Another Typical Adventurer Assessment - Part 2

Within Di Reids' empty, simulated room, Kamiro stood like a mannequin.

"I'm sure you're well aware by now, my magic assessment is not typical."

To say the least. Couldn't I've just touched a crystal ball or something to tell me what kind of magic I had, if any?

"But the results it provides for measuring magic are unparalleled, so you can be confident in the results I'm giving you. They're certainly not normal, that's for sure!" Di Reids laughed.

Kamiro tried to join him, but his laugh came out nervous and awkward.

"Through my 'Simulation' ability, I can observe how your senses are triggered during intense sensory deprivation and analyze what magic affinity you have. Each person's sensory manifestation of the affinity might be slightly different, and the vividness of the experience is an indicator of the strength of the affinity." Di Reids' projected version of himself walked around the white room.

"For example, it can show that two people have magic affinity by the activation of one or more of their senses, such as touch. In such a case, one person might feel some raindrops while the other feels submerged in water. In that case, the person with the stronger activation of feeling submerged—has a high strength affinity to Aqua magic. If more senses activate towards that affinity, such as seeing an ocean for sight, it also adds to the affinity's strength. Does it make sense?"

"Ah, kind of..." Kamiro mostly understood what Di Reids was telling him but was just trying to process everything.

"I know it seems like a lot. To put simply, most people might have one or two of their senses show an affinity to varying strengths, but in your case, all five senses manifested a powerful affinity to Liber magic."

"..." What... does this mean? Kamiro was speechless.

"Hearing—The echoes you heard of yourself, growing stronger, represented the personal nature of Liber magic. Taste and Smell—A strong, unidentifiable culmination of tastes and smells represented Liber magic's uniqueness. Feeling or Touch—A violent sensation of falling down a bottomless pit represented the untapped potential of your Liber magic. And sight—The vision of a being made of different colors and shades, with brightness so overwhelming that you could not stare directly at it. That represented the unknown nature of Liber magic." Di Reids seized pacing about and stood in front of Kamiro. "All five senses activating so violently, all towards a Liber affinity. I've seen nothing like it."

"I-I don't know what to say..." Kamiro's expression matched his words.

"A strong affinity to Liber magic is rare, I consider myself lucky just to have medium strength affinity to it, but the strength you have towards it... it's something else. Now I know why your experience was so intense."

Kamiro was unable to form any words. He didn't know what to think. He'd already been preparing to resign himself since he was sure he had no magic.

"On the other hand, I've never seen anyone not have even a hint of any elemental magic affinity in them. Ha-ha-ha!"

"Is that so...?" Kamiro was lost in thought.

"I know, kid. Don't overthink it; magic is mysterious, and there's still a lot we don't know. Legend has it that the origin of all elemental magic are spirits, one for each element. And although it's not heard of as much, there is also a story of a final spirit, one that's supposed to represent Liber magic." Di Reids' hearty laughter echoed through the white room. "Who knows? Perhaps that vision of the being you saw was that spirit." Di Reids continued laughing.

"Ha-ha. Right..." He's probably right. I shouldn't overthink this... In the end, this is what I wanted, right? But don't you usually see a god first that gives you powers, or do you have to die for that? ...Maybe it's as Di Reids had mentioned earlier. Everyone in this world has magic, and seeing as I'm now part of this world, somehow that includes me.

"Anyways, kid. I'm happy for you! But, just know that the stronger the affinity, the harder it is to learn how to use. And especially with Liber magic, the stronger it is, the more unique it is, so you must find your own unique Liber abilities."

"R-Right." Well, it's nice knowing I have magic, but considering I don't have a clue of how to use it, it might as well be as if I don't have any...

"Alright, let's not waste any more time. Let's get started with the physical portion of the assessment."

I completely forgot. Kamiro's face changed from one of hope and relief to one of dread.

"Ha-ha, don't worry, kid, I promise you it's a lot simpler than the magic portion. You'll finish in no time."

The scenery around Kamiro changed to that of a medium-sized arena. Perfect for combat. It reminded him a bit of his grandfather's dojo where he used to train as a kid.

"A quick test of combat is the best way to measure your physical abilities. Being an Adventurer can be dangerous, and this will replicate some combat situations you might find yourself in." Di Reids' projected body disappeared, but his disembodied voice still reached Kamiro's ears. "Since the brain cannot easily tell the difference between this simulation and the real world, it's like actual combat, except I can analyze you in further detail... and you won't get killed."

"That's comforting to know," Kamiro said.

"Though it might feel like it," Di Reids muttered.

"Wait. What was the last part?"

"Let's begin!"

Well, I've come this far. I'll just have to give it my all.

Two creatures manifested in front of Kamiro's eyes.

"These are modeled after some monsters you might come across when out on a quest, so do your best and survive as long as you can."

"Wait, what? How am I supposed to fight these things!?"

Kamiro faced the two creatures. They were wolf-like in appearance with dark, ragged fur, two tails, and large claws. According to Di Reids, what they lacked in magic, they'd gained in strength and size. They were as big as a large grizzly bear, and were deceivingly quick.

"You should consider yourself lucky, considering these creatures have little magic. It's not unusual to come across monsters that have some magic abilities," Di Reids said.

The two creatures circled Kamiro, each taking turns pouncing while he barely dodged them.

Guess I gotta thank gramps for those early years of training. I missed out on a normal childhood, but at least I learned how not to get hit!

"Not bad, kid, but running around can only get you so far. If you don't want to get devoured, you need to fight back."

"Easier said than done. Besides, I don't even have a weapon!" Kamiro continued dodging the monster's attacks but was tiring.

"You should be able to manifest weapons in this environment. Liber magic usually requires something to channel through for use in combat, but as I mentioned before, it's very personal magic, so it's up to you to find out what weapon works best."

Kamiro did his best to listen to Di Reid's advice while avoiding the beasts' attacks.

"Keep in mind, kid, this is still a simulation inside of your own mind. The simulated environment is directly linked with your subconscious. Still, it won't come easy, especially in your case, since you don't know how to use your magic yet. Just focus on clearing your mind."

One of the creatures grazed his arm, but Kamiro couldn't stop or he'd be done for. He continued dodging while his breath grew heavy.

I have to do something... He reflected on Di Reid's words. My subconscious? Clear my mind? ...Well, it's worth a try.

Time dragged on, but the beasts showed no sign of slowing down. Now near fatigue, Kamiro had been trying his best to clear his mind. Doing so while still dodging proved difficult, but he kept trying to let all thoughts and distractions fade away. After much struggle, he achieved what he was trying to do and manifested some weapons.

"Oh? ...Interesting," Di Reids said.

Kamiro's Liber magic manifested weapons in the form of long, curved twin-daggers.

He tightened his hands around their leather-bound hilt. "They feel... like if they're an extension of myself."

Kamiro couldn't comprehend how they formed, but he wasted no time dwelling on it and went on the offensive. Still, he had trouble landing a hit. Long past his limit, and with limited knowledge on how to best use his newfound weapons, he didn't know how much longer he'd last.

It's no use. These creatures are quicker than they appear. But... Kamiro continued, determined. The air vibrated with every missed slash. Just one step, I just need them one step slower so I can get a hit in.

For a split-second, his wish came true as the two beasts seemed to have missed a step, enough for him to have an opening. While in-between the two creatures, Kamiro struck them both at once with each twin-dagger.

"Oh? That missed step was no coincidence... Hmm, not bad," Di Reids commented.

Getting a hit in delighted Kamiro, but the joy was short-lived. The slashes were not enough to bring down the beasts. Exhausted after putting his all into landing an attack, all he could do was lay on the ground, gasping with a smile on his face while he waited to be devoured.

Well, can't say I didn't try.

The beasts didn't hesitate to go after Kamiro's powerless body. He braced himself, shutting his eyes. His body tensed while he waited... but nothing. He peeked and was surprised to find himself peacefully lying down on the bed in Di Reids' office. Di Reids stood next to him, and Kamiro released his breath he'd unconsciously held.

"Ha-ha-ha! I gotta be honest, I was not expecting you to last as long as you did, let alone get a hit in," Di Reids said.

"I'm alive?" Kamiro touched himself all over.

"I was able to end 'Simulation' just in time. I figured the least I could do was save you from the pain of what being devoured would have felt like."

"T-Thanks," Kamiro said, his voice still trembling.

"And with that, the Adventurer pre-assessment is complete. I won't waste any more time and give you the overall results."

Kamiro prepared for the worst as Di Reids put on a more serious demeanor.

Ha, yeah. There's no way I passed this whole assessment...

They moved to Di Reid's desk and he jotted down some notes while explaining the results. "You need a minimum of 10 points to pass the assessment."

Kamiro listened to Di Reids with a downcast gaze.

Magic— from 1 to 10.... 5 points. "While you have an unusually high Liber magic affinity, you don't even have a trace of any elemental magic, and you lack knowledge of even the basics."

With each point Di Reids announced, Kamiro's heart ached.

"Combat and Physical Ability... 4 points. You have quick feet and decent stamina, I'll give you that. Maybe even some early training, but it's obvious that you have limited combat experience."

So, this is my fate? I just don't understand why I was brought here in the first place? Even if she can be a bit of an airhead, or if she blindly takes on some vague quest her mom left her, there's no way Ayu would've thought I could actually become an Adventurer, let alone achieve this "Hero" status.

"Well, by the look on your face, I figure you can work out the math," Di Reids said.

Kamiro couldn't hide his disappointment. He'd already sealed his resolve and was going to work hard to rank up as an Adventurer. This was his best chance of surviving in this fantasy world, and maybe even returning to his own world, and it was gone before it even began.

"Kamiro," Di Reids said, "Look up."

Dispirited, it took him a moment to raise his head.

"Look straight ahead and never stop. That is the most important thing I learned throughout my long years as an Adventurer, and this your starting point. This is where your life as an Adventurer begins." Di Reids smiled.

Kamiro's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Like I said, you need a minimum of 10 points total to pass the pre-assessment. Lucky for you, I have an extra factor that I score. I call it the 'unknown' factor."

"You're kidding."

Ha-ha. I'm not. It feels like there might be some unknown potential in you we've yet to see... and it just so happens that I gave you a few points for that."

Unable to utter a word, the only thing Kamiro could manage was to stare at Di Reids with watery eyes.

"Congratulations, you are now a student Adventurer at the Lucerna Guild Academy. It's strange, you're both exceptional and below-average. The Exceptionally Average Unranked Adventurer of Lucerna Guild Academy. In time, I'm sure some title like that might stick." Di Reids' signature laughter filled the room, and Kamiro couldn't help but laugh along with him.

I... did it.

"Just remember, kid, the road that lies ahead will be tough and unpleasant at times, but that's why you have good friends for, right? I'll leave it to them to get you settled into the dorms. Anyway, you shouldn't keep your friends waiting any longer, I'm sure they were quite worried." Di Reids gestured toward the door.

"What do you...?" Kamiro sneaked over to open it, and Ayu and Earla came falling in.

"Kamiro! I... I just wanted to make sure you didn't get lost is all..." Ayu said.

"I-I as well!" Earla staggered up.

Kamiro stared at them, trying to keep a poker face.

"Y-You and Ayu are one of the few people I have been able to communicate with somewhat normally..." Earla said while closing her eyes and bowing, "I hope we can become good friends!"

The poker face didn't last. Kamiro laughed while the two girls fidgeted. It had been too long since he last felt what it was like to have someone waiting for him, and it filled him with genuine happiness that showed on his face.

"...Thank you," he said.

The girls' embarrassment finally ceased, and they reassured him with a caring smile.