I was called to this place all of a sudden and wondered what was going on, but you brought out quite an old Holy Sword.
Following the President’s instructions, I contacted Himik, who was doing housework, and asked her to come quickly. She literally flew here.
No, it doesn’t mean she crossed the Pacific from Tokyo, but that she instantly arrived using Teleportation Magic.
Three minutes after the contact, she was back in the space where the Dungeon Core resided. At first, she was surprised that the President was there, but without much concern, she asked me what was needed and here we are.
Pointing to the Holy Sword placed on the desk, I asked her, who was holding it and checking its condition, “I want to be able to use this, can you do it?”
Himik is not a blacksmith. She is a Seraph, but a pure combat class.
I was half-doubting if she, who is such a being, could repair a Holy Sword that had lost its function.
“Hmm, I have made Holy Swords before, but Altena-nee-sama or Nisia-nee-sama are better at this sort of thing.”
However, because she is a Seraph, she had experience making Holy Swords for Heroes.
Holy Swords can be made by human hands. In fact, I learned that from documents and that a Japanese student was almost turned into a Holy Sword.
However, I also know that Holy Swords made by Seraphim are said to be of better quality.
In fact, the Holy Sword that Ishan held when he attacked the company was of that kind. Holy Swords made by human hands are not outright fakes, but they are immature. However, Holy Swords with exceptional performance are usually related to Seraphim.
Looking at the Holy Sword carefully, “As expected, this is Altena-nee-sama’s work.”
“Can you tell?”
Himik correctly identified the creator of this Holy Sword. A work by a Seraph, a high-ranking Being among angels, that alone significantly increased the value of this Holy Sword.
“This characteristic circuit is one Altena-nee-sama often uses. I’ve seen it a few times. Altena-nee-sama was good at crafting things, so this is surely one of her works.”
Altena is also a Seraph, currently sealed in prison, just like Himik.
“Yes, I can temporarily restore its functions.”
She identified it as her creation, and as she examined it further, she casually announced that she could fix it. Even if it wasn’t her specialty, being a Seraph, her skills before coming to this company were undoubtedly focused on combat. She probably learned weapon repair because it’s related to combat.
I felt a bit complicated about her skills being useful, but first and foremost, being able to fix it meant we passed the first hurdle. If it couldn’t be fixed, the conversation wouldn’t even start. Plus, I could finally relax.
“I’m grateful that you can fix it. But, how much of its power can be restored?”
The President seemed more interested in whether its abilities could be fully restored rather than just temporarily. He joined the conversation between me and Himik, trying to confirm the extent of Himik’s repair capabilities.
“I’m not as good at this as Altena-nee-sama, so don’t expect too much. She might have been able to repair it completely, but although the preservation state is good, it has been heavily used in intense battles from the beginning, and the core part is brittle. It’s impossible for me to make it function fully in this state.”
“Even if we prepared tools and materials for that?”
“Ah, seasons change. What is made will eventually decay. This Holy Sword has also exhausted its original power. Only a god can restore it completely.”
Even though the Demon Lord entered the conversation in such a manner, Himik’s attitude did not change. She conveyed the current situation of the Holy Sword frankly, without equivocation.
“The functional recovery I speak of is based on the premise that it won’t be used in battle. It might be fine against weaker opponents, but if used in intense combat, especially against an equal or stronger opponent, it won’t hold up as a weapon. It’s merely a repair for the sole purpose of using its functions.”
Himik gently stroked the side of the sword with her finger, indirectly communicating that this weapon had completed its role. We understood that. It’s fine even if it can’t be used as a weapon, as long as the skill can be used.
“Answer me, Demon Lord, what do you intend to have Giro do with this Holy Sword?”
However, Himik, who had only explained the process of wanting the Holy Sword repaired until now, saw the Holy Sword solely as a tool for fighting. She looked at the act of repairing and reusing it with suspicion, wondering if there was something more to it.
“I wish I could tell you to rest assured, but unfortunately, it’s not a use you can be assured of.”
Her gaze was not the gentle one she had when doing housework. It was the cold, inorganic gaze of a combatant that a Seraph, once called a killer, possessed, an aura so powerful it would freeze the spine of an ordinary person. Himik displayed an intensity that suggested she would attack instantly if anything displeasured her.
“We won’t use it for battle, but for rescue.”
Even under that freezing gaze, the President calmly pointed to the Holy Sword, showing no sign of being bothered.
“Rescue?”
“Yes, to rescue an Undead individual who is lost within the Chaos.”
I almost thought Himik would be convinced by those words, but I immediately shook my head, knowing that wouldn’t be the case.
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
As expected, she berated the Demon Lord in a voice filled with anger, completely unlike her usual calm tone. She is kind, a woman who can empathize with others. However, I also know that her kindness is not solely based on good intentions.
“You’re going to dive into the Chaos?! Are you trying to kill Giro!”
She yelled, emphasizing the extreme danger of saving Instructor Fushio from the Chaos, a danger far greater than I had imagined, and pressed herself towards the Demon Lord. Everything was because she was worried about me, who was attempting something so dangerous. She is a strong woman who can resist acts that sacrifice the trivial for the greater good, as long as it is to protect something important.
“If I intended to kill him, I wouldn’t use such a convoluted method. I am genuinely asking him because he is the most suitable person.”
“There will be others. Why don’t you, the strongest, use it and rescue him?”
“If I were in a position to do so, I would already be doing it.”
“It’s fine if it’s Giro?”
“It’s not fine. However, as I said before, at present, besides myself, he is the only suitable candidate in my opinion. He has contracted with a High-ranking Spirit, incorporated dragon’s blood, and possesses the highest level of magic suitability, arguably the only one besides myself. No one has a higher potential for survival within the Chaos than him. If he can fully wield this Holy Sword, there’s a possibility. Surely you can understand that?”
“…”
“Silence in this situation means affirmation. As the head of an organization, I am in a position where I must command my subordinates. You are not part of the military, but you are involved. You should know this. War is imminent. A war is approaching where we cannot afford to lose as a nation. Frankly, this time, Isal is more serious than ever before. To be honest, I believe the presence or absence of Nōraifu could be the deciding factor between our victory and defeat.”
The Demon Lord, overpowering such a Seraph.
“Then I will not hesitate. I am the Demon Lord. I rule this country. To protect the country and its people, I will command what I deem necessary. Even if I know it is dangerous, if it is necessary and possible, I will not hesitate to command it. To call that strange…”
I thought it was an amazing scene, but it would further worsen the relationship between Himik and the President. That would not be good.
“Please stop there.”
“Oh, my apologies. I got a bit emotional. Please forgive me, Human King. I intended to get along with her.”
Sensing that I had to prevent her from saying the next words, I quickly intervened and stopped her. At that moment, I saw something unexpected. The President, who always appeared carefree, had revealed his emotions. Was it in response to Himik’s words? Or was he simply that serious about saving the Instructor? The President, straightening his posture with a wry smile, had returned to his usual self by the time I noticed.
“My apologies, Himik. May I call you Himik?”
“It’s fine. I also didn’t consider your position. I apologize.”
“Yes, regardless, I am in a position where I must send my subordinates into dangerous territory. As her fiancé(e), you must be worried. I understand your feelings.”
With my intervention, both the President and Himik had calmed down for the time being. It seemed unlikely that their conversation would devolve into an emotional clash. If they could apologize, even if only formally, we could return to the original topic.
“Giro.”
This time, not with anger, but with a look of dissatisfaction, Himik glared at me.
“Are you really going into the Chaos?”
She was conveying how dangerous it would be for me to go into the Chaos to save the Instructor.
“Yes, that’s the plan.”
“Listen, Giro. The Chaos is not normal. If a person touches it, they will lose their mind. Listen, don’t lose consciousness. You’ll go insane. Your soul will be interfered with, corrupting and blurring your personality. Then, you’ll be dragged into the Chaos and assimilated. Even with multiple layers of countermeasures, if they are broken through, it’s over. No matter how much you train, physical defense is meaningless.”
Knowing what the Chaos is, I could feel her earnest plea for me to stop. Losing oneself. I had experienced a similar feeling during the rampage when I incorporated dragon’s blood, but this felt different.
“Even with magic defense?”
Still, I wanted to save the Instructor. I respected him and he taught me how to survive in this world. I wanted to repay that kindness.
“Normal magic defense is useless. Defenses like the blessing of a Holy Sword have some effect, but only to a certain extent. Unless you use a special magic defense, it’s meaningless.”
I felt a pang of guilt as Himik clung to me, trying to stop me. But I couldn’t stop.
“Special defense?”
“Yes, this is something you can only understand by experiencing Chaos Magic.”
I’ve decided, so I’ll give it my all. I need to increase my chances of returning, even slightly. Thinking of it as Information Gathering for that purpose, I tilted my head, and the President began to explain. Before I could even process what “special defense” meant after being told that normal magic defense was useless, the President produced a whiteboard from somewhere and, as if it were an afterthought, manipulated markers with magic to draw.
“Normally, magic defense involves creating magic as a wall or a membrane. It’s shaped to block magic by giving it strength. You understand that, don’t you, Human King?”
“Yes.”
Suddenly, a lecture began, but it was necessary knowledge, so I couldn’t complain.
“However, the characteristic of Chaos Magic is erosion. No matter how strong and sturdy a barrier is, it has the property of eroding, breaking it down, and absorbing it. Therefore, the strength of the defense becomes meaningless.”
I listened silently, and Himik also remained silent, hoping she might reconsider even a little after hearing this explanation.
“To defend against this with normal magic, you can’t use a magic barrier; you have to continuously use magic fluidly.”
The whiteboard marker continued its movement, changing the drawing from a shield shape to arrows, and then to a depiction of a black liquid flowing. At this point, I suddenly realized. Wait, wouldn’t this be meaningless in the Chaos…
Today’s word:
There are times when one must challenge even in full knowledge of the danger.
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Pandora Pandemic Panic – Pandora’s box has been reopened, but we are fighting back with various things at our secret base!!
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