kscans

Chapter 32 - Prepare Yourself, Dareth (Side: Shion ⑦)

"Ugh! Who goes there…!"

The last guard collapsed to the floor with a thud. Guided by Agen, I had made my way to a hidden room in the Royal Palace. I don't know how she knew, but by using what seemed to be hidden passages, we arrived here in no time.

"Now, Shion-sama. Calamity is stored beyond this door."

"Y, yes…"

An extremely advanced magic circle was deployed on the door, but when Agen held up a mysterious magical tool, it vanished in an instant. Just who was this woman? Even the fight with the guards was over in a moment. She was an inscrutable person. A series of events beyond my imagination was making me anxious. No, rather…

— To be favored by such a capable person, I truly am one of the chosen…!

Reaffirming this fact made my spirits soar. Agen quietly took my hand. It felt like silk. I couldn't get enough.

"Shion-sama, the preparations are complete. Please enter."

"Alright, let's go in."

I squeezed Agen's hand tightly and entered the room. It was empty, so plain it was almost disappointing. With one exception.

"The sword floating over there is Calamity."

"S, so it seems."

A single sword was floating above a table placed in the center.

【Sword of Calamity: Calamity】
Attribute: Holy
Rank: SS
Ability: A sword that seals the evil spirit that attacked the Grossa Kingdom hundreds of years ago. Said to have been crafted by a great legendary master.

It was Ca, Calamity. A golden hilt and a pure white blade. It shone on its own, its holy light seeming to pierce the hearts of those who looked upon it. It was truly worthy of the name legendary holy sword.

"Shion-sama, please destroy it. After hundreds of years, it has little power left beyond sealing the evil spirit. It should break easily."

"Y, yes… right…"

Indeed, as Agen said, Calamity was battered and deteriorated. It looked like it would snap easily if I put some force into it. However, now that I was here, I was starting to get a little scared.

"Agen, are you sure the evil spirit won't attack me?"

"Yes, of course. Shion-sama is a person with high consciousness, destined to rule this world. There is no way such a person would be attacked."

From what I'd heard on the way here, the evil spirit had a nature of attacking people with low consciousness. In other words, there was no way it would attack me, who lives a high-consciousness life every day. In fact, the evil spirit might even obey my commands.

"Now is the time to release the evil spirit and bring about the vision of Shion-sama at the top!"

"That's right! I will create a world where I am properly evaluated!"

The moment I placed Calamity on my knee, a certain thought popped into my head.

— Surely, you're not going to tell me that he made this sword too?

Hah, impossible. Calamity was a sword made hundreds of years ago. There's no way he could have been alive back then. Thinking such thoughts, I snapped it with all my might.

【AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!】

"Guaaaah!"

In that instant, a tremendous shockwave erupted from the broken blade, blowing me into the back wall. An incredible shriek, like the first cry of a newborn baby, echoed around me. It felt like my head was going to break, and I clamped my hands over my ears with all my strength.

"Agen! Do something! Agen!"

I couldn't see her. Wh, where did she go. While I was searching, an immense number of black shadows poured out of the blade. They squeezed through the cracks in the room and streamed outside.

"H, hey, Agen! Where did you go! Hey!"

No matter how much I yelled, Agen didn't appear. She had abandoned me and run away. After saying all those nice things.

【A…a…a…】

"…Eh?"

When I came to my senses, an evil spirit was standing right in front of me. It was looking at me with a creepy face that was neither human nor monster. No, it's fine. There's nothing to fear. Only people with low consciousness are attacked. I'll be fine.

【AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!】

"Uwaaaaaah!"

I was told that people with high consciousness would be fine, but the evil spirits attacked me. I just ran and ran. What was happening. Agen had tricked me. And after I, the chosen one, had been so kind as to treat her with respect! You've got to be kidding me! In any case, I had to deal with the evil spirits first. Surely, I just needed to show them my high consciousness.

"Hey! I am a man who served as a guild master! Was this matter on the agenda! No, more importantly, have you gotten consensus from your immediate boss!?"

【AAAAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAAAH!】

As if my words meant nothing, the evil spirits attacked, destroying walls and floors as they came. S, someone, anyone, help me! I desperately ran, and ran, and ran. As I ran all over the place, I managed to escape through a wall that an evil spirit had destroyed. Outside, there were many soldiers. Good, you all shall save me. However, when the soldiers saw the evil spirits, their faces froze in despair.

"Hey, what is that! Is it a monster!? Why is it inside the Royal Palace!"

"I, I don't know! More importantly, inform Her Majesty the Queen immediately!"

"Hurry and evacuate the residents! Quickly, assume battle formation… guaaaah!"

【AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!】

The soldiers in front of me were sent flying like insects. The evil spirits indiscriminately attacked people and destroyed buildings. With every passing second, the Royal Palace changed its shape. Blood splattered everywhere, and fierce flames raged in various places. A storm of screams came from all directions. The moment I saw that scene, all the blood drained from my body.

— Could it be that this… is really bad?

While I stood there in a daze, the sound of an alarm bell, a sound that should never be heard in the Royal Capital, rang out endlessly.