Soul Weapon
Kwaaaang! Grgggggrit.
“Ha, this mad...!”
A cry of astonishment burst from the Sword Emperor's lips as the shockwave scraped the training ground's floor, shoving him back a good ten meters. Only recently had he reached the realm where he could emit aura through sheer will alone, without swinging his sword or hand. Setting aside the shame of using aura despite his boasts, he'd thought Tiny must have been gravely injured since he'd unleashed it unconsciously.
But.
“Urk... you used aura, Your Excellency.”
Tiny, who had bounced through the air but managed to right himself, looked pale—clearly shocked himself. But that was all. A mere Superior-grade had taken the aura called the power of destruction head-on. An impossible sight by any common sense.
“Energy absorption...? It can't swallow aura, but what a ridiculous Soul Weapon. How does gravity manifest to make that possible?”
The Sword Emperor could only shake his head in disbelief.
“Haven't I shown it before? The one I called Destruction attribute. Twisting it like this made this possible. Though it seems it can only barely endure aura for now.”
“What principle is behind it!?”
“Well... you just do it, you know? I can't really explain it in words.”
As Tiny tilted his head and said that, the Sword Emperor stared at him like he'd encountered some alien creature.
“...Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Ha, expecting an explanation from you was foolish.”
“No, why do you always...!”
“Anyway, fine. You're beyond expectations. I've realized anew that your talent defies measurement.”
“Oh, so I pass?”
Tiny grinned slyly, and the Sword Emperor smiled back brightly, satisfied.
“First, let's test the limits of that technique—how far you can push it—then we'll talk.”
“Ack!?”
“Take this!”
Thud.
With those words, a propitious aura blazed from the Sword Emperor's iron sword as he charged in an instant, slashing down with enough force to cleave Tiny in two. At the same time, his mana pressed in, restricting the entire space around Tiny.
This is...
If it were a Challenger-grade knight's spatial control, he could brute-force through it. But this...
“Damn it!”
Tiny spat a curse and swung his warhammer with all his might to parry the attack.
From that moment, deafening explosions echoed nonstop across the Valentia mansion's training ground for over six hours.
“Eat this!”
With Tiny's irritated shout, the black sphere at his warhammer's tip glowed white-hot, unleashing a massive shockwave.
But.
“Heh, that's new.”
Enveloped head to toe in crimson aura, the Sword Emperor swiftly retreated, deflecting the blow.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
The deflected fragments devastated the training ground, but Tiny hadn't so much as singed the Sword Emperor's hem.
Frustrated by that, perhaps.
“Damn... old... fart... tank...”
Thud.
Tiny glared resentfully at the Sword Emperor before collapsing, utterly spent.
Meeting that gaze, the Sword Emperor just shook his head with a hollow chuckle.
“What an absurd talent. Truly absurd...”
From various tests, Tiny's Soul Weapon wasn't limited to one effect.
First, it absorbs any energy below aura outright.
When he used a Mana Blade, it felt like pouring energy into an endless void—the momentum sucked straight into the black sphere.
And the second effect he'd discovered while pushing Tiny to his limits.
It uses that absorbed power to recover his own mana or body.
The conversion efficiency wasn't great, but the mere possibility of mid-battle recovery was astonishing. From Tiny's expression when he used it, he hadn't even known he could do that. Meaning room for improvement.
What a ridiculous body.
It was talent far beyond common sense.
And the third: the white-hot power he'd unleashed just before collapsing, exploding like a miniature star. It seemed to amplify the absorbed energy with his own, returning it doubled in destructive force.
And that felt like a fluke in the heat of the moment. Ha, that guy...
Even he, cloaked in superior aura, had to retreat and deflect it properly.
“Empty Space, Absorption, Exploding Star...”
Broadly, exploiting others' power as his own—but manifesting as three distinct authorities.
He couldn't fathom how the imperfect destruction energy Tiny dubbed Destruction attribute had evolved into such a Soul Weapon.
Well, anyway.
“You've exceeded expectations. Well done, Tiny.”
Words he wouldn't say if Tiny could hear. Wouldn't want to.
I wonder what that Soul Weapon will become when he awakens aura.
The Sword Emperor smiled proudly and hoisted Tiny's limp body.
Ungh.
“Urk!?”
Staggering briefly from the unexpected weight, he glanced around, face flushing, hoping no one saw.
And then.
“What the hell does this brat's body weigh so much?”
Grumbling with Tiny slung over his shoulder, he walked out of the training ground.
Even when much smaller, his weight was abnormal—but now taller, it was ridiculously heavier. In every way, the kid always surpassed expectations.
And the next day, when he awoke, Tiny made the Sword Emperor even more dumbfounded.
“Empty Space, Absorption, Exploding Star?”
“Po-ok-seong? Exploding star? Yeah, that fits the traits.”
“Sure, but I've already named them separately.”
“Hm?”
“Gluttony, Digestion, Vomiting.”
Cough.
“Vomiting?! Are you insane?!”
The Sword Emperor bellowed at the absurd names.
“What's wrong with it? Battle skills should be intuitive. Gobble it up, digest, then puke it out. Flows perfectly. Ah, should I have gone with Excretion?”
“Ugh... fine, do whatever.”
Tiny smirked inwardly at the Sword Emperor's blank face. He'd finally found a way to rile him up.
It's really a white hole, though.
Just teasing the overly serious Sword Emperor about others' business—he had no intention of actually naming his core technique something like vomiting. For image training, intuitive names matching the form were best.
So, Black Hole for absorption, White Hole for emission. The energy storage in between was just a bonus.
More importantly than names now were next steps.
“So, what should I do from here?”
“...Haven't you thought about it?”
“Why bother thinking when smart people are around to handle it?”
He'd pondered, but no answers. His brazen expression left the Sword Emperor speechless again. Just a sigh.
“...We'll discuss when Jenas returns.”
Essentially surrendering.
Two days later.
“...I've informed the palace of Sir Tiny's—er, Your Excellency's—arrival. His Majesty the Emperor made no mention of an audience, likely due to his busy schedule.”
“...As expected.”
“But invitations have already piled up en route here. Palace intelligence seems lacking. And Lady Luna here...”
Jenas reported calmly.
“I, stamped, it. I, free.”
Luna clenched her fist, face blank.
Hearing the report, the Sword Emperor eyed her curiously.
“So you're the Reaper. I've heard. Learning you're blood kin with Tiny makes it feel like fate. Pleased to meet you.”
“Me too, pleased.”
Jenas winced at the blunt casual speech, but the Sword Emperor ignored it.
“Soon, let's see your skills.”
No telling if he was grinding his teeth inside.
“Yeah. Curious too.”
As Tiny eyed them anxiously, past and future comrades exchanged greetings casually.
Outside the mansion, chaos reigned.
— Our count shouldn't have to queue like this.
— What about our lord!
— Hey! Which house's servant are you!?
— I got here first!
They dared clamor before the duke's mansion, where commoners wouldn't knock. Retainers of collateral royals and high nobles, delivering invitations to Tiny, formed a line.
Three days since Tiny's arrival in the capital.
The chaos's target just looked bored. The Sword Emperor seemed indifferent too.
“Servants must've leaked it already. Ignore them.”
He waved dismissively, then turned to Tiny.
“Tiny, interested in noble socials?”
“No.”
Sharp as a blade. The Sword Emperor nodded knowingly—but someone else was shocked.
“Gotta, get married...”
Tiny ignored Luna's mumble.
The Sword Emperor chuckled and continued.
“Good, no time to waste there. First, upcoming variables.”
Jenas flinched.
“Your Excellency, about that Raphtan mentioned—Roheeter first...”
“Roheeter's no priority. Handle that shapeshifter yourself later.”
Spirit user, not shapeshifter.
Weird ability, fair enough. Jenas nodded without correcting.
“Orcs' civil war and relic theft woke every nation and race to demon worshippers' threat. Thanks to you...”
The Sword Emperor smiled softly—but seeing Tiny smugly tilt his head, he ground his teeth unwittingly.
“...Not entirely, so don't get cocky, brat! You got plenty of help!”
His face strained, veins nearly popping.
Success at needling him, Tiny hid a grin and nodded innocently.
Glared at briefly, the Sword Emperor continued slowly.
“Anyway, global consensus is forming. Forces probing demon worshippers' bases and aims is positive.”
Everyone knew that.
“I've spread rumors via Blackwing that they seek Ma-gye Great War redux—interest won't fade easily. But...”
His face soured.
“They'll hide longer now. No disasters would be ideal, but if one you predicted hits—like Werebeast south invasion—it'll be trouble.”
“Not by demon worshippers?”
“Yes. You've exposed their plots so far. But Werebeast invasion? Our Aslan Empire and them are on bad terms—war tomorrow wouldn't scream demon worshippers.”
“Ah...”
“Still, they, could scheme?”
Tiny nodded at Luna's interjection. The Sword Emperor narrowed his eyes at them.
“They won't poke a bomb ticking anyway. Not idiots.”
His look screamed.
— Are all Mors idiots?
Tiny nearly bristled.