel.
Kazuma turned to Aqua, mouth slightly agape. "Did we just get saved by a samurai?" (Hey wait, she just said "This World") what did she mean by that, But he was interrupted by aqua.
Aqua clutched the coin bag to her chest. "More importantly—did we just get free money?!"
Kazuma sighed deeply but pocketed the dagger, muttering to himself, "Well… I guess this is a decent start."
Moments later into the Adventurer's Guild
A short while later, the duo stood in front of Axel's Adventurer's Guild, Aqua puffing up with pride as she gestured toward the building.
"We're here to register as adventurers!" she said excitedly.
Kazuma squinted at the entrance, scanning the rough-looking mercenaries and adventurers lounging near the doorway. He pulled Aqua aside and whispered, "Are we really sure about this place? Some of these guys look like thugs…"
Aqua waved off his concerns. "Kazuma, don't be silly! Isn't this exactly what you wanted? The thrilling adventurer's life? The road to defeating the Demon Lord? And, most importantly—the quest to send me back to the heavenly realm!"
Kazuma groaned. "Right… responsibility…" He stepped toward the entrance hesitantly.
As they entered the guild, unaware of what awaited them inside, one thing was certain—their chaotic journey in this world had officially begun.
Inside the lively Adventurer's Guild, Kazuma and Aqua stood before Luna, the guild receptionist with a bright smile, as she processed their registrations. The smell of roasted meat and ale wafted from the nearby tables where other adventurers gathered, sharing stories of their latest quests.
Luna handed over their guild cards. "Alright, please place your hand on the orb. It will assess your stats and determine the best-suited occupation for you." She paused, adding with a professional tone, "Also, your guild card keeps a record of your actions. Any misdeeds—like stealing—will be known. Just a friendly warning."
Kazuma gulped. "O-Okay… that's not ominous at all." He squared his shoulders, stepping forward with renewed determination. (Alright, time to see how amazing my stats are. I mean, I'm an other-worlder, so I have to be special, right?)
He placed his hand on the orb, eyes glimmering with expectation.
The orb pulsed softly before Luna examined the results. "Kazuma Satō, your most suitable job is… Adventurer."
A pause. A deep silence.
Kazuma blinked. "Wait… What?"
Luna smiled kindly, but the pity in her eyes was unmistakable. "You're suited for a general adventurer role."
Kazuma stiffened. "Th-That's impossible. Can I try again?" he pleaded, sweating slightly.
Luna chuckled apologetically. "Even if I let you, the results would stay the same."
Kazuma's shoulders slumped. "I… I thought I'd be a hero. At least something cool… like a knight or a mage." His eyes darkened as his dreams shattered in real time.
Aqua, impatient with his pity party, stepped forward. "Move aside, Kazuma! Now it's my turn! Prepare to be amazed by the raw power of a true goddess!" She placed her hand on the orb with dramatic flair.
Luna's eyes widened slightly at the reading. "Wow… you have an extraordinarily high level of mana. The best occupation suited to you is Archpriest!"
Aqua beamed, flipping her hair proudly. "See that, Kazuma?! I'm amazing!A true goddess among mortals!"
Kazuma sat hunched over in his misery. "Great.
Luna cleared her throat, handing over their updated guild cards. "Alright, you are now official adventurers!"
Kazuma sighed deeply, still recovering. "Okay, Aqua. What's the plan now?"
Aqua puffed up confidently. "Obviously, we take a quest!"
Kazuma's eyes sparkled for a second—until he remembered the reality of his situation.
"Wait… quests mean effort, right?" His enthusiasm evaporated instantly.
Ignoring his mood swing, Aqua marched toward the quest board. Luna approached them again, explaining the ranking system.
"Since you're beginners, you can only take low-tier quests for now. However, if you form a party or pass certain qualifications, you'll be able to tackle higher-ranked ones."
Kazuma sighed, watching Aqua excitedly browse through quests. Great… just great.
Later: The Plains Outside Axel
A shrill scream echoed through the open fields.
Two figures were running for their lives.
Kazuma, arms flailing, yelled, "WHY DID YOU PICK THIS QUEST?! AQUA, DO SOMETHING!"
Aqua, equally panicked, shrieked, "I DON'T WANT TO TOUCH IT, IT'S SLIMY!"
Behind them, a monstrous, oversized frog hopped toward them, its beady eyes locked onto the terrified duo.
Kazuma tripped, rolling through the dirt as Aqua ran ahead. "DON'T JUST LEAVE ME BEHIND, YOU USELESS GODDESS!"
Aqua whined, looking back at him. "Use your adventurer skills!"
"WHAT ADVENTURER SKILLS?!" Kazuma roared as the frog loomed over him.
And thus began their first.
Kazuma's frantic screams echoed across the open fields outside Axel. He was covered in dirt, his tracksuit stained from rolling through the grass after tripping. The giant frog, its slimy green body glistening in the afternoon sun, towered over him. Its bulbous eyes blinked slowly, as if deciding whether to eat him now or savor the moment.
Aqua, still running in circles, wailed dramatically. "Kazuma! Do something! This thing is gross!"
Kazuma pushed himself up and glared at her. "I SWEAR TO EVERYTHING HOLY, YOU'RE THE ONE WITH HIGH MAGIC! USE IT!"
Aqua pouted. "Ew! Do you expect a goddess like me to touch such an unsightly creature?!"
Kazuma stared at her, deadpan. "…AQUA, DO YOU THINK MONSTERS CARE ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL BOUNDARIES?!"
The frog let out a deep, guttural croak and lunged forward, its slimy mouth wide open.
Kazuma dove to the side, narrowly avoiding becoming frog food. "I AM NEVER LETTING YOU PICK A QUEST AGAIN!" he shouted as he scrambled to his feet.
Aqua, in a moment of realization, gathered magic in her palms. "Fine! I'll show you, my power! Witness my divine strength!" She raised her Fist, and it glow dramatically then. "GOD BLOW!!"
A brilliant light erupted from her —but instead of doing anything to the frog, it dispersed uselessly into the air. The frog blinked, completely unfazed.
Kazuma froze in horror."…Aqua.
Aqua's face turned pale. "I-It doesn't work on frogs?"
Kazuma grabbed his dagger and charged forward with all the confidence of a desperate man. "JUST STAB IT, YOU USELESS GODDESS!" He swung with all his might, only to bounce off the frog's slimy hide with a disappointing "thwip."
The frog turned toward him slowly, almost insulted.
Kazuma stared at his dagger, then at the frog.
"…I regret everything."
Cecilia Appears
Just as Kazuma prepared to accept his fate, the frog suddenly shuddered, its slimy body tensing unnaturally.
A swift shadow blurred past them, and in the next instant—
SLASH!
A sharp, precise arc of movement carved through the air. The frog let out a wheezing croak, its body severed cleanly in half before it could react.
Kazuma blinked rapidly, trying to process what had just happened.
Aqua gasped, "Wha—?! What just—?!"
As the frog's lifeless remains sank into the ground, a familiar figure stepped forward, her katana gleaming under the sun.
Cecilia sheathed her weapon in one fluid motion, shaking off the remnants of battle. Her calm expression barely acknowledged the chaos-stricken duo before her.
"Did you seriously lose to a frog?" she asked, her voice dripping with amusement.
Kazuma, still lying in the dirt, groaned. "Listen. We had things under control."
Aqua scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Excuse you! I had everything handled until—"
Cecilia raised an eyebrow. "Until you tried to banish the frog as if it were a ghost?"
Aqua winced but crossed her arms. "…Magic is complicated."
Kazuma sat up, defeated, glaring at Aqua. "I am NEVER trusting you with battle tactics again."
Cecilia couldn't suppress her chuckle as she pulled out a small towel and tossed it to Kazuma. "Here. You need it."
Kazuma caught it, wiping the slime off his face, still trying to grasp his dignity.
Aqua, meanwhile, shuffled over to Cecilia, looking her up and down. "Say, are you some kind of elite warrior? Your sword technique was flawless!" Her sudden curiosity was a sharp contrast to her earlier panic.
Cecilia smirked. "I've had my fair share of fights. Unlike some people, I prefer actually winning them."
Kazuma let out an exhausted sigh, dragging himself upright. "…Teach me."
Cecilia blinked, tilting her head. "What?"
Kazuma stood firm, his eyes burning with newfound determination. "Teach me how to fight properly! I refuse to die via frog again!"
Aqua gasped dramatically, grabbing Kazuma's sleeve. "Wait, Kazuma, are you saying you want training?! Actual effort?! The real Kazuma wouldn't—"
Kazuma shook her off. "SHUT UP, AQUA. I JUST REALIZED THAT I DON'T WANT TO BE A WEAKLING FOREVER."
Cecilia's smirk widened as she crossed her arms. "You sure you're ready for actual training?"
Kazuma nodded once, serious. "I have nothing to lose except my dignity—and that's already gone."
Aqua giggled, still covered in frog slime. "Well, alright then, let's see what happens!"
Cecilia watched Kazuma carefully before finally nodding. "Alright. Let's see if you survive the lesson."
Cecilia: I'll think about it.
And thus, Kazuma unknowingly stepped onto the path of actual combat training—with a samurai as his instructor.