The heavy wooden door creaked open as Akari followed Arthur inside a wide training chamber. The air felt dense, almost humming with old magic and steel. The place wasn't luxurious—just stone walls, racks of swords, and a faint smell of sweat that spoke of countless duels fought here before.
In the center stood a tall man with gray hair tied in a short tail. A deep scar ran from his left eye down to his cheek, and his posture alone radiated a commanding presence. He wore simple black training clothes and leaned on a sword that seemed to hum faintly under the light.
"Ah, so this is the rookie?" the man asked in a low, gravelly tone.
Akari blinked. "Uh… are you perhaps the examiner? You look more like a final boss."
Arthur chuckled behind her. "Akari, this is Guild Master Theo. A former S-Class adventurer and your… oral examiner."
Akari froze. "Wait—oral exam? As in talking? Not stabbing?"
Arthur adjusted his glasses, his smile faintly mischievous. "Well, the Guild Master interprets the term… differently. He believes the best questions are asked through combat."
"Wh—what kind of educational philosophy is that?!"
Theo cracked a grin. "Don't worry, little maid. I don't kill applicants anymore."
"Anymore?!" Akari's voice cracked. "Arthur, I want a refund on this registration—oh wait, I didn't pay anything."
"Good luck," Arthur said cheerfully, already retreating to the wall like someone watching a show. "Try not to die on your first day!"
Akari sighed and grabbed her sword. "Great. First day in the guild and I'm about to fight a walking tank."
Theo tapped his blade on the floor, creating a small vibration that echoed around the chamber. "Come at me when you're ready, girl."
The moment their eyes met, Akari's instincts screamed. She felt his killing intent—dense, suffocating, almost nostalgic of the boss fights she used to rage quit in her favorite RPGs.
Okay, breathe, Akari. You got this. You're the overpowered protagonist, remember? Just… pretend this guy's HP bar isn't infinite.
She exhaled slowly. Her sword gleamed under the faint light as she muttered softly, "Skill—Haste."
Wind burst around her feet. She vanished in a blink, reappearing behind Theo. Her blade aimed straight for his side.
CLANG!
Her sword stopped dead mid-swing. Theo's sword barely moved an inch to parry it.
Akari stumbled back, stunned. Wait—he blocked that?! With one hand?!
Theo's amused smirk deepened. "Good speed, poor precision."
Then he vanished.
—Eh?
A split second later, pain exploded in her stomach as Theo's fist connected. The impact sent her flying backward. She rolled across the ground, coughing. "Oww… okay… that hurt more than the truck."
Arthur winced. "That's… impressive. She's still conscious."
Akari slowly pushed herself up using her sword. Her face twisted between pain and awe. "W-wow… that's what a real boss fight feels like. I think my ribs just unlocked the hard mode."
Theo chuckled. "Still standing, huh? Not bad. Most faint after the first blow."
"Y-you mean that was a warm-up?!"
Before she could react, Theo dashed again. His sword blurred—so fast that it left a glowing streak of light in its wake. Akari instinctively rolled aside, his slash cutting through stone where she had been.
Dust clouded the air. She coughed and grinned faintly. "Alright, fine. Let's play dirty."
She swung her hand toward the ground. "Skill—Vines Hostage!"
Thick green vines burst from the floor, twisting toward Theo's legs. For a moment, she thought she had him—but Theo's sword flashed once, and the vines split apart cleanly.
"Magic too?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "You're full of surprises."
Akari pouted. "You could at least pretend to struggle!"
Theo lunged again, faster this time. His movements were heavy but precise—each slash designed to teach rather than kill. Akari blocked one, then another, sparks flying between their blades. The impact rattled her arms numb.
Okay okay, he's testing my stamina, not just my strength. Gotta think—pattern recognition, just like a raid boss.
When Theo raised his sword high again, she kicked the ground and muttered, "Fireball!"
A burst of flame exploded between them, filling the air with smoke. Akari darted sideways, enhancing her speed with Haste again.
Theo coughed lightly, amused. "Not bad."
Akari grinned behind the smoke. "Didn't expect a maid to play dirty, huh?"
Theo turned, blade up—just in time for her to appear behind him. She swung, aiming for his neck.
CLANG! Again, her sword froze. Theo had blocked her flawlessly.
Akari's eyes widened. How does he even—?!
Theo smirked. "Why do you want to be an adventurer?"
"What?" she gasped, straining against his strength.
"Answer me!" His pressure intensified, his sword pushing hers back.
Akari gritted her teeth. "Because—" she twisted, forcing distance between them, "—I want to see the world! To be the strongest version of myself!"
Theo's eyes softened briefly before he lunged again. "Then show me your resolve!"
His sword began to glow. A fierce golden aura surrounded the blade as he shouted, "Skill—Power Strike!"
The air trembled. Akari's eyes widened—That's new.
Theo's sword blurred, vanishing from her sight.
Every instinct in her body screamed. She dropped low, throwing her arms up.
"Skill—Vines Hostage! Defense Formation!"
Thick vines erupted, forming a shield. Theo's strike crashed against it, slicing halfway through before the vines regenerated mid-blow. The impact sent shockwaves through the room.
Theo landed a few feet away, watching as Akari's knees trembled. "Good instincts. You used your environment, your abilities, and your wits. But—"
Before he could finish, Akari smiled faintly. "Not done yet."
She slammed her foot against the ground and launched herself up, slashing downward. Her sword shimmered faintly.
A new sound chimed in her head.
[Adaptability System Detected New Combat Type: Power Strike.]
Analyzing energy structure… learning complete.
Her eyes widened. Wait—I can learn it that fast?!
A grin spread across her face. "Let's see how you like your own move!"
Her sword glowed, the same golden hue as Theo's. "Skill—Power Strike!"
Theo's eyes widened in genuine surprise as Akari's blade descended.
The clash roared, sparks scattering like fireworks.
Theo blocked—but barely.
What the hell—she copied it instantly?! he thought, astonished. His arm ached slightly from the impact.
Akari panted heavily, smoke rising from her sword. "Hehe… I call that… plagiarism of justice."
Theo's grin widened. "You really are something."
He lunged again, this time faster. His aura surged like a storm, pressing her to her limits. Akari dodged, countered, used vines to anchor her footing—and each time, she responded faster than before, adapting like she was built for combat.
Theo swung once more, his sword glowing brighter. Akari's instincts screamed danger—death-level danger.
For a split second, she saw herself dying again, like the day the truck hit her.
No. Not this time.
She gritted her teeth and used everything—Vines Hostage, Haste, Fireball—all at once. Vines wrapped around his feet, she leapt sideways, and threw a fireball directly at his chest. Theo barely managed to guard, but the explosion forced him back a few steps.
Arthur whistled from the sidelines. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why you don't underestimate otaku protagonists."
Theo sheathed his sword slowly, still smiling. "Enough. You've passed."
Akari blinked. "Huh? Wait—I won?!"
Theo laughed deeply. "No, you lost. But you passed."
Akari slumped, confused. "That's… weirdly encouraging."
He walked closer and placed a heavy hand on her head. "Your instincts are sharp, your resolve unshakable. You faced death without freezing, and you even found humor in it. That's the heart of an adventurer."
Arthur clapped his hands together. "Congratulations, Miss Akari Sato, official adventurer of the Kingdom of Solemn!"
Akari's eyes sparkled. "R-really?! Yattaaa!! I'm officially a fantasy heroine!"
Theo chuckled softly. "Just don't go around calling yourself a heroine yet. Survive your first real quest first."
Akari nodded eagerly, still panting. "Got it! Step one—don't die. Step two—brag responsibly."
Arthur handed her a small silver plate engraved with her name. "Your adventurer ID. Don't lose it."
Akari looked at it with awe. "Wow… it's real. My first fantasy achievement unlocked!"
Theo crossed his arms. "Good work today, maid girl. I expect great things from you."
"Please just call me Akari," she said shyly.
He smirked. "Fine. Akari then. Don't disappoint me."
She grinned. "I'll do my best! But I might disappoint gravity sometimes."
Theo blinked. "…What?"
Arthur sighed. "Don't question it. She's… like that."
In the Divine Realm
Far above the mortal plane, five deities watched through a shimmering mirror.
The God of Swordsmanship whistled. "That kid learns fast. She mimicked Theo's Power Strike in under a minute!"
The Goddess of Fashion sipped her tea delicately. "And she managed to keep the outfit clean the entire fight. My masterpiece stands undefeated."
The God of War laughed boisterously. "I like her spirit! Fighting against a man like Theo without fear—that's the kind of warrior I approve!"
The God of Death smirked. "Still rough. Her attacks lack killing intent. She fights with compassion—good for humans, terrible for war."
The God of Reincarnation watched silently, arms folded. His expression softened faintly. "She's growing faster than expected. The Adaptability has begun to evolve."
The Goddess of Fashion turned. "You mean—?"
He nodded. "Soon, she won't just copy skills. She'll refine them. Improve them. Make them her own."
The others fell silent for a moment, watching Akari laugh with Arthur below. Then the God of War grinned. "Heh. I'll admit, I'm rooting for that maid."
The Goddess of Fashion sighed dreamily. "A beautiful and deadly maid… she's going to cause chaos in every kingdom."
The God of Swordsmanship smirked. "Let's see how far she'll go."
Back on Earth — or Rather, Solemn Kingdom
Akari stepped outside the guild, holding her adventurer card proudly under the sun. The air smelled fresher than ever.
She stretched and smiled. "Finally! Officially licensed to risk my life for pocket change!"
Her reflection glimmered faintly on the silver card. "Watch out, world… Akari Sato, the Maid of Might, is here!"
Then her stomach growled.
"...Right after lunch."
She giggled, heading toward the inn Duke Erick had mentioned earlier. Despite the exhaustion, her heart raced with excitement. For the first time, this world truly felt like hers.
System Log – Skill Progress
[Skill Log Update – Akari Sato]
Haste – Level 2
Enhances speed, reflexes, and perception by 2.5x.
Efficiency improved through repeated use in high-combat stress.
Fireball – Level 1
Standard magical projectile dealing moderate fire damage.
Vines Hostage – Level 1
Summons organic restraints. Can form shields or traps depending on intent.
Heal – Level 1
Restores light to moderate injuries. Healing strength scales with mana output.
Storage – Passive
Access a dimensional inventory scaled by mana capacity.
Adaptability – Unique
Allows instant comprehension and replication of any observed ability.
Power Strike – Level 1 (NEW)
A weapon technique that concentrates mana into the blade, releasing destructive force.
[System Note:] Adaptability has shown evolutionary behavior. Combat synchronization efficiency now at 32%. Neural feedback increased—user's battle comprehension enhanced.
"Keep fighting, Akari Sato."
Akari sneezed out of nowhere. "Huh? Someone must be talking about me again. Hopefully, it's not another god."
She smiled to herself, walking off toward the bustling street—ready for whatever this new world had to throw at her next.
To be continued...