Chapter 529

「Haa!」

「Hmmh」

「Kuh! Shit! Zeeii!」

The man, provoked by Fran, thrusts his spear out in rapid succession. However, Fran could dodge all of his attacks by a hair's breadth.

After about a minute, Fran started to put a light counterattack. She controls her attack where her opponent could still dodge it.

He could react to the attacks that came above and below, but he was not that good at responding to the strikes from the left and right. When the attack was about to hit, Fran pulled back and stopped.

The man was pissed off and kept attacking, even though it was obvious that she was holding back. This was not good. He needs to learn how to suppress his emotions. After all, it seems that he hadn't realized how many times he had died if this was a real battle. But when Fran pointed this out to him, he became even more pissed off.

In the end, she fought him for about five minutes, until Fran landed a flying kick on the exhausted man's head, and the match was over. It was okay, I immediately cast heal to the man who was blown away. He was unconscious, but he was unharmed.

「All right, next!」

「Y-yes!」

The girl started cautiously, probably because she had seen the man get beaten up so badly. With her spear poised at her hip, she moved in a circular motion around Fran, stepping like an out-boxer.

(TLN: One of the primary boxing styles, check on Wikipedia for details)

She seemed to be looking for an opening. Immediately after that, the woman thrusts her spear into the air without missing the opening that Fran showed. It was a good thrust, intended to inflict a fatal wound from the start.

However, Fran easily dodged the thrust that should've hit her from behind. Well, it was an opening that Fran made on purpose after all.

After that, the woman continued to attack. And as if she was being led by Fran, all of her attacks were dodged. Gradually, she seemed to realize that she was being led by her, and she stopped taking the lure.

A look of impatience clung to her face. It seems she didn't have any more ideas to attack.

「If that's the case, then――」

Oh, water magic, huh? If she couldn't use her spear, using magic was not a bad idea. However, her skill level was still too low. The bullet that was released was easily shattered by Fran's back fist.

「The magic power was half-heartedly formulated. This will be useless in a real battle」

「Wha...」

「Well then, it's my turn now. Here I come」

「Kuh!」

She changed to offense now. Just like against the man before, she launched a few attacks to see how she would react to defend against them.

Five minutes later. Just like the man from earlier, her consciousness was reaped when exhaustion slowed her movements.

There was no voice from the surrounding adventurers. They probably didn't expect Fran to be that strong and the fight to be so one-sided. The F-ranked adventurers, who would have had to fight Fran next were in tears.

However, Grandpa Gull and Grandma Jill were laughing with a look of heartfelt joy on their faces.

「Uwaah! Fran, that was amazing! You've exceeded my expectation!」

「You're right. This will be easy for us to evaluate. Keep it up like this for the next one too!」

「Nn. Understood」

After that, Fran took less than three minutes to beat the fledglings.

「Ghaa!」

「Arrgh!」

「But she's cute!」

Well, they don't have as much strength as the two from before, and they also had fewer tricks to watch, so it couldn't be helped.

――At the end of the first round.

「What kind of move is that...!?」

「This... This is not fair...」

「Haah, haah, more...!」

The adventurers who had regained consciousness were looking at Fran with a desperate look. Losing doesn't mean they've been disqualified, but they've been beaten without being able to put up much of a fight at all. So, they must be quite shocked.

Some of the F-ranked adventurers began to cry for real. Aah, there was also a guy who received a kick from a bad angle and broke his neck, so I instantly cast Greater Heal on him. He had a serious life-threatening experience and it seems that his heart was broken.

The rest of the participants seemed to be in a similar state. Well, there was one guy who seems to have woken up...

This one person among them was the only one who never lost his fighting spirit. It was that boy, who had been sending killing intent to Fran from the beginning.

I think he lasted the longest out of all the F-rankers. It was still only for about five minutes though. I couldn't believe he just barely met the rank-up requirements yesterday.

He wasn't bad from a technical standpoint. In terms of ability, there was even a possibility of him reaching D-rank. At his young age, that was quite a talent.

Well, he didn't say a word to her, so I still don't know why he was staring like that at Fran.

「All right, next, everybody, step forward」

「Eh? There's still more?」

「Of course! It's not over yet! If you're done with only that battle, you'll fail the exam! Show some spirit! And stop talking or we'll start it all over again!」

Maybe Grandpa Gull's threats managed to make them regain their motivation, or maybe they realized that there was no escaping this. The adventurers then lined up in front of Fran.

「The next one is all of you vs Fran. We've got the old hag and potions with us. You should go all out to the extent that you do not destroy the ship」

Those words were probably meant for the adventurers. Those who were relieved to have the numbers and those who were worried that Fran would not be able to get away with anything if these many people were to come at her started to get serious.

However, it was Fran who reacted to that first.

「Are you sure you want to do this?」

「...As long as you don't hurt them too badly」

「Nn」

The second battle between Fran and the blue-faced adventurers who heard the conversation between Fran and Grandpa Gull began. And then it was over.

Yes, in about 10 seconds.

The two E-ranked adventurers, who were the leaders, were blown up and out by Fran's first blow when she rushed at them with super high speed. After that, the adventurers fell out at the rate of one hit and two faints per second, and the match was easily settled. That was what will happen when you're stuck without a plan.

The adventurers whose consciousnesses had been reaped were lying around Fran, who stood leisurely.

「It's over」

「Aah―... You're right. You're amazing」

「Fufun」

「However...」

「Nn?」

「Maybe, these guys don't even know what you have done to them」

Of course, huh? They had already fallen before they had realized it after all.

「I don't think you understand your differences in power with them」

「Yeah, I've beaten them into pulp」

「Aah, It's a metaphor, you know? What I meant by beating them into pulp was to break their pride! It's not like you have to break their bones or anything, you know!?」

Grandpa Gull was telling Fran with a worried look on his face, while Grandma Jill was kicking the adventurers in the head to wake them up.

「Come on, get up! There's still the next one!」

It looks like their suffering will continue for a little while longer.

That was too quick for them to realize what had happened, so this time they were a little more cautious and able to fight for a longer time.

The adventurers now spread out from the beginning while preparing their weapons.

They probably thought that if they froze for a moment, they would be killed instantly. But, do they think that was enough?

「Well then. Begin!」

Immediately after Grandpa Gull shouted so, Fran was already moved in front of the man on the far right.

「...I'll be going for your torso, okay?」

「Ugh... Ghaah!」

While holding me that was still in my scabbard, she sent the guy flying to the wall. The rest was a repeat. Fran approaches any lone adventurer, calls out to them, and then strikes a blow.

It took her longer than before. But it still took about five minutes though.

「Good grief, what a bunch of idiots... It's because they're so afraid of being taken down altogether that they spread out randomly!」

That was right. If they were just scattered randomly, it would only have the effect of slightly extending the time it took for each of them to be defeated. They were too far apart to attack Fran from behind while their friends were attacked. So, it was no wonder Grandpa Gull was so angry.

「Get ready for the next one! Get up, quickly!」