Act I Part 6

[In simplest terms, Sacred Gears are the weapons made by the Biblical God for humans so they can protect themselves against other races, mainly Devils. There are many types of such Sacred Gears but the most notable would—]

"Longinus."

[—Exactly. Boosted Gear is one of such Sacred Gears having the power to kill even Gods!]

"Gods huh…"

[Hm? You don't seem impressed]

Ah, well, someone who can be killed is not a God in my eyes, just a 'slightly' powerful person. So hearing you saying that the Sacred Gear can kill a God, to me, is the same as hearing that a gun can be used to kill an elephant. Not really impressive if you think about it.

[Hahahaha! A 'slightly' stronger person?! Hahahaha! I guess that indeed is one way to see it]

'You seem amused.'

[Of course! Not ever have I heard an ant calling a God a 'slightly' powerful person]

'I'll take that as a compliment.'

[It indeed was one. Such a mindset is perfect for my host! If you cower, you can never shoulder my domination! So saying that Gods are but 'slightly' powerful people in your eyes, aren't you indirectly saying that you can kill them if you try hard enough?]

Well, that is one way of interpreting it.

[That's why I'm happy to hear such words from you. Hahaha! I definitely see potential in you, kid! As long as you have such a mindset, becoming the strongest existence won't just be a dream to you!]

"Hehehe."

[Now stop acting creepy and get to train yourself. If you want to kill a Fallen, the current you will be squashed like a bug even by the weakest one. Move your ass]

Fuck you too. But damn I kinda like this sword now. Even though it was a bit big for my use, making it hard for me to swing it and yet maintain my balance, I think I can still do it if I try hard enough.

For now, let's find a place where I can do some tests. I do remember going through an abandoned factory yesterday. Let's go there to test my new powers.

With a thought, the sword vanished from my hands as I made my way toward the abandoned factory.

Looking down at my clothes that were covered with dust to the point it made me look like a beggar, I think I need to find some source of income so I can buy new clothes, take a bath, and have a satisfying meal. I haven't eaten shit for two days goddammit! If this goes on, I might fall into exhaustion.

Standing in the centre of the factory, I called my Sacred Gear out—a sword appearing in my hands.

Staring at it, I was once again reminded of its abnormal length. Really, it would really help if it was a little short. I could at least swing it without losing my balance that way.

[You can actually customize its length to your liking]

Really? Why am I hearing it for the first time?

[Heh! Even if you indeed can customize it to your liking, with you having no mana whatsoever, it is impossible. Maybe first try getting some mana for yourself. Hahahah]

This bitch… I could feel a vein popping in my head hearing his obnoxious laughter in my head. I really wished that I could shut him down.

[You actually can]

Oh really! Wait… no—

[But you need mana for it! Hahaha]

"..."

Gritting my teeth, I decided to ignore the laughing dragon within my soul and tightly gripped the sword in my hand.

Well, then, how should we go with it?

[Try Boosting yourself for starters. Surprisingly, your physique is better than most humans. It should allow you to Boost yourself a maximum of three times. More than that, you would be pulling your leg down and might end up with broken veins and muscles]

Even if you praise me, I won't be happy.

[You are smirking from ear to ear right now]

Ignoring the obviously lying dragon, I focused back on the sword and softly muttered.

"Boost."

The same sound came out of the gem on the sword, slightly startling me. Suddenly I felt something filling my body, making it feel lighter and tougher.

I could hear more clearly, see more clearly, and even move more easily now. Even the swinging of the sword doesn't seem to hinder me any longer.

'So this is what feels like having your stats double. It feels… euphoric? It's like I have taken steroids or something.'

[Just wait for it to wear down. The pain isn't that euphoric, to be honest]

'Why pain?'

[Though you are now able to move with more freedom—think of it as an illusion—once the boost wears down, the accumulated pain for moving your mucusless beyond your capabilities is going to hit hard. That's why I said before, you need to train… a lot]

I understand. So even though now I feel I can take dozens of people if boost wears down during a fight, I'm done for?

[That's why you need to finish the fight before the boost wears down. Otherwise, you should count your lucky stars so that you don't die]

Touche.

By the way, Ddraig, can you explain about the Balance Breaker? I remember reading that it can remove the limit of ten seconds.

[It's like the final release of Sacred Gear, an ultimate move kinda thing. Not only does it remove the initial limiter on the Sacred Gear, but it also provides its user with almost the whole power of the Sacred Gear]

Sounds cool. How do I achieve it then?

[Tie your horses down kid. Currently, you can only dream of achieving Balance Breaker. Though if you want an incomplete one, I can tell you a way to do so]

Why does it sound like a devil's whisper? Are you sure you're a dragon?

[Hehehe. You just need to exchange a part of your body for a dragon counterpart for it, and you will be able to achieve incomplete Balance Breaker for ten seconds or so]

I knew it. But can you elaborate on the exchange part a little more?

[I was joking kid. Don't think about doing it. It isn't that pleasing. It hurts like bitch too]

I understand, but I want to hear it.

[... Well, in short, you will exchange a part of your body and I'll turn it into a dragon part]

Fascinating.

A smirk formed on my face. If that's the case, isn't it more like a power-up than anything else? I mean, yes, the pain part is also there, but where is there gain if there's no pain?

[Well said! I was thinking about it, but if you exchange your heart for a dragon heart, you should be able to produce mana within your body. And with time, it should make it so you will never run out of it… ever!]