kscans

Chapter 3 - The Adventurer Exam

The government's conditions for becoming an adventurer are: 'a training course of at least 24 hours,' 'passing a physical fitness test,' and 'completing a dungeon exploration accompanied by a Self-Defense Force official.'

Aside from the age requirement, these are the common hurdles for everyone.

And so, I started commuting to the adventurer training course venue by train and bus.

Alone.

...It's not like I'm lonely. In this day and age, as long as you have a smartphone with an internet connection, you'll never be bored.

There was no particular reason I was keeping as much distance as possible from the group of friends on the bus. It was pure coincidence.

Besides, I'm not here to become an adventurer for fun, you know? I'm not particularly interested in chatting with friends.

...Man, this sucks.

What really sucks is that those same people were sitting behind me during the lecture. I was at a three-person desk, flanked by two middle-aged guys I didn't know.

If my friends who moved away were here, would I not be feeling this way? No, wait, neither of them are Awakened, so that's a no-go.

But it's still possible. I mean, some people have become Awakened since the Day of Awakening.

The ratio started at one in fifty, but a year later it was one in thirty. The pace has slowed down recently, so the numbers haven't changed much, though.

Right, enough sidetracking. The instructor just came in.

This is the first step toward the dreamlike 'extraordinary life' of being an adventurer and exploring dungeons.

Come on, what kind of romantic, epic tales are we going to hear!

"Alright, everyone. First, I'd like to begin the lecture with a talk on taxes related to adventurer activities."

Not a shred of romance to be found. I mean, it's important, but still.

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Filing a blue tax return is hard.

Do working adults have to do this annoying stuff every year? Maybe I'll give my dad a shoulder massage when I get home...

The lecture continued for several days, starting with taxes and moving on to adventurer license renewal fees, precautions inside dungeons, what to do if you lose your license, and issues that have arisen during dungeon-related work.

It's been about a year since the Dungeon Law was enacted. Apparently, our predecessors have faced all sorts of legal problems in that time.

Seriously, they told us stories with no dreams or hopes to be found. But it was all necessary information, so I did my best to take notes. Luckily, they pointed out 'what would be on the test' during the lecture, so I probably won't fail the written part.

In the latter half of the course, we finally got to touch on 'monsters' and the 'inside of dungeons.'

It was a class where we watched videos of stories from SDF members who had actually entered dungeons and testimonials from those who had already become adventurers, complete with commentary.

To summarize roughly, 'radio waves are blocked inside dungeons,' 'dungeons open to the public have already been mapped by the SDF,' and 'dungeon exploration is at your own risk.'

Also, things like, 'The monsters that appear in a dungeon are listed at the Dungeon Store, so be sure to check before entering.'

Dungeon Store.

As a countermeasure against monsters coming out of the dungeons, the entrances are surrounded by concrete walls.

Inside, there's a reception desk, shops, and a collection point for dropped items for the people who come to cull the monsters.

By the way, they initially thought, 'Why not just bury the entire gate in concrete?' When they tried it, the gate had reappeared outside the concrete the next day. Apparently, if it doesn't have a certain amount of space and an 'exit,' its position will shift.

Seriously, what a mysterious thing. Both the dungeons and their gates.

Anyway, back to the topic. I heard 'check the monsters that appear from the URL at the Dungeon Store before entering' so many times my ears started to hurt. 'Information is the strongest weapon' is an old saying for a reason.

This part was a little exciting, like reading a game guide. If you told me I was letting my guard down, I might not be able to deny it.

That fun latter half of the indoor lectures came to an end, and it was time for the physical fitness test.

The first event was 'running 3000 meters in under 12 minutes while carrying a 4-kilogram iron bar.'

Honestly, my pre-Awakening self could never have done that. Being handed a bundle of iron pipes taped together and told to run 3000 meters...

But with this body...

—BANG!

To avoid any chance of a false start, I burst forward half a beat after the signal.

I left the other runners in the dust in an instant and leaped into the lead. I crossed the finish line without ever slowing down. I didn't use my 'wind' since it might have bothered the others.

The instructor at the finish line kept looking back and forth between his stopwatch and me. Seeing that made me feel just a little bit pleased with myself.

A little while later, the other participants finished, and there were zero failures. As expected, it seemed no one was paying the course fee just to 'make memories.'

That aside, I was in first place. I've never been number one in sports in my entire life, so I couldn't stop smirking internally. I somehow managed to keep a straight face, though.

My current 3000-meter time, in my natural state, is about 5 minutes. I've easily shattered the 'former' world record. This was the biggest reason my parents gave me permission to take the adventurer exam.

An Awakened Person's physical abilities are generally higher than a non-Awakened's. On top of that, you have the supernatural power of 'skills.'

Unique Skill: [Sage's Nucleus]

The Philosopher's Stone. My heart possesses the same power as that famous treasure of alchemy.

My blood is a mass of life force, my mana wells up endlessly, and I can heal any illness, curse, or wound.

When it comes to endurance, it's a cheat among cheats. I can run 3000 meters like it's a 100-meter dash without even breaking a sweat. And it has other benefits on top of that, so you could say it's an incredible 'lucky skill.'

...Of course, the current unofficial world record for 3000 meters is an insane '1 minute flat.' That, too, is a record set by an Awakened Person.

Awakened Persons can't participate in official competitions. It's no wonder that various sports associations started implementing that rule last year. Of course, there were protests, apparently.

Next up was the shuttle run, with a backpack containing 10 kilograms of water added to the 4-kilogram iron bar.

Then push-ups. Sit-ups. Back extensions, and various other exercises—and I placed first among all the participants in every single one.

"What's with that guy...?"

"He's a monster..."

"A-Adventurers are... like this...?"

Man, this feels good!!

I desperately suppressed the grin that threatened to spread across my face as the other, breathless participants stared at me as if they'd seen a monster.

If I were to laugh out loud here, it would be all over social media in a flash and I'd get flamed for sure. I know how these things work...!

And more importantly... it occurred to me. Isn't this a chance to gather friends, or rather, party members?

Anyone taking the course here is, in all likelihood, a local resident. And a good number of them look to be my age. I don't know their exact ages since I haven't spoken to anyone, though.

Maybe there's someone from my high school here. Couldn't I make some good friends that way?

Everyone wants to party up with strong people to dive into dungeons. So, if I make a name for myself here, it's a sure thing that I'll be hearing 'Kyaa! Kyouta-kun!' and 'Let's go to a dungeon together!'

What? Is a parasitic relationship like that okay? Only people who have never experienced recess just listening to the surrounding chatter without talking to anyone can say that. Or people who aren't lonely, but '†solitary†.'

Everything starts with a single step. A friendship that starts with parasitism... that could be a thing, right!?

...I'm starting to think it's not! I really don't want a relationship like that. I can see a future where I'm just being used.

What should I do? Now that I've calmed down, my mood has totally soured. Well, whatever. I'll see this through seriously to the end.

Adventurers are currently divided into six ranks. It's the same system you see in light novels. The lowest is 'F' and the highest is 'A.' In some stories, there's a hidden 'S' rank above that. I'm sure the person who decided this is 'one of us.'

From what I heard in the lecture, the dungeons you can enter are determined by this rank.

Basically, beginners start at 'F,' but if you're deemed excellent in the training and exams, you can start at 'E.' I need to get an 'E' to get my parents' approval to become an adventurer.

By the way, to raise your rank after becoming an adventurer, you need to have your level checked by someone with [Appraisal] and reach a certain threshold, or clear designated quests.

In any case, the physical fitness test ended with me getting extremely high scores. ...I think.

As long as the participants here aren't exceptionally weak, I should be fine. The written portion was also just as the internet said; as long as you paid attention in class, the content was no problem.

Thus, the final task is...

"—Alright, everyone will now be diving into a dungeon."

Only the dungeon exploration, held the day after the physical fitness test.

Those who passed the written and physical tests from each training center in the prefecture have gathered.

The place looks like a driver's license test center I've seen on TV before. There are about fifty people here, including me.

Looking around, there are quite a few female examinees. At a glance, maybe 30%?

With Awakened Persons, it's common for their appearance and gender to be completely disconnected from their actual physical abilities. I once saw a video of a delicate elementary school girl lifting a 200-kilogram barbell.

With some kids having strength that puts adults to shame, I imagine the education system has its hands full. It might be a little weird for a high school student to say that, though.

Anyway, this is the crucial moment. My first dungeon... I don't think it will be as hard as a death trap right at the start, but how far will my abilities take me...!

"Okay, please form pairs of two right away."

An instant-death spell at the very beginning...!?

I frantically look around, but it seems like everyone has already paired up. No way, did they decide on partners beforehand!? Isn't that cheating!?

A dungeon 'party' is typically three or four people.

That's because when you go through a gate, you're teleported to a random location in the dungeon, but if you're physically touching, you'll supposedly all end up in the same spot.

The limit for that is four people. During an SDF investigation, a five-person team tried to enter, and one member ended up in a completely different location.

But there are other factors, like the 'narrowness of the dungeon,' that change the recommended party size. This dungeon is for three-person teams. Including the supervising instructor, that means two examinees...!

I thought we'd be pairing up on the spot. But everyone was already moving. This is 'an adventurer's advance preparation'... The test had already begun!

No, the examiner probably wasn't thinking that far ahead. This is just because I have low social skills and a passive attitude.

This is no time for self-deprecating humor. This is bad, this is really bad...!

What do I do? It's an even number, right? There were about 50 people, not 51 or 49, right? I'm not going to be the only one left over, am I?

What happens then? Will there be two instructors? Or will it be one-on-one? Either way, I don't like the sound of it!

Cold sweat dripping down my back, my eyes dart around.

Calm down, Kyouta. If it's someone from the same training center, there's a chance they'll team up with me because I showed off my physical abilities...!

—poke, poke.

"Huh?"

Suddenly feeling a tap on my shoulder, I turn around to find a girl standing there.

She's incredibly beautiful. Awakened Persons tend to get fit, and their skin and hair improve, so there are a lot of good-looking people, but she was a head above the rest.

Her sparkling blonde hair, which reflected the light, was tied in twin tails, and her large, almond-shaped eyes were emerald green.

Her skin was as white as snow, and her nose was perfectly straight. While her features gave a cool impression, her mouth was curved into a gentle smile.

Her attire was what you might call Taisho Roman style. A red kimono with black hakama pants. On her feet were lace-up boots, which made her stand out a bit in this setting.

But the fact that it suited her was surely a testament to her beauty.

Also, it's hard to tell with the kimono, but this girl is quite busty—

"DOMO!! I AM NINJA!! Won't you dive into the dungeon with me!!!"

Whoa, she's loud.