"Yo, Lu Cang."
After coming downstairs, Lu Cang found Iz in the inn's lobby.
Kumironi waved to Lu Cang as well. "How did you sleep last night?"
Lu Cang smiled and replied, "Very well."
Kumironi: "That's good."
"We're about to head out for a subjugation quest. We probably won't be back until evening."
Chi Cheng: "Hehe, too bad you can't come with us. Otherwise, you'd get to see me in all my handsome, heroic glory in battle."
Lu Cang noticed a potential issue. "Are the three of you going alone?"
Iz had said he would take him to a Dungeon yesterday.
If that was the case, their team would be short one person.
Kumironi: "Yep, just me, Chi Cheng, and Obades."
"Iz is taking you to get familiar with Dungeons today."
Lu Cang was a little worried. "Without Iz, will you guys be okay?"
'You're a four-person team... Without a Mage, I feel like something bad's going to happen.'
Lu Cang had a vague feeling they were raising a death flag.
If such a kind-hearted team got wiped out because Iz took him to get familiar with a Dungeon, he would feel incredibly guilty.
Seeing Lu Cang's concern, Chi Cheng laughed heartily. "Don't worry, don't worry! We can still score a clean victory without him."
"Iz, you should take him to accept a quest first."
"It'll be a hassle if you're too late and another Adventurer takes the commission."
Iz nodded lightly. "Mm."
He said to Lu Cang, "Let's go. I'll take you to the Adventurer's Guild."
Lu Cang gave Chi Cheng a worried glance.
'Sigh... Fine.'
'Since he put it that way, there wasn't much I could say. I couldn't exactly try to stop them with all my might just because of a vague worry that wasn't even a real premonition.'
Iz led the way, and before long, they arrived at a large, magnificent building.
A huge door.
Inside, the hall was filled with wooden tables where Adventurers drank with their arms slung around each other's shoulders, bragging and shooting the breeze.
It perfectly matched Lu Cang's stereotypical image of an Adventurer's Guild.
"Yo, Iz!"
"Here to pick up another big job?"
"Iz, want to spar a round or two?"
"Iz, I've developed a new Magic spell. Want to see it?"
Iz was very popular in the Adventurer's Guild, too.
Iz smiled and responded to each of them in turn.
"Just here to take a look around."
"Let's spar when I get back."
"Ooh! New Magic? I'll be looking forward to that!"
Iz responded to everyone's enthusiastic greetings with a beaming smile.
...
They finally reached the counter.
The receptionist was a young woman with brown hair and a friendly, "big sister" air.
"We're all out of S Level commissions, but for A Level..."
Iz smiled. "Today, I'm looking for a commission to explore a Tier Two Dungeon."
Hearing Iz's request, the young lady at the counter tilted her head in confusion. "Tier Two? That's rare for you."
"Let me see."
Iz: "Oh, right. Celia, could you help this little guy next to me register as an Adventurer?"
"He's a Level 1 Mage."
'So Celia must be the receptionist's name.'
Celia: "A child?"
"He's already changed his Profession at such a young age."
Iz: "Kumironi presided over the Profession change Ritual."
Celia: "If it was her, then yes, she's definitely reckless enough to do something like that."
As she spoke, Celia handed over a form.
Iz passed the form to Lu Cang.
Lu Cang took the form.
[Adventurer Registration Application Form]
'I have to fill out a form? This is really official.'
Iz: "You only need to fill in your name, age, and Profession. It's fine to leave the rest blank."
'Okay... I take that back.'
The form was densely packed with fields: address, Profession, details down to assets owned, Skills learned, and even Talent...
Lu Cang had thought he had to fill out everything.
'So I only need my name, age, and Profession...'
However, because he wasn't tall enough, Lu Cang had to take the form to a low table on the side to write.
At eight years old, he was only as tall as Izparut's waist.
He couldn't reach the counter they were talking at at all.
'Good thing I know how to write since I can read.'
He also naturally knew how to write the language of this world.
After filling out the form, he handed it to Izparut.
"Celia, add him to my team."
Celia looked a little surprised. "Him?"
Iz's words drew quite a few gazes from the surrounding crowd.
Many people's eyes were now focused on Lu Cang.
It made Lu Cang feel a bit strange.
In response to Celia's question, Iz nodded.
Celia didn't ask any more questions.
Before long, Celia brought back a badge and a tag.
The outer ring of the badge was prismatic, shimmering with light, but the inner circle was plain, unadorned Black Iron.
"Mr. Lu Cang, you are now registered as a novice Adventurer."
"You've now joined Mr. Iz's team. We look forward to seeing what you can do."
Lu Cang looked at the tag.
The tag was made of Black Iron and inscribed with his name.
'This must be the Adventurer's identification tag.'
"Iz, there are three commissions for Tier Two Dungeons in total. Take a look?"
Celia pushed three slips of paper forward.
Lu Cang wasn't as tall as the counter, so he couldn't see what was written on them at all.
Iz picked up one of the commissions.
He stroked his chin, lost in thought.
"Besides the Dark Jungle, is there a new commission for the Shadow Cave?"
"I was worried the only Tier Two Dungeon commission would be taken... but it turns out more Dungeons have popped up nearby."
Celia: "That's right. The frequency of Dungeon appearances has increased quite a bit recently, and the Adventurers are more motivated."
Iz thought for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Let's go with this one."
Celia took the commission slip Iz had chosen. "The Shadow Cave, is it?"
Iz: "Mm."
Celia: "The commission has been confirmed for you."
"You have accepted the commission to clear the Shadow Cave."
"I wish you a safe and triumphant adventure."
Celia stamped the commission slip, rolled it back up, and handed it to Izparut.
Iz: "Of course."
Then, Iz clapped Lu Cang on the back. "Let's go."
Lu Cang: "Oh, okay."
After leaving the Adventurer's Guild, Iz lifted Lu Cang onto the Dragon Rhinoceros mount.
On their way out of town, they saw Chi Cheng helping an old lady carry something heavy into her house.
'No wonder... he's so popular,' Lu Cang thought to himself.
...
Seeing Chi Cheng, Iz gave him a casual wave.
Even while carrying a load that looked as tall as a single story on one shoulder, Chi Cheng could still free a hand to wave back at them.
Iz: "In the future, before you go out adventuring, you can check the Adventurer's Guild first to see if there are any related quests."
"That way, you can achieve your own adventuring goals and complete a commission along the way, earning a nice sum of money."
Lu Cang: "I understand, Master Iz."
"Casting Magic in town can easily injure ordinary people. Once we're out of town, you can practice your Magic freely."
"But be careful not to throw Fireballs into densely wooded areas. It'll be a huge pain if you start a fire."
...
It didn't take long to leave the town.
Without the buildings in the way, the view opened up.
"You can start now."
Lu Cang nodded lightly. Sitting in front of Izparut, he gathered Ice in his right hand.
The instant the Ice Cones materialized around him, a series of explosive sounds rang out—
BANG!
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
A volley of five Ice Cones shot out, exploding simultaneously against the trunk of a large tree!
The Ice Cones fired so fast that it was almost impossible for the naked eye to follow.
As the Ice Cones shattered, the tree trunk snapped.
Iz nodded, his eyes full of approval.
At the same time, he said, "Try to resonate with the rhythm of your Magic Power as the Ice Cones form."
"A rotating Ice Cone will have much greater penetrating power than one fired straight."
"The property of Ice isn't just about freezing. It's also about conducting temperature. Even after your Ice Cones explode, there's still room for Control. Try to manipulate the cold to spread over a wider area."
Lu Cang had only cast the spell once, but Iz had already pinpointed the problems.
[Ice Cone Skill Proficiency EXP +1,000,000]
[Ice Cone Skill (Level: 82)]
'No way.'
'He just said a few sentences, and my Skill Proficiency increased by 1,000,000?'
'Is it really that crazy?'