Rick Gladiator becomes an adventurer at the age of 30. After 2 years of training, he's taking the test to advance to E-rank. As the exam begins, he wonders if he's done enough to measure up to all the young people testing alongside him.
As Rick awaits his exam results, Raster, an examiner for the upcoming section, appears. Rick stops him from hitting on Reanette and earns Raster's hatred. Raster isn't one to be thwarted, and he isn't called the F-rank Crusher for nothing.
Rick begins his mock battle with the F-rank Crusher, Raster Diarmut. He thinks the gap in ability between him and Rick is all too clear. But as the battle progresses, Rick's training begins to show through.
As Rick waits for his exams results, memories flood his mind. As a boy, he'd dreamed of being an adventurer, but the older he got, the more distant the dream became. He set it aside and began work at a Guild.
Laurotte asks Rick if he can meet Orichalcum Fist. Rick agrees, but under certain conditions. After warming to Laurotte, Broughston asks him to gather intel to help the party reach their goal.
Rick and the others head to Heractopia to look for information on the Six Jewels. A parade for an upcoming tournament makes them realize that what they seek might be closer than they think, but there's only one way to know for sure.
Angelica, Rick and Broughston all make it through the preliminaries, but the two men do it at an unheard of speed. Rick meets a tournament sponsor who says he's close to Angelica, but when Rick mentions him, her expression turns dark.
Angelica tries to run from her brutal training. Rick empathizes and shares something Broughston once told him. After her training, Angelica faces her final block match. The King of Fists Tournament is about to begin.
Angelica strikes at Geith using the techniques she's learned in her training. Rick and the others watch closely as she makes use of what they've taught her. Just when it looks like Angelica is about to win, Geith rallies.
The second semifinal match pits Kelvin against Broughston. Kelvin heads out of town to prepare, spots Rick and presses him for a sparring match. After seeing Rick's skills, he opens up to Rick about his dreams.
When Rick learns who he'll face in the final match, he locks himself in his room in fear. He's free to withdraw, but he might like to know Broughston's secret wish first. With that, and everyone's encouragement, Rick decides to fight.
During the final match, Broughston tells Rick about his loneliness, the founding of Orichalcum Fist, and his longtime dream. Wanting to repay Broughston for the training that allowed him to fulfill his own dream, Rick makes a decision.
