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

Chapter 46 The Great Shield’s Fault

How long has it been since we entered the cave? About thirty minutes? We were still wandering inside, searching for Gem’s sacred artifact.

Although the cave wasn’t particularly vast, the intricate paths made it difficult to progress. The uneven ground and narrow passages were slowing us down significantly.

And now, yet again…

“Ugh, this part is really narrow.”

We faced another narrow passage. It was more of a hole than a path. A small hole, just big enough for one person to crawl through.

It seemed the only way forward was to squeeze through it.

“Well, we’re all slim, so we should be fine, right?”

“Yes… that’s true,” I responded awkwardly to Gem’s comment.

…Slim, huh.

A compliment that would likely please a girl, but for me, not so much. As a former bullied, feeble kid, I was undeniably slim. With a frail, unmanly body that looked like it would break at a touch and pale, untrustworthy-looking skin. As an adventurer, I wished I could eat more and bulk up.

But in this case, it worked to my advantage.

“…Shall we move forward?”

Feeling a bit down, I pushed my head into the narrow passage. Like a snake burrowing into a hole, I wriggled my body through.

I managed to get through the hole with some room to spare. Being slim was a help, and it was fortunate I wasn’t wearing any armor. If I had been in bulky gear, I surely would have gotten stuck.

I usually wore simple clothing: a navy tunic and breeches. Some might say an adventurer should wear better gear, but I was accustomed to these clothes and they were easy to move in. Because of this, I was able to get through the hole without any problems.

Next, Gem tried. With her slender frame, she easily slipped through the hole, even more smoothly than I had.

“Oh, I can feel the artifact’s presence getting stronger! We must be getting very close!”

“In that case, let’s hurry deeper…”

Just as Gem and I were about to move forward…

“Ouch!”

“…?”

We heard a voice behind us, breaking the tension. Turning around, we saw Dia stuck halfway through the hole, her shoulders and head poking out. She was completely wedged in the narrow passage.

Embarrassed, Dia’s face turned bright red. To make matters worse, Gem spoke up.

“Dia, you shouldn’t eat too many sweets.”

“N-no! It’s the shield! The Immortal Greatshield is stuck and I can’t move forward!”

Oh dear.

Well, it is called a “Greatshield” for a reason. Her shield was quite large, so it’s no surprise it got stuck in the small hole.

But this is a problem. If Dia can’t get through, she can’t proceed further. If she had a smaller artifact like my Rusted Sword, it wouldn’t be an issue.

Pushing the shield through forcefully isn’t realistic. Maybe we could try widening the hole by chipping away at the cave walls?

But if the wall cracks and the cave collapses, we’d be buried alive. Plus, the walls don’t look easy to chip away. Should we look for another path?

Finding another path won’t be easy, and Gem’s artifact seems very close by.

…There’s no other choice.

“Then Dia, stay here with Gem. I’ll go ahead alone from here.”

“Eh?”

Both Dia and Gem looked at me with puzzled expressions at my proposal.

Quickly, I explained my intention behind the suggestion.

“It just feels risky for Gem to come with me alone from here without Dia. So, you two should stay here…”

“What?! I’m coming too! I mean, you’re searching for my artifact, so it’ll be found faster if I’m with you, right!?”

“Well, that’s true, but as Gem knows, my Rusted Sword has a lot of uncertainties. I might not be able to protect Gem if something happens. So, it’s better for Dia to stay here with you. It’s safer that way.”

“Ugh…”

Gem looked visibly disappointed.

Feeling bad for her, I continued to persuade her.

“Besides, the artifact must be close by now, right? So, I think I can find it alone. Please wait here with Dia.”

“Y-yeah, I get it…”

Reluctantly, Gem nodded with a mix of guilt and frustration.

Then Dia spoke up with an apologetic expression.

“I-I’m sorry, Rust-san. Please take care.”

“Yeah. You too.”

With that, I left Dia and Gem there, entrusting Gem to Dia.

As I walked deeper into the cave alone, I found myself lost in thought.

Gem must have wanted to see what lay ahead. She had been excited the whole time we were exploring the cave, her face lit up with anticipation. It really suits her adventurous nature, doesn’t it?

Maybe Gem is cut out to be an adventurer after all. She showed such a keen interest in it, and once I find the artifact and return, maybe I’ll suggest she try the adventurer’s test.

Lost in these thoughts, I suddenly found myself in an open space.

Contrary to the narrow path, it was now a large dome-shaped area.

And there, scattered all around…

“Wow, what is this place!?”

Dust-covered “junk” was strewn everywhere. Clothes, shoes, gloves, bags—items people would wear, and even everyday items like lamps and glasses.

At first glance, I thought it looked like a dump.