Gozine

Frost Dragon’s Scale.

The dragon from the Frozen Frostwood Forest, which I had slain with Eleanor, was monstrously powerful, but it certainly brought me many benefits.
For instance, the scales used in the forging of the sword I got now. Until now, I hadn’t fully utilized them, unaware of their effects, but not anymore.

‘After the 27th play, many of my memories have returned.’

[You have successfully reforged the artifact ‘Stormbringer’!]

[The artifact ‘Stormbringer’ has been upgraded to High Grade!]

Thanks to this, I now fully understand how Stormbringer works to cut down enemies and what secrets it holds.
A sword that merely absorbs and releases the wielder’s mana to slash enemies?
No.
That’s only a fragment of Stormbringer’s true nature.
Stormbringer is fundamentally an exceptional sword, but it had been damaged, and I had been wielding it by pushing my mana to its limits.

There was no other reason.
Simply put, there had been no one capable of reforging the sword of the first family head, Jin von Reinhaver.
Additionally, even if reforging had been possible with inferior materials, I had always believed it wouldn’t be the optimal solution.
After all, in the previous plays—when I still thought this was a game—I had never obtained this magnificent sword.
That’s why I had postponed it until now, when I finally realized the truth. It was during the 27th clear, just before this round, that I heard the rumors.

— Jin von Reinhaver’s sword, Stormbringer, can only be reforged with dragon scales.
— To succeed in reforging, a prominent blacksmith is required, and upon success, the sword will grant overwhelming power.

— If the original Stormbringer merely absorbed and released mana, unworthy of its name “Storm,” the reforged version is different. This awakened sword turns everything into a waste. It helps absorb the wielder’s mana and release it dozens of times stronger.
— Of course, it comes at the cost of the wielder’s life force. It is especially dangerous when used alongside Limit Break, a forbidden magic technique that amplifies power. While the destructive potential reaches its peak, the wielder’s likelihood of death increases drastically.

But this information hadn’t helped in the previous round.
The reason was simple.
I had never obtained the sword in the first place. Like in this 28th round, it was because I started without Theo’s acknowledgment and recognized him as completely as an enemy, this was the first time I had ever held Jin’s sword in my hands.

But as they say, there’s no smoke without fire.
As I stare at the gleaming, revitalized sword before me—lighter in hilt and brimming with life—an involuntary sigh escapes me. Arson strokes his beard and speaks.

“This is a masterpiece. The famed sword of your family, was it? As dangerous as it is revolutionary. This is a weapon that deserves to be etched into the continent’s history!”

“If it’s one of Reinhaver’s heirlooms, then it’s only fitting.”

“You don’t seem too surprised?”

“I’ll send your payment within a few days. Dwarf 1… no, Arson. You’ve worked hard.”

“What’s this? You’re calling me by my name now? Lately, you’ve been teasing me so much that you only ever called me Dwarf 1, 2, or the like.”

“Just a change of heart. Also…. for a while—no, perhaps for a very long time, I won’t be able to commission you for equipment reforging.”

“Well, the other equipment orders are already finished…. That’s disappointing news. To lose one of my biggest clients. Do you have plans to travel far?”

“Perhaps.”

“That’s a vague answer.”

Arson crosses his arms, flexing his burly muscles, as I let out a dry laugh.

“I might leave. No, I will leave.”

“….Come to Arson’s workshop anytime. I’ll give you the special treatment.”

“Sure.”

Still smiling, I rise from my seat. Then, I hand Leon a letter containing instructions to distribute the other equipment Arson crafted to my companions.

Inside are items that will amplify their abilities. Now that money no longer binds me, this is finally possible. After all, I’ll be dead soon anyway, so even if I had billions of gold, there’d be nowhere to spend it.

The preparations are already complete.

I fasten the reforged Stormbringer at my waist, dressed in a dark navy outfit adorned with light decorations, a white undershirt, and Chelsea boots. Though it’s different from typical combat attire, the level of magical enchantments is the highest grade, so it can’t even be compared to other equipment.

Even so, surviving Archduke Baal’s resurrection is impossible. But buying even a little more time would be enough.

With all my business in the Fourth Commercial District concluded, I sought out Erina.

**********

“My husband… Are you really sure about this?”

A girl with purple hair asks with a worried expression.
I nod reassuringly.

For the record, Erina is temporarily away on business.
She’s at the family workshop, producing items needed for the upcoming battle to deliver to me. It didn’t take long. The requested items were a few special potions.
Even as she hands the potions to me, Erina’s face is clouded with concern.
Mei, who always watches from the side, suddenly interjects.

“Even if you’ve reduced the side effects… These are dangerous potions…. A potion that maximizes dark-attribute mana? Using something like this means an equally dangerous situation is coming, doesn’t it?”

“It’s a battle where I’ll be risking my life. But I won’t die, so don’t worry.”

I immediately consumed the potion Erina produced.

[The player has consumed a potion.]

[Dark mana manipulation ability has been drastically enhanced!]

Mana amplification.
Later, before the final battle, I’ll need to organize my status window and inventory. Maximizing my lifespan will also ensure I can properly control the effects when using Limit Break.
Knowing my own condition is key to killing the enemy.
Of course, while going through the 27 processes, I’ve grown much stronger, but I still don’t know. Will everything truly end if I kill Baal?

Will my death free everything?
Honestly, I’m not sure… But I refuse to lead my companions to their deaths as things stand now. Nor do I wish for this continent—once a world I longed for, now my own—to be ruined.

That’s all there is to it.

I take the patriarch’s sword and leave.
No one stops me. Perhaps they’ve realized it’s no longer meaningful.

**********

Just like in past rounds, large-scale armies have begun to move.

The far end of the western continent.
This time, Pandemonium seems to have entrenched itself in the West. Demons, especially Amdusias at its core—have slaughtered countless people, stealing their life force for their goals. It’s one of the most forbidden forms of dark magic.
A magic that steals people’s life force or emotions, leaving them as hollow corpses, and trades them. But depending on who gathered them, the being here could inflict severe psychological trauma.

This is the imperial capital of the Arkheim Empire.
A reception hall in the northern area, overlooking the Akriver.

“The late emperor stands by the demon’s side. An inevitable war is coming.”

“….If this is a tasteless joke, you should stop right there. Nox, no matter how much favor I hold for you, insulting the late emperor like this is…”

“Would I dare jest with Your Majesty? Or do I stand to gain anything by speaking like this, now that the Grand dukes are reviving one after another?”

“….Explain from why you think so.”

“I have seen the future. You must already know that the massive alliance of demons, humans, and beastfolk in the east has begun to move. Moreover, the Resistance is exacerbating the conflict between nobles and commoners.”

“……”

“This is Amdusias and Belial doing. If they’ve already begun to move… That means they’ve obtained eight of the Philosopher’s Stones, leaving only Paracelsus’s.”

“Paracelsus….. You said it. There’s no way to kill him or extract the stone by force.”

“Yes. The stone only responds to Baal’s will. Unless Baal comes himself to extract it, Paracelsus cannot remove it while alive… And even if we kill him, the result is the same. There’s a risk Baal could seize Paracelsus’s body and run rampant within the fading heartbeat.”

Of course, Paracelsus doesn’t have dark mana.
Due to this, it would buy a little time—but what if the enemy arrives within that window and Baal’s nine fragments unite?

There would be no way to stop it then.

“During the imperial authority struggle, Pandemonium abducted the late emperor, Esteban von Arkheim, and now uses him as a puppet to control beastfolk and humans.”

“….There’s no way that..”

No matter how much stronger Penelope has become since ascending to the Emperor’s throne, this is hard to accept. Her father, the man once called the Sun King, who ruled the continent—now reduced to a puppet under a demon’s control?
It’s not something she would ever want to dream of, even in a nightmare. But it’s also the truth. Now, it’s a problem she has to bear and face.

I wait briefly. Soon, her response comes.

“What do you suggest I do?”

“The conflict between commoners and nobles has already reached its peak. Do everything you can to ease their strife. I will stop Amdusias and Belial. Belial isn’t completely dead yet, he’s a cunning deceiver capable of bringing the world to ruin.”

“…Very well.”

The emperor nods helplessly.
There’s no alternative. At this point, isn’t she forced to trust Nox?
So far, Nox has used every piece of information at his disposal to save the continent and slay demons. Throughout this process, he has silently borne sacrifices. Refusing to support him now would be nonsensical.
Even setting aside personal feelings, Nox is a talent.
The only solution to break through this situation.

With that thought, she finally makes her decision.
If there are those who seek to destroy the empire, she will destroy them. Kill them. Even if it’s her father, Esteban.
Since he’s already lost his sanity, executing him shouldn’t require much emotional toll.

“One more thing.”

But the next words leave the princess frozen in shock.

“Your Majesty, there’s something I must tell you.”

“….What is it?”

The dark clouds of a rainy day. Raindrops fall like wet feathers, filling the sky. As the sound spreads, the voice delivers a shocking revelation.

“You have an older sister.”

After dropping this bombshell, Nox continues indifferently.

“Furthermore, it’s highly likely she bears no goodwill toward you.”