I Became a Genius Swordsman in the Pretty Girl Game

A demon gate floating along the shores of Hawaii.
The area within a 10-kilometer radius of the gate was surrounded by bright yellow safety lines.

Due to the high rank of the gate, which was a double-layered demon gate, a sinister aura spread around the coast.

On the water’s surface, dead fish floated belly-up, overturned by the waves. Drawn by the stench of the decaying fish, insects fell victim to the aura and perished, leaving their bodies to drift among the waves.

The Utopia Party, our master, and five seniors—twelve of us—stood before the demon gate.

“Ugh, the smell… This feels really dangerous,” Sophia said, scrunching her nose and scanning the surroundings.

“That’s actually a good thing,” I replied.
“Good…? How?”

Sophia asked, her voice filled with doubt. The other party members, though silent, looked equally curious as to how this could be fortunate.

“Since it’s so obviously dangerous, we can avoid drawing unnecessary attention while my master and her subordinates are accompanying us.”

Normally, the area around the demon gate would be teeming with people: reporters eager to witness Utopia’s expedition, hunters hoping to glean information about the demon gate, and mingling among them, demons disguised as humans.

Clearing demon gates had become an international event of sorts.

But the clear signs of danger radiating from this demon gate caused journalists to retreat, and even the curious hunters reluctantly accepted our advice to withdraw. With them gone, the demons trying to blend in had no choice but to stay away, lest they risk being caught and exposed.

“It’s best if the Demon Slayer Squad entering the gate remains a secret. Once we’ve cleared the double-layered gate, it won’t matter if people find out since we’ll be done quickly.”

Come to think of it, is this the first time the Demon Slayer Squad is being exposed to the media? I already discussed this with my master.

The demons already know of the squad, so as long as their precise identities and personal details remain undisclosed, it should be fine.

‘This is a good opportunity to let people know that there have been those protecting them from the shadows all along.’

I made a mental note to discuss this with Shin Se-hee later.

“Master,” I called.
“Yes, I’ll go in first,” Master replied.

Thus, we decided to proceed in separate groups. Master and the senior Slayer squad members would go ahead as the vanguard to scout and pave the way.

“It’s exciting to do something myself for once instead of just watching,” someone said.
“See you later, rookie!”
“Haha, a demon gate! What an experience this will be.”
“This should be fun…”

With that, Master and the seniors disappeared into the gate.

Turning my head toward Shin Se-hee, I said, “Se-hee, position yourself a little further away from the gate and oversee operations from there. While the aura might not be too toxic for hunters who can shield themselves with mana, it still causes damage. Can you maintain the connection at that distance?”

“Yes, as long as it’s within a kilometer, the connection should hold fine,” she answered.

“Alright, let’s move out.”

Leaving Shin Se-hee behind, we stepped into the demon gate.

.

.

.

‘Where is this? Who am I…?’

Once a passionate champion of justice, Lee Min-young was now the leader of Utopia’s sub-party, working tirelessly day and night.

Her orange bob swayed as she sat beside Shin Se-hee, who had called her over, looking like a misplaced scarecrow.

“When you asked me to join you at the demon gate, I thought you meant entering the gate with everyone…”

She had expected the gate-clearing to be so challenging that her help would be indispensable.

The night before, she spent her own money to buy advanced dungeon-specific artifacts and prepared a will for her parents, even shedding tears onto the letter in her heightened emotions.

But instead of entering the gate, she found herself in a rectangular, cramped room far from it, filled with holographic projectors and cutting-edge equipment.

‘When did they even set this up?’ she wondered, stealing a glance at Shin Se-hee, who was focused on a blue crystal with a serious expression.

“Um, Se-hee, why am I here exactly?” Lee Min-young asked hesitantly.
“Oh, didn’t I explain? We’re planning to broadcast,” Shin Se-hee replied.
“I see… And?”
“You’ll be hosting as the caster.”
“W-What? A caster?!”

Caught off guard, Lee Min-young stared at her with wide eyes.

“Wait, you’ve been doing the broadcasts so well! Why now—suddenly—”

Lee Min-young, a fan of Utopia’s broadcasts, had always admired Shin Se-hee’s camera skills and polished presentation.

“Heh, well, let’s start the broadcast and see how it flows. Having someone clueless about the situation enhances the broadcast’s charm,” Shin Se-hee said with a smirk.

‘Explain it to me first!’ Lee Min-young screamed internally, clenching her lips.

Meanwhile, Shin Se-hee casually pressed the button to start the broadcast.

Ding!

[Utopia LIVE: Demon Gate Expedition feat. Lee Min-young]

Viewers flooded the broadcast immediately.

-It’s here! My favorite show!!!

-KIAAAAAAA!!!!

-Finally, time moves again!

-Demon Gate 3! Let’s go!

-Who’s the newcomer with Se-hee?

“Hello, everyone! Since I’ll be taking on a different role during this gate expedition, I’ve brought someone to assist with the broadcast,” Shin Se-hee said with her trademark smile.

“H-Hello! I’m Lee Min-young, leader of Utopia’s sub-party!” Lee Min-young stammered, her voice stiff from nerves.

-Sub-party leader? Sounds familiar.

-Isn’t she kind of famous too?

-LOL, look how nervous she is!

-Why isn’t Se-hee hosting today?

“Because I’ll be in charge of strategy this time,” Shin Se-hee explained.

-Strategy? Out of nowhere?

-Isn’t that Jin Yuha’s job?

The chat erupted with numerous hooks as this was a story unheard of by the viewers.

-Oh, did you add a voice transmission feature to the Gate camera?

“That’s right. I requested Chairwoman Lina to add a voice transmission function. Now, I can also assist in battle as Utopia’s commander.”

-Ohhhh…

-Wow, that’s awesome.

-What’s awesome? Is it different from when Jin Yuha was commanding?

-Of course, it’s different. There’s a huge efficiency difference between commanding while staying in real-time third-person view and simultaneously fighting while issuing commands.

-But Jin Yuha managed well, right?

-That’s because Jin Yuha is insane. Normally, it’s impossible. Why do you think other parties or guilds practice coordinated attacks so hard and use hand signals to communicate?

“You’re absolutely correct. Jin Yuha’s command skills are extraordinary, to the point that I find it hard to match. However, it’s also true that we’ve been wasting his abilities to some extent. Jin Yuha’s real talent lies in his abilities as a dealer.”

-Wasting his abilities?

-…What does that mean?

“Fufu, yes. Until now, Jin Yuha has been commanding while fighting, so he hasn’t been able to fully showcase his skills. That’s why I took over the command for this Demonic Gate.”

This statement turned the initially uneasy chatroom into one filled with excitement.

-Wow, no way. Jin Yuha was already insanely strong, so how much stronger will he get now?

-Ah, I see! It’s time for the old Jin Yuha to step aside. Now it’s time for True Jin Yuha to shine.

-Yeah, that makes sense. Commanding while fighting isn’t easy, even if it sounds simple. Trying it in real situations is ridiculously hard.

Lee Min-young, watching this unfold from the sidelines, silently marveled.

‘She turned the crowd’s unease into anticipation in no time.’

Changing the command structure in Utopia was a significant decision. Adding changes to something that had been working well inevitably invited concerns and worries. Yet, Shin Se-hee managed to dispel those worries and even turn them into excitement with just a few words.

Was this impromptu, or was it something she had prepared beforehand? Either way, she was a monster.

‘…Can I even hope to emulate someone like her?’

Lee Min-young swallowed hard again.

“Fufu, that’s why I brought Lee Min-young to take over as the caster today. She’s someone I trust, who knows how to observe battles and explain them.”

“I-I’ll do my best!”

With no other choice, Lee Min-young awkwardly forced a smile, pumping herself up.

“S-speaking of which! The Utopia Party has encountered an enemy!”

.

.

.

The dark forest path was completely covered by white cobwebs, blocking the way.

‘As expected, this Gate is themed around spiders.’

The concept of this Demonic Gate was a “Spider Lair.”

While it was confirmed that the third Gate would be a dual Gate, the type of demons that appeared was random.

Well, judging by the fish killed by the venom leaking from the Gate, it was somewhat predictable.

‘…Normally, a combination of Spider Lair and a dual Gate is the worst-case scenario. The terrain here is more of a hindrance than the monsters.’

Unlike the lucky draws from the first and second Gates, this one was a dud.

‘But it doesn’t matter.’

Inside the Gate, I expanded my sensory range to the maximum.

Ahead, I saw my Master and the Demon Slayer Squad seniors moving swiftly as the vanguard. Sticky webs blocked their path in all directions.

Saaaahhh

My Master conjured ice mid-air.

Swishhhh

Rotating octahedral ice cut through the air, severing the webs on all sides. Simultaneously, the webs adhered to the ice.

But it didn’t matter.

The moment the ice was deconstructed and reformed, the webs disappeared entirely along with their anchors.

Perhaps giving my Master an elemental skill book for ranged attacks was the best decision I ever made.

The severed webs were then cleared by the seniors.

Even the lively seniors had turned cold and silent once the battle began.

‘My Master and the Demon Slayer Squad seniors… They’re far better than most sub-parties.’

And I don’t mean just by current standards, but even by the overpowered gacha-heavy game mechanics of my past life.

With them clearing the path so effectively, our movements became significantly easier.

Then it happened.

-Everyone, prepare for combat.

Shin Se-hee’s voice rang in my ear.

‘These spider bastards… They look disgusting.’

The enemy was the offspring of Arakne, a demon. Hideous monsters with spider bodies and human torsos were closing in to surround us.

Shing

We each drew our weapons in response.

“Shin Se-hee, I’ll leave the command to you.”

-Leave it to me.

Her confident voice over the communicator made me smirk.