#1276 Junior’s Adventure – An A-Rank Adventurer’s Skills 

And so, I end up sparring with none other than A-rank adventurer Shaldot. 

I’m nervous. A-rank is top tier... just one step below S-rank.  
That means he’s bound to be insanely strong. 

How far can my strength measure up against someone like him? 
Is this the moment when a frog in a well finally learns how vast the ocean is? 

“My weapon of choice is the sword. Of course, since this is training, I won’t be using a real one. Still, even a wooden blade can kill if it hits the wrong way. Don’t let your guard down.” 
“Y-Yes, sir...!” 
“And obviously, me being the only one with a weapon would be unfair. You should pick something from over there.” 

Shaldot jerks his chin toward a rack lined with all kinds of practice weapons. 
Swords, spears, axes, shields, maces, chain weights, even throwing weapons for the enthusiasts. 
They’re all wooden, deliberately dulled to remove killing power.  
Clearly meant for training only. 

“So, what’ll it be? Personally, I’d recommend a spear so you can keep some distance...” 
“No, I’ll go with this.” 

I raise my empty hands toward him, opening and closing my palms, clench and release, clench and release. 

“Bare-handed, huh? Not the worst choice, but think about why weapons exist. The whole point is that they give you an edge over fighting with nothing.” 
“Thank you for the concern. But I’m fine. I already hold the ultimate weapon in my hands.” 
“...Is that so? Then show me. Let’s see what the cocky rookie can do!” 

And then, lightning. 
Without even a “start” signal, Shaldot closes the distance like a thunderbolt. 

His stance: a thrust. 

The fastest of all sword attacks. 
The fastest motion leading into the fastest strike. 
In an instant, I know that this is Shaldot’s signature finishing move as an A-rank adventurer. 

And the fact that his weapon isn’t just a sword, but a greatsword, makes it all the more brutal. 

Weight equals power. 
The heavier the weapon, the bigger the shock, the more likely it shatters an enemy’s guard. 

Just from this, I can see how much he has refined his thrust and how deeply he’s honed it. 

“Take this! My ultimate move: A-Rank Steel-Piercing Thrust!!!” 

He even gave it a name. That says a lot about his attachment to the technique. 

An all-out strike from a seasoned fighter. 
If I don’t meet it head-on with everything I’ve got, I won’t just walk away with a bruise. 

All right, let’s do this! 
Haaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! 

“...What?!” 
“Huh?!” 

Shaldot himself and Hibina, watching from the sidelines, both let out dumbstruck voices. 

Why? 
Probably because I just stopped Shaldot’s ultimate thrust using a single finger. 

“With... with one finger? My finishing move was blocked with just one finger?!” 

Well, not exactly. 
What really happened was that my gift, the Hand of Ultimacy, sealed away the full force of his attack. 

It nullifies the opponent’s power while maximizing my own. 
That’s the secret of the Farm God Fist I inherited from Dad. 

“From perfect defense into an arm twist!” 
“OWOWOWOWOWOWOW!” 

And just like that, it’s over. 
The duel between rookie me and A-rank Shaldot ends in my victory, right? 

“All right, I get it, you win! I give up, let go already! My arm’s killing me!!!” 

Hearing his surrender, I finally release him. 

“You're wide open!” 

But there is no opening. 
The instant he tries a cheap shot, I catch his hand, twist it again, and this time transition into a Paro Special. 

“GYAAAAAAA!!! I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I really give up this time! My shoulder’s gonna poppppppp!” 

Are you sure?  
If you pull another stunt, I’ve got plenty nastier locks in my repertoire. 

But since trusting others is important, I let him go right away. 

“Ughhh... none of it worked... not a damn thing...!” 
“Wow, Shaldot. Not even managing a single hit, even trying a sneak attack...so pathetic. Pffft, hahaha!” 

Hibina smirks with glee, clearly enjoying the outcome. 
Wait, what? 

“Well, duh! This is exactly why I came to watch the training! I figured Junior wouldn’t lose to an A-rank, and with Shaldot all cocky, the chance of him eating dirt was a solid 100%! No way I’d miss that!!!” 
“You...! You knew this would happen and didn’t say a word?! You’re the worst!!!” 
“GYAAAAAAA! Don’t pinch my temples like that, it hurts! Stop itttttttt!!!” 

...Honestly, Hibina. 
Anyone could see you’d get payback for saying that right to his face. 

Aren’t adventurers supposed to be more cautious about danger? 

“...” 

Once he’s satisfied tormenting Hibina, Shaldot lets her go and just stands there. 

“I really couldn’t do a thing... against a rookie...” 

Ah, um... well...! 
I mean, maybe it was just luck? Or momentum? 

What’s the right thing to say here?! 

“No need to sugarcoat it. The gap in power was overwhelming, nothing else to call it. Getting my ultimate move stopped with a finger says it all.” 
“Going all in with your finishing move on a rookie from the very start seems questionable too, though.” 

Shaldot ignores Hibina’s jab. 

“When I felt that clash—even though it was just a wooden blade—I knew it instantly. ‘Even if this were real steel, it wouldn’t work.’ That thought came to me naturally. ...So tell me, what are you?” 

What am I? 
Just a traveler from the Farm Kingdom, really. 

“The Farm Kingdom, huh... that new country that popped up a few years back? I haven’t been there myself, but I’ve heard plenty of rumors.” 
“Wait, you’ve never left the country, Shaldot? Some A-rank you are, what a tiny little world you’ve seen!” 
“Shut up! I’ve been to the Demon Kingdom at least! Who do you think you are, a mere C-rank, talking down to me?!” 

At this point, Hibina seems to exist solely to tease Shaldot. 

“...Damn it, though. With how badly I got crushed, I couldn’t even accomplish the goal of this training. I was supposed to teach you the fear of an adventurer’s life. Instead, the whole exercise’s a bust.” 
“Wait, so does that mean Junior can’t become an adventurer? Like, too strong so he fails the test?! Is that even possible?!” 

What?! 
That would be really bad! 

Fear, huh... No problem, I’ve got that covered. 
I’ll just remember the scariest thing in my life!!! 

... 

—“Junior? You let Norito and the others get away with sneaking a bite this morning, didn’t you?” 

... 
shudder shudder shudder shudder shudder! 
shake shake shake shake shake shake! 

“Whoa! Junior just started trembling all over!” 
“His face is pale and he’s covered in goosebumps! Whatever he’s remembering must be terrifying!” 

And with that performance, I manage to pass the training after all. 

“Well, no way we’d turn away talent like this,” Shaldot mutters, sounding a bit bitter. 

*** 

“Oh, done with training? You were gone quite a while.” 

Back at the guild counter, receptionist Sarimel eyes us suspiciously again. 

Shaldot answers from beside me... 

“Nah, the rookie himself was fine. He’s a model trainee, really. It was training the other one that dragged things out. What a disgrace of a senior, honestly.” 

And there’s Hibina, standing beside him, beaten to a pulp. 
Well, that’s what you get for teasing a veteran. Didn’t it occur to you he’d retaliate? 

“Anyway, record that Junior here passed with full marks. He’s not just a once-in-ten-years find... more like once in a century.” 
“For Shaldot to praise someone that much... that almost makes it suspicious. Maybe we should have another instructor evaluate him too?” 
“You never listen, do you?” 

Yeah, it looks like my first impression was right. 
Thus, I became a full-fledged adventurer. 

This marks the first step in my journey of leaving the farm behind to learn about the world. 

========== 

paro special- a professional wrestling submission hold, famously used by wrestler riki choshu