Ego Sword.
A blade imbued with a soul, a miracle granted only to chosen blacksmiths.
Even the most skilled blacksmiths often go their entire lives without creating one.
If one manages to forge an Ego Sword, they are immortalized as a legendary blacksmith.
And now.
In a dimly lit basement.
One of the few Ego Swords on the continent was in my hand, groaning.
Swoosh—
[It’s coming! It’s coming!]
Whoosh—
[Ugh, the blade is ruined!]
‘Damn it.’
It had already been two hours since I started wrestling with the sword in the basement.
By continuously pouring mana into it and suppressing its demonic energy, the sword’s malevolent aura had weakened somewhat, but its nonsense had only grown louder.
This can’t be real.
Is this really an Ego Sword?
I frowned as I looked down at the trembling black sword, when Lucy’s voice echoed into the basement.
“Master! Are you alright!?”
“Yeah! I’m fine, so don’t come in!”
“But—”
“That’s an order!”
I shouted at Lucy, who was fidgeting nervously outside the door.
I couldn’t guarantee her safety in the storm of demonic energy swirling inside the basement.
The sword’s powerful demonic energy continued to resist fiercely.
As I focused my mind and poured more mana into it, the sword began to resist even more violently, spewing out demonic energy.
[Huh! Who is this guy? No one has ever overwhelmed me with mana before!]
‘…..’
[No! The mana is reaching my core…!]
“Damn it.”
A curse slipped through my slightly parted lips.
Should I just destroy it now?
After two hours of holding onto this thing, it wasn’t the demonic energy but the incessant groaning that was driving me insane.
But then, one word from the sword’s rambling caught my attention.
‘Wait. Did it say core?’
To claim an Ego Sword, one must fill its core with their own mana and gain its acknowledgment.
Could the “core” be what it’s referring to?
I immediately channeled my mana to check and felt something solid, like a dense mass of energy, inside the sword.
[W-wait, not there!]
A panicked voice trembled.
Oh? So this is the core.
I smirked slightly and attempted to communicate telepathically with the black sword in my hand.
‘Hey, can you hear me?’
[Huh? What? Are you talking to me?]
‘Yeah.’
[How is this possible?]
The sword sounded genuinely shocked as it responded.
So, it seems I can communicate with an Ego Sword through telepathy.
I continued in a low, calm tone.
‘Well, how I’m doing it isn’t your concern. I’m going to pour my mana into your core now. I suggest you surrender quietly.’
[Damn it! Do you think I’ll just give up? I’ll turn you into a murderer!]
‘Hmm. You’ve got a foul mouth. Seems like you need more training.’
[No one can subdue me! I’ll drive you mad like I did with that knight commander!]
‘Sure, sure. Do your worst.’
[W-wait! Stop!]
The voice cried out desperately.
Ignoring its fierce resistance, I shoved my mana deep into its core.
Whoosh!
[!]
Suddenly, the noisy thoughts in my head fell silent.
The sword bent like a bow, and demonic energy erupted from its core in spasms.
Whoosh—
‘Damn it. This is annoying.’
Was the core filled with demonic energy?
The concentration of demonic energy was so thick that I could feel it even as I breathed.
But as I resisted the demonic energy enveloping my body, something flowed into my mind through the sword.
Sssss—
‘Huh? What’s this?’
My vision was filled with darkness, as if shrouded by a black curtain.
And after a moment.
An unfamiliar scene unfolded before my eyes.
Bloodstained trees and knights lying lifeless on the ground.
I looked around to see if there were any survivors, but there were none.
Was the sword showing me its memories?
No, more accurately, it seemed to be the memories of its first wielder, the knight commander.
I was clad in plate armor, as if I had become the knight commander of a certain count’s order, and in my right hand was a blood-stained sword.
Then, a viscous voice echoed in my mind.
[Hehe… How do you feel? Surprised?]
‘What kind of nonsense is this?’
[Take a good look. The corpses of the knights scattered around. A knight at the entrance of Sword Graduate slaughtered all those stronger than himself. I promise you this power. No matter how many creatures of the continent come at you, you’ll be unstoppable.]
The sword tempted me with a seductive voice.
This thing is desperate.
Did it really think it could shake my mind with such petty tricks?
I scoffed and replied.
‘Hey, you can’t corrupt my mind with this. Stop your nonsense before I destroy you.’
[Oh my, a sword is a tool for killing. I’ll grant you even greater power. Kill everything in your path and fulfill your ambitions. That is the natural order.]
The sword ignored my words and repeated its attempts to corrupt my mind like a parrot.
Does it not have ears because it’s a sword?
It seems talking won’t work.
‘Hurry up. My real body is probably being slowly consumed by the demonic energy. I need to subdue this sword as soon as possible.’
I hardened my expression and tightened my grip.
I had to pour all my mana into the core to suppress the demonic energy and force this thing to submit.
In one decisive moment.
I placed my left hand over my right, gripping the sword’s hilt.
Thud—
[Huh? Are you trying to pour mana into me again? You managed to reach the core, but subduing me is impossible.]
‘Shut up and watch.’
I snapped at the sword, which was nagging in my mind.
Then, I checked my body’s sensations.
‘As expected.’
Though the scene before me was from the sword’s memories, the mana flowing through my body was undoubtedly my own.
Fortunately, I could still use my abilities.
I immediately activated the “Invisible Hand” ability, imagining dozens of hands gripping the sword.
Whoosh—
[W-what are you doing?]
As dozens of invisible hands roughly grasped the sword, it let out a panicked voice.
It must have sensed something was wrong.
But it was already too late.
Simply put.
If I held the sword with one hand, there would be one pathway for mana to flow from me to the sword.
If I held it with two hands, there would be two pathways.
Well, it’s not exactly that straightforward, but the general principle holds.
So then.
What would happen if I used dozens of pathways to pour mana into it all at once?
Swoosh—
[Wait… what are you trying to do to my core?]
‘You don’t need to know. Just quietly accept my mana. I’ll make it quick.’
[W-wait! Think about it! Don’t you want to kill all those you hate? Even the Guardian Dragon Endless won’t be able to stop you!]
‘Hey, Ego Sword.’
[Huh…?]
‘Here it comes.’
[!]
A definitive declaration.
Immediately after, a silent scream echoed.
I gripped the sword tightly with dozens of hands and poured all the vast mana I had gained from awakening as the Absolute Monarch into it.
Whoosh—!
[Ooooh!!!]
The sword trembled violently as the mana cascaded like a waterfall into its core.
Even after two hours of continuously pouring mana, I still had more than enough left.
I channeled my mana through the ten-lane highway created by the countless hands, flooding the sword’s core.
Zzzzz—
[Ughhhh—!]
‘Ugh, so noisy.’
Is this thing really a sword?
Amidst the loud groans, I focused on suppressing the demonic energy within the sword.
As time passed, the sword’s vibrations grew more intense, and I felt something damp.
‘Sweat?’
Well, I had used a lot of mana, so it made sense that my hands were sweating.
But I pressed on, determined.
After what felt like ten minutes.
Sssss…
Perhaps because I had successfully suppressed the demonic energy, the memories the sword had shown began to fade like smoke in the wind.
I let out a sigh of relief as the scenery gradually returned to the basement of the weapon shop.
‘I did it.’
The demonic energy that had filled the basement was now gone.
In the quiet basement.
I examined the sword in my hand.
From the hilt to the tip of the blade, it was now filled with my mana.
In the terms of an aura-wielding knight, the sword had been completely tamed.
“You’re such a troublesome sword.”
How many hours had I suffered because of this damn sword?
I wasn’t completely drained of mana, but I felt utterly exhausted.
I wanted to collapse on the floor, but a clearer voice than before echoed in my mind.
[Uh… you…?]
‘You’re awake.’
[Ah… so you’re the one who suppressed the demonic energy?]
‘That’s right.’
It seemed to quickly grasp the situation.
The sword spoke in a tired voice.
[Thank you… There’s no doubt about it. From now on, my body and soul belong to you.]
‘…..’
[I am an Ego Sword. Choosing my master is my right. From now on, I will be a sword solely for you.]
The way it phrased it was a bit odd.
But whatever.
I had succeeded in claiming the Ego Sword.
To think I had obtained a sword that, in the original story, was best destroyed.
A sense of pride welled up from deep within.
I tightened my grip on the sword and said.
‘Good. You’ve killed many people, so from now on, I’ll use you to save far more lives than you’ve taken.’
[Alright. Though it is the fate of a sword to be made for killing, I admire your resolve to wield me to save lives. I’ll be in your care, my master.]
The sword, which had been screaming nonsense earlier, now spoke with a sense of formality.
Though it had no face or expression, it almost felt like it was smiling.
By the way, its voice sounded feminine.
Do Ego Swords have genders?
I made a mental note to look into that later.
Thud.
“Master!”
“Lucy.”
“You’re safe… Thank goodness…”
As I looked at the black sword in my hand, thinking about the future, Lucy burst through the door and hugged me.
She had been waiting outside the basement, drenched in sweat from the swirling demonic energy.
I gently stroked her back and whispered softly in her ear.
“I made you worry. But it’s alright now.”
“Master…”
“Let’s go home.”
“Yes…”
Lucy nodded, her face flushed.
But what about Dunken and Hilda?
They must have been overwhelmed by the demonic energy and gone upstairs.
They’re probably worried too.
I should go up and let them know everything’s fine.
As I was about to leave with Lucy, the sword spoke in a serious tone.
[Hey, um. So, should I call you master?]
‘Do as you like. What is it?’
[I feel like I need to tell you this.]
‘?’
What is it trying to say now?
I felt a bit uneasy, but I brushed it off.
Though it had been consumed by demonic energy and caused horrific destruction, it was now a sword that would serve me.
I should at least hear it out.
As I listened, the sword whispered.
[This woman… she wants to have your child.]