Splurt!!!
Blood spurted from Blade's body in crimson streams, yet she still refused to fall. Instead, she clenched her teeth and swung Ragnarok like a war hammer, smashing it down toward Takumi.
Clang!
Even after parrying and dispersing most of her force, Takumi's sword shattered from the impact. He casually tossed the broken hilt aside.
Blade's wounds were knitting back together at a frightening speed—except for the injury to her eyes. Though her vision hadn't fully returned, her lips curled into a triumphant smile.
"Pathetic man… You can't harm me!"
She had felt her divine sword crush his blade. Once her sight recovered, she'd carve him into pieces.
The sound that answered her came from the Boosted Gear flaring on Takumi's arm.
"Boosted!"
Power surged again. Takumi closed the distance in a single stride. Hearing him approach, Blade swung Ragnarok blindly, trying to pulp him.
Takumi raised his left arm—clad in the Boosted Gear—to catch the blade head-on.
Crash!
Sparks burst from the clash. In Blade's faintly recovering vision, she saw Takumi's free hand dart out to seize her wrist.
Before she could react—
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Bone shattered beneath his grip.
"AAAHHHH!!!"
Pain swept through her like a flood, making her thrash wildly to pull free. But Takumi stood immovable, his hand tightening inexorably.
Snap!
With one final crunch, her wrist broke completely. Ragnarok clanged to the ground, and Blade collapsed in agony.
"You really thought you were something? A trash hero relying on a weapon dares to bark at me?"
Takumi pressed his boot on her head, his cold voice echoing in her ear. Even as her sight returned, her gaze fell on Ragnarok lying just a meter away.
"Let me go, you filthy man!!"
She screeched, struggling to rise. Takumi simply pressed down harder, forcing her head lower.
The ringing pain in her skull crushed her arrogance, twisting her shouts into pleas.
"Please—please don't! I'll stop! I'm the Sword Hero, I'll give you anything you want! Just let me go!!"
Takumi said nothing. He simply pressed his foot down again.
"I—mmphhh!"
Her desperate struggles were like a fish flopping on the chopping block—inevitable.
Crack!
With one last stomp, Blade fell silent.
The masterless Ragnarok reverted to its original state—a shimmering jewel, the Divine Armament at rest.
[Ding! Randomly acquired trait: Herculean Strength (Green)]
As the trait fused into him, Takumi felt his body grow denser, his raw strength tripling.
"Haaah… With brute force alone, I should be able to brawl with high-class demons now."
He exhaled, reaching down to pick up the Divine Armament.
The moment his fingers touched it, a voice rang in his mind:
[Healing Hero, you—ahhh!]
But before the godlike voice could finish, the Boosted Gear devoured it. The emerald gauntlet forcibly absorbed the jewel.
To Takumi's astonishment, the trait changed before his eyes.
[Boosted Gear (Gold): Having absorbed the Divine Armament, this Sacred Gear now wields unparalleled divine power!]
Information poured into his mind. The Divine Armament, born from his healing power, had merged fully with the Boosted Gear:
[Pain Storage]: Using healing magic no longer inflicted agony on him. The pain would be stored in the gauntlet and could be released as a damaging attack.
[Auto-Heal]: Even if his magic ran dry, the gauntlet would automatically heal him when needed.
[Area Spread]: His skills and magic effects could now expand outward—currently to a one-meter radius.
All of these could combine with the gauntlet's original powers.
"The Boosted Gear has evolved beyond a mere Sacred Gear…!"
Clenching his fist, the Jade gem flared brightly.
"Boosted!"
"Expand the range—again, double it!"
The one-meter radius swelled, doubling and redoubling until it covered a full kilometer.
"[Corrupt]!"
Takumi pointed with one finger.
Without warning, every remaining soldier clutched their chest, pupils shrinking in agony.
Corrupt—a skill born from his healing magic—converted its restorative power into a debuff, directly damaging flesh and ignoring resistance.
Before, he had to touch his targets. Now, with the Boosted Gear's enhancement, it had become a full-area attack.
Hundreds of remaining soldiers dropped dead where they stood. Even those feigning death were annihilated.
Setsuna, who had been personally tearing through soldiers, stopped in her tracks, panting. Her eyes shone with awe.
[Affection: 95 → 100]
"Takumi-sama…"
Her tail swished as she ran to him like a loyal hound.
He patted her head, smiling at the Ice Wolves nearby.
"You're safe—thanks to me… and to Setsuna!"
His voice rang across the battlefield. Every Ice Wolf turned eyes of reverence upon him.
Later, Setsuna reunited briefly with her parents—but this time, she said goodbye.
"Father, Mother, I've found the master I will serve. From this day forth, Setsuna will follow only him."
Seeing how much she'd grown overnight, her parents nodded. There was no doubt—the best choice was to let her follow Takumi. They could only give her their blessing.
After wandering the Ice Wolf settlement, Takumi soon saw Setsuna return.
"My little wolf, you're back?"
"Mm… Setsuna has returned, Takumi-sama."
She smiled shyly, tail swaying, cheeks tinted red. A faint fragrance drifted from her—one Takumi knew well.
He understood exactly what it meant.
"Looks like I'll have to reward you properly, Setsuna."
"Setsuna wants Master's elixir… wants more—more…"
...
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