Vol. 1 - Ch. 6 - Evolution
Without even bothering to think about the form or the angle, I just made a simple upper slash. However, since the sacred weapon has no benefits, from a distance, it probably looked like it wasn't moving.
Still, I swung my rusted sword with all the strength I could muster.
"What? What the hell?!" I exclaimed as I made eye contact with the Majin. I felt my heartbeat quickening, when it only gave me a languid look. It must have noticed me when I entered the clearing.
I quickly dismissed those worries away and rushed at it, but just when I got close to the Majin, my vision suddenly blurred.
The next thing I knew, I took a sharp blow to the abdomen, and was blown against a large tree that was behind me.
"G......ah......!"
It hurt. It hurts so much! It happened so fast that my mind barely had any time to process it. The only thing that made sense to me was the sudden ringing in my head.
While my mind was spinning, I managed to raise my eyes to look at the Majin, and before I knew it, the thing was raising its right leg and headed straight towards me!
Did I just get kicked?
The Majin stopped a few steps ahead of me, and gave me a scornful look.
"What? What the hell? You're weak as shit. I thought you might be able to fight at least a little since you were so eager to swing your sword at me, but damn, you're a letdown."
I felt a little insulted at that statement. Sure, I'm one of the weaker humans, but that kick that he just gave me was way too strong! I could barely see anything after I collided with his leg. It's definitely a different level of strength compared to the Treant that I fight with regularly.
I wonder if its inhumane strength is because it has received a powerful benefit from the sacred weapon it held in its right hand. In addition to having an already higher physical ability than humans, if it also received benefits from the divine weapons it wielded, then it would undoubtedly result in an overwhelming presence.
So these are the Majins, they're a high-ranking monster that adventurers often face.
I knew it was impossible for me to win, but I forced my aching body to move and get up. Even though I could feel my knees buckling beneath my weight, I tried to stand up straight and I readied my sacred weapon.
I stared up at the Majin and growled at him as I held my rusted sword in front of me.
"Stay away from that girl..."
"He~e, stay away you say... then try to get past me first you small fry." He replied in a provocative manner. Enraged, I tightened my grip on the sacred weapon again and launched a second charge...
"Haaaaaa!"
But as I expected, it managed to dodge my attack, before it then let out a laugh, "Ha, that was slow."
Before I could respond it kicked my body with its right leg. There was no time to evade or guard against it. The difference between our strengths is just too great!
I felt a sharp pain spreading from my abdomen as I crashed into a large tree behind me. I collapsed helplessly on the dirt, and my body began feeling too heavy for me to pick myself up.
The Majin hovered above me and snickered at my writhing body. It started talking to me, "Damn, I'm 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 that my trip here has become a complete disappointment."
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, and so I heard that most of them became adventurers and have started to make names for themselves. The demon must have also heard the rumor about our village too and must have come here to find a strong opponent.
The reason why the Majin came into my village is probably to get stronger. Since its sacred weapon was gifted by 'evil gods', it becomes stronger soon after it kills stronger opponents. That's the only way it can strengthen itself.
The Majin started to back away from me and started to whisper to itself, "It's a bit risky, but I think I'll go after 'Platinum' and 'Master' rank adventurers in earnest from now on. That way, I can get stronger quickly."
The werewolf Majin then strode over to the girl who was still lying down on the ground. It then raised the great sword in its right hand. As it prepared to strike, it started raising its voice, enough for me to hear it clearly!
"Well, enough of that! Experience is still experience, even if it's like this. First of all, I'll kill you, you little shit." It spoke to the girl and started raising its sword over its head.
"N-no..." I started to propel myself forward and tried to ignore the pain that reverberated through my body.
This is bad, that girl is-!
"Uwaaaaaa!" I recklessly stepped in between the girl and the Majin and used my 'Rusted Sword' to block the great sword that was about to slice through the girl! Within seconds, I got into close contact with the Majin and our weapons parried against each other.
For the first time I got to face a high ranking demon head on!
"Ugh... ggh...!" I gritted my teeth as I tried to push it back.
As soon as we clashed weapons, the Majin gave me a slight look of surprise and he whispered to me in a voice so low that it sent chills down my spine...
"Wow, how did you manage to defend against my attack with such a shabby sacred weapon? I praise you for your efforts. But you know what?" It gritted its teeth at me and I saw its fangs flashed towards me...
"It's starting to get annoying. I'm gonna kill you for real!" It added.
Just then, I felt a tremendous force emanating from my hand that held the sword. It's a ridiculous amount of force, that I could even feel my fingers vibrating.
My 'Rusted Sword' is certainly no match for his 'Black Greats-word'. I know that at this rate, my sacred weapon will soon break. If he breaks my sacred weapon, there'll be no way for me to stop him. However, I'm sure I'd sooner be dead before I could even attempt to stop him. The girl hiding behind me and I, will die as soon as there is an opening.
I looked at the current durability value of the 'Rusted Sword', it is still the same: Name: Rusted Sword; Rank: F; Level: 9; Attack Power: 9; Benefit: Strength +0, Endurance +0, Agility +0, Magic +0, Vitality +0; Skills: None; Durability value: 2/15.
I started to hiss as I could feel the pressure thickening the air around me and causing me to break into sweat, "Damn it!" I cursed in frustration, trying to hold on for as long as I could!
I wouldn't be surprised if my sacred weapon breaks now. However, I absolutely couldn't afford to be defeated. Realistically, I knew I can never defeat a single Majin nor can I save one girl.
Even though I've been training so hard to become an adventurer, and even though Ruby and my mom had given me so much support, I know I still couldn't do it. I feel like I have wasted the last three years of my life!
What exactly was I thinking?!
With a grin and a creepy smile, the werewolf demon pressed his great sword further towards me, "So long, hero-wannabe and small fry."
The rusted sword made an awful creaking sound as it finally began to crack.
I just knew it was only a matter of seconds until its sacred weapon would weave through mine and slice me in half, and that would be the end of me.
'Goodbye to the hero-wannabe and small fry.' I bitterly thought to myself as I prepared myself to receive the final impact of his attack.
I felt like my life just flashed before my eyes and I suddenly felt a great sense of regret. All this time, I believed that if I worked hard enough, I would be rewarded one day.
I had thought something would change if I just kept working on it.
I used to believe that someone had been watching over me and was seeing my efforts, when in fact no one was. I began to suspect that all the while I was living my life like it was just a big charade!
I, who was never destined to become a hero, was distracting myself from reality by immersing myself in meaningless training, and was drowning myself in my own delusions with it.
I was always optimistic in front of my mom, but somewhere deep inside I always knew and I had already resigned myself to the fact that I can't be an adventurer.
I can't be a hero.
I was never meant to be one.
He's right, I'm just a small fry playing hero who can't even save one girl.
Well, that's fine...
It doesn't matter if I can't be an adventurer.
It doesn't matter if I can't be a hero.
I don't care if I can't prove myself to the people who have been insulting me since I was a child.
I don't care if I can't catch up with Ruby who said she'd go ahead and wait for me.
I don't care about those fantasies right now.
Right now, I just...
I spoke in a determined voice, hoping my words will carry my sincerity and somehow manifest for me...
"I do not... want to lose ..."
I don't want to lose to the Majin in front of me...
"I do not... want to lose ..." I whispered to myself again.
I've always been a coward, but this time I want to have the strength to face this Majin. It's not just that I do not want to lose.
No...
"I'll definitely win!" I screamed at the top of my lungs and pushed forward.
At that moment, something unexpected just happened!
The 'Rusted Sword' glowed bright with a white light, as if responding to my cries! This is a phenomenon I've seen time and time again,it indicates the rise in the level of sacred weapons.
Right there and then, I instantly knew that the level of the Rusted Sword was increasing while I was fighting the higher-ranked monster. I knew it was at level nine earlier but now it has changed, and it properties currently read as:
Name: Rusted Sword; Rank: F; Level: 10; Attack Power: 10; Benefit: Strength +0, Endurance +0, Agility +0, Magic +0, Vitality +0; Skills: Evolution; Durability value: 2/20; Rusted sword, level 10.
I felt chills as I saw the changes take place, it's been a while since the last level-up of my weapon. More than this, a skill that I didn't recognize had appeared in the 'Rusted Sword'...
"Evo...lution?" I wondered out loud as I read my sacred weapon's properties. It's a skill I've never heard of, thus I didn't know what the hell 'Evolution' was supposed to do.
However, I wondered if the changes in 'Rusted Sword' was part of the effect of that skill? Is it possible for this to not be limited to just leveling up?
I began to see the rust falling off like dry leaves against the autumn breeze and a new form started to emerge, like a creature breaking out of its eggshell...
At last, the true form of the sacred weapon, which had been hidden under the aged layer was revealed. I gasped.
"Wha, what the hell is...that?"
A blade as black as the darkest of nights shone in the darkness and started to absorb the light all around us. Even its hilt was pitch black. Above all, there was a dark and sinister aura that was clearly visible to the naked eye.
It was as if an evil god had given the weapon to me, it started to look like the sacred weapon of the Majin.
The identity of the eerie thing is started to reveal itself to me and I read its properties with bated breath: Name: Cursed Demon Sword; Rank: S; Level: Unknown; Attack Power: 500; Strength +500 Endurance +500 Agility +500 Magic +500 Vitality +500; Skill: [Sacred Weapon Synthesis]; Endurance value: 500/500.
I began to shake but not out of the fear that used to plague my senses just seconds ago. I couldn't believe my eyes and the words fell out of my lips in nervousness, "Cursed...demon sword?"
My 'Rusted Sword' had turned into a sacred weapon with a sinister name; the 'Cursed Demon Sword'.