NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3
[Durandal Online.]
Super Weapon.
A new era strategic weapon created by humanity’s blend of science, magic, otherworldly materials, and lost technology, designed to fight against powerful otherworldly beings that modern weaponry can’t even scratch.
In this world, the difference between a hunter and a hero hinges on the talent called ‘compatibility’ for handling super weapons.
“Typical third-rate light novel setting.”
I grumbled, recalling the original setup.
Monsters that modern weapons can’t touch, and a super weapon?
Nonsense, but here we are in a world where that nonsense is reality.
What a ridiculous light novel world.
“If you really want it.”
Swoosh.
Olivia unsheathes her sword, her expression calm and serene.
Her sword shines with a platinum light. White flames erupt from the blade.
Whoosh.
Olivia’s exclusive gear, Flamberge, activates its combat mode.
Dazzling platinum light envelops her entire body. Platinum gauntlets and a magic shield appear.
The platinum knight princess, wielding the wave-shaped sword Flamberge, coldly states, “I’ll let you go first.”
Instead of answering, I inject magic into the recoil system on my armor’s chest.
Woom!
The recoil system of Durandal belches out black light, greedily swallowing the magic.
My chest aches.
[Synchronization]
[Raul Napoleon Bonaparte]
The first ability of the transcendent weapon Durandal, Synchronization, is activated.
Information from its previous wielder, Black Prince Raul, is forcibly injected into my body.
“Ugh.”
Did my eye just burst a blood vessel? My vision turns red.
Blood drips from my mouth.
It hurts. It hurts like hell.
I want to collapse. But I can’t.
In this damned world, I have to survive.
By any means necessary.
Red vision traces a black line.
A strange sensation awakens.
The Black Prince Raul, his experiences and senses descend through the ability of synchronization.
“Ah.”
I instinctively realize how to wield Durandal.
Naturally, I slowly grasp the hilt of Durandal and swing it.
The Durandal in my hand moves along the black line’s trajectory.
Black magical light leaves traces in the air.
The black magic light leaves traces in the air.
Screech!
A chilling rift sound echoes.
[Black Light Sword Technique]
This is the Black Prince’s unique sword technique that can even cut through the sky.
The blade of a great hero who slaughtered countless interdimensional foes at the front lines of disaster to save humanity 30 years ago in France is now unleashed in my hands.
“!!”
Olivia’s eyes widen.
She raises her sword. A pure white platinum flame of magic bursts forth from the blade of Flamberge.
KABOOM!
Black magic and platinum magic collide in a violent frenzy.
A thunderous explosion that could make your ears ring fills the auditorium.
“How could you have my brother’s…!”
Olivia’s usually calm voice trembles.
Here, the Black Prince’s sword technique is being put to practice.
She’s flustered because I’m the one using it, but unfortunately, that was my plan from the beginning.
If we use the same amount of magic, Olivia can never defeat me.
Flamberge, merely a specialized weapon, cannot surpass the transcendent Durandal.
The main heroine, who admires the Black Prince, cannot win while borrowing his power.
“You don’t need to know.”
BAM!
Again, I swing my sword.
A mighty sound erupts. Magic waves sweep across the auditorium.
Magic shards fly up. The sinister black light dances on Durandal’s blade.
Olivia’s eyes quiver.
Silver and black clash once more.
In a short time, countless exchanges of strikes occur.
Olivia’s sword swings like a masterpiece.
An utterly perfect and beautiful sword.
It may be the best weapon in France, but that’s all there is to it.
With the combat sense of the Black Prince that has crossed countless battlefields, even the remnants now in my hands are ridiculously easy to deal with.
“Shut up and prepare to be defeated!”
I grit my teeth.
I push my magic core to the limit. The expulsion route gushes forth black light.
My chest feels like it’s on fire, as if branded with a hot iron.
It hurts. It hurts like hell.
Damn it, it hurts so much.
But I have to endure.
I must win to make that damn girl who filled me with frustration kneel before me.
I have to win.
I forcibly pour the magic I’ve extracted into Durandal.
Durandal greedily devours the magic. Black magic surges and ripples on the blade.
[Synchronization]
Durandal, having swallowed the magic, seems satisfied, drawing new black lines into my vision.
The expulsion route engraves new information about the Black Prince into my mind.
WOOOOO!
The black blade trembles. Magic gathers, ready to ignite.
I lift Durandal high.
[Black Light Sword Technique]
[Secret Art]
[Full Moon Fall]
A black sphere appears at the tip of the blade.
A full moon manifested in black light.
The black moon fills the ceiling and descends toward Olivia.
Olivia’s pupils dilate.
She raises Flamberge. A massive shield formed from her platinum flames emerges in the air.
[White Flame Sword Technique]
[Third Art]
[Platinum Shield]
Olivia’s skill.
The noble-looking flame shield seems capable of blocking anything, but it is truly nothing more than a last-ditch effort.
“Farewell, main heroine.”
The old man.
He waves goodbye in Korean.
It’s laughable.
The black full moon mercilessly crashes through the flame shield, enveloping Olivia.
Flash.
A burst of light erupts.
Boom!
A deafening sound echoes.
The auditorium, designed for dueling and for regular use, shakes violently, barely holding up against the impact.
The backlash sweeps over me.
I plunge Durandal into the ground.
“Ugh.”
My chest is burning. My whole body aches. The magic circuit screams.
I’ve run out of magic power.
I’m at my limit.
Psssh.
Steam rises from the blade of Durandal.
The full-body gauntlets and magic field quickly disengage.
[Durandal Offline]
Durandal shifts from combat mode to standby mode.
My consciousness is fading.
Slap.
A sudden smack to the face snaps me awake.
“No…!”
I need to win to get the dogeza. Damn it.
I grasp onto my wavering mind with superhuman willpower.
The aftershock settles.
The auditorium is a complete mess.
In the center, she lies fallen.
The platinum knight princess.
Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte.
Her radiant beauty is ruined, collapsed as she gasps for breath.
Both the magic field and full-body gauntlets are completely deactivated.
With Durandal transformed back into a sword from a projectile weapon, I limp over to her with every ounce of strength I have left.
“Hey…”
Olivia’s gaze turns toward me.
“I… I won, damn it.”
She says something. I can’t hear it.
Huh? The world appears upside down.
In an instant, my vision plunges into darkness.
It seems my mental activation time has also ended.
Whatever will be, will be.
Defeat isn’t a word in Olivia’s vocabulary.
To become the best, to follow in the footsteps of her deceased brother, she made countless sacrifices.
France’s top prodigy.
The valedictorian of Shuo Hero Academy.
The platinum knight princess.
The myriad titles she holds were earned solely through her effort.
And that’s why…
Her first defeat hit her so hard.
‘I lost?’
Olivia’s hand trembles.
She lost decisively.
There’s no need for excuses about magic power handicaps.
She was treated as a promising candidate to lead France’s future.
The mere fact that she lost to a candidate from a small country like Korea, not even Japan, a powerhouse of heroes, is simply absurd.
“How could this…?”
Olivia’s voice quivers.
She can’t lose to lazy individuals who forget the threats of this world and the responsibilities of heroes.
There is no candidate stronger than me in Shuo Hero Academy.
I was so confident.
But her confidence came crashing down from the very first day of admission.
Memories of that fight flash in my mind.
Black magic aura, black full-body armor, Durandal in hand.
And the unforgettable black sword technique.
His figure in combat mode reminded me of the brother who had died ten years ago…
“No!”
Olivia vigorously shakes her head.
No.
Her brother is dead. She has to protect herself from the threat of an Omega Rank Otherworldly Being.
He died leaving a will entrusting the future of the motherland and the royal family to her.
There was no turning back.
“……”
Olivia bit her lips, her cheeks trembling.
He was different from her older brother.
Even using the same magic and the same weapon, he was someone else entirely.
How he came to use the Black Prince’s sword technique was beyond her.
“His appearance is already different… My brother was a handsome man.”
There’s no way they could be the same.
Recalling the impression of Kim Deok-Sung, who looked like a sneaky punk, Olivia couldn’t help but talk trash.
“Are you crazy? Seriously…”
She splashed her face with cold water, feeling ashamed for even briefly overlapping her older brother and him.
At that moment.
Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the dormitory door.
“Your Highness. It’s Bella.”
Bella, Olivia’s shadow and personal maid, had arrived.
Hearing her voice, Olivia straightened her posture, cleared her throat, and said.
“Come in, Bella.”
Creak.
The door opened, and a brown-haired beauty in a maid outfit entered.
Clack clack.
The maid, Bella, expressionlessly closed the door and respectfully placed the documents she held on the table in front of Olivia.
“Here is the information about Student Kim Deok-Sung that you requested.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Olivia smiled slightly as her gaze shifted to the documents.
Kim Deok-Sung.
Candidate hero from the small nation of South Korea.
Fit assessment: C-rank. Owner of Black Magic Power and the transcendent weapon Durandal.
This information was all she gathered from the certificate Kim Deok-Sung had presented.
She thought there was no need to know more than that.
Until he experienced a shocking defeat.
‘Who the hell are you?’
Olivia pondered as she flipped through the documents.
Written in French were all about Kim Deok-Sung.
‘Orphaned, unfortunate upbringing…’
Kim Deok-Sung was an orphan and had spent a hard childhood in a poorly managed orphanage.
At school, he was bullied for being an orphan, and while he fought back, he always faced the repercussions.
It was because he was an orphan.
‘…The only hero candidate from Korea.’
His life turned around after receiving a C-rank on the suitability test at the age of fifteen.
In a country with no heroes, South Korea.
In a world where the strength of a nation is measured by the number of heroes it possesses, Korea was among the weakest of the weak.
There were quite a few ability hunter in Korea, but no heroes.
Currently, Korea had entrusted all Zeta-rank and above gate defenses to the United States and Japan.
From such a nation, the only hero candidate was born.
“This is…”
Flipping.
She turned to the next page, and the records approached madness.
The Korean citizens showed obsessive support and expectations for Kim Deok-Sung.