C11 The Weapon Devours Its Master

Thank you to Raleigh for indirectly boosting my popularity. After my fight with Raleigh yesterday, my name has become more well-known in the guild. Many adventurers have started to recognize me. If there were annual guild awards, I might even receive the title of the most popular newcomer adventurer this year.

After yesterday's incident, I immediately received a call from the guild. They raised my rank by one level, from the lowest F rank to E. When I asked the guild if that was okay since I hadn't even taken any missions or jobs from them yet, they assured me it was fine. Based on the assessment of the guild staff, I was deemed worthy of the E rank. The reason behind my rank upgrade was clear: I defeated Raleigh, an adventurer of D rank. However, the guild didn't immediately promote me to D rank. It was better for me to go through the normal process by completing missions or killing monsters that matched my guild rank.

The guild mentioned that it was important to gain experience gradually according to my rank. It wouldn't be right if I only achieved rank promotions by defeating adventurers above me. I even felt like laughing at myself when I thought about how I was promoted yesterday. Perhaps the guild report on my rank promotion would truthfully state that I got promoted by knocking out an adventurer.

Now I'm sitting alone in the guild because it's almost ten o'clock. Some adventurers have already left the guild to carry out missions. There's only me, a few adventurers, and the guild receptionist here. "Sigh... it's so boring," I mumbled to myself with a deep sigh.

I've been in the guild for about an hour, reading some magic books I bought yesterday. I want to practice directly in the outskirts of the city, to see how my magic abilities work and how I can manipulate magical energy.

The reason I'm still in the guild is that I'm also looking for someone. I'm searching for Livi because I haven't seen her for the past two days. I'm waiting at the adventurer guild, hoping that I might meet her here since she is also registered as an adventurer in this guild. I plan to treat her to a meal because of my rank promotion. But since earlier, I haven't seen her at all, and unfortunately, she hasn't told me the location of her house, so I don't know where to find her.

I also haven't seen Raleigh and his group since earlier. Maybe he completely forgot the way to the adventurer guild because of yesterday's incident. At least Raleigh is lucky if he only lost his memory and not his head.

In fact, I should also thank Raleigh because with the incident yesterday, not only did my popularity increase, but I also received many offers to join several parties. I have a promising future as an adventurer on my first day of registration.

"Hey, Vans," a newly arrived adventurer greeted me.

He was a sword user who reminded Raleigh not to fight inside the guild yesterday. I also spoke to him after my fight with Raleigh. Yesterday, he came to the guild alone, but it seems he has come with his group now—two women and one man.

"Hey, Flitz... are they your party members?" I asked him while looking at his three friends.

"Yes," Flitz replied briefly.

"I'm Nick," he introduced himself.

"Myira..."

"Viola..."

They introduced themselves to me. I observed each of them. Nick was a brown-haired, white-skinned man. He was shorter than Flitz but had more muscles, evident from the size of his arms and chest. He was a greatsword user and also a frontline adventurer, as indicated by his status. I could see it now because I'm also using my identification ability.

Myira was a girl with long black hair reaching the upper back, and she had a slightly oval-shaped face with fair skin. She used a short sword or dagger, specializing in the middle position. She was the type of adventurer who always filled in the gaps left by other members.

Lastly, there was Viola, a girl with shoulder-length blond hair. It was the first time I had seen someone with blond hair since coming to this world. She was a magic user, apparent from the magic staff she carried. She was a support type from the backline. Another advantage she had was the ability to assess others. It made me more cautious since people with such abilities tended to make me use judgment blocking.

In conclusion, considering Flitz's group members, they were quite balanced as an adventurer group. Flitz also mentioned that their group was already at D rank.

"Hey, buddy, did you really defeat that scoundrel Raleigh yesterday?" Nick asked me while slinging his arm around my shoulder. He seemed more talkative than Flitz.

"Yes... I defeated him yesterday. I think all the adventurers here already know," I answered, confirming it to Nick.

"Ah... damn, I wanted to see it too. I really wanted to see Raleigh's desperate face. He's such an annoying person."

Nick said with a regretful expression. It seemed like he harbored a strong hatred towards Raleigh. For now, I don't think Raleigh would dare to come to the adventurer guild because he would feel ashamed after the humiliation. I also hope that Raleigh can repent after this incident and stop discriminating against beginners.

"You can ask Flitz for the detailed story. Flitz also watched my fight with Raleigh yesterday," I suggested to Nick.

"What?... That's clearly different from witnessing it firsthand, especially since you made him unconscious, right?"

With the current situation and the amount of hatred towards Raleigh, it seems like the story and rumors about my fight with Raleigh will spread among all adventurers faster than the speed of light.

"Ah... why didn't I go to the guild yesterday and instead slept at the inn?" Nick grumbled, unable to accept his situation.

"Hey, Vans, what are those swords you used when fighting Raleigh yesterday?" Myira asked me, pointing to the two swords on my back.

"Yes, I used one of them yesterday," I replied to Myira.

"I see," Myira responded softly.

"Oh, by the way, Vans... why did Raleigh look surprised and froze in place when he held your sword?" Flitz asked curiously.

"Perhaps it's because of my sword skill. It can deliver a momentary stun and paralysis effect to anyone who holds it," I explained to Flitz.

"A skill?... You have a sword with additional abilities?" Now it was Nick's turn to ask again with enthusiasm after being silent for a while. It's understandable that he would be excited since he's also a user of large swords like me.

"Well... you could say that," I replied.

"Hey, Vans, where did you get that sword from, or who made it for you? And can I have a sword like that too?" Nick bombarded me with multiple questions at once, clearly something I couldn't answer. Perhaps this is where my honesty can only go so far.

"Sorry, I can't answer that," I replied to Nick.

"Come on, Vans, let me know. I also want to have a sword like yours," Nick insisted, showing his stubbornness.

"Alright, I'll tell you where my sword came from," I said.

"Great, I'll listen," Nick responded eagerly.

Flitz and Myira also seemed curious, while Viola had a neutral expression. It seemed like she wasn't interested because she was a mage.

"The one who crafted both of my swords was my master."

"Is he a Dwarf blacksmith?" Nick asked curiously.

"No, he's probably just a mixed-blood Dwarf. Do you know about the skill of enchanting weapons?" I asked Nick. I learned about the skill of enchanting weapons from a magic book I bought from Mr. Hector's shop, and I mixed it with some of Edvan's memories.

"Well, I know about it. It's a skill that allows someone to imbue a weapon with an ability. I've never met anyone who can do it, maybe someone from the Dwarf race or another race that truly understands that skill and can use it. Did your master enchant your sword?" Nick seemed to know quite a bit about the skill of enchanting weapons.

"Yes, my master bestowed some additional abilities on both of my swords," I answered Nick.

"Then, can your master make a sword for me too?" Nick asked me eagerly.

"That's not possible."

"Eh, why?" Nick asked disappointedly.

"Not like that. It's because my master has passed away."

"I see..." Nick replied dejectedly.

"My master crafted my sword and enchanted it when he was already old and suffering from heart disease. He bestowed an ability on my swords that is triggered by my own magical circuit. It's an additional ability where anyone other than me will be paralyzed if they hold my swords. When my master applied that ability to my sword and wanted to give it to me, he forgot and accidentally touched my weapon. He ended up dying from the paralysis effect of my sword because his weak heart couldn't handle it. He died right then and there." I explained to Nick with deep emotion.

"I see... A weapon that consumes its own master," Nick replied with sadness.

"Yes, my master died because of the weapon he created himself," I replied sadly, looking at Nick's foolish expression.

"Pffft... hahahaha, hahahaha!" Flitz burst into laughter.

"Hahaha... hahaha... Nick, you've been tricked by Vans!" Myira also laughed loudly, mocking Nick.

" :-) :-) :-) " Viola smiled shyly, holding back her laughter.

I left them still laughing together as I headed towards the southern forest of Castalla to study magic.

"Damn you, Vans... I'm going to kill you!" Nick shouted from inside the guild. I ignored him because I had already walked out of the adventurer's guild.