The Corrupt Guildmaster, Conducting the Selection Exam
The selection exam for the Demonic Void Dungeon conquest quest had begun.
The first task was an endurance test. Each participant had to run five laps around the outer perimeter of Luminage while carrying a total of 50 kilograms of added weight. The outer loop of Luminage measured roughly six kilometers. Five laps made thirty kilometers. Only those who completed the full distance were allowed to advance.
“Haa… haa… wh-what is this…?”
“How the hell are we supposed to finish something like this…!?”
“I… I can’t… do this anymore…!”
The adventurers were already wearing their normal gear. On top of that, they were running with weight equivalent to an adult woman strapped to them… Naturally, a significant portion was expected to drop out here.
But I pushed them further. To increase their survival probability.
“The moment one hundred people finish, the endurance test ends! Get fired up!!”
“Eek!?”
“Don’t pressure us like that!?”
“I really can’t do this…!”
One of the adventurers running ahead of me collapsed the instant he finished his first lap. D-class, most likely. For those with little experience, this was to be expected.
“Emidia.”
“Yes. Leave it to me.”
Emidia led the receptionists to the collapsed adventurers. They gave them cold water and salt, then guided them to shaded areas so they wouldn’t obstruct others.
A group of runners passed by near them. They were already on their second lap? Fast.
It was Red Dragon’s Wings led by Aron. Immediately behind them were Fangs of the Great Beast. And right behind them were Fiel and Lizette. None of them showed the slightest change in expression as they ran past me.
“A-Aron-san and the others are monsters…”
“Fangs of the Great Beast look like they’ve got plenty left in the tank too…”
“A-rank really is different…”
“No, Fiel-san and Lizette-chan are D-rank.”
“Lizette only became an adventurer recently.”
“Guh!? I-I can’t lose to them!!”
A bit behind the combat-specialized groups ran a mixed formation of B-rank and C-rank adventurers. Inspired by Fiel and Lizette, they tightened their resolve. They must not know about those two’s former professions. If they heard their histories, their spirits would surely break.
“Hohoho. Young folk sure are lively~”
Hm?
In their midst was an old man whose pace never faltered. If I recalled correctly… he was present during Aron and Bash’s duel. The one who had spoken of Zilkein Oldray’s past in the original story… That should be Yolm Andersen, a B-rank. If memory serves right, he usually completed only low-difficulty quests. I had assumed he continued adventuring just to save money for retirement, but it seemed he was an unexpected talent.
The old mage in his robe steadily overtook the younger adventurers one after another. Most adventurers were young by nature. At best, they continued into their fifties… most retired once they saved enough money, since the job required risking one’s life.
And yet here was someone nearing seventy who was still working… When I thought about it, it was abnormal. I’d better keep an eye on him.
“Y-Yolm gramps…”
“Why isn’t he even out of breath…?”
“This is weird…”
“Hohoho. Don’t push yourselves too hard, now~”
Laughing, the old man passed the collapsing youths, running neither too fast nor too slow, just at his own steady pace.
Two hours later—
Once one hundred people finished, the endurance test ended. The number of participants was instantly cut in half.
◇◇◇
Next came the practical exam. The adventurers gathered near the guild dormitories on the outskirts of Luminage. Before their eyes stood a massive wooden athletic course.
The construction rivaled the size of the dormitory: a thin suspension bridge, a wooden bouldering wall dotted with handholds, and areas where logs were hammered into the ground in a straight line, requiring leaps to advance… It looked exactly like a certain television show I remembered.
“Oh my? How did you even make something like this?”
Cassandra tapped her closed fan while observing the obstacle course.
“I negotiated with the city’s carpenters the night I returned from the Fress Kingdom. Had them build it urgently.”
“My, my… I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Of course she hadn’t. I designed it based on my pre-reincarnation memories and Zilkein’s dungeon knowledge.
Considering party sizes, I divided them into five groups and had them run a full obstacle course. Combat was allowed. Whoever obtained the tag from the innermost chamber and returned to the starting point cleared the stage. A simple game.
“A big endurance test and now a huge obstacle course… As expected, Zilkein-chan’s real aim is… hehe, I knew it.”
“Did you say something?”
“Not at all? I’ll be waiting in that shade over there. Wil, let’s go.”
Cassandra took Wil to the shade.
……
The obstacle course, while simple in rules, was brutally intense.
“Got you!!”
“No way we can handle getting pincered!!”
“!?”
On the suspension bridge, Aron activated four layers of speed enhancement. He smoothly dodged the simultaneous attacks of the veteran-and-rookie pair striking at him from both sides, then slammed his mock sword into their necks. The two attackers foamed at the mouth and fell off the course. Sylvia and Galius, separated from Aron, also easily handled the ambushers and reached the turnaround point, returning to the goal safely. Red Dragon’s Wings cleared without issue.
“That Aron guy’s pretty good.”
“In terms of combat ability, he’s on par with Zeiss.”
“As expected of the man who defeated Bash the Wanderer, who’s been active all over the land~!”
Zeiss and the others assessed Aron with clear interest. For another A-rank party to speak so highly of him—this was a valuable harvest. Third-party evaluation was indeed useful.
Still… “Bash the Wanderer.” Quite the title. Reports showed he had been completing quests across the land, but it seemed that after I exiled him, Bash had been training seriously.
Zeiss turned to me.
“Zilkein-san, what’s the next selection?”
“A free-for-all among the remaining participants. The last six standing advance.”
“Hell yeah!! I get to fight that Aron guy!!”
Zeiss pumped his fist, excited. He already assumed he had cleared the obstacle course. Well, with Fiel and Lizette not in his group, things would likely go just as he imagined.
……
The obstacle course ended with results exactly as I predicted. Fiel, Lizette, Red Dragon’s Wings, and Fangs of the Great Beast each led their respective groups, overwhelming all other adventurers and advancing.
Including them, thirty participants remained for the final selection. It was sure to become a fierce battle.
“Hohoho. My arms are itching to fight.”
As expected, Yolm Andersen passed again. He smiled as if nothing unusual had happened.
“Yolm-san, you’re as unshakable as ever.”
A voice came from behind. Turning around, I saw Red Dragon’s Wings’ leader—the mage, Sylvia.
“What is it, Sylvia? Do you need something?”
“For the upcoming free-for-all, would it be considered cheating if some members cooperated with one another?”
At that question, I couldn’t help but smile.
“… Cooperation isn’t forbidden. If you plan to cooperate, judge your allies carefully. There may be unexpected talent hiding among them.”
Saying so, I glanced toward Yolm. Sylvia seemed to notice who I was looking at.
“Unexpected talent… Thank you. I will reflect on the previous exams.”
She bowed politely. As expected of an A-rank party leader. She had already predicted how Fangs of the Great Beast would move during the free-for-all.
And that difference would determine the outcome between Red Dragon’s Wings and Fangs of the Great Beast.
I should give her one more push.
“Judging from the quest reports, your command ability has grown significantly. Just do as you always do. Don’t tense up too much.”
“But if we lose, then the Ilios Guild will…”
“That’s not something you should worry about. If anyone bears responsibility for involving them in this exam, it’s me.”
I glanced at Cassandra. She was instructing Fangs of the Great Beast.
“Listen. Show the adventurers of Luminage exactly what you’re capable of.”
“Leave it to us, Guildmaster.”
“First, we’ll need to reduce Luminage’s numbers…”
“That’s my specialty!”
Zeiss and the others pumped themselves up at Cassandra’s words. Just as I predicted. They would act as “takers.”
For them, acting that way was correct—if they wanted to secure the quest.
But the moment Sylvia asked that question, their downfall in the free-for-all was already sealed.
Cassandra.
Burn into your eyes the strength of my guild’s adventurers.
What do you think about this chapter?
