Vol 1 Chapter 8 (1/2)
1st Volume, 8th Chapter 【The Primary Exam】
In the 7th chapter, I have revised a part about the bodily sensation of Sword Arts Lv up.
Those who read the 7th chapter immediately after it was posted, please give it a skim if you feel like it.
Examiner-san seems to be a good character. (Author’s note)
——So it appears that the six people gathered here are going to take the promotion exam.
「Well then……」
——’I’ll have you guys kill each other.’
That was the development came to my mind but it didn’t seem to be the case.
「So you six are the examinees of rank D promotion exam, huh? I’m a staff member of the Merville chapter of the guild; call me Bays. I’ll be the examiner this time.」
After 7 bells rang, a man with gentle demeanor came over and greeted everyone.
He was wearing gla.s.ses; a bespectacled gentleman.
「It may be rude of me to say this but I want you all to understand one thing. Once you’re rank D, the difficulty of monster subjugation quests will increase considerably. As a rank E, you’ll have the opportunity to fight weak monsters. Before making your decision, please consider the increased risk a.s.sociated with rank D quests.」
Like I thought, the state of my mind has changed after reincarnation.
That I’m not avoiding this even after getting up close with such a creature as Smagob is a clear evidence.
If someone told the previous me to fight an enemy, albeit short, holding a knife; I would be like ‘holy s.h.i.+t!’.
That said, I have to think calmly whether I want to expose myself to danger or not.
I get the meaning underlying Bays-san’s words.
To live in this world——especially as an adventurer, you have to be prepared.
I’ll have to warn myself not to steal skills frivolously.
Bays-san, the expression of whom had turned slightly rigid, regained his originally gentle demeanor.
「Oh well, enough of the big words. It’s a custom for those who are halfway there to impart these words to the adventurers who are trying to break through the first barrier. These same words were imparted to me, too, back in the days.」
I see. They, of course, won’t say something to discourage the adventurers from taking the exam. It’s to make them more focused.
N……So these words were said to Bays-san, too. huh?
「I was an adventurer, too. Back then, I was rank B. I still train, though. It’s common for an adventurer to switch their jobs to a staff member of the Adventurer’s Guild, like me. It’s also common for them to be entrusted the tasks of an examiner, like me.」
If a quest is near expiry and no one is accepting it, do they take it over?
According to Sheena-san, the purpose of the exam is to a.s.sess the ability.
So the examiner, naturally, has to be someone who’s able.
「For a high rank promotion exam, we request an expert adventurer to be the examiner. For this reason, the content of the exam is different every time. This time, however, it’s a rank D promotion exam, so.」
As for Bays-san’s skill……Spear Arts Lv2 (45/50), huh?
The level of his skill is high.
「Now then, without further ado, I’ll explain the details of the exam.」
While saying so, Bays-san fixed his gla.s.ses. He looked so cool.
It’s so frustrating.
He wasn’t lying when he said that he still trains. I was able to catch a glimpse of his muscles from the gap in his armor.
「The promotion exam comprises a primary exam……and a secondary exam.」
It reminded me of the university entrance exam. My stomach hurts!
「The primary exam won’t take long. You’ll just have to contest with me.」
Right at this moment……Next to me, one of the three people who arrived before me……Gardening-san asked a question.
「Err, you’re a former rank B adventurer. To contest with you……」
「It’s alright. You don’t have to defeat me to pa.s.s the exam. I’ll only ascertain whether you have the ability to take up rank D quests or not……Of course, if you win, you pa.s.s. Let me tell you one thing, however, that it won’t be easy for I hate to lose.」
Upon hearing this, Gardening-san heaved a sigh of relief. So did No-skill-san and Fire-magic-san.
The two beastkin silently nodded.
「Well then, everyone, please follow me. We’ll be conducting the primary exam there.」
Having said that, Bays-san started walking towards the door in the inner part of the guild’s first floor.
Which reminds me, I having been curious for some time now. What’s behind the door?
However, at this moment, I got the answer……
I was right.
From the outside, the guild building looked quite big.
Behind the door was an expansive training area.
How do I say, it smelled sweaty, just like the dressing room of an athletics club.
It was splendid nevertheless.
It was a square room with each side measuring 30m.
There was enough room to move around.
On the walls, there were wooden cases with weapons inside.
「I’ll have everyone use a training weapon for the primary exam. Because its blade is breakable, there’s no risk of injury. By the way, I’ll be using a spear. Well then, everyone, pick a weapon of your choice.」
And I went so far as to specially whet Baselard.
……It’s dispiriting.
Indeed, if you were to use a sharp sword against a human, you would hold back.
I have no intention of ceasing to be a human.
Even thinking about it makes my body tremble.
「Now then……Right. Let’s make the order of the exam same as the order which you arrived at the guild in? If the first examinee is ready, please step forward.」
When I arrived, three people were already there.
Those three looked at each other and one of them stepped forward.
「O-Okay then, I’ll be the first.」
It was Gardening-san.
As for his weapon, it was a sword. You could see that he was tensed.
「Very well. Ready……Start.」
Bays-san’s warm smile receded like a wave from a beach.
The eyes that could be seen from behind the gla.s.ses were completely unbefitting a person who was speaking so gently just a moment ago.
The temperature seemed to have gone down, too.
He’s a scary person.
Dwarfed under the overwhelming pressure, Gardening-san couldn’t take a single step forward.
「What happened? If you’re not gonna come……then——」
「U-Uooo!」
He darted off.
Holding the sword high, he closed in on Bays-san.