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

Chapter 56 Sword and Spear

“—!”

The moment I drew the [Cursed Magic Sword], Helio’s eyes widened. The two men behind him were equally stunned, taken aback by the sight of an artifact completely changing form.

However, Helio quickly regained his composure and thrust his long spear with full force. The transformation of my artifact meant nothing to him; all that mattered was silencing me.

“Uraaahhh!!!”

With a roar, he aimed the spear with terrifying precision at my left leg. It wasn’t a fatal strike, but it was enough to stop me from moving. Judging by the trajectory, he probably intended to merely graze me. Moreover, if I looked closely, the demon girl stood behind me. Though Dia’s shield provided a barrier, Helio might be aiming to pierce through us both.

Instantly realizing this, I swung the [Cursed Magic Sword] over my right shoulder. I brought it down forcefully on the spearhead, intercepting the attack.

“Hah!”

The sword and spear clashed perfectly, and I managed to pin the spearhead to the ground. Though striking the shaft would have reduced the spear’s durability, getting too close would have risked a direct hit to my leg. So, I targeted the tip.

With the [Cursed Magic Sword] pressing down on the [Thunderstrike Spear], Helio and I faced each other up close. He glared at me with furious intensity, angered by the fact that I had stopped him.

“What the hell is that artifact? Did you learn some worthless trick while I wasn’t looking?”

“No… This is the true form of my artifact…!”

We both poured all our strength into our artifacts. Although I held the [Thunderstrike Spear] down with the [Cursed Magic Sword], Helio eventually pulled back and withdrew his spear. Judging by the feel of the clash, I seemed to have a slight edge in strength, thanks to the immense benefits from the [Cursed Magic Sword].

Helio seemed aware of this too. His face remained contorted with rage as he glared at me. Veins bulging on his forehead, he let out a mocking laugh.

“Hah! So that’s why you’re daring to bite back.”

“…?”

“You’ve gained confidence from obtaining a powerful artifact. Otherwise, a weakling like you wouldn’t dare to challenge me!”

Helio’s gaze was fixed on the [Cursed Magic Sword] in my hand.

“Good for you, huh? Even a useless guy like you can become strong. But don’t get it twisted. You’re just lucky. You’re just a trash who happened to get a good artifact. You haven’t done anything yourself.”

Hearing his words, I couldn’t help but be puzzled. I didn’t understand what he meant right away. As I tried to decipher his words, Helio continued to pile on.

“Good for you, getting strong ‘by chance’.”

Helio’s gaze clearly mocked me. The same disdainful look he had always given me, like he was looking at a mere insect. I couldn’t help but ask him directly.

“What are you trying to say?”

He said I was just lucky, just had a good artifact. It didn’t make any sense. Moreover, I hadn’t earned the right to be told ‘good for you for getting strong.’ I didn’t believe I had become strong. I was still weak, much weaker than I realized. Being told I had become strong was confusing. So, tilting my head in confusion, I asked him to explain. Helio looked down at me, his chin jutting out in contempt, and answered.

“I’m saying don’t get cocky just because you have borrowed power.”

“…”

The overwhelming disdain in his words finally made their meaning clear to me. Don’t get cocky just because you have borrowed power. In other words, Helio meant to say: Don’t boast with power that was given to you. Don’t bite back at me with strength you didn’t earn. The artifact you were given is strong, but you haven’t become strong yourself. Helio was intensely irritated by me, as if I had taken credit for strength that wasn’t mine.

I lowered my head and remembered three years ago. I recalled the days when I was given the [Rusted Sword], my dreams denied, yet I kept pursuing them stubbornly. With those memories in mind, I spoke to Helio.

“You might be right.”

“Hah?”

“As you said, I was just lucky to be given a powerful artifact. I haven’t done anything to earn it. It’s wrong to get cocky because of that.”

When I said that, Helio’s eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t expected me to talk back. I looked down at the [Cursed Magic Sword] in my right hand and continued with a self-deprecating thought.

“Having a powerful artifact doesn’t make someone strong. The truly strong are those who can wield such an artifact skillfully. What matters is what one does after receiving a powerful artifact. If you don’t make an effort to master it, it’s just a waste of a treasure.”

I returned Helio’s gaze with determination.

“So, I will become stronger ‘from now on.’ I’ll become much, much stronger and make this borrowed power my own.”

“…”

Helio was still frozen, his eyes wide open. I was also quite surprised by myself. I never thought I could talk back to Helio like this. As Helio said, I was just lucky to have been given a powerful artifact. The [Cursed Magic Sword] is a strong artifact, and I haven’t done anything myself yet. For three years, I’ve just been swinging around the weakest artifact while chasing an uncertain dream. So, I will become stronger. I will work harder and harder to make the borrowed power truly mine, to deny Helio’s words that I was ‘just lucky to become strong.’ When I conveyed this indirectly, Helio still stood there in shock. But soon, he lowered his gaze and his shoulders began to shake slightly.

“Ha, haha…”

A faint laugh escaped him before he raised his face, now tinged with anger, and laughed loudly.

“Hahaha! You’re really getting full of yourself, huh, Las? You’ve gotten so high and mighty that you’re talking back to me now!”

Hearing that, the others furrowed their brows, not understanding the meaning. Indeed, this was something only Helio and I understood. It was truly unbelievable for me to talk back to Helio. The old me would have fainted in shock. But now, I can respond like this. Perhaps, as Helio said, it’s because I now have a powerful artifact in my right hand. And behind me, I have very reliable companions. Helio, who had been laughing for a while, eventually placed a hand on his forehead and looked up at the sky.

“Well, you do understand, don’t you? What matters is what one does after receiving a powerful artifact. Depending on what that person does, the artifact can become a powerful weapon or just junk. So, I’ll prove it to you right now…”

As he spoke, Helio suddenly took a stance with his spear and leapt at me.

“I’ll prove that what you’re holding is ‘just junk’!!!”

Seeing Helio’s furious charge, I gritted my teeth in determination.

—Someone like you can’t possibly make an effort.

—You’ll never become strong.

—You’ll always be a weak, crying, useless Las.

I felt as if Helio’s words were echoing these sentiments.