HP: Sacred Gear Chat Group (2) - Chapter 8 (Patreon)

Chapter 8 - Onto new Adventures!

For the next few days, we decided to stay in the city and focus on reaching D-Rank at the Adventurers Guild. It took several days since, besides the three remaining E-Rank Jobs we needed to reach E-Rank, we had to complete another twenty-five E-Rank Jobs to advance to D-Rank.

With the help of Wizarding Magic, however, those Jobs were no challenge at all. Instead, they turned into perfect practice sessions for various Household Spells, such as ‘Reparo’ for repairs, different Cleaning Charms, the Levitation Charm for moving heavy objects, Packing Charms for storing things properly, a Charm for peeling vegetables, and plenty of other useful little Spells.

Over those few days, I gained a pretty good grasp of Household Charms. Ghislaine, meanwhile, mostly took on search-and-locate Jobs, relying on her superhuman Beastfolk senses. With our combined efforts, we reached D-Rank in less than a week, mostly thanks to our ability to finish Jobs that normally took half a day or longer in less than an hour.

While D-Rank unlocked the first proper hunting and gathering Jobs outside the city, those weren’t our goal. After all, we could already have accepted some of them at E-Rank, but we hadn’t bothered since they took far longer to complete than normal E-Rank Jobs due to the travel time required to reach their targets.

Worse, most of those targets were pretty weak, so they wouldn’t give us much useful combat experience anyway.

Grinding through E-Rank Jobs was simply much faster, allowing us to reach the point where we could finally start taking C-Rank Jobs, which was a major threshold for adventurers. It was basically the difference between doing real Jobs and completing chores.

Most importantly, from C-Rank Jobs onward, we could accept Escort Jobs, allowing us to complete Jobs while traveling toward the Demon Continent. Since it only took ten successful C-Rank Jobs in a row to advance from D-Rank to C-Rank, that was a far better option.

If we could rank up while traveling, there was no reason to keep grinding E-Rank Jobs. Reaching C-Rank through E-Rank Jobs alone would have required another hundred of them, which would have taken at least another week or two, if not longer.

That simply wasn’t worth it.

The alternative wasn’t much better either, since we would have needed forty D-Rank Jobs to achieve the same result.

Of course, during our week of grinding, we didn’t spend all our time doing Guild Jobs. We eventually settled into a proper daily routine.

Every morning started with physical training, sword swings, and Ghislaine beating the shit out of me with practice swords while teaching me Sword God Style swordsmanship.

For someone who had never properly held a sword before coming here, I was apparently not too bad.

Even if it certainly didn’t feel that way whenever Ghislaine knocked me flat on my ass.

If I maintained my current rate of progress, I should be considered a Beginner in the Sword God Style within two or three weeks, or however long it took me to properly learn the fundamental movements.

Reaching Intermediate Rank would take considerably longer because it required more than simply knowing the movements. I needed to improve my physical fitness while drilling those techniques deeply enough that they became part of my muscle memory.

Advanced Rank was an entirely different matter.

Reaching that level depended heavily on how long it took someone to awaken their Battle Aura and learn to consciously control it. Some people simply lacked the natural disposition for it and would never reach that level no matter how much they trained.

Still, I was determined to keep up my physical training, especially since Ghislaine had apparently decided to personally make sure I followed through with it.

Which meant dragging me out of bed every single morning.

I suspected this was one of the ways she believed she was repaying me for bringing her here. Not that I had much of a choice anymore once she had made up her mind.

After training, we ate breakfast before heading to the Adventurers Guild, where we completed as many Jobs as possible until lunch. After eating, we continued working for another few hours until we reached whatever daily Job quota we had set for ourselves.

Once that was done, the rest of the day belonged to us, and we could spend it however we wanted.

For me, that usually meant studying and practicing Magic whenever there wasn’t anything interesting to do in the city.

Not only did I continue consistently emptying my Mana Reserves to increase their total capacity, but I also spent a lot of time improving my control over them.

Eventually, I learned how to cast Mushoku Tensei Spells by channeling Mana directly from my Wizarding Magical Core. More interestingly, I could also do the opposite and cast Wizarding World Spells by drawing Mana through the network spread throughout my body.

Connecting the two Magic Systems like that seemed to awaken a much sharper sense for Magic.

Because of it, I was progressing with silent and wandless casting far faster than I normally should have been.

And I didn’t just mean Mushoku Tensei Magic.

The same improvement also applied to Spells from the Wizarding World.

For a Mushoku Tensei Spell, I usually only needed to cast it aloud once with the complete incantation before I gained a good enough understanding of its structure to begin experimenting with silent casting.

That was probably because this world’s Magic was controlled far more directly through the Mana released from my own body.

Meanwhile, a Spell from the Wizarding World took me several attempts with a Wand before I could properly feel and understand it well enough to cast it silently. After that, I needed several more successful silent casts before I could even begin performing it wandlessly. And so far, I had only managed it with relatively simple Spells.

I believed the Wand acting as a direct medium between my body and the Spell made it harder to properly sense the Magic involved. Unfortunately, I couldn’t properly learn most Spells without a Wand since I needed not only the incantations but also the wand movements to produce the intended result.

Still, in just one week, I had already made progress with silent casting that took Sixth-Year Hogwarts students months to achieve, and most people couldn’t perform wandless Magic at all. I loved how simply gaining access to another system of Magic had accelerated both my understanding of Magic and my overall progress.

Of course, work and training weren’t everything I did.

Before starting my Magic training on several of those days, I explored the city and completed a few minor things on my checklist.

I acquired several more Magic Items and Tools, including Staffs, Armor, Weapons, Clothes, and even enchanted everyday objects to sell to Rias and Irene, making me several thousand Asuran Gold Coins and Galleons richer.

I didn’t have the System pay everything out in Asuran Gold Coins since I already had more than enough to cover our entire journey and all the shopping I planned to do along the way.

Visiting this world had already become incredibly profitable.

Besides that, I also bought some equipment for myself. I got a Magic-Resistant Cloak, Boots that allowed me to run faster, Gloves that reduced impact damage to my hands, and several sets of clothing resistant to physical damage, blades, and similar attacks.

Basically, I bought whatever useful Enchanted Items I could find for different situations.

I also joined the Magic Guild.

Unlike the Adventurers Guild, there was actually a test required to join. I needed to demonstrate that I could perform at least one Beginner Rank Spell.

Of course, I didn’t reveal my ability to cast without a chant.

Promotions also worked differently in the Magic Guild. You could either advance by contributing useful research or prove your ability through increasingly powerful Magic.

To advance from F-Rank to E-Rank, my current Rank, you needed to be capable of casting an Intermediate Rank Spell.

Going from E-Rank to D-Rank required an Advanced Rank Spell, which I hadn’t learned yet. For now, I was more interested in properly mastering the Magic I already had instead of rushing through every available Spell simply to increase my Rank.

Reaching C-Rank had several possible requirements. You could graduate from Ranoa Magic University or prove that you were capable of casting a Saint Rank Spell.

Of course, contributing valuable research could also advance your Rank at every level.

In fact, research contributions were apparently the only way to rise beyond C-Rank.

Since I had joined the Magic Guild, I also gained access to the Books they sold to members. I acquired everything available at this particular branch, although their stock apparently varied depending on the location.

I bought one Book for each Elemental School of Offensive Magic, with every volume containing Spells up to the Advanced Rank. I also picked up Books covering Magical Theory, Magic Circles, Magic Items, and Summoning Magic.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have a Book on Healing Magic beyond the one I had already bought, nor did they have anything useful on Barrier Magic or Divine Strike Magic.

Both subjects were heavily restricted by the Milis Religion, and apparently, it was almost impossible to buy a Book teaching anything beyond the Beginner Rank outside their Church.

Even if someone privately possessed such knowledge, they certainly wouldn’t share it openly, much less sell it.

As for Healing Magic, it seemed I would be restricted to the Beginner Rank until I managed to find a more advanced Book somewhere else.

I also revisited the bookstore in the city and bought a Book on the Demon Language since we would need it to properly navigate the Demon Continent.

As for the Beast Language, I had Ghislaine. She should at least be able to teach me how to speak it, even if reading and writing would be another matter.

Lastly, I finally used the two Gacha Rolls I had received for traveling to this world.

I got one Rare Roll and one Legendary Roll.

With Legendary being the third-highest Tier and the chances of receiving anything above it being incredibly slim, I had pretty high expectations.

Yet I wasn’t entirely sure how I was supposed to feel about what I received.

I wasn’t even sure whether I personally considered it worthy of the Legendary Rank.

At the very least, I now knew that Magic Books weren’t the only things the Gacha could give me.

And Ghislaine seemed to very much enjoy the results of my Roll.

[ Rolling… ]

[ Congratulations! You received some Legendary Knowledge! ]

[ Grandmaster Cooking Knowledge - Legendary: You have reached the pinnacle of mortal cooking, surpassing all other mortal Chefs in the Multiverse. ]

I had to admit, my cooking skills were amazing. I had never eaten anything comparable to what I could prepare now. Even relatively simple dishes turned out like something from a Michelin-starred restaurant.

At the very least, I had learned that I could receive knowledge directly into my mind and even gain the corresponding muscle memory in my body, although the sensation was a little strange.

But was that really worthy of a Legendary Roll?

Well, if Magic didn’t work out, I could always open the best restaurant in the world.

Oh, and I got another Magic Book.

[ Rolling… ]

[ Congratulations! You received a Rare Spell Tome! ]

I received a Book containing a Novice-Level Illusion Spell from the Elder Scrolls Universe. At first, I thought Rare was a bit much for a single Spell.

But after considering what the Spell actually did, I understood why.

It was Clairvoyance, a Spell that, when cast, created a blue trail only visible to me that led toward my chosen objective. I didn’t know how it would interact with hidden locations or things I had never seen before, but it was still an incredibly useful Spell.

Basically, it was a navigation system that worked in every universe.

Since it was only a single Spell, I learned it as soon as possible.

———

As we approached the slightly overweight, balding man going over a list beside a horse-drawn cart, he looked warily at us the moment he noticed our arrival.

“Who are the two of you?”

“My name is Alistair, and this is my Party Member, Ghislaine. We’re ‘Ragnarok’, and we’re looking for someone named Edgar. The Guild sent us,” I introduced us politely while holding up my Guild Card.

The sight of it immediately made the man relax.

“Ah, you must be the rest of my Escort. It’s nice to meet you!” The man, who I now knew was Edgar, our employer, greeted us warmly before his eyes fell on our lightly packed backpacks. “Is there anything else you need to get? We’re already prepared to head out.”

Since we had packed most of our supplies inside my Magical Tent, it was only natural that our backpacks looked rather empty. They contained only the essentials and a few emergency supplies in case we somehow got separated.

Everything else was safely stored inside the Tent I carried in my backpack.

Of course, it probably looked a little strange to anyone who didn’t know that.

“We’re ready to go. Who else is part of the Escort? We might as well finish the introductions and head out. No point wasting any more time,” I replied with a shrug.

“If you’re sure…” Edgar nodded. “Besides the two of you, I also hired—”

“Me.”

A calm and collected female voice came from behind the cart.

A cute girl who appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen stepped into view, or at least that was how old she looked. She had pale, sandy-colored skin and long blue hair tied into two braids.

And the clothes she wore practically screamed fantasy Mage.

She even had a Witch hat!

She also carried a pretty nice Staff. It wasn’t anywhere near the highest grade available, but if I had assessed the materials correctly, it should still cost somewhere around one hundred Gold Coins.

I had done a lot of market research over the last week, after all.

But while she looked like a teenage girl younger than either Ghislaine or me, she definitely wasn’t one.

Her race had a lifespan of around two centuries. She could have been a hundred years old and still looked like this.

Not that she actually was a century old.

Her current age should have been somewhere around the combined ages of Ghislaine and me.

And how did I know that?

Because I recognized her.

“A Migurd? It’s nice to meet you. Seems like we’ll be working together for the foreseeable future! My name is Al—”

“I heard your names,” she interrupted before politely nodding in greeting. “I am Roxy Migurdia, a Saint Rank Water Mage and graduate of Ranoa Magic University.”

Ah, there it was.

That slightly prideful attitude of hers.

Around this point in her life, she was apparently a little full of herself. Something about learning her teacher’s greatest Magic before leaving after defying him.

At least until the Main Character’s ridiculous talent for Magic eventually humbled her.

It seemed like that role might fall to me this time.

I was absolutely going to convince her to teach me Magic!

Especially that Saint Rank Spell of hers.

“Ghislaine. Sword Saint,” my Cat Girl Partner in Crime introduced herself with a simple nod toward Roxy.

“Well, you already know my name. I’m an Advanced Rank Mage specializing in several different kinds of Magic. Oh, and I’m a pretty decent Chef too.”

Yep, I had officially reached the Advanced Rank after learning my first Spell of that level just last night.

The final part of my introduction earned an enthusiastic nod from Ghislaine, her tail swaying excitedly behind her.

Earth Wall, to be specific. I wanted something that could provide me with solid cover, especially a Spell capable of blocking the Unforgivables in my world since it created a physical wall made of earth and rock.

“Seems like you’re our physical hitter, Ghislaine. I assume you specialize in Offensive Magic, Miss Migurdia?” I asked Roxy, already knowing the answer.

“Please call me Roxy,” she muttered. “And that is correct.”

“Okay, that makes our battle formation simple.” I nodded, taking the lead role as I had grown used to doing over the last few days since Ghislaine usually followed my plans without complaint. Roxy didn’t seem to have any objections either. “Ghislaine will act as our frontline Tank. Roxy will be our ranged Attacker with her Magic, and I’ll take a hybrid role between the two of you as both a ranged Attacker and Healer. I assume we’re all the Adventurers you hired for this Job, Mr. Edgar?”

He gave me a nod. “Three Adventurers are plenty since we’ll be traveling along the main road spanning the Central Continent toward East Port. I didn’t expect to get two Saints and an Advanced Rank Mage for this Job. Aren’t all of you a little too highly ranked for something like this?” the Merchant asked, now visibly confused.

Which was true.

Someone who had reached Saint Rank would usually be an A-Rank Adventurer, if not S-Rank. Those who reached King Rank or above were among the strongest powerhouses in the world and were often considered national weapons if they served in an official military.

Even Advanced Rank practitioners were considered part of the elite since most people needed years, if not decades, to reach that level.

Not everyone was a freak of nature like me, coming from a modern world with advanced scientific knowledge while also possessing another form of Magic that made sensing and understanding Magic far easier.

“We only became Adventurers a week ago, and there aren’t any exceptions when it comes to promotion requirements. So you can consider yourself lucky!” I laughed.

“Ah, I see. That explains why you accepted this Job.”

And there were plenty of reasons why we had.

The journey would take around two months, with East Port being the final destination at the eastern edge of the Central Continent. Edgar was an experienced Merchant, so he had several trading stops planned along the way to maximize his profits.

The Quest counted as five C-Rank Jobs, offered decent pay, and even included food and transportation.

Now that my money problems were taken care of, reaching the Demon Continent as quickly as possible was what mattered most, while gaining experience and knowledge along the way was an added bonus.

The planned stops were also perfect opportunities for me to check out local goods and Books in every place we visited.

Roxy gave us an interested look.

“You became D-Ranks in only a week? That’s fast.”

“I have some unique Magic that made most of the E-Rank Jobs extremely easy.”

Yes, become interested in my unique Magic.

“Why are you taking this Job, Roxy?”

“Hmm, I recently graduated from Ranoa Magic University and have been looking for a teaching position, but I haven’t had any luck so far. I still need to pay the bills, and since I’m already a B-Rank Adventurer, taking an easy, well-paying Job while searching for a position doesn’t hurt.”

Traveling around while checking local Job postings along the way.

Smart.

“You’re looking for a teaching position? Can I hire you?”

“You want to study?” Roxy looked at me critically. “Aren’t you already an Advanced Rank Mage?”

“I’m self-taught, and most of my Magic is only at the Intermediate Rank with a single exception. Getting a broader understanding of Magic from someone who graduated from Ranoa Magic University certainly wouldn’t hurt. Also, you’re a Migurd, and I want to learn the Demon Language since our destination is the Demon Continent. Learning it would be much easier with a proper teacher.”

“How much are you offering? And the Demon Continent? Why would the two of you want to travel somewhere that dangerous?”

“Does one Gold Coin per month sound good? I’m looking for something there.”

“One Gold Coin per month? That’s half your pay for this entire Job!”

“Money isn’t really an issue. We’re mainly here for the Job completion while traveling toward our destination. So, what do you say?”

And that was how I got myself my first Magic Teacher.

[-- End of Chapter --]