Infinity Is My Affinity?!?-Chapter 74: Guess I Just Found My Grind

Nico ascended the winding stone steps as the muffled roar of the mob faded into a dull, thrum beneath his feet, before stepping back into the main Guild Hall, finding the vast space almost entirely empty.

The vast majority of the adventurers had abandoned their seats and drinks to crowd into the basement arena to watch the "Fresh Meat" get slaughtered, leaving only Guild’s staff behind.

And the moment Nico and Nom-Nom stepped in, the bored glances of the clerks shifted instantly into wide-eyed stares at them.

Or rather, on what the duo was carrying.

Nico walked with his hands buried in the pockets of his Samue, looking like he had just returned from a pleasant stroll, while Nom-Nom looked like a walking armory.

The massive Greatsword was strapped to her back, the hilt rising well above her head like a steel antenna, while the curved sheath of the Kukri hung heavily from her waist. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

The familiar weapons of Luger and his party were unmistakable.

Ignoring the stunned silence, Nico walked straight toward the reception desk.

The young woman behind the counter was currently hunched over a stack of parchment, her quill scratching furiously against the paper as she pre-filled the standard "infermary report" forms she assumed she would need in five minutes.

Sensing the shadow falling over her desk, she paused her writing before looking up with a practiced, sympathetic smile.

"I already have the heale-"

But the words died in her throat.

She blinked rapidly, her gaze bouncing from Nico’s unbruised face to the massive slab of steel on Nom-Nom’s back before returning to Nico.

Her brain stalled as it tried to reconcile the fact that Nico was standing in front of her with Luger’s loot.

"My card?" Nico asked softly, breaking her out of the trance.

The receptionist jolted in her seat as if waking from a dream before scrambling to straighten her posture.

"R-Right! Of course!"

She fumbled with the wooden box on her desk, her fingers trembling slightly as she pulled out two fresh, silver-lined plates.

"Here they are," she stammered while sliding them across the mahogany surface. "Congratulations on your... registration."

Nico reached out to pluck the two rectangular plates before bringing them up to eye level, scanning the etched details that defined his new existence in this world.

Name: Nico

Race: Human

Tier: 1, Mid Stage

Circuits: 6

Affinity: Ice, Nature, Metal

Class: Mage

Rank: F

Soul Armament: Yes

He then shifted his gaze to the second card.

Name: Nom-Nom

Race: Greater Dragon

Tier: 5, Early Stage

Circuits: 7

Affinity: Dragon Fire

Class: Familiar

Rank: F

Soul Armament: No

Nico stared at the matching "F" stamps on both cards before letting out a long, audible groan.

Hearing the unmistakable sound of disapproval, the receptionist cleared her throat.

Adjusting her glasses with a stiff motion, her voice regained some of its professional frost even as her hands trembled slightly on the desk.

"May I take a moment to explain the details regarding the Guild’s ranking system?" she asked, trying to salvage some semblance of authority.

"Yeah..." Nico replied while flipping Nom-Nom’s card between his fingers like a poker chip. "Start with why a literal Greater Dragon is classified as an F-Rank according to you lot."

The receptionist adjusted her glasses again, finding comfort in the familiar script of guild regulations to steady her nerves against the monsters standing before her.

"It is Guild Policy," she began, her voice gaining a rhythm of practiced recitation. "Every registrant begins at F-Rank. There are no exceptions. Not even for Greater Dragons."

She pointed a slender finger at the card in Nico’s hand and continued-

"The Guild operates on a strict philosophy: Being an Adventurer about more knowledge and experience than strength."

Nico raised an eyebrow but remained silent, flipping the card over his knuckles.

"Raw power can kill a beast,yes," she continued, gaining confidence as she lectured. "But it cannot identify a poisonous herb that looks identical to a healing one. It cannot tell the difference between a Magic Beast that is guarding its young versus one that is hunting you. And it certainly cannot navigate the political nuances that come with being an Adventurer."

She folded her hands on the desk.

"Experience handles the unexpected while combat power only handles the fight."

"So, what?" Nico asked, catching the card in his palm with a snap. "I have to grind rats until you trust me?"

"You have to complete a minimum of thirty quests to prove reliability," she corrected smoothly. "Once that quota is met, you will be eligible for the promotion exams."

She held up three fingers.

"First, the quota. Second, a written examination to test your practical knowledge of dungeon ecology and resource identification."

She lowered two fingers.

"And finally, an oral examination. A panel of examiners will present you with tactical, dungeon-based, and political scenarios to which you must provide immediate, viable solutions on the spot."

She offered him a tight, professional smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

"If you pass all three... and meet the Tier requirements for the next rank, you will be promoted. Until then, you are an F-Rank."

Nico stared at her for a long second, processing the mountain of homework she had just dumped on him.

[The Quota... and Written and Oral exams... this is gonna be a drag...]

He let out a long, suffering sigh, "So... basically, bureaucracy with swords."

"We are a professional institution, sir," she replied with a sniff. "Not a mercenary band."

She pointed a manicured finger at a small, intricate geometric carving located on the bottom right corner of the silver plates.

"Please inject a small amount of mana into the identification array on both cards," she instructed.

Nico held his own card in his left hand and Nom-Nom’s in his right before pulsing his mana through his fingertips simultaneously.

The rune on his card flared with a soft, steady green light.

The rune on Nom-Nom’s card, however, flashed a sharp red.

"Perfect," the receptionist said with a nod as she gestured to the lights. "The arrays have been imprinted with your unique mana frequency. Your card glowed green to verify your identity, while the Lady Dragon’s card glowed red to indicate a mismatch with your signature."

She tapped the desk for emphasis.

"This serves as a verification for all official use. It prevents theft, verifies identity for secure access, and allows you to claim tax rebates on equipment and lodging within Guild-affiliated establishments."

Reaching under the desk once more, she retrieved two small, leather-bound booklets before sliding them across the wood next to the cards.

"These are your Transaction Passbooks," she explained while pointing to the gold embossing on the cover. "All financial rewards from quests and monster material sales must be recorded here."

She looked up to meet Nico’s eyes with a serious expression.

"Furthermore, due to Anti-Laundering regulations, any external transaction exceeding one thousand silver coins must also be recorded in these ledgers. You can place your card on the record and pour mana into it, and it will be stamped with your signature."

"Impressive...," Nico noted, tapping the cool metal of the card against his chin with a satisfied nod.

He slid the passbook into the pocket of his Samue before leaning casually against the high counter.

"Now, about those thirty quests I need to grind... or better yet, a dungeon? Where do I sign up for the dangerous stuff?"

The receptionist sighed, clearly done with him, and pointed a finger toward the other side of the hall.

"Quest assignments and Dungeon Permits are handled at the Quests Counter for all adventurers. Please speak to Mimi."

As if on cue, the heavy double doors of the hall banged open.

The silence shattered as the flood of adventurers returned from the arena, pouring into the lobby with a mixture of heated arguments, boisterous laughter, and the clattering of armor.

Dozens of eyes instantly locked onto Nico and Nom-Nom.

The looks ranged from grudging respect to blatant hatred, but the duo simply ignored the heavy atmosphere.

Nico approached the designated counter where a young woman was organizing a stack of bounty posters.

She looked up as they approached, and Nico’s eyebrows rose slightly.

She was a Demi-Human with long, blue hair that cascaded down her back, vibrant red eyes that sparkled with natural energy, and a pair of long, blue rabbit ears that twitched attentively atop her head.

"Hi there!" she chirped in a voice that was a warm, bubbly melody, the complete opposite of the ice-queen at the registration desk. "I saw you standing up the Luger and his band of crooks! Good job! Welcome to the Guild! I’m Mimi!"

Nico couldn’t help but smile at the infectious energy.

"Hey, Mimi," he replied with a beaming smile of his own that matched her energy. "I’m Nico!"

"And I’m Nom-Nom!"

"Nice to meet you too!" Mimi beamed, her ears wiggling happily. "How can I help you today? Looking for some herbs? Or maybe a slime hunt?"

"Actually, we’re looking for a dungeon," Nico corrected. "Something with a bit more... substance."

"Ooh! Ambitious!"

She reached under the counter and pulled out a large, detailed parchment map of the mainland before spreading it out between them.

"Here is the current layout of all the active dungeons in the region," she explained, tracing a finger over the inked mountains and forests.

-Ding!

{Map Data Detected... Synchronizing...

Map Updated.}

[Cool... maybe I should go get some more maps...] Nico thought before Mimi stole his attention.

"Now, before you go charging in..." Mimi continued, her expression turning slightly more serious, though her tone remained sweet. "I need to explain the entry protocols. Dungeons are restricted zones, so you can’t just walk in."

She held up a finger.

"First, you must file a ’Sortie Plan’ with us. You need to tell us who you’re going with... the exact date you are entering and the exact date you will to report back to the Guild."

She tapped the counter for emphasis.

"We will issue a Permit based on those dates and only for the people you mentioned, which you must show to the Guards stationed at the dungeon entrance to gain access."

"And if we’re late?" Nico asked.

"If you fail to exit the dungeon and report back to the Guild on the agreed date," she explained, holding up a second finger. "You will be charged a Fine of up to one thousand silver coins."

"Steep," Nico muttered.

"It gets worse..." Mimi warned with a sympathetic wince. "If you fail to report back even after two days past your deadline, the Guild will officially commission a Rescue Party to enter the dungeon and search for you."

She leaned in closer as though she was spilling some dark secret.

"You are legally obligated to pay the full cost of that rescue commission. And in the unfortunate event of your death... your equipment and assets will be seized and auctioned off to pay the rescuers."

"Got it... is there anything actually... challenging?" Nico asked, drumming his fingers on the counter. "I need a dungeon that won’t bore Nom to death."

Mimi offered a sympathetic smile, her ears drooping slightly.

"I’m afraid Dungeon Access is strictly determined by Adventurer Rank, not personal power," she explained apologetically. "However, the Guild does allow adventurers to challenge dungeons one rank above their current standing."

She tapped a specific location on the map, just northeast of Shinkotsu.

"Since you are F-Rank, I can authorize an entry permit for the ’Hollow Stone Caverns.’ It is an E-Rank dungeon."

She circled the area with her finger.

"The monsters there.... specifically the Iron-Bristle Boars and Stone-Shell Tortoises have incredibly tough hides. They are difficult for standard F-Rank weapons to pierce, but because of that durability, their raw materials sell for a significantly higher price."

Nico turned his head to look at Nom-Nom.

"You okay with hitting rocks for a few days?"

Nom-Nom stared at the map blankly before offering a noncommittal shrug.

"Fine," Nico sighed, turning back to the bunny girl. "We’ll take it."

He had hoped that the words "Greater Dragon" printed on her ID card would act as a VIP pass to the high-level content, but it seemed bureaucracy was a force stronger than even a Greater Dragon.

[Fine... we’ll make do with quantity if not quality,] Nico thought, resolving to simply clear the dungeon fast enough to brute-force the promotion quota.

"Would you please issue the permit for Nom?" he asked.

"You got it! One E-Rank Permit coming up!" Mimi chirped, instantly pulling a fresh form from her stack and dipping her quill into the inkpot.

While she began filling out the paperwork with practiced speed, Nico’s attention drifted to the quest board beside the counter.

The surface was covered with parchment, layered thick with requests that ranged from the mundane to the apocalyptic, organized by a strict hierarchy of danger.

Nico’s eyes drifted to the far left, where the S-Rank requests were pinned on red velvet.

"Subjugation Request: The Abyssal Hydra of the Eastern Sea has awakened."

"Bounty: ’The Pale King’ - Necromancer Lord spotted in the Ruins."

[Damn... wish we could take these...]

His gaze then slid right to the A and B-Rank section.

"Dungeon Culling: The Crimson Peak has reached critical monster population."

"Hunt: Alpha Behemoth spotted near a Trade Route."

[Ahhh... they sound so fun!,] Nico internally screamed, finally letting his eyes slide to the cluttered, unglamorous bottom section reserved for F-Ranks.

And the drop in quality was depressing.

"Gather 10 bundles of Sun-Moss."

"Hunt 5 Slimes clogging the sewer."

"Locate the lost Wedding Ring."

[Chores...] Nico concluded with a grimace. [These ain’t quests... They are chores!]

He was about to turn away and maybe just accept the sewer duty when a single, crisp sheet of parchment pinned to the far edge caught his eye.

Curious, Nico leaned in closer, his eyes scanning the dense paragraphs of text that detailed the objective.

His eyes narrowed as he parsed the information, picking out specific words that didn’t belong in the F-Rank section.

"Orichalcum mine..." he whispered under his breath, his finger tracing the line. "Security detail... Accursed Territory..."

He paused the moment his finger hovered over the location.

[Accursed Territory?] Nico thought, [Jackpot!]

With a swift motion, he ripped the request from the board, holding it up like a winning lottery ticket while a beaming smile spread across his face.

[Guess I just found my grind.]