As soon as I arrived home, I pulled out my smartphone again.
-Would you like to receive the Demonic Sword?
To the alarm asking if I wanted to receive the Demonic Sword, I pressed the option to receive it immediately without any hesitation.
“…!”
At that moment, black smoke rose from the smartphone.
What is this. Why is this happening?
It was a completely different phenomenon from when Maru was summoned, when a strong light emanated.
The entire house was engulfed in dark smoke.
The ceiling light flickered and then went out completely.
Literally, darkness descended.
A silent stillness followed.
Fortunately, this stillness did not last long.
The electricity came back on, the room light turned on, and the dark smoke that had engulfed the entire house was slowly receding.
“….”
After being taken aback by the sudden phenomenon.
Soon, the interior of the room returned to its original state.
The only difference was that there was a heavy sword on top of the smartphone.
“Is this the Demonic Sword?”
Just by looking at it, its appearance was different from any ordinary sword.
The Demonic Sword’s appearance was dyed black from the scabbard to the hilt. It evoked a cold feeling, like darkness itself.
The hilt of the sword had something like bone fragments stuck to it, further enhancing its grotesque appearance.
It wasn’t just the appearance.
“Is it because of the Mana Sensitivity trait?”
I could feel the mana surging around the Demonic Sword.
It felt like something that didn’t exist originally, and shouldn’t exist, was driving away the surrounding mana.
It was a sword made of darkness and death itself.
Even people who knew nothing would not think of this as an ordinary sword the moment they saw it.
It exuded such a menacing aura.
“Can I even hold this?”
The problem was that the Demonic Sword’s aura was so menacing that it made me question whether I should hold it.
People’s perception of the Demonic Sword was one:
An artifact that grants powerful strength to the user in exchange for their corruption.
I had only seen records of it a few times when I was in El Dorado Continent, and this was the first time I myself had seen such a Demonic Sword in person.
That’s why when Celia said she offered the Demonic Sword as a sacrifice, I felt a bit of anticipation, which is true.
However, seeing the Demonic Sword in person, I couldn’t help but feel conflicted.
First of all, its appearance looked a bit dangerous.
Moreover, not many people would grab a Demonic Sword that emanates an unsettling aura without hesitation.
Can I really hold it at this moment?
Wouldn’t something go wrong, like the cases I saw in the records?
But soon, I shook my head.
“Let’s get rid of these weak thoughts.”
My goal is to become stronger.
This world was by no means a warm place for the weak.
Didn’t I experience that situation firsthand until now?
There was a time when I had the desperate desire to gain power, even if it meant selling my soul to a demon.
Now that I somehow have a status window and even a trait, am I satisfied?
“It’s still far away.”
I just got a status window and only one trait.
I still needed to get stronger.
Just looking at Jinsoo Kang, one of my academy peers.
He had a mediocre academic performance, but now he works at the Awakened Center.
Fortunately, he wasn’t paying attention to me because he was doing official work, but that could change at any time.
If he put his mind to it, he could easily block my path as it is now.
Even if not to that extent, he was in a position where he could at least interfere.
In contrast, I had no power at all right now.
The voices of the powerless are just silent cries.
I made a choice.
Besides, this Demonic Sword was offered by Celia as a sacrifice.
Celia had offered me things that would benefit me as sacrifices.
To that extent, I trusted Celia.
“Yes.”
As soon as I made up my mind, I picked up the Demonic Sword.
The surrounding mana began to quake.
But that was all.
“It’s nothing.”
Literally, there was no change.
Except for the fact that the Demonic Sword was in my hand.
“Maybe I need to draw the sword?”
This time, I didn’t hesitate.
I slowly drew the Demonic Sword from its scabbard.
Dark smoke rose again.
*Zzzt-*
A tingling sensation, as if electricity had passed through the hand holding the Demonic Sword.
As the blade of the Demonic Sword appeared, the tingling pain continued to grow stronger.
“Keugh.”
Still, I endured it.
-The Demonic Sword is attempting to interfere with the user’s soul.
-The user’s soul is bound to the dungeon. The Demonic Sword’s soul interference fails.
Soul? Bound?
What do all those words mean?
Sentences appeared before my eyes, but now was not the time to worry about them.
I endured the pain and put all my strength into it.
I tried to pull the Demonic Sword out of the scabbard.
And then, the fully drawn Demonic Sword revealed its form.
At the same time, all the tingling pain disappeared.
“This is the Demonic Sword…?”
The Demonic Sword, pulled out of its scabbard.
The blade of the sword emitted darkness and glowed black. At the same time, red lines were embedded on the surface, resembling blood vessels.
The overall appearance became even more grotesque.
But I need power.
That’s why I picked up the Demonic Sword and drew it.
The problem was.
“Why isn’t anything happening?”
The menacing aura the Demonic Sword had initially possessed had disappeared.
I put the Demonic Sword back into its scabbard and tried taking it out again, but nothing changed.
Even the pain from before was no longer felt.
“What is it?”
As I pondered, a new alarm popped up before my eyes.
-You have become the true owner of the Demonic Sword.
-The sword’s soul is bound to your soul.
-Causality is adjusted.
-All but some of the Demonic Sword’s traits are sealed.
“?”
Suddenly, an alarm saying I had become the owner of the Demonic Sword appeared.
Come to think of it, I remembered the message that the Demonic Sword’s attempt to interfere with my soul failed when the pain struck earlier.
“Could it be that effect?”
After checking the alarm, I immediately called up my status window.
“Status window.”
The status window in front of me had undergone several changes.
<Kanghyeon Lee>
[Traits]
– Mana Sensitivity (A)
– Owner of the Demonic Sword (S)
[Basic Information]
Health: C+
Attack Power: B
Defense: C
Magic Power: A+
Holy Power: F
[Skills]
– Knighted (S)
– Goddess’s Heal (F)
“Oh.”
First, my stats had changed.
When I first obtained the status window, all my stats were F-.
Even if I leveled up a bit, my stats couldn’t get out of F-rank.
After obtaining the Mana Sensitivity trait, my Magic Power rose to B-rank, but the other stats remained pathetic.
And now.
After obtaining the Demonic Sword, all my stats have increased.
My Health, Attack Power, and Defense, which were F-rank, have all risen by several levels.
My Magic Power, which was B-rank due to the Mana Sensitivity trait, rose to A+.
However, Holy Power seemed to be an exception, remaining at F-rank.
“Is this the power of the Demonic Sword?”
Not only did I gain the S-rank trait ‘Owner of the Demonic Sword,’ but my skill list also changed.
It was Knighted.
It was an S-rank skill.
“I don’t really understand just by the name?”
This was the first time I had heard of the skill Knighted.
I immediately checked the skill description.
– Knighted (S): The rightful owner of the Demonic Sword, he bestows the title of Knight and the Demonic Sword upon his loyal subordinate.
This skill cannot be used until the entity who received the title of Knight and the Demonic Sword perishes.
“Hmm…”
The description seemed a little ambiguous.
Of course, it was an S-rank skill, so I couldn’t ignore it.
“But I can’t use the Demonic Sword?”
If I bestow the Demonic Sword upon someone else, I literally can’t use the Demonic Sword myself.
I am the owner of the Demonic Sword, but I can’t wield it…
I gripped the Demonic Sword and swung it once in the air.
“Hmm.”
In retrospect, I had practiced swinging swords a few times before.
I practiced even without a status window.
Of course, the result was obvious.
No matter how many times I swung the sword, an individual with swordmanship-related traits or skills could never catch up.
Even if my skill was better for the moment, the gap would gradually narrow as those with swordmanship traits trained, and eventually, a reversal would occur.
Of course, I practiced like that because I had nothing at the time, but now I have a status window and more than enough traits.
“Is there really a need for me to swing the Demonic Sword?”
It was not an answer to my question.
I glanced at Maru next to me.
“Maru, come here.”
It seemed like a good idea to check what the skill was like.
If the result was less than expected, I could just take back the Demonic Sword.
The skill description stated that the skill could not be used again until the entity who received the Demonic Sword perished, but that was something to consider when the time came.
I used the skill on Maru, who was standing there blankly.
‘Knighted.’
At the same time, I handed the Demonic Sword to Maru.
Maru, understanding my intentions, began to grip the Demonic Sword with his emaciated hand with only bones left.
At the same time, dark smoke appeared and enveloped Maru’s entire body.
The color of Maru’s pure white bones began to turn dark.
*Clink-*
*Clink-*
Maru writhed and made noises, as if in pain.
How much time had passed?
The pure white bones were nowhere to be seen, and only completely blackened bones remained.
Simultaneously with Maru’s transformation.
-The Monster ‘Skeleton Soldier (★)’ has received the Knighting from the Owner of the Demonic Sword.
-Congratulations! ‘Skeleton Soldier (★)’ has evolved into a unique monster.
-Unique Monster, Skeleton Dark Knight ‘Maru (★★★★)’
An alarm indicating Maru’s evolution appeared.
The Skeleton Soldier, which had one star, had evolved into a Skeleton Dark Knight with four stars.
A black skeleton wielding a Demonic Sword.
That was my dungeon monster, my knight, Maru.
