When I Tried Strengthening 【Rusted Sword】, It Evolved Into An Overpowered Magic Sword - Chapter 76.2

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

Chapter 76.2   The awakening of the gemstone

“If you can’t protect the adventurers with this, then you’re truly just useless. I’ll prove it to you.”

With that, Black Snake pulled out a slightly different bottle from her pocket.

It was a blood-filled bottle, clearly distinguished from the others by a special ribbon.

It contained Onyx’s blood.

The blood of a demon who had lived for over two hundred years, brimming with vitality.

Black Snake gazed at the bottle, which was filled to the brim, with a rapturous expression before uncorking it and pouring it into the jar.

In an instant, a malevolent aura began to pour out of the poison jar.

The magical power was so intense that it was visibly noticeable.

The power of the next attack would be vastly more potent than before.

Dia could instinctively sense this just by looking.

As she shivered in response, Black Snake displayed a sinister grin.

“Goodbye, useless adventurer.”

The moment the jar’s mouth was aimed at her, Dia’s heart raced with fear.

At this rate, she would die.

Unable to protect anyone, she would be killed.

Unable to fulfill her promise, she would lose.

Who would lose? Would it be her? In the same way as before?

“Without Rust, I’m completely useless.”

The words she had spoken herself weighed heavily on her heart like lead.

It was truly the case—she was just useless.

Failing to fulfill her role not once but twice.

Useless. Clumsy. Foolish. A hindrance. A failure.

Nothing had changed from before she became an adventurer.

She was still the same Dia Carat—timid, tearful, and bullied, unable to do anything.

Realizing her weakness once again, Dia’s eyes filled with large tears.

“In the midst of despair—”

The voice of her beloved mother echoed quietly in her mind.

It was a warm, gentle, and enveloping tone.

At the same time, memories surfaced like bubbles popping.

It was the day the bullies in the village hid her favorite hairpin.

The hairpin her mother had made for her, her most cherished possession.

They had ripped it from her head and taken it somewhere.

Despite searching everywhere, it was never found, and she had come home crying, giving up on the hairpin.

When her mother noticed the missing hairpin, she quickly understood the situation and said to the sobbing Dia…

“Dia, what do you think is the greatest driving force for a person?”

“Driving force?”

“Yes, what kind of ‘feeling’ do you think is the best to motivate someone to say ‘I will do my best’?”

At first, she didn’t understand the meaning of the question.

She thought that the best feeling to motivate oneself to try hard would simply be the feeling of wanting to do so.

Overwhelmed by the distress of losing her hairpin, she gave a hasty answer.

“The feeling of ‘liking’ something?”

“Oh, that’s an interesting perspective.”

“If you like something, wouldn’t you want to try hard for it?”

Her mother laughed out loud at that answer. She was the kind of person who did so.

“Haha! The feeling of liking something! It definitely is a powerful motivation! Yes, that’s a great answer from a romantic perspective! But, Dia, you should have an even stronger feeling.”

“Stronger feeling?”

“Yes. That feeling is not only the greatest driving force for a person but also your greatest strength. It is…”

Wiping the tears from Dia’s cheeks with her fingers, her mother gently continued.

“It’s the feeling of ‘regret.'”

“Regret?”

“Yes, regret is an incredibly strong driving force. And that feeling of regret is something that only arises when you lose to something. Therefore, when someone loses, that’s when they have the greatest potential to become stronger.”

Even as Dia tilted her head in confusion, her mother hugged her tightly.

“You’re always so quiet, Dia, but I know better than anyone how much you hate losing. Cherish that feeling. If you do, you will…”

“Become a stronger girl than anyone else.”

The memory of her mother’s words reignited the fire she had forgotten.

Yes, she was feeling regret now.

She was filled with regret to the point where it felt like her entire body was about to burst into flames.

When her handmade hairpin was hidden from her, she had first experienced this emotion.

And she had spent months finding that hairpin, which she had thought would never be found.

Even when the bullies told her they would show her where it was, she ignored them and found it on her own.

Her mother had shown her that this obsession and regret were her true strength.

Just as she had felt back then, she was now experiencing intense regret.

—She regretted not being useful!

—She regretted being a burden!

—She regretted being unable to retaliate and only taking hits!

—She regretted being able to protect but not able to do anything else!

—And most of all, she regretted acknowledging her own weakness!

—With this state, she couldn’t even stand beside Rust, let alone find her beloved parents!

So…

(…I want to win.)

To change her weak self.

(…I want to win.)

So that she can stand next to that person.

(…I want to win.)

Because she hated being unable to do anything.

(…I want to win.)

No, not just “want”—

“I will definitely win!!!”

Responding to this strong will, the [Immortal Great Shield] began to shine brightly.

The sudden change made both Dia and Black Snake’s eyes widen in surprise.

This was undoubtedly a reaction to the artifact’s growth.

The result of repeatedly enduring poison magic and Dia’s change in mindset had caused the [Immortal Great Shield] to level up.

And the growth of the [Immortal Great Shield] did not stop there.

Dia gasped as she saw the enhanced properties of the artifact.

Meanwhile, Black Snake continued to aim the poison jar without regard to the change.

“Die together with those behind you!!!”

With a shout, she unleashed a sinister burst of magical power.

“[Corrosive Venom Melt]!!!”

In an instant, a massive poison projectile was fired with such force that it shook the cave.

This was the most powerful attack yet.

The ultimate poison magic using Onyx’s blood.

If hit, it would blow both the shield and the body away, and touching it would instantly dissolve the flesh.

But Dia did not run.

If she fled, the adventurers behind her would die.

No, whether they lived or died, or whether she could protect or save them, none of that mattered right now.

What mattered was winning this battle…

“…Enchantment Magic”

Dia shouted.

“[Mirror Shield Reflection]!”

In an instant, the [Immortal Great Shield] in Dia’s possession emitted a pure white flash of light.

At the same time, the enormous poison magic struck the shield directly.

Originally, this attack should have blown Dia and the shield away and consumed all the adventurers.

However, at the moment the maximum power poison projectile hit the [Immortal Great Shield]…

A high-pitched sound like a bell rang out, and—

It was reflected back in the opposite direction.

“—!?”

The mass of poison flew back towards Black Snake.

With no time to escape, Black Snake was hit by her own poison magic.

She was blasted back to the rear rock wall, shaking the cave with a tremendous impact.

“Wha…what’s happening…!”

The rock wall had been dissolved into a gooey mess by the powerful corrosive poison magic, leaving a large hole.

In the midst of this, Black Snake had her half-body dissolved by her own poison and was completely paralyzed by intense numbness.

In his dazed state, Black Snake desperately tried to grasp what was happening.

She had no idea what had occurred.

She realized that the poison magic she had fired had rebounded back towards her.

No, it was clear.

The white light residing in that large shield.

The enchantment magic had reflected the spell.

She lost. Unbelievable. To such a weak child.

“Damn it…!”

Cursing in a raspy voice, Black Snake succumbed to her own poison.

She turned into tiny particles of light and was carried away by the wind flowing through the cave.

Seeing this, Dia stared at the white light of her artifact in stunned silence.

She had managed to defeat the demon.

She had succeeded in protecting the adventurers.

She, who had been powerless, useless, and a burden…

Name: Immortal Great Shield

Rank: A

Level: 8

Attack Power: 0

Benefits: Strength +65, Endurance +270, Agility +0, Magic Power +65, Vitality +250

Magic: [Mirror Shield Reflection]

Skill: [Immortality]

Durability: ∞/∞

The words of her mother pushed her strongly when she was feeling weak.

She was able to remember once again that she is someone who hates to lose.

Because of that, a new strength awakened within her and saved her from this dire situation.

[Mirror Shield Reflection] – Enchantment Magic

Grants magic reflection effect to the artifact

With this enchantment magic, she can defeat demons herself.

Just like before, she can rebound the enemy’s magic and turn it into an attack.

Well, mastering it right away might be difficult.

But, at least she gained another tool.

More than anything, she was able to overcome the weak and crying part of herslef, just a little.

(This time, I really protected them…)

The dormant gem within her has awakened.