Chapter 424: Intelligent Weapon

『Sorry Fran. I'm fine now』

(really?)

『Yeah』

While I was screaming, the magic sword escaped me again. I hope Urushi brings back some information for us……

But I don't know why cannibalism was triggered. It's supposed to be an ability to absorb power if you kill someone of your own kind……

We're inorganic, we're already lifeless. In other words, because we're lifeless, attacking us and damaging us will trigger it? Or is it judged that cutting some part of us counted as killing? Or is there some other reason?

Either way, it's going to be dangerous if I don't deactivate cannibalism when we fight that magic sword in the future. I don't want to have to go through that feeling again.

However, absorbing its power means that I will be strengthened while the magic sword will be weakened. If that's the case, it might be better to put up with the disgust and use cannibalism. Hmmm…

「Fran, are you okay?」

「Nn?」

「It seemed that your movement suddenly slowed down…」

「That sword had the power to control the mind of the person it slashed. Doesn't it affect you?」

Velmeria and Frederick asked worriedly. Frederick had already healed his wounds with a potion that Velmeria had, but his face was slightly frowned. Even though his mental resistance prevented it, Frederick was still affected by the domination skill. I'm sure he understands the horror of it.

They knew Fran might be already manipulated; we couldn't win the fight. Hence, they were looking at Fran with caution.

「I got resistance skill, so I’m fine」

「Is that so」

「I'm glad」

Apparently, they understood that she wasn’t lying. The two are relived and stroked their chests.

After that, we decided to rescue the people at the inn. Some part of the inn was still burning by that explosion. We had to do something about this.

Leaving the firefighting to Velmeria, who is good at water magic, we searched for people who are late to escape. Surprisingly, there were only a few people were injured and unable to move.

Because it was originally a high-class inn, there were only a few guests. Furthermore, it was an inn for adventurers of rank C or higher, and half of them had escaped on their own.

Of course, there were some ordinary rich guests, but they had their own guards, and they had already evacuated with their help.

In the end, we rescued only one of the employees who had failed to escape. The young man had already been led out of the inn after we healed his wounds.

「Let's go back to courtyard」

「Nn」

「We need to secure Gordon's body.」

With all this commotion, the soldiers would be here soon. Of course, if they saw Gordon's body, they would suspect that it was related to the case because of its unnaturalness. His body would be confiscated.

『We need to get his body before they do.』

「Nn」

When we returned to the courtyard, Frederick was already examining the body. The upper half of the body had been destroyed, but the head was still there, and there was a chance that there might be a clue to the identity of the magic sword.

「Got something?」

「More or less」

Hou? That's not something to be overlooked.

「Tell me」

「First of all, this man's identity is undoubtedly that of Gordon, a servant of Count Bailleys」

「Same as Hamuls?」

「Yeah, he went missing during reconnaissance」

Gordon was apparently a colleague of Frederick. There was a hint of mourning on his face, but there also seemed to be a slightly reluctant look in his eyes.

「But――」

「But?」

「Gordon was not in charge of the actual operations, like us and Hamuls, but was in charge of surveillance」

「In other words?」

「Of course he was trained, but his fighting ability wasn't that high. I'm sure he shouldn't be able to go against Fran head-on even for a short time」

I guess that means, when he used potential release, his ability had been raised to the fullest. However, there was still a point where he felt something strange.

「Gordon was fighting with a sword, wasn't he?」

「Nn」

「But…Gordon was a spearman, and I'm pretty sure his sword skills weren't that great.」

Potential Release is a state in which one's original abilities increase. In the case of physical enhancement skills such as regeneration and muscle hypertrophy, i can think of it as an awakening of a dormant talent due to potential release.

But how is it possible that only his skill in swordsmanship would increase? Even though he originally possessed low-level sword techniques, it seems strange that it would be strengthened to the point of turning into sword saint techniques. In addition, the spear technique, which was at a higher level, did not seem to have changed.

「And so is his fire magic. Gordon was only able to use basic earth magic, and no fire magic at all.」

「But, he was using flame magic」

「Yeah, I saw it too」

Sword Saint Technique and Flame Magic…… Both of these skills shouldn't be so easy to get. That is unless you have the ability like me.

「So, it's that sword ability?」

「…I don't know. But, is there such a sword that can manipulate its wielder and give them multiple new skills…? Now I’ve seen it this close, I’m pretty sure it's not from a dead soul」

Frederick also understood that it was not an undead sword, but a magic sword. This was confirmed by the fact that my cannibalism was triggered.

On the contrary, it was more likely to be an intelligent weapon.

「I heard voices when it cut me.」

「Me too. "Obey me" That's what it said.」

「Nn. That sword, has its own mind」

「Huh! You meant, it's an i-intelligent weapon! No, but it sure sounded like one」

Frederick is surprised with his eyes wide open. An Intelligent Weapon is said to be of legendary things. It's only natural to be surprised when it exists in a place like this while spreading destruction.

But that didn't seem to be the only surprise for Frederick.

「No way…I didn't think there's another one exist outside of Gordisia…」

「What do you mean?」

「In the continent of Gordisia, exist a single intelligent sword」

According to Frederick, it was the beloved sword of Trismegistus, the tragic hero of Gordisia. It is said that Trismegistus, a genius alchemist, used all of his knowledge and painstakingly created it.

As a result of divine punishment, he was destined to fight forever until the Abyss Eaters he created were destroyed.

Maybe, Trismegistus was the one who created me?

He doesn't seem to be a divine blacksmith, but if he has the original discarded divine sword or something like that, there's a chance, right? After all, he is a genius alchemist who almost destroyed the world.

『Gordisia Continent huh…』