Act I Part 5

'So he really is alive. I knew it.'

Seeing the brown-haired man leaving his house, I breathed a sigh of relief. Seriously, if something did happen to him, I would have lost my chance to get Boosted Gear. That would have sucked really bad.

'Hm? He seemed to be sulking. Well, I guess the way he was screaming yesterday, even I would be sulking hard.'

Ignoring the kid's gloomy expression as he left for his school, I took the Replication Card out and used it on him. The moment I did so, it shone with crimson light before bursting into particles and entering my body.

What a weird feeling… It was like I was given a new organ without me realizing when. Soon, a notification popped in front of my gaze telling me that I have succeeded in getting the Boosted Gear.

+

[Host has used the Replication Card. Congratulations on getting Boosted Gear]

[Temporary ability [Ability Check]will now be revoked. Host can no longer check other people's ability]

[Based on Host's feelings and thoughts, Boosted Gear has turned into a subspecies Sacred Gear]

+

Huh? Subspecies? What's that? I mean, I do get what it means but I have no idea what it means on a Boosted Gear. My knowledge really lacks about these Sacred Gears. I might need someone to fill in these gaps.

Anyhow, how do I use it now? It did say that it was a gauntlet, but I have no idea how to call it out… This is going to be annoying.

[Well, this is new]

Yeah, for me too… "The fuck?!" I hurriedly looked around me. I definitely heard someone's voice in my head just now. Was I delusional?

[Seeing the course of events, I should be the one saying that]

Huh? Oh! Could it be?!

[Listen well. I am Red Dragon Emperor of Domination, the Welsh Dragon, Y Ddraig Goch!]

Oh…

[What is that reaction?! I am the Red Dragon—]

Yeah, I got it on the first try. It is just that I already knew who you were. Just not that much of a surprise.

[That Ability Check thing? Humph! As if sentences alone are enough to show my brilliance]

I guess? I mean, yeah, your voice did make it sound more… imposing? I did feel like I was talking with an ancient existence.

[As long as you understand]

Not gonna lie. His voice did catch me off guard. I did read in the description that the Boosted Gear held the soul of the Heavenly Dragon, but I had thought that it was more like used as the source or something, not a literal sense of seal.

[As if I would allow such a thing to happen. Once you reach a certain level, like me, you can live independently as a soul]

I can see that… You can read my mind?

[Is that surprising?]

Not anymore. I guess this Boosted Gear has integrated with me to the level that it is another part of my body huh.

[More like, another part of your soul. But I'm curious, will that brown-haired kid also have another me in him?]

I guess? The description did say that it 'copies and not take' so there he should indeed also have another you in him.

[Fascinating. Even the Biblical God couldn't do such a thing. I really wish to meet that mysterious deity that sent you here. He must be stronger than the Biblical God. It makes me excited]

'Dragon blood huh. But the thing that is more surprising to me is the Biblical God. Holy shit. He exists here?!'

[What a stupid question. You believe in Angels yet you didn't think that He existed? Where did Angels come from then?]

Fair point…

That was kinda embarrassing. But, well, does He still exist? I don't want to get paranoid knowing that there is someone always watching me.

[Meaningless worries. Biblical God is long dead]

"... The fuck? How did a God that should have 3 Os even die? Is that even possible? How does that even work?"

[There is no such thing as a being with 3Os. In the first place, how would you define Omnipotent when there is always a chance of there being someone stronger than you?]

So the Big G was just strong but not the strongest.

[You can say that. There is no such thing as eternity after all. Everything will come to an end, one way or the other]

Somehow we ended up with a philosophical talk. I wanted to ask, how do I activate Boosted Gear?

[Sacred Gears, especially Boosted Gear, depend on their host's thoughts and feelings. Just think of the coolest power you can think of and try to use it, it should manifest itself that way]

Coolest power? That was hard since there were too many to count anyway. After thinking for some time, I made a gripping motion with my hand and slashed, imagining cutting the reality—Reality Slash.

Ah, fuck this is embarrassing! Should have thought about something less chunni.

My thoughts were cut short as a crimson light shone brightly on my slashing hand. Thankfully, I was in the alley making it so no one could see what I was doing currently.

It was bright enough for me to use my other hand to shield my eyes.

A second later, the light started to die down. I could feel a weight on my hand.

"This…"

[Interesting. This is the first time I have seen a Host who didn't manifest a Gauntlet but a sword. You must have a great affinity with swords for such a thing to happen]

Well, I did think of cutting down my enemies whenever I had occasional… chunni thoughts in the past. Maybe that's why?

[Could be]

I stared at the long thin crimson sword in my hand. It was between one or one and a half meters long—quite long for a sword—and had a green gem embedded in the handguard.

It should have been quite heavy for me to lift yet I don't seem to drag down by its weight whatsoever. I wonder if it's because of it being my Sacred Gear.

'Oh yeah! Ddraig, can you tell me more about Sacred Gears? I don't like the fact that I lack the knowledge about something that seems to have quite a big influence in this world.'