#1274 Junior’s Adventure -Junior Yahna 

Adventurer’s Guild, Reception Counter... 

“Oh my, you’re awfully late.” 

Receptionist Sarimel spots us as we return. 

“If you were just sweeping away the small fry monsters around the capital, you’d be back in no time. What happened? Did that rookie kid lose his nerve, and you had to haul him back?” 
“No... things got a little more heated than expected...!” 

Beside me, Hibina, the female adventurer, looks like her soul’s about to float right out of her mouth. 

Well, the truth is, my fight with the Rakshasa King Ravana really did push the limits. 

It’s not my fault, though. 
I was about to wrap it up when he got excited and decided to keep going. 

As expected of a legendary combat organism said to rival demons themselves.  
In his homeland, the rakshasa are said to battle gods on equal footing. In this world, that puts him at dragon-level threat. 

His bronze-red skin can’t be scratched by normal attacks, and he even resists divine magic beyond reason. 
And those twenty hands, each gripping some cursed mythic blade equivalent to a holy sword. 

Now imagine all those swung at once in chaos. It’s like standing in the middle of a storm of instant death. 

And who faces him? Just the son of a humble farmer. 
But still, I’ve got some skill of my own. 

I’ve grown up surrounded by absurd people.  
Everyone who doted on me passed down techniques and tricks along with their affection. 

Especially Dad. 
As the Saint, he sharpened his abilities to their utmost to repel whatever lurking threat might appear. 

That ultimate art is the Farm God Fist. 

As his son, I’ve inherited a good share of that potential and I can bring out its true worth. 

Farm God Fist takes the divine gift Hand of Supremacy and pushes it to its limit, converting it into raw attack power. 
The gift’s effect is to draw out more than one hundred percent of an object’s potential. Flip that around, and it can also suppress more than one hundred percent of an object’s potential. 

I’ve inherited a near copy of that gift, the Hand of Ultimacy. 

It doesn’t matter how legendary the sword; the instant I touch it, it becomes a hunk of scrap. 
It doesn’t matter how wide the eyes that see a thousand miles; a wave of my hand can shut them in darkness. 

With the Hand of Ultimacy, I can even grab hold of the air or the space around me, boost its killing power manyfold, and slam it back at the enemy. 
Buffs and debuffs, mine to wield freely, is the true essence of the Farm God Fist. 

Even so, it’s not like I could beat the Rakshasa King easily. 

When twenty blades come flashing at you at high speed, it’s a terrifying experience. But if I focus my awareness across every inch of my body, it’s not an impossible threat to block. 

Though, it was hectic enough I thought I’d pass out from oxygen loss. 

And of course, being born for battle, Ravana started getting into it. Before I knew it, he’s whipping out flying war chariots and the swords of destruction gods, so I was sweating bullets. 

In the end, he had his fun and left satisfied. 
Meanwhile, Hibina had collapsed in a faint, legs useless. 

...Carrying her back was a pain. 

"...!” 

When she comes to, Hibina just sits there in guilty silence. 

“So? What do you think? Pretty useless?” 

Sarimel’s blunt question makes Hibina twitch with a strained laugh. 

“Ahaha...! Who knows? Honestly, it’s kinda out of my league to judge...!” 
“What does that mean? You’re a C-rank in the proud Royal Capital branch of the Adventurer’s Guild. You can’t keep dodging responsibility forever.” 
“Y-Yes ma’am...!” 

Sarimel’s sharp tongue leaves Hibina with nothing but timid replies. 

“Please don’t. Hibina carried out the Guild’s request perfectly well.” 

I can’t help but cut in. 

“Sure, everyone’s got strengths and weaknesses. But once someone meets the minimum requirements, nitpicking them beyond that only drags down their motivation. Is killing the drive of adventurers part of the receptionist’s job description?” 
“What did you just say...?!” 

Uh-oh. I went too far. 
Dad always warned me: ‘You’ve got your mother’s habit of verbally crushing people more than needed. Watch yourself.’ I guess I already slipped. 

But on the flip side, Hibina looks at me: 

“Junior...!” 

Her eyes are sparkling. 

Sarimel sighs deeply. 

“Well, the request was fulfilled. Perhaps my nagging was overstepping. Fine. Hibina, is it your final judgment that Junior has adventurer potential?” 
“Yes! Absolutely, without a doubt!!!” 

She didn’t have to answer with that much force. 

“Very well then. Junior, proceed to the second stage.” 

Second stage? 
There’s more? 

“Of course. The first step is a test of resolve, whether you even have the guts to be an adventurer. But resolve alone doesn’t make a professional. Without skill and strength, you’ll only die in the field.” 

Fair enough. 

“So now, you’ll learn the essential techniques every adventurer must have. Think of it as training.” 

Training. 
Evaluation first, then training. Makes sense, I guess. 

“And Hibina will be teaching me, too?” 
“Hardly. Hibina’s still C-rank. She’s not qualified to instruct anyone. We’ll pass you on to someone higher...an adventurer with real experience and skill.” 

I see. 
It’s a little sad parting ways so soon, but meeting more people is part of the journey. 

“Um... can I come along, too?” 

Hibina raises her hand timidly. 

“What’s this now?” 
“Well... I thought maybe I could join the training, too?” 
“Huh? Why?” 
“Y’know... sometimes it’s good to return to basics, right? Avoid careless mistakes and accidents, that sort of thing...?” 

Her excuse is vague, but Sarimel just narrows her eyes. 

“...Remembering your roots isn’t bad. Normally, I’d want you out doing quests, but since you already bent over backward for Guild business, I won’t press the issue. Do as you like.” 
“Thanks!” 
“In that case, please escort Junior to the training ground. A-rank adventurer Shaldot is waiting there.” 

They had everything prepared already, huh? 

Led by Hibina, I follow the hallway outside until it opens into a broad yard that’s clearly the Guild’s training field. 

There, a young man stands alone. 

“You coming here means you passed the screening test. Good. It would’ve been a waste of the great A-rank adventurer Shaldot’s time otherwise.” 

His sharp grin radiates menace. You can tell at a glance he’s no ordinary man. 
Though compared to the people coming and going at my farm, he’s still a bit behind... Not that it’s fair to compare. 

“Hibina? What are you doing here? I thought you were done.” 
“Yeah, well... I figured it’s a good chance to brush up on training myself, y’know...?” 

Shaldot chuckles at her weak excuse. 

“Smart. People get careless once they’re comfortable, and those are the ones who die first. Good on you. Looks like you’ll be sticking around a while longer.” 
“Th-Thanks...” 

Hibina shrinks back.  
That alone tells me how formidable this Shaldot must be. 

I’d better mind my manners. 

“My name is Junior. I applied for adventurer registration today. Please take care of me.” 
“Well, well. Polite for a kid. Rare these days.” 

He studies me with a keen but approving gaze. 

“Most rookie adventurers already act like they’re heroes. Having someone like you join us raises the Guild’s reputation. Do us proud.” 
“Right...” 

The way he talks, it’s like I’m already an adventurer. 
Is that okay? 

“Hibina vouched for you, so that’s enough. My job is to drill the basics into you so you don’t die right away. Live long enough to contribute to the Guild. That’ll lead to your own rise as well.” 

Shaldot lifts the wooden sword he had stuck in the ground. 

“Normally, I’d beat some sense into cocky rookies, show them where they stand. But you don’t look like you need that, which saves me some effort. That means I can focus more on the other tasks. My gut tells me you’re one I want to see survive.” 

Looks like things are about to get tough. I steel myself.