Kazuma stood mesmerized in the bustling city of Orario. Magnificent buildings towered around him, adventurers of various races passed by, and merchants loudly offered their wares. The towering Babel in the center of the city reminded him that this was the center of the world he had known from his anime before.
"So this is Orario," he murmured with a satisfied smile. "Exactly as I imagined."
With the Crimson Fang spear in hand, Kazuma began walking through the busy city streets. He observed his surroundings carefully, recalling important locations from the anime. Although he had only watched the anime, his knowledge of the city was quite detailed thanks to his habit of analyzing every episode.
"First of all, I need to go to the Guild," he said to himself. "Register as an adventurer and find information about Familias."
Kazuma walked with full confidence, occasionally smirking when he noticed the admiring glances of some girls directed at his muscular physique and handsome face. His black hair blowing in the wind and his dark blue sharp eyes indeed attracted attention.
"It seems my decision to train hard all this time wasn't in vain," he thought with satisfaction.
After asking several locals, Kazuma finally arrived in front of a large building with the Adventurers Guild emblem. His heart beat rapidly. This was his official first step as an adventurer in a world he had only been able to see through a screen.
---
Upon entering the Guild, a busy atmosphere immediately greeted Kazuma. Adventurers of various levels gathered, some taking quests from the notice board, while others exchanged crystals from their hunts. At the reception desk, several Guild staff were serving adventurers who were registering or asking questions.
His eyes immediately fixed on a very familiar figure—a half-elf girl with short brown hair and pointed ears. She wore a Guild uniform and was serving an adventurer at the reception desk.
"Eina Tulle," Kazuma whispered, unable to hide the excitement in his voice. One of his favorite characters, the Guild advisor who always helped Bell in the anime.
With confident steps, Kazuma walked toward the reception desk. He waited patiently until Eina finished with the previous adventurer, then stepped forward with a confident smile.
"Good afternoon," he greeted warmly. "I'm new to Orario and would like to register as an adventurer."
Eina raised her face and for a split second seemed surprised by Kazuma's striking appearance. However, professionalism quickly returned to her face.
"Welcome to the Orario Adventurers Guild," Eina replied in a soft voice. "I am Eina Tulle, one of the advisors here. I will help you with the registration process. Please follow me."
Eina led Kazuma to one of the private consultation tables beside the main room. After both were seated, Eina took out several forms and began explaining.
"To become an official adventurer, you need to fill out this form with your personal data. But more importantly, you must join a Familia and receive Falna from a god or goddess," Eina explained.
"Ah, about Familias," Kazuma grinned. "Could you give me information about Familias that might accept new members?"
Eina nodded. "Certainly. There are several Familias that usually accept new members. Large Familias like Loki or Freya are typically very selective, but there are mid-sized Familias like Miach, Takemikazuchi, or small developing Familias."
"What about Hestia Familia?" Kazuma asked directly, slightly surprising Eina.
"Hestia Familia? You know about it?" Eina seemed puzzled. "That Familia is still very new. Actually..." Eina paused briefly, as if hesitant to continue.
"What's with Hestia Familia?" Kazuma pressed, though in his heart he could already guess the answer.
"Just yesterday someone joined that Familia. A young man named Bell Cranel. Before that, Hestia Familia had no members at all."
Kazuma fell silent. So Bell had already become a member of Hestia Familia. He had thought he could be the first.
"You seem somewhat disappointed?" asked Eina, noticing the change in Kazuma's expression.
"No, just a bit surprised," Kazuma quickly put his confident smile back on. "Are there any other Familias accepting new members? Perhaps ones that are more... experienced?"
Eina nodded and began explaining about several other Familias. She mentioned Miach Familia which focused on medical items, Takemikazuchi Familia known for its talented fighters, and several other small Familias.
"You should tour the city and meet several gods to find one that suits you," Eina suggested. "Joining a Familia is an important decision. You will be bound for a long time."
"I understand," replied Kazuma. "Thank you for your advice, Eina-san."
After filling out the form and receiving a temporary identity card, Kazuma bid farewell to Eina. The half-elf receptionist gave him a city map and marked the locations of several Familias that might accept new members.
"Don't forget to return to the Guild after you receive your Falna to complete the registration," Eina instructed.
Kazuma nodded. "See you again, Eina-san. I'm sure we'll meet often in the future."
---
Map in hand, Kazuma began exploring Orario, visiting the Familias Eina had recommended one by one. However, the results were not as he had hoped.
Miach Familia already had a new member and their finances were difficult. Takemikazuchi Familia only accepted recommended members and they focused on fighters with East Asian fighting styles. Other Familias had special requirements or weren't compatible with Kazuma's character.
"Damn, I didn't expect it would be this difficult," Kazuma grumbled as he sat on a bench in the city park as dusk began to fall. "In the anime, the gods always seemed enthusiastic about finding new members."
He weighed his options. Bell was already in Hestia Familia, which meant the main storyline was already running. If he joined Hestia Familia, he would be directly involved in the main plot. But on the other hand, he planned to make a name for himself, not just be a complement to Bell Cranel.
"Maybe I should try a larger Familia? Loki or Freya?" he thought. But he knew that entering a large Familia without extraordinary achievements would be difficult. And although strong for a newcomer, he didn't yet have achievements he could be proud of in Orario.
After much thought, Kazuma finally decided to try his luck with Hestia Familia. At least temporarily, until he found a more suitable Familia or made a name for himself.
---
Night had fallen by the time Kazuma arrived at the underground area of the old church, the location of Hestia Familia that he knew from the anime. He wondered if the small room was still inhabited only by Hestia herself and Bell, or if there might have been changes due to his existence in this world.
With full conviction, Kazuma knocked on the door of the underground room.
"Who's there?" came a cheerful and energetic feminine voice from inside—a voice very familiar to Kazuma.
"My name is Kazuma Shinrai. I would like to speak with Goddess Hestia about the possibility of joining this Familia," Kazuma answered with a clear and confident voice.
Quick footsteps were heard, then the door opened, revealing a petite girl with black hair tied in twintails and bright blue eyes. Her characteristic white dress with a blue ribbon fit perfectly on her small but proportional body.
"Eh? A potential member?" Hestia looked shocked, her eyes widening with joy. "Come in, come in! Ah, this is very surprising!"
Kazuma smiled and stepped into the small but cozy room. Inside, he saw a white-haired young man with red eyes—Bell Cranel—sitting at the table, looking equally surprised by the unexpected visitor.
"Bell-kun, look! Someone wants to join our Familia!" Hestia exclaimed enthusiastically, bouncing slightly.
"G-good evening," Bell greeted politely, standing to welcome their guest. "I'm Bell Cranel."
"Kazuma Shinrai," Kazuma replied with a short nod, observing Bell from head to toe. The main protagonist of the DanMachi anime was actually smaller than he had imagined, with a demeanor that was clearly innocent and naive.
"So, Kazuma-kun, sit down! Tell us about yourself!" Hestia invited enthusiastically, pulling Kazuma to sit at their table.
Kazuma obeyed, then began telling the story he had prepared—about how he came from the village of Palestra in the mountains, how he had trained in combat since childhood, and his desire to become an adventurer in Orario.
"I was friends with several hunters in my village, and they suggested I come to this city," added Kazuma. "I heard the Dungeon is a place where adventurers can become strong and gain wealth."
"Why did you choose our Familia?" Bell asked with genuine curiosity. "We... well, we've just started. I myself only joined yesterday."
Kazuma smiled confidently. "Because I see potential. Better to build something from scratch with a Familia that recognizes my abilities, than to be merely a henchman in a large Familia."
Hestia nodded enthusiastically. "Well said! I like your spirit, Kazuma-kun!" But then her expression turned more serious. "But I need to know, what can you do? Bell-kun has just started training as an adventurer, and we need members who can help him."
"I'm a spear fighter," answered Kazuma, lifting his Crimson Fang. "For 6 years I've trained in spear techniques and unarmed combat. I never lost to senior hunters in my village, and on the journey here, I defeated trolls and goblins that attacked our caravan."
Bell looked impressed, his eyes widening slightly. "That's amazing, Kazuma-san!"
"You sound very confident," commented Hestia, examining Kazuma carefully. "Alright, I'm interested. But joining a Familia is a sacred bond. Are you sure you want to join us?"
Kazuma nodded firmly. "I'm sure, Goddess Hestia."
Hestia smiled broadly. "Great! Then we can perform the Falna ritual right now! Bell-kun, could you please step out for a moment?"
Bell looked confused. "Eh? Oh, sure, Goddess." He left the room, leaving Kazuma and Hestia alone.
"Now, Kazuma-kun, to give you Falna, you need to... um... take off your shirt and lie face down," explained Hestia with a slight blush on her cheeks.
Kazuma smiled thinly. He already knew about this process from the anime, how gods had to drop a drop of their blood onto a human's back to give divine blessing.
Without hesitation, Kazuma removed his upper clothing, revealing a perfectly trained muscular body. He lay face down on the sofa as directed by Hestia.
"W-wow, you really have trained hard," commented Hestia, stuttering slightly at the sight of Kazuma's athletic physique.
"Years of training don't lie, Goddess," replied Kazuma with a confident smile.
Hestia cut her own finger, dropping a drop of divine blood onto Kazuma's back. The blood glowed brightly before spreading and forming symbols on his back.
"With this blood, I give you my blessing. Join my Familia and receive Falna from me, Hestia."
Kazuma felt a warm sensation spread across his back, as if energy was flowing throughout his body. In an instant, he knew that something had changed—he now had adventurer status.
"Done!" exclaimed Hestia. "Now, let me see your status."
Kazuma remained lying down while Hestia observed the symbols that appeared on his back. He knew that Hestia was reading his status, including strength, agility, endurance, and other abilities.
"Oh...!" Hestia suddenly exclaimed, her tone a mixture of shock and admiration.
"What is it, Goddess Hestia?" asked Kazuma, though in his heart he already had a guess.
"Your base status... is very high for a beginner!" answered Hestia. "Especially your strength and agility. And you have two special skills from the start! That's very rare!"
Kazuma smiled with satisfaction. His hard training for several years in this world had indeed not been in vain.
"Really? What skills do I have?" he asked, pretending not to know.
"Adaptable Fighter," Hestia read. "The ability to quickly adjust fighting style based on opponents and situations. And there's another one, Martial Memory—the ability to remember and apply combat techniques that have been learned or witnessed with high accuracy."
Hestia looked very amazed. "Two rare skills at once! And very suitable for a fighter like you.
"That sounds good," commented Kazuma, trying not to show too much satisfaction. Both skills indeed suited his identity as someone reincarnated from the modern world—especially Martial Memory, which allowed him to use fighting techniques he had seen in anime or films from his previous life.
"You can put your clothes back on," said Hestia, handing him a paper with a copy of his status. "This is your status. Don't show it to anyone else, okay! Status is a private matter between a god and their Familia member."
Kazuma nodded and put his clothes back on, while reading the status paper Hestia had given him:
---
Kazuma Shinrai
Hestia Familia
Level 1
STR (Strength): I 92
VIT (Endurance): G 285
DEX (Precision): H 144
AGI (Agility): F 426
MAG (Magic): I 0
Skills:
- Adaptable Fighter: Allows quick adaptation to opponent's fighting style.
- Martial Memory: Ability to remember and apply combat techniques that have been learned or witnessed.
Magic: -
---
"Impressive status for a beginner," commented Hestia again, clearly pleased with her new member. "Some of your stats have already reached rank G! Bell-kun will be happy to have a comrade like you."
"Thank you for accepting me, Goddess Hestia," said Kazuma respectfully, though still with his confident smile. "I won't disappoint you."
Hestia smiled broadly. "Now, let's call Bell-kun back and celebrate! A new member of Hestia Familia!"
As Kazuma watched Hestia enthusiastically calling Bell back to the room, he couldn't hold back a smile. Being part of Hestia Familia meant he would be at the center of DanMachi's main story. This would be the perfect opportunity to see how his presence would affect the original storyline.
"Hey, Bell," called Kazuma as the white-haired young man re-entered. "Looks like we'll be comrades. I heard you're also just starting as an adventurer?"
Bell nodded shyly. "Yes, I also just joined yesterday. This is all still new to me."
"Then how about tomorrow we go to the Dungeon together? It's safer in a group, and we can learn from each other," suggested Kazuma.
"E-eh? Really?" Bell's eyes widened, clearly pleased with the idea. "That would be very helpful! I've never been in the Dungeon before."
"Bell-kun! Kazuma-kun! This is truly amazing!" Hestia jumped with joy. "In two days, our Familia already has two members! And both are promising adventurers! I'm sure Hestia Familia will become a great Familia someday!"
Kazuma smiled. With his presence here, perhaps Hestia Familia would indeed develop faster than in the original story. And who knows, maybe he could even surpass Bell Cranel as the strongest adventurer in the Familia.
"I will do my best for our Familia, Goddess Hestia," he promised, while inwardly thinking about all the adventures awaiting him in this world.
"Me too!" added Bell enthusiastically, his red eyes sparkling with determination. "We will work hard together!"
Hestia looked at both members of her Familia with pride and hope. That night, the small underground room of the old church was filled with laughter and warm conversation. Three figures newly connected in the bond of Familia, unaware that their destiny would be far greater than they imagined.
Kazuma looked at Bell who was chatting cheerfully with Hestia. "So this is Bell Cranel," he thought. "The main hero of this story. Who knows what will happen with my presence here... But one thing is certain—I will make my own name in this world."
---
The next morning, Kazuma and Bell prepared for their first adventure in the Dungeon. Hestia gave them simple food provisions and instructed them to be careful.
"Remember, you're both still novice adventurers," Hestia warned with a concerned tone. "Stay on floors 1 through 5, no deeper than that! And come home before dark, okay?"
"Don't worry, Goddess," Kazuma grinned confidently. "I'll take care of Bell. We'll return with plenty of crystals."
"R-right!" Bell added, though looking nervous facing his first day in the Dungeon. "We'll be careful."
With Crimson Fang in Kazuma's hand and a small dagger at Bell's waist, the two young adventurers set off toward Babel Tower, the legendary entrance to the Dungeon.
"Hey, Bell," said Kazuma as they walked. "What made you want to become an adventurer?"
Bell looked shy. "I... I've always dreamed of becoming a hero like in the stories. Meeting a beautiful girl in the Dungeon and... um..." His face reddened.
Kazuma laughed. "So you want to be a hero and get the girl, huh? Classic reason, but not bad."
"What about you, Kazuma-san?" asked Bell. "Why did you come to Orario?"
Kazuma stared at the approaching Babel Tower. "I want to see how far I can go with my own strength. This world is full of challenges and mysteries... and I want to conquer them all."
Bell nodded admiringly. "You sound very confident and brave, Kazuma-san. I hope I can learn a lot from you."
"Oh, we'll learn a lot from each other," replied Kazuma. "This is just the beginning of our great adventure, Bell."
As they entered Babel Tower and prepared to descend into the Dungeon, Kazuma couldn't suppress his wide smile. This was what he had been waiting for during his 16 years of life in this world—the opportunity to rewrite the story in his own way.
Somewhere in the underground room that served as Hestia Familia's headquarters, the goddess was staring at Kazuma Shinrai's status paper, her eyes widening in shock.
"This... isn't normal," she whispered to herself. "Such high base stats... and two rare skills from the start... who exactly is this Kazuma Shinrai?"
Hestia didn't know that her Familia's new member carried knowledge from another world.