The Incompetent Hero and the Flame Alliance (3)

"Ah… an unfamiliar ceiling."

A pure, pristine white space. Returning from the mental world, what greeted me was a strange wooden ceiling. Looking up at that traditional hanok-style roofing you'd only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠expect to see at a cultural village experience, I recalled everything that had happened before entering the mental realm and glanced sideways.

There sat a nun, Lucy, demurely reading a book in a chair. The soft rustle of turning pages drifted over like ASMR.

"Oh my."

Hearing my mutter, Lucy turned her head and looked at me. Our eyes met, and she smiled with her eyes as she spoke.

"You're awake? That finished faster than I expected. It's rare for a Hero to pass the Holy Sword's trial so quickly."

"…Fast? How long has it been since I took the Holy Sword's trial?"

Just going by how long it felt like I'd been going at it with Makina in the mental world, several hours had easily passed…

Lucy closed the book she'd been reading — probably a Bible — thought for a moment, then answered.

"About ten minutes, I'd say?"

"Only ten minutes?"

"The mental domain of the Holy Sword's trial runs on a different flow of time. Hmm… haven't you ever had an experience like that? You only doze off for a moment, but it feels like you've dreamed all sorts of things."

Well… I'd never paid enough attention to those kinds of experiences to say for sure.

I sat up from the bedding and drew the Holy Sword from my inventory.

"…Huh?"

The moment I took hold of it, a strange warmth radiated from the blade — something I'd never felt before.

…Something about this looked different from the Holy Sword description I remembered. I'd figured the "unusable" lock would just disappear, but a whole pile of extras had been slapped on.

What stood out most were the mass of special effects — and the changed attack power.

It used to be 1500 plus the highest stat. Now it's straight-up triple that.

Ah. There it was at last. Seong-gang-gi Manifestation.

The Holy Sword's greatest hallmark and symbol: Seong-gang-gi. It was a technique that drew out the divine power built into the Holy Sword itself and wrapped it around the blade in the form of Gang-gi.

Of course, you could also layer ordinary Gang-gi on top of it. Do that, and the power naturally doubled — and depending on mastery, you could push the amplification even further. It was also the reason Hero Leon, despite being so hopelessly broken he got branded "Incompetent," had somehow managed to keep playing the Hero.

With this kind of attack power, plus the ability to stack Seong-gang-gi and Gang-gi… no wonder they said only about three people in the world could beat me.

If I went all-out and dumped a full-power strike into someone right now, the damage would be absurd.

…Can I even control this output?

[Now let's go smash that Blood Magic Sword that dared to greedily suck up Master's mana!!]

"Shit—!"

Makina's voice hit me out of nowhere and I nearly dropped the sword. Looking down at it, I could see a faint shimmer of light rippling along the blade.

"Is something the matter?"

"No… there was a bug. More importantly, how long are you planning to stay here? The Holy Sword's trial is over."

"There's a beautiful young nun like me in your room and you don't want me here?"

She tilted her head, gazing up at me with the most adorable, lovable expression she could muster. I watched her quietly for a moment, then tossed out a single line.

"I don't. Get out."

"Hiiing."

At last I got the self-proclaimed vampire nun out of the room. Then I looked down at the faintly glowing Holy Sword and spoke.

"So… we can actually talk?"

[Of course! As long as the link with Master isn't severed, we can talk anytime, anywhere! You're Makina's Master, after all!]

I see. So this was the power I'd earned by railing the Holy Sword until she passed out. Truly… disorienting.

"Then I want to ask about the Blood Magic Sword. That's the red blade the Sword Demon was using, right?"

[Yes! Exactly! The Blood Magic Sword. It was once wielded by a nameless warrior from the East Continent of Filgrea. He cut down so many martial artists — cut and cut and cut again — that he came to be called the Blood Demon, and as the blood of tens of thousands of lives soaked into that blade, an evil power took root. After that, people called it the Blood Magic Sword. That's its origin. And as Master already felt, its special trait is absorbing an opponent's qi and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠blood.]

I'd experienced it firsthand, so I'd already guessed as much. Still — a sword used by a warrior who slaughtered countless martial artists… and of all people, the Sword Demon was the one holding it.

From what the Sword King had told me, the Sword Demon had sought power for revenge until the means and the end flipped, and she became a monster who pursued power for its own sake. In more ways than one, it suited her perfectly.

[But you don't need to worry! A sword like that can absorb Master's power maybe once or twice at most!]

"…So there's a limit to how much it can absorb?"

[Yes! The only one who can withstand Master's huge… beautiful… passionate power is Makina!]

Don't use a voice that makes the listener feel weird.

I let out a long sigh and stowed the Holy Sword back in my inventory.

"Time to sleep."

The next day.

I felt remarkably refreshed — the best morning I'd had in a long while.

"Is anyone within?"

"? Yes. What is it?"

I'd been savoring the pleasant morning when a voice called from outside.

"His Majesty the King requests the presence of Leon, envoy of the Yeom Kingdom."

"…"

Not as the benefactor who protected Baekho — as an envoy. I sent word that I'd be there shortly, changed clothes, and stepped outside. Waiting for me was the man I'd seen before — Jang San.

"Shall we go together?"

"Understood."

We walked. He didn't seem the talkative type; he never started a conversation as we went. I didn't have much to say either, so we walked in silence all the way to our destination.

"We're here."

"The Queen is inside?"

"Yes. Baekryeon and the princess of Sichuan have already arrived, so set your mind at ease."

"Understood. Then…"

Just as I was about to enter the main hall of the palace, Jang San stopped me.

"A moment — if you don't mind?"

"?"

"May I ask one simple question?"

"A question about what?"

He briefly ran his hand over the hilt of his sword, then spoke.

"Baekryeon's sword — did you refine it for her?"

"No. All I gave Baekryeon was physical conditioning and real combat experience. Her sword itself hasn't changed."

"Is that so? That's a little disappointing… and at the same time, a relief."

"Is that all you wanted to ask?"

Jang San nodded without a word. Confirming that, I went inside.

"Leon!"

"Doryeong, you've come."

"Finally. In Jo we have a saying — the early bird catches the worm."

"Then the worm should sleep in."

At my reply, the Queen snorted a quiet laugh, then spoke.

"First — I've said it several times already, but I'll say it again. Baekho is a vital being who has protected this land through a contract with my distant ancestors. By rights, we should have rescued her ourselves, but we lacked the strength. Deliver this to her."

An official handed me a small brown wooden box. Opening ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it, I found a little vial inside.

"This is?"

"The Tears of Haetae. Well… not actual tears. A condensed mass of qi wrung out by the sacred beast Haetae."

"Hmm…"

Hearing that, I wanted a closer look — but it was clear this wasn't the only piece of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠business, so I stowed the box in my inventory and looked back at the Queen.

"We've reviewed the message from the Emperor of Yeom. Quite a few interesting things written in it. I hear this Emperor inherited the throne suddenly and is still quite young… but it's an entertaining proposition all the same."

I had no idea what was written in there to earn that reaction — but she seemed reasonably satisfied.

"The Beastman Alliance, and the unknown being leading them called Tenma. An alliance to bring that being down… in other words, they propose we form the Flame Alliance."

The Flame Alliance — a vow of fire. The Emperor of Yeom really did know how to enlarge the board. And judging by her reaction, the Queen of Jo seemed to be looking favorably on the Emperor's coalition.

"We refuse."

Never mind.

"Plenty was written, but there is no benefit in it for us. We have no reason to shoulder such risk. That is my personal view. However…"

The Queen paused, then continued.

"However, you are our benefactor. So I will ask our benefactor. Do you need the strength of Jo?"

Suddenly turning this into a choice game, huh.

"I do."

"Good. Then we will accept the Yeom Kingdom's Flame Alliance. Hear me! From this moment, Jo lifts its isolation decree!"

The Queen declared it with open-handed boldness.

"We of Jo hereby join the alliance to deal with the demonic fragment known as Tenma! All officials — assess the troops and resources to be sent to the Yeom Kingdom, and prepare them for swift dispatch!"