Ragna Beach Getaway
Dazzling sunlight.
The chirping of birds.
A peaceful morning like something out of a painting. Zien and his party members were enjoying tea time on the clubroom sofa.
"That was seriously hectic."
Chris was the one who spoke up.
From clearing the 5th-rank gate to the Desire invasion, the Arcana Party had experienced a ton during their first visit to Central.
"Central lives up to the hype. Not a single word about Desire anywhere."
As Amy put it, the invasion had been kept completely under wraps. The Gate Management Bureau's humiliating defeat and the revelation that Isis—a 7th-rank Saber—was with Desire had been buried deep. Thanks to that, all the media spotlight shone squarely on Zien's party.
"Check this out, Party Leader! All these articles are about us!"
Amy, who'd reaped the biggest benefits from her broadcast, was over the moon. The phone screen she shoved toward Zien was packed with headlines.
[Students Make History! First-Ever 5th-Rank Gate Clear!]
[Arcana and Celia Team-Up Success?]
[Student Raid Team's Triumphant Start!]
[Even Dennis Impressed by the Party Leader...]
The articles overflowed with praise.
A few griped about the bill's approval, but even they acknowledged the raid team's skill. To the media, always hungry for superstars, Zien and Lucia were a godsend.
Thanks to the buzz, the clubroom was overflowing with gifts and sponsorships.
"Isn't this a bit much? We're getting too famous."
At Chris's mutter,
Amy wagged her finger pityingly.
"We snagged that 5th-rank gate over all the other students because of the Battle Survival win and our party's rep, right?"
"I get that, but... people recognize me when I go out sometimes."
"Hehe, that's the price of fame~ I get mobbed by crowds every time I head out."
Amy, with her massive viewer base, was already basking in the popularity.
"Besides, who'd even remember you? If anyone's suffering from the fame, it's obviously the Party Leader~"
Amy sidled up to Zien with a smirk.
"Can you believe it? Us first-years clearing a 5th-rank gate. Still feels unreal!"
Chris tsked at Amy's goofy grin.
"No wonder it feels unreal. You didn't do jack."
"What?"
Chris's jab.
Amy shot him a glare, but the spirited little guy stood his ground.
"Heard your nickname's Villain now? Don't tell me that's your true calling."
"That's..."
Amy averted her eyes, nailed by Chris's strike. Sweat beading on her forehead, she flinched as he slapped a hand on her shoulder with a grin.
"Broadcasting for villains one minute, gate streams the next. Keeping busy, huh?"
"Ugh, I'm innocent! I was just following the gate's quests."
Amy had a point—she was wronged.
The story had veered into comedy, but she'd started with a mana penalty and just followed the quests. Next thing she knew, viewers branded her the villain. Luckily, one person saw through it.
"It was a necessary step to wrap up the gate's story."
The party leader, Zien.
'If the quest demanded it, then it was needed.'
Amy's involvement had subtly shifted the narrative. She'd cleared her quests, fulfilling her role.
Amy's eyes went wide, oblivious or not. Teased across every platform, even called a villain—she gazed at Zien, touched.
"...Waaah, Party Leeeader! You're right! Sniff! The mana seal penalty wasn't my fault, okay? Just bad luck!"
As Amy vented rapid-fire, Chris sighed at Zien.
"Zien, defending villains now? You're too soft."
Amy's eyebrow twitched at Chris's nonstop snark.
"Tch, what a shame. If only this annoying punk took after the Party Leader even a little!"
Amy's glare.
Chris's smug ease.
While they bickered, Isabel savored a gifted chocolate cake. Healed by black tea after the gate's ordeals, she finally spoke.
"Zien. We cleared the 5th-rank gate like you planned. How's it feel?"
Desire's invasion had thrown a wrench in things. Student council's Stella, who'd joined for the field trip, was still hospitalized. But overall, it had gone smoothly as planned.
"It's just the beginning."
Zien's now-familiar calm tone.
Isabel set her teacup down seriously.
"Right. It was a virtual gate, after all."
As Isabel said, virtual and real gates differed. Virtual ones were artificial spaces built from gate data.
Mistakes mid-quest weren't fatal—you didn't really die. But in a real gate...
"Phew, lucky break. If it'd been real, Isabel, you'd be..."
Chris gazed wistfully at her, and Amy nodded along.
"Yeah. If it wasn't virtual, right now..."
Isabel had blocked Iruka's attack in Kua's place and died. In a real gate, that'd be it. But she didn't flinch at their teasing.
"It was virtual anyway. You saved me, end of story. Worry about now. We've got a new gate assigned."
A Zone 4 5th-rank gate.
Metis had assigned Zien's party one—fitting, as they'd basically rammed the bill through.
"Yeah. Like Isabel said, things there will carry real weight."
Zien noted.
"Of course, there are upsides."
Unlike virtual gates with just experience, real ones brimmed with rewards. Skills, artifacts—even magic tool awakenings if luck held.
"This gate's ours. All artifacts from it go to the participating Sabers."
Zien's originally strong party would widen the gap with other students. Real combat experience, artifacts, skills—things talent and effort alone couldn't bridge.
"Hm, looking forward to it."
Chris eyed Amy like she was easy prey.
"Guess in a real gate, you'd eat another penalty and get nabbed by villains..."
At his pitying look, Amy snapped.
"Argh, seriously! Hey, you! Let's settle this right now!"
"Anytime you're ready."
Chris and Amy kept sniping. After Battle Survival and the 5th-rank clear, the party had grown undeniably closer.
Zien watched them fondly.
"We've got time before the raid anyway."
"...W-Wait, more training?"
Chris tensed,
but Zien stood with a smile.
"No, Chris. I'm not that predictable."
Chris and Amy lit up.
"Wait, does that mean—?"
"Rest for us too, Party Leader?"
Isabel, spoon in mouth, eyed him suspiciously.
"No way."
"For real. Here."
Zien pulled out four vacation passes and a letter. Selphis's missive, touched by Zien's feats, went on forever.
Ho ho! Our pride and joy of Arcana... (excerpted)...
But summed up simply:
Relations with Celia's principal had warmed; as a reward for their hard work, enjoy these vacation passes and rest up.
"Can't ignore the principal's gesture."
Zien had to accept Selphis's kindness.
'Too much grind backfires anyway.'
Chris pinched his cheek at Zien's words.
"For real? No dragging us to a deserted island for survival week? Just straight-up rest?"
Since teaming with Zien, Chris hadn't had a free weekend. His first vacation left him dazed.
"Yeah. Destination's not a deserted island—it's Ragna Beach."
The pinnacle of resorts, where even Brodo and Caston had sung praises. Amy was genuinely moved.
"Best decision ever joining this party!"
"We're going on vacation!"
Chris whooped in delight.
The Ragna Beach trip was set for a week later, clashing with KS Channel's big event. No coincidence, knowing Selphis.
'He's going all out. Might as well join in.'
Zien was game for the event.
'Good for Amy's stream too.'
Amy herself was just lost in bliss.
"Exams done, sports festival soon, then vacation! Hehe, finals'll fly by."
"Sports festival? Oh yeah, it's joint this year."
Chris high-fived her, and Amy beamed proudly.
"As an industry insider~ it's all for the Party Leader. No star student to push? No KS festival."
Isabel lounged on the sofa, glancing at Zien.
"And that star's you, Zien? What's the man of the hour say?"
"It's just the beginning."
The first step was One Number status.
That got them into Battle Survival, boosted fame via Amy, and secured the virtual gate priority.
'Insane pace for a student.'
But Zien's party was still powerless against Desire and Isis.
She was one of two 7th-rank Sabers with Dennis. Plus, Desire boasted three 6th-rankers.
'Miles to go before matching Desire.'
Isis's strength Zien faced was transcendent. His past self could've won, but current Zien fell short. One solution to their threat.
"We'll just get stronger."
Surpass them.
My Previous Life was the Strongest Sword God