Hao: “Come on, please have a seat here, Kai-sama.”

Hao guided me to sit at the farthest end of the round table. Around me were nearly 30 S-class members, all looking at me, their imposing presence befitting the world’s strongest guild members.

“Battle God Guild,” reads the characters written. The guild’s name points to just one person. That person is the national hero, nicknamed 『Battle God』.

An entity on par with the 『Tyrant』, a transcendent: Wei Wang .

I saw his status and understood that the rumors were true.

This kind-looking young man sitting in front of me really does have monstrous status, capable of going one-on-one with Arnold.

He has the power to scatter S-class demons and save the world.

───────────────────────────────

Name:  Wei Wang

Condition: Good

Job: Divine Immortal (True Awakening)

Skills: Summon Magic Staff, Lightning Speed, Great Sage Equal to Heaven

Magic Power: 1,654,000

Attack Power: Reflect Rate ▶70% = 1,157,800

Defense Power: Reflect Rate ▶80% = 1,323,200

Agility: Reflect Rate ▶50% = 827,000

Intelligence: Reflect Rate ▶50% = 827,000

Equipment ・None

───────────────────────────────

Kai: (Wow… He really can compete with Arnold head-on. I guess people with magic power over a million get the job title “True Awakening”… Reina is the same)

Wang: 『Hmm? What’s wrong, Kai-kun? Aren’t you going to sit down?』

Hao: “Kai-san! Wang-san asked you to sit down.”

Kai: “Eh? Ah, I see! I’m sorry.”

As I was about to sit, a man spoke up.

Unknown: 『Wait a moment, Wang-san. This is the round table where only the members of Battle God Guild can sit, right? I heard this Japanese person is here to observe. I’ll allow it if he is joining the guild, but I object to him sitting here if he isn’t.』

Wang: 『I intended to let him sit. But I still don’t know if he will join since I haven’t gotten an okay yet. You’re as nitpicky as ever, Lin.』

Lin: 『Wang-san, you’re too casual. I’m not saying to strictly follow the rules, but we should follow them as much as we can. After all, this person hasn’t even had the test yet, right? I wish you would be more serious about these things.』

A Chinese-looking man named Lin was making a fuss. He looked about college-age, very young with glasses, like a student council president from an anime.

He seemed very strict about the rules, the very picture of seriousness.

Wang: 『Okay, okay, even though I’m the representative, it seems I don’t really have any authority. So, are you going to do it, Lin? The combat test for Kai-kun. Although I don’t think it’s necessary…』

Lin: 『Understood. His magic power is about 250,000, right? I’m enough for him. I’ll let him test his skills against me.』

Wang: 『When he was recognized as an S-class by the association, he registered that numerical value. Should we measure it anyway? We have a measurement device on the first floor, right? Let’s go then!』

Kai: “Eh? Hao-san, everyone stood up, what’s happening?”

Hao: “Well, I’m sorry, Kai-san. It seems they want to see your abilities now, in a mock battle with Lin-san over there. I’m sorry this happened. You said it was just an observation, should we stop it?”

Kai: “Ah, I see. It’s okay.”

I looked at the student council president named Lin. Our eyes met through his glasses.

His gaze evaluated me, not exactly friendly, but not hostile either.

He just looked at me, wanting me to follow the rules.

Kai: “I wanted to fight an S-class at least once. I want to know how far I can fight against an S-class from the top guild.”

My experience in PvP is limited. I’ve only fought against people from the God-Destruction Cult. But they are not professionals.

They’re not professional fighters like clearers. So, I wanted to know how strong a world-top guild’s clearer is.

Kai: (…Is that just an excuse?)

But if I’m being honest, I was a little excited. Maybe I’m still a clearer in that regard. I like battles, I hate getting hurt and dying even more, but I still like exciting battles and adventures.

Everyone loves fighting games, right? That’s how I feel. And today, it’s not a life-or-death battle, but a test of skills.

I couldn’t help but be excited.

So, in a language that wasn’t understood, I conveyed that and bowed my head.

Kai: “Please have a match with me, Lin.”

Perhaps sensing my intentions, Lin glanced at me.

Kai: 『That’s if it actually becomes a match.』

…

Hao: “Kai-san, the training area is actually underground this building. It’s designed to withstand S-class battles, quite robust. Shall we measure your magic power on the first floor as well?”

Kai: “Understood.”

After that, my magic power was measured in the lobby on the first floor. It was unnecessary, but I couldn’t exactly say that I had the Eye of God, so I reluctantly accepted.

The measurement was conducted using a magic power meter made from a magic stone.

My magic power was displayed as the same 250,000 as in my status. The meter, which I haven’t used in a while, showed the exact same number. This meter, by the way, uses S-class magic stones and costs tens of billions, a very high-end item. It shows just how rich the Battle God Guild is to own one.

Hao: “Let’s go underground! You’ll be surprised by how spacious it is!!”

Led by Hao and others, we went down from the first floor by elevator to the underground combat training facility. It felt like a battle training facility often seen in manga.

A massive room surrounded by iron plates, if I were to judge by shape alone, it somewhat reminds me of the Trial of God, but it is even larger. This definitely looks sturdy; you probably wouldn’t be able to break it without strength like Arnold’s.

Hao: “Well then, Kai-san. We have an S-class healer here, so rest assured! If you don’t die, you’ll fully recover. Could you please fight bare-handed without any weapons? Please don’t kill anyone, and also, please don’t die.”

Kai: “Haha, understood.”

The other S-class are watching from a place like a spectator’s stand built a little higher up the stairs so as not to get in the way. It seems like Lin-san and I will fight bare-handed, but it’s not a fight to the death, more like sparring.

Lin: 『Hao-san, could you pass this on? I have a magic power of 500,000, nearly twice as strong as you, so I’ll go easy. Do your best, or I might end up injuring you.』

Hao: 『Ah-haha. Understood.』

Hao: “Uh… Kai-san, Lin-san wants you to do your best as he wants to see your abilities!”

Hao-san is translating with a bit of difficulty. Translation is a tough job where you have to understand the intent and rephrase it in appropriate words. It seems that Lin-san wants me to fight with all my might, so I decide to do exactly as he says.

Kai: “Understood.”

With that, Hao-san left the scene. And then, only Lin-san and I were left in the room.

Lin-san took his stance. It was like a Kung Fu one… well, we are in China, so that’s probably expected. I used to think that all Chinese people knew Kung Fu, just like foreigners think all Japanese know Karate.

But Lin-san’s stance was like that of a Kung Fu master I’ve seen in movies. There were no openings in his stance, he must have been properly trained as a clearer.

Wang: 『Are both of you ready! Uh… Are you ready? Kai!』

I could hear Wang-san’s voice from the spectators’ stand. He asked me in his broken English if I was ready.

I sheathed my sword and took a bare-handed stance. Lin-san did the same, and our gazes met.

And then, we both shout out at the same time.

Lin: 『Ready whenever!』

Kai: “OK!!”

Hearing our replies, Wang-san shouted out.

Wang: 『GO!!』

The signal for the battle to begin.