The Human Calamity
Sky Town's second-floor corridor.
The exam had barely begun, yet Franklin was fleeing for his life, desperate to escape someone.
"Huff, huff! What the hell is that?! That guy's really just a 2nd rank?!"
Panting heavily with a tear-streaked face, Franklin recalled the events from just 30 seconds ago.
With the announcement, Zien—who was known as a 2nd rank hunter—swung his sword. The strike was pure lightning. He deflected all the weapons aimed at him and even severed Shizuka's string.
'I couldn't even see it!'
The average 2nd rank hunter had just one trait. To Franklin, Zien's sword strike carried two meanings.
A high-rank hunter hiding their trait, or a master who had reached enlightenment with a single one.
Of course, either way, it changed nothing: Zien was shattering the exam's balance.
"Huff! F-First! Gotta run! Is he still chasing?!"
Franklin glanced back.
Zien was closing the distance with leisurely steps.
But the sight that truly shocked Franklin was something else.
"H-Huh?!"
"What?!"
He blocked charges, kicked away attackers, and slashed.
Zien severed the strings of every examinee who rushed him—in a single blow each.
People with dazed expressions in the distance. Franklin stamped his feet in front of the stairs.
"W-Where?! Up? Down?!"
This wasn't the time for Franklin to fight anyone. The one chasing him was a master who'd beaten 5th rank Saber Ferma. He was no match for a 4th rank hunter like Franklin, let alone someone like this.
"Eek!"
In the end, Franklin bolted up the stairs. Kim Jin-ha, from the same table earlier, greeted him.
"Hey, old man, what's going on downstairs? No way, a 4th rank? Spill it~ Why the funeral face?"
"If you wanna live, get out now!"
Terrified, Franklin yelled at Kim Jin-ha. But Kim Jin-ha wasn't one to back down easily.
"Who're you telling to scram, old man? Just stick out your arm nice and easy. Can't control my strength, y'know."
To make matters worse, Kim Jin-ha menaced him with his bat. Franklin felt like he was going insane.
"This isn't the time! If you wanna pass, run first!"
"Pfft, what kinda bullshit is this? You scared, old man?"
Kim Jin-ha was a former high school baseball team hunter. Even as fellow 3rd ranks, Franklin's skills as an active hunter were superior; he'd clearly win in a fight.
But what scared Franklin wasn't Kim Jin-ha.
It was Zien, approaching like the Grim Reaper with his pitch-black sword.
"Th-There! He's coming!"
When the panicked Franklin pointed him out, Kim Jin-ha gave a pathetic look.
"What, a 3rd rank scared of some 2nd rank? Tsk~ Don't run; watch how I do it. You're next anyway."
Kim Jin-ha swung his bat at Zien, infused with his trait [Hurl].
If it connected, it would blast the enemy 100 meters away with mana the instant it touched.
"Here comes the homerun!"
A clean swing worthy of a baseball alum.
But Kim Jin-ha's bat shattered in two from Zien's single strike.
Snap!
Even more shocking: the sword severed Kim Jin-ha's string at the same time as the bat.
"Huh?!"
Kim Jin-ha's eyes bulged in shock, but it was too late. He was already eliminated. Franklin jeered from afar.
"Told ya to run, you dumb kid! Thanks for the breather!"
A bizarre scene: Zien sees Franklin and chases; 2nd ranks see Franklin and flee. The corridor was pure chaos.
Examiner Jin Yura exchanged glances with Vermouth, speechless.
"What the hell is that?"
"...Don't ask."
"He's really 2nd rank?"
"If that student's truly 2nd rank... he'd be the strongest in the world."
"Seems stronger than you..."
At Jin Yura's words, Vermouth pondered.
'What's his deal? That swordsmanship looks like a weapon-related trait.'
And what caught Vermouth's eye was Zien's sword.
'At least national treasure-grade artifact... where'd he get that?'
While Vermouth was lost in thought, Jin Yura suddenly shouted "Ah!" as something dawned on her.
"What about the second exam? Make that monster take it too?"
Even as Jin Yura fretted, Zien was laying waste to everywhere he passed.
His enemies had two choices: elimination or flight.
Zien was truly a human calamity unleashed in the exam hall.
"Should we... just pull him?"
"Yeah. No point. Promote him straight to head of this security team."
"T-Team leader? C'mon, even so, that's for the top scorer..."
Vermouth, about to object to Jin Yura's call, looked at Zien again.
Zien had just eliminated four attackers in one blow.
"That student's number one."
Vermouth nodded and jotted something on his paper.
"I'll process it right away."
"But leave this exam as is? I'm curious how many he'll knock out."
With that, Jin Yura giggled and followed behind Zien.
Meanwhile, Franklin—cornered in a dead end by chance. But he wasn't the only one trapped.
Sin Ha-seong, a 3rd rank hunter with a spear weapon.
Kumo, a 2nd rank hunter with a spiderweb trait.
Both were Franklin's allies.
"Oh, damn..."
Franklin stared blankly at the wall. Sin Ha-seong threw a fit.
"Argh! It's 'cause of you he's chasing us! What'd you do?! Get away from us quick!"
"Hey! You think he'll stop at me? You're next!"
Sin Ha-seong was convinced by Franklin's words.
"Th-That... yeah, true?"
Meanwhile, Kumo had already given up on passing and started praying.
"You two, just give up. It'll be easier... O noble Isera Goddess, in this time of trial, bestow your blessing upon me... Ack!"
Sin Ha-seong grabbed tiny Kumo by the scruff and hoisted him up one-handed.
"Hey, don't wanna fail? Cooperate?"
"Y-Yes..."
Kumo caved to Sin Ha-seong's scary glare. Thus, a showdown formed between the trapped trio and Zien.
As Zien approached the corridor's end, Sin Ha-seong urgently asked,
"My trait's spear arts enhancement! What's yours?"
"M-Me? Thread-spinning!"
Kumo shouted loudly in turn.
Sin Ha-seong rubbed his forehead, displeased with the trait.
"What kinda creepy trait is that?!"
"S-Sorry!"
"Ugh! Typical 2nd rank. What about you?"
Sin Ha-seong glared.
Franklin spread his arms boastfully.
"My trait's mana seal! Seals the mana of anyone I grab."
"Perfect! Here's the plan: Old man charges and grabs, kid ties with thread. I finish with spear. No complaints?"
Franklin shook his head at the plan.
"Nah, if he ties with thread, I grab instead."
"M-Me first?!"
Kumo looked miserable.
Sin Ha-seong patted Kumo's back as "encouragement."
"It's an exam; think I'd let you die?"
Furious, Kumo trembled and flipped off Sin Ha-seong and Franklin.
"Y-You bastards! Eat shit, you jerks!"
Then Kumo bolted—hiding in the corner.
Shiiik!
White threads burst from Kumo's arms. Like a silkworm larva in its cocoon, he wrapped himself up.
"Now it's 2-on-1?"
Franklin eyed Sin Ha-seong.
Sin Ha-seong eyed Franklin back.
"L-Let's film a movie."
In the end, the two hunters charged Zien, weeping bitter tears. But perhaps the heavens admired their courage, as a broadcast resumed in Sky Town.
An awkward silence fell.
"Ahem."
Sin Ha-seong awkwardly retracted his spear. Franklin backed away, eyeing Zien's name tag.
"I-In the exam hall! I was rude! If you're offended..."
Franklin bowed 90 degrees.
Zien replied without changing expression.
"It's fine. It was just the exam. No hard feelings."
He'd chased Franklin relentlessly, yet ended on a good note. With the mood shifting, Kumo crept out of his cocoon.
"Heh heh, I went too far earlier, right?"
G Channel headquarters.
Caston shook Brodo's shoulder while checking viewer reactions.
"PD-nim! Look at this! Huge hit!"
But Brodo looked troubled in many ways.
"Never imagined it'd go like this."
"Right? It's not even a skit..."
As Caston chimed in,
Brodo, who'd been grinning, suddenly yelled.
"But if it's fun, that's all that matters! Already over 6%! What is this? No joke from the start!"
Brodo laughed wahaha at the ratings. Caston laughed too.
"Hey! Don't kill the vibe like that! You scared me!"
"Quest hasn't even started; is this okay?"
"Man, which cam for main? Cam 7's wild too."
"Cam 7? Where's that? Oh... that kid~?"
Cam7 - Amy Rose
Brodo smirked at Cam 7. He might forget other students, but not Amy's name.
'All the contract headaches 'cause of her...'
Still, Brodo didn't hate her cunning side.
"Why's Cam 7 special?"
"Check this out."
"Huh? Everyone else is hunter role; what's she doing?"
"And that's not all."
Caston pulled up reference footage.
Brodo stood and applauded, moved.
"This is it! This! Zien's side's wrapped; make her main cam!"
"Got it!"
Once Caston set it,
The screen shifted from Zien to Amy.
Amy, soaked in despair, on the verge of tears. The gate broadcast was smooth sailing from the start.
My Previous Life was the Strongest Sword God