Chapter 91 85: Promising Applicants

A small crowd was gathered around a single arena behind the guild house. The stands could easily fit around a hundred or so spectators and were way over capacity from the people alone. A few people who seemed like veteran adventurers were standing opposite from where the 30 qualifiers, including me, stepped in from.

Cheers rang out as spectators with popcorn and sodas in their hands watched us come up to the wide arena. The same proctor as the first exam stopped us at the edge of the arena and went to the center on his own.

He said something, but no one could hear him.

The proctor then awkwardly faked a cough as some mages on the sidelines started casting an amplification spell.

"Then, welcome everyone to the, uh which is it? Whatever. Welcome to another Deep Down Adventurer's Guild's Deep Down Test!"

The crowd broke into loud cheers as he began saying some random stuff.

"I thought the crowd will be bigger. Didn't people come to spectate?"

The receptionist did say that people flooded here to spectate. While the line outside was long, maybe this bit was too much for a country bumpkin like her?

"Why would people spectate the entrance test of a bunch of kids?"

I turned to my side to see a tall figure shrugging at my words.

"And who are you?"

"We just met!?"

Oh, that Dawn girl.

"Kaha, you sure don't miss chances brother!" I was patted on the shoulder this time. I turned to see a young man in a yellow jacket and a black beanie laughing while tapping my shoulders.

Now, who was this?

"Who are you?" My question was put into words by Dawn.

"What? You don't know me, old lady?"

Dawn grabbed the man by his shoulders and pulled him up. I could see his teeth like that of a shark glistening as he didn't take his hands out of his pockets even when threatened.

"Who did you call old? I am just 25, got it?"

"That's old, you hag!"

"Now you've done it brat."

Dawn pulled her fists back when a third person interrupted. It was a person in a tailcoat and a formal suit. I could see a monocle's chain stretching up to his eyes.

"Now, now. Both of you are young. Why not preserve your strength?"

"Hah?" sharkie spoke. "Why are you butting in? You shouldn't order old hags around, you know?"

"Consider it the request of an elder."

"And how old is this elder?"

"65? Satisfied?"

"Seems young to me."

I nodded with Sharkie. 65 wasn't that old now.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Dawn scoffed. "You mean only women get old beyond 20?! HAH!?"

"No, only you do! Hag!" Sharkie then stuck his tongue out and Dawn swung her hands in rage. At that moment, another person—

Fuck it. I don't care. Why do these guys pop up like insects?

"Oh, he stopped them both?"

I was prompted by Titania's mutterings to turn again. A man in full plate armor had stepped in and grabbed Dawn's hand with one arm while pulling Sharkie away with another.

The full-plate man scoffed and let them go.

"Fight in the ring," he said. "I was trying to take a napzzzz."

"Did he just fall asleep while talking?"

"And he's still standing. Eugy, adventurers sure are a unique bunch."

It was before we could say anything that the proctor announced.

"And so, we will begin the selection battle between the applicants and the adventurers. First up, applicant Roth and Iron-Ranked adventurer, Phillip!"

At his announcement, the 65-year-old man who intervened before bowed at us.

"Then, I'll be taking my leave."

"All the best buddy!"

"Go show 'em!"

Now Dawn and Sharkie were being nice. What flippant bastards.

Crossing my hands, I ignored the rest and moved over to the seats prepared for the applicants. I was looking forward to it. Both Phillip and the old man looked rather strong.

"But, why are you reining in your presence that much?" Titania asked, taking a seat on my head.

"For fun, of course."

***

At the side of the arena, right in front of the two combatants from both groups, the panel of instructors and judges working for the adventurer's guild sat with quills in their hands.

A woman with curly blonde hair among them sighed and shook her head. "Quite some talents gathered this time. I think we'll be seeing five or six new adventurers."

She and the two others looked at the stage where the old man with gray hair and a benign smile was facing off against the veteran adventurer Phillip. Unlike the scantly dressed Phillip who boasted the scars on his copper skin with a wide smirk, the formally dressed Roth didn't have a single weapon in sight.

In sight for normal people.

"He's a good assassin, if he could detect traps, the adventurers will see him as hot stuff."

The tank of a man in the center of the panel said. He rested his chin on his hands as he observed the combatants, scrutinizing their every breath. At his words, the last of the panel who was in a similar suit to Roth and donned a cap with a walking stick smirked.

"I am always jealous of you because of this. Why don't such talents come over to the branch in the empire?"

"I agree. Even the Schwarz kingdom branch lacks talent."

"Hah!" the capped man scoffed at the woman's words. "You say that with 'that man' in your rooster? Are you kidding?"

"Tsk. I can't claim him for myself. Doesn't that guy belong to the branch manager too?"

At that, the two on the sides glared daggers at the one in the center, the branch manager of the Deep Down Town adventurers guild. The branch manager, uncaring of their complaints, sighed.

They noticed his gaze fixed on a handsome boy sitting in the corner. He seemed muscular for a child, but the soft charm of a youngster wasn't lost. His pretty face with the sharp jaw line and a high nose bridge perfectly complimenting his deep red eyes gave the air of an androgynous beauty as his long white hair fluttered in the wind.

"He's going to be humiliated," The blonde lady said.

"Branch Manager has always had a soft spot for kids. You should pit him against an easy opponent," the hatted manager continued.

The branch manager had different plans, though.

"He's fighting the second silver-ranked adventurer."