Ch 24 - Nicht's Awakening

*** Nicht's POV ***




"Keuk…!"

I stabbed my sword to the ground and kneeled as I tried to calm my ragged breath.

'Impossible! It wasn't like this in the past!'

I used to be able to fight evenly against Bianca on swordsmanship alone.

But what is this?

Am I being pushed back?

Despite me strengthening my attacks with mana?

I know I haven't wielded the sword for a long time, and my sword skill may have become rusty.

However, the amount of mana I have now is several times higher than that in the past.

Power strikes were supposed to be the kind of sword strikes that get stronger the more mana you put in.

It's the best swordsmanship for me, as I am currently pursuing the path of mana as a mage while still having the skill of a swordsman. That is why I threw away the other two sword strikes and didn't bother to use anything else.

No, I never think of the rest of the sword strikes as strong in the first place, which is why I didn't bother re-learning them after I forgot.

'But what is this?'

Was counter strike supposed to be this powerful?

I gritted my teeth and glared at the woman who was approaching.

"Hah. Fine, I admit. I can't win against you with a sword, Bianca.”

It was a shame that I couldn't fight her with full strength because my forbidden magic was sealed.

'But now that I think about it, it doesn't seem like she used her full strength either.'

The white sun.

'Those Truth Society bastards said it was a power source of sorts.'

But from beginning to end, didn't Bianca only use her own power to fight against me?

Why did she do that? Was she looking down on me?

'It's infuriating.'

To think that I lost against someone who's not even going all out.

As if proving that I had lost, Bianca thrust her sword toward my throat.

But she stopped the sword before it could even pierce me.

"What's wrong? Do it!"

She shook her head.

"That's not why I did this fight."

"Then why? To humiliate me?"

"To make you realize the error of your ways."

She looked at me with a complicated expression.

"But even that has failed, it seemed."

What?

What did she mean by that?

"Anyway, I won't kill you today, Nicht. Because I would like to believe that you can still change for the better, no matter how unlikely that is."

She then pulled her sword back and sheathed it.

"Consider this a parting gift from someone who used to be your friend."

She turned around.

"Of course, if you were to do something like this again, I won't let you go by then."

Then she walked away as if she no longer had any business with me.

I clenched my fists at that.

'This bitch.'

How dare she look down on me?

'Who am I? I am the black dragon! Does she think I will follow her words just because she threatens me a little?'

I stood up with venom in my heart.

"You will regret it, Bianca."

"…"

But she ignored me even then.

Am I worth nothing for her to even exchange words?

Why? Because I was weak?

I tried to think of another reason, but I realized there was no need for that.

Why? Because that's been the reason all along for the mistreatment I received.

'I'm going to kill her.'

However, I lack the power and the means to do that.

If only I had more power.

If only I were stronger.

It was the moment I was about to walk back in defeat.

"[Do you want power?]"

"…!"

Someone's voice was heard in my head.

I looked around and used detection magic to try to find them, but I could only detect Bianca in the distance.

'Was it just my imagination?'

However, the voice spoke again as if to refute that thought.

"[If you want power, then take my hand]"

Suddenly, the entire world turns black as if swallowed by darkness.

No, it's not that the world was swallowed.

It's my consciousness that got transported to this black world.

'What is this? Where am I?'

A world with nothing but black.

The sky, the ground, the walls on the side, everything is nothing but black.

And yet, despite there being no light of any kind, I'm able to see my own hands and body just fine.

'What's going on?'

Then, I finally noticed the other person in front of me, holding out his hand with a smile.

Their face and everything else looks black, as if hidden by a veil.

So I turned my gaze only at their visible outstretched hand.

"[If you want power, I'll give it to you.]"

"What is this bastard saying?"

"[A gift. Don't you want it?]

"…!"

"[I can give you a gift. All you need is to simply shake my hand. No strings attached.]"

It was an offer that sounded too good to be true.

"I don't trust you."

But they just seemingly smiled as if having expected my reply.

"[That's fine too. Then, I guess I'll give it to someone else.]"

"Wait…! I only said I don't trust you. I never said I wouldn't take the chance."

They laughed at that.

"[So, are you willing to risk everything? Despite saying that you have no trust in me?]

"Sure. If that means I can kill Bianca, then…"

"[Huhu. I like your answer. As expected, my eyes didn't see wrong.]

I griped their outstretched hands with all my strength, trying to crush them.

But rather than hearing the sound of bones breaking, it seemed like it was my own hands that were about to break.

'Why is it so tough?'

What kind of existence is this person to be able to resist a dragon's strength head-on?

But before I could land a question, a surge of power suddenly came into me.

A power so high it seemed like it had evaporated the wind around me and turned them into black mist.

'My gift.'

It really was a gift.

'So this is how it feels to use a gift.'

It feels natural as if you are using your limbs.

"[Huhu. It seems you like it. I'm glad.]"

Then, the black figure slowly disappeared along with the black world.

"[I look forward to seeing what you'll do with it. Don't disappoint me, Black Dragon, Nicht.]"

Suddenly, the black world shattered into pieces and I was back where I was before.

I tried to feel my gift just in case, but it was still there.

'It is not a dream.'

I really have become one of the special existences who have a gift despite not being a human or demon, just like Bianca and the Dragon Lord.

'Does that mean they recognized my power?'

The one who gave me this gift.

Whoever they were, the fact that such a powerful being who could give this gift to anyone had chosen me made me laugh with joy.

'Let's test it out, shall we.'

My eyes must have glinted with bloodlust.

'Fortunately, there's a walking target right in front.'

Bianca.

I told you that you will regret not killing me.

But even I didn't know that I could fulfill that promise this early.

'This is the price for looking down at me!'

I held out my hand and gathered all of my power to it.

Instantly, black mist gathered and swirled around my outstretched hand.

I can feel it.

It was a forbidden power that was much stronger than anything that I possessed.

Even better, it was a power that could be used despite the white sun shining brightly up the sky.

I grinned as I imagined the inevitable death of this bitch and shot the concentrated ball of power forward.

"Die! Bianca!"

However, the ball didn't hit her.

To be precise, it was stopped by a young boy who received the attack head-on.

"…!"

Who is this bastard? How dare he try to get in the way?

"Raon!"

Then, Bianca shouted out that name in a panic and ran up to the boy.

'Ah, is that the brat?'

The snotty brat who became Bianca's disciple?

'Since he was here, my disciple must have failed then. Haa… he was useless to the end.'

I thought he would be somewhat useful since he kept bragging about his achievements and talents.

But he was nothing more than common trash after all.

If only I had a vision skill like Bianca, then there would be no need for me to recruit trashy disciples because I could filter them all.

Does this mean Bianca is superior to me even in this aspect?

'I don't like it.'

She really has everything I didn't have, did she?

'Well, at least she would lose her only disciple now.'

I laughed with glee and looked at the boy.

"Phew. That was close."

But I stopped laughing when I heard the clear voice of the boy.

We met eyes, and I noticed that he was unscathed despite having been directly hit by such a powerful gift.

'How is that brat still alive?!'

Does this even make sense?!

It was the moment my common sense turned upside down.

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Chapter end