Chapter 1: The Sword of Headaches
Okay, so first of all, I never even wanted a sword. Not like one of those shiny anime swords or some Minecraft diamond thing, but a real sword. The problem is, in my town, swords aren't just weapons. They're like… mood rings with anger issues. Each sword has magic, and the magic makes you stronger but also makes your life suck in different ways.
Like my friend Kenji's sword. It's called "Iron Shard." Every time he swings it, he gets super strong, like he could punch through a car door. But the sword also makes him smell like old eggs. Not even kidding. People won't sit next to him on the bus anymore. He says it's worth it, but his girlfriend dumped him last week.
Anyway, my sword is different. I didn't choose it—it chose me. The stupid thing literally showed up under my bed one night, glowing red like a microwave about to explode. I tried to throw it out the window, but it just came back. Like, teleported.
It's called "Crimson Fang." Sounds cool, right? Yeah, not really. The first time I held it, I felt like my brain was being squeezed through a juice box straw. My head hurt so bad I puked. But also… my reflexes got insane. I could catch a fly in my hand without even trying.
So here's the problem: every sword has buffs (the good stuff) and debuffs (the bad stuff). The stronger the sword is, the worse the debuffs get. And Crimson Fang is… really strong. Like, it gives me night vision, super reflexes, and I can run faster than my dog Max when he's chasing a squirrel. But the debuffs? Headaches. Constant headaches. I'm talking migraine-level pain every single day. Also, my nose bleeds a lot now.
My mom thinks it's "just puberty," but no, Mom, it's not puberty. It's the sword eating my brain cells.
And the craziest part? I can't get rid of it. Every time I try, it comes back. Once I buried it in the park, and the next morning it was on my desk, shiny and smug, like "good morning, buddy."
So yeah. That's my life now. Swords that give buffs and debuffs, and me, stuck with the one that makes my skull feel like it's in a blender.
But I have this feeling—it's not just some random sword. It wants me to use it. For something big. Something dangerous.
And honestly? That scares me more than the headaches.