I want to make sure that before I start my second test.
　Adventurer's work.
　There are three major types of work.

Fighting against demons
Taking down monsters.
Catching criminals.

　That's the main thing.
　The most important thing among them is to fight against demons, but it's not that important in today's world.
　The reason is that nowadays the only people who fight against demons are the brave men and women.
　We have already tacitly established an agreement of inviolability with the demon tribe for several decades now, so it is unlikely that they will invade each other's borders.
　Both sides would find war troublesome.
　The war between humans and demons has been going on for a long time, so it's been a long time between all-out warfare and a lull in warfare, with both sides running out of steam.
　This is the time of peace.

　Therefore, the only way for adventurers to fight against demons is to be chosen by a hero and become a party member.
　The brave men will always come to attack the demon king to defeat him.

　The next most important task for adventurers is to defeat monsters.
　This may be the biggest main job now.

　The monsters that appear in various places and harm human settlements are exterminated.
　Depending on the type of monster, they can be a threat to the survival of an entire city.
　This is why it is most appropriate to counter them with adventurers strengthened by the unique power of aura.

　Nowadays, the most popular quest for adventurers is the slaying of monsters, and the saga of the A-class adventurers is that they have slayed some powerful monster....

　So it's only natural that the second test should include actual monster fighting as a subject.
　This is because the enemies that adventurers have the most opportunities to face are not demons, but monsters.

　........Ah.
　Also, as a supplement, the next most common job is to catch criminals.
　The enemies of humans are human patterns.

　That kind of thing is also the job of the guards and vigilantes that are organized in each town and village, but the cases that are out of their control turn to the adventurers.
　Mainly when the culprit is an adventurer crumbling.
　And if they use auras, they can only deal with the same aura users.

　Furthermore, this is an aside, the main duties of the Demon King's army are pretty much the same.
　Aside from intercepting the brave men who are attacking the Demon King, the main duties of the Demon King's Army are to take down the monsters and criminals that appear in the Demon Territory.

　In that sense, the Adventurer's Guild and the Demon King's Army can be said to be a mechanism that operates with almost the same purpose.

　And that's as far as the mechanism of the world goes....
　The ordeal for young people who want to stand taller in such a system begins now.

◆

So?

　We're in the woods.
　The atmosphere was serene and tranquil, and I could even hear the birds chirping in the distance.
　If it weren't for the exam, I'd want to take a nap with the roots of a tree as my pillow.

'This is where this vicious monster or something like that comes out?　It doesn't seem very idyllic, but...
Don't let up, Dariel. This is the calm before the storm, and the mountain wolf that nests in these woods is a monster, indeed a storm.

　Ho..........
　What kind of monster would make the great hero Arantzill be so alarmed?

The Mountain Goddess controls the wind. In front of his windstorm barrier, arrows and any other flying tools will be blown away, and people will lose track of them. One can lose track of the others. This is a monster that makes you feel as if you are fighting a storm itself.

　It's rare for a monster to manipulate natural phenomena.
　It's just like magic.

It's a great way to simulate a mock battle for the demon race, but.... I get the feeling that there's more to it than meets the eye.
That's right. And in this second round, the role of the examiner will become even more important.

　Zester muttered seriously.

''Monsters don't go easy on you, they don't hold back and say, 'Any longer and you'll die.' In the first round, we played the role of the candidates' enemies, but that's the most important difference.

　When it comes down to it, we'll have to get between us and the monster to protect the candidates.
　So, in the end, we can't have it easy.

Okay, we need to pull ourselves together.
"But if Dariel and Arantziel stood side by side, they would have no enemies.　The Yamato no Kami might unexpectedly take down the sign of an unbeatable monster today!

　Even the people around them laughed at the joke Zester released.
　The examiners were also feeling somewhat buoyant.

''That's right.......!　We have the best tag team of the strongest man and his son...?
We must be insanely lucky to have you along for the ride.
The exam won't matter anymore!

　No, no, no.
　Don't forget about the exams. It's all about your future.

　My father looked embarrassed when he saw the air of affirmation of the parent-child relationship between me and Mr. Alanziel since the first exam.
　He was embarrassed, as if to hide his embarrassment.

'Don't get carried away during the exam!　Danger is coming!
?
The wind is blowing...

　Speaking of which.
　It had been completely windless a moment ago, but before I knew it, the grass and trees had begun to rustle.
　Even the birds' chirping, which had been pleasant to my ears, had been drowned out by the wind.

　Before I could notice anything unusual, the plants began to rustle, and I couldn't even open my eyes to the pressure of the wind on my body.

What is this strong wind...?
It's proof that the Mountain Goddess is approaching!　Take your weapons, unsheath them!　Danger is just around the corner!

　Alanziel-san's angry voice caused the tension to jump.

　And then it came.
　He came from above.

　It's a long, sleek body that looks as if it has swum through a storm.
　Its entire body was covered in glowing emerald scales, huge and divine.
　Its beard and mane fluttered, and the brilliance in both eyes was like a blazing fire.
　Its appearance was just like.........

"That........that's a dragon.......?

　I couldn't see it that way.
　A dragon that controls the power of the wind.
　In other words, that was.........

Wind Dragon.........?

　Why did I see that and recognize it as a dragon at a glance?

　Because he had seen it once before.
　A fire dragon.

　Wasn't the most serious danger in the turmoil once caused by the Four Heavenly Kings Bashbarza, the most serious danger was the red lotus scaled fire dragon...?

　A wind dragon that looks very much like that flame beast Salamandra.

　The difference is that Salamandra is covered in flames, while that dragon is covered in a storm.
　That's the only difference.

　In other words, that's........?

"Wind Devil Windra........?

　Isn't that what it's called?

　They are more than just the most fearsome monsters in the world, demonic beasts.
　What are the four worst of them?
　What the hell are they doing here?

"Arantzill!

　I immediately grabbed onto Mr. Arantzill.
　It's an emergency!

Isn't that a Hexenbiest?　Isn't that a Hexenbiest?　! Are they not monsters, they're Hexenbiests?
Huh?　That's the Mountain Wolf monster that the Center Guild has honourably recognized, right?
''So ahhhhh!

　The concept of demonic beasts was only on the side of the demon race.
　According to the documents held by the Demon King's army, the four fierce beasts were created by the Demon King for fun long ago. Wearing the four attributes of earth, water, fire, and wind, these demonic beasts were too ferocious to be controlled, so they were left alone and unleashed.

　They are now ravaging the world as they please.

'No, sir!　There is a difference between a monster and a hexenbiest!　Demonic beasts are more dangerous than that!
Oh, is that so?

　Why do you seem so self-centered, Mr. Alanziel?
　You fought the Flaming Demon Beast, Salamandre, in person too, didn't you?　It's not like you don't realize just how scary that is!

"Oh, really, this guy...?

　He's a guy who's been known to blend in with his legendary heroics, but he's missing in action personally!
　After our recent run-ins with each other, I didn't think it would take long for them to take effect!

'Abort!　Abort!　How many lives will be lost if we have to contend with a hexenbiest!
This is not the way we are supposed to play it, with the big test!
The test is more important than life!
But the fighting's already started.
What?

　As Alanziel pointed out, the young candidates were innocently slashing at the Wind Devil Beast.

''Yes! Defeat it!''
"I'm gonna beat this guy and become a grade-A adventurer!

　My heart almost stopped in shock.
　At an unexpected time and place, the battle against the worst threat, the demonic beast, had begun again.