"So this is the scenery of another world, huh? Truly exhilarating!"
Standing on a slope, with one hand shading his eyes as he gazed at the magical city at the horizon, the blond youth's lips curled into a delighted smile, and his eyes glimmered with some kind of emotion.
Perhaps excitement, longing, or even the joy of realizing the fantasies he had held since his younger days.
At the edge of the green plains lay a city encircled by enormous walls, so vast that the edges could not be seen.
A grand tower stood proudly at its center, its overwhelming presence stirring the youth's heart, prompting him to exclaim in admiration.
"At the very western end of the continent, the center of the world, blessed by the gods —Orario, the labyrinth city! Amazing."
"Hahaha, young man, you're not the first to say something like that. Every first-timer seeing this city reacts the same way!" Beside the blond youth stood a middle-aged man clad in coarse cloth, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and carrying a large pack on his back. He laughed heartily as he teased the youth.
"Uh…" Feeling slightly embarrassed at his naive, country-bumpkin-like reaction, the youth scratched his nose awkwardly and then asked curiously "Um, sir, are there really a lot of people like me?"
The man raised an eyebrow and sized up the youth.
Beneath a black cloak, the young man wore matching black clothing, with a crude leather belt holding his pouches. His mud-splattered boots and the pack on his back revealed his long journey.
"Hmm, lad, let me give you a piece of advice. Being an adventurer might bring fame, wealth, and power, but… it's a life-threatening profession. One wrong step and…"
"…" The elder's heartfelt warning made the youth scratch his head sheepishly.
"Th-thank you for the advice. But since I've come all this way, wouldn't it be a waste not to become an adventurer? Besides, elves, beast-girls, magic —just seeing those would excite anyone, even a monkey, right??"
"Ahahaha, kid, you've got a point!" As their conversation ended, both the middle-aged man and the youth exchanged knowing smiles.
"Well then, I wish you success and good fortune in your endeavors!"
"Haha, thank you for your blessing!"
The two strangers parted ways after their brief chat, waving to each other as they went.
"Oh, by the way, my name's Fron—Fron Argon!!"
The middle-aged man didn't turn back, only waving his hand in acknowledgment.
Gazing into the distance, beneath the vast azure sky scattered with dark clouds, the scent of grass and the gentle breeze brushed against his face, bringing a smile to the youth.
....
The Northern Gate of the Labyrinth City, Orario.
Fron's insatiable curiosity was already stirring before he even set foot into the city.
At the massive city gate built from giant bricks, a long line stretched across the drawbridge. Fron stood in line, curiously observing the black-uniformed guards inspecting the incoming travelers one by one.
A peculiar magic stone lamp was used to scan each person's back. Only after passing this inspection were they allowed entry. Some individuals, however, presented something like a pass and bypassed the inspection entirely.
The whole process gave Fron a strange sense of déjà vu, as if time and space had been distorted.
The guards worked efficiently, and it was soon Fron's turn.
The pallum responsible for his "security check" glanced at Fron's eye catching golden hair and golden eyes, showing a hint of surprise.
"Is this your first time in Orario?"
"Huh? You can tell just by looking?" The uniformed pallum adjusted his glasses and maintained a professional smile as he explained "Hahaha, young man, you're not the first to say something like that. Well, I check hundreds, if not thousands, of people every day. Let's just call it experience."
"…"
Fron was momentarily dazed—this sounded similar to what that middle-aged man had said earlier.
Or perhaps the pallum's sharp senses played a role here.
"After all, this is Orario, the labyrinth city. It's natural for all sorts of people with fantasies to gather here, isn't it?"
"Uh, I suppose you're right."
"Alright, your back, please."
Understanding what was required, Fron mimicked the others and exposed his back for inspection.
"By the way, can I ask—what exactly is the purpose of this check?"
"There's no big secret. This is Orario, after all, the center of the world. There are bound to be various troubles—spies from other countries, smugglers, you name it. You get the idea, right?"
As a transmigrator, Fron immediately understood.
Based on the guard's actions, he quickly deduced the purpose of the inspection.
'Falna, the Blessing of the Gods,' the one gift gods could bestow upon mortals.
The magical tool was likely designed to react to this blessing.
"A device similar to scanning a code, huh? Pretty advanced…"
After the quick scan, the pallum guard signaled that he was clear to enter.
As Fron adjusted his clothing, he asked "So, if I want to become an adventurer, should I go to the Guild first, or…?"
"Of course, you need to find a god to join their Familia and receive their blessing before registering. Imagine fighting monsters without Falna—that would be a nightmare."
Realizing how foolish his question sounded, Fron cursed himself inwardly but kept a smile on his face as he thanked the guard.
"By the way, choosing a god is critical if you want to become an adventurer. Gods have different personalities, just like us mortals. The Guild can't help with this—you're on your own, and it's all down to luck."
The guard's advice reminded Fron of a mystical principle—your first Familia's deity often has some connection to your personality.
'It's like a Stand User attracting another Stand User…'
"Thank you for the suggestion. I really appreciate it!"
"Haha, just doing my job. Enjoy your time in Orario!"
With that, the dusty and weary Fron finally set foot into the city hailed as the world's center—Orario, the only city to have a dungeon!
...
A bustling avenue paved with white stone stretched from the central plaza, wide enough for four carriages to pass side by side without crowding. Shops lined both sides of the road, it's arrangements neat and vibrant. At the heart of his vision stood the Tower of Babel.
Even with the accumulated years of his two lifetimes, Fron's burning passion drove him to take in the sights with wide-eyed wonder.
People of all kinds filled the streets. Some wore full armor with swords at their waists, others carried bows slung across their cloaked backs. There were stout and boisterous dwarves, beast-kin swishing their tails, and Pallums with humble yet stern expressions and the ever proud Elves.
Only now did Fron Argon truly feel the reality of being in another world.
'Elven girls, beast-ear girls—are you ready for me? Hahaha! Here I come!' Shouting out loud in his mind, he spread his arms out wide.
Ignoring the strange looks, Fron was so excited he could hardly contain himself.
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T / N: Hello Everyone, LordIsland here!
A new translation, this time a Danmachi one! Enjoy !!