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

Chapter 77.2 My reason for fighting

When the blood sprayed in front of me, I couldn’t help but think that my brother, Light, must have been slashed just like this.

That scene forcibly reminded me of that time.

Again.

Again, because of me, someone is getting hurt.

Someone is getting killed.

(I really hate this power. I hate it so much…)

Even though I should have the power to heal wounds, all I do is cause more wounds.

More blood has been shed because of me than I’ve healed.

Just like earlier, when I tried to help the adventurers escape.

Because of my artifact, because of my mistakes, how much blood has been spilled?

How much suffering and how many screams have I caused?

I hate it. I don’t want to see it. I don’t want to hear it anymore.

Citrine, overwhelmed by despair, closed her eyes, covered her ears, and curled up on the ground.

This made her brother’s image appear even more vividly in her mind.

“A divine weapon that can heal wounds is such a kind weapon.”

Then why do so many people get hurt?

A truly kind divine weapon should make everyone smile without causing any pain, without shedding any blood or tears.

This weapon isn’t kind at all. It’s the cruelest weapon there is.

“Since Citrine’s divine weapon emits a warm light, I hope that warm light will one day reach humans.”

And this is the result.

I’ve seen even more blood.

I’ve heard even more screams.

I’m done. I don’t need such a cruel artifact. I wish I could just throw it away somewhere.

“Run, Citrine! Get away, far away!”

In the end, it was wrong to run away from that place back then.

I should have died with my brother.

If I had, no one would have been hurt.

I want to die. I want to be killed. I want someone to kill me.

With that thought, I tried to claw my throat, but the hard magic armor stopped me.

I was reminded again that I am a demon.

“What’s with this guy’s artifact? When I defeated him, it turned into this weird, battered sword. Haha! This is hilarious!”

While I was in such a pathetic state, Onyx looked suspiciously at Rust, who had fallen.

Seeing the artifact change without warning, he laughed loudly.

Then he aimed his sword at Rust again with his left hand.

“Well, I could let you die from the curse, but I think I’ll just cut off your head. Or do you want to kill him, Citrine?”

“What?”

“If you finish this kid off, your shabby artifact will grow significantly, right? Yeah, do it.”

No sooner had he spoken, Onyx approached the collapsed Citrine.

He grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and threw her in front of the fallen Rust.

Citrine, already devoid of the will to resist, could only stare blankly at Onyx’s cruelty.

Eventually, Onyx handed her a convenient stone, and its weight and coldness brought her back to reality.

It was the exact same situation as before.

If she didn’t kill this boy, Onyx would.

Earlier, she tried to heal and save the adventurers to prevent Onyx from killing them.

As a result, she made them suffer a second time.

What about this boy? How can she save him?

If she does the same thing, the same result will happen.

Even if she heals him, Onyx will just hurt him again.

She wished she could just kill herself with this stone.

If she died, she wouldn’t have to see anyone hurt or suffer anymore.

Citrine’s hand, holding the stone, trembled as she bit her lip until it bled.

(What should I do, brother?)

She wanted to know. She wanted to be guided.

What should she do?

A single tear flowed down Citrine’s pale cheek.

“Where Citrine belongs is for Citrine to decide.”

In that instant—

The voice of Rust, who should have been lying on the ground, quietly echoed in her ears.

It was the line he had said to Onyx when he rushed to save her.

But, in reality, it felt like those words were meant for her.

She had always been helped by someone else and had only acted as circumstances dictated.

She had never once said what she wanted to do or where she wanted to go.

What do I really want to do?

Looking at the boy lying in front of her, what do I want to do right now?

(I want to heal him.)

The answer was simple.

She wanted to heal Rust, who looked like he was in so much pain.

She wanted to free him from pain and suffering.

And she wanted him to take her away from this cruel fate.

She might make the same mistake again. But she wanted to believe in him.

If it was this boy, he would surely take her to where she wanted to go.

That specific place was still not clear to her… but it was certainly not the “Onyx Legion.”

Citrine threw away the stone along with her closed heart and placed her right hand over Rust’s wound.

“Heal.”

Responding to her voice, the ring on Citrine’s right hand glowed faintly.

Soon, the white light flowed from her right hand to Rust’s abdomen.

The wound, illuminated by the healing light, began to close gradually.

Though she had failed earlier and had been forced to face despair because of her foolish actions, she was now committing the same sin right before Onyx.

Even Onyx, stunned beside her, couldn’t hide his surprise.

As the wound healed, Rust slowly opened his eyes.

He looked at Citrine in surprise and then slowly lifted his upper body.

She spoke to him.

This was Citrine’s true desire and heartfelt wish.

“…Don’t… lose.”

Not to someone like him…

“…Don’t… lose.”

Not to such a hopeless situation…

“…Don’t… lose.”

Not to such a cruel fate…

“Don’t lose, brother!”

For the first time, Citrine reached out to Rust for salvation.

――――

Seeing Citrine’s tears, I remembered a conversation with Ruby.

It was a day when Helio and his friends had bullied me, just like always.

I think they had kicked me or thrown mud at me. I remember being covered in mud.

Feeling pathetic, miserable, and wretched, I couldn’t help but cry out loud.

The bullies saw me like that, laughed, and I cried even more.

Even though I knew that my reaction made them enjoy it, I couldn’t stop the tears.

That’s when Ruby came rushing in.

With her familiar long crimson hair flowing, she showed her slender yet reliable back.

“Leave Rust alone!”

Facing multiple bullies by herself, Ruby protected me.

Sometimes she even got into physical fights with older boys, but I had never seen her lose a fight.

She was so cool, strong, and gallant.

I couldn’t understand where such tremendous strength came from in her slender body.

And always, by the time I realized it, she had driven the bullies away and smiled gently, saying, “It’s okay now.”

Each time, I would cry, and Ruby would laugh and say,

“Rust, you’re such a crybaby.”

That routine was a common occurrence for us.

But that day was a little different.

I asked Ruby a question I had always wondered about after she helped me.

“Why do you always help me?”

It had become so natural over time.

Before I knew it, Ruby had become someone who would help me.

I suddenly wondered why that was.

Helping a weak, crybaby, bullied kid like me didn’t benefit Ruby at all.

She would be better off making friends with other kids.

Ruby smiled as if to say, “What are you talking about?”

“Of course, because you’re crying. It’s my job as your big sister to stop your tears.”

She put her hands on her hips and snorted proudly.

Ruby wasn’t really my sister.

We were just childhood friends who had lived nearby and played together since we were little.

But her words strangely convinced me and made me incredibly happy.

Because of that, I cried even more.

Being protected by a girl, comforted by a girl, and then crying in front of a girl.

I felt how uncool I was all over again.

Ruby reached out to my sobbing self and gently patted my head.

“It’s okay to be uncool in front of me. You don’t have to act tough. It’s okay to cry. But, in return…”

Ruby cupped my face with her hands and forced me to look up, showing me her smile.

“Make sure to be a really cool boy in front of other girls.”

“…”

“Be the one who rushes in when they’re in trouble, who comforts them when they’re crying, and who helps them no matter what. I know you can do it, Rust.”

Remembering this important belief, I gripped the “Rusted Sword” tightly.

I can’t lose. There’s no way I can lose.

I promised Ruby.

I promised to help no matter what.

Besides, my wounds have healed. I have enough strength left. So stand up. Don’t just sit there forever.

As if responding to my resolve, the “Cursed Magic Sword” appeared.

A massive surge of energy coursed through my body.

I felt lighter, and finally, I stood up.

Seeing Citrine looking up at me with teary eyes, I returned a confident smile.

“Thank you, Citrine.”

“…”

For healing my wounds.