When I Tried Strengthening 【Rusted Sword】, It Evolved Into An Overpowered Magic Sword - Chapter 2

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

Chapter 2   Blessing Ceremony

The ‘Blessing Ceremony’ takes place in the ‘Temple,’ where sacred energy gathers.

Every town and village has at least one temple, and our Red Village, where we live, has an impressive temple.

Ruby and I arrived at that temple.

“Wow, there are so many people. It’s not just the folks from Red Village.”

Inside, a lot of people had already gathered. Some were unfamiliar faces, likely residents from other towns and villages.

“It seems like people from other towns and villages are here to undergo the ceremony too. This temple is the largest around here, so they’re doing it all together here. Beryl Village Chief mentioned it yesterday, didn’t he?”

“Uh, did he?”

Perhaps due to nervousness, I had completely forgotten.

Knowing that there were many unfamiliar people only heightened my anxiety. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the parents of those undergoing the Blessing Ceremony were also present, likely here to witness their children’s special moment.

My mom, busy with work, couldn’t make it. That might be a bit of luck in misfortune. At least there’s no possibility of embarrassing myself in front of my parents. Well, I’ll have to give them a detailed report on the results later.

“Oh, Rust, look. There are adventurers here too.”

“Really…”

Inside, there were several ‘adventurers,’ and they likely came to scout promising individuals – those who had received high-ranking sacred treasures – to join their parties.

As we advanced towards the back of the temple, where the gazes of these adventurers were focused, a voice calling out to Ruby echoed from somewhere.

“Hey, Ruby, you’re late!”

“The ceremony is about to start in a bit!”

“Hey, everyone, good morning! Sorry to keep you waiting!”

Ruby, leaving me with a parting phrase, distanced herself. She has quite a wide circle of friends. With many acquaintances in Red Village and even in other towns and villages, she’s the opposite of me, who tends to be shy.

Left alone, I reluctantly found a corner to wait for the ceremony to begin. Just as I was about to move to the side…

“Ouch!”

I collided with someone, or rather, someone purposely bumped into my shoulder.

Who could it be? Well, I already know, though.

“Oh, if it isn’t Rust. My bad, my bad, you’re so tiny I didn’t even notice.”

“…Helio-kun.”

A boy with golden hair, his slanted eyes standing out, and he always gives me a hard time – Helio Thor, who lives in the same village. You could even call him the ringleader of the kids in Red Village. It seems he’s also here at the temple to undergo the ‘Blessing Ceremony,’ being the same age as me.

“What’s up, Rust? You’re going for the Blessing Ceremony too? Even though you’ll probably get some lame sacred treasure, is there even a point in participating?”

“…Haha.”

Receiving his sarcastic words, I forced a wry smile. I’ve always had a hard time dealing with Helio because he’s been mean to me since we were kids. I can’t retort strongly.

“Even if the cowardly Rust receives a sacred treasure, you’ll probably be trembling and unable to fight against the demons. Isn’t it pointless to undergo the ceremony? With so many people already here, you’d better go home early, don’t you think?”

“…Y-yeah, maybe.”

That’s why, in situations like this, I always try to play it off with a wry smile. I know I should say something back, but the memories of past unkindness flash in my mind, making it difficult to rebel.

As a result, I find myself silenced, displaying a feeble, awkward smile. However, it’s precisely at times like these…

“Hey, Helio. You’re picking on Rust again! Cut it out, especially at a time like this!”

“Tch, this annoying person showed up.”

Timely, Ruby returned.

Ruby always comes to my aid like this when Helio and the other boys are being mean to me. Her dependable back has become a familiar sight. Ruby, with a strong sense of justice, seems to hate bullying more than anything else. That’s why she rescues me every time I’m being bullied, and somewhere deep down, I find myself relying on her.

Perhaps feeling the dampening of his spirits, Helio turned away from us with a bored expression.

“Well, as fellow members of the same generation, at least don’t do anything embarrassing, Rust.”

“…Yeah.”

Watching Helio walk away, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Phew, that was scary.

I still can’t deal with Helio, I thought. Just as I was thinking that, Ruby poked me in the side.

“Not just ‘yeah,’ Rust. Say something back.”

“Sorry…”

“We’re both turning twelve and becoming adults, so we need to be more assertive. You won’t become a cool adventurer. Besides, I can’t always protect you, so you have to get stronger, Rust.”

“Yeah… you’re right.”

…I feel really pathetic.

Yes, I can’t keep relying on Ruby to protect me forever. If I can’t fend off one or two bullies on my own, there’s no way I can become the hero I aspire to be.

Today, I’ll change. I’ll show them.

Quietly renewing my determination, the voice of the priest echoed in the temple.

“Now then, we shall commence the ‘Blessing Ceremony.’ Those who are to undergo the ritual, please step forward to the altar.”

The bustling temple instantly fell into a silent hush as the priest’s voice echoed. Soon, a young boy stepped forward from among the participants.

“Alright, I’ll go first!”

Following the priest’s instructions, the boy confidently walked towards the altar. The altar, bathed in the sunlight pouring through the skylight, radiated a white brilliance.

Apparently, once a year, there is a day when divine light pours down from the sun, and during that time, people can communicate with the gods as long as the light touches the altar. Only those aged twelve and above, in other words, adults, can engage in this dialogue.

In ancient times, people lacked the means to combat demons and monsters, suffering under their oppression. The demons had skin known as ‘demon armor,’ which regular weapons couldn’t pierce.

When the people prayed to the gods for help, surprisingly, they were able to establish a connection, and the gods bestowed upon them special weapons capable of defeating demons and monsters. This is said to be the origin of the ‘Blessing Ceremony.’

Well, whether it’s a true story or not is unknown.

Regardless, it is a fact that those aged twelve and above, on the day when white light pours down, can obtain a weapon capable of defeating demons by offering prayers at the altar. The young boy imitated the action, clasping his hands before the altar.

Suddenly, the altar began emitting an even more radiant light.

Overwhelmed by the brightness, I involuntarily closed my eyes. When I reopened them, a large axe had appeared on the altar.

“This is the Blessing Ceremony…”

I couldn’t help but widen my eyes in surprise. While I had witnessed the ritual as a spectator several times before, being on the receiving end added an extra layer of astonishment.

Observing the altar with a sense of wonder, the boy joyfully took the sacred treasure into his hands and exclaimed.

“Steel Great Axe! A C-rank sacred treasure!”

Instantly, applause erupted from the surroundings.

Equipping a sacred treasure allowed one to access detailed information—the ‘Properties’ of the weapon. Name, rank, and all the powers harbored within the artifact.

As part of tradition, those who underwent the ritual would publicly disclose the name and rank of the received artifact. Following this custom, the boy who had just named his artifact and its rank happily stepped back.

“Next, it’s my turn!”

The following girl offered her prayers, and the altar emitted a radiant light. She took the green short sword that materialized and, similarly, shouted with joy.

“Gale Short Sword. I’m also C-rank!”

Another round of cheers ensued, and those around showed delighted reactions.

“This year might be a good harvest.”

“Depending on the year, there are cases where not even a single C-rank artifact comes out.”

“Getting two all of a sudden, it’s even more exciting now.”

Sacred treasures are assigned ranks, ranging from A, B, C, D, E, to F, depending on the performance of the weapon. The average is a D-rank artifact, and many people receive that. Within D-rank, C-rank artifacts are said to be one in a thousand. B-rank artifacts are one in ten thousand, and A-rank artifacts are bestowed upon one in a hundred thousand. Well, these are just rumored figures.

In any case, following the impressive achievements of the boys and girls who received their sacred treasures, the Blessing Ceremony proceeded smoothly.

D-rank, D-rank, C-rank, D-rank…

It seemed like there were many D-rank artifacts as usual. The fact that no artifacts below D-rank had appeared might suggest that this year’s harvest was indeed abundant.

And amid all this…

“W-What’s with that divine artifact!?”

When I focused on the altar, there was a clearly distinctive long spear placed there. Elaborate decorations adorned it, and it exuded a powerful aura.

Boldly raising it, the one who wielded the spear was none other than the bully, Helio.

“Thunderstrike Spear. B-rank.”

Instantly, the most enthusiastic cheers of the day erupted.

“Wow! Well done, Helio!”

“I thought you could do it!”

“Show me what you’ve got!”

The adults from the village, friends, and people from other towns and villages all applauded Helio’s ritual.

A B-rank divine artifact. Certainly impressive. Helio had always been strong in fights, and like me and Ruby, he aspired to become an adventurer.

With that divine artifact, he would surely become an amazing adventurer.

Then, adventurers who had been watching immediately approached Helio and started talking to him.

“Are you interested in becoming an adventurer? Would you like to join our party?”

“We welcome you too, young man! Let’s become adventurers together and defeat the demons!”

The customary adventurer recruitment during the Blessing Ceremony.

To become an adventurer, you had to take an exam and pass it. However, if you received an invitation from an existing adventurer party, you could become an adventurer without taking the exam. They called it a recommendation.

I heard that only high-ranked adventurers could give recommendations, so those people must be quite impressive adventurers.

Being approached by them and receiving many invitations, how envious it must be.

While thinking about this, I noticed that Helio had unexpectedly looked our way.

He grinned slyly.

“That smug look of his is so annoying!”

“Hehe, well…”

It was as if he was saying, “How about that?” Ruby didn’t seem to like it.

“All right! I’ll show him by getting an amazing sacred treasure too!”

“Good luck, Ruby.”

In an attempt to match Helio, who received a B-rank divine artifact, Ruby also stood in front of the altar. She bowed her head politely to the priest who was watching, then introduced herself.

“I’m Ruby Blood. Nice to meet you.”

Ruby folded her hands in front of the altar and offered a prayer to the god. I couldn’t imagine what she was thinking, but even from the side, her seriousness came through.

As the altar began to emit a brilliant light, it seemed even more dazzling than the rituals of others. Soon, when the light subsided, a large sword was placed on the altar.

“That… is…”

A large sword dyed entirely in red, with a thick blade that seemed mismatched for a girl to wield. However, Ruby effortlessly lifted the large sword and confidently announced the name and rank of her sacred treasure.

“Um… [Flame Dragon Greatsword]. A-rank?”

For a moment, the temple fell into silence. Everyone stared wide-eyed at Ruby. When the frozen crowd finally snapped out of it, cheers erupted throughout the temple.

“W-wow! An A-rank sacred treasure!”

“This is the first time seeing one up close!”

“It’s incredibly beautiful!”

Ruby herself seemed unaware of her artifact’s greatness at first. When she realized the extraordinary nature of her sacred treasure, she turned to me, waving it enthusiastically.

“Look, Rust! I have an A-rank sacred treasure! The strongest one!”

“That’s amazing, Ruby…”

She had received a sacred treasure that could easily rival Helio’s. Ruby was truly incredible – strong sense of justice, cool demeanor, and the talent to become an adventurer. As her childhood friend, I was genuinely happy.

While silently savoring my joy, adventurers soon flocked around Ruby. An A-rank divine artifact was a rare sight. It was inevitable that she would attract a lot of attention.

Amidst the crowd, a woman emerged, appearing as if she carried an aura of light. Her hair, reaching down to her waist, was a pure white color, and her flawless features complemented her translucent, fair skin. This woman, almost ethereally beautiful, effortlessly moved through the crowd of adventurers and stood before Ruby.

“Oh, hey, isn’t that…”

“Yeah, no mistake.”

“The Hero Parlti…”

I recognized that name too. It was the title given to the strongest adventurer – the ‘Hero.’ Currently, the one hailed as the strongest adventurer was a female adventurer named Parlti Lightning. Commonly known as the ‘Hero Parlti.’ So, it was her.

But what could be the reason for her approaching Ruby?

“If you don’t mind, would you consider joining my party, Ruby Blood?”

“Huh?”

The surprise wasn’t limited to Ruby alone. I, along with those around us, held our breath.

“Wha- she’s being invited to the Hero’s party!?”

“Ruby, that’s amazing!”

“You should definitely join!”

Amidst the surrounding excitement, Hero Parlti furrowed her brow in response.

“Here, it’s too noisy to have a proper conversation. Let’s talk in detail over there, Ruby Blood.”

“Is it okay for me? Even if I join the party of the hero…?”

“Are there any other participants named Ruby Blood here? Just come along.”

“Yes!”

Upon hearing this, Ruby happily followed behind the hero.

However, just before disappearing, she abruptly stopped. Then, she glanced in my direction and tightly clenched her fist.

‘Hang in there, Rust!’ That’s how it seemed, as if she was saying that to me.

Afterward, Ruby followed after Parlti and vanished into the crowd.

All I could do was gaze in astonishment at her retreating figure.

“Amazing, Ruby…”

To be recruited by the legendary hero, Parlti Lightning.

In that moment, I couldn’t help but wish for something similar.

“I want a weapon like that too.”

I wasn’t asking for an A-rank; just a weapon sufficient to fight against demons.

And then, to be invited by some party, to become an adventurer alongside Ruby.

I made up my mind and walked towards the altar.

“You’re the last one.”

“Yes, I’m Rust Stone.”

After greeting the priest, I too began the preparations for the ritual.

I stood before the altar, joined my hands in prayer, and offered my prayers to the Gods.

It seems you can pray for anything. However, my words were already decided.

God, please grant me power.

Power to fight alongside Ruby.

Power to surpass Helio.

Power to become a hero.

“Please, God…”

In an instant, a brilliant light radiated from the altar.

A strong light, no less dazzling than Ruby’s ceremony from earlier.

Inevitably, my expectations, as well as those of the people around me, swelled.

As the light gradually converged, a single sword had appeared on the altar.

Everyone’s excited gaze focused on that sword.

“This, uh…”

I widened my eyes in surprise.

The people around me also stared at the altar in disbelief.

The reason being, on the altar was something completely unexpected.

How should I even comprehend this fact?

Could it be a mistake?

To confirm, I grasped the handle of the bestowed weapon.

However, there was no mistake in the visible reality.

Despite attempting to say the name and rank of the received artifact like everyone else, I couldn’t utter a word.

Because the artifact I held in my hand was…

Name: Rusty Sword

Rank: F

Level: 1

Attack Power: 1

Blessings: Strength +0, Endurance +0, Agility +0, Magic +0, Vitality +0

Skills: None

Durability: 10/10

It was a battered, rusted sword on the verge of falling apart.