Joseph had woken up with a sense of purpose.
Not in a heroic, grand adventure kind of way—no, that was too much work. But more in a "Hey, I'd rather not die alone in a ditch" kind of way.
After his divine dream encounter with Alexandra, it was even more clear that going solo in this world wasn't going to cut it. He needed a party—people to fight alongside him, cover his weaknesses, and most importantly, take some hits so he didn't have to.
Joseph entered the Adventurer's Guild with all the confidence of a man who had just slept on the ground outside because he was too broke for a bed. His tattered cape still smelled like dirt, his rusty pipe weapon was clenched in his fist, and his stomach was already growling because gruel wasn't exactly a filling meal.
But none of that mattered!
Because today, he was on a mission.
He strode up to the crowded guild hall, scanning the room like a man shopping for friends.
It didn't take long to realize that… everyone looked significantly cooler than him.
The warriors had full plate armor, gleaming swords, and actual muscles.
The mages had ornate staffs, flowing robes, and an air of not being homeless.
The archers and rogues had fancy leather gear, daggers, and eyes that said, I can rob you and you wouldn't even know it.
And then there was Joseph.
Tattered cape. Rusty pipe. Broke. Not particularly skilled at anything.
This… was going to be difficult.
Target #1: The Intimidating Swordsman
Joseph spotted a tall, broad-shouldered guy leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking exactly like the kind of warrior you'd want tanking hits for you.
Joseph cleared his throat and approached.
"Hey, man, you looking for a party?"
The swordsman glanced at him, took one look at his gear, and immediately went back to ignoring him.
"…Alright, cool, good talk." Joseph backed away.
Target #2: The Fancy Mage Girl
At the bar, a young woman in elegant robes was sipping tea, her staff resting against the counter. She had the whole "mystical and mysterious" vibe going for her.
Joseph took a breath and tried again.
"Hey, uh, you wouldn't happen to be looking for a party, would you?"
She looked him up and down, narrowed her eyes, and simply said:
"No."
"…Okay then."
Target #3: The Friendly-Looking Archer
Joseph spotted an easygoing-looking guy with a bow, laughing with his friends.
Maybe this was it. Maybe this was his chance.
He walked up, put on his best "I'm totally a competent adventurer" face, and said:
"Hey, I'm forming a party. Could use a good archer. Interested?"
The archer smiled at him. This was going well!
Then he patted Joseph on the shoulder and said, "Good luck, buddy."
And walked away.
Joseph just stood there, staring at the floor, processing his third consecutive rejection.
"…Okay," Joseph muttered to himself. "So maybe I'm not exactly the most marketable adventurer right now."
It made sense. Why would anyone team up with the guy who fought rats with a pipe and lost half his HP in the process?
He sighed and slumped down at an empty table.
This was going to be harder than he thought.
Solo adventuring wasn't an option. But if nobody wanted to party with him, what the hell was he supposed to do?
Just as Joseph was considering giving up and accepting his fate as a one-man rat exterminator, a voice spoke up from behind him.
"You looking for a party?"
Joseph turned around so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash.
Standing there was a girl.
She was… different from the others. Not decked out in fancy armor or flowing robes—just a short, scrappy-looking fighter with wild red hair, a few bruises, and fingerless gloves that looked like they'd punched more than a few faces.
She looked him up and down, clearly not impressed, but also not immediately rejecting him.
Joseph nodded quickly. "Yeah. Yeah, I am."
She crossed her arms. "You any good?"
Joseph hesitated. "…Define 'good.'"
She raised an eyebrow. "Have you won a fight before?"
Joseph thought about the rat battle.
"…Technically, yes."
She sighed. "You know what? Screw it. I could use an extra body."
Joseph blinked. "Wait, seriously?"
She shrugged. "I've been looking for a party too. You seem pathetic enough to be desperate, and desperate people don't argue when I tell them what to do."
"…That's fair," Joseph admitted.
She smirked and extended a hand. "Name's Kara. I fight with my fists. What's your deal?"
Joseph took her hand. "Joseph. I, uh… fight with a rusty pipe."
Kara stared at him for a long moment.
Then she burst out laughing. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."
For the first time since arriving in this world, Joseph had found his first party member.