⚙ Spirit Sword Speaks ⚙Won't you tell me? How did you get through here? Your mana feels rock-bottom, and your movements don't look all that impressive.
'What the hell is this?'
Right now, I was feeling pretty damn confused.
And who could blame me? In the original story, I'd never heard of the Spirit Sword talking to anyone.
Even the protagonist, who'd been wielding it for nearly a year, never mentioned it chatting with him or anything like that.
Yet here it was happening to me.
The Spirit Sword was speaking directly to me.
It was curious how I'd cleared this dungeon.
'Yeah, I get why it'd be surprised...'
I couldn't deny that.
I'm no genius protagonist with insane talent. I'm just your average guy.
So for someone like me—a total normie—to breeze through the labyrinth that even the hero struggled with on his fifth try, without triggering a single trap? Yeah, that'd shock anyone.
I could totally see why the Spirit Sword was asking.
⚙ Spirit Sword Speaks ⚙Luck? You call this... luck?
"Hmm..."
But I couldn't exactly spill the beans.
How do you tell a sword you're a possessor who's transmigrated into this world?
No way was I risking that blowing up in my face. That secret stays buried, no question.
"Just got lucky, that's all."
So I played it off casually.
Scratched my head and shrugged it away as pure luck.
[Luck? You seriously think... this was just luck?]
Of course, its tone made it clear it wasn't buying it one bit.
Well, yeah—claiming I blazed through by sheer chance did sound pretty forced.
Maybe I should've thought that through more?
A twinge of regret hit me, but what could I do?
"Dungeons like this exist, talking swords exist—can't a guy get a lucky break once in a while?"
[...]
"Even I can have my special moments sometimes."
I just kept bullshitting my way through.
No chance in hell I was revealing the truth, so lies it was, all the way.
⚙ Spirit Sword Speaks ⚙Fine, whatever... I'll take your word for it. Owner's the owner, reasons be damned. I'll keep an eye on you for now.
It didn't buy my story right away, of course.
The sword still sounded dubious as hell.
Maybe it realized pushing further was pointless?
Or just got bored?
Who knows—but it went quiet again.
No more chit-chat from the blade.
Watching me, huh? Whatever that means.
Somehow, I'd muddled through.
Conversation over, I headed out of the ruins.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Bit of a sudden curveball there.
Who'd have thought the sword would start yapping at me out of nowhere?
Still felt kinda unsettled about it.
But hey, mission accomplished, right?
I glanced at the Spirit Sword with a satisfied grin.
With this baby, I could handle some fights, no problem.
Essential gear for surviving this brutal world.
This sword might as well be my lifeline.
Item secured, time to head back.
I'd just stepped out of the ruins, en route to the church, when...
'...? What the?'
I sensed presences.
A whole bunch of them.
I scanned around warily, and sure enough—about a dozen hooded guys emerged.
"Hey, stop right there!"
One shouted.
The rest swarmed, boxing me in.
"Well, well, nice shiny toy you've got there."
Probably their leader?
The guy leered at the Spirit Sword in my hand, eyes gleaming with greed.
"Hand over the blade nice and easy, and maybe we let you walk."
Aiming for the sword, huh?
Makes sense—doesn't look like your average hunk of metal.
Would fetch a fortune anywhere.
Bandit classic: drop the goods and scram.
"Sorry, can't do that."
As if.
You gonna hand over your own lifeline?
I shut him down flat.
"You little shit, can't take a hint? Get him—snag that sword!"
Leader scowled, barked the order with a wave.
Bandits charged.
Old me would've panicked, staring death in the face.
But now? I've got the Spirit Sword.
Shing.
Blade gleaming blue.
I struck an awkward stance, facing them down.
Spirit Sword's a cheat item, after all.
With it, I'd win. That was the plan.
'Hope this works...'
Still, a flicker of worry hit at first.
Never properly trained with a sword, after all.
This half-assed pose said it all.
Swordplay? Total noob.
Even with the Spirit Sword, could I take these thugs?
Yeah, doubts crept in.
But only for a moment.
"Gaaah!!!"
First bandit swung a rusty blade.
I panicked, raised the Spirit Sword to block.
Blue flash—rusty sword bounced off like nothing. Bandit stumbled back, ass over teakettle.
'Mana amplification, huh?'
One of the Spirit Sword's powers: maxes out the user's mana.
It boosted the mana enveloping me, creating pure power disparity.
Hence the easy fly-away.
"Guh! What the hell are you?!"
Bandits recoiled in shock.
One with a club charged anyway.
I instinctively lifted the sword—club snapped in two like a twig.
"What the fuck are you?!"
They swapped weapons, rushed again.
Same result, rinse and repeat.
"Stay calm! Arrows and daggers—hit him from range!!!"
Leader yelled from afar.
Volley incoming.
'Barrier too, nice.'
No sweat.
Spirit Sword's second trick: barrier.
Arrows halted midair on contact, dropped harmlessly.
Daggers too.
"Arrows don't work? What kinda magic bullshit?!"
Leader screamed, but ranged attacks? Useless.
They grew frantic. I seized the gap.
'Time for that.'
Third power: mana burst.
I raised the Spirit Sword high.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡Mana Burst
Overwhelming shockwave engulfs foes
Blade erupted in azure light.
Like a crashing wave, raw mana surged toward the bandits.
"Gyyyaaah!"
Those hit screamed, flung back.
Weapons shook from their grips; some passed out cold.
The impact? Devastating.
Wipe 'em all in one go? Even I was stunned by this sword's power.
"Hiiiik!!! Mercy—please, spare me!"
One survivor, lucky bastard.
The leader, trembling as he stared me down.
Far enough back to scrape by, apparently.
No mercy planned, though.
"Wait... wait! My bad, all my fault! Won't do it again—please!"
Begging changes nothing. Bandit's a bandit.
I raised the blade, advanced slowly.
"I got kids, man. Please... sir, spare me."
That gave me pause.
"Kids?"
For real?
Couldn't just brush it off, so I lowered the sword a tad.
"Y-yeah, kids. Five of 'em."
Leader perked up—hope in his eyes?
From shaking wreck to cocky dad real quick.
"Five kids? Where at?"
"The cities we raided."
"Raided cities?"
"Y-yeah. Probably weaned by now. I got five kids, heh... ha..."
He'd miscalculated big time.
One calm breath, he'd have caught himself.
But panic mode? Truth spilled out raw.
"Hoo..."
Got the full picture now.
I sighed shallowly, hoisted the Spirit Sword.
"Worse than a dog."
"Gaaack!!!"
Full-power mana burst to the face.