Now it was finally my turn.
I stepped forward when my name was called.
Hmm, what should I do?
My party members from Orichalcum Fist had told me to hold back. At the very least, my unique skill was too dangerous and strictly forbidden.
The real question was how much to hold back. Looking at the other examinees, I knew I had to go very easy.
This exam was one-shot. If I held back too much and failed, that would be the worst.
I recalled what the party members had said to me the day before the exam.
"Listen, Rick-kun. You are already strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with us. As long as you do not get careless, you will pass without a doubt. If you fail, well... yes, we will triple your training volume for one week starting that day. Ho ho ho, do not look so scared. In my younger days, I did that much routinely. Not many failed to keep up with the harsh training and died (not that many anyway)."
People died!
They were already pushing me to the brink during normal training. Please stop judging everything by the standards of legendary monsters like you. Seriously, I beg you.
While I was worrying, I heard the other examinees whispering.
"...Number 4242 is pretty old."
"Did he really stay stuck at F-rank until that age without passing the E-rank exam?"
"Ugh, that's bad. I need to work hard so I do not end up like that."
"Heh... The world has those who have it and those who do not (smirk)."
Yeah, I get it. They would think that way. I would think the same if I saw someone my age taking this exam. Well, I do not think the prodigy kid "has it" in the same way.
"Hmm, you there. I have a question about your profile. May I?"
"Yes?"
The examiner called out to me, so I turned toward him.
"Your registration shows you are 26 now, but the date is two years ago. Is this not a mistake?"
"No, it is correct."
"But that means you started adventuring at 24. Is that true?"
"Yes, that is right..."
"...Did you jump into this world without knowing common adventurer knowledge?"
The examiner spoke in a lecturing tone.
"The basic power for adventurers is magic quantity. You must train it while young, at least by age 20, or future growth is limited. Strike while the iron is hot. No job needs this saying more than adventuring. Yet you started at 24. Were you perhaps in another job that used magic before?"
"I was a guild receptionist. I only know two wind-type spells."
"I thought so. Your magic quantity measurement from before the exam was barely enough to meet the minimum guild registration standard. Sigh. I will not sugarcoat it. You should look for another job soon. If you fail this exam, you can give up cleanly."
The examiner sighed and said that.
After hearing our exchange, the other examinees started murmuring.
I recognized those looks. The pitying stares.
Yes, what the examiner said was true. The magic power adventurers use in combat has a limit if not trained by age 20. In fact, my party members often told me my magic quantity was low because I started at 24.
It was sound advice.
But.
But still.
I think it is fine. What age you start adventuring does not matter. What age you begin something new does not matter.
I know it is logical. But when people say things like that, it feels bad. It kills my confidence. Do they not understand that? Or do they understand and say it anyway?
...I got irritated. Time to show them.
I took one deep breath and stood in front of the slime bag.
No, wait. I cannot do that. I have to hold back properly as told.
But that comment earlier really ticked me off.
Hmm. Okay. The prodigy kid's magic was C-rank level, right?
I will do just a little stronger than that to surprise them.
But I have never hit a green slime bag before. I do not know how much impact it absorbs...
Hmm, this much power should be fine, right?
I circulated just a tiny bit of magic power through my body. This was not really magic. It was basic body enhancement, a fundamental technique anyone could use. Circulating magic temporarily boosted strength and durability in that area. More specialized versions like hardening or power boosts fell under reinforcement magic.
All right. Lightly, lightly.
I took one more step closer to the slime bag... and kicked upward from below.
The next instant.
A sound like an explosion rang out. A shockwave swept through the room. The slime bag shot straight up with tremendous force. It tore the chain holding it in an instant, smashed through the roof, shattered the magic barrier covering the exam site, and flew far into the sky.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The examiner and examinees stared wide-eyed in silence, as if their eyelids might tear.
Green liquid rained down from above. It was the contents of the slime bag.
I watched the scene and muttered in my mind.
(Green slime bag? It absorbs zero impact!! I knew it was the weakest too!)
Even if it is the weakest material, a light kick like that would not even move the bags I trained with normally!
Wait, so the other examinees really cannot break these!?
I recalled words from another party senior, the overly educated gray orc.
"Rick. In battle, the lower body is crucial. For bipeds, all movement transmits force from the lower body... So, starting today, we add kicks to slime bag training. Do not worry, kicks are only forty thousand times. Keep it up and you will casually defeat top-tier monsters bare-handed... Hey, stop running! Georg! Grab Rick!"
Right. Come to think of it, over these two years I learned many things... but no one taught me how to hold back.