《When I Tried Strengthening 【Rusted Sword】, It Evolved Into An Overpowered Magic Sword》 Volume 1 - CH 1 Translated by : kyrusai Edited by : kyurusai When a child turns twelve years old, the gods blessed them with a [Sacred Weapon]. A special weapon designed to fight against demons and monsters. The people who possess it and fight against demons and monsters to protect people are called adventurers in praise of their bravery. I yearn to be that kind of adventurer. Now that Im twelve, I can finally take the first step towards becoming an adventurer. Today is the beginning of my adventure story to become a hero. Hey, Rust! If you dont get up soon, youll be late! Hmm. CMorning. I was lying in bed with the blanket over my head when a girls voice woke me up. As I peel off my blanket, rubbing my sleepy eyes, I made eye contact with a red-haired girl who was looking into my face. Good morning, Rust. Today is the long-awaited Blessing Ceremony. Lets get ready and go to the temple. Ruby. Ruby Blood, a childhood friend of mine. She stares at me in amusement as I wake up from my slumber, a big smile plastered on her face. Geez, I was looking forward to the Blessing Ceremony so much yesterday. You were looking forward to the Blessing Ceremony so much yesterday, but if you dont make it in time for the ceremony, well be screwed. So wake up early, Rust. Umm, yeah, sorry Ruby. I apologized and sluggishly got out of bed. Yes, today I will receive the Blessing Ceremony that I have been looking forward to. Today we are officially adults. And then, we will receive a Sacred Weapon from God. I must not be late for the ceremony. Thank you for coming all the way to wake me up. I wont be late, thanks to you. But why are you in my room without permission? Ive already told you to stop doing that. Because your mom said, [Go wake him up] Mother Rubys house is right opposite mine, and weve been playing together a lot for ages. She often came over to our house to play, and since she was little, she would always barge into my room without permission. It didnt bother me when I was still a kid, but lately, Ive been feeling embarrassed and Ive been asking her to stop. Because we are now grown-ups. Even though your mom is looking forward to your [Blessing Ceremony]. So why in the world are you still sleeping until the very last minute of the ceremony? Were you too excited to sleep last night? No, its not. Rather its the opposite. Im looking forward to it, but Im also a little nervous. Thats why I couldnt sleep much last night. Nervous? I said that to Ruby with a bitter smile, who tilted her head puzzledly. You dont know what kind of sacred weapon youre going to get, so what if I end up with a weird sacred weapon.. Well, I guess thats right, too. The sacred weapon is a weapon to protect you from demons and monsters, so it would be a shame if you were given a strange sacred weapon since the ritual is a one-time thing. Yes, the [Blessing Ceremony] to receive the [Sacred Weapon] can only be performed once. It cannot be redone. Moreover, since the sacred weapon is a special weapon for fighting demons and monsters, the way you live your life in the future will be determined to a large extent by the sacred weapon you are blessed with. its no exaggeration to say that the ceremony will determine your life. And on top of that, you cant use anything but your sacred weapon. There was no way I could get a good nights sleep with such an important ceremony coming up. Unlike me, Ruby has thick nerves, so Im sure she slept well. And she even has enough time to wake up her childhood friend who oversleeps. As I was stroking my bed hair with my hand, Ruby smiled mischievously and said Rust has always been timid, you know. Because of that, the boys in the village were always mean to you, it would be nice if the ritual could fix that personality a little bit. Ugh. But, well, its only natural for you to be nervous about the [Blessing Ceremony]. I mean, I felt the same Because we are ? Ruby, who was about to say something, smiled gently at me and continued. You promised to be an adventurer together, and if you got some weird sacred weapon, that dream wouldnt come true. Yeah, youre right. I give her a big nod. Ruby and I have made a promise that we will become [adventurers] together. This is our dream. We want to be cool heroes like the ones in the adventure stories. Let us pray that the gods will give us good weapons, Rust. un I hope both of us can get a good weapon. If only one of us gets it, that would be awkward. It seems that I am not the only one who is concerned about this, and Ruby said something that sounds like a bad omen. Well, if Rust gets some weird sacred weapon and Im the only one with a good sacred weapon, then I might leave Rust behind and become a Master Class adventurer first Ugh I dont think thats a joke, so please dont. I would not want Ruby succeeding as an adventurer before me just because I have weaker sacred weapons. Even if Im blessed with a mediocre D-rank or E-rank divine weapon and it makes it difficult for me to become an adventurer, Im not going to give up on my dream. Even if Ruby leaves me behind, Im determined to become an adventurer. No matter how much time I spend Because once you have a dream, it is not something you can easily let go of. Come on, lets get ready and head to the temple! I think everyones already waiting! Yeah, I guess. Im going to change now, so can you wait outside the room for a while? I was thinking about changing clothes a while ago, but Ruby wont leave the room. So I tried to speak my mind, but Ruby smiled mischievously like before. Im worried youll fall asleep again, so Ill stay here and keep an eye on you. I wont do that, so get out of here! Were really going to be late. Volume 1 - CH 2 Translated by : kyrusai Edited by : kyurusai The [Blessing Ceremony] takes place in the Temple, where sacred power is gathered. There is always at least one temple in every town or village, and the village we live in, Red Village, also has a magnificent temple built. Ruby and I came to the temple. Wow, thats a lot of people. Its not just the people from Red Village. There are a lot of people already gathered inside. Some of them are unfamiliar to me, probably residents of other towns or villages. It seems that people from other towns and villages are gathering to receive the ritual. The temple here is the biggest in the area, and it seems like theyre going to get the blessing here. Thats what Village Chief Beril said yesterday. Oh, really? I dont remember any of that, probably because I was so nervous. I mean, I just felt more and more nervous when I realized that there were a lot of people I dont know. If you look closely, you can see the parents of the people who will receive the blessing ceremony. They must have come to see their own child in glory. Unfortunately, my mother was busy with work and wasnt here. I guess thats a blessing in disguise. The possibility of embarrassing myself in front of my parents is gone. But still, Ill have to report the results later. Oh, look at the back. There are adventurers here. Thats true There were a few [adventurers] among them, and probably here to recruit promising talent. To bring someone who has been blessed with a high-ranked sacred weapon into their party. As I walked deeper inside the temple under their watchful eyes, I heard a voice calling out for Ruby from somewhere. Hey, Ruby, youre late! The ceremony will start soon! . Oh, good morning, guys! Hold up! Ruby left me, saying, Im off for a bit. She has a pretty wide circle of friends. She has a lot of friends in Red Village and even knows people in other towns and villages. She is the complete opposite of my timid personality. So I was left all alone and had no choice but to go to some corner and wait for the ceremony to start. And when I tried to get to the side Ow! *Boom!* I collided with someones shoulder. Rather, the other party deliberately bumped me on the shoulder. Who the heck is this guy? Well, thats pretty obvious. Oh, its the last one. Im sorry, Im sorry, youre so short I didnt notice you at all. Helio-kun He is a young boy with upswept golden hair and squinty eyes. Its Helio Doll, who lives in the same village as me and who is constantly harassing me. You could say that he is the little lord of Red Village. I heard that he was also coming to the temple to receive the [Blessing Ceremony]. He is the same age as me, so it is natural. What, youre going to take the blessing ceremony too, Rust? Whats the point if youre not going to be blessed with any great sacred weapon? ha ha ha I let out a chuckle at the sarcastic remark. Helio has always been mean to me, and Im not very fond of him. I cant argue back very well with him. Theres no point in taking the ceremony. Once the wimpy Rust had been blessed with the sacred weapon. Youll be too chicken to fight the demons anyway. There are only so many of us., so why not go home early? Yeah, maybe so. Therefore, I always try to cover it up with a bitter smile, like this. I need to say something back. Even if I knew that I should argue back, I couldnt because of the bad memories that flashed through my mind. As a result, I let out a weak chuckle and fall silent. However, thats when Hey, Helio. Youre harassing Rust again! Stop it right now! Tch, the annoying guy has arrived Ruby returned at the right time. Ruby always comes to my rescue when Helio and the other boys are being mean to me like this. Rubys reliable back. A sight Ive grown accustomed to. For Ruby, who has a strong sense of justice, bullying the weak is something she hates more than anything else. Thats why she helps me every time someone is being mean to me, and I, somewhere in my heart, have fallen for her. Helio turned his back to us with a bored look on his face, as if he had lost interest by being interrupted. At the very least, as a member of the same generation, dont do anything embarrassing, Rust. yeah I was relieved when I saw Helio walking away. Huh, it was scary. Just as I was thinking, Im not really good with Helio, Ruby poked me in the side from the side. Its not yeah, Rust. You should say something back. Im sorry Were going to be grown-ups now that were twelve years old, so we need to be more responsible. You cant be a cool adventurer if you staying like that. Besides, I wont be able to protect you forever. You have to be strong, Rust. Yeah, yeah truly pathetic. Thats right, Ruby cant keep protecting me forever. If I cant fight off a bully or two on my own, theres no way Ill ever be the hero Ive always wanted to be. Today I will change. I will be different. As I was gathering my resolve in secret, I heard the voice of a priest echoing in the temple. We will now begin the Blessing Ceremony. Those who will receive the blessing, please come to the altar. The temple, which had been buzzing with noise, suddenly became silent. Immediately, a boy came out from among the participants. All right, Ill go first! The boy followed the priests instructions and walked to the altar. The altar was bathed in a white glow from the sunlight that poured in through the open ceiling. Apparently, once a year, there is a day when the Sun pours out its divine light, and that light illuminates the altar. Only when it is illuminating the altar can one have a conversation with God. The only people who can interact with God are those who are twelve years old or older. In other words, adults. In the past, people had no way to fight against demons and monsters, so they were oppressed one-sidedly. This is because the demon race is protected by a tough layer of skin called [Demon Armor] which cannot be damaged by ordinary weapons. They made a plea to the gods to help them there and surprisingly, they were able to communicate with them and were given a special weapon that could slay demons and monsters. This is said to be the origin of the [Blessing Ceremony]. Well, I dont know if its true or not. Anyway, it was a fact that if a person who was over twelve years old prayed at the altar on a day when the white light was flowing, he could obtain a weapon that could defeat the demon race, so the boy followed suit and put his hands together in front of the altar. Then the altar begins to shine with more dazzling light. The light was so bright that I involuntarily closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, a large ax had appeared on the altar. Heres the blessing My eyes widen in surprise. Ive been fortunate enough to stand and watch a few ceremonies before, but this phenomenon never fails to amaze me every time. The shock was even greater because this time I was on the receiving end of the ritual. As I watched in amazement at the altar, a boy happily picked up the sacred weapon and shouted. [Steel Greataxe] Its a C-rank sacred weapon! Immediately, a round of applause rose from the crowd. By equipping a Sacred Weapon, you can learn more information about it [Properties]. The name, the rank, and all of the power that resides in that sacred object. It is also customary for those who have undergone the ritual to announce what sacred weapon they have received. The boy who had said the name and rank of the sacred weapon in accordance with it stepped back happily. Ill do it next! The girl who followed also prayed, and the altar shone with a blinding light. The girl also shouted loudly as she picked up the green dagger that appeared. [Gale Dagger]. I also have a C rank! Another round of applause. The people around him reacted with joy. Maybe well have a great harvest this year. Some years, you dont even see a single C-rank divine weapon Thats two already, and it gets more and more exciting. Sacred weapons are assigned a rank. From the top, the ranks are A, B, C, D, E, and F. The ranks change depending on the performance of the sacred weapon. The average is a D rank sacred weapon. Many people will be blessed with that rank. No wonder the people around me were happy to see two C-rank divine weapons suddenly appear among them. According to one theory, The chance for a C-rank weapon is one for every 1,000 people, a B-rank weapon is one for every 10,000 people, and an A-rank weapon is one for every 100,000 people. Well, Im not sure about that. In any case, after the boys and girls who had achieved excellent results, the blessing ceremony proceeded smoothly. D rank, D rank, C rank, D rank As expected, there seemed to be a lot of D-ranked sacred weapons. The fact that there are no sacred weapons of ranks lower than D suggests that this years harvest may be a good one. And then Whoa, whats with that sacred weapon? As he looked at the altar, he saw a long spear on it, clearly distinguishable from the other sacred weapons. It was beautifully ornamented and gave off a powerful aura. It was that bully, Helio-kun, who took it and held it up proudly. [Lightning Spear], B rank. Instantly, the loudest applause of the day was given. Oh! Thats Helio! I knew you had it in you! Let me have a good look! The village adults, friends, and people from other towns and villages applauded Helios ceremonies. A B-ranked sacred weapon. Amazing, indeed. Helio-kun has always been a strong fighter, and he also said that he wanted to be an adventurer like me and Ruby. With that divine weapon, Im sure hell become a great adventurer. Then, the adventurers who had been observing around us quickly begun to approach Helio-kun. Are you interested in becoming an adventurer? Why dont you come to join our party? We also welcome you, boy! Lets be adventurers and defeat the demons together! The annual invitation for new adventurers at the blessing ceremony. To become an adventurer, you need to take an exam and pass it. However, if you are recruited by an existing adventuring party, you can become an adventurer without taking the test. Its called a recommendation. Im pretty sure Ive heard that only high-ranking adventurers are allowed to make recommendations, so those guys must be pretty amazing. How enviable to be approached by so many of them. As I was looking at Helio, he suddenly looked at us. He was grinning and loosening his cheeks. That smug expression on his face is so annoying! Oh, Ha ha. Its a face that says, Look at me. Ruby didnt seem to like it. All right! Im going to show off something no less awesome than that guy! Good luck Ruby! Ruby also stands in front of the altar, not to be outdone by Helio, who has been blessed with a B-rank divine weapon. Then she bowed to the priest watching beside her and politely said her name. My name is Ruby Blood. I look forward to working with you. Ruby put her hands together in front of the altar and prayed to God. I cant even imagine what shes thinking about. But even watching from the side, I could feel how serious she was. Then the altar begins to glow with a bright light. Somehow, I felt the glow of the altar was stronger than the others ceremonies. When the light eventually subsided, a large sword was placed on the altar. Oh, thats Even the hilt of the large sword is dyed red. The blade is thick and disproportionately large for a girl to wield. However, Ruby lifted the great sword lightly and uttered the name and rank of the sacred weapon in a reverent manner. Lets see, [Flaming Dragons Great Sword], A rank? For a moment, the temple was silent. Everyone turns to look at Ruby, wide-eyed. Oh, my God! Its an A-rank sacred weapon! Ive never seen one up close before! Its so beautiful! Ruby herself didnt seem to be aware of it right away. When she realized the greatness of her sacred weapon after a while, she looked at me, holding it up with a broad smile. Look at me, Rust! Im an A-ranked sacred weapon! Im the highest-ranked one! Thats amazing, Ruby. The gods truly gave you a sacred weapon that is no less powerful than Helio-kun. I knew Ruby was amazing. She had a strong sense of justice, she was cool, and she had the talent to be an adventurer. As a childhood friend, I am also very happy. As she secretly enjoyed herself, adventurers soon rushed to Rubys side. Its not often that you see an A-ranked sacred weapon. Therefore, it is inevitable that there will be a lot of invitations. Ruby is troubled by the many invitations she receives. Then, a woman comes out of the crowd. Her white hair stretches to her waist as if it were bathed in light. Her skin is also perfectly white and pure. Her face is well-shaped. The woman, who could easily be called a beauty, stood in front of Ruby after cutting through the hordes of adventurers with only her domineering presence. Hey, thats Ah, No way Its the Hero Pearl.. The name sounded familiar to me, too. The title given to the strongest adventurers [Hero]. And now, the strongest known adventurer is a female adventurer named Pearl Lightning. Also known as [The Hero Pearl]. So thats who she is. But what in the world does she want with Ruby? If you want, you can join my party.Ruby Blood. Eh? Ruby wasnt the only one surprised. I gasped, and so did the people around me. Oh, Shes being recruited into a heros party!? Thats great, Ruby! You should definitely join them! The Hero Pearl frowned at the bustling noise around her. Its too noisy to talk here. Ill explain it to you over there, Ruby Blood. Are you sure its me? Can I join your party? Are there any other participants named Ruby Bloods besides you?Come follow me. Ha, yes! When Ruby was told that, she happily followed behind the hero. But just before she disappeared, she stopped. Then she glanced at me and firmly showed me her clenched fist. Good luck Rust! Thats the impression I got from her. Ruby then disappeared into the crowd, following Pearl. All I could do was stare blankly at the back of her head. Thats great, Ruby. I cant believe that legendary hero, Pearl Lightning, is recruiting her. So, I cant help but wish for the same. I wish I had a sacred weapon like that. it didnt need to be an A rank. I want a weapon that can fight the demon race. And I want to be recruited into some party and become an adventurer with Ruby. . I made up my mind and walked over to the altar. Youre the last one. Iam Rust Stone After greeting the priest, I began to prepare for the ceremony. Put my hands together in front of the altar and pray to God. It seems that we are free to pray for whatever we want. But what I will say is obvious. Please give me strength, God. I want to be strong enough to be fighting alongside Ruby. Power as strong as Helio-kuns. The power to become a hero. Please, God. Instantly, a dazzling light shone from the altar. The light is as strong as Rubys ceremony earlier. Inevitably, my expectations, and those of the people around me, grew. Gradually, the light converged and a single sword appeared on the altar. Everyones excited eyes focused on the sword. This is My eyes widened. The people around me stared at the altar with stunned expressions. Because on top of the altar was something that seemed to be against all expectations. How am I supposed to handle this fact? Isnt there some mistake? To confirm this, I grasped the handle of the Sacred Weapon. However, there was no mistaking the facts that I could see. I tried to follow everyone elses example and say the name and rank of the sacred artifact I had been given, but I couldnt say anything. Because the sacred weapon in my hands is Name: Rusted Sword Rank: F Level: 1 Attack Power: 1 Benefit: Strength +0, Endurance +0, Agility +0, Magic +0, Vitality +0 Skills : Durability value: 10/10 It was a tattered, rusted sword that looked as if it was about to rot away. Volume 1 - CH 3 Translated by : kyrusai Edited by : kyurusai Pffft.. Someone burst out laughing as if they couldnt take it anymore. Ha-ha-ha!Whats with that last one! You brought out a filthy, tattered sword! Its the worst F-ranked sacred weapon Ive ever seen! My stomach hurts! Helios laughter made the people around him chuckle a little. With so many high-quality divine weapons continue to appear and peoples expectations around me rising, for this tattered sword. No wonder he was laughing. If I wasnt the one who got it, I might have laughed. But I was clearly the one who got it, and of course, I couldnt laugh it off. I look down at the sacred weapon I have been blessed with once again. Name: Rusted Sword Rank: F Level: 1 Attack Power: 1 Benefit: Strength +0, Endurance +0, Agility +0, Magic +0, Vitality +0 Skills : Durability value: 10/10 Its rusted all the way from the tip of the blade to the handle. Its a sword that doesnt look like it would be able to slay a monster. No, its not a sword, its more like a piece of junk. I would believe it if someone told me they had picked it up from a dumpster somewhere. Naturally, it is ranked F, the weakest of the sacred weapons. There was no magic, no skills. The benefits granted to those who possess the sacred weapon are all zero. You cant get any stronger with these things in your possession. My blessing ceremony was a complete failure. Oh, my God, Ive laughed so much. Thanks for the awesome comeback, Rust. Lets go home, guys! As soon as Helio-kun said that since I was the last, everyone left the temple. Of course, no adventurer would come up to me. No one cared about me anymore. ts! I ran away from the place without a second thought. Ah, Rust! Just then, I passed Ruby who was coming back to the temple. But I didnt stop and kept running away from Ruby. I ran through the entire village and ended up in the forest, but I kept running to escape the disappointment. ( Fuck, fuck, fuck! ) I want to be an adventurer. I want to be a hero. But that was no longer possible. The sword in his right-hand tells the truth more than anything else. Ive never heard of anyone becoming an adventurer after receiving an F-rank sacred weapon. Even E-ranked sacred weapons are considered hard to fight demons with. Trying to be a hero with a sword like this is a pipe dream. I was set to be on the protected side for the rest of my life. Haha haha haha! When I reached the center of the forest, I stopped, out of breath. I slump down on the spot for a while. A little while later, as I looked up, I noticed that there was a woman in front of me quite late. Ah. She has shining white hair that extends to her waist. Her skin is clear and pure white. Beautiful face. Its the hero Pearl. She was about to ride off on a horse that seemed to have been leashed in the trees. They had found a potential talent C Ruby C and were probably heading back to the big town. My eyes met hers, and I thought I should say something. Please take care of Ruby or something like that. But when I couldnt think of any words and remained silent, the other side called out to me first. Ruby Bloods childhood friend, I presume. Eh? How did you know about that? When we discussed the recruitment, I was told that both of you had vowed to become adventurers together. And if we may, include the Rust Stone in the party. Ruby To ask such a thing to the hero Pearl. Sure, we promised to be adventurers together, but she didnt have to be so considerate. Besides, I ended up being given the lowest grade possible, an F-ranked sacred weapon. As I was once again getting depressed, Pearl in front of me continued to speak. I would have considered it depending on the outcome of the ritual, but apparently you werent cut out for it. eh. You cant be an adventurer. If you force yourself to fight, you will surely fall prey to demons and monsters. The hero looked at the rusty sword in my right hand and spoke frankly. When the adventurer of my dreams said that to me, I felt a crushing blow to my mind. You cant be an adventurer. If you push yourself, you will fall prey to demons and monsters. Due to the relationship of childhood friends, Ruby Blood will probably give you some encouragement. But I think its cruel to get your hopes up. Therefore, on behalf of Ruby Blood, I must tell you. It is better for you to give up with grace. Because there are plenty of other paths to take. Shes definitely right. I cant be an adventurer. Ill have to find another way. If you force yourself to fight, you will just die a dogs death. And her assumption that Ruby would encourage me was also pretty much accurate. On behalf of Ruby, this person the hero Pearl cruelly declares it to me. You cant be an adventurer, she said. The hero Pearl then drove her horse and disappeared deep into the forest. I was left sitting on the ground, powerless. Eventually, I heard a familiar voice coming from somewhere. Oh, Rust! It was Rubys voice. I turned my head to the side and saw a girl running towards me with her long red hair swaying. I was so worried about you, wondering where you went. What are you doing here? N, No. Im not going to say anything. I also met the hero Pearl here. And what was said here. As I remained silent, Ruby eventually asked me awkwardly. What kind of sacred weapon did you receive? I wasnt there at the time, so I didnt see the last ceremony. Whats it look like. As is clear to see. I raised the battered sword in my right hand and said in a languid voice. Its an F-ranked sacred weapon. No skills, no magic, no benefits, nothing, just a [rusted sword]. I, I see The atmosphere becomes awkward. It was just as I had said prior to the ceremony. Ruby is an A grader. Im an F. The strongest and the weakest. Ruby was recruited by the strongest adventurers, and I didnt catch anyones attention. I promised to be an adventurer with her, but this situation is really pathetic. When I was silent, unable to say anything, Ruby said something I didnt want to hear. Im sorry about the result of the ceremony, but that doesnt mean you cant become an adventurer! Hang in there, and Im sure youll become an adventurer! Rust is a determined boy, and if anything, Ill even help you! .ts! Help me? Youre going to help me become an adventurer? That means youre willing to spend your time on me until I become strong enough to become an adventurer. So what are you going to do about the invitation from that hero? Its obvious. Ruby, who is kind and caring, would refuse to be recruited for me. Even though she was recruited by the most promising party, Im the one whos holding Ruby back. You cant do that. Thats something I would never let it happen. Go ahead and wait for me. Eh? I wasnt recruited by any party, but Im sure Ill get stronger and pass the adventurers exam on my own. One day, Ill gather enough companions to beat even the hero party, and Ill catch up with Ruby. So, Ruby, you go ahead and wait for me. Rust I felt that words were not enough, so I appealed with my eyes as well. I dont want you to worry about me. I want you to go ahead. Ill be fine on my own. Most of all, please dont embarrass me anymore. I have a little pride, too. And I havent given up. Helio-kun laughed at me, the hero denied me of my dreams, and Ruby showed concern for me. Still, I havent given up on becoming an adventurer. Rather, I suddenly got fired up. No matter how long it takes, I will become an adventurer and a hero. Ru-, if Rust says so, yeah, Ill go ahead and wait for you. But for sure Rust, do your best to become an adventurer too. Youll have to catch up to me. This is our next [promise]. Yeah, its a promise. I couldnt fulfill our promise to become adventurers together, though. But we made another promise. Im sure Ill catch up to Ruby. The next day, Ruby left Red Village to become the adventurer she had always wanted to be. Volume 1 - CH 4 Translated by : kyrusai Edited by : kyurusai Now there are ads on this website, so please whitelist this site from your ads blocker if you like to support me, thankyou~ changes : [Demon Armor] -> [Magic Armor] C C Three days had passed since Ruby had left the village. It seems that the world around me has become much quieter. I didnt realize how lonely it was to wake up in the morning without no one to wake me up, which I always thought was meddlesome. And it wasnt just Ruby, other people of the same age were also recruited to be adventurers and left the village as earlier as they could. Perhaps thats why the whole village feels so quiet now. Oh, Rust, good morning. Oh, good morning, Mom. I woke up and went downstairs to see my mom cleaning the house. I headed to the kitchen, trying my best to stay out of the way as much as possible. Then I filled a glass with water and headed to the table to drink some water to refresh my sleepy head. Come to think of it, what does Mom think about the result of my blessing ceremony? When I told her that I had been blessed with an F-rank sacred weapon, she just said, `I see` No further words were uttered after that. Could it be that she could tell from my face and the tone of my voice that I was deeply depressed? I tried to hide my feelings as best as I could, but my mom seemed to have noticed. Speaking of which, Rust, youve been holed up in your room a lot lately, are you okay? Huh? Uh, yeah, Im fine. The sudden question made me flinch. Oh, since the day I received the blessing, have I been spending most of my time in my room? There was something about too many things that made me lose energy. Before I could make an excuse, my mother said something outrageous. Before I could make an excuse, my mother made a huge misunderstanding. I guess you still miss Ruby? Ruby? Ive been with her for as long as I can remember, so a little bit. But thats not why Ive been holed up in my room. I know youre sad that your loved one Ruby is gone, but you should get some more time under the sun. She is not my beloved! I hastily deny it. Its true that I miss Ruby, but thats not the reason why Ive been holed up. Ive been alone with my thoughts for a while. What I need to do to become an adventurer in the future. It became very difficult for me to become an adventurer because I had just been given the lowest F-rank sacred weapon. I had to think carefully before making a move. Besides Oh, by the way, Mom. Hmm? What? Im thinking of getting a job in the village soon, do you know of any good jobs? Those who receive the Blessing Ceremony will be considered adults afterward. In other words, I need to do some work. I was also trying to figure out what to do about the job. My father died of an illness before I could remember, so my mother is raising me by herself. The sooner I get a job, the better. I know it will be quite a challenge to become an adventurer at the same time, but I will never give up. As I was making up my mind, my mother gave me an unexpected response. Oh, come on, dont be like that. Huh? Because, Rust, you want to be an adventurer, dont you? Ah, right. I mean, yes, but Thats why, Dont you have something to do, Rust? You dont have time to work, do you? I was told this as if it were a matter of course, and my mouth was hanging open in disbelief. Something I have to do. What I have to do is [Training]. The sacred weapons that are given to you can be [Strengthen] by defeating the monsters. According to one theory, by fighting the monsters, you will be blessed by the gods and they will make your sacred weapon stronger. I dont know if that theory is true or not, but adventurers increase the level of their sacred weapons through battles with monsters. Since I had been given the lowest-ranked divine weapon, I had to experience more battles than anyone else to become stronger. If I dont train hard enough, I will never be able to achieve my dream of becoming an adventurer. Thats why Ive been holed up in my room thinking about it. I wanted to find a way to balance work and training. But will Mom allow me to prioritize my training over my work? Will she giving me a chance? My mother gave me one last push as I struggled with my thoughts. Ive made you a lunch box, so bring it and do your best. mother. The back of my eyes grew hot. I knew that no one would support me and that there was no chance at all. The idea of becoming an adventurer with an F-rank sacred weapon was a crazy thought. But thanks to my mom, my heart was saved. I quickly put my lunch in my cloth bag, carried [Rusted Sword] on my back, and put on shoes. Thanks, Mom. Ill get going then! Yeah, go get em! I ran out of the house. There are people who expect a lot from me. Mom for her support. Ruby, who promised to wait for me up ahead. Ive been blessed to have them in my life, even though I wasnt blessed with a blessing. My cheeks slackened with happiness, and I kept running. Eventually, I left the village and made it to a nearby forest. The Whispering Forest A forest of trees and plants swaying and rubbing against each other in the wind, making a rustling sound as if someone were whispering to each other. It seems there are monsters in the depths of this forest, Ive been told since I was a little kid to stay away from the depths of this forest because its dangerous. I think the monsters name was [Treant], or something like that. It was a tree-shaped monster that attacked people as soon as it saw them. It is said that they use vines that stretch out like arms to entangle people and suck out their vitality. Apparently, human vitality is their favorite food, because it is the best nutrition. It sounds like a terrifying creature, but it doesnt actually have much fighting ability. It is also known as a weak kind of monster because it doesnt have any special attacks and only attacks with wooden vines that extend like two arms. I think they would be the perfect opponent for me to practice with. So I proceeded to the depths of the Whispering Forest. There you are. Then, I quickly found Treant. They roam here and there in the forest, moving their thick roots around like legs. Conveniently, there seemed to be only one of them. The sight of the monster once again made me break out a cold sweat. But there was no time to be afraid. I gripped the [Rusted Sword] on my back firmly with my right hand and drew it out without a second thought. And once again, I check the details of my sacred weapon. Name: Rusted Sword Rank: F Level: 1 Attack Power: 1 Benefit: Strength +0, Endurance +0, Agility +0, Magic +0, Vitality +0 Skills : Durability value: 10/10 No magic, no skills, no benefits, just a [Rusted Sword]. Its not the most reliable thing in the world, but its okay for now. At least, it has one [Attack Power]. The monsters have a hard skin called [Magic Armor]. Ordinary weapons cant hurt them, but the attack power-that is, the Sacred Power can penetrate magical armor. In other words, even this [Rusted Sword] with an attack power of 1 is effectively capable of defeating monsters. So its all good. I told myself that and squeezed the hilt of my [Rusted Sword] again. Then, just at that moment, Treant noticed me and moved the roots of its feet to approach me. Gigigi! Here it comes! Treant waved the wooden vines on both arms like a whip. I quickly ducked to avoid it. Then I saw Treants defenseless body in front of me, so I swung my sword at him with all of my might. Slashing Treants body with his rusted sword. No, it would be more correct to say slap rather than slash. [BOOM!] a sound that sounded very much not like a slash, and Treant turned his head back lightly. Gigi! It works. Although it didnt sever him, the damage was done by striking him with a rusted sword with offensive power. I can win this in some way. As I found hope for victory and secretly rejoiced, Trent waved the wooden vine again. I wonder if he gets angry because he got hit. It was a quicker blow than the previous one. In addition, he was aiming slightly lower this time so that I couldnt avoid him by crouching. Damn it! The vine snapped like a whip, and I couldnt block it with my sword. Immediately, I was struck by a wooden vine. I was blown away to a large tree behind me because I couldnt hold on to my footing. Ugh! I cant help but gasp. It hurts so much. Painful, really painful. It hurts so much that there is no place where it doesnt hurt. I almost fainted from the blow. This is what it means to fight. For the first time, I felt the tension of being on the verge of death. Even though it is said to be a weak category, it is indeed a monster. And since I dont have any benefits attached to it. My current physical abilities are purely those of a poor twelve-year-old boy. Name: Rusted Sword Rank: F Level: 1 Attack Power: 1 Benefit: Strength +0, Endurance +0, Agility +0, Magic +0, Vitality +0 Skills : Durability value: 10/10 The sacred weapon has a special power called Benefit in it. It increases the muscle strength and endurance of those who possess it, and it allows the most skilled adventurers to achieve superhuman movements. It is a much more important power than magic or skills. Ive heard that the average value is about 100 for a level 10-20 D-rank sacred weapon. This alone is enough to give them extraordinary physical abilities, and when the number exceeds 300, they are said to gain power beyond human comprehension. Thats what the [Rusted Sword] lacks completely. The benefits are all zero. This is also true for attack power. The average is around 100. And it is said that if it is over 300, it can defeat most monsters, and if it is over 500, it will go down in history as a legendary sacred weapon. For reference, Here is the sacred weapon of the Red Village Guard, who used to be a mid-level adventurer. Name: Heavy Bone Handaxe Rank: C Level: 20 Attack power150 Benefit: Skill: [Muscle Strengthening] Durability value: 200/200 I had asked him about the properties of the sacred weapon before out of curiosity, and he was willing to tell me. It seems that with properties like this, you can play a major role as an adventurer. According to the story, the previous generation of heroes had an attack power of over 600, and it is said to be the largest attack power of any currently confirmed sacred weapon. It is called the [Heavenly Holy Sword]. Anyway, I have a new understanding of how weak my sacred weapon is. I didnt realize how hard it would be to fight so far without benefits. But I have to do it! I stood up and tightly gripped my rusted sword again. Treant, on the other hand, stretched out his vines to entangle my body. I quickly went behind the large tree. Then his vine hooked onto the branch of the large tree and tangled up nicely. All right! I was saved by chance. I take advantage of the opportunity to get closer to Treant. I skimmed to the rear and swung backward, slamming my rusty sword into his defenseless back. Haaaaah! One strike, two strikes, three strikes! I continued to slash at him. Oraaaaaaaa! With all my power, I swing my rusted sword at Treants immobile back. My hands were about to go numb, and I finally noticed a change in Treant. Gigi.! Trent falls to the ground weakly and becomes quiet. As I stared while wondering, Treants body eventually began to glow faintly. Instantly, the whole body becomes a fine grain of light and disappears. I..won? I stared at the empty ground and tilted my head. Now that is the phenomenon of monsters ceasing to exist. Ive heard that when a monsters vitality is depleted, they turn into light and disappear. That meant I had beaten Treant. With the weakest [Rusted Sword]. Phew, Im so tired! Feeling relieved that I had won, I sat down on the ground and collapsed. I took out a small water bottle from the cloth bag wrapped around my waist, drank some refreshing water, and took a breath. Its still pretty tough. I thought that I could fight reasonably well if I had the attack power, but its no good if Im struggling so much with a single Treant. It is impossible to pass the adventurers exam, which is said to be tough. I guess Ill just have to steadily defeat the monsters and make the [Rusted Sword] stronger little by little. Speaking of which, did I raise the level of my sacred weapon? So I looked at the properties of the [Rusted Sword]. Name: Rusted Sword Rank: F Level: 1 Attack Power: 1 Benefit: Skills : Durability value: 6/10 Geez! My durability value is already this low! I cant help but shout. I was vaguely aware that my level hadnt increased, but I didnt expect that my endurance value had already decreased by almost half. This would mean that I would only be able to fight one more time. I guess Id better go to the temple after I kill the next Treant and restore my endurance. In the temple, you can restore the durability value of the sacred weapon. It can also repair sacred weapons that have been broken due to a total loss of durability value. They say that by placing a sacred weapon, or part of a sacred weapon, on the altar and praying, the gods will restore it to its original state. If a sacred weapon is broken, all the effects of the sacred weapon will be disabled, so it is better to fix it before it breaks. Your attack power, benefits, magic, and skills will all cease to function, making it impossible for you to fight the monsters. At this rate, Ill probably be visiting the temple a lot in the future. And its not very efficient either, after all, fighting with this [Rusted Sword] is pretty ridiculous. But that doesnt mean I cant fight. There are definitely ways to become stronger. Even my mom is supporting me, so lets take our time and get stronger, even if its slowly. Besides, everything is a [Trial]. I looked at the [Rusted Sword] in my right hand and renewed my determination. And then I continued to spend most of my days hunting Treant deep in the forest. Whether its raining or windy, I take my mothers lunch and my [Rusted Sword] and go to the Whispering Forest. There were days when I would return home crying because I had been beaten back on occasion, and there were days when my durability value had been completely depleted and my sacred weapon had been broken. Still, I continued my training. To become the adventurer Ive always wanted to be. To live up to Moms expectations. To catch up with Ruby. I kept repeating such a routine, and before I knew it, three years had passed. Im still struggling to hunt down a single treant, and my strength hasnt changed a bit from three years ago. Volume 1 - CH 5 Translated by : kyrusai Edited by : kyurusai C Hmm, I think thats enough for today. After killing the third Treant this day, I put my sword away. Then, I started walking towards the exit of the forest to return to the village. Its been three years since I received the blessing. Ive been living like this for a long time. Even now, my abilities have not changed from three years ago. My own power is the same, but more importantly, there hasnt been a single change in my sacred weapon. Name: Rusted Sword Rank: F Level: 9 Attack Power: 9 Benefit: Skills : Durability value: 10/15 This is the current properties of the [Rusted Sword]. Since the time I received the ceremony and was blessed, my level has risen to [9]. The attack power has increased accordingly, but still, no magic or skills are possessed. All the benefits are still zero. Did it make it just a little bit easier to defeat Treant? The changes are so subtle that you may not realize them. This is what I have achieved in the past three years. Ha~a Inevitably, I sigh a lot. When I started my training, I thought, Everything is a trial, and I was able to work positively. But I have to admit, Ive been feeling very skittish lately. Is there really any point in continuing to do this? I dont mean to borrow the words of that hero, but I guess I dont have it in me. Im not as enthusiastic about my training as I used to be. I was able to raise the level of my sacred artifacts to [9], but that was a year ago, and they havent been leveled up at all for a while now. Its as if the [Rusted Sword] is telling me that this is the limit. And on top of that, the rumors are putting more and more of a damper on my mind. Ruby Blood, the heros right hand Its been three years since she left Red Village, and Ruby is now a prominent member of a party of heroes. I heard that she performed as well as the other major members of the group and raised her adventurer class to Platinum in three years. There is a class system for adventurers, and there are five ranks from the bottom: [Bronze], [Silver], [Gold], [Platinum], and [Master]. Platinum is second from the top. It was proof enough that She was already a first-class adventurer. In addition, Ruby is only fifteen years old and is known as the youngest adventurer girl ever to reach Platinum. Recently, she has been called the Fiery Swordsman and has become established as the right-hand man of the hero. Im sure shell go down in history as an amazing female adventurer. I ve come a long way, havent I? I couldnt help but look up at the blue sky and think of my childhood friend. The fact that we had promised to become adventurers together seemed like a fairy tale when I think about it now. I promised myself that I would catch up to her, but the gap between us grew wider and wider as time went on. I cant do this anymore. Hey, look at that guy. As I was feeling weak as usual, I suddenly heard a male voice coming from somewhere. I glanced over and saw two young men carrying an ax. I think it was the two brothers who is a lumberjack in this forest? The ax they were carrying was a sacred weapon given to them in a blessing ceremony, and I had heard that they were using it to work as lumberjacks. So when Im training in the forest, I sometimes see them. Well, Ive never talked to them directly. I cant believe youre still doing that. Dont you know its pointless? Apparently, they knew me the same way I knew them. Three years ago, I was the only person in the [Bountiful Harvest Generation] that produced many high-rank divine weapons to be blessed with an F-rank divine weapon. And that Im still trying to become an adventurer with that [Rusted Sword]. It would be ridiculous from an outsiders point of view. Their contempt is understandable. If I were in the opposite position, I would have thought that I was wasting my time. .Ts! I clenched my fists in secret and gnashed my teeth in frustration. Then I ran in the opposite direction to get away from the lumberjack brothers. Fuck, shit, damn it! I know better than anyone else that its futile. I dont need to be told that, Ive already despaired so many times. I have no talent. I have no qualities. I dont have the ability. Im getting a lot of support from my mom, but theres no chance of it paying off if I keep doing this. I want to be an adventurer. Um, big brother! ? Suddenly, I heard a girls voice from nearby and stopped in my tracks. I looked over and there she was the girl who lives in Red Village. This girl is also often seen around the forest. Whenever we meet on the way home from training, we greet each other lightly. Or rather, it seems that I just realized that I had reached the exit of the forest. You dropped this, big brother. What? The girl presented me with a lunch box. My mother always makes me bring my lunch. I was running so fast to get away from the lumberjack brothers that I didnt even notice that I had dropped it. Thank you, . Thanks for going to the trouble of picking it up. Youre welcome! I took the lunch box from the girl and put it in a cloth bag around my waist. Then I immediately turned to leave in front of the girl. What are you always doing in the forest, big brother? She asked me a question as if she could stall me. The wounds I received from the lumberjack brothers have not yet healed, so I would like to go home and recuperate as soon as possible. I couldnt just ignore the naive girls question and leave. I suppressed my depression for the time being and gave a bland answer. Its my job. I slay monsters that appear around here. He~e, I see! Its really distressing. The truth is that I havent earned a single penny. Im still an unemployed person, being taken care of by my mother while I continue my training. I probably should have answered honestly, but some kind of strange pride got in the way. It wasnt a payback, but it was a good opportunity for me to ask the girl something I had been wondering about. By the way, what are you doing here? I often see you around here. The girl blooms a dazzling smile. Im playing hide-and-seek with my friends! They cant find me on this side! I havent told anyone else! Oh, I see. Thats because theres Treant over here and its dangerous, so the kids are told to stay away. Now that I understand why she is here, like a big brother I will give her a reminder. Its a little dangerous over here, so I think you should play a little closer to the village. Its pretty easy to hide and hard to find in the back of the village chief Berils house. Oh, I see! Ill do that then! The girl smiled again, waved her hand, and left. I used to play hide-and-seek with other kids my age when I was little. Though I was only invited to play to make up the numbers. Back then, everything was so fresh and everything I saw was so new and beautiful. I dreamed of being an adventurer with my childhood friends, and we often played games together. Im sure I must have had the same radiant smile as that girl back then. Now, I am a sad, worn-out person who sighs and is hopeless about the future. I wonder what. Its kind of frustrating to leave here so reluctantly. I feel like if I were to leave at this point, I would be denying myself even the memories of my childhood. At the time, I was certain of my desire to become an adventurer. Seeing the girls innocent smile made me remember some of the passion I had back then. More importantly, I dont want to be insulted by the lumberjack brothers. I think I should try to do this a little bit more. I turned my attention back to the forest and drew the rusted sword that hung on my back. Then, I run deeper into the forest to find Treant. It may be pointless. I may not have the aptitude. But everythings a [Trial]! Thats what I told myself, and that day I continued to hunt Treant until the sun went down. C The road on the way home was dimly lit. I hurried on my way home, reflecting on my performance today. Five Treant in total. Even though I stayed until sundown, the number of kills was quite small. In the end, there were only two that I was able to defeat after I parted ways with the girl. I felt like there wasnt much trace of Treant today. And the Whispering Forest is too quiet, which makes me feel a bit nervous. Well, maybe its just my imagination. I thought to myself as I walked quickly towards the exit of the forest. My mom will scold me if Im staying too late, so Ill go home as early as possible. And thats whenC Kyaaaaaa! What the!? Suddenly, a girls scream echoed through the forest. This is the voice of the girl from earlier! Why didnt she go back to the village yet? I mean, I told her to stay away from the forest because it was dangerous. I dont care about that right now! That scream I just heard, something must have happened to that girl! I immediately started to run in the direction of the voice. I ran through the thick woods until eventually, a large clearing came into view. There was the girl from earlier and an unknown figure standing over her, trapping her. Thats. A human being, but not just any human being. The body is human itself, but there are some monster-like features here and there. Dark hair that stands on end like a wolfs. Sharp eyes that instill awe with just a glance. Vicious fangs and claws. A werewolf, I suppose you could call it. And in his right hand, he holds a jagged jet-black greatsword. Ma, Majin! A Majin. A higher-ranking monster that possesses intelligence. They are extremely belligerent, cunning, and have a strong preference for killing people. Rumor has it that if a monster is able to survive for twelve years, the gods will give him a Sacred Weapon. But not from the gods who watch over us humans, but from the Evil Gods who harbor an evil heart. Probably that black big sword. Ive heard that the demons were blessed by the evil gods to give them those horrible Sacred Weapon so that they could attack people with them. How such a Majin ended up in a place like this made no sense to me at all. No, now is not the time to worry about that. I have to help that girl somehow. Just then, someone came from behind me. Oh, is that a Majin? Youre kidding, right? why is it near such a rural village It was those lumberjack brothers I saw around noon. They must have been working in the forest until this time. Then they heard the girls voice and came here. Then they heard the girls voice and came here. The two young men, however, were clearly terrified of the vicious Majin that stood before the girl. His hands trembled as he held the sacred weapon, his face contorted with fear. Perhaps that was why the young men immediately tried to turn on their heels. Immediately, I grabbed the young man by the sleeve. Wait, where are you going? What?Its obvious!Weve got to get out of here!Cant you see that Majin? I can certainly see the Majin, though. But we have to save the girl. This is no time to be talking like that! Were no match for this thing! Our first priority is to call the village guards! One of the lumberjack brothers shouts, but Im not convinced and keep grabbing his sleeve. If we take our time, shell surely be killed. Besides, isnt the axe that the two of them are holding a sacred weapon to fight the monster? It should have a much higher attack power than my [Rusted Sword]. Even if we cant defeat it, we should at least be able to stall it. If we confront that Makin right now, we might be able to save her. Just let me go! Ah! I was forcibly jerked out of the way. Then the lumberjack brothers disappear from the scene as if they were running away. As the only one left behind, I couldnt help but become absent-minded and look around for no reason. Hey, someone . Somebody help her, please. Somebody help that girl who is about to be attacked by a Majin. If we dont hurry, that girl is going to be killed by that demon. Somebody Someone Anyone Someone.. There is no one! Im the only one who can help her!Right now, Im the only one who can help her! Whats the use of having a sacred weapon in my right hand! How can I be an adventurer if I cant fight at a time like this! Dont try to rely on anyone else!The only thing you can rely on is yourself! Even if its a [Rusted Sword], I can still fight! What I need is not a strong sacred weapon! Only the courage to face my fears! U, uwa ~a~a~a~a~a!!! I let out a pathetic cry as I charged at the Majin. Volume 1 - CH 6 Translated by : kyrusai Edited by : kyurusai Finally I can say goodbye to my flu. Will be updating 5 chapter for next week only (this week forgotten regular 2 chapter and next week 3 regular chapter) on random days of course. C A simple upper slash with no form or anything. Since the sacred weapon has no benefit, perhaps from the other side, the sword can be seen as standing still. Still, I swung my rusted sword with all the strength I could muster. What? What the hell? Then the Majin noticed me as I entered the clearing and gave me a dull look. Regardless, I slash at it, but when I get close to the Majin, my vision suddenly blurs. The next thing I knew, I was being blown back to the large tree behind me. Gah! It hurt. It hurts so much. I cant comprehend what just happened. While my mind was spinning, I managed to raise my head to look at the Majin, and before I knew it, the thing was raising its right leg toward me. Did I get kicked? What? What the fuck? Youre weak as shit. I thought you might be able to fight at least a little since you were so eager to slash at me, but youre a damn letdown. The Majin looks at me with disdain. Sure, Im one of the weaker humans, but that kick that you just gave me was way too fast.! I could barely see anything. Its a different level of strength compared to the Treant I fight regularly. Perhaps he has received a powerful benefit from the sacred weapon held in its right hand. In addition to having a higher physical ability than humans, he also receives benefits from divine weapons, resulting in an overwhelming existence. These are the Majins. A high-ranking monster that adventurers are facing. It is impossible for me to win, but I forced my aching body to rise, and even though I was unsteady, I readied my sacred weapon. Stay away from that girl. He~e, Stay away~, Then try to get away from me you small fry. He replies in a provocative manner. Enraged, I grasped the sacred weapon again and launched a second charge. HAaaaaa! But then again, he Oops. While saying that, he kicked my body with his right leg. I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen as I crashed into a large tree behind me. There is no time to evade or guard against it. The gap in power is just too overwhelming. I collapsed helplessly to the ground, unable to pick myself up right away. Damn, Im not getting much out of this little fella. I came here because I heard that the village near here has produced quite a few strong wielders, yet it seems to be a complete letdown. Was that the reason why this Majin had come so close to Red Village? Three years ago, when I received the Blessing Ceremony, Ruby and many others were given high-ranked sacred weapons. I heard that most of them became adventurers and made a name for themselves. Hearing the rumor, this demon had come to Red Village in search of a strong wielder. Because the Majins sacred weapon receives a stronger blessing from the evil god as it kills stronger people, thus becoming even stronger. Its a bit risky, but I think Ill go after [Platinum] and [Master] rank adventurers in earnest from now on. That way, I can get stronger quickly. The werewolf Majin then walked up to the girl who was lying down on the ground. He then raised the greatsword in his right hand. Well, enough of that. Experience is experience, even if its like this. First of all, Ill kill you little shit. n, no This is bad, that girl is! I hastily got up from the ground, enduring the pain all over my body. Uwaaaaaa! I quickly stepped in between the girl and the Majin. I used my [rusty sword] to block the great sword that was about to slice through the girl, and got into a sort of Tsubazeriai with the Majin. Ughggh! Wow, how did you manage to receive it with such a shabby sacred weapon? I praise you for your efforts. But you know what Immediately, he whispered to me in a voice so low it sent chills down my spine directly in my face. Its starting to get annoying. Im gonna kill you for real. At that moment, I felt a tremendous pressure on my hand that held the sword handle. Its a ridiculous amount of force. My [Rusted Sword] is no match for his [Black Greatsword]. At this rate, my sacred weapon will break. If he breaks my sacred weapon, there is no way for me to stop him. No before that. As soon as it breaks, Im dead. Me and the girl behind me. The current durability value of the [Rusted Sword] is Name: Rusted Sword Rank: F Level: 9 Attack Power: 9 Benefit: Skills : Durability value: 2/15 Damn it! I wouldnt be surprised if it breaks now. I absolutely couldnt afford to be defeated. I cant even defeat a single Majin. I cant even save one girl. Ive been training so hard to become an adventurer. Even though Ruby and my mom had given me so much support. Three years of my life, Just what the heck was that about. So long, hero-wannabe small fry. With a grin and a creepy smile, the werewolf demon pressed his greatsword further towards me. The rusted sword made an awful creaking sound as it finally began to crack. His sacred weapon will slice me in half, and that will be the end of me. CThe hero-wannabe small fry. I believed that if I worked hard enough, I would be rewarded one day. I thought something would change if I just kept working on it. I believed someone had been watching my efforts, when in fact no one was watching me. But this was all just a big charade. I, who could never be a hero, was distracting myself from reality by immersing myself in meaningless training. I was always optimistic in front of my mom, but somewhere deep inside I knew I had already resigned. I cant be an adventurer. I cant be a hero. Hes right, Im just a small fry playing hero who cant even save one girl. (Well, thats fine.) It doesnt matter if I cant be an adventurer. It doesnt matter if I cant be a hero. I dont care if I cant pay back the people who have been insulting me. I dont care if I cant catch up with Ruby who said shed go ahead and wait for me. I dont care about those fantasies right now. Right now, I just do not.want to lose To the Majin in front of me do not.want to lose Ive been a coward. do not.want to lose do not want to lose? No Ill definitely win!!! At that moment, as if responding to my cries, the [Rusted Sword] glowed bright white. This is a phenomenon Ive seen time and time again, the rise in the level of sacred weapons. By fighting the higher-ranked monster Majin, the level of the [Rusted Sword] increased. The fact that it was at level 9 earlier means that Name: Rusted Sword Rank: F Level: 10 Attack Power: 10 Benefit: Skills : [Evolution] Durability value: 2/15 Rusted sword, level 10. Its been a while since the last level-up. In addition, a skill that I didnt recognize had appeared in the [Rusted Sword]. Evo..lution? Its a skill Ive never heard of. I dont know what the hell this is supposed to do. However, I wonder if it is the effect of that skill The changes in [Rusted Sword] were not limited to leveling up. The rust on the sword was falling off like a creature breaking its eggshell. At last, the true form of the sacred weapon, which had been hidden under the rust, was revealed. Wha, what the hell isthat? A blade as black as the darkest of nights as if it were sucking in all the lights. Even the handle is dyed black. And to top it all off, there is a dark and sinister aura that is clearly visible to the naked eye. Its as if an evil god gave it to me, like a [sacred weapon of the Majin]. The identity of the eerie thing is Name: Cursed Demon Sword Rank: S Level: Attack Power: 500 Benefit: Skill: [Sacred Weapon Synthesis] Endurance value: 500/500 curseddemon sword? My [Rusted Sword] turned into a sacred weapon with a sinister name [Cursed Demon Sword]. Volume 1 - CH 7 Im alive C Name: Cursed Demon Sword Rank: S Level: Attack Power: 500 Blessing: Skill: [Sacred Weapon Synthesis] Endurance value: 500/500 Attack power and blessing are all 500. While 300 is said to be incredible, this is far too strong. To the best of my knowledge, That is not an exaggeration to say this is the highest grade of divine weapon. Why did my Rusted Sword turn into such a godlike weapon? Why did the sword suddenly change its shape? No, thats not important right now. Its as if power is rushing from within my body like a gushing flood. This is the blessing given by the sacred weapon. The mighty power that God gives to human beings. I dont feel like losing! Ha! I flicked away the Majins greatsword, which had been stuck in a fierce battle. He hadnt budged at all a while ago, but now it was easy to shove him back. Nani!? The Majin was pushed back by the sacred weapon, causing him to lose his balance badly. I wont miss that window of opportunity. With the sacred weapon in his right hand, he slashed at the Majins chest. Its easily sliced through his magic armor which hisRusted Sword could not even scratch. Agh! As fresh blood splattered in front of my eyes, the demon quickly backed away from me. Its a shallow wound. But he held his wounded chest with his hand and looked at me with a face full of rage. Y, You bastard! You fucking scratched my damn body! Ill never forgive you! Never! I wonder if he was so proud of his magic armor. He seemed to feel intense anger regarding his wound. He swung his black greatsword with all his might as if he were letting his anger control him. It was both powerful and fast, a normal person would have been overwhelmed by the sheer force of the blow alone, but I calmly flicked it with the sword in my right hand. Goddamniiiiit!!! The Majin continued to swing his sacred weapon. Likewise, I repel the Majins assault. The surrounding trees were rustling loudly due to the violent pressure caused by the clashing sacred weapons. Hah huh. hu! Eventually, the Majin gasped and stopped his assault. It seems that the idea of being exhausted exists even for Majin. This is a little surprising. Damn it! Youve suddenly got new powers! Then, Ill show you mySacred Weapontrue power! The Majin raised his black greatsword high in the air as if to show it to world. Enchantment Magic DD Hellflare! T/n: How do you translate this? raw : ħ() \ס(إե쥢) As soon as he shouted that, black flames appeared on his greatsword. Even standing at a distance, I could feel the heat. Its a dangerous black flame. Enchantment Magichuh There are two categories of sacred weapons. an Armaments System sacred weapon and a Catalysts System sacred weapon. Armaments System sacred weapons are the kind of sacred weapons that have their own attack power and can directly attack monsters. And a Catalyst sacred weapon is a sacred weapon that has no offensive power in itself but can create supernatural phenomena called Magic. Therefore, people who have catalyst sacred weapons are sometimes called Wizards or Magicians by the general public. In addition, there is no such thing as Magic in Armaments system sacred weapon. One of them is anEnchantment Magic. It can raise the attack power of sacred weapons and make them have special effects. From the looks of it, his enchantment should have the effect of increasing his attack power. He seems to decide to end this with his strongest move. Haha! Now Ive exceeded your sacred weapons attack power!Die, you fucking small fry!!! The Majin swung his black flaming greatsword with both hands and jumped out with all his might. A spectacularly fast upper slash. When I saw that, I raised theCursed Demon Sword in my right hand to prevent that blow. Rather, I set my left hand, which was not holding anything, in front of me. At that momentC Wha?! As if being sucked in, the black flaming greatsword falls into my left hand. I felt a tremendous shock and heat in my left hand, but I only frowned slightly and completely stopped his strongest move. Di, Did you took it with your bare hands? My sacred weapon..? No, thats impossible. The Majin was shocked at what he witnessed. But what the heck. I merely thought I could catch it with my bare hands, so I just did it. So. Now its my turn. I firmly gripped my sword again with my right hand. He carried it over his right shoulder and swung it over to the Majin, who stood there stiffly in front of him. Ha! With one blow, I cut it in half. Guh The Majin, who was cut in half from his left shoulder to his right hip, fell to the ground helplessly. Then he looked up at me with a look of shock and indignation. There, is., with such a shabby weapon, it was. Gradually, the Majins body began to be engulfed in light. His entire body gradually turned into grains of light, which dissipated as if they were dissolved in the air. Damn.it. All that was left behind was his sacred weapon, a hideous black greatsword. A moment of silence fell over the place. The fight I had just been experiencing faded into silence, and I let out a sound to confirm the reality of the situation. Did I just defeat a Majin? I was a weakling and a crybaby. I was supposed to have received the weakest sacred weapon in the world. I was a child who was bullied. I cant believe it. But this is an undeniable fact. The sobbing from behind reminded me of this. Ugh. Higgghhh She was the little girl who was almost killed by a Majin. She was still lying on the ground, her face all crumpled up in tears. Im alive, shes alive, were both alive. I walked up to the girl again and crouched down so that we were eyes to eyes. Its all right. Ive defeated the scary demon. So stop crying. And while consoling her Suddenly, my vision blurred. The scenery in front of me was shaking as if the world was spinning out of control. eh..? My consciousness quickly drifted away, and I collapsed to the ground. Poor werewolf, the fate of the stepping stone. Btw, With an average stat of 300 and above, you gain power beyond human comprehension they said. What the hell is that stat? and what the hell is that skill [ϳ]? also, an S Ranked weapon? the weapon level is blank in the raw. Im pretty sure in chapter 2, Rust said the rank starting from A to F, no S rank is mentioned. So that got me thinking the Hero Pearl must be an A-ranked weapon wielder. Is it because he is from the countryside, that is why there is no such information or he is the first S-rank wielder? Interesting. Volume 1 - CH 8 "Ugh..." Light started to spill all over my eyes, like cold liquid being poured over my face. Volume 1 - CH 9 "Why, why, is that Majin''s weapon here..." I''m not mistaken, am I? I''m not hallucinating, right? There was no way I could be mistaken, the Majin''s great sword was here, in the corner of my room! Each time I look at it, I can''t help but recall the intense and frightening battle I had with the Majin. However, why is that thing here? "The guard said he didn''t know which weapon was yours, so he brought both of them with him. He also added that one of the weapons is black, and it looked like it belonged to the Majin. On the other hand, the other weapon looked all beaten up, and didn''t appear like it was capable of defeating a Majin. So he asked the girl about them, but because she was bawling her eyes out, he couldn''t find anything about the weapons from her." "...I see." I could understand why the guard would doubt that the rusted sword was mine. After all, as he said, I defeated a Majin, but that weapon didn''t really seem like the kind that would do the job. Or any job for that matter. Therefore, bringing both of them back seemed like the most rational course of action. Furthermore, everyone knows that a sacred weapon which is broken can still be fixed, but a lost sacred weapon is something that can never return. It was often said to us that for adventurers, losing a sacred weapon is the worst thing that could happen. Still, this doesn''t seem like something I should worry about. As of the moment, I was more concerned on figuring out why my sacred weapon had returned back to normal? While I was fighting that Majin, my sword transformed and turned into a sinister looking black sword. If I''m not mistaken, I think its name was ''Cursed Demon Sword''. It must have reverted back to my ''Rusted Sword'' after some time had passed, right? "Nevertheless Rust, you were able to defeat the Majin with your sacred weapon! I confess I don''t know much about fighting demons and monsters, but isn''t fighting against a Majin with a sacred weapon like yours difficult?" I nodded my head at my mother''s remarks. She was right, "Yeah. To be honest, I didn''t think I could defeat it either, but..." I slowly stepped closer towards the ''Rusted Sword'' as I spoke, stretched out my hand and firmly held it. I stared at it intently while thinking back to the time it became a powerful demon sword. I suppose, it changed as a result of leveling up. Come to think of it... "I wonder if it evolved..." I said to myself as the image of a black light radiating from my weapon as well as rust falling from it like autumn leaves, flashed through my mind. Back then, it didn''t take a long time before all of its aged skin shedded off and revealed a pitch black sword. I still remember its properties; Name: Cursed Demon Sword; Rank: S; Level: Unknown; Attack Power: 500; Benefits: Strength +500 Endurance +500 Agility +500 Magic +500 Vitality +500; Skill: [Sacred Weapon Synthesis]; Endurance value: 500/500. Just then, my sword changed once again, and the ''Cursed Demon Sword'' had successfully emerged. Up until now, ''Cursed Swords'' had been relatively unknown, and people hadn''t seen any magic or skills inside of them before, therefore, how to correctly wield them was also unknown. Still, if one had really wanted to, eventually, one would have been able to figure out how to use them, wouldn''t they? Be that as it may, my mother who had witnessed the sacred weapon change, was obviously transfixed by it too. "This is my weapon''s true power. Thanks to it, I was able to win against the Majin. Perhaps, if my sacred weapon had not awoken to its true potential, I wouldn''t have defeated the Majin and I wouldn''t have been able to protect the girl, I think." I told my mother as I brandished the sword in front of her. "Is that so..." Even after hearing my explanation, my mother''s surprised expression never went away. Oh well, it''s not unreasonable for her to be surprised. However, she is probably wondering why the sacred weapon looked like the Majin''s sacred weapon. If others had looked at it, they would also be equally as surprised. Still, my mother shook her head dismissively and spoke to me again, "Anyways, I''m glad that it''s become stronger, Rust." "Yeah." Even though it looked like that Majin''s sacred weapon, there''s no mistaking the fact that it did become stronger. With this weapon, I would become an adventurer. I''d help more people and become the hero I''ve always wanted to be. "Well then, I think I''m going to start preparing now that you''re free to go whenever you want to go, Rust." "Thanks Mother. Please make me a bento and just the usual things you usually prepare for me..." "There you go saying that again! Your thanks aren''t necessary Rust, I''m your mother." After saying that, my mother left the room. After being left alone in my room, I glanced down at the weapon in my right hand once again; the properties were still the same as last time; Name: Cursed Demon Sword; Rank: S; Level: unknown; Attack Power: 500; Benefits: Strength +500 Endurance +500 Agility +500 Magic +500 Vitality +500; Skill: Sacred Weapon Synthesis; Endurance value: 500/500. "Cursed Demon Sword..." Is it really? As I stared calmly at the weapon, I had no doubt that it had strong properties. After all, both its benefits and attack power are at five hundred levels. I doubt there was ever a weapon like this before? All the legendary sacred weapons I knew of just paled in comparison. I mean, how do you even determine this weapon''s rank? Aren''t sacred weapons supposed to be ranked from A to F? On top of that, the weapon''s level isn''t even written anywhere. This is certainly a strange sacred weapon. "No matter how you look at it, it''s a Majin''s sacred weapon, huh?" In my opinion, it''s good that it''s an ominous and powerful weapon. There was one thing I noticed though, compared to the weapon of the Majin whom I defeated yesterday, this weapon looked more sinister than the former. While thinking about that, I walked over to where the Majin''s weapon was. It was leaning against a wall. As I stared at the black greatsword, I started to touch the sacred weapon to see its properties; Name: Black Hellfire Greatsword; Rank: B; Level: 15; Attack Power: 230; Benefits: Strength +280 Endurance +230 Agility +70 Magic +150 Vitality +200; Magic: "Black Hellfire"; Skill: "Two Handed Sword"; Endurance: 185/250. By touching the sacred weapon, I am able to get a detailed report on it. I have to say it is an exceptional Majin''s sacred weapon, and as I predicted, it is a quite powerful weapon too. I know that if it were used to fight against the guardsmen, it would probably be dangerous for them. Of course, in a battle the sacred weapon''s abilities aren''t everything. The fighting skills of the weapon''s holder is an important factor that can affect the chances of victory or defeat. Based on my encounter with the Majin, I could have surmised that it was accustomed to fighting and that it would be hard to defend oneself against its attacks. Thinking about this made me more glad that I was able to stop it before it made its way to the village. However, I knew this wasn''t the time to dwell on my thoughts of relief. There was a more puzzling issue that I needed to resolve first. Right now, I could read the sacred weapons properties. But technically, one is not able to use another person''s sacred weapon. Fundamentally speaking, if the wielder dies, the sacred weapon will also naturally disappear, but the Majin''s weapon was still here, still it was useless for me as I cannot wield it, "So what should be done with this now?" I knew that after a certain amount of time passes, the weapon is bound to disappear. Still, it''s scary to consider leaving a repulsive weapon like that in my room. Just thinking about it inside my room also left a bad taste in my mouth. I guess, throwing it out is the best course of action. Or would it be better if I burn it? While I was thinking of how I would dispose of the sacred weapon, a sudden bright purple light spilled out from my side, "Huh?" When I looked down, the Cursed Demon Sword was radiating brightly, "What is...is it awakening?" Before long, the Majin''s sword that I was holding in my left hand started to move by itself. It began floating lightly nearer to the cursed demon sword. Then with a loud thump, it collided with and seemed to melt into the cursed demon sword before it completely disappeared. Did it just merge with my sacred weapon? That''s what it looked like to me. Why did something like that suddenly happen? Now that that has happened, maybe my sacred weapon has turned into something else? I apprehensively checked the properties of my cursed demon sword; Name: Cursed Demon Sword; Rank: S; Level: unknown; Attack Power: 500; Benefits: Strength +500 Endurance +500 Agility +500 Magic +500 Vitality +500; Magic: Black Hellfire; Skill: Sacred Weapon Synthesis; Endurance value: 500/500. My eyes widened in surprise, "Huh!?" A new magical ability has manifested! That is to say, this new magic is the same thing that was in that Majin''s sacred weapon. What is going on? Did the power of the Majin''s weapon transfer to mine? That''s certainly a possibility... Much like how one can see the properties of a sacred weapon, one can also see the details of the skill with a single touch of it and so I proceed to do just that. At once I see this; "Sacred Weapon Synthesis" -- it can be used against a sacred weapon blessed by the evil god to strengthen its properties, it obtains the skills that the other weapons had during synthesis, and only for unequipped sacred objects, by bringing a weapon closed to it that this strength will manifest and ultimately cause the effect to occur. "I see. This is a result of the skill..." ''Sacred weapon synthesis'' made it possible for my rusted sword to absorb the Majin''s sacred weapon. I was quite surprised, but once I understood it was the effect of the skill, I started to realize some things... ''A weapon blessed by the demon god'', must mean it''s that Majin''s sacred weapon. Therefore ''unequipped sacred weapon'' perhaps pertains to ''a sacred weapon without an owner'', right? In other words, the ''Cursed Demon Sword'' has the power to absorb a defeated Majin''s sacred weapon. As it is, having a total benefit of five hundred, (which seems like something that defies the rules), and then adding to that, the ability to absorb the power of a Majin''s weapon means that, "This has an inconceivable amount of power." Perhaps that''s why there is no level recorded for the weapon? When a normal sacred weapon levels up, it will obtain magic and skills, but with the ''Cursed Sword'', it synthesizes with Majins'' sacred weapons and develops. It''s a very special way of developing. This is definitely a strange sacred weapon. "Anyhow, as a result, I''ve been able to dispose of the Majin''s sacred weapon without any real consequence, and now I''m able to go on my journey without any reservation." As I started to take the first step forward, my vision started to blur and I felt like my world was toppling down sideways, and the scenery around me shifted... Somehow, I was overwhelmed by a familiar feeling of dj vu. Volume 1 - CH 10 I started to realize that one could only use the ''Cursed Sword'' for a certain amount of time. Frankly speaking, using the sword really wears me out. I got exhausted easily, and ultimately fainted. Therefore, it may be the reason why I lost consciousness immediately after the first time I used it to defeat the Majin. On the other hand, perhaps this was the consequence of using a ''Cursed Sword''. After all, given its name, there could be an actual ''curse'' on the sword itself, which drains out my energy each time I use it. Still, no matter how one looks at it, this weapon is too powerful. Therefore, it seems inconceivable to me, that one can use it without anything in return, it most definitely comes with a catch. If it didn''t, it wouldn''t make any sense and would just seem too good to be true. I decided that from now on, I would try to use the Cursed Sword more carefully. This sacred weapon is not invincible either. Anyhow, after the second time I fainted and woken up, I gathered up the bag my mother had prepared for me and decided to set out on my trip. As I made my way to the door, I gave my mom one last look and flashed her grateful smile, "I''m going now mother. I''m definitely going to go and become an adventurer." With almost tearful eyes my mother replied, "Goodbye Rust. I''ll be looking forward to hearing about your achievements." I nodded in return, before finally turning on my heels and heading out to start my journey. I don''t know if my exploits will be as great as Ruby''s, but I do know that I''ll do the best that I can in my own way. While I was engrossed in my mindless wondering, I found myself drifting off to thoughts of Ruby. I also remembered my mother''s final words to me, just before I left... "Rust, please occasionally come back and show me your face. Don''t be like Ruby and upset your parents. Since Ruby went off to become an adventurer, she hasn''t returned to the village, not even once it seems. " "Well, Ruby is a platinum ranked adventurer. I''d reckon she is pretty busy." I figured if one becomes a famous adventurer, just by that fact alone, people will rely on you and you''d have a lot of responsibilities. Since Ruby was able to join a prominent hero party, it is inevitable that she''ll be busy, right? Therefore... "I''ll become an adventurer, and when I see her, I''ll tell her that her parents miss her. Next time, I''ll definitely return to the village with Ruby and I''ll have a lot of travel stories for you to listen to." "I''m counting on it." My mother replied and after that brief exchange, I left home. I still remember the moments of hesitation on my part as I walked away and how I reluctantly waved goodbye to my mother until I could no longer see our house. Thereafter, I passed by the village houses and entered the forest. As I weaved through the vast woodland area, I couldn''t help but think of the essential necessities I needed to cover first if I were to become a proper adventurer. Firstly, I needed to take the test and pass it. For that reason, I had to go to town and participate in the test. Secondly, on the way I need to... "Hey, hey..." Suddenly, from out of nowhere, I heard a man''s voice which effectively distracted me from my thoughts. I stared around the area in confusion. Did I just imagine that? I stopped and looked towards the direction of the sound of the voice. My eyes widened in recognition after seeing who was calling out to me... It was the woodcutter brothers. They seemed to be in the middle of their jobs. However, since I''ve met them over the years, I am familiar with where they usually like to cut their wood, and this wasn''t the area where they ordinarily worked. Rather, it was quite far and out of their usual way. Why are they here? I mean, do they need me or something? "That was bad." One of the brothers suddenly told me. I gave them a confused look, "Huh?" "I mean, us leaving you behind and escaping on our own..." "You were super strong. We underestimated you. You did great, beating that Majin all on your own!" I was taken aback by what the woodcutters said, and it was hard for me to settle my thoughts, and so I replied in a daze, "Huh? Um, thanks." It was a little embarrassing and frankly, I did not know how I should react in a situation like this. After all, these guys who were now giving me praises used to look down on me. Did they just call me over to say that? I began to notice the slight change in the demeanor of the brothers and started to suspect that perhaps they didn''t want to just compliment me but they also seemed to have a different purpose. They called me over, and when I was near enough pointed at something, "Ah, well, maybe this is something you might like..." One of them said to me. "T-This is a sword scabbard, isn''t it?" I exclaimed as I stared at the wooden material. The brothers stared at me sheepishly before one of them answered, "Well, it''s our hobby. We take wood scraps and make them into various things. When we saw you last time, you had that weapon just hanging on your back, so we thought this would be useful for you. It''s a small gesture of apology from us, we wanted to say sorry for abandoning you..." "We chose a form and size that is close to what we think you needed, but if it doesn''t suit you, you can just throw it away. Do whatever you like with it." The two brothers tried to shrug it off, but I could sense from their actions they were hoping I would accept their gift. I held out my hand to receive it, "Thanks..." I was truly dumbfounded by these fellows'' unexpected behavior. Their actions truly caught me off-guard and I still feel awkward responding to them, but they were surprisingly nice guys. Anyhow, I took the scabbard, and placed my rusted sword inside of it. As soon as I slid the sword in, I was surprised by how well it fit. It seemed like it was specifically designed for my sword. The brothers were right; it would truly be easier for me to move with this onhand. Another advantage would be that no one will be able to see my beat-up sword. Once again, I hung the sword on my back and parted ways with the woodcutters. Because it was now easier for me to move, I broke out into a run and dashed through the forest at full speed. My goal was to reach the town of novice adventures; ''Milkrond''. I''m certain that I''m going to pass the test and become an adventurer. Finally, my adventure story was beginning! -To be continued Volume 1 - CH 11 It has been a week since I left the Red Village and I''ve been going through various towns and villages until I reached the famous town novice adventures frequent; Milkrond. As soon as I stepped on the city''s pavements, I breathed a sigh of relief, "Ah... Milkrond." I scanned my eyes across the vast expanse and admired the tall buildings all around me. As I went deeper into the streets, I weaved my way through a crowd of bustling people. The scenery was truly different from that of Red Village. I guess, it is to be expected that I am awestruck by it. After all, I''ve never been to a city before. I''ve lived all my life in Red Village and I''ve never been on any big excursion of any kind. Red Village was my whole world, but being here now, makes me rethink that perspective. Something about being in this town moves me from the bottom of my heart. "I''ll save sightseeing for later. First, I think I''ll look for the Adventurer''s Guild." I told myself as I focused on what I needed to accomplish first. The Adventurers'' Guild is an establishment where adventurers accept requests and receive rewards for their services. Other than this, I must also take the Adventurers'' Exam and pass it, if I were to become an adventurer. The Adventurers'' Guild holds the exams once every month, and it always takes place at the beginning of that month too. It is also common knowledge that the exams are always different every month. Since today was the 29th of the ''Wand Month'', the day after tomorrow the month will change. It''s perfect timing! I need to hurry and find the guild then rent a lodging room near it. While I was searching around town, I saw an establishment that stood out from the others. It was clearly much larger than the other buildings, and inside it was rather noisy. I glanced from outside and realized that this building was a public establishment, as there was even a bar in it, where a bunch of people gathered around to drink. However, it quickly became apparent to me that this was an Adventurer''s Guild as I saw that there was a ''two crossed sword'' pattern on a large flag waving outside. "Ah. This is it." I told myself as I prepared to enter the doors. No matter how one looks at it, this was the Adventurers'' Guild. Since I easily found it, I was able to save a lot of time. Furthermore, there were a lot of choices for lodging nearby, so I decided to choose one now. But before that, I needed to go to the information desk and ask about the Adventurers'' exam. With trepidation, I entered the Adventurer''s Guild and immediately after entering, I was overwhelmed by the scenery in front of me. ''This place is full of adventurers.'' I thought to myself as I glanced around Although this was a town mostly filled with novice adventurers, I reckon it is also expected that there would be a lot of experienced adventurers around too. Still, I didn''t expect for there to be so many though. From the corner of my eyes, I spotted an Adventurer carrying crystal balls close to his chest. There was another Adventurer with an arm wrapped with bandages and sporting a serious look on his face. And further across the room was also an Adventurer that carried a large trident on his back. I wonder if all those were sacred weapons? And how do they fight the demon race with those weapons? I should have known that there were a lot of adventurers in the world who used strange sacred weapons. I excitedly looked over my surroundings. Shortly thereafter, I found myself satisfied with my brief sightseeing, and I finally went to the information desk to ask about the Adventurers'' Exam. "Um, excuse me." I started. "Yes?" "I would like to take the Adventurers'' Exam. Can you provide me with the schedule?" "Ah, yes. The next exam begins in the afternoon the day after tomorrow. Don''t be late. You can also come at any time." "Yes. Understood." I went away quite satisfied. After all, the schedule was what I expected. It will start the day after tomorrow in the afternoon. Since that''s the case, I can do what I came here to do tomorrow. For now, I''ll try to take a look around the town. Deciding on that, I went looking for some lodging near the guild. XXX Finally, it is the first day of the month and therefore the day of the exam. It is the day of the Adventurer''s Exam! Therefore, I hurriedly went to the Adventurer''s Guild. "There are l-lots of people here." I sighed as I made it inside of the establishment. There were certainly a lot more people here now compared to two days ago when I last visited. Are they all here hoping to become adventurers too? They were all equipped with tools that looked like sacred weapons, so I guess that''s may be the case. The chances of them succeeding are high, but still, do they think they all can be successful? Come to think of it, I''ve heard the percentage of success drops by ten percent each time. If one fails, the next exam won''t be until the beginning of next month. Given that I''d be unemployed during all that time, I decided that somehow, I should be successful with my first attempt. If I don''t keep this mindset, then I won''t be able to advance. No matter what, I have to pass. "Well then, let''s begin this month''s Adventurers'' Exam." I felt uneasy as I heard a young girl''s voice come from somewhere. Due to the fact that adults gathered in this place, that voice sounded misplaced, and inevitably, the surrounding people also considered it quite dubious. Everyone looked around the place, but could not find the girl who had spoken. Before long employees working at the bar brought over a table, and someone quietly got on it. It was a girl with a dazzling smile and pink hair holding the hand of a doll fashioned as a gothic lolita. Maybe this was the girl who spoke earlier. Since she was wearing pink clothes coupled with carrying a doll, she appeared as nothing more but a young girl. Since she had announced the beginning of the Adventurers'' Exam, then she was most likely one of the examiners, but I wonder how old could she actually be? It seemed as though she sensed the doubts surrounding her, for she suddenly spoke with a bright smile, "I am one of the examiners, Charm Floraito. Although I look like this, I''m an adult who has been a part of the Blessing Ceremony, and I am a full-fledged member of the guild." Her dull voice reverberated throughout the guild. She was definitely one of the examiners. Unlike her appearance, she was actually an adult who had already taken part in the Blessing Ceremony. With still a hint of surprise in my eyes, I watched the young girl move on the improvised stage, and she quickly began explaining the contents of the exam. "Well then, I want to quickly explain the contents of the exam. This year''s exam will involve leaving from the east gate, going to the Seven Colors Forest area and searching for and bringing back this..." She wasn''t referring to the gothic lolita fashioned doll which she held in her right hand but a smaller doll which she now holds and raises up. What was that? Due to the audible sighs birthed from our group''s collective confusion, Charm decided to answer our unspoken questions, "As you can see, this is a doll. Rather, this ''Exam Doll'' will be placed in the Seven Colors Forest, and your task will be to find it and bring it back to the guild." I see. The goal of this exam would be to find something. The exam changes each time, and I''ve heard that depending on the examiner, the degree of difficulty also tends to change a lot. Since I''ve heard that the degree of difficulty in some exams is unreasonable, I was prepared to face whatever challenges they may toss at us. However, this time it seems it is a particularly simple exam, and so my erratic heart somewhat calmed. Essentially, our task was just about finding something. On the other hand, if she had said we were to face off against experienced adventurers or fight against all of the adventurers in town, I wondered how I would react. I was quietly relieved, but after the examiner''s next statement, I realized that that relief I felt was only for a short moment. "By the way, in the Seven Color Forest, there are monsters called ''Snatch Thieves''. It is in the nature of these creatures to steal humans'' properties, and they do what they want with stuff they find. Most likely, they''ve already picked up all of the Exam Dolls we scattered in the forest by now. So do your best to take them from them and bring them back." "Ugh..." This Adventurer Exam is certainly something I shouldn''t take lightly. The gist of the Adventurer''s Exam was; ''Go into the forest, and look for a doll.'' However, because there were monsters present, the ultimate goal of the ordeal now became about us, participants, devising a plan to subjugate the monsters. Going to an area overrun with monsters and using one''s ''Searching Ability'' and simple ''Battle Ability''; this was an exam aimed to evaluate those two sets of skills. "Of course there are other monsters in the forest. Because of that, we have no problem with you teaming up with other examinees. Since your aim is to become adventurers, it''s only natural to learn to cooperate with one another. I think, there''s no time like the present to start practicing that, too." "T-Team up?" Certainly companions are necessary. Depending on the connection one makes as well as how one cooperates with others will drastically raise one''s chances of passing the exam. "Obviously you need to bring back the number of dolls equal to the number of members in your party. The time limit is two hours. Well then, let''s begin the exam." Charm''s dull voice had given the command to begin the exam. The time limit was two hours. Taking into consideration the time it would take to get back to the testing area, I figured I had no time to waste. "For the time being, I also..." I needed to quickly find some companions. I mean I can say that, but do I really have what it takes to get people to let me join their party? It makes sense that people would want to team up with strong individuals, and therefore they would have to have a strong sacred weapon. However, my sacred weapon was just a rusted sword. It''s impossible for someone to think that a person possessing a weapon like this will be capable of joining a party. Since that''s the case, I could employ the strategy of using the ''Evolution'' skill on my sword, change it into the Cursed Demon Sword and show it off. However, due to the fact that it looks like a Majin''s sword when transformed, then people would certainly avoid anyone who was holding such a dangerous weapon. Also, I don''t want to use the Evolution skill before the exam. I want to preserve that skill as long as I can. Well then, what should I do? When I looked around, there were many adventurers quickly teaming up in parties to face the Seven Color Forest together. Inevitably, this forced me into a panic. I have to quickly find people to team up with! With that in mind, I quickly started scanning the area for candidates. While I was in the middle of my search, I heard a loud voice come out of nowhere, "Ha? I said a while ago that I didn''t like it!" It was an angry young girl''s voice. Because her voice was so loud, not only I, but the surrounding people all looked towards the source of the sound. As soon as all eyes were casted in her direction, there was another exclaim, "Put me in your party..." There was a party composed of three, and they were apparently all girls, and across from them was a young girl carrying a large shield. She was facing the group with tear streaked eyes and was begging to join them. -To be continued. Volume 1 - CH 12 Out of the three girls, two of them were most likely twin sisters. They looked very similar to each other; they both were short and had droopy eyes. Furthermore, they wore long black dresses that suited their figures well. The only way they could be told apart from one another was by the color of their ponytails. One had a blue ponytail, and the other had a red one. On their backs, they had sacred weapons that were large sickles. They were as alike as two peas in a pod. In front of the both of them was one purple haired girl that seemed like she was their leader. She wore a robe that resembled a magician''s robe, but it was tailored as a mini dress, and she looked rather stylish wearing it. I figured out that she was the one who had screamed angrily earlier. Her anger was directed at the white haired young lady standing in front of the three of them. I glanced at the white hair girl once more; her shiny silvery strands were cut in a bob and she appeared quite young. On her back was a large shield that seemed inappropriate to be carried by her frail looking body. Despite her timid figure, she stood in front of the purple haired girl. All the while, she had tears flowing down the side of her cheeks. "Why do I have to let a piece of rubbish like yourself into our party! You''ve got to be kidding me!" When this was said to the white haired girl, her large shield shook with a start and she curled inwardly from the unexpected force. From what I could infer, it seemed like the girl with the shield had requested to join their party. And the purple haired leader had that strongly opposed to that idea. I''m not certain what the reason was, but if she was going to refuse, isn''t there a better way to phrase it? While watching over the scene with slight discomfort, I noticed that the white haired girl bowed her head again. "I...I want to be at the party..." She stuttered out. "I''ve said it already, how annoying you are! Don''t you realize the extent of your own incompetence?" The cruel way of speaking continued some more. "Being an adventurer is a profession in which you take down monsters. Despite that, you''re carrying a shield for a sacred weapon that can''t take down a single monster. There is no way you''ll be able to become an adventurer." In response to the leader''s voice, the twin girls behind her nodded in agreement, while the white haired girl just remained silent. It seemed like the four girls were acquainted with one another. Based on what she said that the shield on the white haired girl''s back was a ''sacred weapon'' and the tone of her voice, I suppose they were more than acquaintances. Were they friends...probably not? Wielding an item used for defense against a demon is meaningless, therefore, from the start, even I could tell it was a useless sacred weapon. There was some basis to their argument that her sacred weapon is not able to defeat a single monster. Well, what does it all matter? The Adventurer Exam this time is to defeat monsters. If we are going to cooperate to do it, then teaming up with people with high combat skills is preferable. Therefore, teaming up with someone who is unable to defeat monsters has no merit. Furthermore, we have to collect a number of dolls equal to the number of people in our party. If what the purple-haired girl was saying was true, about the shield carrying girl not being capable of taking down a single monster, then she was at a disadvantage in this exam and would be a liability to them. If the girl joined the party, then the other three would have to obtain one extra doll for her sake. Carefully selecting the people you add to your party is just basic knowledge. Even though she was communicating her point callously, the leader had a sound argument. In the midst of all this, the girl with the shield nevertheless pleaded with the girl even with watery eyes, "But because I have ''Protection Power'', I can protect you from the monsters." "Good grief! What of this ''Protection Power''? We don''t need that kind of thing! Well, we can''t be late! Step aside, you piece of garbage!" Finally, at her wit''s end, the girl waved her hand and told the girl off. I couldn''t just stand back and watch something like this. Without a moment''s delay I interjected myself between the girls, and took hold of the leader''s palm, just before the leader''s hand struck the shield wielding girl. My impulsive action stopped her from hitting the girl. Now full of anger, the leader turned towards me, "...Who are you?" "I''m participating in the same exam as you. Nice to meet you." "I see. What are you doing holding my hand?" "Nothing much. I just thought you were overdoing it a little bit." It''s not that I don''t understand her point. If she can''t stomach it, then it isn''t necessary for her to allow the girl in the party. However, I can''t overlook her unnecessary use of violence. No matter how bothersome she says this situation is, it doesn''t justify her doing that. Undauntedly, I returned her affronted look with a strong gaze towards the purple-haired girl. Before long, the girl clicked her tongue, and shook her hand free from my grasp. "This doesn''t concern you. It doesn''t matter what anyone says. I''m not letting her in the party. I don''t think I''m overdoing anything. The one who is in the wrong is her." When I glanced over at the girl holding the shield, she looked down uncomfortably. I wonder if she realizes she is being so persistent. Still, she doesn''t have to have a look like that though. "You want to be an adventurer, too, right? Having a shield for a sacred weapon is worthless. Despite that, when it comes to this girl, because she has no one else to talk to, she is just trying to team up with us simply because we are from the same village. Plus, if she goes by herself, she won''t be able to take down a single monster because of her useless weapon." ...I see. Because the girls were all from the same village, they all knew each other. And as for the girl with the shield, because she didn''t have anyone else to rely on, she continued to talk to the three girls. Still, isn''t it even more cruel to treat someone from your own village with disdain? Maybe the problem is caused by the fact that they are from the same village. I mean, the way the purple haired girl glared at the shield wielding girl and myself told me enough of what I needed to know about the true nature of their relationship. "If you understand what I''m saying, then you too should step aside. Or if it suits you, you can try joining up with this piece of trash. Do you think you can really pass the exam with this stupid blockhead?" The purple haired girl addressed me, after receiving the provocation, I once again glanced over at the girl with the shield. Her lack of self-confidence was huge compared to others around me. I thought she lacked fighting ability given her gangly build. Piece of garbage, blockhead, and incompetent... The owner of a sacred weapon that was unable to defeat a single monster, was called a lot of mean things. After taking that assessment of the girl into consideration and gazing at her for a bit, I threw her a large nod, "Well then, let''s do it!" "Huh?" I glanced at the white haired girl and spoke to her, "Hey you, perhaps you want to join up with me? I am also looking for a companion. Let''s work together and pass this Adventurers'' Exam." "What?" The one who raised her voice in surprise was the purple haired leader. As for the white haired girl, she was dumbfounded, and could do nothing but give me a blank stare. I couldn''t blame her for being in shock. To have a young girl who was openly called incompetent and a piece of garbage become your companion, is certainly unthinkable! Even I would think such was joke if it happened to someone else. When I looked around us and saw that the people who had heard our conversation were taken aback by what I had done too, I started to question my own sanity. Well, that''s fine! What matters is that I had given the speechless white haired girl a last push of support. "Well, I think we''ll make excellent companions!" I told her. This time, the girl had given me a surprised reaction, "Um yeah... You''re right!" Volume 1 - CH 13 "It doesn''t look like these exam dolls are going to be easy to get." The white haired girl told me. -To be continued. Volume 1 - CH 14 The creature that ambushed us had a thin face and a sharp nose. It was also wearing a loincloth made of hemp and a pointed hat that shaded his nose. "Keke!" It made a taunting sound that reminded me strongly of mischievous children before it started running towards us. It waved its small fist in the air and jumped at me. "Danger!" I exclaimed as I readied myself to receive its attack. I held my sword firmly, pacing my heart and waited for the right moment to intercept my opponent''s blow. However, before that thing managed to launch its first attack, Diamond stepped out in front of me and planted her shield before us. As soon as she did this, a flower-like figure bloomed in front of us and its four petals stretched out in order to protect us from our opponent''s attack. Diamond managed to protect the two of us with perfect timing. Upon closer inspection, they realized the monster was a gnome and it let out a high pitch sound that briefly echoed in the forest. "Oooh..." I couldn''t help but let out a gasp of surprise as I saw what Diamond had done and found myself admiring her quick thinking. After all, it was common belief that the way to go up against a monster was through a direct attack from a sacred weapon, but Diamond countered our enemy with a defensive power. Ordinary shields would easily crumble down like a piece of paper being pierced when used against demons'' attacks. On the other hand, sacred weapons did not provide much protection. During battles, if it comes to it, wielders of swords and spears often use the inner part of the sword or the spear''s hilt in order to block the attacks and defend themselves, but its scope of protection was undeniably small compared to the security a shield sacred weapon could provide. Though sacred weapons could damage a monster''s ''armor'', a shield, or even a sacred weapon shield could not do the same and is as effective as ordinary weapons when it comes to fighting against the demons. For that reason, I felt a strong sense of reliance towards Diamond whose back was currently facing me. "Kekekekeke!" Even though the gnome''s attack had been blocked, it still continued to cling onto Diamond''s shield and flung its body relentlessly at it. The gnome that was constantly banging at us also produced a loud gagging sound that sounded eerily like a creepy laugh. No, more than this, it sounded like it had gone mad. "Hi, hiiiiiii!" Diamond clearly flinched at it, but nevertheless continued to hold her position to prevent the attack. Although we were supposed to be fighting a monster, it appeared like we were playing around with a child. Still, isn''t this monster quite strong? Also, whether or not the sound it produced seemed playful, I remained unsure. Nevertheless, this was no time to be at one''s leisure. I belatedly faced the gnome and swung my sword, "Get away from Diamond!" The ruffian quickly reacted and separated itself from the shield. Because Diamond was close by, and it could be dangerous for her, I didn''t swing with all my might, but still, I made sure to attack at lightning speed. With some effort, the gnome avoided the attack. Just by looking at it, one could tell that it was very nimble. And then once again, it raised its fist and charged at me, "Keke!" Once more Diamond tried to come between me and the monster, but this time I held my left hand up and made her stop. I finally found an opening where I could safely attack and did not need her protection, unlike last time. This time, I was certain that I would be able to splendidly halt the attack. First off, I decided to stop the gnome''s thrusting attacks with my cursed demon sword. With a loud ''clang'', its fists collided against my blade. "Uwow!" My eyes widened in surprise as my weapon collided against its hard body. Even though the gnome was very small in appearance, its ''armor skin'' was unexpectedly thick and heavy. I guess it is true what they say, ''a monster is still a monster'', even though it looked like a small child. On her part, Diamond was able to defend us well as she continued to keep us safe and block all the gnome''s attacks. As expected, she was a master of her own sacred weapon. However, I also was a master of a magic sword, and I couldn''t afford to be defeated. "Haaa!!!" I hit the gnome who was clutching to my sword, not with my sacred weapon, but with my left fist, and sent it flying. Because of the benefits of the cursed demon sword, my physical strength had increased considerably. The physical strength I now possess is different from that of the sacred weapon''s. Though this strength cannot go through magic armor, it is enough to blow one''s opponent off course and buy one, some time to prepare for the next move. As predicted, the monster let out a groan, and crashed into a large tree behind it. Due to the impact, it stopped moving for a moment and was impaled into the forest grounds. I took that opportunity to close the distance and threw my sword at it, "Take this!" Judging by how the gnome moved earlier, I gathered that it was rather quick on its feet. I figured I needed to end this battle as quickly as I could before it could escape or corner us. So I held the cursed demon sword tightly and then I slashed at the gnome with all my might. "Ke...ke..." Although I had cut the gnome in half with one slash, it continued to let out a sound that seemed like a moaning laugh. And just like the other slain demons, it turned into droplets of light before it completely disappeared. Once I was sure the gnome had been safely defeated, I turned the cursed demon sword back into the rusted sword and placed it back into its scabbard. I mentally counted how long I was able to use my sword in its evolved state, and realized that it was a whole good two minutes. The good news was that, I wasn''t feeling extremely tired, but if I wasn''t careful, I knew the fatigue will drop on me like a bomb. What''s important right now is for me to conserve my energy and restore my physical strength. "Good work, Diamond." I told my companion and she gave me a sheepish smile. "Thanks. You did well, too." After praising each other for our good work, we went to the place where the gnome was defeated. Tilting our heads in confusion, we stared at the spot, "Well...?" I wonder what that monster''s real goal was? Unlike the wolf monster who visibly tried to kill us, the gnome moved as if it had other intentions and hurting us was only its secondary motive. Ah well, I''ll think about that later. Right now I have something more important to tell Diamond. I called out to her, "Hey Diamond, by any rate, you were great back there." "Huh?" "I mean, because of you, the monster''s attack was rendered useless, despite the fact that it was viciously beating on your shield." "Th-thanks." Diamond stuttered out, it was obvious to me that Diamond''s cheeks were reddening, even though she tried to hide her face behind her shield. Being directly praised like this must be embarrassing to Diamond. Nothing was wrong with that. Still, I continued on as I gazed down at her sacred weapon, "Is your shield holding up okay? If it seems like it''s going to break, let me know, alright? If your sacred weapon gets destroyed while we''re in this area, we''ll be in trouble." If it comes to it, I was prepared to go back to the temple and have her weapon fixed. However, doing so in the middle of our test was less than ideal and obviously impractical. Our time would be eaten up just by going back to town. Still, I knew our lives were more valuable than this test. I decided to let her know of my intentions, "If the shield breaks, during our trip back to the town to have it repaired, rest assured that I''ll protect you..." Before I could finish talking, Diamond cut me off, "Ah! When it comes to the durability of my shield, I don''t think there is anything for you to worry about." Diamond said nonchalantly, as she raised her head up from behind her shield. "Huh?" Why did she say that there was no need to worry about the durability of the shield? What she had said caused a look of puzzlement to break out on my face. "Rust. Because you told me about your sacred weapon, in return, I will tell you about mine." Diamond gestured at her shield. She then motioned for me to touch it. Understanding that she wanted me to read its properties, I apprehensively stretched out my fingers towards it. I knew that a person''s sacred weapon could also be considered to be their talent, and looking at the properties of a sacred weapon could be considered the same as baring one''s soul, so there were many people who wouldn''t even allow one to touch it. But, this girl who looked to be the same age as I, was asking that I take a look at those properties voluntarily. Therefore, I softly grazed the shield, which looked like a white flower, and took a peek at its properties; [ Name: Indestructible Large Shield; Rank: A; Level: 5; Attack Power: 0; Benefits: Strength +50 Endurance +240 Agility +0 Magic +50 Vitality +220; Skill: "Indestructible"; Endurance: Infinity/Infinity] After seeing the properties of the shield, my eyes opened wide, "...Huh?" -To be continued. Volume 1 - CH 15 Name: Indestructible Large Shield Rank: A Level: 5 Attack Power: 0 Benefits: Strength +50 Endurance +240 Agility +0 Magic +50 Vitality +220 Skill: "Indestructible" Endurance: Infinity/Infinity What''s up with this durability? I''ve never seen an endurance as high as this before, how is this even possible?! Are my eyes deceiving me?! Surely this can''t be her weapon''s properties? There must have been a mistake! In addition to the fact that this is an ''Indestructible Large Shield'' or something like that, it also took me by surprise to find out that it is actually an ''A-ranked'' sacred weapon! Like Ruby''s Fire Breathing Large Sword, it is a sacred weapon that has the highest rank. Judging by its rank alone, it is enough proof that it possessed some rare ability. On top of that, it has skills that I''ve never seen in a sacred weapon before. ''Indestructibility'' means that the sacred weapon''s durability never diminishes. Furthermore, its properties say that the wielder is resistant to poison and curses. "With the indestructible skill, the durability of my shield never decreases. For that reason, the durability property displays a strange value. In addition to that, curses and poison are ineffective against me. Therefore, I never have to worry about me or my shield being destroyed." The white haired girl spoke to me in a nonchalant tone, as if we were only talking about the weather or a rather obvious thing. She spoke as if she hadn''t found it strange, not even by a little bit. Despite her composed appearance, I couldn''t help but be rendered speechless. I would never have expected this from her, especially when I first saw her. Back then, she looked rather small and inexperienced when it came to battling against demons. Anyone who would see her would think little of her, including me. I couldn''t help but not expect anything great from her. But now that I knew what she was capable of, my jaw involuntarily dropped in awe at her hidden talent. "That indestructible large shield is unbelievable!" I exclaimed. She gave me a confused look before responding softly, "Eh? Is that so?" "Yes. It truly is! Certainly, your weapon may have no attack power and is incapable of defeating a monster, but you don''t have to worry about your sacred weapon being destroyed and therefore losing your benefits. It seems like your equipment has every type of durability benefit attached to it. This truly is an indestructible shield. Next time when you meet people and say ''I have the power to defend'', it would be better if you say it with more confidence. This is something you should be proud of!" I told Diamond excitedly, but the girl just stood there in unreadable silence. I started to notice that when she is praised a lot, she ends up just standing there with her mouth open. Before long, her face began to redden like steel being heated, and again she hid her facial expression behind her shield. What is she so embarrassed about? It would be great if she had more self-confidence, especially in front of those three girls from earlier. Why did she seem so meek when talking to them back then? I found myself shaking my head as I remembered how she told them, "I have the power to defend", without any confidence. If she had believed in herself more, had more pride in her weapon and abilities, and made her appeal knowing that she was a wielder of an A-ranked sacred weapon, then she would never have been rejected and treated badly by them. At the very least, this girl is talented! I began to feel excited, it''s just my luck that somehow I was the only one who found a treasure that everyone else was unable to find. "Rust, you''re giving me too much praise. You''re making too much of a fuss out of this." She told me dismissively but I wasn''t having any of that. "No way! Diamond you need to be more self-aware of how amazing you are. It seems like you can still go up more levels. Because you have a small amount of magic ability, you should learn some enchanting skills. I''m truly excited for all of this!" "Isn''t enchanting usually used to strengthen a sacred weapon''s power and special attacks? I don''t think that enchanting is useful for shield sacred weapons." What Diamond said may be true, but because her shield is an A-ranked sacred weapon, I think it''s possible that there is a new power that could be awakened if she just trained some more. With this new found knowledge, my mood started to change, and I resolved that from here on out, I would expect a lot from her shield. I really am looking forward to seeing what happens with it. If Diamond manages to muster up some self-confidence, and gets the courage to stand in front of others... Then it''s possible that she''ll be able to protect more people than any of those heroes who have come before us. Anyhow, after revealing to each other our respective powers and sacred weapons through two battles, once again we decided to search for more exam dolls. When the two of us started to pick up our pace, from the corner of my eye, I saw a reflection of something, and reflexively stopped, "Huh?" It was coming from the thicket where the gnome had jumped out from earlier. The ''something'' that caught my eye, resembled a person''s hand, of that I was sure of. I unknowingly emitted a gasp of surprise as I approached it closer. That hand wasn''t a living hand. It looked like something I had seen before! I continued to stare at it. "What is that...?" I got closer to the thicket, and I tried to pull on that hand. When I did, what I pulled out was a doll dressed in gothic Lolita clothing. I''ve seen this doll someplace before... "Perhaps this is one of the exam dolls we needed to find in order to pass the Adventurer''s Exam." Diamond told me as she peeked at what I was doing. I shook my head, "...That''s what I think too, but..." My eyes met with Diamond''s, and we exchanged a look of understanding. As expected, this is the same kind of doll the examiner had shown us earlier. Why was it in the middle of this thicket? "Maybe that gnome from earlier had it. It did jump out from that same thicket earlier..." "Ah. That seems about right. I wonder if that gnome is a ''Snatch Thief'' that the examiner had spoken about earlier." "Yes. It seems to be like it was." I see. This makes sense. It makes sense that that gnome is a snatch thief, as it seemed to gravitate and cling to our sacred weapons. It''s a monster whose known characteristic is stealing human possessions. Back then, what it was doing was actually trying to steal our sacred weapons from our hands. It seemed regardless of whether or not what we had were sacred weapons didn''t matter to its kind. It was in its nature to steal whatever equipment or things humans had on them. If we hadn''t succeeded in defending ourselves, my ''Cursed Demon Sword'' and Diamond''s ''Indestructible Shield'' would have been stolen. Though as long as the sacred weapons weren''t destroyed, the benefits wouldn''t disappear, we still wouldn''t be able to use their magical properties and skills if they were taken from us. Therefore, losing them was just unthinkable! Anyhow, I''m glad everything ended with no problems. "For the time being, we have one ''exam doll''. Let''s go and find one more quickly, and then let''s pass this exam together!" I told her. "Y-Yes!" So far, we''ve been able to obtain one exam doll and we still needed to search for another one since there are two of us taking this exam. But it seems we may be running out of time, so I decided to give the first exam doll we collected to Diamond. To be honest, I feel that Diamond has been blessed with more talent than I was. The first one to become an adventurer should be Diamond, as she was far better than me. If everyone knew how powerful she is, she''d be receiving invitations from a lot of different parties. What''s more, and hypothetically speaking, even if we were to fail this exam, she could win the favor of someone, since there was even a possibility that someone would discover her and recommend that she become an adventurer. Furthermore, it''s unthinkable that I''d just disregard Diamond, and pass the exam by myself. My conscience would never let me do that, especially when I know that my sacred weapon is either a rusted sword, which has a weak attack power, or a cursed magic sword that steals the strength of other sacred weapons. My weapon is the most unreliable of all! While I was engrossed in my own thoughts I suddenly noticed that we weren''t alone. We stopped on our tracks when we heard a familiar voice call out to us from behind, "Oh? It''s Diamond. What are the odds of meeting you in a place like this?" Perhaps both Diamond and I were being careless and let our guard down because we did not notice how close they were to us. We spun on our heels in panic and faced them. "Ah. It''s you guys..." It was the three girls who had blatantly and cruelly turned down Diamond''s request to join their party during the start of the Adventurers'' Exam. -To be continued. Volume 1 - CH 16 We were face to face with that flashy girl from earlier. Her long and flowy purple hair gently swayed against the passing forest breeze. She still looked stylish with her wizard''s robe that was fashioned as a miniskirt while behind her stood the twin sisters with their large sickles dangling from their backs. I was surprised to see these girls again. I tossed a glance at Diamond beside me, she too looked quite taken aback by their sudden appearance. "Amethyst, why are you here?" Diamond asked in a hushed voice. It was only then that I found out that the purple haired girl was named Amethyst. But, why is this Amethyst person here, right now? The Seven Colors Forest that the Adventurers'' Exam is being held in, compared to other places, is quite large. Therefore, the chances of meeting other exam participants in this area was very slim. Furthermore, casually running into the same girls who had caused us trouble at the beginning of the exam didn''t seem like it was just coincidence. Had they followed us? That certainly can''t be true, was it? Amethyst started talking, "I was surprised from the very beginning when you agreed to join up with this guy in the exam. You''ve done well to stay safe up to now, Diamond, you piece of garbage." Amethyst then laughed cruelly at Diamond. Diamond, after hearing this, uncomfortably shifted her gaze away from her. I had noticed since the start of the exam, that Diamond and Amethyst do not have a good relationship. From behind Amethyst, the two other girls watched in amusement. It seems that just like Amethyst, they too were not fond of Diamond. Still, there is no way Amethyst came here just to jeer us! Thereafter, Amethyst''s sneering gaze was casted at me. She started addressing me in a condescending manner, "And you! You didn''t listen to my advice, and instead took Diamond with you. You''re a true fool. How does it feel to be dealing with this incompetent Diamond? Or maybe you fell in love with her at first sight? Did you?" I know that she''s obviously provoking me. This scene is giving me feelings of nostalgia. Since I was young, I''ve always been bullied. I''ve been bullied by Helio and other kids so much that I''ve grown tired of it. I silently took a deep breath and looked over at Diamond who was standing next to me. I mustered up all the confidence inside me and spoke in a determined voice, "It probably is love at first sight." "Huh?" "You''re right I am in love with Diamond. I invited her to team up with me so I can go together with her." "R-Rust!?" Diamond turned red in embarrassment as she exclaimed in shock. While she stood there speechless I quickly looked at her indestructible large shield and continued on with my conversation with her bullies, "And, as for the shield sacred weapon, it has amazing abilities, different from other sacred weapons. When I saw Diamond holding it, I knew then that I absolutely wanted her to join up with me. I don''t know why other people wouldn''t want her in their party." "I-is it really that way..." Diamond dropped her shoulders in defeat as she realized I had no plans in relenting against them. I knew my statement could send their feelings on a roller coaster, but nevertheless, I didn''t think it was enough to assuage their conscience, so I then declared to Amethyst, "The more you know about Diamond, the more you''ll realize how amazing she is. She isn''t the piece of garbage you keep saying she is. She is kind and reliable. She''ll stand in front of you and protect you. She is a girl who should become an adventurer." "...Rust!" It''s been a little less than an hour since the exam began. Although I had only been with Diamond for less than an hour, I found her good points without even trying to look for them. Also, she had not changed her timid personality since I met her. Regardless of the situation, in just an instant I was able to see her kindness and dependability, and I was moved by it. Girls like her most definitely should become adventurers, this is what I thought. I only told Amethyst my honest opinion of Diamond, so I did not feel any sense of shame. "Aha! You do have a crush on her. You''ve done well to support this crybaby from our village up to this point. Despite your help, you should know that there is no way she''ll ever become an adventurer." "You say that, but we actually already have one of the exam dolls. Diamond has the qualities of an adventurer. This is irrefutable proof of that!" After I said this, I took the exam doll that we had just obtained and showed it to Amethyst. In just a second, Amethyst''s eyes widened in surprise and then her gaze thinned to the width of a thread and started speaking to me in a sharp tone, "Well...a doll. Looks like you got one." "That''s right! But in order for both of us to pass the exam, we need one more. We are going to look for another one. Since there isn''t much time left, we have to go now. See you later." After I said my reply, we tried to separate ourselves from them and get out as quickly as we could. Ever since we started talking to Amethyst there was this nagging feeling that has been bothering me for a while and telling me that we should flee as fast as we could. I couldn''t shake off the feeling of uneasiness. I wanted to get out of that place as soon as possible. It''s true that the most important thing right now was for us to complete the exam. From this point on, it was important for us to focus as we had to get one more doll before we could return back to the guild. Truly, we did not have time to spare on quarreling with these three. I felt a sense of urgency, so I pulled on Diamond''s hand rather forcefully and dragged her with me. Seeing this Amethyst called out to me, "Speaking of which, we also still need to get one more doll." I reflexively stopped when I heard her sudden outburst. Why was she telling us this? I glanced back at them and when I did, she turned and stared at us like a hunter aiming at its prey. In addition to this, she sneered at us the same way she did when we first met. Amethyst started talking again, "Come to think of it, the examiner had said that all we had to do was bring back a doll?" "...Huh?" What is she saying? "Where we get it and how we get it doesn''t matter, right?" "Wh-!" Before I could process what was going to happen, Diamond had already reached for her shield and took a defensive position. "Get out of the way Rust!" She called out and pushed her right hand in front of her. "Lilac!" Amethyst exclaimed and instantly a purple lightning was released from her hand. Together with a thunderous sound, lightning came flying towards us! The cracks of light were charging towards us at frightening speed. Despite this, Diamond raised her large shield and caught each of the blasts, it was as if she could see the future and defended against each attack perfectly. Crashing sounds of thunder began to echo due to the impact. "Uuuh...!" With just a slight grimace, Diamond managed to stop Amethyst''s purple lightning. She was amazing! It''s likely that if I had taken that blow, I would have fainted immediately. But Diamond acted swiftly and received each attack without faltering at all. Still, our opponent''s attack was very powerful. I wonder if this purple lightning was magic? What''s weird, Amethyst was releasing strips of lightning directly from her hand! I mean, she had turned towards us, and shot the lightning knowingly at us. This isn''t an attack you should be shooting at your fellow examinees. "Stealing from other examinees isn''t expressly prohibited. Plus, accidents and injuries are each person''s responsibility. Isn''t it natural for an exam like this, that one should expect that there is the possibility of something getting stolen from you? Isn''t that so girls?" After saying that, Amethyst continued to release purple lightning at us. One attack. Two attacks. Three times we were attacked with purple lightning. All of her offenses were caught by Diamond''s large indestructible shield. I was stupefied by the amazing spectacle in front me. This is not the kind of thing one sees in an Adventurer''s Exam. The two of them visibly had great powers. But I had to pull myself together! This was not the time to gawk at their battle like a disoriented fish. Amethyst gritted her teeth at us, "This is what is expected of someone wielding a shield. But you can''t win this match by just defending yourself. Furthermore, do you honestly believe that you can become an adventurer by only being on the defensive?" "Dammit...!" I sighed. Although Amethyst wasn''t the most pleasant conversationalist, there was truth in her words. We had no choice but to fight. The examiner had definitely told us that all we had to do was bring back the doll. They did not put any limits to the methods we would use. Technically, there wasn''t a prohibition from stealing the dolls from one''s fellow examinees. It was also highly likely that fighting with other examinees was taken into consideration when deciding on this exam. After all, when it comes to adventurers, capturing ''renegades'' is also part of their job. There are people who use the weapons they have received from the gods to commit malicious acts. Generally speaking, those people are called ''renegades''. It''s to be expected that shortly after one passes the adventurer''s exams, they would go on missions and battle against renegades. That''s why they say one should probably get used to fighting human opponents as early as one can. More or less, as a general principle, if you aren''t strong enough to fight against other sacred weapon wielders, then you can''t work as an adventurer. If you''re strong you pass, and if you''re weak, you fail. This exam made all of those theories make sense. It made it simple! At any rate, this is no time for me to hesitate. "Diamond, Amethyst''s sacred weapon..." I called out. "Huh?" "If it keeps going on like this, we have no choice but to fight. We need to destroy her weapon and incapacitate her!" I quickly made a plan. I would rush towards them and destroy Amethyst''s weapon. To do that, we had to know about Amethyst''s weapon first. Because Diamond was an acquaintance of Amethyst, and they had grown up in the same village, perhaps Diamond knew about Amethyst''s weapon. It was likely that Amethyst''s sacred weapon was used as a ''catalyst''. Since a ''catalyst'' usually functions by allowing its wielder to use magic simply by being equipped by it. However, the problem was I could not see it. I did not know where it was equipped on her, nor had I any idea what the thing actually looked like. Therefore, I tried to ask Diamond, but she was clearly bewildered by my question. I briefly wondered if my assumption was wrong and in truth Diamond did not know anything about Amethyst''s sacred weapon. But after looking at her more closely I started to suspect that this wasn''t the case. When I had said, "...we have no choice but to fight," Diamond had appeared truly perplexed. I could almost see what she was thinking. In her mind, it was unthinkable to fight with the girls. Even though we have only known each other for a short time, I understood that, that is what her expression had meant. Ah, that''s right, I could tell that Diamond really wasn''t up to fighting with Amethyst. If I was the one being told to fight against Helio, I also would hesitate due to our history. As predicted, Diamond thought it better to not have to fight against these girls. It''s regrettable but, if we want to be safe, then it''s best to hand over the doll and leave this place peacefully. And as I was secretly thinking of weakening our stance, Diamond resolutely shouted, "The bracelet on Amethyst''s right wrist is called the Lilac Bracelet. Please get it, Rust." Diamond''s sudden outburst meant that if we wanted to become adventurers, then we had no choice but to fight. The message that if we didn''t stand up to these there, we wouldn''t be adventurers, was clearly received by me. Volume 1 - CH 17 Basically, whoever destroys the other''s sacred weapon is the winner. On the other hand, whoever''s sacred weapon is destroyed, is the loser. When that happens, not only will the benefits one receives from the sacred weapon disappear, but one will also be unable to use one''s skills and magic, and ultimately the blessing is lost; the sacred weapon becomes akin to a piece of junk. Therefore, by destroying the opponent''s sacred weapon, one would have completely incapacitated them. That is most definitely the way a ''PvP'' match is done. That is why I asked Diamond about Amethyst''s sacred weapon; now I know her sacred weapon is a purple bracelet worn on her right wrist and that it was called the Lilac Bracelet. "As predicted, it is a catalyst type of sacred weapon." When one wears a catalyst sacred weapon, the wearer gains the ability to use high levels of magic. What sets this type of weapon apart from others is the fact that one can use a high level of magic more freely; like Amethyst, who is able to release lightning from the palm of her hand. Furthermore, catalyst weapons are also considered far ranged weapons and could cause massive areas of damage. Although I say this, it does not mean that catalyst weapons are better than other weapons in every aspect. On the downside, compared to other weapons, catalyst weapons are by far more fragile. The durability number of catalyst weapons is at most a ''two-digit'' value. Therefore, if one manages to get close and is successful in attacking, then one can easily destroy a catalyst weapon. Once I am able to destroy the weapon, then she won''t be able to use her lightning magic. When that happens, she''ll be completely incapacitated, and we can defeat her. Another option is, we can just wait until her magic powers ran out. But that option is rather far-fetched because we don''t have the luxury of time to wait for it. I had to remind myself that I was running out of time and I should stop my whining, so I pulled out my rusted sword from the scabbard that was dangling on my back and gripped it tightly. Amethyst watched me as I did so, and in an instant, her eyes widened. She then burst into laughter, "Hahaha! There''s no way that dirty sword of yours could actually be your sacred weapon!" ''Indeed, it didn''t look great, but it was still my sacred weapon...''; I very much wanted to reply like that, but I was building up my resolve and was waiting for an opportunity to make my attack. "As I expected, you''re the same kind of incompetent trash as Diamond. To show you both that I am still nice, I''ll do you both a favor and just smash both of you right now. I''ll start by proving to you that you aren''t strong enough, and that you won''t be employed as an adventurer." Amethyst continued to charge at us in a tirade of purple lightning attacks that relentlessly came at us. All the while Diamond continued to hold her ground and captured each attack with her indestructible large shield. She was working hard to protect the both of us, especially me. However, as Amethyst''s offenses grew stronger, stray electric shocks that came out of her purple lightning were beginning to hurt Diamond. I could see her flinch more and weakened before them as seconds ticked by. Although she had the high durability skill, still, continuously stopping the magical attacks was taking its toll on her. In addition to her current plight, given that Amethyst''s magic was lightning, it was harder for Diamond to avoid those wisps of lightning. It was clear we were at a disadvantage. We had to get out of this deadlock situation quickly! I glanced down at the rusted sword which I held in my right hand. As I did so, I recalled that in the last battle I was able to hold on to my sword''s magical form for two minutes. My condition at the present was not good, I was physically exhausted so most likely, the amount of time I could use the sword''s magic would be short. I probably got a good minute...no! If I''m lucky, at most, I could only use it for thirty seconds. That means, I don''t have much time to spare. To make matters worse, I wasn''t used to having my insides gnawed on by using the sword''s power. I was overwhelmed with tiredness comparable to the feeling of being forced to do a full on sprint. Far from pleasant, it was a pain so bad that it would lead to my consciousness taking a huge hit, and I would ultimately end up fainting. Honestly, to me, our present situation is pretty scary. However, Diamond had made up her mind, so I resolved myself to do the same. It didn''t matter to me even if this curse tried to eat me from the inside out. Therefore, as for now, lend me your power Cursed Demon Sword! "Evolve!" After I quietly said that, the rusted sword''s blade began to turn to a deep black shade. Then the rust that was covering the blade up until the hilt crumbled away. Thereafter, the sword''s true form was revealed. From the tip of the blade to the pommel, the sword was covered in pitch black. It was a form that emitted a sinister aura; [Name: Cursed Demon Sword; Rank: S; Level: unknown; Attack Power: 500; Benefits: Strength +500 Endurance +500 Agility +500 Magic +500 Vitality +500; Magic: Black Hellfire; Skill: Sacred Weapon Synthesis; Endurance value: 500/500]. Instantly, my body lightened and it felt as though I grew some wings. My field of vision also widened while my reflexes were sharpened. The benefits from the sacred weapon, like goosebumps, ran across the entire expanse of my entire body. The feeling of getting stronger sunk deeper into my skin. And then, in the blink of an eye, deciding I should finish this match, I flew out from behind Diamond. As I ran I ran towards Amethyst and the other 2 girls, they looked at my weapon, and displayed dumbfounded expressions. "W-What is that!?" The collective gasps of surprise from Amethyst and her friends were due to the mysterious phenomenon of the weapon changing. Furthermore, this weapon looked like a weapon a monster would have, so their surprise was only natural. It was clear the shock made Amethyst''s party lose their bearings, and so with as much speed as I could manage, I ran at them. "Dammit, ''Lilac''!" Because she didn''t want her opponents getting close, Amethyst shot more purple lightning in our direction. While dodging her attacks, I continued to charge forward. Thanks to the benefits from the cursed demon sword, my vitality had reached a higher level. In addition, my defensive instincts were further refined. This gave me the potential to react against the lightning which was coming at me super quickly. If I avoid the lightning even by just a little bit, then perhaps I can blow her back with my sword. "What are you doing!?" In a split second, I had settled in front of Amethyst, and the three girls changed their battle formation, "Spinel, Lapis! I''m depending on you!" "Leave it to us!" One of the twins responded and Amethyst withdrew her right hand and took a step back. As her replacement, the sickle wielding girls came out in front of her. The two took their large sickles off of their backs. Then, in order to protect Amethyst, they joined their 2 sickles together, "Enchant, Blood Moon." One of them said, then the other one added, "Enchant, Blue Moon." In the red haired girl''s sickle, flame waves emerged, and in the blue haired girl''s sickle, ice magic was emitted. I sensed a lot of power coming from the pair. It was most likely that they possessed C-rank weapons. Still their level was rather high. Merging two weapons like the ones they had together allowed for even more enchantment to take place. Normally, this was a defensive attack, still I don''t think an A-ranked weapon could break through it. But, if it''s my cursed demon sword... Grasping my sword tightly with both hands, I raised it up and swung it downward, "Haaaaaaaaaaaa!!!" In order to intercept my attack, the two sisters swung their sickles at me. There is only one of me, and I only have one weapon, therefore I might seem to be at a disadvantage. Anyone who would see us now would think that the girls would be the victor. However, the instant when our weapons met each other, the red and blue sickles, like pieces of hard candy; easily shattered like falling glass. -To be continued. Volume 1 - CH 18 Both of the sickle wielding girls'' eyes opened wide when their sacred weapons were destroyed. Amethyst, whom they were protecting was also dumbfounded, given that it only took one attack to bring them down. "Th-That is inconceivable..." Despite the fact that I, her enemy, was standing directly in front of her, Amethyst lowered her right arm which was holding her bracelet up. She looked utterly stiff and clearly stupefied. It was obvious that Amethyst had a lot of confidence in the sisters; Spinel and Lapis''s talents. Therefore, when she saw those girls'' sacred weapons destroyed right before her eyes with only a single attack, she had a hard time processing it. It''s reasonable that she would be confused. She kept making disbelieving sounds. As for me, the curse that accompanied the use of the cursed demon sword was knocking at my door. It was time to pay my dues for using it, now a building pain was spreading across my chest and travelling up to my head. I felt a little unsteady on my feet. Still, I was able to continue standing somehow, Diamond, who was watching me from behind, came rushing over. Thereafter, she looked at me with very anxious eyes and leaned in to whisper, "A-Are you okay Rust?" "Y-Yeah. More or less. Don''t worry about me." I answered back to her in a low voice. After doing this, I immediately returned the cursed demon sword back to its rusted sword form. As soon as I lost the benefits of the demon sword, I felt like lead replaced the blood that coursed through my veins, and just like the passing wind, a feeling of heaviness washed over me. However, this discomfort was nothing compared to the physical pain my body felt while I was using the cursed demon sword. Therefore, my body felt lighter. Whew, that was dangerous! I was able to make it before my time was up. Before I can use the cursed demon sword again, I''ll need some time to rest, but for now, it isn''t necessary. "Dammit...!" While Amethyst glared at both Diamond and myself, she frustratingly gritted her teeth. With her two companions'' sacred weapons being destroyed, all that was left was Amethyst''s catalyst sacred weapon. There is a limit to magic power, and at this point, she was at an overwhelming disadvantage. Contrary to theirs, our weapons were both fine. To be honest, I have to rest my weapon before I can use it again. But because Amethyst''s party didn''t know that, they thought they were still at a disadvantage. Therefore, although Amethyst had an impulsive personality, she wasn''t foolish enough to make a reckless gamble. Instead, she vented at me about the twins, and started to spew words that only a sore loser would say, "Those girls had C-Rank sacred weapons. Although they were enchanted, they were joined as one powerful weapon, and yet you destroyed them in a single... What kind of person are you!" I remained silent because I knew, they had a reason to find me suspicious. Even though I have been using my sacred weapon for some time now, I still didn''t fully comprehend it. What kind of person am I actually? What kind of weapon did I have? I have "Cursed Demon Sword"; but what does it implicate? While not having a good answer to that question, all I could muster was a simple reply, "I''m the same as you. I''m just a participant in the Adventurer''s Exam. Furthermore, I''m currently Diamond''s companion. That''s all there is to it." For the time being, I could only provide a reply that sounded very similar to how I introduced myself to them back when we first met. For a while, I remained silent but Amethyst''s annoyed expression did not go away. The reply I gave to Amethyst probably wasn''t good enough for her. Oh well, it didn''t matter to me whether or not she believed me. I had more important things on my mind, but before that, I had to tell Amethyst something first, "If you had Diamond and her shield, you probably could have stopped my attack." "Wh-Wha...?" "If you had befriended Diamond, you could have had her block the attack for you, and then your team would have performed better. This happened because you didn''t choose her..." "Damn you!" I must have sounded a little sarcastic, because when I looked at Amethyst she seemed angry about it. Her pretty face became deeply distorted due to fury. I was standing very near to her, and I thought that she was definitely going to release some lightning magic on me, but the only thing she released was a mean look and a grating yell, "What do you know! You don''t know anything! You aren''t part of this. You''re just butting in. Don''t stand there proudly spitting out lectures at me!" Maybe it was because it was after battle, but her outbursts were louder than before. She''s right, I am an outsider. I didn''t know anything about Amethyst''s and Diamond''s history together and their life at their village. It felt like I was an unconcerned party butting in. But at present, we were taking the Adventurer''s Exam together. We were all the same; aspiring to the same dream. Knowing this, I couldn''t afford to simply stand by and be quiet while Diamond was insulted right before my eyes. Those three had thoroughly embarrassed Diamond. They had loudly ridiculed her in front of a large crowd, causing her irreparable damage. Therefore, I wanted them to apologize to Diamond for what they had done. I wanted to hear from Amethyst''s own mouth why Diamond couldn''t join their party. However, it seemed that Amethyst wasn''t willing to listen to anything I had to say. "If you don''t like it, then just cut me down! In the doll''s case, why don''t you just come and steal it! Don''t think I''m going to give it up for free though." Saying this, Amethyst in desperation, raised her right hand towards our direction. Her gesture meant; ''If you''re going to come, then come. I''m going to meet you head on.'' It still puzzles me, why even now, she still blatantly shows so much dislike for Diamond? I don''t really see any reason why she would hold so much resentment towards the shield bearing girl. However, given what Amethyst had said, I was doubtful that we would hear an apology from her. So I turned to say to Diamond, "Let''s go, Diamond." "Huh?" "We still have one doll we have to find. Let''s go quickly and start looking for one again." Saying that, I attempted to lead Diamond away from this place. Continuing quarreling with Amethyst was pointless. It makes the most sense to hurry up and go look for another doll. Making up my mind, I tried to turn on my heels and go, but before we left, I stopped. It was really none of my business, but I told Amethyst what''s on my mind anyway, "As fellow adventurers, here is some advice. You three have lost two sacred weapons here. You shouldn''t overdo it and you ought to put a pause on finding the dolls and return to the village." "What the hell!?"Once more Amethyst''s face was distorted in anger. She most likely was angry because she didn''t want her enemy to worry about her. However, I felt like I was a little responsible for their situation. So, even if she didn''t like it, I was going to continue with my advice, "Well, since I''m the one who destroyed their sacred weapons, if it suits you, I can help you get back to the village." "Shut up! I don''t want your help!" Being yelled back at this quickly, meant that to continue talking with them would prove to be useless. She was very upset about losing the battle, and saying anything else to her now, will just add fuel to the fire. Oh well, at least if Amethyst''s sacred weapon is okay, then they should be able to make it out of the forest. I guess I shouldn''t worry about them. It''s none of my business anyway. Diamond and I left the place while sensing the dagger-like glares of Amethyst''s group on our backs. It has been a few minutes since we separated from Amethyst and the twins, and Diamond and I have been growing a little impatient due to what had happened. Nonetheless, we continued to weave through the Seven Color Forest, but the atmosphere around us only grew denser. I could even feel somberness weighing on Diamond''s face. Given that Diamond was still being rejected by Amethyst, her sadness was understandable. I was reluctant to say anything in this situation, but just to ease some of the tension off of my chest, I opened my mouth and asked her, "What happened between you and them?" For a moment, she remained silent. From an outsider''s perspective, it was clear that something was troubling her, and clouding her with a negative energy. What was the reason? I was curious so I tried to ask her, but perhaps I was unnecessarily prying, "Ah, never mind! It''s rude of me to ask. If you don''t want to tell me, it''s fine." "No, no! I dragged you in my mess for a while now. There''s no reason for me not to tell you." Diamond showed a bitter smile, and started to speak, "The name of my village is Karamunto Village. It is in the countryside, and in its own way, it is a large village. In particular, there are a lot of kids there who are around my age. Amethyst was one of those kids. She''s been my acquaintance since a young age." "I see. So you are childhood friends then?" This situation is similar to mine, as both Helio and Ruby are my childhood friends. "In Karmunto Village, Amethyst was the best at studies and physical exercises. Since we were kids, she has been seen as someone so good that you can''t compete against her. She''s different from me. She''s not a crybaby or someone who is easily bullied. I''ve always respected her from afar." "Ahh. There are always those kinds of people." For someone like me who was a kid from the Red Village, that person is Ruby. She''s the best at studying and physical exercise, and she has a crowd of friends. On top of that, she''s cute. Though, Ruby and Amethyst''s personalities seem completely different. However, both of them are seen as upright and are respected in their villages. "Many people want to be like them. In the Blessing Ceremony that would make them adults, there was a lot of interest in what sacred weapon they would be awarded with." Diamond continued. "I see." It seems the weapon one receives is commensurate with one''s own ability to study and one''s physicality, this I observed. Still, if a powerful sacred weapon was given to amazing people who already had interesting characteristics, then those weapons would only have heightened their inherit charismatic aura. It seems that both Ruby and Amethyst were seen as capable individuals, destined for greatness. Therefore, in the Blessing Ceremony, it was only natural that many people would be eager about what Amethyst would receive. But then I noticed how Diamond''s facial expression darkened, "Then at the Blessing Ceremony, Amethyst received the "Lilac Bracelet," which is a B rank sacred weapon. "Ehh? Aaah..." Based on the little she said, I could surmise what was going on. -To be continued. Volume 1 - CH 19 Amethyst''s "Lilac Bracelet" was B-ranked. On the other hand, Diamond''s ''Indestructible Shield'', is A-ranked. If I take that into consideration, then I can imagine the reason why Amethyst wasn''t on good terms with Diamond. "Perhaps the reason why Amethyst is bearing a huge grudge against you is because the rank of your weapon is higher than hers." "Well, frankly speaking, that seems to be the case." Diamond, with a bitter smile, gave that vague answer in response. If that''s the case, then Diamond has done nothing wrong because a person can''t choose the sacred weapon he or she is gifted with at the Blessing Ceremony. It''s not her fault she got an A-Ranked weapon. I mean more or less, it''s weird that she is getting bullied for getting an A-Rank weapon. Normally, one is praised when that happens. "But, since Amethyst is number one in everything in our village, and she is respected by everyone, getting a lower rank weapon would be particularly bothersome." "Since the person who beat her is easily bullied and a crybaby like myself, it''s natural that she''d be even more angry." It would be better if Diamond didn''t go out of her way to say such self-effacing things. However, she continued with her self-depreciation, "Amethyst''s weapon was beautiful, cool, and flashy, but even if other people told her so, she wouldn''t acknowledge it... It seemed like I had angered Amethyst considerably." However, that doesn''t mean that Diamond is a bad person. No one other than the gods themselves know what weapon you''ll be awarded with at the Blessing Ceremony. Based on what I had heard, I only formed a negative opinion towards her aggressors, "Well, since receiving your sacred weapon it seemed like you only angered the ''great'' Amethyst and bullied even more..." "No. That''s not true. Rather, thanks to my indestructible shield, the pain associated with physical bullying is gone. I''ve even turned the tables on people who have bullied me in the past." "...Ah. I see." An image of a bully fainting in agony because they had touched Diamond, who had now been strengthened immensely by the benefits of her sacred weapon floated into my mind. Anyhow, I''m glad that the bullying of Diamond hadn''t escalated, "Taking all of this into consideration, at the beginning of the Adventurer''s Exam, you told her you wanted to be in her party. Normally, you''d be afraid, and wouldn''t want to approach her. Was there a particular reason you had chosen to approach her?" Finally, we''ve reached the heart of the matter; the question that had been bothering me was finally voiced out. "Like Amethyst has said before, I have no people to rely on...no one to really talk to. That is the main reason why. But I was also thinking we could return to the way things were in the past." "In the past?" What does she mean by that? Saying she wants to have things like they were in the past. What does that mean? "Even though things are like this now, in the past we were great friends, Amethyst and I." Diamond admitted. "Huh!?" "When we were around four years old or so, Amethyst and I used to play together. It was just the two of us. It was before we met Spinel and Lapis. No matter how bad I was at doing things, Amethyst was always there to teach me how to do stuff. I felt like Amethyst was an older sister to me." I wasn''t expecting her to say that about her past. She said that it used to be just her and Amethyst playing together. She also said she considered Amethyst like she was her older sister. However, after thinking about it, I felt that their history together, strangely made sense. Saying things like ''Let me show you how to do it,'' is something an older sister would say. I could imagine Amethyst being all proud about teaching Diamond things. "As we became older, Amethyst gathered more and more followers. Because of that, we gradually grew apart, but even now I still respect Amethyst." Thinking back on those pleasant memories, Diamond looked up at the sky in a daze. It appears that Diamond respects Amethyst considerably, still. If I think back on it, up until now even though Amethyst has insulted Diamond, Diamond hasn''t said anything back to her. Diamond has never once bad-mouthed Amethyst. Diamond has always been saying she is the bad one, and has never said one thing that would degrade Amethyst''s person. She truly does respect Amethyst. She still sees her as an ''older sister'' she can rely on, even until now and despite everything that has happened. "Therefore, you wanted you and Amethyst to take the Adventurer''s Exam together?" "That''s right! I thought that if Amethyst and I could be together in the Adventurer''s Exam, then like in the past, she could take me along with her like she used to. I know that I probably was relying on her too much, but I thought this was the only opportunity for us to mend our relationship." She didn''t have anyone else to rely on. Rather, the person she wanted to rely on the most, was Amethyst. A friend was more important than the benefits gained from her shield sacred weapon. She didn''t want to be close to Amethyst simply because she needed a companion. Diamond had requested she be in her party not because she was reliant upon Amethyst but because she respected and loved her, and wanted to be her friend once more. "It seems like I won''t be able to be friends with Amethyst anymore. It can''t be like it used to be..." Diamond''s raspy voice gradually changed as she was moved to tears. Here I was thinking the whole time that it was for a simple reason that Diamond was rejected by Amethyst which was why she felt saddened. However, going back to the way things used to be would be difficult. Still... "Perhaps things don''t have to go back to the way they were." I told her. "Huh?" "Diamond, I don''t think you''ve done anything wrong. If you could have been together in the Adventurer''s Exam with Diamond, you may have been able to reconcile your relationship. However, I don''t think if that happened, things between you two will go back to the past. Now, you have the opportunity not to be led by Amethyst like before. This time you''ll stand next to her, and you''ll have to fight together. It won''t be the ''big sister-little sister'' relationship anymore. This time it will be as friends." "Fr-friends..." A friend or maybe, they can be comrade in arms. Not a younger sister following behind an older sister, but fighting together as equals. It would be better to build a new type of relationship with her. With the extent of defensive power that Diamond has, she''ll most certainly make a powerful ally for Diamond. What I''m also trying to say is that Diamond needs to have more confidence in herself. She shouldn''t be delivering the message of ''Please let me in your party,'' but the message should be, ''Next time, I want to fight together with you.'' "I can''t provide specific advice on how to do it. But if Amethyst is in a tough situation, and you offer some help, then you''ll be giving the image that you want to want to be friends with her. It may be difficult to immediately make peace with her. You''ll have to move little by little towards a compromise." Diamond kept silent, but her eyes on me were full of attention even though I didn''t give specific advice. I began to be self-conscious, am I really qualified to tell her these things? I, myself, have almost no friends, so I doubt I would be a persuasive figure on something like this. Ultimately, it''s hard for me to provide encouragement. As I was filled with self-doubt, Diamond did the unexpected and nodded in a way that told me that she agreed with what I said, "You are right, Rust! I think I probably rushed it. Like what you said, I think I want to take small steps, first. I promise, next time when we''ll meet, I''ll have more self-confidence, and I''ll try to appeal to her that I have the power to defend her." "That''s the spirit Diamond! If there is anything I can help you with regarding this situation, tell me. Although I say this, you should know a person like me, who doesn''t have that many friends, probably won''t be able to do much." "No. Rust, you''ve already helped me a lot." She reassured me, "Thank you, Rust," Diamond said with a sweet smile. -To be continued. Volume 1 - CH 20 Amethyst Bangle is not a genius. Amethyst herself knew that fact better than anyone else. No matter what she does, she is the best, however that does not mean she was born as the best. Because she wanted to deliver good results, Amethyst secretly worked in the shadows, putting in effort to herself so that she could be the best. She searched for ways to help her improve her physicality such as learning how to run fast. She also studied techniques to help her not to lose in battle, and she learned effective ways of studying and using her time efficiently. Being number one in Amethyst''s opinion, was the best proof of her existence. "If I am the best, everyone will look at me. If I am the best, everyone will be my friend. If I am the best, I won''t be alone..."; these words were the words she whispered deep in her heart. She knew being the best was also the best way to make friends. Therefore, Amethyst tried to do her best at everything. She put all her effort into self-improvement. There has never been a person who worked as hard as her. She did all these for the sake of making friends...so she wouldn''t be alone... However, when it comes to sacred weapons, effort means absolutely nothing! The weapon you''re awarded with at the Blessing Ceremony can''t be chosen by you and neither can you exchange it. Since Amethyst was young, she realized that. She felt the immense pressure from others'' expectations. Then the day of the Blessing Ceremony came, and the results... "Lilac Bracelet," A B-ranked sacred weapon was given to her. She felt like a failure even though the people around her told her otherwise and considered her to be fortunate. They thought the results of the ceremony were great. However, in truth, during the ceremony, Amethyst had placed second. The one who placed first was that crybaby, bullied girl Diamond Karat. She had been awarded an A-ranked sacred weapon. Everyone around Amethyst relentlessly encouraged her. But despite their efforts, all their praises sounded forced and it only made her feel worse about herself. She felt the praises casted at her direction were faux; it was akin to being insulted. More than this, she felt disgusted at the thought that she was second best. She had never felt so humiliated in all her life! She felt that this flaw of character would lead her to no longer have any friends. She recalled that shortly after completing the ceremony, she had come across the silver haired girl who was also heading home. She felt a burning annoyance rise inside of her as she saw the face of the person who had stolen her number one position; Diamond Karat. While passing by Diamond, she heard her whisper in a pitiful tone, "...S-Sorry." What was her intention by saying that? She wasn''t sure what she was trying to say. The only thing Amethyst could understand at the time, given her state of mind, was that Diamond was pitying her. Why did this cry baby, this girl, who is bullied all the time receive an A ranked weapon, while she only got a B ranked one? And why did this person who stole first place from her apologize? Where the hell did she go wrong? What more could she have done? Was she lacking in effort? Maybe she should have worshipped the gods more? Maybe she should have been a better kid? Or, maybe she should have been more like Diamond. Perhaps it would have been better if she lived her life being bullied and becoming a crybaby. As her mind was filled with confusion and denial, Amethyst gathered up all of the resentment brewing inside her. Back then, she was unreasonably angry at the world and so, to feel better, she started treating Diamond badly. After battling with Rust, Amethyst together with Spinel and Lapis walked through the Seven Color Forest. They were going in the opposite direction of the town; they were going deeper into the forest. "You guys, come with me." Because both Spinel and Lapis were only a small distance behind her, she urged them to hurry up. Due to her prodding, the two girls broke into a trot with both their red and blue ponytails swinging wildly against the wind. As the neared Amethyst, they wore apologetic faces. "So-sorry, Ame." They told her, "Because we had our sacred weapons completely destroyed, we''ve probably caused you some trouble..." "It''s not your guys'' fault. It''s my fault for underestimating our opponent''s true ability. Therefore, don''t have such depressing faces, and come along with me. As long as we have my weapon, we''ll be safe. This exam is going to be an easy one to get through." After saying this to both of them, the three went further into the forest. Amethyst was thinking that perhaps Spinel and Lapis would probably think it best for them to return back to the village. However, her pride wouldn''t allow it. It would be frustrating to give up on the Adventurer''s Exam, but more than anything, doing what Rust had said to do would be humiliating. Therefore, they were going to continue moving forward with the exam. "We''ve only got fifty minutes left, and two more dolls to get. We''ve got plenty of time. We''ll be able to get it done before Diamond." She reassured them. "You''re exactly right, Ame." "Out of everyone participating in this exam, you''re the strongest Ame." After their short exchange, the three continued to look for the exam dolls. They looked in the shrubs, and behind the large trees. They kept their eyes open to make sure there weren''t any Snatch Thieves. During that time, Spinel unexpectedly said something, "Regardless of what happened, did you see...that "rusted sword user?" "....Urrrr!" Amethyst quietly held her temper back at the mention of that meddlesome stranger. The lone thought she kept pushing at the back in her mind now popped out in the surface, front and center. This negative thought, which she didn''t want to think about, clawed out of her mind. Spinel and Lapis seemed to not have noticed her internal turmoil, for they continued on with the conversation, "Although I thought it was just a dirty beat up sacred weapon, it quickly changed its form and..." "In addition, that black sword has inconceivable attack power. When that happened, the guy''s aura changed, as well..." Amethyst didn''t want to hear any more about the guy. Still, his existence was rather mysterious. At first, and just by looking at his sacred weapon, one could easily tell that it was of the lowest rank. But when the weapon changed its form, and he attacked them, it was a whole different story. Furthermore, that weapon had tremendous hidden benefits, and his physical power unmistakably increased when he used it. What was that weapon? And, who was that guy? Since the first time he got in their way, Amethyst has been unable to stomach him, "If he''s the type of guy who would team up with a crybaby like Diamond, then he must not be normal." "Yeah. That''s also true." "He''s for sure, a strange one" Spinel and Lapis cackled. But as for Amethyst, she wanted to quickly finish this conversation so she changed the subject, "More importantly, I need to hurry up and pass this exam and return home and report that I''ve become an adventurer. After that, I''ll devote my time to become known as the number one adventurer, and my name will be made famous all over the world." "You''re absolutely right, Ame!" "The three of us will make the strongest party!" Spinel and Lapis were clearly in a good mood as they danced around with their broken sickles. Amethyst told herself that the twins were right and that she shouldn''t feel so bothered every time she thought of him. Someday I''ll be the number one adventurer, and everyone will look at me more than anyone else. And then, there''s no way I''ll end up alone. Amethyst''s cheeks secretly slackened. Thereafter, she turned around in order to tell the other two to get going. However, before she could say anything, she noticed something moving behind Spinel and Lapis. She thought she saw something trembling in the air. It was an unnatural shimmering that looked like a heated haze. Was she hallucinating? No... Suddenly Amethyst felt cold, "You two, look out!" "Huh!?" Reacting to Amethyst''s warning, both Spinel and Lapis threw themselves to the ground. Suddenly, from Amethyst''s ''heat shimmer'' came a glaringly shiny blade. It stretched out so as to cut off Lapis and Spinel''s heads, but by jumping out quickly, they were able to reduce the damage, and only their arms were lightly grazed, "Owwwww...!!" Both girls grimaced in pain. So as to protect them, Amethyst stood in front of the ''heat shimmer.'' What is this thing? Is this something a monster has concocted? "Nyahaha! It''s certainly been a long time, nyan!" Just at that moment, the heat shimmer began to disappear. The transparent entity''s form started to appear little by little, and then whatever it was materialized in front of the three girls. It was mainly human, but here and there, there were parts that looked like a monster. It had black hair covering its body, and it had a couple of triangular ears growing from its head, and from its cheeks stretched out whiskers. Its sharp eyes were shining with a yellow tint, and it stared at Amethyst''s party with interest. "Cat..." Yes, it would be best to describe it as a ''Cat Woman''. In its right hand, it was equipped with a weapon that looked like a black claw. Then, like a cat licking its own paw, and with a laugh, it ran its tongue over its black claw-like weapon. "I have a good feeling about the purple one nyan. She looks super delicious nyan." It said. "Ma-Majin...!" This was the first time Amethyst had seen a majin, and she was deathly afraid. -To be continued. Volume 1 - CH 21 Majin rarely appeared in front of people. Normally, they only lurked in areas where danger was expected, or in remote hideouts far from human settlements. However, their terrifying grotesques are revealed when they are seen attempting to kill humans. Consequently, it was expected that Amethyst, who was yet to cross the age of 15, and was still inexperienced, would not have seen a Majin up until this point. And since it was the first Majin she had ever seen, by no manner it meant she wouldn''t be frightened by its appearance. "What is a Majin doing in a place like this?" Amethyst wondered out loud. Her voice trembled and cracked with fear. The ebony cat-like Majin opened its eyes in wonder at the disturbance of the girl''s voice. She shrugged her shoulders in annoyance and kept looking at Amethyst with a blank expression, her words falling foreign to her ears. Amethyst repeated her question, loudly this time. A sound of meow was the first response followed by words of distastefulness, "in a place like this?" meow "You have no right to complain about where I stay or where I''m allowed to be," She rolled her eyes and looked away in annoyance, "you naive, arrogant humans think that you own this world," Amethyst stammered in her place and said, "but the adventurer''s exam is taking place in this area," "And the examiners made sure the inspection of the areas beforehand, especially this place," Amethyst looked up at the Catwoman in suspicion and doubt, "despite this place being under strict observation, how were you...," She just couldn''t get how a Majin...a Majin!, could be at that place. Daring to ask another question she opened her mouth before something clicked in her mind from a flashback from moments ago, The Majin present in front of her eyes had materialized out of thin air as if magic had happened. As if it was transparent and came back to its original form. "The ability to become invisible, you..." She looked at it in surprise as the Majin rejoiced a little at her mystery-solving thoughts. "What a perception," she meowed "I expected that much, well, a lot of folks from that guild you mentioned come through this area" "But by using ''Black cat''s black claw'' skill, it''s always easy for me to sneak in" The Majin raised its right arm in front of Amethyst to show its sharp claws and gave her an example of how she hid from the guild members. Its body blended into thin air as if the Majin had turned transparent. The scenery in front resembled the heat haze from before. The space which had been left for doubt was filled now, the cat Majin possessed the ability that made its form disappear. There was a positive chance that the Majin could enter the 7-colored forest effortlessly. Even when the exam would take place. ''I must compliment this skill, yet, it''s more likely to work only when the user is stationary, maybe..'' Amethyst started assuming despite there being a lack of knowledge about the ironically well-known ability, ''maybe its form will be revealed the moment it attacks someone'' The likeness of the skill, Majin must remain in a still position. If not, it would not have been visible in front of her eyes when she called out to it. Nevertheless, the brutality of the skill doesn''t lessen that statement. It was still a dangerous one. The cat Majin came back from its transparent self in front of her eyes, and Amethyst realized the position she was in and fear started engulfing her bit by bit. The Majin looked at Amethyst mockingly, "a bunch of novices, who are no more than just eggs, and they have gathered here to be adventurers?" it scoffed, "Now, is there a hunting ground more delicious than this to feast on?" Amethyst widened its eyes in surprise at the words said by the Majin and slowly comprehended the ''delicious'' ''hunting ground'' And goosebumps crept upon her arms when she realized that this forest was like a treasure chest for the Majin. It was more accurate to say, a buffet table had been lined up with luxurious food. "Oh damn!" And if the cat Majin started hunting from that point onwards, it was certain that it would receive a large blessing from the evil god. Or more simply, it meant that the Majin would get much stronger than it already was. "Are you planning to attack the exam participants?" Amethyst asked in fear. "Is that what you''re up to?" A tsking sound came in response from the Majin as if denying the girl''s words. "Wrong wrong," it meowed sadly, "I''m not going to attack them" Amethyst got more confused than relieved until it continued its sentence. "I''m going to kill them," the Majin broke out into a full-blown laugh, "that''s what I want to do" And the correction made the situation for Amethyst worse than before. To not attack, but kill. And she knew her words held no lies or jokes, it was the absolute truth. It was in their nature and benefit. If a Majin kills a human, it receives the blessing from the evil god just like how humans do if they do a good deed and receive blessings from their god. And if the Majins didn''t harm humans, it was clear that they wouldn''t receive anything from the evil god. Simultaneously, the Majin gets stronger and the reason was as clear as the blue sky and becomes dominant in the Majin world. However, just like any hierarchical system, the existence of the weak meant getting oppressed, and that happened in their world too, they do whatever the ''strong'' tells them to. Their only desire was strength. They killed people for that mere desire only. "Of course, I''m going to attack you guys to kill," the Majin scoffed and her eyes cast down at the wound on the amethyst''s body, "And it looks like you''re wounded," faking a worry," it''ll be relatively easy to kill you," smirking in satisfaction. Amethyst visibly gulped in fear. "Now, you''re going to become food for my sacred weapon," it said as if they were having a conversation about the weather. The Majin readied itself, and without wasting any time, it started approaching Amethyst with the sharp claws out proudly to attack. Amethyst gritted her teeth in frustration and looked behind at Lapis and Spinel, who were frozen in shock from the very start when they took notice of the Majin. ''The numbers don''t matter here, it''ll kill all 3 of us without any hesitation'', Amethyst''s thoughts didn''t help her any bit. And even if, for a second, they did beg for their lives on their knees, it wasn''t going to help them anyway. The only resort was to run. But, would they be able to get away from here? From its strong gaze and intention to murder? The other two were of no use, and on top of that, Amethyst had to protect the two, as their sacred weapon was broken. ''No, I can write it in written that there was less than 0 percent chance that we can even move an inch from here'', Amethyst assessed every sort of loophole that she could think of but ended up at a dead end. ''This Majin is powerful, I can tell it from its appearance alone'' And even if Lapis''s and Spinel''s weapons were in perfect condition and they three fought together, Amethyst doubted that their chances of winning were to increase more than 0. The Majin was that strong. Fighting against the Majin like that while protecting the two and running away seemed like a long-lost dream now. Just impossible. Amethyst looked from side to side, at every corner to escape, ''maybe if I distract the Majin by fighting it to buy time, these two could escape?'' ''No,'' she sighed, ''this is a dangerous gamble'' Even if those two escape from there, which was an impossible statement in itself, it didn''t mean they wouldn''t encounter other monsters. And they had broken their sacred weapons for god sake. And there was no way to know whether the others who participated were here or had become the prey of the being standing before them or not. It was already difficult to let those two escape, forget about herself. ''The world isn''t so nice to let us off so easily,'' ''Then there''s only one choice left,'' Amethyst got into a fighting stance and gathered whatever energy and power left in herself, while the Majin delighted evilly at the movement of the amethyst. ''To win'' ''We''re going to defeat this guy now, if we don''t we''ll be killed instead. A do or die situation,''Amethyst concluded and made up her mind. Gripping her fingers around her sacred weapon Amethyst motivated herself with whatever optimistic thoughts she could think of, "If I manage to win, it would amplify the power of my sacred weapon to a great deal'' And to check and be sure for the last time, she checked the durability of her sacred weapon once more. Level: 15 Attack Power: 0 Benefits: Strength +0 Endurance +50 Agility +80 Magic +240 Vitality +100 Magic: Purple Lightning Skill: Electric Storage Durability: 50/50 ''There''s no problem with the durability'', she thought after looking at the chart of her sacred weapon and coming next to her body, ''and I don''t feel tired despite the wounds I got'' ''And there seems to be no issue with my mana too'' Amethyst took the name of the god hopefully in silence, ''i''m counting on you, Lilac Bracelet'' The amethyst touched the bracelet on her wrist and her feelings subdued into the air quietly. She hated herself for not being the number one at the blessing ceremony. She didn''t hate the weapon she was awarded. Rather, she was pleased with how it looked and the overall aesthetic it gave off. Stylish and compatible. It was better than those swords and shields. Those weapons didn''t suit girls anyway,though it was a B rank weapon, she preferred it in her hands. Yet, she wished things were different than how it was. Amethyst at last, with her eyes full of spirit, stared down at the cat Majin and held out her hand in front of her, and set her sight on the Majin approaching her. "Lilac!" And a battle had begun.