A Desperate Mage's Gamble
In the eyes of the common folk, anyone who could wield even a scrap of magic was lumped together under the label of "mage." But those who truly devoted themselves to the study of magic were distinguished by the heights they had reached, much like how martial artists were measured by whether they had attained the rank of Master. It was a matter of pride and quiet rivalry.
From lowly magicians who could only recite simple spells, to Archmages capable of forging their own unique magic, and finally to the Sages who were said to have grasped the very truths of the world. While warriors needed grueling physical training and enlightenment to advance, mages required mental discipline, insight, and…
"I need money!"
Money was everything.
"What good is reaching the rank of Archmage if I can't even afford the materials for my research?!"
The Archmage's outburst echoed through the heart of the Trevor Adventurer Corps' territory. Passing adventurers glanced over, but the mage paid them no mind, too consumed by desperation.
Just days ago, the mage had finally found the solution to a long-standing research problem. The only obstacle was the need for rare materials that required both alchemy and magic. Every last coin had been spent acquiring them. What remained totaled fifty-three gold. Two had gone toward travel and food to reach the Trevor Adventurer Corps, leaving fifty for the final, crucial ingredient.
In truth, only a single gold coin stood between the mage and complete poverty.
What the mage hadn't accounted for was the ever-shifting market. The material that had cost fifty gold just days prior had vanished from stock and jumped to fifty-two. The price was only expected to climb further.
With no other choice, the mage's footsteps led to the reception desk. Waiting for the item to reappear was pointless—it would only become more expensive. The only option left was to register as an adventurer and obtain it personally.
A heavy sigh escaped. Even if the decision was made, the path ahead would be treacherous. As an Archmage who relied on magic, taking the front line was impossible. A vanguard was essential. Yet the dungeon where the material could be found was one everyone avoided. No one wanted to go near it.
The only hope was that someone—anyone—would be willing to enter that dreaded place.
"I'd like to register as an adventurer."
"Of course!"
"My name is Noah. Please register me as an unaffiliated adventurer… Position: rear guard."
Following the receptionist's instructions, Noah provided the necessary details. The registration was completed in moments.
"Registration complete! Would you like to enter a dungeon right away?"
Noah hesitated before answering.
"Um… are there any adventurers heading to the… the Tentacle Dungeon?"
"Ah…!"
The receptionist's startled reaction was understandable. Who in their right mind would willingly go there? Finding party members would be difficult…
"There is! Just one person!"
A miracle. There really was someone. Noah cheered inwardly. Thank you, Goddess of Light Lumentis!
"You can speak with that person over there. They've been recruiting for three days straight!"
The receptionist pointed toward a corner where someone sat crouched, holding a sign. The moment Noah recognized the clerical robes, hope turned to disappointment. A priest and a mage overlapped in role. What Noah needed was a vanguard.
"Isn't that person also a rear guard? I'm looking for someone who can take the front line."
"Oh, don't worry about that! They said they're an… an… All-Rounder? Something like that!"
"Pardon?"
"They can do both vanguard and rear guard!"
Without another word, Noah hurried toward the robed figure. There was no time to waste—if another competitor appeared, the chance would be lost. Hope surged once more.
"Excuse me, Priest?"
The priest slowly lifted their head. Noah's breath caught. The face beneath the hood was breathtakingly beautiful—a girl who somehow blended youthful innocence with quiet maturity. Her mismatched red and green eyes held an otherworldly charm, and when her lips parted in response, a notably long right canine tooth peeked out, making her look adorably fierce. Silver hair framed her delicate features, but Noah's trained eyes saw through the disguise instantly. At the rank of Archmage, spotting a crude magical disguise was child's play. The girl was naturally blonde.
Yet the words that left her mouth shattered the illusion of beauty.
"If you're not here to join my party, get lost."
"Excuse me?"
"Are your ears clogged? I said get lost unless you're applying to join."
"You're… heading to the Tentacle Dungeon, right?"
"Yeah."
"I was hoping to go there too…"
The girl's eyes lit up instantly. She grabbed Noah's hands with both of hers.
"Really? For real? No take-backs!"
Noah felt heat rise to his face. The girl's appearance was dangerously captivating—enough to charm anyone regardless of gender. It was almost unfair.
"Yes, but…"
"You've got guts! That's pretty cool."
Noah's heart skipped. It was the first time anyone had ever called him courageous or cool. The girl's bright voice echoed in his mind.
Get a grip, Noah! You absolutely cannot form a party with her!
Years of mental discipline as an Archmage reasserted control. He couldn't afford to forget his true objective.
"Th-there are conditions!"
* * *
The past two days had been lonely, frustrating, and utterly exhausting. Even with a handmade sign, the only responses had been indifference. It made sense. Female adventurers avoided the dungeon because of its grotesque monsters, while male adventurers steered clear for… other reasons. The plan had been to give up after today and try a different dungeon, but then—
A volunteer had appeared!
"Your name's Noah? Nice to meet you! I'm Le— I mean, Lea!"
In the excitement, the real name had nearly slipped out. The girl who introduced herself as Noah was unbearably cute. When she readily accepted the conditions, she bounced around like a rabbit—pink hair, pink eyes, a perfect pink bunny. Whether such a creature existed was another matter.
"I don't mind skipping the middleman since there's no fee, but what do you need the boss's gem for?"
The condition Noah had proposed was simple: sell the probabilistically obtained gem from the dungeon boss directly to her. It wasn't a bad deal. Both needed party members, and a direct trade was far more convenient than going through the exchange.
"It's the final material I need for my research. With it, I can finally solve a problem that's been bothering me for a long time."
Her face was filled with hope and anticipation. There was no need to ask what the problem was. This party would only last until the gem appeared—there was no reason to grow close.
If luck held, they might even disband today. Honestly, there was no real need to enter this particular dungeon. But the chance of earning fifty gold in one go, combined with the adventurer corps' policy that granted bonus points to E-rank adventurers who survived a C-rank dungeon, made it impossible to ignore. The points would help reach D-rank faster.
Spreading out the map purchased at the reception desk, the locations of all known dungeons were marked, along with their owners. Minoris was largely divided into two regions: the outer zone, where dungeons had been confirmed nonexistent, and the inner zone, still brimming with undiscovered dungeons. The outer zone housed nine major adventurer corps and the Tactica Company, which had established commercial cities with branches, exchanges, and lodgings. The inner zone was patrolled by Tactica mercenaries who guarded dungeon entrances and controlled access.
The dungeon Noah and Lea were heading to wasn't far from the Trevor Adventurer Corps' territory. Noah took the lead, having thoroughly researched the route in pursuit of the gem. Even though it was their first time here, she navigated with precision, cutting the three-hour walk down to two.
"Please verify our dungeon entry."
At the entrance, the Tactica mercenaries lay sprawled on the ground, chatting idly. It was technically negligence, but understandable—no one ever came here. Perhaps this was considered a cushy assignment within the company.
"Well now. You two must have strong stomachs to willingly come to a place like this."
When the entry permit was handed over, one mercenary spoke up.
"It's for the money. What else?"
"Haha! Ain't that the truth! Nothing beats money! Alright, verification complete. You can go in."
The dungeon entrance looked much like others Noah had seen—a swirling, semi-transparent sludge.
"Miss Lea, you don't have to worry about the rear guard! Even if I don't look it, I've reached the rank of Archmage!"
Noah clenched her fists cutely, radiating confidence toward the supposed vanguard. Whatever "Archmage" meant, her self-assurance suggested real skill. But she wouldn't need to demonstrate it. This was a free ride. Did the concept of "bus riding" even exist in this world?
"Noah. You don't have to do anything."
"Huh?"
"It'll be over in an instant."
Whatever monsters lurked inside couldn't possibly be stronger than the Clown from the first playthrough.
"Let's finish quick and go eat. Pray the gem drops."
* * *
Even the usually bustling Trevor Adventurer Corps reception desk grew quiet during lunch hour.
"Newbie."
"Yes!"
"Go eat lunch with me. Better to go while it's slow— it'll get busy soon and you won't get a chance."
"Yes! Thank you!"
"Ah, wait a moment before you go."
"Is there something else?"
"The Rior Company contacted me. They said the stock of gems from the Tentacle Dungeon has run out. Any adventurers sign up for that one?"
"If it's that dungeon, a party registered this morning."
"Really? That's surprising. No one wants to go there. Must've been desperate for money."
"Yes. Two newly registered adventurers formed a party and left together."
"Hmm… Men who go there usually come back with serious trauma…"
"It's fine! They were girls!"
"That's its own problem. Those monsters can traumatize you just by existing. Let's see… who were they… Lea. Class: Priest, Position: can do both vanguard and rear guard… Noah is a mage, rear guard position… Huh?"
"Is there a problem?"
"Newbie, didn't you say they were girls?"
"Yes!"
"This adventurer named Noah… the documents say male."
"Eh…?"