Category: Umareta Chokugo ni Suterareta kedo, Zensei ga Taikensha datta node Yoyuu de Ikitemasu

“Well? What do you think? Feeling ready to get serious yet?”

“…Yes. That’s more than enough.”

Goritia’s tone shifted.

Normally, he restrained himself by forcing his personality into a “feminine” mold, deliberately holding back the full extent of his strength. But now, he had unleashed the “manly” side of himself.

“Hmph… you got me going full force right away.”

“Back in the martial arts tournament, it took quite a bit of damage to get you there. I figured you wouldn’t stand a chance against me if you weren’t serious.”

Less than a minute had passed since the match began. That alone was proof of just how much stronger Anje had become.

“You’re the first person to push me this fast. We’ve got nine minutes and a bit left… so I’m going full power. Make sure you give me a fight worth enjoying!”

The sheer fighting aura Goritia had unleashed made the very air in the training hall tremble, sending shivers through anyone present. Even among the assembled warriors—each capable of challenging the boundless wilds—Goritia’s presence alone was enough to overwhelm them.

“Here I come!”

“Right back at you!”

This time, both fighters closed the distance at the same instant. With explosive acceleration, they met in a heartbeat, fists flying.

Doooooooooooon!!

Fist slammed against fist with a deafening roar, sending shockwaves radiating outward in perfect circles. The walls and ceiling of the training hall vibrated under the immense force.

From there, punches and kicks rained down from both sides, clashing again and again, each impact erupting like thunder and lightning across the arena.

“S-she’s holding her own even against Goritia in that state!?”

“Actually… she might even be faster…”

“And she’s not losing in power either. No… if anything, she might even be on equal footing or maybe stronger…”

The adventurers watching the fight held their breath as they witnessed the battle. Gradually, it was Goritia who began to be pushed back.

It wasn’t that he was losing in sheer strength. Rather, Anje’s slight edge in speed meant their blows were connecting at moments when Goritia couldn’t fully channel his power—a subtly disadvantageous timing that left him reeling.

“Hah… not bad at all!”

Goritia leapt far back, creating distance. As he landed, he focused his fighting aura into his fists and shouted,

“Qi Blast!!”

It was a powerful technique that unleashed condensed fighting aura to inflict massive damage on an opponent—a move that had once sealed Anje’s defeat in the martial arts tournament.

But now, Anje met it head-on.

“Doraaaaaa!!”

With a roar of sheer determination, she struck the incoming Qi Blast with her fist, sending it flying backward.

“…What!?”

Goritia let out an incredulous, almost comical gasp.

“W–what the hell… my Qi Blast… she actually punched it back at me!?”

Ignoring his astonishment, Anje focused her fighting aura into her fists once more.

“I’ll return that move… exactly as it came! Haaaah—Qi Blast!!”

“—!?”

The aura-charged projectile now hurtled straight toward Goritia.

“Ugh… Nuuuoooaaah!?”

He raised both arms in a reflexive guard, but he couldn’t fully absorb the force. The blast sent him flying, crashing violently into the wall behind him before he finally came to a halt.

But before he could recover, Anje pressed the attack without a moment’s hesitation.

Pushed to the edge of the wall, Goritia was bombarded with a merciless flurry of strikes. Even someone of his caliber couldn’t parry them all. Her blows landed repeatedly against the armor of muscle that covered his body, each hit clean and punishing.

“Ggh… ugh… each strike… it’s… so heavy…!”

The grimace twisting his face left no doubt—every blow was hitting hard.

Mm… she’s completely surpassed him.

Watching the battle from the stands, I felt a surge of certainty.

“Anje has already grown stronger than Goritia. Back in that martial arts tournament, she was completely overwhelmed by an S-Rank adventurer’s strength…”

“So… does that mean she’s going to win just like that?”

“No… that’s a different story.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that…?”

Tilting her head in confusion, Karen looked at me. I voiced my prediction.

“Sure, by stats alone, she clearly surpasses Goritia. But… a fight isn’t decided by numbers alone.”

At that moment, Goritia’s laughter rang out, sudden and booming.

“Hah… Hahaha—HAHAHAHAHA!! Yes! This is perfect! I never imagined that in such a short time, someone could not only catch up to my strength… but surpass it! But… when it comes to the actual fight, that’s another matter entirely!!”

“—!?”

Suddenly, Goritia intensified his pressure, and with a single, overwhelming push, he forced Anje backward.

Despite having been completely dominant up until now, the tables had turned—Anje was suddenly on the defensive, and a flash of unease crossed her face.

“The difference is experience. Anje-oneechan has grown rapidly, and naturally, she’s gained a lot of skill in the process. But… she’s still only seventeen. Against Goritia, who’s probably well over thirty, she simply can’t bridge the gap in experience.”

“The gap in experience?”

“Yeah. More specifically… it’s the ability to read an opponent’s habits.”

Anje’s fist shot forward.

But as if anticipating it beforehand, Goritia shifted into a favorable stance in an instant and deflected her blow with his own fist. Within this brief exchange of blows, Goritia had already discerned the patterns in Anje’s movements and adapted accordingly.

Gradually, Anje’s attacks began to miss their mark, and she found herself taking several of Goritia’s devastating counters head-on.

“Ugh…”

“Even if your stats surpass mine, I can exploit every opening and every move of yours with the enormous well of experience I’ve accumulated over the years! That’s how a battle is won!”

Truly, this was the mark of a seasoned S-Rank adventurer, a fighter whose skill was honed far beyond mere strength.

But Anje was not the type to be discouraged so easily. True to her Amazoness spirit, she let her fighting spirit blaze even brighter.

“Hah! Impressive! Honestly, if I had won so easily, it would have been a bit of a letdown! Now this is getting interesting!”

The clash between the two fighters intensified even further, each strike and counter growing more fierce than the last.

Only five minutes remained on the clock.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

“Thank you for waiting. The examiners are now prepared, and we would like to begin the final test.”

Escorted by Randia, we made our way to the training grounds beneath the headquarters of the Adventurers’ Guild Association.

“As for the contents of the final exam, you will engage in a one-on-one battle against an examiner for ten minutes. If you can fight on equal footing or better, you pass. You will then officially join the ranks of S-class adventurers.”

So the final test was a duel huh.

“The success rate is roughly fifty percent. By the time you’ve cleared the previous exams, your ability is beyond doubt, so the pass rate is higher than before.”

Even so, it meant that one out of every two candidates would fail. This was no easy trial. But considering the caliber of adventurers who had survived this far, finding examiners strong enough to match them was surely no simple task either.

Since we were told that observing the match was allowed, Karen and I decided to watch this one directly from the training grounds as well.

Spectator seats had been set up on the second level, where we could see the examinees who had been eliminated in the first and second rounds, along with adventurers currently challenging the Infinite Wilderness.

“Hmm… who are the examiners?”

“They are over there.”

“There are three of them. All hiding their appearance with masks and cloaks.”

Three mysterious figures in masks and cloaks sat side by side in the spectator seats.

Oh, so they were the examiners….

“Hmm… there’s one of them whose hairstyle and silhouette look strangely familiar.”

The hairstyle that couldn’t quite be hidden by the mask—and the massive, powerfully built frame obvious even beneath the cloak—gave me a bad feeling.

“Let’s keep their identities a surprise until things begin. Now then, let’s move right along to the first person’s final exam! Who would like to take the challenge?”

At Randia’s call, it was Anje who raised her hand immediately.

“I’ll go first!”

She was clearly fired up.

“Is that alright?”

“Mm, no problem.”

“I have no objections either.”

Fana and Orion voiced their agreement, and Anje stepped forward toward the center of the training ground.

Meanwhile, one of the masked figures seated in the spectator stands stood up, then leapt down, landing several meters in front of Orion.

It was the same masked, cloaked giant from earlier—the one with the heavily muscled frame.

“Ohoho… to think you’d make it this far so quickly. As expected of you, Anje-chan.”

“—You… know me? Who are you supposed to be?!”

Come on, it’s obvious!

There couldn’t possibly be anyone else with such a distinctive build, that booming voice, and that unmistakable way of speaking.

“It’s me, darling!”

With a dramatic flourish, the figure tore away the mask and cloak—revealing, just as I had feared, that man. Goritia, the S-rank adventurer who had competed in the martial arts tournament held in Orion’s homeland, the Arcelal Empire.

Despite standing well over two meters tall and boasting an absurdly muscular physique, the pervert was dressed in women’s clothing.

“Goritia?!”

“So you remembered me, did you? That’s right~♡. The one who’ll be facing you in your final test is none other than me, the paragon of beauty, Goritia! Mwah~!”

The self-proclaimed icon of beauty tossed a delighted kiss into the air. Then, for some reason, he turned his gaze toward me in the spectator stands.

“Reus, darling, it’s been far too long! You’re just as adorable as ever! Do let me hold you again later, okay? ♡”

As he spoke, he sent a wink my way—one so creepy it nearly made my skin crawl.

『Looks like you’ve been personally chosen, Master.』

(THIS IS NOT GOOD AT ALLLLLLLL! I told you I don’t want any man-boobs! That’s exactly why I never wanted to see him agaiiinn!)

The trauma of having my face shoved into that mountainous chest came flooding back, and I broke down sobbing right there in the spectator seats.

“Oh my, to think he’d be that happy to see me… I’m touched!”

NO! YOU’VE GOT IT ALL WRONG!

“So you’re the examiner! I’ve always wanted a rematch so I could finally defeat you. Having you as my opponent here kills two birds with one stone!”

The two had once clashed in that grand martial arts tournament, and on that day, Anje had been the one to fall.

“My, my… aren’t we brimming with confidence?”

“I’ve grown stronger since then. Now… I can beat you!”

Fighting spirit ignited within her, Anje poised herself for battle.

Randia’s voice rang out like a herald’s proclamation.

“Ah, the excitement rises when fate-bound rivals meet again! And now—let us commence Anje-san’s final examination!”

At the signal, Anje moved first.

Just as she had during the tournament, she closed the distance in an instant, her body cutting through the air with relentless speed. Her leg swept up into a spinning kick.

Goritia raised his right arm and caught the blow. Up to this point, everything had unfolded exactly as it had during the martial arts tournament.

“—!?”

—Goritia’s massive frame lurched violently to the side, staggering under the force.

Back then, he had neutralized the impact of Anje’s kick with a single arm, flawlessly absorbing the blow. But this time, the power behind it overwhelmed him completely.

Anje pressed the attack without hesitation, driving a follow-up punch forward. Thrown off balance, Goritia managed to block it with both arms—but the tremendous impact lifted his body clear off the ground for a fleeting instant.

“Haaaaaaah!”

From there, Anje unleashed a relentless barrage.

Each strike carried devastating force, but it was the sheer speed of Anje’s assault that truly sealed off any chance of counterattack. Goritia had no choice but to devote himself entirely to defense, weathering the storm as best he could.

At last, Anje delivered a kick imbued with every ounce of her strength. It drove deep into Goritia’s abdomen and sent his giant body hurtling through the air.

“W–wait, the examiner is the musclehead over there, right?”

“Hey, hey… isn’t she way too strong?”

“She’s completely overwhelming Goritia… an S-Rank adventurer…”

The adventurers who had gathered to watch could only stare in stunned silence at the shocking turn of events.

“Well? What do you think? Feeling ready to get serious yet?”

Anje spoke, lowering her leg with a confident smile.

“…Yes. That’s more than enough.”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

Fana, Anje, and Orion had successfully cleared the second exam. If they could pass the final exam, they would be promoted to S-Rank.

“The final exam will take place in the training grounds beneath the headquarters. However, we still need to coordinate the examiners, so please wait a while. The trial is tentatively scheduled for tomorrow, but depending on circumstances, it may take a little longer, so please be understanding.”

The details were unclear, but apparently, examiners other than Randia would be needed for the final trial, and they would be brought in from somewhere else.

For the time being, the trio decided to rest aboard the airship until the scheduled time tomorrow.

“Good work! That second exam was tough, wasn’t it? You must be exhausted and covered in sweat! I think you should take your time relaxing in the large bath and soak in some hot water.”

“Yeah… I think I will.”

“You’re not planning to sneak in on your own again, are you?”

“Of course not!”

“While doing maintenance on the airship, I might accidentally slip and fall into the bath, though.”

『Unless it was intentional, there’s no chance of that happening.』

“I don’t mind if my master comes along.”

“That’s just you. Well… wanting to relax and refresh both body and mind in the bath isn’t wrong. I’ll go ahead and let you come.”

“Hmmm… I think I’ll pass, though…”

“Don’t worry. If he shows up, I’ll throw him off the ship with full force, so you’ll be fine.”

Apparently, I could be tossed not only from the bath but from the ship itself.

“Then, like this—”

“—!?”

I found myself immobilized by restraints created with Anje’s earth magic.

“What are you doing to an innocent baby?!”

“Innocent? You’re far from it. Lill, keep an eye on him. He’ll probably escape soon enough anyway.”

“I obey the orders of my master.”

“…So, Fenrir isn’t exactly on the side of women, huh?”

“Then leave this to me!”

“You’re useless most of the time, but… better than nothing.”

“Didn’t I just get insulted pretty harshly!?”

Ignoring me sprawled on the ground, the three of them headed off together to the bath.

(Hehehe… still too naive, Anje. These restraints are nothing. Not only can I slip out easily, but by swapping myself with a doll that looks exactly like me, I can create the perfect alibi!)

Just in case something like this happened, I had prepared a Reus karakuri that looked exactly like me!

『You don’t mean… that thing you were secretly making in the middle of the night?』

(You’re absolutely right, Linlin.)

『I think it’s been embellished quite a bit, but… how exactly is it so similar to the real thing?』

(No, no! It’s a perfect copy from every angle!)

『The real one has a rounder face, thinner hair, and most importantly, a disgustingly perverted laugh that seeps from the very core of his being.』

(Ha! You’re just trying to make me abandon the plan, aren’t you? Sorry, but I can see right through that!)

Ignoring Lindwurm’s chatter, I used teleportation magic to free myself from the restraints and, at the same time, slipped the Reus karakuri as a stand-in.

“Now then—onward to the grand bath!”

『You’re planning to charge straight in like that?』

(Of course not. I’m not reckless enough for such barbarism. That would defeat the whole purpose of leaving the doll behind. Look and behold!)

I cast a transformation spell. My body stayed the same, but I tweaked my face just a little.

『…A different baby?』

(Exactly! The plan is simple: it’s not Reus entering the bath—it’s just some other baby. That way, the three of them won’t be on guard at all, and they’ll naturally pick me up! Hahahaha! I really amaze myself sometimes. To come up with such a flawless plan—I’m honestly terrified of my own genius!)

『I’m terrified too, having such an idiot for a master.』

I strode boldly into the changing room, stripped off my clothes, and stood in the full glory of my natural state.

Then, with all the momentum I had, I leapt straight into the bath.

“My name’s Hank! I’m Reus’ little brother! Come on, big sisters, let’s all take a bath together—wait, huh? The floor—”

Right at the entrance to the bath, a mysterious hole opened in the floor.

Anje, soaking in the tub, glared at me with a mixture of exasperation and amusement.

“I had a feeling something like this might happen, so I asked Dana to secretly set a little trap.”

“W-wait, why would you do that without asking!?”

But this kind of trap? I could handle it with ease—

“Bubuh!?”

—Or so I thought.

In the next instant, a rock plummeted from above, striking me square on the head. I tumbled straight into the hole, and before I knew it, I was ejected from the Seno Grande Kai.

『As you predicted, Master.』

“I’m Reus’ little brother! How did they figure it out!?”

『I thought you should at least leave a hint about being the younger sibling.』

I immediately tried to right myself in midair and head back to the ship—only to realize:

“Wait—what? The Seno Grande Kai is moving on its own!? Hold on!?”

It had been hovering above headquarters, but apparently, someone had taken manual control.

“I can’t catch up! I upgraded the performance too much! Gah… Linlin, support me!”

『Fuaaah… I’m starting to feel a little sleepy…』

“H-Hey!? Ah, right, teleportation magic… wait, impossible! I can’t use it on something that’s moving!”

Teleportation magic cannot target anything that’s constantly changing coordinates.

“Heeeey! Leaving such an adorable baby out here all alone is just crueeeeeeeeeel!”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

A flying body press from the strongest creature alive—anyone caught beneath it would be utterly crushed.

“Fana-dono and Orion-dono are safe! They managed to escape into the air in that split second!”

Indeed, both Fana and Orion were hovering above the ground, having evaded being flattened by the Behemoth’s massive belly.

“But what about Anje-dono…?”

“Anje-oneechan will be fine. Look!”

From the spot where the Behemoth’s press had compacted the earth, a hundred meters away, the ground suddenly erupted. Amid a shower of flying soil and debris, Anje burst forth from beneath the earth. She stood up unscathed.

“Was she hiding underground all this time?!”

“Yeah… I think she just dug a hole in a hurry and slipped inside.”

Behemoth’s frustration grew, unable to get rid of the pesky flying insects. His nostrils flared, and tornadoes began to erupt one after another.

“How much time is left? About five minutes?”

“It’s been twenty minutes exactly, so there’s still ten left.”

“Ten whole minutes…?”

“When you’re desperate for something to end, time seems to crawl. Funny thing is, they don’t seem to mind at all.”

While Karen bit her nails in anxiety, Fana and Anje’s eyes burned with fierce determination, ready to face whatever came next.

“Hmm… is it okay if we attack from this side?”

“That’s totally fine! Just sitting around defending the whole time would be so boring!”

“W-wait, are you two out of your minds?!”

Orion’s face twisted in disbelief, but Fana and Anje ignored him completely, leaping straight at Behemoth.

Gakiiiiiin!!

“Hmm… it’s hard.”

Gaaaaan!!

“Yeah… definitely harder than the dungeon walls!”

Still, even against their blows, the Behemoth’s body which is far tougher than rock didn’t even flinch, not a single scratch appeared on his rugged hide.

“Then…”

“Let’s aim for the soft spots.”

Realizing that striking Behemoth’s body would be pointless, the two focused on his eyes.

For a creature of this immense size, the eyes were tiny, yet still far larger than a human’s. Fana and Anje struck together, launching an all-out assault on Behemoth’s eyes.

“—!?”

The behemoth blinked instinctively, shielding its eyes. But the two paid no mind and drove their full force into the strike.

The eyelids were thick—far thicker than a human’s. Even so, they were thinner than its rock-hard hide. The blow didn’t shatter its lids, but it did reach the eye balls beneath, thus inflicting real damage despite their protective barrier.

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!?”

Behemoth let out a roar that shook the air. Perhaps it had been a long time since the strongest creature had felt real pain.

“Hmm… it’s hurt.”

“I’m going to crush its eyes completely!”

Fana and Anje prepared to follow up with another strike.

“W-well, impressive, indeed.”

“My disciples have quite the temper. But… honestly, that might have been a mistake.”

“Huh?”

Before they could react, the golem seemed to dissolve back into the soil. Then, Behemoth’s massive form—now thoroughly enraged—sank abruptly into the ground.

The earth itself had been liquefied by Behemoth’s soil magic. Then Behemoth vanished as if diving underwater.

After a brief, tense silence…

DOOOOOOOOOOOON!

Its massive body burst from the ground. Mouth wide open, it aimed to swallow all three of them whole. By sheer luck, they had been slightly off-center, and the trio barely managed to scramble out of the way.

Twisting his bulk in midair, Behemoth plunged headfirst back into the liquefied earth below.

“Ugh… this is bad.”

“We have no idea where he’s going to pop up next!”

“If that monster eats us, it’s all over!”

The three scrambled frantically, caught off-guard by Behemoth’s unpredictable assault.

“About five minutes left… come on, hang in there.”

“Thirty minutes have passed, so I’ve come to check in. Is everyone… eh? It’s awfully quiet. Where—where is Behemoth!?”

Randia stepped through the gate, only to realize that Behemoth’s massive form was nowhere in sight. He froze in surprise. Just then, three figures came hurtling toward him with astonishing speed.

“…Been waiting for you.”

“It’s dangerous to stay there!”

“Let us goooo—!”

“Huh?!”

Fana, Anje, and Orion barreled past, practically shoving Randia aside as they dove through the gate.

“W-what on earth—”

DOOOOOOOOOOOON!

“Huh?!”

Behemoth, in a blind rage, shot up from the ground. After a brief flight through the air, he came crashing down toward Randia, who stood frozen in shock.

“U-uwaaa—!?”

With a scream, Randia dove frantically through the gate just in time.

The scene shifted to the first-floor lobby of the tower at the dungeon’s inner entrance. Randia, having returned through the gate, immediately confronted Fana and the others, who had arrived before him.

“What on earth were you thinking?! I’ve never seen Behemoth this enraged before! And what was that attack?!”

“Fuu… we attacked its eyes, that’s why.”

“You attacked him?! I told you this was a thirty-minute endurance test! I’ve never had anyone deliberately provoke him like that!”

“Well… it would’ve been frustrating just taking hits without fighting back, right?”

“Normally, just surviving would be more than enough!?”

“…Just to be clear, I didn’t attack him myself, okay? I just got caught up in what they did. Still… that was way too close.”

Randia exhaled deeply, trying to steady himself.

“…Honestly, I even found myself shouting like a fool. But… three out of five candidates cleared the second trial, which has only a ten-percent pass rate. Looks like assembling examiners for the final test is going to be quite a headache.”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

“—!”

Fana burst free from the muddy torrent and leapt up into the air.

“W-what was that just now!? All it did was stomp the ground, right!?”

Anje shouted, clawing her way out by pushing aside the soil with earth magic.

“This is Behemoth—the one hailed as the strongest among myth-class monsters. When it stamps its foot, it creates a tsunami of earth. Its breath alone can become a tornado. Calling it a living natural disaster wouldn’t be an exaggeration.”

“N-now I understand why the pass rate for the second trial is only ten percent…”

“And that’s not all.”

Somehow, all five of them had managed to escape the landslide unscathed.

“But whether by luck or misfortune, with a body this enormous, it shouldn’t be able to do anything more than crude, wide-area attacks like that! If we can just endure for thirty minutes—”

One of the examinees, the holy knight, voiced that faint glimmer of hope.

That was when it happened.

The ground began to swell in places, one after another, and the earth rose up, molding itself into gigantic humanoid shapes.

“““Golems!?”””

What appeared were countless golems. 

Each and every one of them towered over ten meters tall. All at once, they lunged toward the examinees.

“Behemoth is also adept at manipulating golems with earth magic.”

“It can do even that!?”

“And each of those golems is strong. Very strong.”

The golems moved with a speed that belied their massive size.

Their power and durability far surpassed that of ordinary golems, and being surrounded by so many of them, even the seasoned veterans who had cleared the first examination were forced onto the defensive.

Goooooooooooooooooou!

As if that weren’t enough, the Behemoth’s breath swept over them in a violent gust.

Once again, they were caught in the whirlwind, flung high into the air. And as they crashed back to the ground, the golems surged in for another relentless assault.

“Ugh… this… this is—”

The holy knight gritted his teeth, straining to withstand the onslaught. He tried to cast healing magic to recover from the damage, but there was no time—not even a moment to spare.

“Gah!?”

Perhaps due to his rising panic, the holy knight’s movements faltered. He was struck squarely by a golem’s massive fist. Tossed across the ground, he barely managed to roll to a stop, struggling to rise again.

Luckily, the gate Randia had left behind was just within reach.

“I-I can’t… I—I have to retreat…”

Desperation fueling him, he leapt through the gate.

With that, one examinee was out of the running.

And yet… another adventurer was already on the brink.

“My sword… it might as well be useless…”

It was the veteran adventurer.

He conjured sword after sword, letting them rain down on the swarm of golems.

However, they simply bounced off their hardened armor. Meanwhile, the relentless assaults from the golems and the Behemoth’s wide-area attacks continued to rack up damage.

“How long has it been!? …Not even ten minutes!? There’s no way anyone can endure thirty minutes in this!”

On the verge of retreat, the veteran looked around desperately and shouted,

“Those three youngsters… are they really still alive—!?”

Fana, Anje, and Orion—the three of them—had somehow managed to adapt to this storm of a battlefield and were holding their ground.

Fana darted through the onslaught of the approaching golems with nimble, acrobatic movements.

The golems created by the Behemoth were not only incredibly durable, but any that were destroyed could be instantly reproduced.

Fana’s only strategy was pure evasion—constantly moving, never stopping.

Even the Behemoth’s foot-stomps, which could have crushed an ordinary human, were anticipated with uncanny precision. She would take to the air before the foot struck, completely avoiding the impact.

Meanwhile, Anje took a more aggressive approach. She leapt into the midst of the golems, striking them one by one with devastating palm strikes. The golems would immediately recover, unharmed by her blows. But since defeating them outright was pointless, her goal was to forcefully maintain distance, preventing them from surrounding her. When the Behemoth executed a foot-stomp, Anje simply used earth magic to deflect the attack, effortlessly sidestepping the danger.

And then there was Orion.

Bzzzt, bzzzt, bzzzt!

“Is something sparking from his feet?”

“Lightning, yes. I see—he’s converting lightning into propulsion to achieve this incredible speed.”

Orion weaved through the maze of golems with a velocity that truly resembled a bolt of lightning. In terms of instantaneous acceleration and top speed, he might even surpass Fana.

“I had hoped to save this trump card for the very end…”

With his extreme mobility, even the Behemoth’s tidal waves of earth and tornado-like blasts of breath posed no challenge. He dodged them effortlessly.

“Haha… it seems that reaching S-rank is reserved for adventurers overflowing with talent… just like them…”

Perhaps realizing the gap in talent between himself and the others, the veteran adventurer let out a dry, bitter laugh and retreated through Randia’s gate.

“BUMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

Then it happened.

Frustrated at the pesky insects that refused to be swatted away, the Behemoth let out a furious, earth-shaking roar, and…

“DOOOOOON!!”

“It… it leapt!”

“W-what!?”

“Wh-what the…!?”

With a powerful thrust of its four massive legs, the Behemoth leapt into the air.

Its colossal body, stretching well over 300 meters, soared above Fana and the others.

Then, spreading its legs wide, it twisted midair like a gliding flying squirrel, driving its enormous belly down into a devastating flying body press.

“ZUDOOOOOOOOOONNN!!!”

The entire wasteland shook violently.

A violent earthquake shook the entire wilderness, and the resulting shock waves shook the Seno Grande Kai, which was supposed to be floating at a distance.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

“Now then, we will begin the second examination.”

The next day, Randia addressed the gathered candidates in the lobby on the tower’s first floor. Five people in total had cleared the first examination and advanced to the second round. 

Besides the three—Fana, Anje, and Orion—the remaining two were both men. 

One was a blond young man in his mid-twenties. He appeared to be a holy knight. With sword and shield, he could maintain a well-balanced offense and defense, and on top of that he was a highly capable user of healing magic.

The other was a veteran adventurer who looked to be in his thirties. He seemed to possess a rare ability: the power to instantaneously create countless swords and manipulate them at will. A proven powerhouse, he had dispatched even an evil unicorn with relative ease.

“We will now escort you to the examination site. Once we arrived, please do not flee and endure for just thirty minutes. If you manage that, you will pass the second examination and advance to the final test.”

The examinees all tilted their heads in unison.

“Huh? That’s all?”

“Yes, that is all. Quite simple, isn’t it? As previously stated, the examination site is located at the very center—the deepest region—of the Infinite Wasteland. Now then, is everyone prepared?”

Though clearly suspicious, everyone nodded as if steeling themselves. Randia then began to pour strength into her body.

“Haaaaaaaah!”

The next instant, a mysterious gate appeared in the empty air.

“…Whew.”

Randia wiped the sweat from her brow and explained,

“This is something called a Gate, created by my unique ability. By passing through it, one can instantly travel to any designated location. At the moment, it is connected to the deepest region at the center of the Infinite Wasteland.”

The surface of the gateway shimmered like a mirror, making it impossible to see what lay beyond. Without hesitation, Randia stepped forward and leapt straight into it.

“Mm, he disappeared.”

“He’s not behind us either.”

“Let’s go too.”

Following after him, the examinees passed through the gate one by one. At that very moment, the monitor abruptly went pitch black.

“Oh—looks like the connection got cut.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The gate caused them to slip outside the range of the spell. But it’s okay. I put a tracking mark on them. They should be at the deepest point now… ah, there they are.”

The image flickered back onto the monitor.

Beyond Fana and the others, a wall of rock filled the screen.

“A cliff, perhaps?”

“No… this isn’t just any cliff.”

The viewpoint adjusted, pulling back farther and farther. As the adventurers shrank until they looked like tiny specks, the full scope of the scene was finally revealed.

It was a single slab of rock of terrifying scale. It stood nearly two hundred meters tall, and its length likely exceeded three hundred meters.

“Oh? Don’t tell me… it’s that one.”

Lill, who had been watching the monitor alongside us, let out a low growl as if she had realized something.

“That one…?”

“Looks like you’ve figured out what it really is. As expected of a myth-class monster.”

『Anyone who lived in the age of myth would know it. After all, among all living beings, it would not be an exaggeration to call it the strongest of them all.』

Even the Lindwurm trembled in fear.

Then, without warning, the massive rock began to move.

Gogogogogogogogogogo!!

“An earthquake?”

“No—it’s not! That gigantic rock is starting to move!”

“Don’t tell me… this isn’t a rock at all—!?”

Randia nodded grimly.

“You’re right. This is no rock. It is a living creature. In the age of myth, when far more vicious monsters roamed the world than today, it was said to reign as the apex predator—the strongest monster of them all.”

The massive form rose up on four legs, then lifted its head, finally revealing its true nature. Its shape resembled that of a massive hippopotamus, a creature born of the water—yet magnified to an absurd, terrifying scale.

“—Behemoth.”

The Behemoth, newly awakened, opened its enormous jaws and let out a mighty yawn.

“OOOOOOOOOOOOH!!”

The deafening roar was so overwhelming that Fana and the others hurriedly clapped their hands over their ears.

“A normal human’s heart would probably stop just from that.”

“D-did this ship shake just now!?”

“Yeah, it did. It’s far away, but we can even see it from the window.”

“R-really!? What kind of monster is that!? It’s clearly beyond even the Eight-Headed Serpent! How are they supposed to defeat something like that!?”

“There’s no need to defeat it. That old man explained it earlier, remember? The second test is to endure for thirty minutes without running away. In other words, as long as they stay there and don’t die, they pass.”

Randia spoke,

“The examination has already begun. I wish you all the best of luck. I will take my leave for now and return in thirty minutes.”

And with that, he retreated through the gate, leaving them behind.

The gate remained where it was. Presumably, that meant it could be used to flee from this place at any time. Of course, doing so would mean immediate disqualification.

“So all we have to do is stay here for thirty minutes without running away, right? We might not be able to defeat it, but that much should be doable!”

“Mm. We can manage.”

It seemed the Behemoth had finally noticed the insect-like beings at its feet. Raising its right foreleg high into the air, it slammed it down against the ground with all its might.

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!

“““—!?!”””

A massive crater was carved into the earth, and an enormous wave of soil surged outward like a tsunami.

Before any of them could react, the entire group was swallowed up by the raging muddy current.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

Faced with the Evil Unicorn that’s overwhelming in speed and strength, and bearing a horn that spat black lightning, the examinees were thrown into utter disarray.

“T-this thing’s way too strong!?”

“How are we supposed to take down a monster like that!?”

“Hiiiii—!”

Some lost their will to fight entirely, dropping their carrots and fleeing in panic.

Amid the chaos, Anje came face to face with the Evil Unicorn.

“…So, you’ve finally come.”

She muttered, tightening her grip.

Clutching the carrot in her hand, Anje watched as the massive beast charged straight at her, closing the distance at a terrifying speed.

“Pretty fast. Fana might be able to keep up, but with my speed alone, I can’t catch you. …Still, if you’re the one coming straight at me, that’s a different story!”

As the massive body bore down on her, Anje set her stance, drew back her fist—

“Haaaaaaaah!!”

—and punched the charging beast head-on.

“~~~~~~!?”

The Evil Unicorn’s massive body leaped into the air for a moment, then flipped over Anje’s body and slammed into the ground with great force.

“A-as expected of Anje. To stop a charge from a beast that big with a single punch… truly remarkable.”

“Yeah. But the Evil Unicorn isn’t the type to be intimidated by something like that.”

The Evil Unicorn reared back with an enraged neigh, its horn crackling as it filled with seething black lightning.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz—!!

In the next instant, a storm of black lightning unleashed indiscriminately erupted in every direction. Realizing there was no way to evade the web of black lightning spreading without gaps, Anje chose a different answer. She charged straight into it, uncaring of the damage to herself.

“Tch… nuoooooohhh!!”

“Hiihiiiin!?”

Forcing her way through the raging storm, Anje burst out the other side and drove a full-powered roundhouse kick into the Evil Unicorn’s neck as it reeled in shock.

“~~~~~~!?”

The thick, muscular neck shattered under the blow. 

Whether it had merely lost consciousness or met its end, the Evil Unicorn collapsed limply to the ground, completely motionless. The black lightning faded away at last.

“Whew… so this is the horn I am after huh.”

Anje grabbed it without ceremony, wrenched it free from the base with brute force, and became the very first person to pass the initial exam.

“…Oh. There you are.”

Fana encountered the Evil Unicorn roughly an hour after Anje.

“HihiiiiiN!!”

As always, the Evil Unicorn charged at terrifying speed, aiming straight for the carrot Fana held in her hand. However, even with its boastful leg strength, it was unable to close the distance between itself and Fana, even as it got closer to her nose.

Fana was sprinting backwards. More than that, she was manipulating the raging wind she kicked up, turning it into a tailwind for herself and a headwind for her opponent, finely balancing their speeds until they were nearly equal.

“!?”

The poor beast must never have imagined that there could be someone it couldn’t catch even at full sprint. The Evil Unicorn’s confusion was plain to see.

Crackle—snap!

If speed wouldn’t do, then so be it. The Evil Unicorn lunged to attack Fana with its horn, now wreathed in black lightning.

Extending that horn proved to be its final mistake.

“…Mm.”

With a single, casual motion, Fana’s sword sliced clean through the Evil Unicorn’s horn.

Naturally, some of the black lightning must have traveled up the blade and into Fana’s hand. But her sword was imbued with magic and possessed an exceptionally high resistance, so any damage she took would have been negligible at best.

“Hihiiiiiin!?”

By contrast, the Evil Unicorn—its horn severed—howled in agony, thrashing and rolling across the ground in pain.

Slash.

Fana delivered the finishing blow.

And so, she became the second person to pass the first stage of the exam.

Following after Anje and Fana came Orion.

“Lightning.”

Skilled in lightning magic, Orion’s battle with the Evil Unicorn became a fierce exchange of thunderbolts, lightning clashing against lightning. Yet because both combatants possessed a high resistance to the element, neither side could land a decisive blow right away.

At first, Orion struggled with the Evil Unicorn’s incredible speed. Little by little, however, she began to read its movements, adapting to its rhythm. In the end, she slipped past its charges, striking whenever an opening appeared, steadily whittling it down.

Eventually, the Evil Unicorn could not endure anymore. With a tremendous crash, it collapsed.

Orion, too, passed the first trial with ease.

Although a time limit of twenty-four hours had been set, the first trial was over in less than five hours. Thanks to the carrots they had been issued, luring out the Evil Unicorns proved relatively easy.

After the first trial concluded, everyone gathered once more at the tower.

“Now then. Out of eleven participants, six withdrew along the way. However, an astonishing five of you managed to obtain a horn! This exam is known for having only a twenty-percent success rate. It may be the first time we’ve ever seen so many clear it at once. Usually, at best, only two make it through.”

Randia summarized the results, his surprise was plain to see.

“…You’re telling me someone actually took down that thing?”

“Hahaha… yeah, S-rank really is on another level altogether…”

“And there are still the second trial and the final trial after this. Honestly, that’s enough to kill any motivation to try again.”

Those who had failed were keenly aware of just how high the wall to S-rank truly was, and their spirits were clearly dampened.

“Do your best for our sake too.”

“Yeah. Just make sure you stay alive, all right?”

“Especially you younger ones. You’ll have plenty of chances ahead of you.”

Even so, many of the more experienced adventurers proved admirable in character as well, praising those who had passed and offering them words of encouragement.

“Now then, the second trial will begin tomorrow at ten o’clock. Please be sure to gather here in the lobby on time.”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

“Well then—it seems everyone has safely made it to the starting point.”

Forty-eight hours later, the eleven examinees had gathered at the tower. Not a single person had been eliminated.  All of them had managed to arrive within the time limit.

That said, most of the candidates arrived just in time, and the very last one had barely made it with only ten minutes to spare.

As for me, I was still in the cockpit of the Seno Grande Kai, overseeing the examination as it played out on the monitors. With full audio too.

“Now then, without further ado, we will begin the first examination.”

“W-wait a second!”

The one who hurriedly raised his hand was the adventurer who had arrived last.

“I—I only just got here! It’s only been ten minutes. I ran without sleep or rest, got attacked by monsters over and over along the way… C-can’t you at least give us a little more time to recover?”

He probably thought it was unfair, since those who arrived early would have had plenty of rest.

Randia answered with a sarcastic laugh.

“I see. It sounds as though you’ve already completed a thorough warm-up. By all means, I look forward to seeing the results of that effort in the first examination.”

With that, he casually brushed aside his plea for mercy.

“And now, as for the all-important contents of the first examination—it is to locate an Evil Unicorn and bring back its horn.”

“““Evil Unicorn?”””

“Yes. It is an upper-tier subspecies of unicorn that inhabits only the deepest reaches of this Infinite Wasteland. Its horn is extremely rare. So rare that it’s even said to be a material for elixirs. The time limit is twenty-four hours. In other words, if you return to this tower by this time tomorrow with an Evil Unicorn’s horn, you will pass the first examination.”

He paused briefly before adding,

“For reference, the Evil Unicorn’s favorite food is carrots. It seems to be especially fond of carrots from the Kōrai region. With its exceptional sense of smell, it can detect the carrot’s scent from several hundred meters away and will approach on its own once it sniff a scent of it.”

The explanation ended there, leaving the weight of the trial to sink in.

When Randia opened the box at his feet, it was filled to the brim with carrots from the Kōrai region.

“Each of you may take five. Be warned—once they’re gone, there will be no more. With that, the first examination will begin as of this moment.”

The examinees snatched up carrots in a scramble and burst out of the tower all at once.

Fana, Anje, and Orion followed right after them.

“This really does seem like a test that favors Fana-oneechan again.”

“What kind of monster is this Evil Unicorn, exactly?”

Karen spoke up with a question.

“First of all, a unicorn is a horse-type monster with a horn growing from its head. They’re extremely fast and highly wary, which makes them difficult to hunt. That said, their actual strength isn’t anything special… but when it comes to the upper-tier variant—the Evil Unicorn—that’s a completely different story. They’re incredibly aggressive, and on top of that, they’re very strong. And the most troublesome part is that horn of theirs—ah, looks like one of the examinees has already run into one.”

One of the eleven candidates was walking along with five carrots hanging from his belt when, from the distance, an Evil Unicorn came charging toward him at terrifying speed.

“T-this sound of hoofbeats…! So it’s here—eh?”

Sensing something amiss, the adventurer turned around and immediately doubted his own eyes. By the time he looked back, the massive horse was already bearing down on him.

“~~~~~!?”

He was sent flying, hurled through the air, and slammed hard against a rocky outcrop.

“Guh… ngh… t-that thing… is that the Evil Unicorn!?”

Even so, he was an A-rank adventurer aiming for S-rank after all. Grimacing in pain, he somehow managed to force himself back to his feet.

“It’s… this huge…?”

“Hihiiiiiiiiiin!!”

The Evil Unicorn let out a thunderous neigh. It looked to be roughly ten meters in length, standing about five meters tall. The horn growing from its head was nearly a meter long. It’s more like a knight’s charging lance than anything one would call a horn.

“Fire Lance!”

The adventurer hurled an attack spell at the Evil Unicorn as it made a wide U-turn, almost leisurely changing direction.

However, the spell was effortlessly dodged and the beast sprang forward again at blistering speed.

“Oh no—whoa!?”

The A-rank adventurer desperately evaded the charge, but—

“My carrots!?”

All five carrots hanging at his waist were deftly snatched away by the unicorn’s horn.

The Evil Unicorn munched on the carrots as it ran, and the adventurer chased after it in a panic. But since their speed was on entirely different levels, the distance between them only grew.

“Damn it! Did it get away…?”

The adventurer gave up and came to a stop.

Just then, the Evil Unicorn—having finished its carrots—came back.

“Thank goodness, it’s still nearby! …Huh? Is something… glowing around its horn?”

The very next instant, a ferocious bolt of black lightning erupted from the unicorn’s horn, blasting apart the ground right at the adventurer’s feet.

“…Huh?”

After standing there in stunned silence for a moment, the adventurer finally seemed to grasp what had just been done to him.

“T-th-this thing’s a monster! There’s no way anyone can beat something like that!!”

He turned tail and ran.

“Right—that horn is what makes it so troublesome. It can unleash lightning that powerful.”

“I see, indeed. But even after getting its favorite carrots, why did it bother to come back?”

“I told you, it’s highly aggressive. Especially toward anyone who attacks it. It won’t show mercy and will chase them down until it finishes them off.”

“That is far too frightening. Will that adventurer be all right?”

“Hard to say. Still, it likes carrots more than anything else, so if it catches the scent of another batch, it’ll probably head that way instead. …Ah—speak of the devil.”

The Evil Unicorn suddenly twitched its nose, as if it had sensed something, then abruptly abandoned its pursuit of the adventurer and changed direction.

“That adventurer just barely escaped with his life.”

“Yeah. And with his carrots gone, he’ll probably have to withdraw.”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

The next day, all eleven candidates—everyone except the Mohawk guy who had withdrawn—gathered in the lobby on time.

Examiner Randia checked his wristwatch to confirm the appointed hour, then spoke.

“Very well. We shall begin the promotion exam. As explained yesterday, the location will be the Deep Layer of the Infinite Wastelands.”

“How are we supposed to get there? I heard it takes at least a week just to reach the place.”

It was Anje who asked the question.

As she said, once you get deep into the endless wasteland, it would take days just to reach the destination.

“You are correct. However, frankly speaking, we cannot afford to spend several days on mere preparation exercises. Therefore, the deadline is forty-eight hours. You must reach the Deep Layer within that time.

From here, proceed straight north across the Wastelands. You should see a lone tower which will serve as the assembly point. If you turn back, die along the way, or fail to arrive within the time limit, you will be disqualified from the exam immediately.”

The candidates murmured among themselves.

“So that’s the first stage of the exam?”

“Oh I see… That’s how it works huh.”

“Forty-eight hours? That’s going to be incredibly difficult.”

“But… didn’t you just say it was a preparation exercise?”

Randia shook his head.

“No, no—the first stage starts from there.”

““…Eh?””

“Reaching the Deep Layer within forty-eight hours is merely a warm-up. In other words, if you can’t manage that, you won’t even be allowed to set foot at the starting line of the promotion exam. Now, even while we’re talking, a minute has already passed.”

“Wha—!?”

“It’s already started!?”

“Damn it, we need to hurry!”

The candidates rushed out of the building.

…Though really, there was no need to panic. Forty-eight hours was plenty of time—losing a few minutes was hardly significant.

“Alright, good luck guys.”

“Mm.”

“And what about you two?”

“We’ll be observing from the airship.”

“Observing…?”

Orion tilted her head, confused, and I gave her a nod.

“Yeah. With long-range observation magic, I can see you guys from afar in real time.”

“Is there really such an immoral magic like that!?”

“Ahaha, don’t worry. I’m not going to use it to sneak a look at naked bodies or anything like that.”

『You’re completely untrustworthy, Master』

(What are you talking about, Linlin? Seeing without touching—that’s practically hell, not fun.)

『…Is that so?』

A little later, Fana and the others set off as well.

Since Karen and I weren’t taking the exam, we returned to the airship. As promised, I activated the long-range observation magic, projecting the trio onto the screen in the helm.

『Why are you zooming in on their chests, Master?』

(Oops… my bad.)

The three girls sped across the desolate land.

Though they were heading along roughly the same route toward the Deep Layer, the idea of sticking together for a group finish was nowhere in their minds—they had already begun to spread out.

As expected, the fast-footed Fana quickly pulled away from Orion and Anje. Not only that, she easily overtook the candidates who had left the building before them, soaring to the very front of the pack.

“Alright, I’m going to head out for a bit.”

I told Karen.

“You’re not going to watch?”

“Nope. Those three can reach the Deep Layer without any trouble. I’ll check back when the first stage begins.”

With that, I activated teleportation magic.

My destination? Naturally—the private bath of the Edo Shogun in the Far East!

“Mamaaa! I came again to drink your milk!”

“Huh? What is this strange-looking baby?”

“W-wait… a man?!”

But the figure waiting there was a muscular man.

“Isn’t this… the Shogun’s?!”

“I am the Shogun’s husband.”

“Oh… I see. I’ll come back another time.”

I said, immediately teleporting back to the airship.

“? You’re back already?”

“Hey, Karen-oneechan, why does breast milk only come if you have a child? Wouldn’t it be great if, even without a man, milk could just come out naturally?”

“What kind of nonsense are you talking about?!”

The first to reach the Deep Layer, unsurprisingly, was Fana.

It had been roughly sixteen hours since leaving the Association headquarters. The hour was well into the dead of night.

“… a tower” she murmured.

A faint light glimmered in the darkness ahead. As she drew closer, she realized it was emanating from an artificially constructed tower.

Entering through the doorway, she found Examiner Randia waiting.

“You’ve arrived already? Remarkably quick. You’re the undisputed first to reach here,” he said.

“…Already ahead of everyone else?”

“Haha, of course, I did not run here myself. But you must be tired. There are rooms upstairs where you may rest, so please make use of them.”

According to Randia, the tower had once served as the dwelling of a demon tribe that controlled part of the Wastelands.

“There are other structures like this scattered throughout the Wastelands. Besides these tower-type buildings, there are pyramid-shaped, columnar, and even underground bunker types. Quite fascinating, really.”

About three hours after Fana arrived, the second candidate, Anje, reached the tower. The sky had begun to lighten slightly by then.

“You’re remarkably fast.”

Fana remarked.

Thirty minutes later, the third candidate, Orion, arrived, completing the trio.

“Three arriving before dawn… This promotion exam is shaping up to be rather promising.”

Randia said with a hint of anticipation.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---

The one shouting was a tough-looking man with a Mohawk.

“No matter how I look at it… that’s clearly a baby who hasn’t even turned one yet!”

“Oh, are you talking about me? Don’t worry—I’m not the one taking the exam.”

“Oh, I see! My bad, my bad! I actually have a nephew around the same age, so I just got curious. Besides, no one under five years of adventuring experience should even be eligible for this exam!”

Apparently, he wasn’t angry at all, well, just loud.

“W-wait… a baby is talkiiiiinggggg!?”

Yeah, thanks for the expected reaction.

“Now, we’ll begin the explanation of the exam.”

Ignoring the astonished Mohawk man, Randia began to speak.

“The exam is divided into three stages: the first, second, and final rounds. Each stage has its own passing criteria. Should you fail to meet them, you will be disqualified on the spot and will not be allowed to proceed to the next stage. Please take note of this.”

Meanwhile, the Mohawk guy was losing his mind, yelling, “Wait… this is really a baby?! My nephew can barely say ‘ah’ or ‘uh’!”

Everyone else, however, listened intently, fully focused on Randia’s explanation.

“The first and second stages of the exam will take place in the Great Magical Frontier that spreads around this headquarters—the Infinite Wastelands. As you are all aware, the Wastelands are home to countless vicious monsters, and it is said that the deeper you venture into its heart, the stronger those creatures become.

The Wastelands are divided into zones: the Outer Rim, the Mid Layer, and the Deep Layer. Our headquarters lies at the very edge of the Outer Rim.

The Deep Layer… once you step into it, even S-Rank adventurers are not guaranteed to return safely.

For the exam, the first stage will take place in the Deep Layer, and the second stage will push even further—into the deepest part of the Deep Layer itself.”

While several candidates gasped, the Mohawk man still tilted his head in confusion, muttering to himself: “Wait… maybe my nephew’s development is just slow? Do babies normally start talking this early…?”

Randia continued

“The passing rates are roughly twenty percent for the first stage and ten percent for the second. Naturally, there is also a risk of death during the exam. In fact, around fifty candidates have died in past sessions.

Even if you fail, you may attempt the exam again after a year, though many are left traumatized by the experience. In reality, only about one in five of those who fail ever return to take the exam a second time.”

It was shaping up to be an incredibly dangerous exam.

The other candidates grew even more serious, their faces tightening with resolve—but the Mohawk man was so lost in thought, muttering to himself: “I’ve never dealt with a baby other than my nephew… I have no idea what to do! Damn it, I should’ve spent more time around babies!”

The explanation continued,

“Honestly speaking, there is little practical advantage in becoming an S-Rank adventurer. By the time you reach A-Rank, you should already be earning plenty, and the privileges granted by the Adventurers’ Guild are largely capped. There is little you will gain by reaching S-Rank.

Now, is there meaning in risking your life to aim for it? There is still time before tomorrow’s exam begins, so I strongly recommend that each of you reflect on this question carefully. Should you ultimately decide not to proceed, that would be a completely sensible choice. You won’t be critized if you backed out.”

The candidates listened with serious expressions, though a few couldn’t help but chuckle at how unusually frank the examiner was.

…Meanwhile, the Mohawk man was still muttering to himself, nodding and groaning as if the world depended on his thoughts.

In reality, no one here would seriously consider withdrawing. These were adventurers who had climbed to the top of their ranks—they were fearless, reckless, and utterly uninterested in money or privileges.

“I can’t help but worry about my nephew! I’m sorry, but I’m going to withdraw from this exam!”

“““…Eeh?”””

Wait, seriously!? 

Hey, Mohawk guy!?

“By all means, feel free.”

Randia said with a calm smile.

With that, the Mohawk man bolted from the room with all the force of a cannon, leaving everyone else blinking in stunned silence.

“That brings the number of candidates down to eleven. The promotion exam will begin as scheduled tomorrow at 10 a.m. so please gather in the lobby by then.”

With that, the briefing concluded. As the candidates filed out of the conference room, I called out to Orion.

“Orion-niichan, I’ll return this to you.”

I pulled out the full set of orichalcum equipment once worn by Lion, the hero and ancestor of Orion, from my subspace.

When we left the Arseral Empire, Orion had entrusted it to me, saying, “If I keep this, I’ll rely too much on its power—so please hold onto it for me.”

“I think you could easily draw out all its power right now.”

Orion hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.

“No. I want to get through this exam without relying on it. If I pass, it will mean I’ve truly become someone worthy of this equipment. Only then can I wear it again with confidence.”

“I see… Got it. Good luck, Orion-niichan. …Oh, right. Actually, I did use it once—temporarily took an adult form and wore it while naked, so, uh… sorry about that.”

“W-what!? What does that even mean!? That’s way too much information at once that I can’t even process it!”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---