Furious Pursuit
Deck was an ordinary adventurer. The reason it's in the past tense is that he's not taking any requests right now. It had been years since he stashed his Bronze-rank guild plate in a drawer and left it there.
Deck had been unusually strong since childhood. The village elders would see him and chatter about how he had the makings of a general or the stuff of a Hero. Was that why he dreamed such vain dreams? When he left his small rural village and saw the real world, the power he possessed turned out to be utterly insignificant.
He quickly gave up on those dreams and found a new job just to make ends meet. That was working the night shift at an adventurer's inn. His daily routine was to watch the adventurers chattering enviously in the guild tavern during the day, then come back and start work in the evening.
"Heard that rumor? They say a Hero showed up wielding both the Holy Sword and the Cursed Sword at the same time."
And whenever stories like this about monster rookies came up, he would get a bit depressed. Unfulfilled dreams, inferiority complex. Stuff like that came to mind. But those negative emotions never lasted long. Deck knew his own limits well and was content with his ordinary but fulfilling life as an inn worker.
[Yeah.]
That was true right up until three seconds ago.
"So that's the kind of person you are."
How long had it been since someone spoke with a human mouth? I hadn't wasted time listening to the Holy Sword's pointless chatter for nothing. I waited. For the Hero's room on the fourth floor where I lay. Directly below, in a straight line far down in the hall. Until the red heat of the lifeform moving in that hall reached right under our room.
And the moment I dropped, the hand of the employee about to clean the hall grasped a sword hilt instead of a mop.
A restrained result, uncharacteristic for a demonic sword, but satisfying nonetheless.
The furious Holy Sword's telepathic wave boomed through the air.
"Man, what rude manners. Didn't anyone teach you yelling in the middle of the night is a nuisance?"
I shrugged toward the Holy Sword, which was vibrating violently and bursting with flashes of light. Yeah, right now, there was no need for words—this gesture said it all.
Until just moments ago, this body's name had been Deck. A decent young man who'd given up on his dreams but hadn't despaired of life.
Soul Erosion (S-)
Hm. And now, let's call it Carbalt's 13,216th host or something. The number's just approximate, by the way. I've served many masters, but far more have laid hands on my blade. Still, to wield me, you need at least some qualifications. If someone unqualified touches me? I'm still welcoming. Even if just for a short while, I get a usable body like this.
"So that's your ability?"
The Hero, who'd casually punched a hole in the floor and leaped to the first floor, looked at me and asked. I nodded.
"Hahaha! Of course, Master. I'm a legendary demonic sword, you know?"
The next instant, a flash sliced between us. I staggered back three steps from the impact.
"Whoa, that's too much. Go easy on me."
A short, sharp slash. I successfully blocked with my main body, but the host's output was lacking. Tsk. I clicked my tongue lightly. This body won't last long.
"Got it."
After one attack, the Hero stood still, doing nothing. After staring right through me for a moment, she soon raised the Holy Sword again.
"Even if I kill you, no damage."
That sentence packed a lot. Understanding it, I stuck out my tongue.
"You even figured that out?"
Host and master are different. I'm not bound to this body and soul by contract. I just forced my way in with my trait's power and seized control. So if this body breaks, I take almost no damage. What happens to the original owner? Do I have to care about that?
"Hey, Hero. I have no idea why you're doing this to me."
I deliberately acted like a thug, bluffing with bravado while subtly widening the distance without getting caught.
"You have a fine weapon like the Holy Sword. Can't you just let me go?"
"No."
Damn, no way it'd work. The moment our distance grew too far, flames sparked in the Hero's eyes. Unlike the earlier probe, this strike was merciless. Martial arts, magic, faith—the three powers combined exquisitely. Transcendent force straight on the blade's edge, topped with demon-slaying flames, thrust at the perfect angle targeting vitals by "coincidence." I raised the demonic sword to meet it. No counter or dodge possible—just blocking was the best I could do.
"Cough... you're on fire."
The impact sent me crashing through the inn wall onto the main street. Just blocking that one strike, I felt this body consume itself in an instant. The somewhat youthful face wrinkled up, and the decently muscled ex-adventurer's build deflated like a punctured balloon. Veins burst, every muscle ached. Still, taking the Hero's strike and getting off with this damage? More than satisfactory. Above all, being flung away had put considerable distance between us.
I gathered all the pulsing life force and energy from this wretched body into my legs.
"Don't chase! Think of the city folk!"
As I kicked off the ground, black mist erupted where my foot struck. Faint and thin, but lethal to ordinary people who inhaled it—a clump of demonic energy. Of course, I didn't expect the Hero to fall for such a shallow trick. Still, wouldn't it buy a moment's hesitation?
"Whoa."
But I realized I'd underestimated the Hero. As a demonic sword, I shared the host's vision and possessed a 360-degree spiritual sight. That's how I could run forward while watching behind. The Hero casually swung her sword once to disperse the demonic energy, then immediately kicked off the ground. Wherever her feet landed, the earth cracked and shockwaves erupted. Meanwhile, my movements at similar speed were nearly silent. Perfected from fleeing temple pursuits.
"Kyaaak! What's happening?!"
The Hero wasn't holding back her power as she rampaged, flipping the streets in an instant. Old buildings and walls crumbled, windows shattered with sharp cracks. Naturally, people woken by the midnight mishap stirred. Our chase plunged the entire city into chaos. Horns blared faintly in the distance.
"My god, a Hero dragging citizens into hell! The three gods in heaven must be weeping!"
The Holy Sword shrieked instead of the silent, focused Hero.
"What? I just couldn't sleep, so I came out for a jog. No clue why you're chasing me like you want to kill me."
I leaped over a fireball the Hero hurled, watching the flames spread to nearby stalls. Screams of "Fire!" and frantic hands fetching water. Even while running, I saw it all and chuckled inwardly. Flames fueled by the Hero's divinity wouldn't die out so easily.
"Ah."
Distracted by the fun sight, I slipped up. I took a step, lost balance, and stumbled.
And then.
"Got you."
"Gaaahhh!"
In an instant, the Hero closed in behind me, murmuring low as a beam-like sword strike severed the arm gripping the demonic sword. As Soul Erosion (S-)'s power faded, the old man's corpse—once a youth—lost all momentum and collapsed. This is it, caught! But my right arm still had a sliver of life force. It twitched, flinging me away, and I soared toward somewhere.
"Urk... whew, close call."
The city was in uproar from the Hero's rampage, citizens emerging everywhere. I slammed into one man's shoulder. Name: Kals. Fruit vendor cheating on his flower shop widow. Not that it matters now, interesting as it is.
"You trying to kill all the city's people?"
The gap closed, then widened again. Thanks to swapping the dying host for a fresh one.
"Just give up and let me go, yeah?"
Short distances, maybe. But long-range, I'd get caught eventually. Still, the moment an opening appeared, I bolted. Even if caught repeatedly, just switch hosts. The Hero is human. Sure, armed with all sorts of blessings, she could run days without tiring. But she's human.
"What's this commotion in the city! Stop at once!"
Knights and guards had formed ranks on the main street we raced down. I could leap over easily, but slowed to a stop before them. The commanding knight's face looked familiar. What a fun coincidence. I quickly wiped the smirk from my lips and stood before him.
"Save me, Robin! A crazy murderer's chasing me!"
This host: Jacob, former squire knight. Now a mercenary after quitting, harboring some inferiority toward his knighted friend Robin.
"What're you talking about? You, that sword..."
"No time for talk!"
Robin, knightly yet soft-hearted, hesitated and couldn't stop me acting as Jacob with his body and memories. As I plunged into the soldiers' formation, the Hero charged exactly there. Seeing her terrifying momentum, Robin reacted on instinct.
"Attack! Attack!"
Who could stay calm with an unknown something barreling at impossible speed? The moment the order dropped, soldiers loosed arrows. None could harm the Hero, of course. But slowing her just a bit was enough.
"Thanks, buddy!"
"Jacob? Jacob!"
If that Robin friend had snapped to his senses sooner, he'd have seen his buddy's wrinkled face. Before he could grab me, I slipped away. Stealing Robin's body too would be ideal, but formal knights require some effort. About ten seconds? Plenty for the Hero to arrive.
Behind, the Hero batted away the arrow volley, landing with a shockwave that upended the guards' formation into pandemonium. City arson, property destruction, assaulting authorities. An unbeatable powerhouse rampaging inside the city. Naturally, the top authority would sense the crisis. Hire Viscount knew regular troops couldn't handle it and would mobilize the heavy hitters to protect his city.
"I won't tolerate your rampage any longer!"
The captain of the silver-plumed knight order guarding Hire Viscount's family.
"Impressive ability. If we capture it alive, can you hand it over to me?"
The viscount's advisor mage, who built a tower in a corner of the territory and immersed in research.
"No way it's from the Great Temple... Nah, couldn't be."
Even the Moon Bishop overseeing Hire and nearby temples. The city's asymmetric forces converged. Martial and political elites moving this fast meant the damage in such short time was immense.
I charged straight at the three gathered. Wariness in their eyes, the cleric raising a hand to strike—
"I surrender!"
I shouted loudly and prostrated flat before them.