Chapter 91: Dark Weapon

The last two seconds passed with unceasing gunshots as Nikolai looked at the blood leaking out of his hand. A metallic shard from his gun lodged itself into his palm. The shooting ceased.

“It’s my win, even if you lost because of your gun.” Lex blew at her gun without looking at him.

“Cover that eye.” Nikolai stopped watching the blood leak out and turned toward her. Her eye shouldn’t see through his hidden Fae features, but he still felt uneasy by its existence.

“Ah, I understand,” Lex said sadly and pulled down her eyepatch to cover the golden flame. She seemed unoffended by Nikolai’s words, treating it as the norm. “I still won.”

“I know,” Nikolai sighed and crouched to pick up the broken pieces of his gun. “I lost for being poor.” He mocked himself.

He could have chosen to buy a better gun, but he would need to register at the Gunmen League for that. If he did, the school would be notified, and things will get complicated.

“I’m sorry about your gun,” Lex walked toward him and picked up the pieces as well. “But this is another reason that you should stop using it.”

“And use what, exactly?” Nikolai took out the shard and scowled at the Gunmaster.

“I’m glad you asked.” Lex grinned at him. “Let me show you the weapon of your dreams.”

***

“How is your hand, bossman?” Sergio asked as he lay on the bed. They were given a pavilion in the underground fort, where they waited for Lex to bring the weapon.

“It’s alright.” Nikolai traced the slight edge of the scar on his palm with a frown. “The age of guns is ending indeed.”

He knew this fact from his past life. After the Worldwide Dungeon Break, guns will be obsolete and rare. Against the countless monsters that came out of dungeons, even machine guns can only hold them back at best.

‘Necromancy.’

Nikolai craved ruling over the dead to let them fight on his behalf. But until he is strong enough to conquer Val’s trial, that would be nothing but a pipe dream.

He knew that necromancy and guns couldn’t fit together. His enemies would try to kill the summoner, him, to get rid of the undead. At that time, a close-range battle would show the deficit of his gun.

‘Archery?’ Yuxi gestured toward him, suggesting choosing a different long-range battle style. However, Nikolai shook his head.

“Archery is helpful to learn but doesn’t reward much in the long run.”

Except for the Archery God, no one can take on a horde of monsters with a bow. Nikolai would still use the Darkmoon Longbow and his gun, but he knew that he needed to learn something else.

“Cough, cough!”

Coughing sounds came from outside, and Yuxi stood up to open the door. They found Lex standing outside, holding a large wooden case with a pipe in her hand.

“I see that you were expecting me,” Lex said with a bloodshot eye and a smirk.

Nikolai sighed when he realized he lost against this person. However, he can never hope to match a Celestial Eye in the calculation.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Is that the weapon?” Nikolai asked with interest. For some reason, the case drew him in, as if calling for him to open it.

“Yes,” Lex said with a smile as she walked in and placed the case on the table. “This is my family’s heirloom.” She said with pride.

“And you are giving it to me?” Nikolai frowned with suspicion.

“I can’t use it,” Lex said with a sad smile as her hand traced the case before retracting it. “I wanted to give you a replica of the design before I saw your invisible bullets.”

“Is it something normal people can’t use?” Sergio asked before hurrying to explain. “Not that I mean boss isn’t normal or anything!”

“Haha,” Lex laughed heartily. “It is indeed something normal people can’t even touch.”

“How about you just open the case?” Nikolai sighed.

“No need to rush, hehe,” Lex said as she grabbed the lid. “Back away, everyone. Things might get a little scary!”

She pulled the lid open as soon as she finished her words. Nikolai’s eyes widened when darkness exploded from within the box. Sergio shrieked before falling to the ground as the shadow tongues tried reaching out toward the present people.

‘A weapon of darkness?’

Nikolai jumped from his chair as he looked at the case. He realized why he felt that familiar feeling: darkness. As he stepped toward it, Lex raised her hand.

“This weapon is a cursed item.” She said with a frown. “The only reason I’m giving you the chance to use it is because of the compatibility I saw between the two of you. However, the risk is..”

Nikolai guessed it was another ability of the Celestial Eye. Lex could see if a weapon was compatible with a person, and she was right.

“I understand.” Nikolai nodded toward her. A cursed item was, as the name implied, an item that would harm the user. However, Nikolai knew that his darkness was harmful to ordinary people.

“Then, please be my test subject.” Lex gave a crazy grin of a mad scientist. “Let’s create the first Abyssal Art together.”

‘She’s crazy.’ Nikolai couldn’t hide his shock as he looked at Lex, who was grinning while looking at the case. ‘But I like it.’

He didn’t know what an Abyssal Art entitled, but losing the competition against Lex might not be bad after all. He walked toward the case and looked inside.

The darkness was ruthless and relentless, almost attacking Nikolai as he got close to it. The case that held it within must be created from a divine tree, as no regular wood could survive such a monster.

‘This weapon feels alive…’

Like a hungry beast that wanted to devour everything, the weapon tried to reach out for everything around it. Nikolai answered its calls and reached out as the darkness entered his body.