1 Camera-Man

Sigh...

Being a cameraman just doesn't pay at all in this day and age.

The world has changed a lot since the Gate appeared.

Everyone seems to be obsessed with being a superhero, killing monsters, and saving the world. Meanwhile, I'm struggling to pay my studio rent and stay in business.

Maybe I should just become a reporter cameraman. It does have some risks since I'm not an Awakener at all, meaning I'm just a normal human going around with a camera and I would need to report crazy situations like Gate outbreaks and Awakeners killing strong monsters or...

Nope.

After giving it another thought, I think I would rather be a normal cameraman in my own studio. If I were awakened and had some superpower, maybe I would consider it, but there's no chance for me to awaken since I'm already past the age.

The normal awakening age is from 15 to 25. I'm just a 35-year-old man who has no use in this day and age. The worst timing is that when the first Gate appeared, I was already 25 years old. God really gave me no chance at all. This is truly the definition of being born in the wrong age and time.

Ding

The bell rang as a customer entered my studio. I instantly stood up from my seat and greeted the customer, but hearing the customer asking for directions triggered something in my brain.

"Hello, do you know where..."

"Turn right, and you'll see a giant building. That's where the Guild is. It's the tallest building in the area. They really should've put up a sign, goddamn it."

"Thanks, I guess."

The customer instantly ran off after I went off on him. It has happened too many times, and I'm not in the mood at the moment.

Sigh... I may have earned a bad reputation because of that.

Forget it, let's try to be a reporter cameraman.

[3 hours later]

I successfully got accepted at a famous media company due to my experience and knowledge. But since I'm not an Awakener, I need to sign a contract stating that if I die, the company will not be held liable for my death.

It's a red flag, but I need money.

"Newbie, come on. There's a giant Gate outbreak in City A. We need to rush over there right now!"

I guess it's time to make some money.

I have an assigned partner who's just 18 years old, but due to the fact that she's awakened, she's now my superior. I need to follow a kid's orders during my time working here.

We got into a super vehicle, as expected of a rich company. We quickly arrived at the scene, and the Gate is humongous, around 35 feet long and 20 feet wide. It's my first time seeing a Gate up close, so I don't know if the Gate's normal size should be this big.

"Are you sure this is safe? The Gate is pretty huge," I asked my partner, who is the reporter.

"Of course, it's safe. Come on, we need to quickly take the video. We're the first to arrive, so we'll make a huge amount of money from this one video."

Her response doesn't reassure me at all. This youngster clearly doesn't care about her life at all.

"Okay, we're going live in 3... 2... 1..."

The reporter started doing her job, and I'm just standing still, trying to capture her while staring at the giant Gate, hoping that no monster comes out of it.

We're interviewing the hunters' party that is going to raid the Gate.

They're all famous hunters known across the world. They're the celebrities of today's time and age due to the superpowers they possess.

I thought to myself, 'I'm jealous.'

After the interview was over, we turned off the camera and took a break. The reporter was doing her own content with her own camera on her phone. She's also a streamer.

Right now, I have nothing to do other than watching a group of people setting up weird technology in front of the giant Gate.

As we waited, more and more people gathered. It turned out there was more than one party trying to raid the dungeon.

"Why is it taking so long to gauge the Gate's rank?" One of the hunters complained, as the weird technology was taking too long to do its job.

"I don't know, sir. We'll give it a few more minutes. If it still doesn't work, we'll go get a new one."

"We don't have time for that... Guys! We're just going to raid the dungeon. We have 3 S-Rank hunters. There's no way the raid can go wrong. So we'll head in right away."

The government officials were going to say something, but the young men were correct. There are 3 S-Rank Hunters, so there's no way the raid could go wrong.

But hearing that the technology is not working as intended got me curious.

After we recorded the hunters entering the Gate, I immediately asked the government officials, "Is it the first time the machine has malfunctioned?"

"Hmm? Uh, not really. It has malfunctioned quite a few times since the machine is still in development. However, it's definitely rare for the machine to malfunction."

"When was the last time the machine malfunctioned?"

"Uh... I don't know... Maybe 5 years ago?"

Oh... I got a bad feeling...

Just as I said that, the Gate that was supposed to be blue suddenly transitioned to a red color. I instinctively changed my camera focus to the Gate when the color transitioned.

"Oh, you're already recording? Great job, newbie," the reporter was about to scold me for not starting to record instantly, but then she noticed that my camera was already in action and complimented me instead.

But I don't care about that. Are we safe staying here at all?

"What's that? Why is it turning red?" I turned to the government officials, while keeping the camera steady.

The government officials panicked as well. It's their first time seeing a red Gate.

The reporter, however, was excited that they got a close-up recording of the Gate when the color transition happened.

"We don't know... Right now, we're trying to figure it out. The machines aren't working. They're sensing a higher mana density than the value they could record in that Gate. I thought it's a bug, but I think the Gate is much more powerful than an S-Rank Gate."

"So, do you mean this is the first SS-Rank Gate? Newbie, we need to report this."

"Young girl, do you not value your life?" I scolded the reporter, but she was still stubborn about it.

"Old man, do you want to be fired on your first day?" The reporter reminded me that she's the superior one, so I need to always follow her orders if I want to keep my job.

Damn it, this is probably the stupidest thing I have done in my life.

We stood still while also interviewing the government officials, who were clearly worried about the situation. Some of them were making calls, and most of them were busy tampering with the machines, trying to get them to gauge more than an S-Rank Gate to properly assess how difficult the new SS-Rank Gate is compared to most S-Rank Gates.

"How is it? Is the value going up?" One of them asked after finishing setting things up on his side.

"Yeah, it's going up. It has reached more than fifteen thousand, and it's still going up," the man monitoring the screen replied.

"Fifteen thousand? Is that a lot? What's the base amount for S-Rank Gates?" I asked them, as I was curious about it too.

"Hey, old man, stop stealing my question. I was going to ask that," the reporter scolded me for stealing her job.

It was utter chaos at the moment, but I was still waiting for the answer to my question.

"An S-Rank Gate is around 5000-9999 in value, but most S-Rank Gates are around 5000. But this one... it has reached 25000... I think we should get out of here," one of the government people answered with slight fear in his tone.

All of them agreed and started packing their stuff. However, we were a step too late as the Gate started to rumble.

Suddenly, we could hear the roar of a terrifying beast. Even though it sounded like it was far away, it was approaching closer and closer.

The reporter was scared shitless by the beast's roar. She now wanted to get out of the area and evacuate, but again, we were too late.

A giant head peeked out of the Gate, and it instantly stared at us as though we were mere ants that weren't worth its attention.

The reporter left me behind. She had already gotten into the vehicle and drove away as soon as she saw the head peek out of the Gate.

I stayed behind, staring at the giant beast that revealed itself as it got out of the Gate.

It's a white dragon.

Even though I'm an old boomer, I still know what a dragon looks like. I used to play games, after all. I can't believe there's a dragon in front of me at the moment.

As a cameraman observing the white dragon, I am in awe of the majestic and enchanting creature before me. The sight through my lens is truly captivating, and I am honored to have the opportunity to document such a mythical being.

I have long accepted my death when I saw a dragon standing in front of me. It's literally just beside me, so instead of running (since I don't think I can outrun a dragon at all), I decided to stay back and enjoy myself.

I used my camera.

The camera frames the dragon against a backdrop of snow-covered peaks, enhancing the ethereal ambiance surrounding this magnificent creature.

The natural light dances off its shimmering white scales, creating a breathtaking spectacle. Each scale seems to possess a radiant glow, as if they carry within them the essence of a frosty winter morning.

As I zoom in, the dragon's head fills the frame, revealing its remarkable features. The elongated snout showcases intricate details and fine textures, while the curved horns gracefully extend from its forehead, evoking a sense of regality and strength. Its piercing icy blue eyes seem to hold deep wisdom and ancient knowledge, reflecting a world beyond our own.

It's staring at me.

The beast proceeds to stare at me in silence as I record its majesty. It seems like it doesn't view me as hostile at all. However, the people escaping the area tell a different story.

The government officials and the reporter, who have just left, suddenly the white dragon shoots out a small beam in the direction they escaped to.

Boom!

When the beam lands, a huge explosion occurs. In a mere second, an entire city is destroyed by the dragon with just a small beam from its mouth.

I'm shocked at how powerful the small ball that shot out of the dragon's mouth is. However, I'm completely safe from the explosion. The ashes aren't coming near me at all, and not even a huge gust from the explosion can be felt.

The white dragon has an invisible barrier around it, and since I'm inside the barrier, I'm completely safe from the aftermath of the explosion.

"Puny human, you seem to appreciate me a lot, judging by how you are describing my looks and all. I'm definitely flattered by your compliments. So for now, I will spare you."

'What?' A voice suddenly echoes in my head. It feels overwhelming, but I instantly know whose voice it is.

There's only one explanation: it's the dragon's voice.

"Is the object you're holding capable of capturing my majestic look?"

The white dragon asks again, curious about the camera I'm holding.

"Yes, this device is able to capture images and preserve moments forever."

I am surprised that a dragon is showing fascination with a camera, which is why I take my time to explain how a camera works to a dragon, even though I'm not sure if she understands.

I explain that it works by capturing light and converting it into an electronic signal, which is then processed to create a visual representation of the scene.

I also explain the different components of the camera, starting with the lens, which basically serves as an eye for the camera, responsible for focusing the light onto the sensor or film.

I'm glad that the dragon is paying attention, as she lowers her head to look at the object up close.

As I take my time and explain all the components of the camera, hunters arrive, probably to subjugate the dragon.

They arrive in helicopters and armored vehicles, and there are a lot of them, including some S-Rank Hunters.

"It seems like your kind has arrived. Unique human, make sure to "record" the best of me. If you do that properly, I'll reward you after I get rid of these pests."

I gladly accept the offer, even though I'm not sure what kind of reward she would give me.

Moving the camera, I capture the dragon's wings as they extend to their full span. The translucent membranes catch the light, transforming them into gossamer veils that shimmer with a celestial brilliance.

As the dragon flexes its wings, a giant gust stirs the surrounding air, knocking down the helicopters as it struggles to maintain balance with the strong gust.

Tracking the dragon's movements, I observe the power that resonates through its muscular body. The undulating motion beneath the radiant scales reveals its strength and grace.

With each step she takes, she easily crushes the armored vehicles under her.

The hunters try their best to damage the dragon, but their attacks are not doing anything to the tough, shimmering white scales at all.

The dragon starts to whip its tail at the hunters. I immediately try to capture the dragon's tail, adorned with a cluster of long spines that add a sense of elegance and balance to its form.

They sway gently with the dragon's every movement, adding an artistic flair to the scene, killing all the hunters with a single swipe.

Finally, as the dragon breathes, I adjust the camera to capture the awe-inspiring display. The icy cold air billows forth, transforming into a mesmerizing mist that crystallizes in the air, leaving behind a shimmering trail of frozen beauty.

In just a few minutes, she kills everyone who came towards her. Even though she could probably do it faster, she showed off everything she has before unleashing her dragon breath to eliminate all the survivors that remain.

"Did you get everything? Especially the moment when I extended my wings fully?"

The white dragon turns to me as though nothing had happened.

I nod my head and show her the whole video that I captured.

Her eyes zoom in and look at the camera up close. She is impressed by what I have recorded with just a tiny object.

"I can't believe a tiny object called a 'camera' could fit myself inside of it. Before I give you the reward, let me ask you a question first, my friend. Do you hold that camera dearest?"

"Yes. I've spent years developing skills and knowledge with it. Without the camera, I can't do anything at all. You probably need a few more things, such as memory cards to store the memory that I just captured, and sometimes you need filters, lights, and reflectors to enhance the picture or video quality. But yeah, the camera is the main equipment that I hold dearest."

The white dragon doesn't understand most of the things that I said, but she is definitely satisfied with the answer that I gave her.

"Very well, then this would be the perfect reward just for you."

The White Dragon shoots something out of her mouth. I don't know what it is, so I just close my eyes and accept my fate.