Chapter 34: The Allure of a Wild Cleric

In a secluded alley, several pitiful cries of “Ow! Ow! Ow!” echoed briefly before silence descended once more.

The masked girl dusted her hands with a relaxed expression, then casually stepped out of the alley.

The two stalkers who had followed her into the narrow passage, however, did not emerge.

There was simply no contest. These two little tails, clinging to her heels, hadn’t even surpassed Level 10. A mere two rounds of Wennya’s Maid Iron Fists had them screaming for their lives, their limbs already broken.

Although outsiders couldn’t hear their pleas, Eve, ever pragmatic, picked up her coffin and delivered a swift, decisive blow to the back of each man’s head. Instantly, their cries ceased, and they succumbed to a deep, ‘baby-like’ sleep.

As for how long they would remain unconscious…

A week? A month? Or perhaps, forever?

Eve had no idea. After all, she wasn’t the one sleeping.

With this minor incident concluded, Eve hummed an unknown tune once more as she made her way to the nearest Adventurer’s Guild in the city.

The Adventurer’s Guild buzzed with activity. Around the quest board, adventurers in all manner of eccentric attire gathered, while many newcomers consulted the front desk lady about the process of becoming an adventurer.

Soon, Eve joined their ranks.

“Hello, welcome to the Adventurer’s Guild! How may I help you?”

“I’d like to register as an adventurer.”

“Becoming an adventurer, are we? Excellent. As per procedure, you’ll need to pay a fee of 50 copper coins. This charge is for the creation of your identification plaque, not an arbitrary fee, so please understand.”

Eve nodded, paying the fee without a moment’s hesitation.

“Very well, please wait a moment.”

Accepting the payment, the receptionist began the identity registration. “Your name or codename?”

“Luosha.”

“And your profession?”

“Cleric.”

The receptionist’s hand paused, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She scrutinized Eve once more, but said nothing further, continuing, “To verify your profession, please demonstrate a martial skill or a spell you have learned.”

“Alright.”

Eve activated a skill, conjuring a beam of Holy Light with her bare hands.

The Holy Light’s unique sacred aura immediately drew the attention of many, eliciting a chorus of gasps.

“Oh! By the Goddess of Light, what do I see? A wild Cleric?!”

“My heavens, Clerics visiting the Adventurer’s Guild aren’t uncommon, but seeing one register as an adventurer? This is my first time!”

“Three minutes! I want all the information on that woman! She *must* join our Wolf Fang Adventurer Group!”

The appearance of Holy Light instantly made many adventurer groups eager to recruit this Cleric.

It was understandable. The Church’s benefits had grown increasingly attractive: less work, more pay, comprehensive insurance, and stable employment. Priests, in particular, didn’t even need to risk their lives in battle, leading most Clerics to flock to local churches.

Having a Cleric among adventurers was akin to a transfer student appearing in an all-boys’ school—an almost extinct, endangered species!

Now that such a ‘sweet and naive’ individual had finally appeared, she was immediately seen as a prized catch by all the major adventurer groups.

Unaware that she had just stumbled into a pack of wolves, Eve, the little lamb, retracted her Holy Light. She looked at the stunned receptionist and asked, “Is this sufficient?”

“Of-of course!”

As if terrified Eve would flee, the receptionist spoke with rapid urgency. “Your adventurer registration is complete! Your identification plaque is currently being crafted, so please wait a moment.”

“Oh, alright. Thank you for your trouble.”

Eve actually felt a little sheepish. Aside from Holy Light, she knew absolutely no other divine spells.

She had originally considered that if Holy Light wasn’t enough, and the Cleric path proved unfeasible, she could always become a Summoner and perform a ‘live person transformation’ for the receptionist.

As for why she prioritized Cleric, there was no profound reason. It was simply because they offered more benefits, and there were fewer active professionals of that type, leading to less competition.

When traveling, Eve’s creed was always to save wherever possible.

With the dual identities of Cleric and adventurer, she imagined everything would be much more convenient.

The wait wasn’t long. Soon, the receptionist returned with a bronze plaque and handed it to Eve.

“Your adventurer identity has been fully registered! You are now a Bronze-rank adventurer! You may now accept low-level quests!”

“Every quest submission will be recorded in your file. After completing a certain number of low-level quests, or assisting in a high-level one, you can present your plaque at any Adventurer’s Guild to advance your adventurer rank…”

Watching the receptionist eloquently explain everything, Eve couldn’t help but ponder.

‘This must be the standard ‘newbie questline’ that normal ‘God’s Call’ players go through, right?’

Becoming an adventurer—the thought truly was exhilarating!

Regrettably, there was no ‘skip’ button for such storylines.

After patiently listening to the enthusiastic receptionist finish her spiel, Eve quickly said, “Alright, thank you for the explanation. Perhaps we’ll meet again.”

Swiftly ending the conversation, Eve prepared to make her escape and search for a merchant caravan heading towards the Xigelili Great Plains.

However, before she could even leave the Adventurer’s Guild, she found her path blocked.

“Hey there, beautiful lady, are you looking for companions to adventure with?”

“I daresay our Wolf Fang Adventurer Group would be your unparalleled choice.”

A burly man with a wolf-tail hairstyle struck what he clearly believed was a dashing pose, even winking at Eve.

His greasy pickup line sent a shiver down Eve’s spine. She almost couldn’t resist pulling out her coffin and smacking him with it.

“…Thank you for the invitation, but I prefer adventuring alone.”

Politely declining, Eve sidestepped the man blocking her way, intent on leaving the Guild.

Then, she was blocked again.

This time, a valiant and stylish older sister, radiating a warm smile, obstructed Eve’s path.

“Hello there, cute little sister. Are you interested in joining our Amber Adventurer Group? Our group is full of pretty ladies! We’re nothing like those stinky men in the Husky Adventurer Group next door!”

Before Eve could even reply, the leader of the Wolf Fang Adventurer Group bristled. “Tsk, you stinky hags from Amber, who are you calling the Husky Adventurer Group?! Little one, don’t let those wicked women trick you; she just wants your body! How base! Only our Wolf Fang Adventurer Group is truly suitable for new adventurers to gain experience!”

“Why are you barking, dog?! You’re just the Husky Adventurer Group, a bunch of muscle-brained idiots! Follow them and you’ll starve three times a day! Join our Amber Adventurer Group, and big sister will take you to clear quests!”

“Join the Wolf Fang Adventurer Group!”

“Join the Amber Adventurer Group!”

The two adventurer group leaders, one male and one female, immediately erupted into a heated argument.

The onlookers, far from finding the situation problematic, were clearly enjoying the spectacle. Some gleeful individuals even began shouting, “Fight! Fight!”

Caught between the two warring leaders, Eve quietly took a step back, creating space for their impending battle while simultaneously diminishing her presence to make a swift escape.

In Eve’s opinion, any two adventurer groups that could squabble over such trivial matters seemed utterly unreliable.

Join them?

‘In your dreams!’