Early morning. As usual, the Adventurers Guild was crowded with adventurers. The robed figure of Rei stepped inside, already growing accustomed to the bustling scene.

By the way, because Set had still been fast asleep when he decided to head to the guild, Rei had come alone.

Since it had only been a few days since he registered, Rei wasn’t widely recognised yet. Seeing his short stature and seemingly delicate build, several rough adventurers tried to step up and mess with him. However, their cheeks quickly cramped when the surrounding veterans whispered to them about what had happened to the Claws of the Hawk, and they instantly pretended they hadn’t seen him at all.

Just as he slipped past a group of adventurers to check the F rank request board……a loud, booming voice echoed through the guild.

「Listen up, everyone! We are recruiting for an emergency subjugation request! As for the details, an Orc settlement has been discovered about a day’s travel from Gilm, and it must be annihilated immediately. Regarding the reward, an advance payment of 5 gold coins will be given to all participants. An additional 2 platinum coins will be split among the surviving participants upon the successful completion of the request. Separate bonus rewards will also be distributed based on your individual degree of contribution during the battle. Furthermore, while the standard guild payout for a right Orc ear is usually 3 silver coins, it will be temporarily increased to 5 silver coins for this operation. Keep in mind that while a lone Orc is only a D rank monster, they are officially treated as a C rank threat when operating in a coordinated group. Therefore, only those judged to be sufficiently capable are allowed to participate. Needless to say, the absolute minimum requirement is the proven ability to defeat an Orc single-handedly. Applicants will be thoroughly vetted in the meeting room on the second floor of the guild in exactly one hour. If you think you qualify, register with a receptionist immediately!」

The speaker was likely a former adventurer. The booming voice of the man, who was missing half of his right ear, resounded clearly in every corner of the guild.

「How many Orcs are we talking about!?」

A man standing near the C rank request board shouted back.

「The exact number is unknown. However, our scouts are certain there is a minimum of 50.」

Fifty. As soon as the number dropped, the surrounding adventurers erupted into noisy chatter.

「Hey, he said the minimum is 50 Orcs.」
「Ah. With numbers like that, there’s no doubt they’re being led by a rare species or a higher-tier variant. The chance of Orc Mages being mixed into the horde is also incredibly high.」
「……What are you going to do?」
「This is going to be a massive battle. After all, they’re offering 2 platinum coins, plus a guaranteed 5 gold coins just for showing up. But naturally, if the reward is that generous, the danger level will be equally insane. ……」
「I’m not going. My old party was nearly wiped out by just three Orcs.」
「I’m participating. The reward is way too good to pass up. Besides, a massive Orc settlement just a day’s travel from here? The damage will definitely spread to Gilm if nothing is done.」

Listening to the various conversations buzzing around him, Rei pulled up the relevant information about Orcs from Zephyr’s ancient knowledge for the first time in a while.

Orc

The generic name for a race of demi-human monsters possessing the facial features of a pig. Their average height and build are roughly equivalent to a muscular adult human male. While they are fully capable of using scavenged swords and spears, they strongly prefer brutal close-quarters combat using heavy clubs. There are specialised variants such as Orc Mages and Orc Archers that utilise magic and bows respectively. There are also higher-tier species with vastly superior physical abilities and intelligence, known as Orc Generals. However, the number of these higher-ranked variants is typically very small compared to the normal Orc population.

Though their overall combat technique isn’t particularly refined, their raw physical strength is considerable, and they fight aggressively using brute force.

The Orc race is almost exclusively male; females from other compatible humanoid races are abducted and used for breeding purposes. In the modern era, human women are the most common victims.

Regarding their horde mentality, perhaps driven by pure instinct, they exclusively live and operate in tight-knit groups of ten or more.

However, it is not uncommon for massive hordes numbering in the hundreds to suddenly appear and rapidly gather even more numbers if a rare species or a powerful higher-tier variant takes command.

(The knowledge about Orcs is still perfectly intact. Well, they are the most basic, quintessential monster of a classic fantasy setting, after all.)

Drawing from Zephyr’s knowledge, a satisfied smile floated onto Rei’s face as he confirmed the information.

(Now then, what should I do……well, I definitely shouldn’t have any problems participating. An emergency request like this should grant a massive boost to my guild contribution score. Likewise, the sheer amount of money being offered is exceptional compared to standard quests. It’s also incredibly rare to find a high-level request where your official guild rank isn’t a strict condition for participation. It’s not a bad idea to significantly improve my fame and track record now, just in case a highly desirable, high-rank monster subjugation request appears in the future. Having my true fighting power exposed to so many people is definitely a negative factor……but honestly, it’s far too late to keep it a secret after absolutely crushing Goblin’s Drool in the middle of the street. However, I should probably prepare for the annoying possibility of aggressive recruitment pitches from other parties once this request is over.)

From the feudal lord to the Guild Master, and from the Guild Master down to Lenora, whom he was somewhat acquainted with, because Rei was completely unaware that any major altercations he got into would be immediately reported to the top brass, he was simply weighing the basic merits and demerits of accepting the quest. To him, the massive merits clearly outweighed the minor inconveniences.

Giving a small nod to himself, he walked over to Lenora, the ponytail-wearing receptionist who had handled his initial registration and to whom he had subsequently submitted all his completed requests.

「Ah, good morning, Rei. Are you looking for a new request?」

Lenora asked with a polite, professional smile. Rei simply nodded and smiled back. Though the Beastkin receptionist working the counter next to Lenora briefly locked her sharp gaze onto Rei while processing paperwork for other adventurers, Rei didn’t notice her intense scrutiny.

「So, what kind of request are you looking for today?」
「I’d like to apply for the Orc subjugation request that was just announced.」

Orc subjugation. It took a few seconds for Rei’s words to fully process in Lenora’s mind.

「Look, Rei. I’ll just say this upfront: although a lone Orc is technically a D rank threat, when they group together in a horde, they are officially classified as a C rank disaster. Given that you are still a G rank novice, I absolutely cannot recommend you for this operation.」
「The recruitment conditions specifically stated that the only requirement is possessing the strength to defeat an Orc, right?」
「Well, yes, that’s technically true, but……」
「Then there won’t be any problems. Though it took a bit of effort, I already have the proven ability to kill a C rank Water Bear in the Forest of Monsters.」
「A Water Bear!?」

Although Lenora almost shouted the words in shock, she quickly snapped her mouth shut, looking around nervously.

「The Forest of Monsters……why on earth did you go to such an incredibly dangerous place? Are you telling me you went straight to the Forest of Monsters before even coming to the guild?」
「No, well, it’s a very long story. I’ll tell you about it if we ever have the opportunity. Anyway, regarding the Orc subjugation?」
「……Well, I suppose there technically shouldn’t be any combat issues if you truly possess the ability to defeat a Water Bear……However, because you are officially still a G rank, every single mistake you make will stand out glaringly if you participate in a massive joint operation like this. There will undoubtedly be arrogant veterans who try to pick a fight with you, just like the Claws of the Hawk did.」

Though Lenora voiced her concerns anxiously, a cold, confident smile floated onto Rei’s face.

「If that happens, I’ll just challenge them to another high-stakes bet.」
「……Please, I’m begging you, try to avoid doing that if possible……」

Hearing Rei’s flippant response, Lenora let out a heavy sigh of absolute resignation and reluctantly wrote Rei’s name onto the official applicant roster.

「Your application for the Orc subjugation quest has been accepted. Please wait in the meeting room on the second floor for now. A detailed briefing regarding the operation will be given there shortly.」

Nodding in acknowledgement, he turned and headed towards the stairs leading to the second floor of the guild.

Unlike modern meeting rooms in Japan, the guild’s meeting room didn’t have a projector, a whiteboard, or even a chalkboard. It was simply a large, open space with wooden chairs scattered haphazardly around. A massive wooden table, which had likely sat in the centre of the room originally, had been unceremoniously shoved into a far corner to make more space.

Registration had clearly already been completed for many. Roughly twenty hardened adventurers had already gathered inside the room.

Most of them had likely already formed temporary alliances, gathering in tight-knit groups of three to five and animatedly discussing the necessary tactics for pushing the frontline during the Orc subjugation. Rei casually stepped into this tense atmosphere.

While everyone else was huddled in groups of heavily armed veterans, a small, solitary boy dressed in a simple robe walking in alone naturally stood out like a sore thumb. He immediately drew the sharp, appraising gazes of nearly everyone in the room.

With a loud clatter, several men abruptly scrambled backward, violently knocking their chairs over as the noise echoed through the suddenly quiet meeting room.

「Oi, what’s wrong with you guys?」
「……No, it’s nothing. Nothing at all.」
「Did something happen between you and that kid? Come on, spit it out.」
「Shut up! Don’t mess with that guy! Just don’t!」

A party huddled near the window frantically exchanged panicked whispers. When Rei first entered the meeting room, most of the veterans had simply found the sight of a lone child amusing, chuckling and pointing him out to their friends. All except for one specific person. Namely, the dedicated mage of a certain party.

Though Rei didn’t fully understand it since he only specialised in destructive fire magic, there were certain highly trained magicians who possessed the passive ability to sense the latent magic power residing within other people. And the specific magician who possessed that rare ability had just sensed a swirling vortex of magic power residing within Rei’s small body that could only be described as extraordinary.

(……What was that reaction? Is there an appraiser here who actually recognised the true value of the Dragon Robe?)

Because Rei was completely unaware of the mana-sensing ability, he misunderstood the mage’s terrified reaction, assuming someone had simply recognised the priceless ancient artifact he was wearing and had recoiled in sheer shock.

Anticipating that carrying the massive Death Scythe into a crowded meeting room would be highly distracting and cumbersome, he had prudently stored it inside the Misty Ring before heading upstairs.

(Well, whatever. I suppose we just have to wait here until the official briefing starts.)

Muttering to himself, he sat down in a vacant chair tucked away in the corner of the room and quietly observed the other adventurers.

「Oi, is that really him?」
「Ah. Is that the kid who completely dismantled the Claws of the Hawk? I heard the rumours this morning.」
「But if that’s true, isn’t he still just a G rank novice? Isn’t it way too soon for him to be joining a massive Orc subjugation?」
「Well, if he actually managed to knock down Vargas in a straight fight, then I don’t think you need to worry about his combat skills. If you judge him purely on raw fighting power, he might actually be a C rank asset. ……Assuming he isn’t just a reckless muscle-brain, anyway.」
「Even if he’s strong……I really don’t want some arrogant kid slowing us down on the front lines.」
「Come to think of it, what about the Claws of the Hawk? Aren’t those guys participating in the subjugation?」
「I heard they had all their weapons and cash completely stripped when they lost their bet to that kid. Apparently, they had to take out a massive debt with the guild just to pay for a healer, so they’re totally broke.」
「If they’re in debt, they should absolutely be participating in this raid. They’d certainly be able to earn enough to pay it off.」
「Like I just said, their main weapons were taken away. They’re currently fighting using cheap spare weapons. Do you seriously think they can survive fighting a horde of Orcs with trash-tier gear, let alone a horde potentially led by a rare species or an Orc General?」
「……Well, when you put it like that, I suppose it makes sense why they aren’t here.」

A group of four male adventurers were talking in low voices a short distance away, and Rei easily overheard their conversation.

(A massive debt……it looks like that arrogant idiot is finally paying the price. Well, the guild probably has some sort of system in place to deal with debtors.)

Recalling Vargas’s furious face for a brief moment, he quickly erased the man from his mind and returned to observing the state of the other adventurers.

As expected, since every adventurer gathered in the room had volunteered for a highly dangerous Orc subjugation, the atmosphere was incredibly tense and heavy. The male-to-female ratio was roughly 7:3, meaning the number of female adventurers was significantly higher than Rei had initially assumed.

And perhaps because the rumours were still fresh, a large number of the adventurers were frequently shooting curious, appraising glances in Rei’s direction.

Though they were clearly interested, no one dared to approach him. Rei naturally gave off a cold, distant atmosphere that effectively kept people at bay. Meanwhile, several more veteran adventurers entered the meeting room, adding to the somewhat uncomfortable, suffocating atmosphere.

However, when the next group appeared, the sheer noise and commotion their arrival created was utterly incomparable to the quiet murmurs that had greeted Rei.

Rei and the rest of the adventurers immediately directed their full attention to the party of three that had just walked through the doors.

The first person to catch everyone’s eye was the massive man leading the group. He appeared to be in his late thirties or early forties. He had wild green hair and confidently surveyed the crowded meeting room with the wide, feral smile of a mischievous boy, an expression that completely contrasted with his age. The best way to describe him would be a violently mischievous child trapped in the body of a towering adult. He was absolutely covered in thick, bulging muscles, giving the impression of immense, crushing weight, even though his actual height was only slightly above average. He casually carried a colossal battle axe resting on his broad shoulder, which was clearly his weapon of choice. In regards to his weapon, he seemed very similar to Vargas. But if you compared Vargas to a lowly Goblin, this man’s overwhelming presence could only be described as a towering Cyclops. Moreover, the massive battle axe on his back possessed a strange, magnetic charm that naturally drew the eye. Even though Rei lacked the specific ability to sense magic power, his sharp instincts told him that the weapon was undoubtedly a powerful magic item.

Walking closely behind the towering man was a female adventurer in her mid-thirties. Judging by the intricate wooden cane held loosely in her hand, she was undoubtedly a rear-guard magician. Perhaps to make it easier to move during combat, her striking blue hair was cut practically short around her shoulders. As soon as the woman stepped into the room, her eyes reflexively snapped straight to Rei. Seeing the absurd density of his latent magic power, she unintentionally gasped and took a half-step back in sheer shock.

The final member of the trio, who quickly reached out to steady the stumbling woman, was a young man. There didn’t seem to be a massive age gap between him and the other two, though he was clearly the youngest. He carried a sleek long sword securely sheathed at his waist. Likely prioritising speed and mobility, he wore lightweight, form-fitting leather armour that appeared to be crafted from the tough hide of a high-ranking monster.

With pale blue hair and sharp facial features that strongly resembled the other two, it was highly probable they were all blood relatives. Following the terrified gaze of the female mage, the young man quickly handed her off to the towering axeman. His face twisting in sudden anger, he rudely stormed straight across the room and stopped directly in front of Rei.

「Oi, you! What the hell did you just do to my mother!?」

Without waiting for an answer, he violently grabbed the front of Rei’s robes and dragged him up from his chair.

This was Rei’s violent first contact with the famous A rank party of Gilm, Axe of the Thunder God.

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