When I Tried Strengthening 【Rusted Sword】, It Evolved Into An Overpowered Magic Sword

Chapter 18 Reason for conflict

The scythe-wielding sisters stared wide-eyed as their artifacts were destroyed.

Amethyst, who had been protected by them, was left dumbfounded as her defenses were shattered in a single strike.

“This… this can’t be….”

Despite the fact that I, the enemy, was right in front of her, she remained frozen in shock, her right hand with the bracelet hanging limply. She probably had considerable trust in the abilities of the sisters, Spinel and Lapis.

Seeing their artifacts destroyed in a single blow right before her eyes seemed to have partially halted her thought processes, and it wasn’t surprising that she was in a state of confusion.

“Ugh…”

In contrast, I felt a sense of discomfort in my head and chest due to the “curse” of [Cursed Magic Sword].

I involuntarily staggered.

However, as I managed to regain my footing, Dia, who had been observing from behind, quickly rushed over.

With a genuinely worried expression, she leaned in and whispered something into my ear.

“Ar-are you okay, Rust-san?”

“Y-yeah. Somehow. You don’t need to worry about me.”

Whispering those words softly, I immediately returned [Cursed Magic Sword] to [Rusty Sword]. The blessings were lost, and my entire body suddenly felt as heavy as if I had been laden with lead. However, freed from the pain of the curse, my body actually felt lighter.

Phew, that was close. It was right on the edge of the time limit. To use [Cursed Magic Sword] again, I needed to rest for a few minutes, but there was no need for that right now.

“Kuh…!”

Amethyst, glaring at me and Dia, gritted her teeth in frustration. With her two companions’ artifacts destroyed, she was now the only one left with a sacred treasure. With limited magical power, the situation was overwhelmingly unfavorable.

On the other hand, our artifacts, from her perspective, were both active. Well, my artifact needed a short rest, but since she didn’t know that, she probably believed she was at a disadvantage. Therefore, even though Amethyst had a straightforward personality, she wasn’t foolish enough to make a reckless gamble at this point.

Instead, she stood to shield the scythe-wielding sisters, spouting words that sounded like sour grapes.

“These, these girls’ sacred treasures are C-rank! Even with enchanting magic, to destroy both of them simultaneously, and in a single blow…! Just who the heck are you?”

“…”

I thought that question was only natural. Even I, myself, don’t fully understand who or what I am. What exactly is my artifact? What is [Cursed Magic Sword]? Until I find those answers, I can only provide simple responses.

For now, in response to Amethyst’s question, I replied with an answer similar to the first time we met.

“I’m a participant in the same exam. Right now, I’m also a comrade of Dia. That’s all.”

“…”

Amethyst didn’t let her frustrated expression waver.

Perhaps my answer wasn’t satisfying to her. Well, I didn’t particularly care.

More importantly, there was something I wanted to ask Amethyst.

“If that had been Dia’s shield, my strike might have been blocked.”

“Huh…?”

“If Dia had been your comrade, she could have defended against any attack and made cooperation easier. Yet, why did you…”

“――!”

Perhaps my words sounded a bit sarcastic, as Amethyst visibly flared up in anger. Her usually beautiful face contorted deeply in rage. Seeing that up close, I half-expected a bolt of lightning to come at me, but what she unleashed was a hoarse roar.

“What do you know! You know nothing! Some outsider butts in, acting all high and mighty, lecturing as if they have any right!”

Maybe because of the intense battle that had just taken place, her shout reverberated even more strongly in my head. Indeed, I was an outsider. I knew nothing about what happened when Dia and Amethyst were in their village. I was aware of the audacity of intruding despite having no relevant knowledge.

But right now, we were comrades undertaking the adventurer’s exam, aspiring to the same dream. And with my comrade insulted, I couldn’t stay silent.

They had insulted Dia repeatedly, loudly, and in front of many people, as if trying to humiliate her. That’s why I wanted Amethyst to apologize to Dia. For that, I planned to inquire about the detailed reasons for refusing Dia’s party invitation, but it seemed like Amethyst wasn’t receptive to hearing it.

“If you don’t like it, then go ahead and kill us! Just snatch the doll forcefully if you want! We’re not planning to just let you do whatever you want for free!”

Amethyst said this, desperately pointing her right hand with the bracelet toward us. It was as if she was inviting us to come at her, daring us to retaliate.

Why did she harbor such strong feelings of disgust towards Dia?

The exact reason wasn’t clear.

But well, I thought there was no use saying anything more. It seemed unlikely I would get an apology even if I did. So, I said to Dia,

“Let’s go, Dia.”

“Huh?”

“We still need to obtain one more doll, so let’s quickly resume our search for dolls.”

Saying that, I intended to leave the place with Dia. There was no point in continuing to fight with Amethyst and the others. It would be wiser to resume our doll search as soon as possible.

Thinking that, I turned on my heel to leave. However, before departing, I suddenly stopped.

It might be meddling in others’ affairs, but I decided to say something to Amethyst and her companions.

“As fellow participants, I’ll give you some advice. Two out of three people have lost their artifacts right in the middle of the area. It might be smart to abandon the doll search, not push yourselves, and head back.”

“…!”

Once again, Amethyst’s face twisted in anger. She probably didn’t want advice from an enemy, but I felt a bit responsible too. So, despite her displeasure, I continued with my advice.

“Well, since I’m the one who broke the artifacts, if you want, I can escort you back to the town…”

“Shut up! I don’t want you giving me orders!”

“…”

I was immediately shouted at, so it seemed like there was no point in continuing. Emotions must have become chaotic after losing the battle. Pressing further would only add fuel to the fire.

Well, as long as Amethyst’s artifact was intact, passing through the forest “should” be manageable. Worries would be nothing more than unnecessary meddling.

So, feeling the piercing gaze at our backs, we left the scene.

Several minutes had passed since we distanced ourselves from Amethyst and her group. Given what had just happened, Dia and I walked through the Seven-Colored Forest with a heavy atmosphere surrounding us.

The mood was somber, and I could sense a profound sadness Dia. It was clear rejection, so her feelings were understandable.

Despite feeling a strong resistance to speaking up in such circumstances, I opened my mouth to ease the tension in the air.

“Did something happen between you and them?”

“…”

Well, after what had occurred, it would be odd if nothing had. Even as an outsider, I could sense an incredible aversion emanating from them. I asked about the reason, but I belatedly realized it might have been a bit too intrusive.

“Oh, sorry if it’s too forward. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine…”

“N-no. I can’t just leave you involved up to this point without saying anything.”

With a wistful smile, Dia began to share the story.

“Our hometown is called ‘Caramunt Village,’ and it’s a reasonably large village in the countryside. One notable feature is that there are many children of similar ages. I’ve known Amethyst and the others since we were kids.”

“Oh, childhood friends, huh?”

For me, it was something akin to Ruby and Helio-kun.

“Amethyst was the most outstanding in Caramunt Village, excelling in both academics and sports. She was considered an unbeatable presence among the children. Unlike me, who was a crybaby and often bullied, she was very beautiful and cool. I always admired her from the shadows.”

“Ah, I see. There’s always someone like that.”

It was similar to Ruby in Red Village. The best in both academics and sports, lots of friends, and on top of that, cute. Well, their personalities were the opposite, but she received a lot of admiration due to her noble demeanor.

“As the admired figure, all eyes were on her during the ‘Blessing Ceremony,’ which is proof of becoming an adult. Everyone was curious about what kind of incredible artifact she would receive.”

“I see.”

The artifacts aren’t differentiated based on learning or physical abilities. However, outstanding individuals have a unique indescribable aura, a feeling that they’ll accomplish something extraordinary. So, it was natural for everyone to have high expectations about what kind of artifact Amethyst would receive during the ceremony. However, Diad’s expression darkened suddenly.

“And so, the artifact Amethyst received during the Blessing Ceremony, the ‘Purple Lightning Bracelet,’ was a ‘B-rank’ artifact.”

“Eh? Oh…”

With just that statement, I could infer most of what had happened.