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

Chapter 65 A moment

From the looks of it, Citrine’s behavior was strange.

She was trembling, as if terrified of the demons before her.

Was she afraid of demons as a whole?

Given her past experiences of being persecuted by other demons, it made sense for her to be wary, but her reaction seemed overly intense.

It felt more like she recognized their faces…

“I thought a bunch of high-ranking adventurers would be guarding you, but it turns out it’s just two kids. We might not have needed this many people,” the alligator demon muttered.

This only added to my doubts.

It seemed like they had business with Citrine.

What could they be planning, bringing this many demons?

“What do you want with Citrine?” I asked, keeping my [Rusted Sword] at the ready and staying on guard.

The alligator demon looked at my artifact and burst into laughter.

“Gahaha! You’re a pretty bold kid, huh? Swinging around a artifact that looks ready to break any second, and you don’t even think about running away. You’ve got guts!”

The other demons sneered along with him.

Their mockery didn’t rile me up; I just waited in silence for their answer. The alligator demon continued, staring straight at Citrine.

“I’ve got nothing to say to you. Just hand over the kid.”

“…”

At his words, the demons began brandishing their grotesque artifacts.

It was clear they weren’t here to talk.

I was curious about what they wanted with Citrine, but…

I replied bluntly.

“And if I say ‘no’?”

“Even if you say ‘yes,’ we’re going to kill you anyway!”

In an instant, they raised their artifacts and charged.

I swiftly evolved my [Rusted Sword] into the [Cursed Magic Sword] and glanced at Dia.

“Dia, protect Citrine!”

“Yes!”

Seeing her shield up to protect Citrine, I dashed forward to strike down the demons.

Initially, I was indeed surprised.

Suddenly, a large group of demons with dangerous artifacts appeared from the shadows.

But as I calmed down and observed, I realized there was no need to panic.

These guys weren’t that formidable.

Sure, being demons wielding artifacts made them a threat, but right now, I didn’t feel like I would lose to them.

I think it was because I had gained a little confidence.

“Here I come!”

First, a bear-like demon swung a massive axe and charged at me.

To me, that sight seemed almost frozen in time, allowing me to calmly dodge to the side.

The axe swung down mightily, striking the ground.

Taking advantage of that opening, I circled around behind the bear demon and swiftly slashed with the [Cursed Magic Sword] at its exposed back.

…No hesitation.

“Hah!”

The blade pierced through the bear demon’s well-endowed frame.

In an instant, its upper and lower halves separated.

The other demons who were charging towards me stopped in their tracks, startled by the bear demon falling without a chance to roar.

“W-What’s with this guy!?”

“He’s no ordinary kid!”

I wasn’t foolish enough to miss that opening.

Swiftly, I closed in on a bee-like demon frozen in surprise and swiftly closed the distance.

It jerked back and hastily raised a massive needle, likely its sacred weapon, in its right hand.

But by the time it raised it, I had already sliced its throat.

The bee demon fell to the ground, needle still raised.

Next, I sprinted to the fish-like demon and swiftly mowed down its body.

I continued slashing down one demon after another in the same manner.

“Haa!”

Watching their comrades fall one after another, the remaining demons looked bewildered, their eyes darting around.

They couldn’t keep up with me.

They probably couldn’t even track me with their eyes.

This was the true value of the [Cursed Magic Sword].

It perfectly utilized the benefits of agility.

The results I gained from my battle with Helio-kun were more significant than I had imagined.

It was proving effective even against demons.

“Don’t get cocky!”

The last remaining crocodile-like demon lunged forward wielding a saw-like artifact.

Unlike the other demons, this one managed to barely keep up with my movements.

As it swung its saw at the end of my attack, I remarked, “…Too slow.”

Even so, it seemed wide open to me.

Before the swung saw could reach me, I swiftly slashed with the cursed sword.

The crocodile demon’s right arm, still holding the artifct, flew up high.

“Guahhhhh!!!”

The crocodile-like demon clutched its severed right arm with its left hand, its face contorting in agony.

In pain, it dropped to its knees powerlessly.

Facing the crocodile demon like that, I pointed the tip of the cursed sword threateningly.

I hadn’t struck the final blow yet.

There were things I needed to ask it.

Though I doubted it would speak, I lowered my voice and questioned,

“What is your purpose? Why are you targeting Citrine? I want all the details.”

“Guh…!”

It glared up at me with a face etched with anger.

Clearly, it wasn’t going to answer.

Nevertheless, I kept the tip of the sword pointed at it, waiting for a response…

Until suddenly, from somewhere—

“Oh, there’s no need for that.”

“—What!?”

An entirely different voice reached my ears.

In the next moment, a grotesque “blade” jutted out from the crocodile demon’s abdomen.

“Guaaah!”

Wide-eyed, the crocodile demon looked down at the blade protruding from its belly.

I couldn’t help but be stunned by the sight of the crocodile demon seemingly impaled from behind.

What was this blade? And where did that voice just come from?

There was no one behind the crocodile demon.

No one could have stabbed a sword into its back, absolutely no one.

Soon, the blade retracted, and the crocodile demon collapsed to the ground.

Then, from somewhere else, came a voice devoid of emotion,

“Though I thought there were senior adventurers around, I let you go ahead, but to think you’d be taken down by just a single child. Sorry, but useless demons aren’t needed.”

“Kuh… Th-that…”

And with that, the crocodile demon breathed its last, dissolving into particles of light.

Left behind were only the saw-like artifact it carried and the weapons of the other demons.

Standing frozen in confusion, I soon noticed a figure emerging from behind a nearby withered tree.

It stood a short distance away from me, quietly smiling as it gazed at me.

“Well, letting them go ahead seems to have been the right call.”

“…”

It was a pale child.

That was the first impression.

Its skin, hair, eyes, the cloth clothing the demon wore, and the weapon it held in its right hand—all were pure white like fresh snow.

With a neutral face that made its gender indistinct, it could be seen as a boy with a cherubic face or even as a young girl.

But beyond that, its figure was distinctly inhuman, devoid of any hint of vitality—undoubtedly a demon.

Moreover, the weapon it held in its right hand was equally peculiar.

“A key…”

A white key.

A key that seemed to open a large gate.

With its sharp blade-like tip, it could also be described as a sword-key.

The artifact Keyblade.

It appeared similar to the one that pierced the crocodile demon’s abdomen, but how did it manage to launch an attack from that position?

I couldn’t fathom what abilities it might possess.

But more importantly…

“…”

What was this overwhelming sense of mystery about it?

Just facing it sent shivers down my spine.

Just its presence seemed to weigh heavily on the entire atmosphere of the place.

Clearly, it was a different kind of being compared to the other demons.

The tension was so palpable that my entire body tensed up.

“You’re impressive, you know.”

“…”

“Taking down the Onyx Faction Legion demons in an instant like that. They weren’t exactly weak, you know.”

Onyx, Faction Legion?

I couldn’t help but furrow my brow.

Was he referring to the demons just now?

Were they affiliated with some Onyx Faction Legion?

As my questions lingered, the pale demon continued.

“Despite having received your artifact not long ago, you possess considerable talent. I might have a hard time winning against you. So, I think I’ll just retrieve the objective.”

“The objective…?”

Before me, once again tilting its head, it raised its key sword high.

“Granting magic enchantment, [Open Gate]”

Instantly, a “white haze” wrapped around the blade of the key sword.

Like white mist rising from cold ice, it gently enveloped the artifact.

Then the white demon swung down the artifact Keyblade sword right there.

From a distance of more than ten steps away from me, as if slashing through empty space.

There’s no way such an attack would hit, only the sound of slicing through the air echoes emptily.

What on earth is he doing?

As I pondered this question, he casually reached out his left hand into the space where he swung down the Keyblade.

And…

“I’ll be taking that.”

With those words, he pulled out his left arm.

In his hand, unbelievably, he held a young girl.

With her golden long hair and black dress vividly displayed, the young girl Citrine.

“What―!?”

I instinctively turned around.

Likewise, Dia also turned around in astonishment.

Citrine, who should have been there, had disappeared without a trace.

“She… She was behind me!?”

Yes. Up until just now, Citrine had been hiding behind Dia.

But now, somehow, Citrine was caught by the white demon in front of my eyes.

What kind of ability did it use?

I understood up to the point where he enchanted the artifact with granting magic and swung down the key blade.

But in the next moment, Citrine was suddenly pulled out from the space where the blade had swung down.

I can’t keep up with the scenery before my eyes.

No, there’s only one thing I understand.

“Well then, farewell, adventurer.”

The “objective” he mentioned was none other than “Citrine” herself.

That Citrine was captured by the demon right in front of my eyes.

Devastated by this fact, I was left speechless, while the white demon swung down the key blade once more.

This time, I could clearly see it.

A “distortion” appeared in the space where the sword swung down, like a crack.

The white demon stepped into that distorted space.

As if melting into the distortion, its body disappeared.

— Oh no!

“Kuh―!”

I exclaimed and dashed out.

That distortion probably connects to an entirely different space.

The key blade he holds is a unique artifact capable of moving through space, so to speak.

With it, summoning a large number of demons from behind a slender dead tree, piercing through the backs of demons from entirely different places, and snatching Citrine who should have been behind me in an instant, all are entirely possible.

And probably, easily “kidnapping” adventurers within the area, wiping them out altogether, is also feasible.

Perhaps this guy is the mastermind behind the entire series of events.

There’s no way I’ll let him escape!

“Citrine!”

I sprint towards Citrine as fast as my agility allows.

She struggles to free herself from the white demon’s grasp, showing slight resistance.

But her resistance is futile as she’s dragged into the distortion along with the white demon.

In an instant, with half her body swallowed by the distortion, Citrine turns a face that looks on the verge of tears towards me.

“―!”

Citrine didn’t say “help me.”

But at the moment she’s sucked into the distortion, I definitely see it.

Citrine’s small hand reaches out to me, as if pleading for help…