The promised day had come after Rei decided to accept Aven Town's Adventurer Guild Master's offer
The promise was for him to renew his Adventurer's License. He needed to take the Promotion Test so he could be promoted to S-class Adventurer.
Rei and his former parties, along with Emily and the others had gathered at the room where his previous test was held 7 years ago.
The room remained the same, there's a rather big arena field and two people were standing in the middle.
The one being tested.
And the one who's going to test him.
Rei stood there reminiscing of the past
'Yeah...this is where it began, the starting point of my Adventurer's life.' Rei muttered in his thoughts.
'Yeah indeed...it was our second struggle after meeting the [King of Bandits, Banzana].' Ray joined in.
There's a big old man with full plate armor, the same as him.
But with different colors.
Rei wore his black armor that he forged himself.
While the old man before him wore his old armor that was rich with history.
[The Fortress, Hughes Farhill], one of the Legends. The tank capable of holding against the Demon Lord's attack in the past.
He's standing right in front of him again after all those years.
'Even though many years have passed, he doesn't seem to change at all.' Ray muttered.
'Well...except the aura he is emitting now, I could tell...he had been holding back that time.' Rei muttered as well.
Rei then glanced at someone at Hughes' side.
"....? It's been a long time, Miranda-san." Rei immediately recognized who that person was.
She's Miranda Farhill, the secretary of the Guild Master and also his wife.
"Indeed, it's been a long time Crimson, it seems you have grown big." Miranda replied seeing his height almost matched Hughes.
"Well I think it's just a growth spurt." Rei replied to her statements.
"I see, I apologized that we couldn't meet yesterday because I had a meeting with several merchants and dealing with paperwork." Miranda smiled apologetically.
"It's okay, I know how busy you are, besides...I should be the one who apologizes for not telling you and the Guild Master about my whereabouts." Rei replied.
"I know, and we understand~ besides it is interesting to hear about you in the Adventurer Guild North Branch report."
"Something about a mysterious monster clad in black flame, reducing the monsters into ashes…" Miranda guessed.
"W-well...I wasn't expecting that kind of rumor to reach this far." Rei replied.
"Of course! My husband immediately ran at me, cried his eyes out when he heard the rumor about you being alive~" Miranda casually revealed one of the most embarrassing moments Hughes had.
"A-ahem." Hughes immediately coughed to interrupt their conversation, to remind them they were about to start the test.
Miranda giggled, "Fufu, I understand, even though there's so many things to ask about you, I need to step aside." Then she began to walk away, standing at the sideline.
"Yeah, let's talk later, Miranda-san." Rei spoke before he shifted his focus towards the opponent before him.
"Now then, I guess it's time we start the test, Guild Master." Rei spoke towards him.
Hughes, who had been waiting, began to raise his giant rectangle shaped shield which had a golden pattern with the split line in between the shield. But that's not all, the size of that shield was two times bigger than the size of his own body.
'It seems he wants to show that he got a new shield this time.' Rei thought.
'Well you did destroy his shield last time.' Ray replied to his comment.
'That's true, but since he had taken out his weapon first, shall we show him something interesting?' Rei smiled behind his helmet.
'Heh....since when you have become this nasty, Kiritsuka.' Ray stated.
Then Rei opened his [Inventory], he brought out something that could surprise Hughes and the crowd.
'....?! That's—?!' Hughes immediately recognized the weapon he pulled out.
It's the same weapon type Hughes was currently using.
A [Shield].
Not one but a shield that had been split in two on each arm, he had taken out [The Dark Aegis Shield, Gorgon] in its split form.
Since the shield had a bilabial shape, with an engraved part that looked like a snake's head and wings.
The two shields had different shapes but they had the same gems embedded on it which looked like the eyes of a snake.
On his right arm, the shield had the shape of a snake's head. Meanwhile, on his left arm, the shield had the shape of wings around it.
Which indicates that two skills in these shields had been split, and modified. The shield looked like a gauntlet with a big arm guard that could protect both of his arms.
Hughes began to laugh, "HAHAHAHA!! To think you would surprise me this early into the test, but...."
"Do you think testing your skills is enough to defeat me?" Hughes looked somewhat displeased by it as he slammed his giant shield to the ground that left cracks on its surface.
The shield that Hughes had brought emitted some strange vibe.
'I see.' Rei immediately recognized why Hughes seemed confident.
'[Appraisal].' Rei appraised the shield.
=======================================
[The Shield Sword of Life, Metratron]
Grade: Legendary
Type: Shield
STRENGTH: +650
VITALITY: +1000
Durability: 100%
A shield that was given the name of one of the forgotten angelic beings. The shield was forged by two legendary metals, Orichalcum and Mythril, which is why it was given [Sword] as its name, meaning it is not only good for protection, it could also deal damage towards the enemies. The shield can regenerate its durability, sensitive with both [Mana] and [Aura] which allows the user to gain more strength from enemies' attack.
Skill:
[Wings of Life]
Active Skill
MP Cost : 400 MP
Cooldown : 240 sec.
Maintaining the skill: -10 MP/1 sec.
In the name of [Metatron], the user can create an angelic wing that serve as their barrier that could protect them from all kind of [Debuff] and attack from both [Magic] and [Physical] and also buff the user with increased STRENGTH +100 and VITALITY +100 (Duration: 180 sec.).
[Life Preservation]
Passive Skill
In the name of [Metatron], the shield will regenerate their durability every second from any kind of attack. The shield also gives the user buff on every attack the enemies give, the user will acquire [Justice Sword] state. During this state, the user gains STRENGTH +10 and VITALITY +10 (Max. 10 stacks).
[Dual Shield]
Passive Skill
It is a feature that was added by the creator that allows the user to be able to divide the shield into two.
=======================================
'As expected...it is a [Legendary] grade.' Rei guessed.
'Not to mention the effects are similar to [Gorgon] but instead of debuffing the enemies, it gives buff to the user on every attack he receives.' Ray explained.
'This shield is the most perfect shield for [The Fortress].' Rei praised.
When Rei remained silent, Hughes was observing him from a distance.
'So that's his new shield...it looks more like a [Gauntlet].' Hughes thought.
'But...I can feel a strange power coming from his [Shield], is it on the same level as mine?' Hughes observed Rei's shield when he felt his own tremble with excitement
'...? I see, I guess you are excited about this fight, partner.' he smiled widely
'Then...let's have a great fight!'
*CLANK*
Hughes raised his shield and slammed it down on the ground again.
Miranda stood in between them again, she looked at them for a moment then raised her right hand.
"This is a test, so no killing allowed, remember that you two." Miranda spoke while reminding them to stop releasing their bloodlust to each other.
"The rules are the same as before, the one who surrenders first loses and the one who remains standing wins, and if one of you loses consciousness, the other will be considered as the winner." Miranda explained.
"Are we clear?" Miranda asked to make sure they listened to her words.
"Yes." Rei and Hughes replied together.
"You can use all kinds of skill and magic, but support items such as potions aren't allowed." Miranda explained again.
"You can also switch weapons if needed when your weapons are unable to fight any longer, as long as you have spares in your hands." Miranda added another rule while glancing at Rei.
"Now get into your position." Miranda spoke as they prepared their shields and stance to get ready.
Miranda looked at them back and forth, and then...
.
.
.
.
"Sta—"
But before the fight started, Ignia stepped into the arena.
"That's a good spirit~" Ignia spoke.
Hughes and Miranda shuddered when she immediately appeared.
"W-who are you?!" Miranda asked.
"You are...the one who followed Crimson." Hughes guessed.
'I cannot sense her presence...I knew there's something wrong with her, but I couldn't even notice her entering the arena.' Hughes broke a cold sweat.
"Master...what are you doing?" Rei called her out.
"....?!" Which surprised Hughes and Miranda
'Master—?! Her?!' Hughes glanced at them back and forth.
"I'm sorry for the late introduction~ my name is Ignia. I am this child's Master!" Ignia bowed her head slightly and politely lifted her skirt a little.
"I know the two of you are going to fight, but I don't think the barrier in this arena could withstand your strength~" Ignia explained.
"That's why, let me help you to strengthen them." When Ignia stated that, she lifted her right hand up then threw a red light mana around the whole room.
"Huh??" Emily who stood at the sidelines along with the others began to feel her enormous mana.
Which began to reshape this room.
*WOOM*
The room stretched and got wider and bigger as if they were at a castle ball room, the arena still looked the same but the length and the width increased significantly together with the room.
"Woah..." Emily was amazed when the room suddenly expanded.
Hughes and Miranda who saw that were taken aback, meanwhile Ignia smiled nonchalantly, pleased with her work.
"Now that's better~" Ignia muttered.
'How monstrous.' Hughes commented.
When Ignia turned around, she glanced at Hughes for a moment and smiled, "Thanks for the compliment~" And answered his comment that was just in his thoughts.
'Huh—??' Hughes was confused, 'Did she just read my mind?'
Miranda was left speechless to what happened, but then she shook her head and raised her hand again.
"Get into your position!" Miranda reminded them once again of the test.
Hughes shook his head and began to focus again, "It seems you met a strange person recently huh...Crimson." Hughes muttered and getting his shield ready
"Ready?" Miranda announced.
Rei got into his stance by lifting his two shields and clenched his fists, "Don't worry...you will be able to see something even more strange."
"Huh...?" Hughes was confused by his words.
But then...
.
.
.
.
.
.
Miranda threw her hand down, "Start!!"
The fight finally began.
*SWOOSH*
Hughes and Rei dashed to each other, raising their shields.
"[Rush]!"
They wielded the same skill.
*TINGGGGG*
Their shields crashed into each other and they began their contest for endurance and strength by holding out against each other's shields.
Rei used his right shield with the snake head pattern.
The shield began to use its passive skill [Gorgon's Eyes], the gem began to shine.
'....?' Hughes felt his strength suddenly weakened. 'This is...' and noticed the reason why was because of his opponent's shield.
"Such a nasty shield you got there!" Hughes commented.
Rei noticed that even though they are currently holding out their shields.
Hughes didn't flinch nor get weakened
It's because of the passive skill he gained from his shield [Metatron], which buffed him.
'So basically...[Gorgon's Eyes] got nullified.' Ray commented.
'I know.' Rei continued to hold out.
Then...
*CLINK*
Hughes' shield began to split into two.
"[Brawl Mode : Activated]." Hughes raised his other shield.
'This is....' Rei lifted his other fist.
'Where it starts...!!'
*TING*
Then the two of them clashed their shields and fists together.
After that...
'[Bash]/[Bash].'
*TANG*
They began...
'[Bash]/[Bash]!'
*TING*
To exchange strikes.
'[BASH]/[BASH]!'
*TING*
Right.
'[BASH]!'
*TANG*
Left.
'[BASH]!'
*TING*
Right.
'[BASH]!'
*TING*
They remained like that for quite some time.
'[BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH], [BASH]!!!'
And the forces of each strike cause large shockwaves of mana and auras that could be felt by others from far.
"This is..." Fang couldn't utter any words after seeing it.
"Crazy..." Andrew muttered in a loss of words.
'These two...just made us S-class Adventurers look like a joke.' They thought the same when they saw the difference of their strengths between the two who were currently fighting.
"[The Legends who fought together with the Hero against the Demon Lord]."
"And [The New Legend who rose from the dead and saved the Elf Kingdom and Northern Region]." Miranda muttered who stood beside the crowds.
"I heard his feats...but never thought he had grown into an admirable young man, that Crimson." Miranda spoke.
*TING*
Their shields clashed once again, then...
*SWOOSH*
Rei and Hughes, they moved their bodies.
*TING*
Circling each other, as they clashed their shields together.
*TSSSKKK*
Sometimes their shields grazed their armors.
And..
*TING* *TSSSKKK*
When their shields got caught stuck in stalemate, they throw their heads back.
Then..
*BAM*
Headbutted their head each other and created strong shockwave around them.
"..."
Then, when the silent fall.
*SWOOSH*
Rei and Hughes immediately taken a distance away from each other.
"Fuuuu...." Rei sighed.
Miranda noticed what's going to happen, "This is the part where they get serious..."
The accumulated damage and shock from each impact of their strikes had been stored.
Now the two of them raised their shields.
The skill that connected these two, an original skill that they always use.
"[Shield Arts:...]"
"[Reflection]!"
Rei and Hughes simultaneously released their skills.
Rei threw a punch that created a big shockwave towards Hughes.
*BAM*
Hughes shot out his aura through his shield like a laser beam.
*ZWONGGG*
As the two skills flew at each other, it slipped through by inches and went towards them directly.
Rei raised his shield on his left, '[True Dark Aegis Shield]....' As his body was clad in a dark barrier.
Hughes then combined his two shields into one, '[Wings of Life]....' angelic wings stretched out of his back that began to cover his whole body.
'and...'
When each attack was about to hit them.
'[Shield Arts: Fortress]!' They added another shield art which allowed them to harden their body and made them remain in their position like a fortress.
*BOOM*
The two got hit by their own skills and created a large explosion that caused great shockwaves around them.
"Ughh!!" The crowds could feel how strong the impact was, but to their surprise…
When the smoke from the explosion dissipated, the two remained unharmed.
Miranda who saw that, could only laugh, "Hahaha~ to think the two of them are equal in both strength and defense...but the one I am praising is Crimson."
"What kind of encounter for you to be equal with one of the Legends." Miranda muttered.
Rei and Hughes released their [Fortress] state.
Hughes laughed boisterously, "HAHAHAHA!~ You are amazing, Crimson! To think you are capable of using both of my signature moves now so easily." He praised him.
Rei moved his shield aside, "It is an honor to hear a praise from one of the Legends, [The Fortress]." He replied.
"But, I haven't shown you most of my skills, what you are lacking is experience for using [Shield], but you..."
"I don't think you would only use [Shield] as your main weapon, am I right?" Hughes guessed.
Rei didn't have to answer it, because Hughes already knew it.
"What I am about to show you now, the reason why I was called [The Shield Crusher] and [The Fortress]." As Hughes spoke, he released his green aura and revealed his full strength.
'Ha, what a sharp and dense aura….' Rei thought and made an expression he always detested from his enemy.
Ray smiled, 'Here you called your opponents a Battle Maniac, but look at yourself.'
Rei was smiling widely behind his helmet and couldn't contain his excitement, then he clenched his fist.
'Then I should respond…with [Shield Arts] that I improve myself.' Rei muttered.
He took a stance he never did before.
"....?!"
Hughes and the crowd could see a familiar stance, a stance from a certain [Job].
Even Ignia was surprised, "Haha~ when did this kid learn it? No matter how many times I see him, he never ceases to surprise me."
"That's...." Hughes muttered.
Rei took a [Martial Artist] posture, clenching his right fist and placing it on his waist, while his left hand opened his palm and pointed at his opponent.
"Yes...what I will show you, a new skill I obtained myself." Rei replied.
Hughes gritted his teeth, showing him a big grin, "Hah!" Before disappearing from his sight.
*SWOOSH*
With blinding speed, Hughes reappeared right before Rei with his shield charged at him.
'[Rush].' It was the same skill from before, but he added...
'5 layers.' As his shield was cladded with five layers of barrier, it became 5 times denser and more powerful.
Rei remained in his position while looking at his opponent's shield that was charging at him.
Then...
**SWOOSH*
Rei swiftly raised his feet.
*THUNG*
He kicked the shield from below, right under the shield part, which knocked it up and away from his hand.
"Huh...???" Hughes was taken aback when he got disarmed so easily with just a kick.
The confusing part wasn't the shield nor his defense, but the kick itself.
'I didn't feel any impact...what was that?' Hughes questioned.
And then...
*SWOOSH*
Rei closed his distance.
'So close...! But with this distances, he won't be able—'
*BAM*
Before Hughes could continue his words, he was suddenly hit by something.
*SWOOSH*
And sent flying away.
"HUH—?!" Hughes immediately landed on his feet, then looked at Rei.
"What was that...?! Huh—?!" Hughes couldn't believe that he just got hit, it was Rei's right shoulder that caused such a strong impact, enough to send a big man with full armor flying.
It shocked everyone around them, including Ignia herself.
Hughes could feel the damage from inside his armor, "That's pretty damn hurt..."
Rei getting back to his stance again.
"W-what was that?! How did Boss get thrown away like that?!" Fang commented in shock.
"I don't know...this is my first time seeing such precise technique." Andrew commented as well.
Erika, the only [Martial Artist] in the group, could tell what skill he used, "[Hard and Soft Technique]...' she muttered.
"You know it, Erika?" Andrew asked.
"Mhm, the skill he just used is called [Hard and Soft Technique]...I heard it from our teacher." She spoke.
Ignia then stood beside her, "Yes, you got it right, little girl~" She spoke.
"W-wah!" Erika stepped back when she noticed her appearance, "L-little girl?" She looked offended being called little by someone who didn't look that old.
"It's a high-level skill for those who learned [Martial Arts]~ a skill that allows them to switch between soft and hard techniques." Ignia explained.
"[Hard Techniques] is the technique of using both fists and legs to punch and kick then launch powerful impact, but it also can be used for defense by hardening your muscle and enduring your opponents attack."
"And it is one of the direct [Techniques]~"
"Meanwhile, [Soft Techniques] is more like deflecting enemy's forces to their disadvantage, with the user exerting minimal force and requiring minimal strength."
"And with [Soft Technique], the defender uses the enemy's force and momentum against them, by leading their attack in a direction to where the defender will be advantageously positioned and made the enemy off balance."
"From what I see, your leader is using his feet to gently touch underneath the shield's edge and push it upwards."
"And then he strengthened his muscle on his back and shoulder and bam! It created a powerful impact even within close distances~" Ignia explained everything she knew about that technique he just used.
Which amazed them more.
'But the question is...he never asked me to teach such difficult techniques. It required years of experience to be able to pull that off' Ignia thought then she smirked widely.
'I cannot wait interro–I mean ask him where he learned it~' Ignia glared at Rei and he could feel her eyes boring holes into his back.
'Kiritsuka...I think we're screwed.' Ray muttered.
'Don't mention it now!' Rei yelled at him, 'Let's focus on our opponent first.' Then he took a deep breath to keep himself calm.
"Hehehe..." Hughes laughed once again, "HAHAHAHA!!! To think you mixed your [Shield Arts] with [Martial Arts]!"
"The principle is the same...but the technique and the action are different, to think you could improve my skill by mixing it with another skill..." Hughes spoke.
Rei sighed, "You are correct, this is a skill that I learned from a [certain person] who I once fought against."
"If they used their power to cause destruction...I will be using their own power to cause their own destruction instead."
"I named this skill...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
[Heavenly Shield Martial Arts]." Rei revealed.
To be continued...