Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (無職転生 ～異世界行ったら本気だす～)

Hey, did you hear?

She got hitched to that guy she hit it off with.

Y-You don't say!

Lucky her! He was hot.

I know, right?

Have you got a crush on anyone, Nina?

More like, how is it going with Gino?

Gino?!

And then she got all flustered all of a sudden.

I've never seen anybody make a face like that!

G-Gino and I aren't like that.

Anyway, I'm going to live only for the blade.

I guess that's what it takes to be the Mad Dog's rival.

You've got no time for romance, huh?

The Mad Dog never changes.

Was she sparring with the Sword God, do you think?

I bet you could never get yourself a man, anyway!

Have fun living for the sword and staying a virgin the rest of your life!

Wh-What?

Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not a virgin!

You're kidding. Who'd you do it with?

Someone I grew up with.

Rudeus is amazing!

We became adventurers and journeyed home from the Demon Continent together,

and he even landed a blow on Orsted!

Liar! The Dragon God's aura is beyond belief!

My dad said it takes a true master to so much as scratch him!

I'm no liar.

Rudeus is a true master.

I'm not a good match for him the way I am now.

I've got to get stronger.

There's no way "Rudeus" exists outside of Eris's imagination.

III

Mushoku Tensei

Jobless Reincarnation

Rudeus?

Yes! An adventurer. I'm guessing you've never heard of him?

Nah, every adventurer knows "Quagmire Rudeus."

They say Stepped Leader tried to recruit him more than once.

I hear he took down a stray red dragon on his own not long ago.

Crazy, right?

He took a red dragon solo?

Now that's something!

Did you find anything on Rudeus, the adventurer I asked you to investigate?

Sure. He's famous, so it didn't take long.

Y-You're kidding!

Rudeus Greyrat.

Saint-class Water Mage at age five.

When he was seven, he became Eris Boreas Greyrat's tutor in Fittoa.

He went missing after that,

but lately he's made a name for himself as an adventurer, "Quagmire Rudeus."

The University of Magic invited him to be a special student there,

so right now he lives in Sharia, the City of...

Rudeus isn't... just some fantasy prince that Eris dreamed up?

Hang on.

Sure, his record sounds impressive, but he's only an adventurer.

Slaying a red dragon single-handed sounds like a tall tale,

and with a lame nickname like "Quagmire," maybe he's really nothing special.

I know!

Just you wait, Eris!

I'll beat your Rudeus and drag him in front of you as my servant!

Mages look a lot brawnier than I thought they would.

I can find Rudeus over there, then?!

You have my thanks!

Rudeus.

You seek to duel Rudeus as well?

Y-Yes.

I take it that you, sir, are "Quagmire" Rudeus!

I challenge you to a matrimonial duel!

Um...

Is this one of those proposal challenges that are in vogue right now?

Indeed!

This is Rudeus.

He's in fairly good shape, but I don't sense any kind of aura from him.

He's not bad-looking.

But there's nothing appealing about him as a man.

He's perfect for Eris.

All right. I'll wipe the floor with him and—

I beg your pardon, but I'm straight,

you see, so...

You have no right to refuse!

I wrote to Lady Pursena, and she informed me that you are the boss of her pack!

Thus, you are duty-bound to accept all challengers!

Now, have at you!

Well, I'd say that's over.

How could a mage beat a fighter at that distance?

Hang on.

That beast man must have just been a pushover.

You there. I'm looking for a mage called Rudeus.

What? You want to challenge him, too?

Y-Yes.

Then get to the back of the line!

What are you all lined up for? Some kind of festival?

We're waiting our turn to challenge Rudeus Greyrat!

All of you?!

Could I convince you to let me take a crack at him first?

Not unless you beat everyone in line!

A fine idea! I like the sound of that!

Now, all of you come at me at once!

I am the Immortal Demon King Badigadi!

Defeat me, and I shall grant you the title of hero!

You don't know who you're messing with!

Get him!

Huh?

You think you're hot shit?!

What?!

Ow, ow, ow...

All right. Get ready.

Indeed I am!

He beat that Demon King in one strike?

Eris is trying to stand on equal footing with him?

Thank you for coming all this way.

The trip can't have been easy on your old bones,

Water God.

You can say that again.

But a humble request from you is so rare that I couldn't stay away.

So, what do you want me to teach, and to whom?

By your leave.

Keep calm.

Let me introduce you.

This old lady is the head of the Water God Style, Reida Lia.

It's a pleasure to see you again, Water God.

Oh, is that you, Nina? How you've grown.

I suppose you're a Sword King by now?

No, I still have much to learn.

I feel confident that I'm the fastest here, but I'm not the strongest.

Hey! Sit down!

Where are your manners?!

Eris, this old lady is gonna teach you all about the Water God Style.

Nice to meet you.

She's like a wild beast.

Sorry, Gal my boy, but she's not cut out for the Water God Style.

I already know that.

Then what do you want me to teach her?

You don't have to teach her anything.

Just be her opponent.

What, are you hoping to have that animal assassinate me?

'Course not.

Why kill an old lady who'll drop dead on her own any day now?

Tell me, then.

Who are you going to send her out to fight?

Eris there says she wants to take down Dragon God Orsted.

I'll be. The Dragon God?

That's a lofty goal.

Do you think she can do it?

I think she can.

So does she.

Color me intrigued.

But I won't coddle someone with no talent.

You'll face my apprentice first.