#923 S-Rank Promotion Prelim Exams - Mountain Arc 1

And so, the S-rank promotion exam on the farm begins.

The youth daring to take this exam can secure a glorious future by clearing three dungeons within our farm.

Each of them bears a look of fierce determination... or not.

Their faces are more akin to those who’ve had their spirits crushed.

Why?

“Well, having a Lifeless King and a dragon thrown at you right off the bat would kill anyone’s hopes of victory,” says Platy nonchalantly. “To think, they don’t even give you a moment to get cocky before they’re trying to finish you off with the first strike. The S-rank adventurers really are ruthless. Do they even intend to let anyone pass this exam?”

“Of course, it would be utterly disrespectful to cause a disturbance at Lord Saint’s doorstep with a pointless exam that produces no qualifiers,” says Silver Wolf as he descends from the platform, answering Platy’s monologue.

“This is but a test to see if the adventurers possess what is truly necessary for an S-ranker. More than skill or intelligence, it’s the mental strength to keep moving forward despite any hardships that is essential.”

“Sometimes, the courage to turn back is just as important.”

Even if an insurmountable beast waits at the end, it’s the strength of heart to continue walking that is being tested here, huh?

While most adventurers seem to be on the brink of wanting to head home, some are...

“HYAHAHAHA! A dungeon with a boss in it? That’s sickkkkkkkk!”

“A dungeon with a boss is like a treasure trove, maaaaaaaaaaan! The loot and monsters are top-notch, HYAHAAAA!”

“Dungeons on the Saint’s Farm just HAVE to be like this, or they won’t cut itttttt! Do good every day!”

Among them, some adventurers are high-spirited.

“...Well, if you’re aiming to be an S-rank adventurer, you’ve got to bravely enter dungeons with bosses, right? If you’re scared now, you really don’t stand a chance,” admits Platy.

Thus, the aspiring adventurers quickly split into three groups and dispersed.

They’re probably headed to the dungeons indicated by the organizers, but there are also those who choose to give up without fighting. Quite expected.

“...Well then, shall I go too?”

“Go where? Aren’t you coming back to the main house with us?” asks Platy, carrying our second son.

“Er, I’m thinking of sneaking into the dungeon along with the examinees.”

Even though I have been applauded as a saint earlier, I’m confident in my ability to blend in unnoticed.

I bet they’d think of me as just another examiner, so I won’t attract attention.

“Why would you do that?”

“Well, you know, because of Junior.”

For some reason, Junior was brimming with enthusiasm, blending into the group heading towards the dungeon.

Junior isn’t just any five-year-old... His vitality and survival skills could rival those of his peers, but that doesn’t mean I’m brave enough as a father to let him head into an advanced adventurer’s battleground without worry.

“Still, it’d be cruel to drag him back home forcibly, so I thought it best to accompany and keep an eye on him,”

“Silly Dear.”

Say what you will.

I’m the man who would slay gods for the smile of my children.

“All right then. I’ll head back to the main house. If anyone dares to invade the living area, I’ll incinerate them, so rest assured and keep an eye on Junior.”

“If such a thing happens, I’ll have to commit seppuku, though,” worriedly says Silver Wolf.

Nevertheless, I vow to ensure Junior’s safety and enjoyment, becoming his shadowy guardian.

Now, where is Junior headed?

To the mountains, huh.

***

The mountain dungeon is Veil’s domain.

This dungeon, ruled by the strongest dragon, is expansive and complex, thanks to her magic.

It promised to be quite the challenge to conquer.

“Ohh, so this is one of the dungeons under Lord Saint’s control...”

“This feels calmer than other mountain dungeons. Is this what they call a sacred place?”

The adventurers who ventured inside are overwhelmed by its atmosphere.

Hahaha, keep that up, guys.

But no matter how easy or hard the journey might seem, the strength of the final boss makes all the difference.

“Ohhhh! Good to see you here, Junior!!!”

One of the groups that split to tackle the dungeons—those who chose the mountain dungeon—is enthusiastically welcomed by the final boss right at the entrance.

Sensing Junior’s arrival from afar, she has come flying over.

“You really have a good eye, Juniorrrr! You must really like me to come to my dungeon firstttttttttt!”

“I started with the easiest one to conquerrr.”

“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!”

Start with the easiest part and work your way up from there.

Junior seems to have grasped the basics of dungeon conquering.

“W-Well, it’s fine. Welcome to my domain, King Dragon Mountain! I am the great Grinzel Dragon Veil, Master’s first servant!”

Was that the name of your dungeon?

“Step foot here, and consider your lives forfeit! I’ll gift you memories to last a lifetime with my impeccable service!!!”

Quit mixing murderous intent with a spirit of hospitality.

Thus, we (or rather, they) are about to tackle the first challenge of the S-rank promotion exam.

Then again, this really shouldn’t involve us.

“First off, let me serve you a meal! You can’t fight on an empty stomach, after all!”

Veil then chants a spell, causing bowls of ramen to fall from the sky, one for each adventurer.

They catch them deftly, steam billowing from each bowl.

“Isn’t this gonkotsu ramen?”

This has become somewhat of a routine.

I thought we used up a good amount during the recent instant noodle fiasco, but apparently, there is still more left?!

“I can’t help it! Seidour keeps sending them regularly, so no matter how much we use, they never run out!”

But no matter what, Junior must not eat this!

Junior, spit it out!

Gonkotsu broth is for when you turn twenty!

“E-Eating a meal recommended by a dragon before entering the dungeon...!”

“Is this what a dungeon in the Saint’s Farm is like...?!”

The examinees, though bewildered, slurp up the ramen.

“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

“I’m brimming with energyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!”

And, as always, their vigor returned.

“Fuhahaha! With this much power, a dungeon with a boss is nothing! Let’s breeze through the three of them and become S-rank adventurers!!!”

Such words seem like something straight out of a doomed mob’s mouth, with screen time lasting for only a few seconds.

They’re already at the entrance to Vei’s domain, the first layer of the mountain dungeon.

The monsters that appear seem like assassins, emerging as if to block the adventurers’ path.

“Is that horned boar...a Square Boar?!”

“Pfft, a Square Boar is nothing! They’re common in dungeons everywhere. Just another minion to brush aside as we move to the next floor!!!”

The adventurers confidently deal with the horned boars.

They’re a valuable protein source for the farm, and ideally, their meat wouldn’t go to waste.

But undoubtedly, adventurers focused solely on passing would leave them behind as they made their way up.

“Boar monsters are easy! They just charge straight at you!”

“Just read their movements, dodge at the last second, and strike their vital points as you pass by! Victory is that simple!!!”

Indeed, these adventurers are skilled, having passed the preliminary exams.

They calculated their strategies effortlessly and executed them flawlessly.

But the moment they tried to land their counterattacks...

“Gweh!”

It was the adventurers who were sent flying.

The horned boars changed course at the last moment, executing a beautiful feint that resembled the hiragana “ち,” striking from the side.

And this scene wasn’t isolated; it played out everywhere, with horned boars and adventurers alike.

Caught off guard by movements that defied their expectations or clever feints, the adventurers were thrown into disarray.

“Gah!”

“Impossible! How can Square Boars move like this?!”

“Ten years of experience as an adventurer, and it’s all for nothing?!”

I see.

The boars on this mountain, which we hunt and eat daily, are climbing the spiritual ladder through a cycle of reincarnation.

As a result, their intelligence has increased, granting them the ability to perform unpredictable movements like feint attacks.

The S-class promotion exam. The mountain dungeon section starts with a vibe of total annihilation right from the entrance.