Chapter 184 Strongest Sage, Takes on Test

 

The next morning.
Examiner Yarud came out of the meeting room while we were waiting for the result.

Looks like it didn't go well judging from his expression.
Or rather, he looks really down.

"I'm sorry, it turned into the worst case scenario. You might even be better off if I didn't try to negotiate."

Yarud lowered his head to us after saying that.
Worst case scenario... Better off not negotiating, what does he mean by that.

"What kind of scenario?"

"The exam will only take a day... But that Giruas will be the examiner."

Yarud said that while looking grim.
Giruas... The name doesn't sound familiar.

Is he an infamous examiner or something?

"Who is this Giruas?"

"It can't be, you don't know? That Giruas?"

"I don't. ...Did you know?"

I look at Ruli, Alma and Iris.
But the three shake their head.

"Nope, no idea."

"I have no clue!"

"Un... I've heard the name a bit before, but I don't know what kind of person they are..."

The three don't seem to know.
But he must be a celebrity or something in this country judging from his tone.

"I can't believe you went and ranked up into rank B adventurers without even knowing the name Giruas..."

Yarud then begins to give explanations while looking troubled.

"...Giruas is a rank S adventurer whose infamy is widely known. His head is filled with only fighting, the guy basically doesn't do much else... There was this one time he took on as an examiner, and he failed all examinees the instant he saw them."

...In short, a battle junkie huh.
Just that alone actually makes for a favorable impression, but instantly failing people he saw is pretty bad...

Wait, why are they allowing such people to be an examiner again?

"So what happened to the those guys who failed?"

"They took on the test again after a while. Well, apparently they really did lack the capability and failed though... After all, Rank A Promotion Test's passing rate is only 3%."

I see. He's saying that since failing the test would bar us from taking another for a period of time, not negotiating here would have been a better idea.
However, there are ways to go about this if the other party is a battle junkie.

"No need to apologize. It's still better than the ordinary route."

"...Do you really think so? That guy rarely ever approves anyone y'know."

"I have ways to deal with battle junkies... So, when can we take the test?"

"It's today's noon. Cause that's the only time Giruas will be coming to this city."

This is all so sudden.
Well, it's a good news for me though.

Guess we'll wait for it while hoping it'd go well.

◇
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
A few hours later.

The door of the guild we're waiting at was opened.
And then, a man enters together with the guild's branch head.

Soon after... The guild is wrapped in silence.
Most of the people in the guild are looking at the man.

In that situation, I saw the man's mana reaction.
His mana reaction is clearly different than that of the people of this era.

There are crude parts, but he's obviously more experienced in mana control than the people in this era.

That said, he's not a demon in disguise either.
If I have to say, he's similar to the elementary class battle mages in the past.

From the way he carries himself, I can feel a considerable sharpness.
His crest is the same as mine, Disqualified Crest.
Perhaps this man is Giruas.

"I had a hunch there was a strong monster around this area so I came here, but... Why do I have to be an examiner again?"

"Because we don't have anyone else capable to supervise rank A test. We'd never dream of entrusting it to you otherwise."

Looks like I guessed right.
I understand how he is rank S then.

In a world where magic has regressed so much, someone who could make use of their mana well would be a force to be reckoned with compared to the other people around.
And he said something about 『hunch about strong monster』, maybe he found out about the parasite monster we beat through some kind of detection magic.

Despite being capable of such level of magic, I feel something odd from him somehow.

"Well, whatever. It's rank A test 'fter all, most are gonna fail anyway. Me instantly failing them woulda save us the trouble."

Giruas looked at us after saying that... and went stiff while having a shocked look on his face.
And then he asks the branch head while suddenly turning cheerful.

"Oy, you ain't tellin' me the examinees are these four, are you?"

"...They are."

Giruas turned even more cheerful when he heard that.

"Then I'm gonna take back what I said 'bout instant fail. Let's hold the test for real... I'm free to decide what the test will be, yeah?"

"Yeah. As long as the method is not extremely dangerous, it's all up to you including the decision to fail or pass them."

"Gotcha... Grats."

Afterward, Giruas approached us.
And then he pointed at the three girls.

"First of all, you three over there."

"Err... What is it?"

"Did I do something...?"

"Am I gonna fail?"

Giruas speaks to the perplexed three.

"All of you passed. That's it for the test, you can go home now."

"""EEEH!?"""

The three were surprised to hear the sudden announcement.
Turned out it was an instant passing instead of instant failing.
Wonder if I was just hearing things when he said he'd do the test for real.

And the problem is the fact that I'm singled out here...

"I heard that Mathias was the strongest... You're Mathias, right?"

"Yea."

That's how it's being passed around huh.
I think there are other easier to understand expression for it though...
Giruas asks while I'm pondering that.

"Fight me. I have two reasons."

"Reasons?"

"Yeah. You're probably gonna pass anyway, but no one would complain if we showed them our fight, no?"

Huh? This guy is actually quite thoughtful.
Maybe his instant failing case was because he immediately saw through the examinees' lack of ability then.

"And what about the other reason?"

"Cuz I wanna fight ya."

Yup, this part is exactly like what we were told beforehand.
Guess this means I don't have to persuade him now he's challenging me.

By the way, I was going to challenge him in case the guy failed us in an instant.
When the other party is a battle junkie, talking through each other's fists is an extremely effective method.

"I got it. What about the place?"

"Right then... How large you want it be? I can only fight with a sword, so the guild's training ground is good enough for me... but if you need somewhere more spacious to fight for real, I can arrange for one."

Training ground.... 50 meter long on every side at the guild's back huh.
I can make use of somewhere larger, but that's good enough for a normal fight.

"I'm fine with the training ground myself."

"Okay. Let's get on to it then."

Then Giruas flings the guild's door open.
Feels like he's really excited to have this fight.












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