Chapter 13 Third Test/Sigurd's POV
{TL: By Creed}
Under the pretext of preparing for a mock battle, Sigurd and the others were having a meeting in the guest room.
From there, he asked Mira and Lector about the details of the harassment they had been doing.
And he was exasperated.
"Hey, you guys, have a little shame. You shouldn't let that brat walk all over you like that."
"I'm not at fault..."
"I'm sorry..."
The two of them looked extremely awkward.
They had been looking forward to making Fate fail and cry, but they had failed miserably. They had no face to show Sigurd.
"Well, well, it can't be helped. Defeating a Wyvern is impossible feet in itself."
"Idiot. That useless could never defeat a Wyvern, right? Probably, that Sword Saint secretly lent a hand. What I said is almost entirely correct."
"Oh, I see."
"Darn it, that filthy useless. Just because he lacks the ability doesn't mean he can rely on someone else's power."
The person who had left all the chores to Fate, how could he say such things?
If the person in question were here, he probably would have thought that way.
"I'm sorry... I never thought Fate knew the contents of the reference book."
"Maybe the Sword Saint helped. Maybe she told the answers in advance or used a magical tool that can transmit answers via telepathy."
"I see... Ugh, I can't believe I overlooked such tactics. Ugh, what a dirty person."
Lector, who had forgotten that he had resorted to dirty tricks, said regretfully.
"Well, you can relax. I'm the one who's going to be the opponent in the mock battle. I'll never let that useless pass."
"But, you know, what will be the criteria for passing or failing?"
"If the Sword Saint is going to help, it might be difficult no matter what the content is."
"Don't worry. The rules should be simple."
"And, what would those be?"
"The passing condition for the mock battle is just one thing: defeating me. Nothing else will be recognized. It's simple, but it should make cheating difficult. You guys, keep an eye on the Sword Saint to make sure he doesn't cheat."
"Oh, I see."
"In that case..."
"No problem, right?"
Sigurd grinned.
In response, Mira and Lector also flashed a mischievous smile.
"I'm leaving the Sword Saint to you guys, okay? So leave the useless to me. I might crush his hope of becoming an adventurer with one more step, and while I'm at it, I'll teach him his place, so he'll never speak arrogantly again."
"Wow, as expected of Sigurd! So cool!"
"Yes, we're looking forward to it. With Sigurd, there's no way he'll lose to a useless."
"Haha, of course, right? Who do you think I am? I'm Sigurd-sama, the leader of the A-rank party 'Flarebird'! I'll take care of that useless with a single blow!!!"
――――――――――
"Uwahh!!?"
Struck down in a single blow, Sigurd tumbled across the ground over and over again.
He finally came to a stop after crashing into the training ground's wall, his body contorted in a frog-like posture.
What in the world just happened? Why am I lying on the ground?
Sigurd, with a bewildered mind, began to recollect his recent actions.
After moving to the training ground prepared for adventurers, they were about to engage in a mock battle. A one-on-one contest. The condition for passing was to defeat Sigurd.
Despite being an absolutely impossible condition, Fate had accepted it with unwavering determination, as if there were no walls that couldn't be overcome through effort.
Sigurd had chuckled inwardly and stepped into the match. First, he intended to deliver a blow to Fate's temple. If everything went well, that would end it.
But he didn't plan to end it there. He was going to encourage further combat, as if to say Fate could still fight. He intended to torment Fate to the fullest.
At least, that was what he had decided, but...
"Darn it!!! Why, why am I blown away!?"
Enduring the pain and shouting in anger, Sigurd got back on his feet.
Upon seeing this, Fate wore a cautious expression.
"Well, you're quite sturdy. I thought that last strike hit the mark."
"Don't get cocky, you useless piece of...!!!"
Sigurd howled like a beast and charged.
Swinging his wooden sword, he cut through the air with a whoosh and aimed it at Fate.
It was a full-force attack with no holds barred. Fate, a former slave who had never engaged in proper combat, had no way to defend against it.
At least, he shouldn't have...
*Clang!*
With a graceful movement, Fate used his wooden sword like a shield to block Sigurd's attack.
Normally, he wouldn't be able to keep up with the sword's speed, and there was no way he should be able to intercept a strike delivered with such force, even if he saw it coming.
Why? Why? Why?
Sigurd was bewildered, and during this moment of confusion, Fate didn't miss his chance and struck Sigurd's enormous flank with his wooden sword.
"Ugh!?"
With a pitiful cry, Sigurd dropped to his knees.
"What was that attack just now...? A-rank like me... It was like I didn't see it at all!"
The shock was more overwhelming than the pain. Sigurd's mind was consumed with the question: Why? Why?
Fate was a former slave, a being much lower in status than themselves, used for their convenience and nothing else. That's how it should be. But why, right now, was Sigurd the one kneeling? Why did he have to be beaten so one-sidedly?
"How... This much..."
"Haha, have you learned about Fate's true strength?"
"Yeah, it's incredible. I thought it would be reasonable, but I didn't expect this. It's beyond my expectations. To treat Sigurd like a child."
The conversation between Sofia and Aizen reached Sigurd's ears, and it felt like a blood vessel in his head had burst as he seethed in anger.
"Darn it, you piece of crap!!!"
He overcame the pain with his fighting spirit. He forcefully suppressed his agitation. In that regard, he truly lived up to being an A-rank adventurer.
However, sadly, Fate, whom he was facing now, possessed physical abilities rivaling that of an SSS-rank. The Sword Saint Sofia herself, without Fate lifting a finger, recognized him as at least S-rank.
The possibility of Sigurd winning... was zero.
"Ohhh, you piece of garbage!!! A useless slave like you, defying me!"
"I'm not your slave anymore!"
As if severing the ties of their past, Fate proclaimed defiantly and swung his wooden sword.
Although his swordsmanship form was a mess, the attack he unleashed with his extraordinary physical prowess had tremendous force. In what seemed like an instant teleportation, the wooden sword appeared in front of Sigurd.
"Ugh!"
Once again, Sigurd's colossal body was sent flying.
TL Note: And the last clown meets his end and now let's get to the new exciting adventure arc.
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