I Was the Strongest Sword God in My Past Life

part 85

“Start! Check the drone camera.”

Under his command, the staff moved in perfect harmony. On the 7 monitors, students of the Arcana and Selya, also known as the Aselkana Alliance, were appearing…

[Cam1 – Zhen Russell]

[Cam2 – Isabella Blitzen]

[Cam3 – Chris Arun]

[Cam4 – Lucia Elquines]

[……]

There were three things to do at the broadcasting station.

First, explain to the viewers what role and quest the Aselkana Alliance had taken on.

Second, broadcast the most exciting event on the main cam.

Third, since it was a real-time broadcast, all subtitles and editing would be done on the fly.

“This isn’t usual business.”

He said so, but Brodo’s eyes were burning with enthusiasm. However, Casston’s expression looked gloomy.

“Mr. Pidi, if this broadcast is successful, I’ll take a vacation at the Laguna Beach and won’t bother you.”

“Let’s make a sequel to the battle survival game. Take a break and come back.”

“Everyone… has gone crazy.”

Casting was busy meticulously examining the starting location and roles of the students.

“Oh, there are many students starting with their roles bound together, aren’t there? Qua, Isabelle, Lucia are all part of the Hunter Association. Each of them has a pretty high position! It seems like the start will be smooth.”

“Really? It’s too ordinary. What about Zhen?”

“Zhen… is…”

“Just looking from the outside, it seems…”

Casting, who was monitoring, suddenly shouted out a loud noise.

“Ah! I get it! This is getting a bit ridiculous, isn’t it? No, it’s actually quite good…”

Brodo, who was directing the meaningful conversation, couldn’t help but dash towards the monitor.

“Hmm, this costume is… a bodyguard? And the location is visible, so it seems like the lowest-ranking bodyguard…”

Brodo had previously broadcast several times the gates of active Sabeurs, so although he wasn’t a Sabeur himself, he was well-versed in each region.

“This Zhen Leshel, starting as a foot soldier. Oh, this is going to be fun…”

“Good. Let’s start the main camera at 1.”

The gate strategy was a long-term broadcast that was unknown to take how much time, but the broadcast of the Asekana Alliance’s strategy had recorded a 5% viewership rate and had a respectable start.

Many people, including most of the judges outside the gate, were watching Asekana’s main camera.

* * *

The luxurious city of Zone 1.

The events of the gate were diverse, but famous places often overlapped.

Thanks to this, Zhen knew the name of this city.

“I’ve cleared so many gates, it’s only natural…”

This city’s name is Rain City.

A beautiful place with a warm orange night view, the city’s name is as strange as it is, with half a year’s rain.

And in front of Zhen stood the massive building, the pride of Rain City, Sky Town.

‘Sky Town. It’s been a long time.’

Zzzz!

Zhen finished his situation assessment while looking at the pouring rain, and the voice of the Black Sage began to guide him.

– We have entered the first zone’s gate [Hunter’s Night].

– Zhen’s role is [2nd-grade Hunter].

The characters within the Gate recognized the power of the Stigma as one of the Hunter’s characteristics.

Too familiar a name.

As soon as Jen heard the voice of the Black Sage, she felt that this was the Gate.

“Although it’s a virtual Gate, it’s a 5th-grade one. We can’t be careless.”

Luckily, Jen didn’t receive any penalties. Since she was a Hunter, she would have received penalties related to her abilities if she had, and it would have been difficult to clear.

Jen looked down at her Stigma and muttered to herself.

“Quest.”

[Quest – Your first goal is to become a guardian of Sky Town.]

[Detailed – Pass the test in Sky Town.]

“Another test from the start?”

After recalling her memories, Jen’s task was always to prove herself. Although it was a Gate, this test was no different from the others.

***

The 2nd floor of Sky Town.

Test administrator, 4th-grade Hunter Jin-woo, was distributing numbers at the door.

“Ah, one person hasn’t come yet.”

“Good grief, always like this.”

Bertholdt smiled beside Jin-woo, as people from the 1st sector had started using a common language since the appearance of monsters and dungeons. As a result, linguistic barriers had crumbled, and national borders had grown faint.

“One sound is needed! If I could even become a 3rd-grade Hunter, I’d be busy, but only a 2nd-grade one……”

Suddenly.

The door opened, and Jin-woo’s words stopped. At the same time, the gazes of the 100 test-takers converged on the door.

A well-coordinated black suit, hair wet from the rain. Jin-woo seemed to have lost his composure for a moment, gazing at the man.

“3, 36th, 2nd-grade Hunter Jen Russell?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Okay, first put this on your wrist and wait in your seat.”

Jin-woo gazed at Jen’s eyes instead of her wrist, fastening a loose rope.

Bertholdt watched her with a skeptical expression.

“What’s the big deal about that?”

Jin-woo gazed at Jen’s receding back figure, looking wistful. It was a somewhat shy appearance, like that of a girl in puberty.

“Not too late, maybe……”

Meanwhile, Jen slowly surveyed the enormous test arena. 20 tables and 100 participants.

However, among those selected, there were only five people. The competition rate for bodyguards was not a joke, just like the Sky Group.

“‘The participants are all at least 3rd-level hunters. Who is this person supposed to protect?'”

This place is a 5th-grade gate, so it’s clear that the scale of the quest is enormous. This means that the person being protected is someone with significant influence, as well as the organization targeting that person.

“Maybe my role is just a stepping stone.”

However, it’s not good to act independently, as the quest has already been set.

“‘I can only become a bodyguard after passing the test.'”

At the gate, the quest is the compass.

To reach the core of the story, it’s essential to follow the guidelines. In the end, Jeon Yeon sat down in the chair according to Jin Yu-ra’s instructions.

The blonde man sitting next to him looked at Jeon Yeon with interest and spoke up.

“I’m Franklin. But you’re a student, right?”

“Yes, I am.”

“You look so young. But how did you manage to get this far as a 2nd-level hunter?”

He used a peculiar tone, mixing politeness and familiarity. Additionally, Franklin’s question had a clear intention.

“Is it difficult for a 2nd-level hunter?”

Jeon Yeon did not respond to Franklin’s jest.

However, the woman sitting next to him took Franklin’s side, seeming to agree with him.

“Well, it’s possible. You won’t necessarily fail, but… nowadays, students like that are quite rare, you know?”

When the woman with a name tag reading “Sizuku” laughed, Franklin hit his forehead and exaggeratedly reacted.

“Haha! Ah, what a wise lady! I thought I was aiming for a 2nd-level pass, but it seems I was wrong!”

Originally, this was a role meant for a 2nd-level hunter, but Jeon Yeon was not supposed to receive such treatment. However, Jeon Yeon was a veteran and would not be swayed by such petty disputes.

“…”

Jeon Yeon remained silent, and Franklin lost interest quickly. Soon, Jin Yu-ra, the examiner, appeared on stage.

“It’s been a long time. The rules for the first test are simple. Hand… “

Jin Yu-ra suddenly stopped speaking.

Then, she looked at Jeon Yeon with eyes full of emotion and continued.

“If you still have a thread on your wrist, you pass. If it breaks, you fail. The test will continue until 20 people remain out of 100.”

As Jin Yu-ra finished speaking, the loudspeaker began to broadcast loudly.

– There are 2 minutes and 59 seconds left until the test begins.

– The test area is the entire Sky Town building.

“What? Starting here?”

“Come on, let’s hide first!”

“Ah! Don’t push!”

“We can just go out the front door!”

The test site was in chaos, and most participants had scattered. However, hunters confident in their abilities remained at the test site. Among them was Franklin.

“Two minutes left, are you going to run?”

“Yeah, let’s hide quickly! We have to pass the first test, don’t we?”

Siizuka patted Jen’s shoulder.

The examiners, Jin Yu-ra and Vermouth, gazed at the scene with their tongues stuck out.

So far, no one had noticed Jen’s abilities among them.

– 3 seconds until the test starts.

With the broadcast, Jen stood up.

Saa-ah!

The scar on her palm shone, and she grasped her sword. This was a declaration of war and a final warning.

* * *

The broadcast starring Jen was becoming increasingly popular as she was ignored.

It was a cursed Gate broadcast that made viewers continue to watch despite their anger.

Roma was one of those viewers.

“Ah, really! I’m going crazy! What do those 3rd-grade fools know, bothering my precious disciple?”

Roma, agitated, began to pace back and forth as she spoke. Kasha calmly stopped her.

“Calm down. It’s a Gate. I’ve even carried luggage in the 3rd sector before.”

“What good are those insignificant things doing? I’m fed up!”

Roma’s eyes turned into a dagger shape as she stood up, began to rummage through Kasha’s room as if it were her own, and grabbed a can of soda.

“What’s this? Anything to drink?”

“Bottom shelf of the fridge.”

“There is.”

Pffft.

Roma drinking a can of soda. Her eyes remained fixed on the broadcast. Of the 7 participants in the Gate, she was the one who was most fond of Jen, but the broadcast was too interesting.

“It’s hell to strategize, but watching is so fun.”

Romina’s soliloquy made Kasen’s eyes narrow with a meaningful expression.

“Does it remind you of your active days?”

“Not for a few years. What’s making you nostalgic?”

“Sometimes… “

Kasen’s voice sounded lonely, and Romina looked at him with a strange feeling. Kasen was different from Romina, who had voluntarily retired.

Kasen retired from the gate because he sprained his ankle.

“‘If it hadn’t been like that…'”

Romina’s face was lost in thought as she opened her mouth.

“K! Wow…”

“Hey, wait! This is an important scene!”

As Ji-Eun drew her sword, Kasen quickly covered Romina’s mouth with his palm.

“‘…this kid is real.'”

Romina lost her words.

Sky Town, 2nd floor corridor.

Although it was only a short time since the test had started, Franklin was desperately running away from someone.

“What’s going on? Who is this kid, a 2nd-grade Hunter?”