I Was the Strongest Sword God in My Past Life

part 17

Jackson clicked his tongue.

“Well, since you were rejected. Just trying to change your mind… that’s all.”

Irel’s voice grew fainter.

An overwhelming victory for Jackson.

Only then did Jackson look at Zien.

“Your name was Zien, right? I was deeply impressed by your exam.”

“Thank you.”

“Just… don’t get hurt and fill the headcount before you leave.”

Jackson spoke bluntly. In truth, he didn’t like the idea of students taking on cleaning jobs. The reason was simple. It was dangerous.

So Jackson took on the role of a scout. Irel would pick, and Jackson would weed them out. That was their position.

* * *

“Here we are.”

Irel opened the door to the waiting room marked [Cleaning Team 3]. There were a total of three people in the waiting room. Zien summarized them by their features.

“…….”

The man with seagull-wing eyebrows, silent as the bird, was known as Eyebrow Man.

“Just when I thought well of that person, how could they quit on the day itself…….”

Continuously grumbling, the man with a scar on his cheek was Scar Man.

“Wow! Look at that fluffy thing. It’s my first time teaming up with a student.”

Despite her funky appearance, she was the cheerful Dark Circles Lady.

They all seemed to be in their mid to late twenties.

“This friend is new to cleaning. Please take good care of him.”

At Irell’s words, Scar Man furrowed his brows.

“Mr. Irell, a supplement member who’s a student and a beginner? This isn’t a nursery…….”

Scar Man scowled, his already fierce face becoming even more menacing.

“Hey~ You keep saying that. Shall we get a brief explanation and open the portal right away?”

As Irell chuckled and joked, Scar Man’s expression softened.

Beep.

Irell turned on the beam projector.

[ Location – Mount Ebeus ]

[ Type – Hunting ]

[ Objective – Redwood Snail ]

“Don’t catch the wrong thing~.”

Cleaning was usually divided into two types:

Hunting and Clearing.

Hunting involved obtaining by-products from monsters beneficial to humanity, like the ‘Redwood Snail’ used in premium cosmetics.

Clearing meant eradicating dungeons materialized due to the failure of gate conquests.

Typically, dungeons with low clearing difficulty like Mount Ebeus disappear as monsters are hunted.

‘If only the gate conquest team hadn’t failed from the start, such dungeons wouldn’t exist.’

The inability to clear a gate was intolerable for Zien, who pursued perfection.

“Alright! I’m busy with other things, so that’s all for the explanation. Good luck to everyone!”

Irell activated the portal.

Ziiing.

The portal’s destination was a mountain, 400km away.

Even by train, it was a place that took quite some time to reach, but passing through this portal would take you directly to the desired location.

“Aja-ajat! Everyone, fighting!”

Dark Circle Girl shouted cheerfully.

Scar Man, Eyebrow Man, Jien, and two porters—a total of six companions—walked into the portal.

* * *

Mount Ebeus.

Amidst the stylish landscape and the beautiful chirping of birds, intermittent retching echoed.

“Geu-euek! Euek! Sseup… Ah, I feel dizzy. I never get used to portal sickness.”

Dark Circle Girl returned to her companions with even more sunken eyes.

“Uh… sorry. You’ve been waiting, right? My stomach feels off… How shall we divide the teams?”

Despite her flashy attire—leather jacket, silver earrings, choker—Dark Circle Girl’s demeanor was quite polite.

“Then let’s pair up with someone close and split up.”

It was Scar Man’s suggestion.

The person close to Scar Man was Eyebrow Man.

Since earlier, Scar Man had been clearly showing his reluctance to go with Jien.

‘I came here to earn a day’s wage, not to wipe a brat’s behind.’

“Yes~ Well, I’m fine with it. Shall we all do that?”

As Dark Circle Girl agreed, Eyebrow Man also nodded.

‘I’m being treated like a complete burden.’

Jien felt a bitter taste in his mouth at Scar Man’s blatant attitude. Even more upset were the two porters in the corner.

“Then I’ll go with Mr. Gale’s party.”

The senior-looking porter quickly attached himself to Scar Man, leaving the other porter looking like death as he got pushed to Jien’s party.

“Ah… then I will accompany Ms. Marceline’s party.”

The porter’s expression grew gloomy because the more by-products his assigned party had, the higher his day’s wage would be.

As the large man slumped his shoulders, Dark Circle Girl, Marceline, patted the porter’s back.

“Hey! Smile! Cheer up~. I’ll catch a lot.”

With the teams divided,

Two parties split in opposite directions.

Wandering through the woods, Marceline asked Jien.

“What weapon did you prepare with?”

Jien immediately understood why Marseline had asked such a question.

The Redwood Snail.

This monster, towering over 2 meters tall, has a remarkably fast regenerative ability. The most efficient way to deal with it is to pierce and destroy the core at the center of its body.

A long and sharp weapon would be advantageous.

“My magical tool is a sword.”

“That’s good. I wondered why you didn’t have a pocket.”

“Pockets are too expensive for students to buy.”

Despite saying that, Jien did have a particular pocket in mind.

The [Wristband Pocket] he saw at Kuzon.

As soon as he checked the product’s specs on the site, Jien felt it was destiny.

‘The streamlined design that fits snugly on the wrist. All black in color, too. Truly befitting of the Mage Tower.’

And to think such a thin band could hold over 100kg.

A century ago, even a premium belt-shaped pocket could barely carry 10kg…

‘If only I had the money…’

The problem, as always, was the price.

True to the Mage Tower’s high-end production, the band pocket cost 75 million coins.

‘I’ll get one someday.’

Just like in his past life, Jien’s obsession with equipment had reached its peak. That was the reason he had collected so many artifacts back then.

Jien licked his lips,

While Marseline teased him from the side.

“Ah, back in my day, even the students would wrap themselves in artifacts. Those from wealthy families had plenty of money.”

“Ah, I’m an orphan.”

At Jien’s words, the atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

The porter who had come along rolled his eyes, and a drop of sweat trickled down Marseline’s long nose.

“Ah… I see. Sorry!”

“It’s okay.”

Jien smiled inwardly. Marseline’s expressive face made it quite enjoyable to tease her.

“Hey! Hey, you could probably afford a pocket like this, right?”

As the mood began to die down, the porter pulled out a pocket that looked like a burlap sack.

The pocket was enchanted with expansion and weight magic, allowing it to hold many items.

Unlike the premium products made at the Mage Tower, the porter’s pocket in the form of a burlap sack was a cheap, low-grade item.

“Come on! Do I really have to buy it from home? If I earn money and buy it myself… Sigh…, sorry. Let’s just drop the pocket talk.”

Marceline had put everything down.

Then, as if the porter had found a savior, he shouted.

“Over there! I see a snail!”

“Where, where?”

One of the porter’s many skills was their eyesight. The eyes that spot monsters.

“Look at the size? It must be easily worth 400,000.”

Marceline looked up. The redwood snail, true to its name, was firmly attached to a centuries-old great tree.

“Ugh, I’ve heard that snail mucus is so good for the skin.”

“Are you talking about snail cream? It’s a hot item in Kuzon. I can get it for you cheaper than the cost…”

As the porter quickly tried to make a sale, Marceline shook her head.

“Ah, what am I thinking. There’s a reason why the one who makes the bread isn’t the one who eats it.”

After a glance at Gian, Marceline pulled out a spear-shaped magical tool.

“Watch closely. This is the skill of an active duty.”

It wasn’t a lie. Even as a third-class saber, an active duty was still an active duty. Marceline aimed at the snail, crouched down, and using the recoil, threw the spear far.

Swoosh!

A line of red mana traced where the spear had passed.

“Wow!”

The porter’s admiration. Fragments of the snail’s flesh scattered, and its transparent blood dispersed. However, the spear did not reach the snail’s core.

Marceline trembled with clenched fists as she watched the redwood snail bobble away.

“Ugh, look at that mucus flow. Such a waste!”

“Let me try.”

Gian charged mana into his feet.

With the first leap, he landed on the opposite tree, and with a second leap, he stabbed the core of the snail on the other side.

A clean strike.

As the core was destroyed, the snail’s body fell apart like shattered jelly.

“Wow! Nice shot! Your Arcana skills are as good as an active duty, aren’t they?”

With a brightened expression, the porter exclaimed. The porter then packed the snail’s mucous body into the pocket. The porter hummed a happy tune with a joyful face.

‘At this size, it should fetch me at least 40,000. Just five of these and I’ve made a day’s wage!’

Marceline scratched her head in embarrassment.

“…Well done.”

Gien shifted his gaze to another snail.

“Then, I’ll pick up the pace, senior.”

Watching Marceline, Gien thought to himself,

‘Let’s move quickly, the weekend is short for a student.’

* * *

The highlands of Mt. Eber.

This place, once bustling with tourists at the observatory, was now left with only three grim men.

It was inevitable, as the entire mountain had turned into a dungeon.

“That makes 30 of them.”

Crack!

Scarred man, Gael, pierced the core of a snail with his sword.

“Heh heh, wonder how many the other party caught?”

Gael mused, and the quick-witted porter quickly responded.