— — — — — — —
"Will it be okay?"
Kazuma couldn't sit still anymore, his eyes fixed on Renzo with anticipation. Renzo's sudden appearance was like a blessing from the heavens!
From Kazuma's perspective, all he needed to do was register as an adventurer, get his card, choose a job, and learn some skills.
After that, completing quests, hunting monsters, leveling up, and making money would be a breeze—just like playing a game!
For a hardcore gamer like him, this was basically a real-life RPG. How hard could it be?
"Heh."
Though Renzo didn't read Kazuma's mind, he could easily tell what he was thinking just by looking at his face.
He couldn't help but offer a moment of silence for Kazuma in his heart: 'Kid, your suffering is only just beginning! The future is far crueler than you can imagine!'
But now wasn't the time for that.
Seeing Kazuma and Aqua's expectant expressions, Renzo nodded without hesitation.
"Of course! Come with me, I'll take you to register! I need to register too."
"As for the registration fee, forget about it! Not worth the hassle. I just created a sword and sold it for 5 million Eris. I'm not exactly short on cash."
While gold consumed less energy to create than cold iron, in terms of overall efficiency, making equipment directly was much more profitable.
"H-Huh? 5 million Eris?!"
Aqua and Kazuma both yelled in shock, instantly drawing the attention of nearly everyone in the guild.
Feeling the weight of countless stares, the two of them quickly shut their mouths and awkwardly followed Renzo to the registration counter.
They were greeted by Luna, the guild receptionist.
Luna efficiently explained the registration process and soon began their aptitude tests.
As expected, Kazuma and Aqua's results remained unchanged from the original storyline.
Kazuma was just a luck-based loser, forced to pick the most basic Adventurer class.
Meanwhile, Aqua—despite having intelligence and luck below average human standards—had maxed-out stats in everything else, allowing her to become an Arch Priest.
This earned her a round of congratulations from the entire guild.
Kazuma: "..."
"Why does this idiot goddess have such high stats?!"
Kazuma felt personally insulted—both his intelligence and dignity had taken a serious blow.
Then, curiosity got the better of him. He turned to look at Renzo and Luna, eager to see Renzo's stats.
After all, from the moment they met, Renzo had given off a mysterious aura.
Besides, Aqua had already explained that his Fantasy Creation cheat required mental energy to function.
The stronger the item created, the more energy it consumed.
Judging by the sword at Renzo's waist, his mental (spiritual) energy must be extraordinary.
"Whoa! Your stats are incredible!"
Sure enough, as soon as Luna saw the results, she gasped in shock.
"Renzo, you're amazing! Your stats are so high that most people wouldn't even reach this level in their entire lives!"
"..." Kazuma stayed silent. He was surprised, but not that surprised.
Aqua had somehow crept over to read Renzo's stat sheet. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at him.
His stats were nearly on par with hers!
Well, except for Intelligence and Luck.
Renzo chuckled. "Compared to a goddess, I amjust ordinary."
Aqua: "..."
For some reason, she suddenly had the urge to punch him in the face.
Kazuma was just as speechless.
Ordinary, my ass!
Since when did 'ordinary' mean godlike stats?!
Am I really the only actual average one here?!
"Renzo, you shouldn't joke about the gods so casually," Luna said with a smile before continuing, "Anyway, based on your stats, you qualify for nearly every class! I highly recommend advanced jobs like Archmage, Rune Knight..."
"All top-tier choices! Which one will you pick?"
As she spoke, she gave Renzo a brief rundown of each class's abilities and advantages.
"I'll go with Adventurer Class."
Renzo grinned and answered without hesitation.
"Huh?"
"What?!!"
"...Adventurer?!"
Luna, Aqua, Kazuma, and everyone nearby froze in shock.
After a long silence, Luna hesitantly asked, "Wh-Why? Renzo, please think this through! While you can change jobs later, your starting class heavily influences your long-term growth."
"Adventurer is the most basic class! Its potential and growth rate are the lowest!"
"Most importantly, Adventurers gain the fewest skill points per level—only one!"
"By comparison, high-tier classes get five per level!"
"I see you use a sword, so wouldn't a Swordmaster suit you better? Please reconsider!"
As a guild receptionist, she couldn't directly interfere with an adventurer's decision, but she couldn't stand by and watch such a promising newcomer fall into the pit known as 'Adventurer.'
"Exactly!"
Kazuma quickly chimed in. "Renzo, you should really think this through! A top-tier job would be way better! Don't be reckless!"
"Look at me—I only picked Adventurer because my base stats were garbage! If I had a choice, I'd never pick this class!"
'It's a tragic story, really...'
'Why do others get choices and waste them?'
'Meanwhile, I don't even have a choice and have to suffer...'
"Yeah! What's wrong with you? Is your brain broken?!" Aqua demanded.
She had high hopes for Renzo!
She needed him to become the strongest hero, take her along for the ride, and defeat the Demon King so she could return to heaven!
There was no way she could rely on Kazuma, that useless bum!
"No need to reconsider."
But Renzo firmly shook his head. "I'm sticking with Adventurer. I have my reasons. I don't lack combat power or skills, and I have my own ways to get stronger. What matters most to me is that Adventurers can learn everyskill from every class."
"Luna, please complete my registration."
This was a decision he had already made.
Sure, the high-tier jobs were tempting, but in terms of versatility and long-term benefits, Adventurer suited him best.
Aqua: "..."
Kazuma: "..."
Luna had nothing left to say.
She could only process his registration.
As she handed him his Adventurer Card, she sighed, "If you ever change your mind, come find me. I can help you switch to a better job."
"Haha, thanks, kind and beautiful Luna!" Renzo winked at her before turning to leave. "Alright, we're heading out!"
He barely sat down before Aqua and Kazuma dragged him to an empty table.
"I really don't get you," Aqua grumbled, still in disbelief. "Who in their right mind picks the most basic, weakest job?! You're a lost cause as a hero!"
How long will it take to defeat the Demon King now?!
Aqua wanted to cry.
Kazuma, on the other hand, had a different reaction. His eyes burned with determination as he stared at Renzo.
"Renzo, you said you have a way to get stronger without relying on the Class... Is that true? Can you teach me?"
He stood up and bowed deeply.
"I'll do anything! Please, teach me!"
.
.
.