Transmigrated into a villain, I personally tore apart the shackles of fate.

Chapter 52 The First Trip

That's enough for today.

I finished my workout and looked down at my muscles, which had been pushed to their limits. A high-intensity workout that started at four in the morning and lasted for five hours had left me exhausted.

"Two more hours until we meet up," I muttered to myself, glancing at my watch.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Adventure Guild

Hello everyone! Just a little heads-up: Our welcome party will be held at 11:00 AM at the main entrance of the college. We look forward to seeing all our wonderful members there!

—President

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Today is the day the travel agency welcomes new members, and I need to be there on time.

Just as I expected, the message was completely consistent with the content in the game, concise and clear, perfectly matching the president's personality.

Nothing special should happen today.

The Adventurers' Guild is one of the two essential guilds that all players must join, as many storylines are related to it.

However, these events usually begin after the first trip. Initially, I considered skipping the orientation and only joining the unusual trips where demons or villains appeared, but I later changed my mind.

The reason is simple: I need to get to know the older members while avoiding attracting too much attention. If the demon appears randomly as soon as I show up, it will arouse suspicion among some people.

While this cannot be taken as conclusive evidence, it is always wise to reduce doubts.

Therefore, I decided to take today's trip.

Today's first trip will take us to the second largest city in the Valerian Federation.

"Nisolia".

A city with an aptly named name, this bustling "second heart" of the Federation is full of adventures waiting to be discovered.

"Looking back now, the museums there housed many unknown materials, as well as weapons that were once used by those who changed the world throughout history."

"Taking some photos for future use should be helpful to the History and Art Society," I thought to myself.

And so, I began to pack up the equipment on the training field.

Gollum-

My stomach started to protest at this point, reminding me that the heavier the training, the more nutrients I needed to consume.

So I went to the cafeteria on my way and had a breakfast with high mana density.

Next came changing clothes to prepare for the trip.

......

As I left the room, I headed toward the assembly point at the college entrance.

My guns and weapons are all stored in my bracelet. Nothing should happen today, but that doesn't mean carrying weapons is unnecessary. On the contrary, since my knowledge of the game might not be comprehensive, it's wise to carry weapons to deal with unexpected situations.

Besides, I'm used to carrying weapons, so it doesn't bother me.

When I arrived at the meeting point, I saw that the main characters were already there.

A blue-haired man with a bright smile gazed at the academy gate with his light brown eyes, as if he were recalling something.

伊森

Snapped! ——

Beside him was a girl who patted him on the back. She had short white hair and a slightly tomboyish face.

"Idiot...you're spacing out again?"

"Hey! Why do you keep hitting me?"

"Because it's fun. I like seeing how startled you get even from the slightest touch."

"You call this a little bit of touching?"

"Isn't that so?"

"is it?"

"..."

While the two were arguing, there was another boy behind Ethan, his gaze cold and stern.

“You can hit me if you want,” Victor muttered softly, but no one seemed to hear him.

"No, Julia must have been deliberately ignoring him." Because even I could hear those words from a distance, so it was impossible for Julia, who had awakened her supernatural senses, not to hear them.

"Hey, shut up! You're so annoying." Another voice joined the conversation. It was a voice I didn't like to hear, full of impatience.

A girl with fiery red hair and golden eyes was looking at the two of them, clearly annoyed by the noise they were causing.

She muttered her anger, but it was understandable considering that her crush had just said something so embarrassing to another girl.

"Tch, this is so boring," Julia muttered, withdrawing her hand.

“What’s the point of hitting someone?” Irina retorted. Ethan looked annoyed by their argument, but he just stood there.

Fortunately, he received help quickly.

"Hello everyone!" Jim's cheerful voice echoed through the air, breaking the argument. He walked confidently toward us, his presence naturally drawing everyone's attention.

Ethan straightened up, an awkward smile replacing his previous dazed expression. Julia playfully stuck her tongue out at him, while Victor's gaze remained as cold and unwavering as ever. As for Irina, her displeasure instantly transformed into a shy smile, her earlier unpleasantness seemingly temporarily forgotten.

Jim was of average height, but his friendly demeanor was like a breath of fresh air. He naturally exuded a leadership quality. Although he wasn't a commander leading an army, he was adept at creating a welcoming atmosphere.

Although he was not as good as the Maya, he certainly had his own unique strengths.

"Looks like the early birds have all arrived." Jim glanced at us, his eyes shining warmly. "It's a pleasure to welcome everyone to the Adventurers' Club's orientation party!"

He has a mild temperament and a good reputation among the academy and the gaming community. If you can build a relationship with him, he will be an excellent wingman.

As he spoke, his enthusiasm gradually infected everyone, even the usually aloof Victor.

“Most of the people who join our club have definitely heard of our reputation.” Jim’s tone became slightly serious, but the smile remained on his face. “Our name says it all; we exist for adventure and exploration! Our goal is to temporarily escape the tense atmosphere of the academy, even if only for a day or two.”

Hearing his words, I couldn't help but recall what would happen in this club in the future, and Ethan would witness everything.

"Escape the tense atmosphere of the academy? No matter where you are, trouble will always follow you as long as you're with the protagonist," I thought to myself.

He held up a folded piece of paper, which looked like a speech that had been practiced countless times.

“We will embark on an exciting journey to discover hidden treasures and explore the unknown corners of the world,” he said, unfolding a piece of paper as if unveiling a precious gem. “Our motto is ‘Make the extraordinary a reality.’”

He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words settle in everyone's hearts, before continuing.

"Of course, these journeys will be incredibly exciting, and it's not just talk," I thought to myself.

However, his words did not elicit the response he expected.

"puff……"

"cough--"

The two people in the front row were clearly trying their best to hold back their laughter.

"Uh... what's so funny?" Jim tried to keep a calm expression, but obviously he didn't succeed.

Julia and Irina couldn't hold back any longer when they saw the president trying so hard to look cool.

They exchanged a knowing glance, then turned their gaze back to Jim.

“It’s nothing, dear Charming President,” Julia said, suppressing a laugh, her tone playful. “We were just admiring your wonderful speech.”

“Indeed.” Irina’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Who would have thought our club president would be such a good speaker?”

Even from a distance, I could see Jim's face was flushed red.

"Uh...actually, it's just a speech draft," Jim stammered, clearly taken aback by the sudden teasing.

Julia and Irina burst into laughter, and this friendly banter immediately lightened the atmosphere.

They had known Jim since they were children. Although Jim was an older student, his father frequently collaborated with Julia's family, and Irina knew Jim through Julia.

As the atmosphere became more relaxed, Jim raised his head, attempting to regain control of his authority as president.

"Alright, to put it simply, our goal is to liberate everyone from the oppressive environment of the academy. Therefore, training is strictly prohibited during club activities."

After he finished speaking, he looked at the club members.

"Today's destination is Nissolia. Now, we will draw lots to determine today's partners."

He clapped his hands, and the crisp sound echoed.

“Your partner will be chosen by drawing lots,” Jim explained. “Let fate decide your partner today!”

He gestured to his assistant standing to the side, who was holding a box full of slips of paper.

"Alright everyone, let's draw your partners! Members in the front row, come and draw first."

Hearing this, the members all stepped forward, while I stood in the back row waiting. Anyway, it wouldn't be my turn so soon, and there was no need to rush to draw a ticket.

"I'll go first," Julia said, stepping forward and grabbing a piece of paper.

The outcome was clearly not what she had expected.

Julia.

“Please draw again,” Jim explained with a gesture. He didn’t know who would be participating in the draw, so he just put everyone’s name in.

“Okay.” Julia drew another card, and this time the name probably surprised her even more.

“Victor.” After reading her partner’s name, she turned to look at the man who was smiling slightly.

"Alright, the first pairings are Victor and Julia," Jim announced, and the draw continued.

"Tch." Irina snorted and stepped forward to draw lots. The name she drew was the last thing I wanted to see.

"Morse..." After reading my name, Irina glared at me fiercely with fiery eyes. Her already bad mood worsened after drawing my name, and I felt much the same way.

"Tch, this annoying person just happens to be my partner," I thought to myself, turning my gaze away and waiting for the draw to end.

The lottery results in the game are also random. You will either be assigned to a random NPC or paired with a named character; there is no fixed route in this part.

At this moment, Ethan drew a girl named Shirley. She was wearing glasses and had a shy expression.

“Now that our partners are decided, let’s begin our journey,” Jim said, then led us away from the academy. We boarded a minibus and headed towards the portal connecting Arcadia City and Nissolia City.

The atmosphere on the bus was filled with excitement and curiosity. Everyone chatted with each other, sharing their anticipation for the upcoming journey.

I was sitting in the back of the car by the window, but I always felt like there was a pair of burning eyes staring at me.

Irina sat in the front row, and her gaze would occasionally meet mine, but I chose to ignore her.

The bus quickly arrived at the teleportation station. The portal itself was a breathtaking sight, a vortex of magic and technology that could instantly connect two distant cities. The sensation of passing through the portal was brief yet dizzying, as if the very fabric of reality had shifted in an instant.

As we stepped through the portal into the vibrant city of Nissolia, an atmosphere of anticipation filled the air.

“Alright, everyone,” Jim’s voice cut through the lively discussion. “Here’s the plan: you’re free to do as you please.” He paused, then adjusted his wording. “Today is the welcome party, so you’re free to explore the city as you like, but please note that you need to be back here by 7:00 AM tomorrow. Understand?”

"Understood!"

As Jim finished speaking, the group gradually dispersed, and the members naturally formed small groups with their partners, excitedly exchanging ideas.

Irina stood with me, but judging from her attitude, she clearly had no intention of cooperating with me.

“You know that,” Irina said sharply, “I’m not here to be a babysitter, much less to take care of a jerk who doesn’t even know what he’s doing.” She looked at me and said, “I’m going to do things on my own. Don’t follow me.”

After saying that, she turned and left.

I didn't respond; I just watched her figure gradually disappear into the distance.

"Time to go to that museum." I thought to myself, turning on my watch to search for directions...