Chương 171: Chapter 169 – Test By Combat.

"Have a nice day, Mr. Edmund!" A child holding a broom bowed to Rusty as he stepped out of his lair. It was the older of the two girls who were currently living in his house. Her expression carried a rare smile, although it still looked a bit awkward. The girl standing beside her, however, wore a much more genuine one.

"Day day."

"(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)""Natia, Mr. Edmund, and Gleam need to leave now."

"But I don't want Gleam to leave!"

"(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)" The little girl was playing with Gleam outside the house while the older girl continued sweeping. Rusty had informed them that he was taking an adventurer guild quest today. Although the kids were curious about what he did, they still acted awkward whenever they interacted with him. After all, Rusty was still a living armor monster trying to blend in. This was a good opportunity for him to learn how to interact with humanoids, but things didn't always go smoothly.

Fortunately, Gleam often served as a helpful icebreaker, although the youngest girl could sometimes be overly clingy.

"Stop causing trouble, you're a big girl now!" After peeling Ria off Gleam, Rusty was finally allowed to leave and check how well he had done on the exams. Even though he had been given all the answers by Aburdon and Alexander, he still couldn't be sure he had passed. The two guides were smart, far smarter than him, but that didn't guarantee they hadn't made mistakes.

'Bothersome children. Why are we still keeping them around?' Aburdon complained as they left their current home.

'We've already discussed this. Having people who can vouch for Rusty helps maintain his hidden identity. No one would expect a monster to be helping orphans.' Alexander replied, though Aburdon still didn't agree with the idea. To him, the better option was to leave this land entirely and travel to regions populated by demons. In his mind, the goal was simple: keep killing monsters, grow stronger through natural combat, and eventually dominate the world with unmatched power.

Rusty wasn't entirely opposed to that plan, but he preferred a more balanced approach. By becoming an adventurer and using the dungeons to level up, he could grow stronger in a safer, more controlled environment. His body relied on metal, weapons, and mastering the art of craftsmanship, something humans excelled at. As he was leaving, Rusty noticed Rolo leaning against the wall. The young thief gave him a nod, as if trying to imply something.

It looked like the boy wanted to say something, but as Rusty passed him, no words were spoken. Rusty didn't stop to ask. He was too focused on moving forward with his plan. Once he became a D-rank adventurer, many opportunities in the city would become available to him.

"Did you get in?"

"No…"

"Haha, I knew you were too stupid to pass the test!"

"S-shut up!" When Rusty arrived at the guild, there was a commotion outside. A crowd had gathered around a small board displaying a list of names. Many of the people surrounding it were adventurers he vaguely recognized from the previous day's test. Judging by the number of disappointed expressions and slumped shoulders, it seemed that more than half had failed the written exam and were returning in defeat. Rusty paused for a moment before stepping up to the wooden board.

The paper looked cheap, and there were exactly ten names listed before him. He scanned them quickly, and to his surprise, his name was right at the top, written in a noticeably thicker font.

"What does that mean?" He asked, careful not to point at it.

"It means you had the top score, Rusty." Alexander replied without hesitation, then as soon as he finished speaking, both of them heard Aburdon's cackling echo around them.

"What did I say? You should be thankful to this demon lord! Without my great ability, this could never happen. Are you thankful? I'm sure you are!" Rusty didn't respond, but he felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He was somewhat confident in his combat skills, but when it came to knowledge about this world, he still relied heavily on his two guides.

"This isn't the end of the test. Look at the paper. It says we need to go to the training grounds to begin the second part." Alexander said, cutting off Aburdon's moment of gloating as he pointed to the next instruction. The notice outlined the final stage of the D-rank exam: a combat trial against a guild member. Rusty wondered who his opponent would be. He had never faced a D-rank adventurer before. Most people might have felt nervous or intimidated, but he felt only anticipation.

After his recent transformation, he had yet to test his new abilities against a worthy opponent. This was the perfect chance to measure his strength against experienced fighters.

"It's a shame I won't be able to use all of my power, but this should still be interesting." The body he now inhabited resembled the armor worn by seasoned adventurers and was crafted from enchanted twilight steel. He had access to several powerful abilities tied to twilight and the darkness element, which could weaken living beings. However, using those powers against adventurers was out of the question. They were among his most valuable trump cards and best kept hidden for now.

He had already revealed them once during the fight with the mercenaries, and using them again would only draw unwanted attention. He couldn't afford that, at least not until he became stronger, possibly not until he reached C-rank.

'It seems we have a few hours to get ready.' After making sure that he got the correct time, he waited at the edge of the training grounds, near a shaded section beside the guild wall. The space was large and flat, covered in short grass and surrounded by wooden fencing, clearly reinforced with enchantments. In the center, a series of wooden dummies and old weapon racks stood ready. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Since he was a monster that did not need to eat, sleep, or take enjoyment in humanoid hobbies, he simply chose to remain there for the next two hours. He used the time to examine the grounds where they were supposedly going to hunt. Eventually, spectators began to arrive, followed by some of the guild staff. The staff removed several of the dummies to clear space for the makeshift arena that would be set up in the center.

He remembered the guild in the other city, the one that had a separate section for events like this. It was clear that this place was in desperate need of new equipment. That partly explained the high costs of taking the exams and why they were so difficult to pass. However, it still didn't explain where the money went from all the adventurers, since the training ground didn't appear to have been improved in a long time.

This place was meant to be a training ground for younger adventurers and a space to work up a sweat. Yet the training dummies were falling apart, and most of the practice weapons were in poor condition. There seemed to be either a serious lack of funding or something more troubling happening behind the scenes.

'This could be an opportunity to spread the word.' As he examined the shoddy equipment, one of his guides, Alexander, called out to him.

'Huh? What do you mean?" He asked, sounding confused.

'Look at those practice swords. They're covered in rust, and even the wooden ones are falling apart. What if we supplied the guild with some gear, free of charge? You still have some bronze left, right?'

'I suppose I do…' Alexander had a point. The training ground was filled with new adventurers. If he provided new equipment, even if it was just basic practice weapons and armor, word might spread about his smithy. That could lead to a steady stream of business, and copying weapons was quite simple. He still had some leftover bronze and copper, and he might even experiment with wood, something he had never fully explored before.

However, before he could think it through any further, a loud bell rang out across the training grounds. Someone had just arrived.

"Is everyone here?" Eventually, it was time for the test to begin, and the woman named Thelma arrived to make a brief announcement. She stood at the edge of the arena, adjusting her glasses before raising a clipboard in her hands. Her tone remained calm, but the way she scanned the gathered examinees made it clear she wasn't here for small talk.

"We'll be starting shortly. When your name is called, step forward and enter the ring. Each of you will face our assigned examiner. You are to fight until you are disarmed, incapacitated, or you surrender. Are there any questions?" She asked while adjusting her glasses. Rusty stayed quiet, but someone in the group raised a hand.

"What if we make the examiner surrender, or injure them? Or even kill them? Will we be held responsible?" Rusty appreciated the question. The woman hadn't mentioned what would happen if a test taker actually won the fight. It was as if they didn't believe anyone here was strong enough to make that outcome possible. Thelma paused, then gave a short, dismissive reply.

"In a rare case of a test taker defeating their examiner, they will still pass. But if you intentionally kill a guild member, the punishment will be severe. Injuries are acceptable. Death is not. However, this test is not about winning; you are just here to show us your abilities." The message was clear. While winning was technically possible, no one was expected to achieve it. The examiners were selected for a reason, and the guild did not take chances with its own personnel.

To make matters worse, this was not even a proper duel. It was enough to be accepted by the examiner, which meant the fight could be cut short at any time. Rusty had hoped to test a portion of his strength, but the humanoids overseeing the trial would likely end the match early if things became too intense. Even so, he still wanted to see what a D-rank adventurer was capable of. The person assigned to judge them soon stepped forward.

The man who entered the ring wore simple dark trousers and a green shirt that didn't fit quite right, as if he had pulled it from someone else's laundry pile. His messy brown hair looked like he had just rolled out of bed, and his relaxed expression made it seem as if he didn't have a care in the world. A few of the adventurers waiting in line exchanged glances, clearly unimpressed. Still, everyone noticed the strange-looking dog.

The creature following the man was nearly the size of a horse, with a body that looked like a cross between a Great Dane and a mastiff. Its short, midnight-black coat shimmered slightly with each movement, revealing muscles far too dense for any normal animal. There was no leash holding it back, but a collar rested around its neck with a single letter: D.

"No one said we would be fighting a monster like that. Look at the size of those teeth."

"Is it a D-ranked tamed monster? Is that what the D stands for?" The other adventurers began murmuring as soon as the monster entered. Gleam, who was sitting on Rusty's shoulder, perked up and glanced at the canine with suspicion. It was as if she were sizing him up and judging if she could defeat him in the coming battle. The murmurs grew louder when the first match began. A young man with light armor and a curved sword stepped into the ring.

He was confident, maybe too confident, and waved at the examiner with a wide grin.

"Let's make this quick, old man!"

"... Old man? I'm only twenty-eight." The examiner responded with a shrug and a shake of his head. In his right hand, he held a simple-looking shortsword that appeared quite dull. In his left hand was something unusual, a piece of bread topped with some meat, which he continued to chew even after stepping into the temporary guild arena. The younger adventurer's face turned red when he realized the examiner was underestimating him.

The monstrous dog, which had already raised everyone's suspicions, was not even participating in the battle. It sat in the corner, calmly chewing on a piece of meat. Clearly, neither the adventurer nor the dog showed much interest in the fight. The young adventurer rushed forward, trying to capitalize on the examiner's apparent laziness. He closed the distance in three quick steps and slashed at the man's shoulder.

The examiner sidestepped easily, still chewing on his food, and slapped the flat of his dull sword against the boy's side. It wasn't even a real strike, more like a playful tap, but the moment it connected, the young man collapsed. His limbs gave out as if all the strength had been drained from his body.

"Urgh..." A burst of food spilled from the man's mouth as he collapsed to the ground. The adventurers waiting in line to take the test cried out in surprise, while those who had come just to watch the chaos cheered together.

"There it is! No one can beat Melville!"

"Hah, I bet none of them will pass the test!"

"But that happened last time. Some of them have to pass, right?"

"Want to bet on it?" Rusty listened to the people around him placing bets on who would pass and who wouldn't. The strike had looked lazy at first, but this man named Melville was clearly strong.

'That's not a regular D-rank adventurer. They're not making it easy for the new recruits.' Alexander commented as they continued to watch the one-sided beating unfold before them. One by one, the examinees stepped into the ring with hopeful eyes and left it coughing in the dirt. Melville never changed his expression. He didn't break a sweat, didn't draw blood, and didn't raise his voice. He simply moved with minimal effort and tapped each fighter in just the right place to make them collapse or give up.

The pattern repeated again and again until the second-to-last examinee appeared. A spear-wielding woman proved to be more of a challenge. She caught his blade with her weapon and swept it aside several times. Their battle was the only one to continue for a full minute before she staggered backward while clutching her neck.

"You show some promise. I had to use a bit more of my strength, maybe even five percent. You pass." Although she had lost, she was the first person to receive a passing grade. Now, Rusty was the only one left. It seemed they had started the test in the reverse order of who had done best on the written exam. As the one with the highest score, Rusty would be the last to face this unbeatable examiner, and he could barely contain his lust for battle.

The man had not yet shown his true battle prowess, and Rusty was determined to be the one who forced him to do so.