Book 2: Chapter 74: Test Begins and Test Ends
"First, the reviewal step," Guildmaster Hilda said. "We've all discussed every quest ye've completed thus far an' 'ave chosen one tae discuss wae ya. Ye'll be graded on 'ow the discussion goes. Any questions?"
Lone shook his head. "None."
"Good. We'll be goin' over yer participation in the subjugation of the Blue Orcs in service of Milindo's guild branch," Hilda stated.
The next 25 minutes was a constant back and forth of the adventurers and guildmasters present asking Lone why he had done certain things on the quest, going into more details of the skimmed parts from the full report, and quizzing him on where he could improve.
Lone didn't find it particularly interesting since he had thought of all of the points brought up by them already. He was nothing if not a meticulous thinker.
Lord Iroh Stromcaller stroked his beard with a smile hidden under his moustache. "Good. You are very adaptable and perhaps even arrogant, but your unbridled confidence does not stop you from reflecting on a time where when you were, indeed, weaker, you could have still performed much better with your abilities at the time. You pass this step of the exam."
"Now fae the character assessment step," Hilda announced. "We've each read over yer file extensively. We'll each ask ye one question, then grade ye on yer answer."
Hilda reached into her pocket and pulled out a crystal cube of some sort. "This 'ere is a complicated magical artefact but tae boil it doon, what it does is it acts like the racial skill of the White Dragonkin. Ye'r familiar, aye?"
Lone raised a curious eyebrow. "It can tell truth from lie?"
The guildmaster nodded. "Aye, though nae passively. When ah charge it, answer the question presented tae ye. It'll glow when charged an' the glow will change colour if yer nae bein' factual from within the bounds ah yer knowledge. If 'at makes ye feel uncomfortable, ye are free tae leave. This is ah necessary step tae becomin' a silver plate, 'owever."
Lone shook his head. "I have no issues with that. Please, go ahead."
"Lovely. Then, tae start us off, why did ye join The Adventurer's Guild?" Hilda asked.
Lone watched in wonder as the perfectly cuboid artefact started shining with a white glow. 'Fascinating. I gotta get me one of those.'
He held his chin and said, "It's The Adventurer's Guild. Adventure is in the name. I had, of course, heard about the local guildmaster in Milindo's only branch being a demi like me, which was comforting given the speciesist nature of that kingdom. Mostly though? It was for the promise of adventurer, pay, and the wonder of it all."
Hilda glanced at the cuboid resting atop her palm and nodded. "A passing answer."
She then stopped powering it with MP, SP, or whatever else it needed, making it go inert. Clearly, every second she could get away with not using it she would take advantage of.
'Must be pricey to keep active,' Lone thought.
Lord Iroh Steamcaller coughed to clear his throat. The stocky dwarf wearing gilded armour asked, "Which quest that you have completed did you find the most challenging, and why?"
Lone had no idea. "Can I be given a minute to think? I have a good idea, but I've done a lot of quests. Well, probably a lot less than you, but enough for this to be a tricky question."
The man nodded. "Of course. Take your time."
'He uses no slang and his accent is faint. I wonder if he's been topside for a while or something?' Lone speculated as he began thinking about the question seriously.
A few minutes later, he said, "I'm ready to answer now."
As soon as Hilda powered up the cube again, Lone said, "I'm very tempted to answer with the retrieval of the Black Iron Company's corpses and the missing dwarves at Urd Grun, but honestly, that wasn't challenging. It was just risky and surprising how it went."
He closed his eyes and sighed before shaking his head. "No, the most challenging quest was being apprenticed to Master Wilbur Steamson. That needed me to learn so much in such a short space of time. I had to interact with customers, improve my Woodworking and Blacksmithing skills, foster a healthy master-apprentice relationship, and try to not get in the way despite Wilbur dwarfing me in craftsmanship ability. I failed that in the end by learning Steamforging. So yeah, that was the most challenging quest. Honestly, Wilbur shouldn't have even filed it as completed, but he did."
Lord Iroh Steamcaller nodded. "A passing answer."
"Ah simple one fae me," Isolde Steamcaller claimed with a happy smile. "Why arnae ye in an' adventuring group yet?"
"Don't have five members in my party to make one," Lone answered easily.
The woman nodded. "Makes sense. Still, failing answer. A true adventurer should be trying their best at all times tae use all advantages they can when possible. An adventurer group gives an adventurer ah very large advantage."
'Okay. Fuckin' speak for yourself. I have eight unique skills I need to be worried about displaying. Or used to be worried about displaying. Well, only seven really, since my species and race aren't a skill. Still, asshole,' Lone thought privately.
Reld Bellow was next. The Mineral Dwarf gave Lone a hard look. "What or who was the strongest thing or person ye've killed? Either on an adventure or off one."
"King Ralph Heidron the Third. Guy was an SS-ranker to my understanding," Lone answered succinctly.
Reld glanced at the cube in Hilda's hand and his eyes widened in surprise. He quickly nodded. "So what ye said in yer trial was true... Passing answer."
'Was he just curious and wanted the artefact's confirmation? Well, whatever. That's three passing answers. That's a majority, right?' Lone asked himself.
The Shale, Guildmaster Oror, asked his own question promptly. "What was your relationship with Guildmaster Gilbert Elksworth like?"
Lone furrowed his brow. "He... Uh... My actual dad was a real piece of work, okay? Made some bad business moves, got depressed, and beat me up a lot before killing himself. Gilbert... he filled that role. I love him like a father and I'd like to think he loves me like a son."
Hilda stopped using the device. "We have ye on record as 'avin' previously stated ye don't ken yer real parents."
Lone chuckled. "Is that question a part of the review?"
"... Naw, it isnae. An answer would be well appreciated though," Hilda offered.
Guildmaster Oror chimed in with, "I give your answer a passing grade, by the way."
"Thank you, Guildmaster Oror," Lone replied honestly before he took a moment to ponder over Hilda's words. "I... Hmm... Normally, how does the guild treat summoned heroes?"
Several faces wore suspicious and equally interested looks at hearing that question.
Hilda creased her brow. "The same as any other adventurer. We occasionally make small concessions when the political landscape demands it, aye, like Milindo's former 'ero being allowed tae take far tae many quests withoot bein' reprimanded. Ah good minority o' oor strongest members are publicly known tae be summoned heroes."
"Like all of the Seven Deadly Sins," Lone commented.
Hilda nodded. "Aye."
"... I'm a summoned hero. I won't say who summoned me nor why, as I have no fuckin' idea either. It was just easier to pretend I didn't remember much of the Golden Foxkin Clan when I was ever asked since, well, I have nothing to do with them what with me being a hero and all," Lone confessed.
It felt oddly liberating to let that off his chest to a room of mostly strangers. He was strong enough to fight well above his rank and he had enough escape options to never have to repeat a Milindo scenario again, so he wasn't too worried about someone here trying to use this revelation against him. Although, thanks to Gilbert, Hilda, and all of the staff of the guild he had interacted with thus far, he felt he could trust this organisation.
Hilda stared at the inert device in her hand, perhaps wondering if she should have left it active, Lone wondered. "That explains ah lot. Nae wonder ye can flawlessly speak oor languages."
Lone noticed Guildmaster Oror giving him a look of mischieve as if the living golem had somehow already known his secret.
Chuckling with a rumble, the Shale said, "No need to be curious. While I may have been speaking in Western Stone Dwarfish, I did sneak in a sound or two in the tongue of the Shale - an impossible feat for one not in possession of the needed organs to make the correct scraping noises. And yet, you did not react unlike my colleagues and you even spoke in the tongue of the Shalle yourself, even if only a few words. I suspected some form of magic, in truth, despite your lack of active mana organs. An enchantment perhaps. Being a summoned hero makes just as much sense. Do be careful when speaking in a room full of diverse people if you wish for your uniqueness to remain under wraps. Many are as observant as I, if not more so."
Hilda sighed as she put away the artefact that mimicked a White Dragonkin's racial skill. "Enough o' this. We arenae 'ere tae interrogate ye, Lone. Thank ye fer satin' ma curiosity. We'll move ontae the strength assessment noo."
Honestly, that was about as good of a response as he imagined he could have gotten to his revelation.
Guildmaster Oror had revealed to him that his and Soph's ability to speak all languages could be used against them under the right circumstances. It was something Lone had thought about before but not too seriously since practically everyone he had met on Altros thus far spoke at least two languages, so their linguistics talents weren't too out of the ordinary.
Hell, Gilbert hadn't ever brought it up before they revealed their summoned status to him, meaning the man mostly spoke Milindonian or thought nothing of it when they talked to him with whatever language he was predominantly used to.
Regardless, the golem had also let him into a very powerful piece of knowledge. There was an enchantment that did the same thing.
'Gotta learn that when I can. I may be happier to be more truthful now, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't have ways to disguise my and Soph's hero status when that would be helpful. Breena could use the enchantment too since she spends a lot of her free time on studying Western Stone Dwarfish when she could be training instead,' Lone thought.
With that out of the way, his mind drifted excitedly to the final part of the exam. This was the step Lone was most looking forward to because he was completely done with hiding his capabilities.
Secrets were one thing. His destructive power, on the other hand, he felt he had no reasonable reason to conceal. If they'd let him, he'd show them something to remember.
"There're three aspects tae this test," Hilda said. "Power, durability, an' lastly, variety. We'll start with power. It's usually the fastest tae test o' the three. We wan' ya tae show us yer most destructive skill. If ye can't fae some reason, ah'll get the artefact back oot an' ye can describe it instead."
Lone tapped his chin thoughtfully. "It's between four skills, though one is more of an enhancer than a direct skill since it's the side effect of a resistance skill."
Guildmaster Oror raised a stone eyebrow. "Please, go on. Describe all of them. Is there something we must do to aid you in your demonstration?"
Lone scratched the back of his head and chuckled a bit. "I'm a summoned hero, yeah? Well, one of my unique skill-"
"One of?" Gold-silver plate adventurer Reld Bellow wore a sceptical look on his face.
Nodding, Lone said, "I have seven, strictly speaking. Anyway, the one I'm talking ab-"
"'Anyway'?!" Reld Bellow yelled. "Ye cannae just 'anyway' after sayin' somethin' as outlandish as 'at!"
Hilda frowned. "Reld, 'e's here fae 'is silver plate exam, nae tae reveal 'is every secret. Would ye be quiet an' let the boy explain fae feck's sake?"
Guildmaster Oror nodded. "Quite unbecoming of you as an examiner, Reld."
The adventurer flushed red with embarrassment before he coughed softly. "Sorry. Excitement got the better o' me. Y'ken, what wae one ah ma party members bein' an 'ero an' all."
'Really now? That's interesting,' Lone thought.
Hilda waved her hand for Lone to continue, so continue he did. "One of my unique skills is called Mental Destruction. With it, I can kill anything that is up to three ranks higher than me with a single use of the skill. It has no cost but it has a daily limit equal to my rank. Meaning, with me at D-rank, I can use it six times a day and instantly kill A-ranked beings. It doesn't work on those resistant to attacks on the soul or those very resistant to magic in general."
"An incredible skill!" Lord Iroh Steamcaller exclaimed. "Does it work on those beyond the three rank clause?"
Lone nodded. "Yes, but it doesn't instantly kill them. It's how I murdered the king of Milindo. Used it over and over until his brains leaked out of his face. Ah, but if anyone from the greater council asks, it was tails to the eyes."
Hilda smiled grimly. "Ah never did like 'im, an' yer incident in Milindo 'elped the guild get ah stronger foot'old there. Everythin' ye say stays in this room. Only the results o' the test will be documented."
"That's good to hear. Well, the other three skills of note; my Primal skill from Void - no I won't explain what Void is if you don't kn-"
"We know," Guildmaster Oror interrupted. "The guild is far older than the purging of history that happened to hide the ninth Primal's sealing. I would be wary of the Church of the Primals were I you considering your very clear awakening to Void. Beyond that, it isn't our business to pry."
"... Right... Well, my skill is called Nothing Vortex. I suspect it could kill anything in theory, but I can't use it right now on account of it needing 100,000 MP per second per vortex I wish to sustain," Lone explained.
All five examiners nodded.
Isolde Steamcaller commented, "Primal skills are tricky like 'at. As strong as or stronger 'an unique skills at times, but needlessly costly energy-wise."
Lone couldn't agree with that anymore even if he tried. "The last two skills of note are, of course, Tail Spear, and lastly Aura Pressure Resistance."
Eyebrows raised at that.
Guildmaster Oror asked, "Really? What kind of effect did it gain to warrant consideration alongside such powerful skills?"
"My stats multiply a lot based on the rank difference between me and whoever is using their aura in an attempt to pressure me. I got it during my trial when I injured the X-ranker, Xer'rava. It's actually what enabled me to injure him at all I think, with the help of my Tail Spear," Lone explained.
"If ye'd gae us ah moment tae confer?" Hilda requested of Lone, to which he happily nodded.
The duo of guildmaster and the trio of adventurers then huddled up and began speaking amongst themselves.
About five minutes later, they separated. Hilda cleared her throat and said, "Given 'at yer demonstration with the Taker's protector, Xer'rava was, while nae public, was also nae kept ah secret either, we will pass ye on the power section of this test. Honestly, ye likely have the power needed fae several more plate rank up exams. Nae need tae 'ave ye fatally injure one o' us by mistake or ruin this trainin' area again as ye an' Hamish did nae tae long ago, aye?"
'Each rank after silver needs an exam? That's telling. More benefits per plate?' Lone thought as he chuckled in mild disappointment. "That's fair. Durability now, right?"
Hilda nodded. "This is an' instant pass tae. Ah saw wae ma own eyes as ye some'ow survived ah drawn oot fight wae Hamish; an established B-ranked silver plate."
Lone winced. 'Whelp. There goes the chance for me to learn a new skill, resistance, and maybe level Basic Regeneration.'
"Now 'at just leaves us wae variety," Hilda cheerfully said. "'Ow many skills 'ave ye got?"
She pulled out her artefact again and began powering it. "Nae need tae list 'em. Ye can dae 'at after ye get yer new plate fae credits if ya wan' - that'll be explained, again, when ye get yer new plate. We just need tae ken 'ow many skills ye've got. It's tae let us ken how skilled ye are at learning new things relative tae yer age."
Lone beamed a massive grin. He quickly pulled up his full skill list and then counted each skill rapidly before announcing, "95."
The five examiners began to express some anger at Lone for lying to them before their expressions dropped upon glancing at the orb in Guildmaster Hilda's hand.
"Impossible..." Guildmaster Oror mumbled as his entire stony frame shook.
Lone revelled in it. 'That's right! If I can't knock your socks off with everything else, at least this is sufficiently impressive.'
"So, can I get my silver plate now?" Lone asked as a chaotic smile spread across his lips.
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