Pioneer of the Abyss - Book 3 - Chapter 27 (Patreon)

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Table of Contents

Click the following link for the 1338 word chapter 27:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13IpcANo1B5komxZYGoa4kYxyl4mA5-kxeZDIHHF-J64/edit?usp=sharing

Or you can read the unformatted version below:

Within the Pioneer Games Virtual Stadium

Roaring cheers echo through the virtual stadium the moment the Official Pioneers enter. And alongside those cheers, Jules, the current head commentator of the Pioneer Games, exclaims, “It is time to welcome all of our wonderful Official Pioneers!”

“Flame Emperorrrr!!!!” “Go Flame Emperor!!” “You can win Rickk!!!”

“Sol! Sol Sol!!!” “Ray Felder!!!!!” “IT’S RAAAAYYYY!!!”

“Black Knight!” “Black Knight!” “Black Knight!” “Cut them all down Black Knight!!!”

“Jacob Scottsfield!!!!” “The Lightning Berserker will scorch them allll!!!” “The Burning Berserker!” “The Lightning Berserker!!!!!”

Jules hears the cheers specifically naming one Official Pioneer after another. With the most prominent amongst them being the highest level amongst them. The Official Pioneers with the greatest chances of victory.

And yet, even amongst the most popular Official Pioneers, one stands out more than the others.

“AQUAAAAA!!!” “IT’S AQUA!!!” “SHE’S HERE!”

“Defeat them all Aqua! Win this game!!!”

“Aqua is the queen!!!”

“Turn all of them into fish food!!!”

The majority of Official Pioneer Games have too many participants for the commentators to interview every last participant. So the commentators usually interview only the most popular Official Pioneers and those who have the highest chance of winning.

Without hesitation, Jules moves straight towards Aqua Azuranth for the first interview of the game.

“To start this interview segment off, let’s go to the person everyone here is most curious about!” Jules shouts, his voice echoing out through the enormous virtual stadium. And the moment Aqua’s fans see him heading towards her, the cheers for her grow so loud that they begin to overwhelm the cheers for the other Official Pioneers.

I am soooo glad I took over as commentator. This timing is perfect with such a big name joining the Pioneer Games.

Jules carefully manages his expression to make sure he doesn’t show his current thoughts as he reaches Aqua.

The girl herself is wearing the same armor that she usually wears on her broadcasts, except that it is virtually altered to look like a regular hoodie and shorts. And she is standing still, looking around the stadium with her hands in her hoodie pockets.

“So Miss Azuranth,” Jules says with a polite smile as the cheers begin to grow quieter upon the start of the interview segment. “Or may I call you Aqua?” He continues when he sees Aqua nod her head. “So Aqua, how did you feel when you first became a Pioneer? And again, how did you feel when you finally became an Official Pioneer?”

Aqua glances at the audience in the bleachers around the stadium, then at the other Official Pioneers who are all looking at her. Finally, she turns back to Jules and answers, “I thought it was unfair when I first became a Pioneer. I was also confused about finding out about the Bloodline.”

Jules’ eyes widen slightly at her words, some of which could be taken as a statement against the Pioneer System. But he doesn’t say anything about it since those words are common answers to this question. Especially since Official Pioneers, who are the only ones he can ask these questions to, are too important for the Alliance to pick a fight with just for a political statement.

Her other answer is more important thanks to the uniqueness of her status as a Bloodliner and Official Pioneer.

“And I was a little busy when I became an Official Pioneer trying not to die,” she adds, surprising Jules for a brief moment before he remembers the situation she was in when she became one. “I didn’t really have much chance to think about it at the time.”

“Then what do you think about the other Official Pioneers competing here today? Do you think you can win?” Jules asks, changing the subject of the interview immediately with professional ease.

He sees the other Official Pioneers around them narrowing their gazes at Aqua upon this question. All clearly wanting to hear her response.

Aqua raises a brow at him and answers, “We’ll see soon, now won’t we?”

Jules’ eyes widen slightly in surprise at the reversal. “I suppose we will!” He begins to grin. “It’s been wonderful meeting you, Aqua Azuranth!” And, while the audience breaks out into cheers at her answers, he turns to face them and says, “That is it with our questions for Aqua! Let us turn our questions toward the Black Knight!!!”

The Black Knight fans amongst the audience go wild at the mention of his interview.

Aqua

I watch the commentator move onto the Black Knight after his interview with me. Meanwhile the Black Knight’s fans go wild. And while my fans are still cheering as well, he has a lot of fans too.

Not as many as me, but still quite a few.

I didn’t really think about it, but entering an Official Pioneer Game like this also shows me more than just how strong the other Official Pioneers are. It also shows me how popular they are compared to me.

After all, I’ve never actually seen how my own popularity compares to the other Official Pioneers.

What I’ve seen so far is that I have a lot of fans. More than even the most popular Official Pioneers here. Even with the Black Knight’s fan count being relatively close.

I always thought that I was really popular due to the uniqueness of my water combat streams and my Bloodline. And yet, one of the lowest level range Official Pioneers is nearing my own popularity.

Thinking about that makes me wonder just how popular the fans of the higher level range Official Pioneers are.

Of course, the Black Knight may also be an unusual Official Pioneer. And he probably is, considering his status as a rising star.

But it’s rather interesting.

Then again, the people who can attend the virtual stadium directly like this are also amongst the wealthier but not influential viewers. The more influential and powerful viewers tend to watch in private viewing rooms, and the average person can’t afford entering the virtual realm at all.

So the majority of the people watching in this virtual stadium itself are the people who watch more regularly. And they’ve likely already become fans of other Official Pioneers.

None of this really matters at the end of the day, but it is interesting to see all of this.

The Black Knight doesn’t really say much during his own interview. He’s asked the same thing I was. About if he thinks he can win. But he answered that he doesn’t think he can win alone.

Which is pretty unexpectedly honest.

After interviewing the Black Knight, the commentator moves onto interviewing the other high level Official Pioneers of the Pioneer Game. Each one of which he asks that same last question as he asked me. Whether they think they can win. Except that he adds if they think they can be at me. And each one answers… rather uniquely.

Ray says, “With ease.”

Jacob says, “I don’t know, but it’ll be fun!”

And one more, Rictar Velbrase Deleterema who is also known as the Flame Emperor, bluntly states that he doesn’t care about me whatsoever and doesn’t consider me an opponent. Which got him booed quite a bit by the crowd.

I believe that guy is another high level user who focuses on fire magic. Hence his title as the Flame Emperor.

That said, I’m not really worried about him. Simply because he is only level nine hundred and fifty.

I honestly can’t imagine him being a threat to me. He’s barely above me in level, after all.

It doesn’t really makes sense why he is so arrogant right now. But it doesn’t really matter to me.

If I find him and we battle, then I can just kill him in the game. It will probably snap him out of his arrogance.

Anyway, the interviews continue until he interviews the tenth Official Pioneer. Then he begins to go over the rules for the game.

Time to compete.

This’ll be fun.