"Hey, can you explain this weapon to me?" I asked to the skeleton Holy Emperor, frustration evident in my voice.
"It just keeps changing itself, even when I don't want it to. Like, before we fought, it was a long greatsword. But when I pulled it out to fight you, it turned into a pair of double knives."
Danner tilted his head slightly, his hollow sockets gazing at me as if studying my every move. His voice was calm but carried a tone of authority.
"The Holy Weapon doesn't have a will to speak with you yet. For now, it likely sees you as incomplete."
"Incomplete? " I echoed, frowning.
"Yes," he continued.
"Until you prove yourself, the weapon will adapt to your limitations. It doesn't see you as worthy of wielding it fully. For now, it communicates with other weapons instead, analyzing and choosing the best form to fight against them. For instance, if it had remained a greatsword, your frail body wouldn't have been able to swing it freely. So, it changed to knives—light, fast, and better suited for your current strength."
I glanced down at the ring on my finger, now inactive, but the weight of his words made me feel even more burdened. "But then... why didn't it turn into a bow or a crossbow when we were fighting? Wouldn't that have been safer?"
Danner let out a dry chuckle, a sound that felt oddly mocking yet patient.
"Have you ever wielded a long-ranged weapon before?"
I hesitated, realizing the answer. "No, I guess not."
"Exactly," he said, his tone steady.
"The weapon adapts to what you can handle. You lack the skill or knowledge to use long-ranged weapons effectively, so it chose a close-ranged option that prioritized speed and agility. The knives were the best compromise for your situation. But make no mistake—this weapon will continue to change as you grow. Once you learn to wield other forms, it will adapt again. That's the nature of the Holy Weapon."
His explanation left me quiet for a moment, the enormity of the weapon's adaptability settling in. It wasn't just a tool; it was a mirror of my capabilities—or lack there of.
"So, it's not just about the weapon changing," I said slowly, piecing it together. "It's about me changing too."
Danner nodded, his skeletal jaw clinking slightly as he spoke. "Precisely. The weapon reflects its wielder. If you want it to stabilize, to show its true power, then you'll need to become someone it deems worthy."
"Then what about the former hero—the one who was your student and Lucifer's husband? How did he wield the Holy Weapon?" I asked, trying to piece together what I was lacking.
Danner tilted his head, his bony fingers tapping thoughtfully on his chin. "Ah, he was accurate and beautiful in battle," he said, his tone filled with a strange mixture of pride and nostalgia. "He could use the Holy Weapon like it was an extension of his own body. Sometimes, it would transform into weapons I'd never seen before, things beyond my understanding. And other times..." He paused, letting out a dry chuckle. "...he used it as a fork to eat cake baked by his wife."he giggled with his skeleton mouth.
"So he was perfect, huh?" I muttered, my grip tightening on the ring as I felt my resolve waver.
Danner noticed the shift in my tone and quickly corrected himself. "Do not misunderstand, Hero. I'm not saying he was always like that. At first, he couldn't even summon a proper sword. It was a struggle for him too. Be proud that you've already managed to surpass him in one way."
That caught my attention, and I looked up at him, confused. "Surpass him? In what way?"
Danner leaned closer, his hollow sockets meeting my eyes.
"You've managed to summon and adapt to the Holy Weapon in a way he couldn't at first. But there is one area where you have utterly failed to surpass him."
My stomach sank. "And what is that?"
The skeleton straightened, his tone becoming firm. "He never gave up. Not once. He was the true embodiment of a hero—except for the part where he... well, you know, entered a relationship with the Demon Empress." He coughed awkwardly, his skeletal shoulders shrugging. "But look at yourself. You're ready to throw in the towel just from hearing a story about him."
I opened my mouth to protest, but he raised a bony finger to silence me. "Enough excuses. After we eat, we'll train. And I will not accept 'no' as an answer. If you truly want to be worthy of that weapon, then prove it. Stop comparing yourself to the past and start building your future."
The determination in his voice was infectious, and though I still felt the weight of inadequacy pressing on me, I nodded. "Fine. Let's do it."
Danner's jaw creaked into what might have been a grin. "Good. Let's see if you have what it takes, Hero."
While we were talking Lucifer was Laying sprawled on her bed, staring at the cracked ceiling of her room. Her thoughts were consumed by the image of her long-lost husband.
"Arthur..." she murmured, her voice barely audible.
"If I know you wouldnt hate me so much, I'd bring you back in an instant. But no..."
Her voice grew bitter, her hands balling into fists.
"I have to waste centuries learning the ways of those damned gods, just to summon another hero to end me so that our dear hero wont get mad."
She sighed, frustration and longing bleeding into her voice. "When I finally see you again, I swear I'll slap you so hard you'll feel it in the afterlife. Just you wait." She raised her middle finger to the heavens, a defiant smirk on her lips. "I Screw you, and love you Arthur."
Meanwhile, in the castle's dilapidated kitchen, Danner and I were attempting to prepare something vaguely resembling dinner.
"Hey, Danner," I called out, staring at my plate in disbelief.
"What is it, Hero? Is there a problem?" he asked, genuinely clueless about the monstrosity sitting before me.
I pointed at the wriggling tentacle leg on my plate, which was very much alive and even waving at me. "What the fuck is this?!"
Danner leaned over, inspecting the plate with a nonchalant air. "Ah, don't be dramatic. It's just a tentacle from a lesser abyssal creature. Quite nutritious, I assure you."
I pushed the plate away, my appetite completely gone. "It's still moving! It waved at me!"
Danner shrugged. "Well, it's been a while since I've cooked anything. About... oh, 100,000 years or so. Cut me some slack, Hero."
"You expect me to eat this?!" I shot back, horrified.
"Do you want me to cook you something better?" he retorted, crossing his bony arms.
I hesitated, then asked, "What about Lucifer? What does she eat? There's no way she eats... this."
Danner let out a dry laugh. "My liege doesn't eat. She's trying to starve herself to death, though we both know that's impossible for someone like her." He gestured to the castle around us.
"This kitchen hasn't been used in over 100,000 years. You're lucky I even remembered how to light a fire."
I sighed, pushing the plate further away. "Well, next time, maybe try something that doesn't fight back or you know what just nevermınd."
"Do we atleast have any eggs that I can cook myself?" I asked, my voice tinged with desperation.
Danner tilted his head in thought before nodding. "Oh, yes, Hero. We've got some eggs. Don't worry." He reached into a small, worn-out bag that didn't seem capable of holding more than a loaf of bread.
What he pulled out made my jaw drop—a massive egg, easily twice my size, its surface gleaming faintly as if it were coated in frost.
"Where the fuck did that come from?!" I shouted, taking an instinctive step back.
Danner chuckled at my reaction, holding the enormous egg with surprising ease for someone with no muscles. "Ah, this is a magical bag, my dear Hero. It was a gift from your predecessor—the former hero—to one of the castle maids. But, well, since she's long gone, I've been using it myself. It's connected to the peak of a mountain where our supplys are naturally frozen. Convenient, isn't it?"
I stared at him, my brain struggling to process the absurdity. "Convenient? This thing is bigger than me! How am I supposed to cook that?"
Danner shrugged, placing the egg carefully on the counter. "Is there a problem? Just crack it open and fry it. It's an egg like any other."
"Like any other?! That thing could feed an army!"
He tilted his head again, as if confused by my outburst. "Well, there's only one of you, so it'll just last longer. Efficiency, Hero. You should be grateful."
I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Fine. Do we at least have a pan big enough for this monstrosity?"
Danner tapped his bony chin thoughtfully before opening another cabinet, pulling out a pan so large it could double as a shield. "Of course. This is the castle's kitchen, after all."
I sighed, resigning myself to the insanity of this place. "Alright. Let's see if I can even lift this thing to crack it."
Danner's skeletal grin widened. "That's the spirit, Hero! Cooking builds your body, you know."
"Agh Just shut up and help me,this thing will be my meal for atleast a week"