Moon Sword in the Downpour
Slash!
The sword whipped through the air, splashing the water pooled on the floor.
Along Zien's sword path, the ground froze over at tremendous speed.
Crack, crack, craaaack!!
The frigid air surged across the floor like a wave, engulfing Jeokhyeol and freezing his lower body solid.
"Wha— an ice-attribute trait!"
Jeokhyeol cried out in panic.
Zien's sword-gripping hand ached from the cold. He couldn't cleave through blood with his blade, but frozen solid? That changed everything. Now his foe had form.
'End it now.'
Zien took one more step forward.
Jeokhyeol thrust his sword from his unfrozen upper body, but it was futile. To Zien in this moment, even the motion of the pouring rain was crystal clear. In his accelerated thoughts, Jeokhyeol's blade might as well have been frozen still.
Thud.
Zien dipped his head and slipped into Jeokhyeol's blind spot. Now swirling around Black Fragrance was no longer chill air, but translucent moonlight.
Flash of the lunar blade
Zien swung his sword upward once more.
A faint glow traced the blade's arc, flickering for a split second. A sword strike like lightning itself. Beautiful to behold, yet the mana pouring from the sword was savage.
Booom, booom, boooom!
If he couldn't melt into liquid to evade, then dodging Zien's assault was impossible. Legs locked in ice. The familiar scent of rain. As the light bore down, Jeokhyeol knew—this was the end.
'……So this is where it finishes.'
Memories flashed by like a montage, drawing a smile from Jeokhyeol. His master surely wouldn't have permitted this revenge.
"It's too late. You'll lose this body to your rampaging magic power."
A 6th-rank Hunter.
Outstanding skill, yet discarded by the association for her unyielding integrity.
"That's why. Before it comes to that."
Accept his master dying by the hands of the association that betrayed her? Jeokhyeol could never allow it. He had no choice—he had to honor her plea. There was simply no other path.
"You can do it, right? ……"
No regrets over that choice.
His only regret, if any, was that no matter how he strained to remember, the name his master had given him wouldn't surface. Instead, her last moments burned vivid in his mind.
"Ugh, you big crybaby. But... it's for the best……."
Rain had fallen that day.
So no one noticed the tears streaming down Jeokhyeol's face.
"……The weather's nice today, isn't it?"
The mass of light closed in slowly.
Gazing at the drab, rain-heavy sky, Jeokhyeol murmured.
"The weather's nice today."
Craaaunch!
The mana storm swallowed Jeokhyeol whole.
Libellion's rebellion had failed. The gate was cleared. Jeokhyeol was defeated, Zien victorious.
🧊 🧊 🧊 💧 🧊
Thanks to Zien's exploits, the 5th-rank gate was cleared. Students had conquered the first-ever developed virtual 5th-rank gate. Cheers erupted at the Gate Management Bureau over this historic feat.
"Clear! It's a clear!"
"Students cleared a 5th-rank!"
"No way, really……."
The managers were stunned, but Student Council President Camille and Stella were outright speechless.
"Whoa, f-for real?"
"As expected from the student council's ace. The school's pride…… Unbelievable."
Odd titles aside, Camille was genuinely awed.
"Worthy of the next student council president."
"What? President? When did Zien sign off on that?"
"I'm planning to get his approval. To keep you from rushing into things, Stella."
"Hmph. I like it〜"
The student council was already handing over the presidency without permission. Students and principals alike adored Zien.
"E/hahaha! Selphis! We won! Our students cleared a 5th-rank!"
"Yes, yes indeed! But 'our' students? Even from my view as a retired 6th-rank Saber……."
Selphis suddenly turned solemn, eyeing Raymond.
"Out of ten parts, Zien handled seven alone. Arcana Academy's contribution is far—waaaay greater."
"Wh-what?!"
Raymond yelped in shock.
Selphis, meanwhile, stroked his mustache calmly.
"Shall we break it down step by step? Ahem! It starts from catching the spy."
"Pah! Kell kell! Just listening reeks of bullshit. Why not speak plainly instead of shitting words?"
"Het het het! Losing the argument so you resort to ad hominem! The press needs to catch this!"
Selphis roared with laughter, mocking Raymond anew.
"Truly a proud prestigious school! Fitting for Celia Academy's principal!"
"Kell kell! As if you're any better."
"Het het het! Once this is over, Zien's party deserves a group vacation as a reward."
"How about Celia Academy for the spot? Tell him we'd welcome his transfer with open arms."
Selphis recoiled at the transfer talk.
"Not on my watch!"
"Kell kell kell! The other students too! Oh, not Amy though."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That one's more villain than Saber!"
Amy was already getting roasted online with titles like [Libellion's 5th Member] and [Villain Spotted at Arcana!].
"Het het het! You've gotten funnier, friend."
Selphis clapped Raymond on the back. It looked like bickering, but they shared a rare harmonious vibe. Yet even more thrilled by Zien's clear than the principals were certain others.
G Channel's broadcast station.
Always bustling, but today it was electric. The moment Zien felled Jeokhyeol, the staff erupted in cheers. Their two-day all-nighter had paid off big. Brodo and Caston were the happiest of all.
"We won! Clear! Clear!"
"Told you we'd win!"
This made two successes filming with Zien. Not a huge tally, but their treatment had skyrocketed.
"Phew…… Good work, Caston."
Brodo had endured Amy's antics, but the contract proved worthwhile. Performance bonuses from the director, plus headhunters sniffing around mid-broadcast—his value was soaring.
"You too, PD-nim. Don't call me anymore, please. Gotta hit Ragna Beach before winter."
"Yeah! Let's go!"
"Whoa, cool of you? Thought you'd try to stop me."
Caston was surprised, but Brodo had his reasons.
"No more Zien broadcasts for a while. Regular channels—public airwaves—have their eyes on him."
"Oh, that sports festival thing with the Sabers?"
"Superstars mean they host it sporadically. This time, tons of stars."
As Brodo said, Arcana and Celia's fandoms were off the charts.
"Zien, the Sword God. Honestly, no student's pure swordsmanship without mana drain has reached that level before."
"Heh, one-of-a-kind character."
"And Isabel! The mage tower's mysterious only daughter! That beauty, that talent! Life's so unfair〜."
"Yeah, all so distinctive. Killer scenes too."
Chris baiting for Demona. Demona finally speaking to Chris. That was gate broadcasts' charm—no scripted drama here.
Ironic how that made it more dramatic. The Sabers' tales viewers watched rang true. Caston grinned at the posts.
"My fave was Lucia vs. the musclehead……."
But Caston's pick was biased. A self-proclaimed uncle fan in Lucia's fan cafe. Brodo tsked.
"Too one-sided. Broadcasters thrive on drama! For drama, it's Isabel vs. Kua."
Isabel's elimination.
Kua's awakening. Through a mysterious skill, Kua transformed into her future self. Her magic tool's second awakening let her wield water and ice—not her current boyish look, but a chilling, youthful ice maiden.
"Even as a Lusamo, I gotta admit that. But Isabel dropped out? Good for us, but……."
The gate was cleared.
The broadcast a hit. But the gate-related bill's passage? Still up in the air.
"Yeah. Rumor says the examiner's that person…… Not sure on approval."
"Mm. Doesn't affect us, but hope it passes."
"Doesn't affect us? Huge impact! If approved, Zien's party hits real gates. Who films that?"
"Uh…… regular channels?"
Brodo ignored Caston's realism.
"Naw, our bond's too deep. Opportunity's coming……."
"True. Makes you root for passage……."
Caston pondered, then added.
"No way they disqualify him after that show?"
Revealing hidden skills.
Under rainy skies, frozen rooftop. Zien's ice sword made an epic scene.
"Yeah. Viewers love it…… Though Dennis isn't a broadcaster."
"Right…… Whoa, posts begging for sequels?"
Brodo poked the surprised Caston.
"That the director?"
"Pfft! No waaay〜!"
Bang!
Someone flung the door open.
Only one person dared barge into Brodo's control room like that.
"Director!"
Caston greeted him. The director patted his shoulder, nodding.
"Knew I could count on you. Whew, for real. Best gate clear broadcast I've seen."
The director's face was stern.
"A masterpiece born on our G Channel. Proud as director."
"Haha! No biggie!"
Caston laughed. Only then did the director chuckle, broaching carefully.
"Good news, bad news, and a favor. Three things. Which first?"
Brodo tensed.
"Good news first."
"Good news: This broadcast opened new horizons for gate clears!"
Caston glanced warily.
"Then…… bad news?"
"Bad news: Those sly KS Channel bastards beat us to it! Holding their dumb sports fest again. Stealing our superstars!"
The director ranted, but Brodo and Caston—having predicted it—stayed calm. As long as no sequel demands, anything went.
"Hmm, the favor……."
The director paused, sliding a paper over.
"My granddaughter's a Zien fan. Begged me nonstop…… Get his autograph. Name, heart, and 'grow strong' message."
Lightning exit.
Caston muttered softly.
"……The director asking for an autograph."
"Life's full of surprises. Pack up, Caston. This vacation's gonna be long."
A festival-like buzz.
Brodo smiled at Zien on the screen.