Chapter 3

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In the town that had vanished in an instant, a blood-soaked, golden man walked unsteadily. Even without seeing his blood-red eyes or the veins that stood out like lightning, it was clear at a glance that he had lost his mind.

Every time he swung the dark red sword in his hand, shockwaves blew away buildings by the dozen. The power of his attacks was overwhelmingly overwhelming. Even the B-rank Gold Sword that the golden man had been using seemed like a toy in comparison.

"Damn it! Of all things, to touch a cursed piece of equipment...!"

Yabuki clicked his tongue and touched the sword and shield lying nearby. The soul contract with the weapons was completed instantly, and he equipped them in a flash. As expected of a former B-rank adventurer, the weapons did not reject him.

"They may not be the best, but they're better than nothing. Well, let's run."

Yabuki stood up and extended his hand to me, who was still in shock.

"Run... wouldn't it be better to hide?"

"Want to be crushed by hidden rubble?"

"That... I..."

I didn't think we could run or hide.

The slowly returning rationality only filled my mind with despair. The more calm and calculated I became, the more impossible it seemed to survive this situation.

Yabuki, perhaps unable to bear seeing me like this, smiled to encourage me.

"Don't worry, I've been through worse. This isn't the first time I've been caught up in a cursed equipment problem."

"...Yabuki-san"

I had never seen Yabuki look so reliable.

If I followed him, I was sure I would be saved.

With that conviction, I reached out to take Yabuki's hand—

—thud.

"Huh?"

For a moment, I didn't know what the sound was.

Then, I was confused.

Why was Yabuki's hand... on the ground?

I slowly raised my head to confirm, and saw the sky at sunset.

—Yabuki's upper body was gone.

For some reason, I thought I had to find it quickly.

But no matter how I looked around... it was nowhere to be found. It had completely disappeared. Despite his large frame, it vanished in an instant.

As I was thinking this, the remaining part of Yabuki's body swayed and fell to the ground with a thud. Warm blood splattered all over me.

After that, everything was silent.

The town was as quiet as if it were dead—

—thud.

Suddenly, a sound came from behind me.

—thud.

It sounded like the sound of leather shoes hitting the ground.

—thud.

The sound was getting closer.

—thud.

Closer.

—thud.

It was almost right there.

—thud.

Right behind me.

...

That was the last sound. It seemed to have stopped.

I hesitantly turned around.

"...!?"

—A man was staring at me intently.

His face, so close that our noses almost touched, was devoid of emotion.

"..."

I couldn't even scream.

My body stiffened, and I couldn't move a muscle.

The man's expressionless face showed no emotion.

He just stared at me with eyes wide open, as if they were about to pop out. In those smooth, red eyes, my crumpled face was reflected.

The man still held the dark red sword in his hand.

On closer inspection, the sword was pulsating—thud, thud, thud, thud...—as if it were trembling with joy at the sight of its prey. The red blade gleamed with a sticky luster, like a wet animal's tongue.

"..."

I couldn't make a sound. It was as if I had forgotten how to speak, and all I could do was gasp with my mouth open.

The man's expressionless face drew closer. Our eyes were almost touching.

He slowly raised the sword.

Seeing this in the corner of my eye, I was startled.

—I'm going to die.

At that moment, my body moved on its own.

I didn't think about wanting to live; I just wanted to run.

My body leaped forward as if it had been pushed, and I rolled awkwardly on the ground.

This action ended up saving my life.

"..."

The sword was swung down—where I had been just a second ago, it vanished.

A huge crater was formed. The shockwave from the sword blew away the remaining part of Yabuki's body, and a wet thud was heard from a distance.

The man immediately noticed that the sword had missed.

He turned his head and looked at me again.

He approached me, his face close, and stared at me intently. It was as if he was sizing me up... or hesitating to attack me.

...Why doesn't he kill me right away?

He killed Yabuki in one hit. If he's going to kill me, I wish he would do it quickly. After all, I can't run or hide anymore.

Thinking this, all resistance left my body.

I don't need to dodge the sword. Even if I dodge it once, it will only extend my life by a few minutes. Besides, even if I survive, I won't have a great life. I'd rather die quickly than live in this fear for even a second longer.

I relaxed my body and squeezed my eyes shut—

—"Huh... What's that, construction noise? It's so loud, I woke up."

A girl's voice came from right under my feet.

I thought it was a hallucination. But the voice came again.

"Besides... What the heck is this!? I was taking a nap, and now this! Is this construction? Construction!?"

It's probably not construction.

"Also, it's already evening!? No way, I slept for about 10 hours!?"

Is that something to be surprised about now?

"Besides, what? This is a situation where you're going to die too? That's a problem. Stop it."

Even if you say "stop it," it's a problem for me.

Besides, it's really loud when someone is about to die.

I couldn't ignore the voice anymore, so I opened my eyes.

Looking down, I saw a palm-sized black-haired doll.

It was from Yabuki's armory. The birdcage it was in must have broken, and the doll was lying on the ground. It didn't move like a doll, but I noticed that its expression was slightly moving.

"Unbelievable... If you die too, I'll be left here forever."

The voice seemed to be coming from the doll.

"Hey, you! What are you spacing out for!?"

"Uh, sorry."

The first words I spoke in a long time were an apology. I didn't expect my habit of apologizing to show up even in a situation like this. It was even worse that it was to a doll.

"Equip me!"

"Huh?"

"Equip me, I said!"

"Equip...?"

Indeed, she might be equipment. But I can't equip normal equipment. Besides, I don't think she's normal equipment.

"What? Don't you know how to equip? Don't worry! I'm cursed equipment! Even beginners can easily equip me with one touch!"

"Cursed... equipment?"

"That's right! If you understand, come on! It's free to touch right now!"

It's usually not free.

"Hey, are you... not satisfied with just touching?"

"No, touching a doll more than that doesn't make sense... but that's not the point."

I swallowed hard.

In front of me was cursed equipment (self-proclaimed). The cursed equipment I had been so eager for. Equipment I could equip.

Yet, my hand trembled and wouldn't move.

Maybe I was afraid of cursed equipment. Maybe it was because I had seen the real cursed equipment. Maybe it was because I had seen a man driven mad by cursed equipment.

Looking ahead, the man was still staring at me intently.

It didn't make sense, and it was terrifying.

I didn't want to be in a situation like this.

"Hey... Why are you silent? Do you not want to equip me? Is it better to die than to equip me?"

The doll's red eyes flickered with unease.

"Um... I'm sorry for being so blunt. Please... I'll pay you, so touch me. If you want, I'll do more than just touch..."

"No, more than just touching is fine."

Because of this doll, all my tension had disappeared.

I was in a life-threatening situation, but...

"Hey! Behind you!"

"Behind?"

I turned around, and the man was raising his sword.

I couldn't understand the timing of his swings, but I could tell he was intent on killing me.

"Ah!?" "Eek!?"

I did a forward roll to avoid the sword, just like before.

The sword was swung down, and the ground exploded.

I managed to avoid it, but the explosion hit where the doll had been. The power was enough to destroy Adamant Armor with just the shockwave. The doll must have been destroyed... but.

"Ouch!?"

The doll fell down.

"Ouch! This is unbelievable!"

Is "unbelievable" enough? The doll was surprisingly tough.

"Hey, you!"

"Me?"

"Of course you! Who else?"

"Sorry"

It's hard to tell who she's talking to since her face doesn't move. She might be talking to the man, and if I answer, it could be awkward.

"You avoided, so you want to live, right?"

"Huh..."

I avoided again, even though I was prepared to die.

"If you want to live, equip me!"

"Want to live...?"

It's as if she's saying that if I equip this doll, I can defeat that incredibly powerful sword.

I looked at the man. If I stay like this, I will eventually be killed by his sword. Avoiding attacks so far has been a kind of miracle.

But, is it really okay to be killed like this? Is it okay to end my life in the worst possible way? Didn't I want to be a hero?

—When we meet again... please, save me.

Is it okay to end without meeting the person who said this?

"...Yeah, that's right."

If I can live... I want to live.

So, I reached out to the doll.

As if reaching for the hope that lies beyond her.

And—

"Hey, can I take a shower first?"

—I touched the doll.

At that moment, the world distorted with a loud noise.

"Ugh!?"

Electric currents ran through my veins, causing intense pain as if my body was about to burst from the inside.

Then, finally—information exploded in my head.

*Jujumanekata [Curse]*

...A doll that curses its owner. No matter how many times you throw it away, it always ends up by your side. One of the "Seven Dolls."

Rank: ???

Type: Accessory

Effect: Love Plunder (Steal others' cursed equipment)

Cost: Luck = 0

"What... is this?"

I couldn't understand, and my head couldn't keep up.

At least, I think this is the feeling of equipping equipment. When you equip equipment, your soul and body are reconstructed to match the equipment. The intense pain I felt must be the reason for that.

"I see, this is equipping..."

Finally, I have my own equipment...

"Alright, now I can move! Yay! Fist of joy! Dukshi! Dukshi!"

...I can't savor the moment.

Maybe because of the effect of the equipment, the doll that had been motionless was now bouncing around. It was quite annoying. I already wanted to unequip it, but cursed equipment can't be removed.

"Uh, Jujumanekata?"

According to the information that just flowed into my head, that's the doll's name.

When I called her, Jujumanekata stopped moving and frowned.

"Calling me by my first name right away? Feeling like a boyfriend already?"

"I didn't mean to... Should I call you Jujumanekata-san?"

"Why not just my first name?"

"Sorry"

What a troublesome doll.

"Anyway, do you understand my power?"

"The 'Love Plunder' thing?"

"That's right. As you can see from the manual... my ability twists the world's logic—the equipment system."

Indeed, "stealing equipment" and "removing cursed equipment" are both impossible in the equipment system.

"If you have the resolve to use cursed equipment, I can become stronger than any other equipment."

I noticed a needle in my hand.

A needle that seemed to gather all the light in one place.

It was pure and yet rough—

Divine and yet ominous—

A strange appearance that combined contradictory elements in one needle.

"Come on, if you want to live, stab my heart with that needle!"

Jujumanekata floated in the air and spread her arms. Her chest was exposed, as if waiting for an embrace from a loved one. Stabbing her heart, even if she's a doll, was a bit unsettling...

"..."

But the man started moving again.

The man raising his sword. I couldn't avoid it this time.

"Ah, whatever!"

In a fit of desperation, I stabbed the needle into Jujumanekata.

The needle entered her body with almost no resistance.

"Here it is! I've been waiting for this!"

Jujumanekata laughed maniacally—

The space around her body twisted.

The scenery mixed up, and I felt like my body was spinning. My brain was violently shaken, and I couldn't tell up from down, left from right.

In the midst of this, I felt something in my right hand—

"—Huh"

When I came to, my vision had returned to normal.

The sunset had sunk deeper than before.

Looking down, I saw fragments of golden armor scattered on the ground.

In my hand was the dark red sword...

"Ah, finally back to your senses?"

Turning to the voice, I saw Jujumanekata sitting on a nearby pile of rubble. She was swinging her legs, apparently bored.

"What... happened?"

As I muttered this, my head felt like it was splitting. With the pain, information appeared in my head.

*Blood Licker [Curse]*

...A dark red, pulsating demon sword. The more enemies it kills, the more it drinks their blood and increases its attack power. When drawn from its sheath, it takes over the wielder's mind and kills both enemies and allies. Therefore, it is also called the "Massacre Sword."

Rank: SSS

Type: Weapon (Sword)

Effect: Attack Power +16,300

Bloodsucking (Increases weapon attack power by the attack power of the defeated creature)

Cost: When drawn from the sheath, enters a "Rampage State." In the Rampage State, it will not return to normal until it has killed all living beings in its sight. If not given blood daily, it will rampage and kill the wielder to extract blood.

...Is this the information about the sword?

"SSS rank...? Attack power, 16,300...?"

It was an unimaginable specification. The highest rank in the world was supposed to be A, and even a holy sword's attack power was only around 500. The difference was too great.

"Hmm? It's a pretty strong sword, even among cursed equipment. And... it can still grow stronger."

"...Really?"

Even now, it has enough power to destroy a town with one swing.

What would happen if it grew stronger?

I couldn't even imagine it.

I casually held the sword in front of me.

The dark red blade pulsed, reflecting the sunset and shining brilliantly.

"...Beautiful"

The words slipped out unconsciously.

Even though I had found it creepy just a moment ago... this sword seemed more beautiful than any equipment I had ever seen. More beautiful than the Adamant Armor I had longed for... overwhelmingly so.

"This is my equipment..."

I couldn't believe it, but it was true.

Thinking about it, a wave of joy washed over me.

"Haha..."

Tears fell.

Finally, I could equip equipment...

"Huh? Your reaction is different from when you equipped me. It hurts."

"Sorry"

"But... I'm glad."

Jujumanekata smiled softly.

"You're not 'Zero Noroa' anymore."

"Huh...?"

I wondered how she knew, but she probably learned my information when I equipped her, just as I learned the equipment's information.

"You will become stronger than anyone. The strongest in the world."

"The strongest...?"

"That's right! Demons? Heroes? You'll be able to take them all down in one round."

"Really...?"

Looking at the sword in my hand, I couldn't really feel it.

Maybe my loser mentality had seeped into the depths of my heart.

Still, a glimmer of hope arose.

—You can become the strongest in this world.

Someone said in the depths of my memory.

If I could believe those words...

Maybe I could become the hero I had always admired.

No, not just a hero—

"You can become anything you want!"

"..."

Faced with Jujumanekata's words and her smile, I couldn't say anything.

The words stuck in my throat, my eyes stung, and my head was a mess...

Ah... So much has happened today.

I lost to a skeleton, cried, and gave up on being an adventurer... then the town was blown away, Yabuki was killed, I almost died, I equipped Jujumanekata, and I got the sword Blood Licker...

It felt like I had experienced a lifetime's worth of emotional ups and downs.

Through this tumultuous day, I realized one thing.

—Equipment determines your life.

That statement is absolutely true.

Noroa Reta, Adventurer, Level 10

HP: 74

MP: 15

Attack: 12 (16,312 when unsheathed)

Defense: 14

Speed: 17

Magic: 17

Luck: 0

Equipment Slots: 9999

* Weapon

Right Hand: Blood Licker [Curse] (Attack +16,300)

* Armor

None

* Accessory

1: ❄❄❄❄ [Curse] (Equipment Slots = 9999)

2: Jujumanekata [Curse] (Luck = 0)

~Bonus: Juma Bolt's Status~

Juma Bolt, Adventurer, Level 34

HP: 194

MP: 27

Attack: 30 (240 when unsheathed)

Defense: 243

Speed: 40

Magic: 24

Luck: 31

Equipment Slots: 3

* Weapon

Right Hand: Gold Sword (Attack +210)

* Armor

Shield: Gold Shield (Defense +120)

Armor: Gold Armor (HP +100, Defense +100)

* Accessory

None

This concludes Chapter 1!

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