#924 S-Rank Promotion Prelim Exams - Mountain Arc 2

Not even two minutes had passed before Veil’s mountainous dungeon’s foothills were covered with adventurers’ bodies.

Though they may not be S-rank, they are undoubtedly among the tougher ones representing the Adventurers’ Guild.

To think they didn’t stand a chance even in the first stage...

“Lord Saint! Lord Saint!”

“We’ve finally become the hunters this time around!”

The victorious boar monsters are overjoyed.

What words could possibly suit such a moment?

“Ha, haha...!”

A hollow laugh was all that escaped from my mouth.

Meanwhile, the battered adventurers...

“We couldn’t even scratch those Square Boars...?!”

“Is it true that monsters here are completely different from those in other dungeons...?!”

Even as they’re knocked out, their words of shock are all over the place.

What would become of them now?

A humiliating retirement from the challenge?

“All right! Time to take on Lord Saint himself!”

“With our current momentum, victory seems within reach! Beyond the myriad worlds, we shall find victory’s nirvanaaa!”

The boar monsters charge at me recklessly.

Foolish creatures. To think a little success could lead to triumph over me.

I draw my Evil-Holy Sword Dreischwarz from my waist and enhance my power a hundredfold with the Hand of Supremacy...

“Tonton-Tonjiru Slash!”

“BUUUUUGEEEEEEEEHHH!!!”

With a single swing, they were effortlessly scattered.

“As expected of Lord Saint...!”

“Please, turn us into delicious steak... thud”

Perhaps I should make ham to preserve the excess catch?

“So cool, Daaaad.”

I even managed to show Junior his father’s might!

“To think he could outright obliterate a pack of powerful Square Boars...!”

“What in the world...?!”

The downed adventurers are bewildered.

And then...

“My Lord, you seem to be doing well.”

A voice comes from behind, and there stands our orc and goblin army.

What brings them here?

“Just doing our usual monster hunting.”

“The farm operations continue regardless of events, so we came to secure meat for preservation.”

Thanks for your selfless work, everyone.

Could you take back and process this meat that I’ve scattered around here?

“Understood!”

“Our Lord has made our job easier by hunting them first!”

And so, they efficiently carry away the boars.

“Noooooooooo! I want to be a steaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!!!”

“Not ham please, not ham please, not ham please, not ham please, not ham please...!”

“Or at least turn us into prosciutto if you must insist...!”

Meanwhile, the thoroughly thrashed adventurers...

“Eek! Orcs and goblins too?!”

“We’re done for if they attack us in this state...!!!”

They were preparing themselves for death, but...

“Oh, are you men all right? The mountains are dangerous. Anything can happen around these parts.”

“Eh?!”

“Here, please take this all-cure potion from Doctor Garra Rufa and some rations.”

Our farm’s orcs and goblins sure are kind.

The potions and food they carry—all farm-made, by the way—can instantly heal anyone who consumes them.

“Uooooooooooooh! I can feel energy welling from withinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!”

“With this, we can breeze through the dungeonnnnnnnnnnn!!!”

They’re all pumped up again.

They said the same thing when Veil gave them her gonkotsu ramen.

Charged with high spirits, they rush forward...

Only to be mercilessly beaten by the next monster.

“Ugh... such unpredictable movements...!”

“This dungeon... all common sense fails here...!”

Some people never learn.

“My Lord.”

“Oh, Orctober, aren’t you heading back? You’ve bagged plenty of boars.”

I speak to one of the orcs.

“What about these guys?”

The knocked-out adventurers would be beaten again in seconds.

No amount of potion or food they have will save them.

“Just leave them be. If they get hurt, they’ll manage to get back on their own. Focus on your tasks. All’s good.”

“Yes, My Lord!”

Our orcs and goblins are so straightforward.

We continue to support our livelihoods, venturing deeper into the mountain and hunting monsters that come our way, but...

“...”

Huh?

Ah. Some adventurers latched onto the end of the orc and goblin group!

And they’re moving along with them, trying to proceed unharmed.

“Wait, wait, wait, WAIT! That’s cheating! Absolute cheating!!!”

What blatant leeching off the party!

This is supposed to be a test to determine the ultimate adventurer, so they should at least progress on their own merit!

“Wh-What do you mean?! This is simply making clever use of our environment!”

“Overcoming crises with intellect is vital! This is precisely the skill needed by an S-rank adventurer. A master of environmental tactics!”

They’re trying to cloud the issue with fancy talk...!

But this is clearly against the rules.

It also sets a bad example for Junior, so I must report them for disqualification from the exam...

“Come on, why not cooperate to clear the dungeon together?”

Huh?

One adventurer is getting overly familiar with me.

“...What do you want?”

“Let’s form a party, man. For dungeon exploration. Basic stuff, yeah? Forming a party on the spot to see how well we can work together—that’s part of being S-rank material.”

Hmm. I suppose.

“All right, you lead the way. Dive headfirst into any monster that appears while we make our advance.”

...

That’s just using me as bait, isn’t it?

“What? Got a problem? Helping me become S-rank would be an honor, right?”

“No cheatinggg!”

Ohh!

Junior, listening in, is exercising righteous indignation!

It’s true that what he’s doing is nothing short of cheating, but mind your words, Junior!

There’s nothing quite like a solid argument to really get under someone’s skin!

“Oh? What’s this brat doing here? This is a sacred place for determining S-rank adventurers. It’s no place for kids to butt in!”

An aggressive adventurer reaches out towards Junior.

What do they think they’re doing?!

I won’t let them touch my child, not even with a finger. I was ready to defend him at all costs, but before I could...

The ground trembles with a thud.

“What are you doing...?!”

Before I knew it, Veil, in dragon form, is behind us.

“Using my dungeon for your ‘serious’ exam... And you dare play around, neglecting your purpose... How bold of you...!”

“Huh? Why is there a dragon here...?”

“And to think you’d bother Junior, of all people. Seems to me like you have a death wish, eh? Let me remind you why dragons are feared!”

Right, this dungeon has switches everywhere, capable of summoning the final boss at any stage.

Junior is one of them.

The adventurers trying to cheat their way to S-rank are thus disqualified.

Though terrified, they didn’t die, which is something to note.

They probably cheated through the preliminaries in the same way.