Chapter 51: A Brief Moment of Freedom (2)

After visiting the smithy, I returned to the dormitory.

With my arms behind my head, I sank my back into the mattress, staring blankly at the familiar ceiling while murmuring to myself.

“…Why did it have to be magic stones?”

When I first received Murasame, I had high expectations because of its great growth potential.

The newly added functionality fulfilled those expectations—a remarkable benefit that allowed up to three special abilities to be embedded.

Just seeing it made me smile internally with satisfaction.

“Ha…”

A deep sigh escaped my lips. Although the result was satisfying, the term “magic stones” gave me pause.

In the game, these stones were described with grandiose words in their descriptions, but their utility was mediocre at best.

Perhaps the old saying, “You can’t find a cure when you need it most,” was true. There was no doubt the ancients were right about some things.

Why were magic stones the catalyst for granting special abilities? That question crossed my mind, and I suddenly remembered the last line in Murasame’s description:

「Though small, its performance may vary depending on the user.」

“…”

Could it be because my name includes the word “demonic”?

As silly as it sounded, I couldn’t help but think there might be some truth to that possibility.

‘Well, whatever will be, will be.’

From the moment I was granted the blessing of the “God of the Sword” and named “Demonic Sword,” there had always been a playful irony to everything.

I exhaled another resigned sigh.

Magic stones are minerals imbued with magical power.

They can only be obtained by defeating specific bosses in particular dungeons.

The problem was that these bosses, while technically magical beasts, had a minimum rank of A and were, in reality, not much different from demons.

For instance, the “Giant,” which drops the Giant Magic Stone used as a key for certain dungeon doors, was one such magical beast.

Although someone had already defeated it and taken the magic stone, the Giant remained a high-ranking monster.

It was a colossus of the golem type, whose mere footsteps caused the earth to tremble. Such was its fame, and this despite the Giant being considered one of the “easier” encounters.

From there, the monsters that dropped magic stones were practically natural disasters personified.

The corrupted serpent “Basilisk,” the ferocious beast “Manticore,” the Lich King “Draugr,” and so on.

These were stage bosses known among low-budget players as the “wall of lamentation.”

During my days as a budget player, even I had been at a loss for words at their difficulty.

Nominally, they were designed as trials to glorify the protagonist Leon’s achievements, but in reality, they were monsters created by the developers to squeeze players dry.

Of course, I never spent money on those paid advantages to hunt monsters more easily. The company’s greed disgusted me.

With my stubborn nature, I preferred to face those monsters head-on, memorizing their patterns to overcome them, even disabling the auto-battle system.

Looking back, I don’t know why I worked so hard.

Regardless, was it worth taking all those risks just to grant special abilities to a weapon?

Besides, wasn’t it supposed to be Leon who hunted those beasts?

I stared at the ceiling, lost in thought, then jumped up and leaned against the window frame.

‘…Yes, it’s worth it.’

Granting special abilities—three in total—was only possible for weapons of rank A or higher.

While the random activation of abilities was inconvenient, based on my experience as a player, the difference between having and not having special abilities was ridiculously vast, as in any other generic game.

After all, the main reason players spent money was to strengthen weapons and take part in the special ability lottery.

Special abilities were crucial tools for elevating the user to a higher level of power.

In retrospect, it was a miracle I had overcome so many challenges thus far with completely normal weapons.

I gazed out the window. A full moon shone brightly in the sky.

As I watched it, my worries eased slightly, and my thoughts deepened.

Right now, I craved more power. Though I had abandoned comfortable thoughts like stability or safety, my main goal remained the same: to survive.

The unexpected variables that didn’t exist during my time as a player were surfacing in this world, and dangers lurked everywhere.

It was as if this world was trying to reject me, twisting the events I knew.

Although I had anticipated that life at the academy would be difficult, the accumulated incidents had made me more cynical.

Moreover, it had already been a month since I enrolled in the academy.

The Second Human-Demon War, scheduled to begin in three years, would soon start to unfold, and with it, the need to prepare.

Enhancing my personal strength and granting special abilities to my weapons was no longer an option—it was a necessity.

Because, frankly, I couldn’t even guarantee the outcome of that war.

The reason…

Our supposed protagonist, Leon van Reinhardt, couldn’t be fully trusted.

As much as a siren was a demon, seeing him fall with a single blow had been shocking.

Though there hadn’t been any major deviations in his accomplishments since then, he still failed to inspire confidence.

Despite that, his achievements didn’t go unnoticed, as I kept hearing rumors about his group clearing high-level dungeons.

Soon, during the upcoming survival training on Avalon Island, he would probably obtain “Balmung,” a legendary sword resonating with the attributes of light and darkness.

‘Lucky bastard.’

Sometimes, I wondered if I was a sort of lightning rod for the dangers that should have fallen on Leon.

Perhaps the threats meant for him were being diverted toward me. Just thinking about it filled me with an unpleasant feeling.

With that thought, I partially unsheathed Murasame, letting the sharp sound of steel echo in the air.

The blade reflected the moonlight, and my face appeared in it.

Black hair with white-tipped ends framed dark eyes.

An appearance so bleak it contrasted completely with Leon’s fiery and radiant image, as if I were his shadow.

Perhaps whoever threw me into this world had such a sinister intention.

After gazing at Murasame for a while, I gripped the handle tightly.

I felt all the blood drain from my hand.

Looking up at the night sky, I thought.

‘I am Kang Geom-Ma. There’s no reason to act like the protagonist or follow a perfect, noble path.’

If survival meant wielding my sword without hesitation, then—

“If I cut it, it’ll split. No matter what it is.”

I murmured those words, and a nostalgic feeling washed over me.

At that moment, under the full moon’s glow, the stars began to appear one by one, filling the dark sky.

I recalled something a professor had casually mentioned during a class.

‘In this world, stars are the souls of fallen heroes. Even in death, they watch over this world, burning with their souls to protect it.’

At that moment, I saw a shooting star.

As it traced an arc across the sky, as if responding to me, I felt an inexplicable sense of solace and peace.

***

A week went by quickly, and the day of the written exam arrived.

I woke up earlier than usual and washed myself with cold water.

Although it was the beginning of summer, I did this as a ritual to prepare for exam day.

The icy water ran over my body, leaving my bones numb.

But it served its purpose—banishing the lingering sleep from my eyes in one swift strike.

In front of the mirror, I meticulously dried my body with a towel.

Thanks to consistent exercise during morning training, I had developed a firm six-pack and a toned figure.

What stood out most, however, was the slimness below my navel. ‘Being tall and lean does have its advantages.’

I let out a brief laugh at the thought before shaking my wet hair in front of the mirror.

Though my face looked youthful, no longer carrying the excess baby fat of adolescence, the fine hairs on my face were a reminder that I was still a teenager.

I didn’t have the chiseled features of Leon, but I considered myself reasonably attractive.

With a sharp jawline and clear skin, I didn’t look bad.

Still, compared to my previous life, where I had a robust and masculine appearance, this more refined and delicate body felt strange.

“This feels like being a courtier.”

Even though I was now Kang Geom-Ma, the sensation of looking like a completely different person still felt surreal.

I recalled that in the webtoons I used to read, this phenomenon was called “possession.” Intrigued, I finished drying off in the bathroom and searched the term on my phone.

== ==

Possession

[Noun]

1. A phenomenon in which a spirit, demon, lost soul, or deity inhabits the body of another person.

== ==

“Hmm.”

The meaning wasn’t very different from what I already knew.

Dwelling too much on this was absurd, considering my current situation.

From the moment I ended up trapped in the world of a game, anything seemed possible.

“In any case, it doesn’t matter much anymore.”

I tossed my phone onto the bed and began buttoning my uniform shirt.

As I bit into a sandwich I had prepared the night before, I reviewed the notes in my notebook.

‘The average age of Divine Blessing manifestation… began 694 years ago as part of the effects of the Heroes’ Revolution in France…’

Although the Joaquin Academy primarily emphasized practice, and my performance in the midterm practical exam had been satisfactory, I was taking this written exam more seriously than necessary.

The reason was simple: the grades of all students would be posted on the bulletin boards of the main building.

While the idea was to foster competition and self-improvement, it felt like a cruel punishment for growing students—including me.

Still, I couldn’t avoid it. As the leader of a club with two members who happened to be ranked first and second in grades, I didn’t want to be underestimated by my own team.

Additionally, since the club’s purpose was dungeon research and exploration, a leader with poor grades probably wouldn’t inspire confidence in new recruits.

Closing my notebook, I finished my sandwich and slung my backpack over my shoulder.

A slight tension ran through my body. This must be how a student feels before an exam.

Back on Earth, I dropped out of high school due to financial problems, but during my time there, I was an average student.

I didn’t particularly excel at anything, but my resourcefulness helped me find the correct answers and pass without much trouble.

‘If I don’t know the answer, I’ll pick option 3.’

I murmured to myself with firm determination.

I was just about ready to leave.

Rollin~♬

My phone buzzed and vibrated with the sound of an incoming notification.

I was going to hand it in during the exam anyway, so I had planned to leave it off for the day.

“Who could it be this early?”

Tilting my head, I picked up my phone.

[Saki Ryozo: Today’s the written exam. Have you had breakfast?]

It was Ryozo, sending me an unexpected message as if she were my mother.

Sometimes, she sent me absurd things, like links to academic articles about her beloved yokan.

[Me: Yes, I had a sandwich.]

The message disappeared in 0.5 seconds after the “1” indicating it had been read vanished.

[Saki Ryozo: Before an exam, it’s important to consume enough sugar. If you don’t, your brain won’t function properly. That’s why I always have yokan with me…]

She even attached a link to an academic article while giving me an unnecessary lecture.

“What’s with her today?”

I was about to ignore it, but an idea crossed my mind. I quickly typed out a reply.

[Me: In my country, there’s a traditional sweet eaten before exams.]

[Saki Ryozo: Really? What is it???]

I could almost imagine her salivating on the other side of the phone.

With a mischievous grin, I typed my response.

[Me: Malt syrup rice cakes.]

The 1 disappeared, but silence followed for a moment.

Rollin~♬

Finally, a notification sounded.

[Saki Ryozo: …Are you messing with me?]

“I didn’t think teasing her would be this much fun.”

I murmured, chuckling, as I left my phone on the bed and headed for the door.

Rollin~♬ Rollin~♬ Rollin~♬

The sound of my phone buzzing continued insistently as I closed the door behind me.