In the training ground at the rear of the guild, Rei stood as a participant in the rank-up exam, facing off against his fellow examinee, Superbia.
Rei gripped his usual Death Scythe, while Superbia held a longsword.
"Let me be clear: this is strictly a mock battle. Its purpose is to gauge your own strength and that of your future comrades in preparation for the bandit gang extermination, which is the actual core of this rank-up exam. Don't let things get out of hand."
Rei, Superbia, and the other candidates nodded in response to Gran’s instructions.
"Any questions?"
At Gran's prompt, Rei spoke up.
"Just to clarify—my fighting style usually involves a tag-team with Set. Is that off the table?"
"Obviously. If you brought a Gryphon into a match for D-Rank or E-Rank, it wouldn't even be a fight. It’s forbidden. For that matter, using your Gryphon is also prohibited during the bandit gang extermination itself. Even if taming is your personal skill, you won't always have a Gryphon by your side, will you? This exam is meant to test your individual strength."
"Ah... I don't suppose pointing out that taming is my individual strength would change your mind?"
Seeing Gran nod as if the point were settled, Rei let out a small sigh. He shifted into a stance with his Death Scythe and faced his opponent. He had only asked on the off-chance it would be allowed, so he didn't dwell on it and instead focused on observing the man before him.
Not bad...
Facing Superbia as he leveled his weapon, Rei felt a flicker of genuine admiration. The warrior's posture was well-practiced and steady. While he still showed plenty of openings compared to someone like Mirene, whom Rei had fought alongside in the Orc subjugation force, he appeared far more capable than Arrogan, who relied entirely on the raw power of his Magic Sword.
Similarly, Superbia analyzed Rei’s posture and found himself dialing up his alertness.
He calls himself a magic warrior, but he looks more like a specialist who leans heavily into the warrior side of things. And he's incredibly skilled. Even facing him like this, I can't see a single opening. However, his weapon is that massive scythe. With such a long reach, he’ll have a hard time dealing with me if I get inside his guard. In that case!
"Haaah!"
With a spirited shout, Superbia kicked off the ground at full speed, closing the distance to dive into Rei's personal space.
If I can just weather the first blow, I can get inside. Then I'll have a chance!
He focused entirely on the giant scythe, trying to read the initial movement of the massive blade.
"Right now!"
The moment Superbia entered Rei’s range, he attempted to parry a horizontal slash with his longsword...
He caught the edge of the Death Scythe, planning to deflect it, but the overwhelming weight behind the swing was beyond his comprehension. Instead of parrying the blow, Superbia was sent flying through the air, his longsword still locked against the scythe.
"Gah!"
He flew nearly ten meters in a straight line, bouncing off the ground several times and carving a furrow into the dirt before finally sliding to a halt.
A stunned silence fell over the training ground at the sight of such a brutally efficient strike.
"Ugh... Damn it... What was that...?"
To his credit, Superbia proved he belonged in the rank-up exam. Despite his legs being wobbly from the impact, he used his sword as a crutch to haul himself up and began limping back toward Rei.
Rei watched him with a touch of surprise.
"Heh. You can still stand after taking that hit? That's more than I expected. ...Do you want to keep going?"
"Of course...!"
Though he lost his balance on his trembling legs, he tried to use that very momentum to lunge again.
"That's enough!"
Gran’s voice brought the match to a sudden halt.
"Examiner, I can still fight."
"On those shaky legs? As I said at the start, this is a mock battle to understand the capabilities of the people you'll be working with on the bandit subjugation."
"...Understood."
Superbia let out a heavy sigh and dragged his feet back to his original position. Seeing the match was over, Rei also stepped back.
"Whoa... was I seeing things? Did that guy just get blasted ten meters sideways?"
"No, it was real. Look at the ground. Those drag marks are deep."
"I mean, I know that great scythe looks heavy, so it makes sense for it to have some power, but look at Rei. He's so slender—scrawny, even. How does he put that much force behind a swing? Is he really only E-Rank?"
"Well, I'm not surprised."
"Not surprised?"
"Think about it. He’s the one who took down the Orc King, a B-Rank monster. A normal E-Rank—well, he was G-Rank at the time—could never do that. No low-rank adventurer is killing an Orc King on their own."
"Ah, well, put like that... but still. His looks are deceiving. His weapon handling is top-tier, and his physical abilities are insane. On top of that, he’s got an A-Rank Gryphon as a familiar and can use flame magic. Man... having a guy like that in your party would be a dream."
One adventurer with a sword muttered the thought aloud, but a nearby spearman shook his head.
"He's powerful, sure, but I hear he’s got an abrasive personality."
"Abrasive?"
"Yeah. Just look at how he got into a fight with Falcon's Claws on his first day of registration. He doesn't seem like the type to follow a party leader's orders unless he personally agrees with them."
Listening to the gossip, Gran—who had been present for that very incident on Rei's first day—spoke up again.
"Next: Arrogan and Culotte. Step forward."
"Tsk. A woman?"
"Hey, what’s that supposed to mean! Don't look down on me just because I'm a girl. I've got the skills to be here, unlike some people."
Culotte snapped at Arrogan’s mutter. Gran watched them with an exasperated sigh.
"Arrogan, what an adventurer needs is skill, not a certain gender. Culotte, you too. You were picking a fight with Rei in the meeting room earlier, and if you want to work as a D-Rank adventurer, that lack of cooperation is going to be an issue."
"Hmph."
"I'm sorry."
Arrogan snorted, while Culotte offered a sincere apology. Arrogan drew his Magic Sword and Culotte readied her daggers as they faced off.
"As I told the others, this is for confirming each other's abilities. Do not let your tempers flare. ...Begin!"
The moment the signal was given, Culotte darted forward with the nimble footwork of a thief. Arrogan drew his black blade to meet her. Despite his dismissive attitude earlier, his eyes were sharp. He watched her every movement with intense focus.
"Hah!"
Knowing Arrogan possessed a high-tier Magic Sword, Culotte decided to end it before its power could be fully utilized. Or so she intended.
With a sharp cry, she lunged, thrusting her dagger toward his neck. If her read was correct, Arrogan wouldn't be able to react in time.
But Arrogan wasn't there. Whether through a read of his own or pure instinct, he kicked off the ground and leaped backward. The instant her strike missed, he surged forward again, circling to her side and pressing the edge of his black blade against her throat.
Seeing the dark blade so close to her skin, Culotte could only swallow hard.
"That's it. Winner: Arrogan!"
Gran's voice rang out. Arrogan immediately pulled the blade back and sheathed it. Her confidence shattered by a defeat that was practically instantaneous, Culotte bit her lip in frustration and walked back to Schola's side.
As Arrogan turned to follow, Gran called out to him.
"The effect of that Magic Sword... is it Physical Ability Enhancement?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"I see. Then I'll take back what I said earlier. You seem to have a good handle on that weapon."
"...But I was still swatted aside by that guy."
Arrogan muttered the words under his breath, glancing toward Rei.
In their fight a few days ago, Arrogan had used that same enhancement and challenged Rei, only to suffer the humiliation of having his weapon effortlessly knocked away. That loss had thoroughly crushed the arrogance he’d once had in his own strength. Now, he felt much like Culotte looked.
"That guy is an outlier who shouldn't even be at E-Rank, so I wouldn't let it get to you. Anyway, get back in line."
Arrogan gave Rei a final, fleeting glance before looking away and returning to his spot.
Watching him, the two gossiping adventurers continued their commentary.
"What did you think of that one?"
"Well, it was expected. She’s a thief. Expecting her to go head-to-head with a warrior in a direct confrontation is asking too much, especially when the kid has a Magic Sword."
"True. Warriors are built for the front lines. Thieves are for scouting, trap removal, and sabotage. It makes sense."
"Still, if this group passes the exam, the scouting for that thief girl is going to be fierce."
"Yeah, no doubt."
Warriors were common among guild members, but thieves were rare. The profession required far more specialized technical skills and often lacked the glory of the front-line fighters. Consequently, few aimed for the role, making them a precious commodity, second only to mages.
"Alright, the final match. Schola and Filma, step forward. Filma, fight purely with magic this time. No bow."
"I'll do my best."
"Only Spirit Magic? Very well."
Schola and Filma stepped into the center. Schola’s face was set with a pure, honest determination to win. Filma remained stoic as she set her bow and quiver on the ground.
Before Gran could start the match, Schola spoke up.
"Hey. You said you're using Spirit Magic, but is it okay if you don't have a catalyst?"
He glanced at his own staff before looking at Filma. She gave him a small smile and nodded.
"Yes. Spirit Magic doesn't require a catalyst like yours. As long as you can communicate with the spirits and become their friend, you don't need anything else."
"Whoa, that’s convenient. I'm jealous... I wonder if I could learn it?"
"Who knows? If you can see the spirits, hear them, and befriend them, then perhaps."
"Enough talk. As I've said, this is for gauging strength. Don't go overboard. ...Begin!"
The moment the signal was given, Schola pointed his staff at Filma and began his incantation. Simultaneously, Filma called out to her companions.
"O Wind, become an invisible arrow and strike the one who stands before me—Wind Arrow!"
Schola’s spell manifested first, forming invisible projectiles in the air before him. The arrows streaked toward Filma, but she was ready.
"O Wind Spirit, protect me."
In response to her quiet command, a Wind Barrier materialized around her. The invisible arrows accelerated, trying to pierce the defense, but after a few seconds of resistance, they shattered against the barrier.
"O Earth Spirit, crumble the ground beneath him."
The moment the barrier vanished, Filma called out again, this time to the earth.
Schola instinctively jumped back. In the next breath, the ground where he had been standing caved in several centimeters, forming a small pit. From his new position, he pointed his staff again.
"O Water, become a whip and strike my enemy—Water Whip!"
Water swirled around Schola’s hand, coalescing into a long, fluid lash. He swung the Water Whip down with a crack!
However, Filma evaded the strike with the graceful movements of the Elf-kin and closed the distance.
"Wind Spirit, Earth Spirit. Bind him."
"...Eh?"
Schola had been about to swing again, but he realized his feet were trapped by shifting soil, and the wind was swirling around his torso like a set of invisible ropes. He tried to break free, but Filma was already standing right in front of him, her palm leveled at his chest.
"That's enough! Winner: Filma!"
Gran’s voice signaled the end of the match, bringing the mock battles to a close.