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

Chapter 54 Fate

The boy standing in front of me was undoubtedly my childhood friend, Helio Thor.

He was a leader among the boys in Red Village, a central figure among the children of our generation.

Ruby was also a central figure, but she was the kind of girl who talked to everyone equally. In contrast, Helio strove to stand at the center and claimed that position.

And he often bullied me.

Memories I didn’t want to recall. But seeing the boy in front of me brought them back unavoidably.

Unknowingly, my whole body tensed up.

“Um, Rust…?”

Seeing my odd behavior, Dia hesitantly called out to me.

But I couldn’t respond, just staring at the boy in front of me with an unsteady gaze.

Three years had passed, and while his appearance and voice had changed a bit, I could tell by his presence.

I could see traces of his former self here and there, so there was no doubt he was Helio.

He wasn’t an average-sized boy anymore; he had grown quite tall.

From twelve to fifteen years old, he had grown remarkably during his prime growth years.

His spiky blond hair was now longer and stylishly wavy, as if he had put some effort into it.

Though his sharp eyes still peeked through his bangs, they seemed less intimidating and more tired than before.

The boy who once seemed like the leader of the pack had transformed into a cool, mysterious young man.

Still, I could identify him as Helio because of the aura he exuded and the unmistakable spear he attacked us with.

Three years ago, during the ‘Rite of Blessing,’ I saw Helio receive the same sacred weapon.

Its name was—the Thunderstrike Spear.

It was a B-rank weapon, the second highest rank.

Its vivid decoration was distinctive, making it unlikely someone else had the same sacred weapon.

As I stared at Helio, who was now using the spear as a support, two men approached from behind him.

“Hey, Helio, don’t run off on your own.”

“You’re too fast, man. Give us a break.”

They were unfamiliar faces.

They weren’t from Red Village.

Probably members of the same adventurer party.

After receiving the Rite of Blessing, Helio chose one of the many adventurer invitations he received and became an adventurer.

I heard he soon left that party because they didn’t get along.

In such cases, the adventurer’s qualification remains, allowing him to continue his activities. He must have formed a new party himself.

Perhaps he accepted the adventurer invitation to become one quickly without taking the test and always intended to form his own party.

It would be just like Helio to do that. He was always good at those kinds of cunning ideas.

The two men who rushed over looked at us from behind Helio and tilted their heads, asking, “Who are those people?”

Helio didn’t answer, just stared intently at my face.

Feeling a shiver down my spine, I returned his gaze and decided to ask him a question.

“Why are you here…?”

Helio should have become an adventurer before me, long past his rookie days. So why would Helio be in an area where rookie adventurers gather?

Several reasons come to mind.

Perhaps he’s here exploring this forest on a quest, just like Dia and me.

Or maybe he took a job elsewhere but ended up in Seven Colored Forest during his investigation.

Or perhaps he’s just out for a stroll.

Although the third option seems unlikely, I thought the most probable scenario was that he was here working as an adventurer.

But my speculations turned out to be pointless.

“That’s my line. Why are you here? A weakling, a coward, with no talent like you…”

Helio frowned, seemingly irritated.

While I’m not sure of the exact reason, I have a few guesses.

Maybe he’s still angry about evading his attack earlier.

Or perhaps he doesn’t like seeing me, the timid kid who used to get bullied, standing in the same place as him.

The second guess seems to fit somehow.

I thought about fueling his anger, but I decided to give him an honest answer.

“I became an adventurer. That’s why I’m here, working in this forest.”

“Became an adventurer…?”

Helio’s expression turned skeptical.

Naturally, I knew words alone wouldn’t convince him.

So, I took out my adventurer’s handbook from my pocket and showed it to him as proof.

Upon seeing it, Helio scoffed.

“Hah! Don’t make me laugh, trash like you becoming an adventurer? Or is the adventurer test nowadays so shitty that even trash like you can pass? Shows what the examiners are like.”

“…”

Frowning slightly, I returned Helio’s gaze without saying a word.

“Well, whatever. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt for now. So, what are you doing here?”

“…What am I doing?”

“You said it yourself. ‘you became an adventurer.’ So what are you doing there? Why aren’t you carrying a Sacred Artifact and turning your back on your ‘enemies’?”

Upon hearing those words, I involuntarily furrowed my brow.

“Turning my back on enemies?”

I reflexively glanced around, but the only ones here were Dia, a crucial member of our party, and the “demon” girl I had just met moments ago…

I suddenly realized.

Quickly turning towards Helio, I hurriedly tried to change his perception of the girl.

“She… she’s not an enemy. She doesn’t harbor any hostility or malice towards humans. She’s not a target for us adventurers to slay.”

“Are you half asleep? You think there’s a demon out there that doesn’t harbor hostility or malice towards humans?”

Helio’s eyes were now completely those of someone facing an enemy.

Always ready to counterattack, he tightly gripped the Sacred Artifact spear in his right hand, showing no signs of lowering his guard.

Similarly, the two men behind him also cast unfriendly glances at us—particularly towards the demon girl—clearly filled with caution.

It was a natural reaction for adventurers facing a demon.

But wait a moment. It’s wrong to have such a reaction towards this girl.

“Even I didn’t believe it at first. I always thought demons were cunning and ruthless, that we adventurers should defeat them. But this girl seems different. She doesn’t attack humans, and above all, she has a gentle heart…”

I attempted to convince Helio and the others somehow.

However, he scoffed back at my words, refusing to reconsider his perception of demons, let alone listen to my words which he clearly despised.

“That’s all just your subjective view. How can you be so sure she won’t attack humans? Just because she hasn’t attacked yet doesn’t mean she won’t in the future.”

“…So, did you attack this girl?”

“Of course, what else would you expect?”

His tone suggested that this was the rule of this world.

Demons are targets to be defeated. That’s the adventurer’s mission. It’s the norm passed down through generations in this world.

So when I said, “I became an adventurer,” Helio naturally asked, “What are you doing there?”

“If adventurers exist in this world, it’s to defeat demons. So why are you defending that demon? If you don’t take care of her soon, it’ll become troublesome.”

“Well, that may be true, but I still think it’s wrong to harm a defenseless being. It’s excessive to slay her. At the very least, we should try to capture her…”

I continued trying to persuade him, but Helio’s heart remained unmoved.

“Capture her and take her back to town… And then what? If she goes berserk and hurts innocent people, will you take responsibility? Killing her right here and now is the surest solution.”

“…”

Silently, I gritted my teeth.

No matter what, Helio intended to hunt down the demon girl behind me.

As an adventurer. As a human. Following the world’s norms.

He wouldn’t listen to anyone’s persuasion.

Moreover, since the words came from me, they might actually be fueling his combative spirit.

In reality, in this situation, it would be more prudent to capture the demon girl alive for information gathering and ecological study.

So I carefully chose my words, attempting not to persuade but to “query,” hoping to stir something within Helio’s heart.

“She was helping a puppy.”

“Huh?”

“She found a puppy that was injured and treated its wounds. Even though she’s in pain herself, she still prioritize helping an injured puppy. Despite that, do you still see this girl as nothing more than another cunning and ruthless demon like the others?”

I’m not good at lying.

Helio knows this very well.

So rather than inventing a lie on the spot, I spoke the truth of what I saw. Helio seemed slightly taken aback by my words.

Then, Dia, who was behind me, looked at the injured puppy she held and the demon girl’s injured leg, widening her eyes even more.

It’s understandable that she would be surprised. Even I couldn’t believe it when I first saw her.

That there could be a demon with a kind heart.

But this girl indeed possesses a gentle heart.

A kindness that would help an injured puppy.

If he could understand that, perhaps Helio would reconsider his intention to subdue this girl.

…I thought, and without omitting anything I had seen earlier, I relayed it all to Helio. Unexpectedly, he averted his gaze and muttered back.

“She just showed that appearance on purpose to deceive us.”

“Huh?”

“She pretended to help the dog to deceive us, to lower our guard, and then she plans to attack. Isn’t that something a powerless demon would do?”

I couldn’t immediately grasp the meaning behind Helio’s words.

She pretended to help the dog just to deceive us?

And then planned to attack us when we were off guard?

Is he seriously saying that?

Is the girl behind me, who looks frightened and disturbed, really planning something like that?

Certainly, if she were a powerless demon, it wouldn’t be surprising for her to consider using some means to launch a surprise attack.

The possibility of pretending to treat the dog isn’t completely zero either.

But, as a prerequisite, she would have to have known in advance that we were approaching.

Otherwise, there’s no way she could have timed showing us the scene of her treating the puppy.

There were no signs of such calculation, and timing it perfectly would be nearly impossible. That scene really was just something we happened to stumble upon.

Moreover, if she had been treating the puppy to show us, it would have been wiser to flee this place immediately.

If she were a powerless demon, she wouldn’t even consider fighting adventurers.

Even if we entertain the idea that she intended to attack us after lulling our guard, it would be strange for her not to have immediately healed her own injuries, which would only hinder her.

It should already be clear that she was genuinely helping the puppy.

Perhaps Helio himself realizes the flaw in his argument, as he seems intentionally avoiding eye contact.

Seeing him in that somewhat cunning demeanor…

“Why…?”

My heart was restless.

“Why can’t you see anything but a twisted perspective! There’s no reason other than the fact that she’s a kind person!”

Almost unconsciously, a shout escaped from my throat.

Not out of anger or sadness, but driven by an inexplicable emotion, I yelled at Helio for the first time.

It was almost as if I were finally letting out feelings I had harbored against him for a long time.

And then, how should I put it…

Helio, who had been ignoring me, suddenly turned towards me with widened eyes.

Gradually, from an expression of surprise, veins began to bulge on his forehead.