Newbie Dragon's Swift Dogeza Defeat
And just like that, the very next day.
I officially registered as an adventurer at the adventurer guild.
"Yes, Maltaris. You've been formally registered with the guild. Congratulations. Here's your adventurer ID."
On the first floor of the adventurer guild.
The receptionist sitting behind the counter slid a wooden tray toward me.
"Hmm. So this is the ID."
The parchment ID had my name, face, and affiliation written briefly on it.
Even though it looked flimsy made of parchment, it was apparently quite expensive, enchanted with preservation and anti-forgery magic.
"What's this E-rank thing here?"
"That's the adventurer classification rank. All adventurers start at E-rank. Then they gradually climb to D-rank, C-rank, B-rank, and A-rank. There's an S-rank above A-rank, but it's so rare you can just remember it exists."
S-rank, huh.
So clichéd, straight out of some ancient tale.
To find Lilith, it'll be easiest to climb the ranks as fast as possible.
Even with most of my dragon powers sealed, this much strength is more than enough among humans.
"Oh, and by the way, if you lose your adventurer ID, reissuing it costs five thousand gold, so be careful."
"Got it. I'll keep that in mind."
Five thousand gold for a reissue? That's steep.
"........."
"........."
"?"
"?"
Is that it?
"Um... is this really the end?"
"Yes, that's it?"
She replied as if wondering why I was asking something so obvious.
"No benefits for new adventurers or anything? Like starter gear? Or a guidebook...? Just this one ID and we're done?"
"A guidebook...? Hehe. You're joking, right? That's something you'd find at the capital guild. Local branches like ours don't have that stuff. And you know what they say: adventurers are pros at exploring the unknown."
"So... in other words?"
"You gotta figure it out on the fly."
"Ah..."
Bad news.
Adventuring was a no-manual, black-hearted company that didn't even train its new hires.
Wait, did I just screw up my life?
"There is a beginner's strategy guide, but it's paid. Want one?"
"No... that's fine... sigh..."
My future suddenly looked pitch black.
No basic adventurer gear.
No knowledge.
No connections.
All I had was this body.
At least I had an identity now, but at this rate, I'd die on the streets before finding Lilith.
I needed to find some way to make money...
"Let's see. This must be the quest board."
Right next to the reception desk was a large quest board.
When someone posted a request through the guild, it went up here. Adventurers completed them for rewards, and the guild took a cut as middlemen.
"Herb gathering... goblin extermination... orc extermination... tentacle monster extermination... goblin riding a tentacle orc extermination... what the hell kind of city is this? Nothing normal?"
"Kehaha! Hey, sis. Looking for quests?"
"We've got a real nice one if you're interested."
"Huh?"
Two dark shadows approached from behind me.
Obvious thugs, the kind anyone would spot a mile away.
Tanned skin. Bleached, dull blonde hair. Flashy piercings.
The other one: tanned skin. Black hair. Flashy piercings.
The type whose heads were filled with nothing but booze, women, and sex.
Definitely some orc blood in them, driven mad by lust.
"I'm Jack. This here's Leo. Just lie in bed for a night counting ceiling stains. Sound good? Eh? Not bad, right?"
The thug duo smoothly flanked me, boxing me in.
"Nice body, sis. Wanna head somewhere private? Make big bucks in a few hours. Whaddya say?"
"Hmm..."
"Those two... at it again."
From the murmurs around me, their reputation was trash.
Textbook cliché thugs.
Usually, these guys were just stepping stones for the hero to save the heroine.
But unluckily, no one in the guild stepped up for me.
"Ahh, I can hear your eyes rolling from here, sis."
"Don't worry. No one's coming to help. We're pretty infamous as the strong ones here. You're just a fresh newbie, right? No hero shows up on perfect cue to save trash like you."
"Hehe. So what race are you, sis? Those tits are huge. Horns too... Holstein beastkin maybe?"
"Cow beastkin! Nice, I've always wanted to bang a Holstein once!"
Seeing me stay quiet, they figured I was scared and got bolder.
They draped arms over my shoulders to trap me, then started groping slyly.
Rough male hands on my thighs and sides.
"Eh. Textbook thugs. So overdone it's boring now. No point watching anymore."
Even with most dragon powers sealed, beating two punks like this was nothing.
Probably E-rank like me, maybe C-rank at best.
These types always had bark but no bite. I'd seen it in dozens of stories.
Sure, I got careless with goblin paralytics last time. But fully alert against weak humans? Piece of cake.
"What? Thugs?"
"Sassy attitude, sis. I like it. Can't wait to hear you in bed."
"Hey, quit groping and just say what you want. And I wasn't looking for help. Just checking witnesses so when I beat you down, it's self-defense."
I shook off their hands.
"If you want something, fight for it like a man. Or grovel and apologize so I don't hit you. I don't enjoy bullying the weak."
Their eyes sharpened as they glared.
"That don't sound nice, sis."
"Wanna duel?"
"Duel? No need for that. Just teaching two bratty punks a lesson. Too many eyes here—let's move. Follow me. Time for manners 101."
I turned and headed for the guild entrance, back straight.
The two thugs followed right behind.
From their stomping footsteps, they were pissed.
Then a red-haired female adventurer who'd been watching approached me.
"Hey! You! Apologize quick! I get you're mad, but those guys are too much! You can't win! We'll back you up, so hurry!"
She whispered, terrified of the two behind.
I flashed her a bright smile.
"Don't worry. I'm pretty strong myself."
"Yeah, yeah, Brata. You go inside."
"Looks like our newbie sis lost her mind. She'll die quick acting like that—we gotta educate her kindly."
"Heh. We'll charge plenty for the lesson fee, so no worries."
We three left the redhead behind and slipped into a back alley near the guild.
After a short walk, a large building came into view.
Inside was a vast hall like a school auditorium, littered with straw dummies, spears, swords.
Adventurers practicing with swords suddenly turned their attention to us three newcomers.
The adventurers grumbled, but I couldn't make it out clearly.
We three faced off in the dead center of the hall, where the most people gathered.
Onlookers crowded around, intrigued.
"This is the guild's unofficial training hall. Scream all you want—soundproofed."
"Sure you won't regret this?"
"Hmph. No regrets. You better not sue when bones break. Why not draw those swords at your hips? This is weapon enough for me."
I casually picked up a training sword from the floor.
Dull-edged, basically a metal slab.
Good enough for worthless thugs.
Famous adventurers for thugs? Whatever, probably no real skill.
"Training sword? Underestimating us that much."
"Insolent bitch. Was gonna toy with you, but nah. Time to fix that attitude."
The two drew swords in unison, pissed.
...Wait. What are those swords?
Fancy decorations I'd never seen, and the blades gleamed unnaturally sharp.
Not ordinary at all—unlike I thought?
"You'll pay dearly for underestimating A-rank adventurer team Dusk."
Huh?
Wha-huh? Um? What?
Did I hear wrong? A-rank adventurers?
Wait, hold up? Isn't something off? These thugs are supposed to be bottom-feeder E or C-rank scum scraping by!
"Heh, heh, hehe. Hng. A-rank team? W-what. Humans can't be that strong, r-right?
In a blink, the blonde thug closed in.
Sword raised high, slashing straight down.
This hits, I'm dead!
"Eek!"
I desperately swung the training sword. It clashed with his blade.
Clang!
"Eh?"
My sword snapped like a twig.
"Hey."
Suddenly the black-haired thug was at my side, fist clenched.
"W-wait! Hold on! I sur---"
"Won't kill ya!"
Thud!
Before I could surrender, his fist slammed into my solar plexus.
"Guhbrrk!"
H-heeek!
It huuuurts! Fucking hurts so baaad!
What the hell? These aren't normal thugs?
How are they this strong?! I'm cursed, sure, but I'm a dragon! Some puny human beating me down? Impossible!
"Kehk, kek, kuh, kehk... cough cough..."
On my knees, face-down, dry-heaving.
Something rose in my throat, but I forced it back down.
"H-how... did this..."
Shattered sword.
Me on my knees.
Did I... lose?
"Hey."
"Got nothing to say?"
They loomed over me, swords at the ready.
Now I saw: those blades were razor-sharp.
Sharp enough to kill me in my cursed state.
"Ah... aaah... ngh... ah, aaaaaah..."
"You know? In adventurer duels, even deaths don't bring much blame."
"Especially against the city's only A-rank team—versus a chick who just registered today. Guild knows who to back."
Malice utterly unlike the goblins'.
Viscous, greedy eyes dripping with lust.
The moment I realized it, my baby chamber ignited♡
Kyung♡
Hee♡ N-no♡ Getting horny here♡ This pussy's totally fucked♡
"So... say it again?"
"Grovel and apologize... what was it?"
The two thugs approached with sleazy grins.
"Ngh♡ N-no♡ I should be the one groveling and apologizing♡"
Hee♡ Hee♡
In the packed hall full of adventurers, I knelt before them and slammed my forehead to the ground.
"Sorry for the arrogant newbie acting up♡ P-please don't kill me♡"
Ah, aaaah♡
Brain exploding♡
This humiliation♡ This shame♡
So utterly degrading, but it feels so goooood♡
Ohooo♡
Begging for life, defeat dogeza—it's gonna become a haaaabit♡