Chapter 9: Certification Battle

“Is that the newbie? He’s surprisingly small.”

“I hear he got a recommendation from ninth rank.”

“They say he killed a dragon.”

“What a load of crap—no way that’s true.”

“Look at him—so skinny, he doesn’t even have any muscles. Could he be a mage?”

The guild master and I stood facing each other in the training grounds beneath the Adventurers’ Guild.

For some reason, a crowd had gathered around us.

It seemed many adventurers had come to watch our battle.

“Hmm, I didn’t expect this many spectators, but oh well. Let’s get started!”

With that, the guild master hefted a greatsword nearly as tall as he was.

“Really, you don’t need any weapon or armor?”

“I don’t. Just hurry up and start already.”

And let’s end this quickly.

This kind of battle—as if I were some sideshow—was unbearable for a regular person like me. Fighting, in the first place, is barbaric, and those who come to watch out of curiosity are even more so. But I had a reason to go through with this match: I needed to register my name as an adventurer.

Earlier, I mentioned selling dragon scales, but apparently the Adventurers’ Guild has a rule that only registered adventurers may conduct transactions.

Naturally, I considered selling them at some random shop. But Liluria stopped me.

According to her, if I sold through a merchant’s guild, they’d take a whopping 40% as a handling fee. And with dragon scales, which are both valuable and troublesome to sell, some shops might even charge more. In the end, with no other choice, I decided to sell them through the Adventurers’ Guild, which only takes a 10% fee.

“Haha! I hope that confidence isn’t just for show!”

With that, the guild master closed the distance between us in an instant. Despite his massive build, his speed was unreal. Gripping his greatsword with both hands, he swung it down at me with full force!

Shun Kan!

But my cheat ability couldn’t be broken. The greatsword let out a hard clanging sound—as if it had struck something solid—and instantly lost its momentum.

“Wha—?!”

The guild master’s eyes widened in shock. He must have never imagined that his all-out swing would be repelled by someone not even defending. In surprise, he quickly stepped back, putting distance between us.

“He blocked the guild master’s sword!”

“Who the hell is that kid? That’s insane!”

“I’ve never seen the guild master fail to end a fight in one swing before!”

“As expected from a ninth rank recommendation!”

“But… maybe it was just a fluke?”

The spectators erupted with excited chatter, clearly astonished by my unexpected performance.

Now then… what should I do next?

Thanks to my cheat, I can block attacks—even if I don’t see them coming. But what about offense? I have no idea how to attack, and I can’t keep up with the guild master’s movements. Matching his speed is impossible, and on top of that, I’m so nervous from being watched that I haven’t been able to take a single step.

…This is checkmate, isn’t it?

For both me and the guild master.

I can’t attack at all, and no matter how much he swings, he can’t land even a single hit. A complete stalemate.

“Kid. I don’t know how you did it, but the moment my sword was repelled was your best chance to attack. …Why did you let it slip by?”

Even in the middle of the match, the guild master spoke to me.

Why? Because I couldn’t react—that’s all. My reflexes and athletic ability are about as sharp as an old man’s.

“That’s something the guild master—having swung his sword once—should already understand.”

Yes, it’s simply that I’m too weak. For a warrior of his caliber, it’s obvious that my eyes can’t keep up with his movements. Moreover, if you look at my physique, it’s clear I’m just an ordinary person who hasn’t been trained at all.

“So, that’s what it is…”
“Exactly.”

It seems the guild master truly understood what I was trying to say. For some reason, an ordinary person like me is forced into one-on-one duels in public, even though I really don’t belong here.

I belong at home—in my own room—surrounded by games, manga, and anime, living a leisurely life until the end.
So, enough with these fights already. Just certify me as a low-ranked adventurer, and I promise I’ll never set foot in these dangerous places again—I’ll spend my life as a “ghost” adventurer.

“Even without waiting for an opening, you can attack me anytime. That’s what you’re trying to say, right…?”

No, that’s not it! What are you saying!?
It seems I was mistaken in thinking that the guild master understood me. He ended up saying something completely off-base.

“Hahaha. I do understand now. That technique you used to deflect my sword—it’s just too abnormal. I don’t feel like I could ever counter something like that.”

Well, it’s a cheat, so of course it can’t be easily countered. But then again, did I just make the guild master notice—if only in a vague, unsettling way—the existence of my cheat ability with that single swing? This guy must really be strong.

“And surely, you can use that abnormal technique offensively as well. Using it to attack—it’s dangerous. Far too dangerous. If I had actually been attacked, I probably would have been reduced to nothing.”

That’s impossible! Do I really look like such a dangerous person?!
My cheat has absolutely no offensive capability—it’s a pretty feeble cheat! And my own specs are even below that of a slime!

I’d love to shout that out loud, but revealing my abilities is something only a fool would do. Information is worth more than money.
I’m not currently worried about my cheat being broken by anyone, but perhaps one day that day might come. To prevent that, I’ve sworn to avoid making enemies at all costs and to never talk about my cheat with anyone.

“Hmph, I suppose I’m getting old. Even when faced with someone superior, I no longer feel the jealousy I once did.”

No, I don’t need all this monologue—just recognize me as an adventurer already. And give me my money, will you?

“Adventurer Ao! In the name of Guns, the head of the Rozy Branch of the Adventurers’ Guild, I hereby recognize you as a B-rank adventurer! And all of you watching—no objections, right?!”

“Whoa! I’ve never seen a newbie get recognized as B-rank right off the bat!!”
“No objections here! This kid is a prodigy who will one day reach A-rank!!”
“Even for his age, the guild master really pulled through!”
“We can’t just let this be—let’s start preparing to recruit him into our party!”

I, Segawa Ao, somehow ended up being recognized as a B-rank adventurer even though I was just standing there.

This is ridiculous, isn’t it?!