Shin woke up, feeling the lingering pain in his body. Though it wasn't as intense as before, it still reminded him of his recent ordeal. Looking around, he noticed everyone's eyes on him. George approached, his expression relaxed.
"Hey, Shin. That mage from earlier brought you here," George said.
"M-Mage... Desiree!" Shin thought, his heart racing. "Where is he?" he asked quickly.
"All the mages left earlier," George replied.
Shin let out a sigh of relief, only for anxiety to return. "How long was I passed out?"
"Just about an hour. Honestly, I was surprised—you were kind of dry when they brought you in. They healed you with magic," George explained.
"I see. Thanks, George." Shin smiled brightly.
"You should eat. We've got 40 minutes before the next challenge starts."
Shin nodded, accepting George's help to stand. He made his way to the food area, piling his plate high with meat and devouring it in ten minutes. "I'm full..." he muttered contentedly before a thought hit him. "My sword!"
He approached the group, urgency in his steps. "Hey, did anyone see the sword I was carrying? It was a sand sword."
"Yeah, check with Gorrath. He was trying it out earlier," Lloyd mentioned.
"Hey Shin, you're awake?" Rayden greeted, emerging from the restroom. "Is that sword the mage was carrying yours?"
"Ah, yes. I found it in a cave we flew over," Shin replied.
"Wow! Can I see it?" Rayden asked, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Uh, sure, I guess." Together, they walked over to Gorrath, who was testing the sword on a sparring dummy.
"Hey, Gorrath, where's my sword? Lloyd mentioned you had it earlier," Shin asked, avoiding direct eye contact, intimidated by Gorrath's presence.
"This one?" Gorrath said, holding the sword, his martial aura in perfect harmony with his movements.
"Yes!" Shin replied quickly.
"Where did you find this?" Gorrath's tone was serious, his gaze piercing.
"In a cave. I had to solve some puzzles to get it," Shin answered hastily, his nerves on edge. "Why did he become so serious?" he wondered internally.
"I see. Here," Gorrath said, handing the sword back. "If you're going to use it, channel your martial core. This sword drains energy from anyone who holds it."
"I understand. Thank you." Shin nodded.
"Ooh, let me see it, Shin," Rayden chimed in.
"Okay, but be careful," Shin said, passing the sword to Rayden.
Rayden activated his martial core as he held the blade. "It does feel strange," he remarked, swinging it experimentally. The usual trail of sand was absent, leaving him puzzled.
[Innate Trait Activated: Weaponologist]
Rayden carefully examined the sword, his eyes scanning every edge, every intricate carving on its hilt. His gaze locked onto the mysterious inscriptions, and suddenly, his eyes widened in realization.
"It's a legendary sword!" he exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.
"Huh? Legendary?" Shin asked, confused.
"Holy shit! This must be divine intervention! The gods really love me! I'm really the chosen one! I can't believe I'm getting an OP sword this early!" Shin screamed internally, barely managing to keep a straight face. On the outside, he forced himself to look puzzled.
"It's one of the 16 Legendary Swords!" Rayden shouted again.
The surrounding students turned their heads, their expressions shifting as they overheard the conversation.
"Shhh! Don't yell! They're already looking at us!" Shin quickly clamped his hand over Rayden's mouth, glancing around nervously.
After ensuring no one else was listening too closely, Shin asked, "What are the 16 Legendary Swords?"
Rayden's excitement was practically overflowing as he explained, "The 16 Legendary Swords have been known to exist for over 400 years! Each one was crafted by a different legendary bladesmith, and while many have been lost to history, some are still owned by powerful kingdoms. I can't believe they would offer this as a reward! They probably didn't expect anyone to actually solve the puzzle!"
Shin's grip tightened around the sword. Was it really that special?
Rayden grinned. "I can show you how to use it. My trait, Weaponologist, lets me glimpse a weapon's history and grants me full mastery over it for three minutes."
"Whoa, that's so cool!" Shin said, pretending to be amazed. "Even though I didn't ask you to yap about it," he thought to himself.
Rayden closed his eyes, gripping the sword with both hands as he activated his martial core. Aura surged through the blade, connecting him to its essence. For three minutes, he would wield it like a master.
Then, his body trembled. His head jerked slightly. His breathing turned shallow.
"The sword... doesn't want me to see its history!" Rayden stammered, shaking.
Shin's heart pounded. "What?! It can resist?" He clenched his fists. "The voice I heard earlier... could it have been the sword itself?!" His body tensed at the thought of a spirit lurking inside it.
Rayden exhaled sharply, releasing his grip on the weapon. "I managed to gather some information... It functions like a longsword, but it grows significantly stronger in sandy environments. However, it constantly drains the wielder's energy. That's probably why you looked like a dried-up corpse earlier."
Shin stared at the blade, the weight of its power sinking in. Just what kind of sword had he gotten his hands on?
"Thanks for the info, Rayden. I'll be careful with it." Shin bowed slightly, genuinely grateful.
Meanwhile, a few feet away, three students sat at a table, having overheard the conversation. Ling, Lorenzo, and Victor.
"Wow... that sword must be worth a fortune," Ling muttered, his sharp, narrow eyes gleaming with something sinister. His mind was already spinning with possibilities.
Lorenzo chuckled, his voice carrying an eerie tone. "Don't tell me you're thinking of stealing it?"
Victor crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Tsk. You guys are going to get yourselves in serious trouble if you get caught. Besides, it doesn't even look that impressive."
Ling scoffed, leaning back. "Of course, you wouldn't see its value—40% of your vision is blind."
A vein twitched on Victor's forehead. "The hell did you just say?"
Lorenzo grinned, waving a hand lazily. "C'mon, Victor, don't take it personally. Ling's just messing with you… right?" He turned to Ling, flashing a sly smile.
Ling merely smirked, but his silence spoke volumes.
Lorenzo continued, his voice taking on a more unsettling tone. "Besides… there's no problem if we don't get caught. Have we ever been caught?" His grin widened, an eerie aura lingering between them.
Meanwhile, in the Great Hall…
The grand chamber buzzed with excitement. People cheered, their voices filling the vast space. But amidst the lively crowd, one figure remained silent.
The King.
Seated on his throne, his gaze locked onto the boy wielding the legendary sword.
"Tsk. I was hoping someone strong would obtain it… but he's the chosen one, after all."
Beneath his mask, a grin formed. "Now then… let's see how you'll use it."
His fingers tapped rhythmically against the throne's armrest as he waited, watching, anticipating.