“Oh, oh, it’s you, Chrono! I’m so glad to see you back safe and sound.”
The one saying this with a smile is the rare beardless dwarf, Regin Stratos, the owner of my favorite blacksmith shop.
After finishing a mock battle with Kai, I didn’t feel like going back to the dorm for lunch, so I bought something quickly and came here to the Stratos Blacksmith Shop as originally planned. After exchanging joyful greetings with Regin and his wife, I quickly got to the main topic.
“I have retrieved all of Chrono’s cursed weapons.”
“Thank you so much, really, I appreciate it.”
I can hardly contain my tears, overwhelmed with gratitude. Aside from my companions, the greatest worry for me had been the weapons I had left behind during the battle with Sariel. Among them, especially, the “Neck Sever” and the “Devourer” are items I cannot possibly part with.
“No, no, I’m just keeping them safe. It was thanks to Lily that everything was collected amidst the chaos of the battlefield.”
“Yes, that’s true…”
At that time, Lily must have been exhausted to the point of fainting. Yet, she worked hard to retrieve them for me. It pains me that I can’t thank her right now.
“Oh, and we also made the weapons ‘The Greed’ and ‘Dual Eagle’!”
“Really!?”
I thought those weapons were blown to smithereens by Sariel’s ‘Void Break.’ Cursed weapons are generally sturdy, so there’s a high possibility they could endure the huge explosion, but I had given up hope for the regular guns.
“It was pretty damaged, so it had to be mostly completely overhauled… but here they are, please take a look.”
Regin went to the back of the shop and quickly returned with a large cart that I had seen before.
On that cart sat a hefty cannon, radiating a deep black luster that I certainly recognized.
“Oh, ‘The Greed’… it’s practically as good as new.”
“The most important part, the skull of Slowsgil, was unharmed, so it was put together without any issues. Since it’s something we’ve made before, we can simply melt the fragments down and reshape them, and we still have a little extra material left over.”
That said, remaking it from scratch would be an enormous task.
“If you’d like, I can make another one for you as a bonus.”
“I can’t have the same one… but I’d like a different gun.”
“I have a few blueprints from Simon, so let’s discuss your requests later.”
As expected of Simon, he’s already making arrangements.
My guns are a Gatling Gun and a sawed-off shotgun, which are quite the specialized choices. I think it might be a good idea to create some more dedicated equipment that focuses on specific functions.
Fortunately, I have money now. I should be able to prepare enough rewards for my request to Regin.
“Well then, let’s hand over the cursed weapons. To be honest, it was almost reaching the limit of how long I could keep them here, so I’m glad you came today.”
“Eh… is it really that bad?”
“If you see it, you’ll understand.”
Regin said this with a friendly smile that belies his stubbornness, which only heightened my anxiety.
I felt as if my weapons had caused trouble, while being led to the back of the shop.
At the back of the small workshop was a descending staircase. Down there seemed to be the storage area for my cursed weapons. The door was of regular size but made of steel. As Regin inserted the key into the rusty, red-brown steel door and opened it with a heavy sound, a tremendous presence of magical power assaulted me.
“Whoa, this is…”
My whole body bristled. That sensation was like the first time I grasped the cursed blade and heard the voice of resentment. At that moment, I realized I was unconsciously releasing an aura of black magic power to counteract Ursula’s drain ability.
Instinctively taking a defensive reaction… what a terrifying presence of resentment.
“Because I’ve confined such powerful cursed weapons in one place, the magical power has become seriously stagnant. A normal person could go insane from just being exposed to this presence.”
The overwhelming negativity of the presence was more than enough to convince me that he wasn’t joking. When Regin turned on the lights in the basement, I could see distortions in the empty air. Right now, the magical power inside this room was incredibly chaotic due to the influence of resentment.
“I’m really sorry for the trouble.”
“No, no, it’s part of my job.”
Thus, I finally reunited with my beloved cursed weapons after a long time.
“First, we have the ‘Haunted Grave,’ which has the lightest seal.”
The weapon was displayed horizontally on the wall like a spear in a weapon shop. However, this pitch-black naginata was wrapped in multiple black chains, tied at each corner of the wall in an X shape. Upon closer inspection, the black chains extended only halfway from the grave, and the parts anchored to the wall gleamed with ordinary steel.
Wow, there’s no doubt about it; the blackening has progressed from where it touched the weapon.
“Please, go ahead and take it.”
I hesitated, realizing how eerie the bindings were. It hadn’t bothered me at all while using it, but seeing it this way, it was certainly an ominous sight.
“Is it okay if I just touch it?”
“Yes, Chrono, you should be fine.”
Resolute, I grasped the hilt of the Haunted Grave wrapped in chains.
In an instant, the chains that were intertwined tenfold began to unravel on their own. Just as the metallic sound of iron clinking faded away, the cursed naginata was liberated from all restraints and settled into my hand.
“Alright, good weapon—‘Shadow Space’ release.”
With a surprising ease, I stored the Haunted Grave into the shadow, which was still less than its prime capacity. There was no notable resistance, and the naginata obediently slipped inside the shadow.
“Impressive as always, Chrono.”
“Eh, what do you mean?”
“No, let’s keep going like this.”
I brushed aside my curiosity and moved on to the next cursed weapon. That said, the basement wasn’t very spacious. Looking back, I could see it.
“Next is the ‘Devourer,’ which is under a heavy seal. This is quite a stringent method of storage that could damage a regular weapon, so please understand.”
I had no objection to that explanation because the sight of the Devourer was already alarming.
Suspended upside down with its blade pointed down, the ‘Devourer’ was wrapped in even more chains than the Haunted Grave. The blade was spread wide like scissors, and chains were tightly wrapped around each forked blade, forcing its vicious jaws to remain open.
The rigid bindings formed an inverted Y shape, where chains wrapped around the hilt extended to the ceiling and chains from the separated blades descended to the floor, and the Devourer itself was vibrating and growling. It felt as if it might snap its chains and leap at me like a real starving wolf.
“I-I’m really sorry for the trouble my weapon has caused…”
“No, no, it’s something I enjoy doing.”
That was my second apology. Keeping such a dangerous thing, even in a basement, in my own house would be something I’d refuse even for a million Klan.
“Hah… let’s hurry and return.”
After a deep sigh, I grasped the sword hilt. Immediately, the Devourer roared as if it had regained power—then, in the next moment.
With a loud clang, it broke through its restraining chains.
Once it firmly closed its jaw, the Devourer became quiet, almost like a spoiled dog that calms down after having its fill of chaos.
And so, the retrieval of the second weapon was completed in silence.
“Finally, we have the ‘Grudge Demon Blade “Neck Sever,”’ but… this one, I must admit, is beyond what my current facilities can handle. The power of the curse is clearly stronger than when I last had it for maintenance.”
Could it be that, although it didn’t kill, it drew blood by cutting an Apostle like Sariel? An Apostle would be the prime target for power-ups.
“Therefore, I apologize, but the seal on this blade is quite aggressive and would absolutely destroy a regular weapon upon contact.”
“Well, that’s fine, but… where is my blade?”
This storage room is empty. There are no large shelves that could serve as hideouts, it’s surprisingly barren.
“Haha, you’ve already noticed, haven’t you?”
After retrieving two weapons, the only thing left in this room is… a large, rectangular mass of pitch-black metal sitting heavily at the back.
It’s a beautifully angular rectangular block, resembling building blocks, with no signs of any sword-like features.
“Is it really inside this?”
“Yes, I immersed it in molten lead.”
Seriously? If it were a regular weapon, it would have completely melted away and disappeared.
“Is the ‘Neck Sever’ unharmed?”
“You can feel it, right? This overwhelming presence of resentment… the weapon itself is completely unscathed.”
I thought so. From that pitch-black mass, reminiscent of the ‘Beginning of History,’ I can sense an ominous yet nostalgic aura of magical power.
“By the way, how do I retrieve it?”
“This one doesn’t have the strength it appears to possess, so a little impact will crack it—”
I was interrupted as a heavy sound echoed inside the cramped room.
“…It moved.”
The large metal block, nearly as tall as I am, began to shake. It rattled, as if something inside were alive.
“Not good! Chrono, get back!”
As soon as Regin shouted, cracks ran across the black surface. With a shrill metallic scream, the countless fissures emitted a sinister red light.
Against the warning to back away, my feet took a step forward, as if drawn by the glow of the curse.
Ah, it’s almost within reach.
“Chrono—!”
A mighty shattering sound drowned out the warning, and in that moment, a bright red flash erupted in my eyes like a beacon signifying a trial.
With a force akin to when I threw everything I had to stop the fleeing Sariel, the ‘Grudge Demon Blade “Neck Sever”’ burst forth, slashing through the lead seal.
Towards my face. If I stood still, it would follow the path of its name and sever my neck. It would be a strike typical of a cursed weapon, one that claims its master’s life, but I felt no fear.
I understand. This blade had been waiting for my return all along.
“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting… I’m home.”
Thus, the ‘Grudge Demon Blade “Neck Sever”’ returned to my hand.
As I grasped it, the perfect grip felt as though it melded with my hand, and the cacophony of voices urging me to kill echoed in my mind.
Yet among them, I could clearly hear its voice.
“Nidoto… Watashi o, tebanasuna…”
October 26, 2015
I’m so sorry for forgetting to post on schedule, causing a significant delay. Of all times, I mess up the previously announced Monday update… I truly apologize.