The Sovereign Of Brunhild

The man who was known as Minato-oji's younger brother and a father to Senju-Namikaze Shiro "Tobirama"-kun, Senju-Namikaze Shin-oji, brought me in to enjoy the sights of [Adventurer Guild - Uzu] building showing its simplicity and glory as the country's 'Main Guild HQ' located at Elementalia's capital, [Uzu].

The building itself before we entered the district where the guild building was located after leaving the same district, was one of the biggest ones I've ever seen in my life as expected of Uzu being this country's capital city.

"Touya-kun," called out incognito Shin-oji. "Back in a day before you and the boys were born, I exchanged blows against numerous swordsmen from HEMA and others and won. Those guys..without magic, they're decent swordsmen."

'HEMA, huh? I've heard about it from the internet and school.' I thought, recalling the day when I heard other schools took interest in that martial arts and usage of weapons. My school back on Earth when I was 'alive', got clubs dedicated to it and that I spar with my school mates as per the advice of Koujiro-jiji, the cousins' grandfather and master swordsman who taught me the [Senju-Namikaze Swordsmanship Style], to "hone your spirit as an individual and responsible swordsman.".

"Ehem," added Shin-oji who smiled at me as we were getting near the guild's door. "This world as we all know got magic and fantasy like the ones we've seen in various literary fictions. Except not having "hero summoning" and "you must slay the evil demon king or deity to save the world" or whatever that is cliché, the things from here..got an organization, the [Adventurer Guild], that serves as a bank and taking on jobs or request posted by the client. Those job requests..they're the ones doing the mediation and client background check. Also, whatever the skill set and prowess adventurer may have, even as requested by any nobles, influential persons, and politicians, they decline it as per their regulations and confidentiality of adventurers unless we're talking about disgraced former adventurers similar to the hunted types Naruto-kun and Nagato-kun encountered during 'those days'."

'I see..'

Shin-oji continued, "With black rank being the starter rank or beginner level and the gold rank being the highest, there's also ranks for an adventurer party which is the same as registering only for it to be added with party member names and updating party information via any branches of the guild. Personally, some higher-ranked parties I met..well do not have quality and specializations of its members but the number of finished party quests alone without improving their skills themselves...yeah they may brag about themselves having a higher rank than others, but in reality, they're weaklings and bad character types. "

'Just like those wallet warriors who don't know how to play a game. They have money but no skill to support it.' I thought, taking note at Shin-oji's disgusted face of bad adventurers' ruining the image of the guild.

"So what you need is quality over quantity and character to form an efficient party, Touya-kun." finished Shin-ojii with an easy-grin, the infamous Senju-Namikaze Grin I found from the cousins and their relatives, for example, my kouhais and sparring partners, Itama and Kawarama Senju-Namikaze. "Also, this idea can be applied for founding an army and organization...if you were to be the sovereign ruler and need a foundation of top-notch swordsmen that can make Musashi Miyamato and others approve of, this guy here got your back"

'You don't have to tell me that, Shin-oji.' While I am happy Tobirama's father will support me someday, I sweatdropped at the idea of myself being the sovereign of a country because I do not have much experience in playing politics and governance. I was only a former ordinary student from Japan who hasn't bothered with politics yet including guild politics from online games. I mean, if I were to were to be a sovereign, it would have been easier if there's an idea of having a ceremonial constitutional figurehead monarch who is the unifying symbol of the country and people like this country here, [Imperial Kingdom of Elementalia] because "a country," in the words of Koujiro-jiji, "without people can't function. Without people, the citizens, progressing life there, and developing it, it'll be dependent on the number of certain familiar individuals like absolute leadership and sole reliance on unelected leaders. The lessons learned from the absolute leadership governance of the past told us those unnerving consequences to the country....including the surprising arrival of the Americans by Matthew Perry himself which we learned at the time of our country's history, modernization, refining, and acquisition of new knowledge is the key."

"Shin-oji," I replied, bashfully. "The current me...I can't because of 'that'. While I have what 'he' made to my smartphone for my conveniences and to know what's happening 'there', I need to witness and understand the essential parts of the country's system - the constitution - as a whole."

The older swordsman who was once known as The Wind Breaker, who I learned from Koujiro-jiji's retelling when taught me the basics of swordsmanship after that 'fated day', grinned. "That's what we're here for, right? To give you help, support. and advice? I heard my boy Shiro-kun offered you help and support when you arrived here...I know deep in his heart he is happy to see but think of it as thank you for looking after my old man...and also as his father because when he told me of his 'previous fate here' at the hands of those crystalline pests, I was worried. ..just think about that. He was happy to see you here."

Seeing the man smiling at the end, I nodded in understanding.

With the doors opened, in courtesy of hooded Shin-oji who reverted to his normal self with a grin, a view of adventurers, young and old, having different races, working and chatting added with various guild staff working, entered my sights with Shin-oji himself in front.

"This is it, Touya-kun."

Reaching the guild counter, I witnessed Shin-ojii flashed his silver-ranked guild card to one of the staff manning the station who bowed first then went back to us with what appeared to be necessary tools and a piece of card(?) for registration.

"Ummm..have you explained the guidelines and basics to your companion?" nervously asked the staff member, a dog-eared beastkin(?).

"I did except the card thingy...I told him of the ranks though." replied Shin-ojii who in turn turned his attention to me."Touya-kun, the rules, and regulations of being an adventurer are simple: (1) In order not to complicate schedule of the client or time, be it independent or party, only 1 request is to be taken at a time until you finish the current one, (2) A failure of fulfilling the contract require adventurer to pay the contract breaching fee, (3) Multiple failures of not fulfilling the quest in a row and malicious behavior, will result revoke guild registration and not able to register again at any adventurer guild and wait for 2 hours since that's the time limit for taking new request because..you know fufu, (4) 5 years of inactive duration is the only limit. Once exceeded, the registration will expire, (5) When doing hunting quests, keep in mind of designated hunting areas not outside because once outside the boundary, it's not counted, (6) Unless it'll damage the guild and its reputation, the guild itself will not doing anything to a fight between the adventurers, (7) If the majority or one of the party guild members have higher rank than the current rank of the request, they are allowed to take one, and lastly, (8) As for the guild card ownership, it'll do 'wonders'. Touya-kun, I'll let you borrow mine to see what I mean."

'Wonders?' Taking away Shin-oji's silver-colored guild card from his finger, the moment he let go of it, I noticed that the card turned blank.

"This is what I mean of 'wonders', Touya-kun." explained Shin-oji. "The card ownership validation and 100% REAL genuine thing is the best way to say you are the REAL DEAL, the real adventurer in flesh, not those conmen or fraud because of its magic and technology applied to it. From what you are seeing currently, the card just now turned black because it's not me holding me, its registered owner, but others besides the owner, meaning you for this case, Touya-kun."

'If only such technology and technology existed on Earth..it'll be hard to make counterfeits and fakes.' Surprised and impressed at the protection and measures against the counterfeits and imposters, I gave it back as it became silver-colored back to Shiro-oji's fingertips once more.

"That's the way the guild works, Touya-kun." said Shin-oji who woke me up from surprise as he asked me a question once more. "With basics explained by me earlier, are you ready for registration?"

Nodding affirmatively, the older man smiled as he let the staff member place the apparatus and set it up.

Observing the older man for a while, I recalled the day Koujiro-jiji examined my progress at the dojo when I came back from school and finished the tasks related to it.

'My boy Touya, at your age, I can see once more the day I trained Minato and Shin. You only need to keep your emotions in check because swordsmen such as Sasaki Kojiro lose from fights because of it. Tactics, empty mind and technique is what makes a top swordsman, a top swordsman. Remember that.'

"I am ready." I replied to him.

"Good," he said. "Miss, you can start now."

"Mochizuki Touya-san, right? The registration process required a drip of your blood...the rest..I will do the work." the guild staff member then gestured to me to show my finger which I did, not before double checking the filled information bearing my name.

With the filled card in place over the registration counter including the registration apparatus, the staff member used what appeared to be a 'magic' rubber stamp by placing it over my soon-to-be guild registration card as I noticed magical circles hovering on the card itself and the rubber stamp.

"Here's your card, Mochizuki Touya-san." the guild staff member said. "Thank you for your registration and joining the ranks of adventurers. We hope you enjoy your journey of being an adventurer."

'Right..what should I do next?' I thought, grabbing my card which in turn became black and highlighted from my grasp.

"You are now a registered adventurer just like me and others, Touya-kun." Shin-oji commented with a grin. "Now let us look for a request to see what you can do in combat."