Chapter 35: A miserable Kurou

――Geh, servant Arash! Destruction of the vessel is prohibited!――

Muramasa's will intervenes.
My twisted hand is twisted even further (Aahh!), but it managed to stop aiming at me.
With trembling arms, the gun was holstered, and I finally regained control of my body.

“I, I really thought I was going to die…!”

I collapseed in relief on the spot.
It's the worst when you almost get killed by a weapon, not even a monster enemy.
I hate this kind of work environment…

“Hmm…
for the time being, the first mission is complete, I guess…”

I took out a document from my chest pocket, and it was just marked with ‘100/100’.
It was a mission paper delivered from the knight commander, stating ‘It's troublesome to leave high-intelligence humanoid creatures alone.
Subjugate one hundred of them.’

It seems to be something made from talisman technology, and it counts the number of subjugations with squiggly letters.
It's amazing.

“Sigh…
but there's still more missions to complete.
Can I really do this while covered in cursed equipment…?”

I let out a sigh of unease.
Then, the demon sword Muramasa, surprisingly, trembles with encouragement.

――I, servant, at your command! Be at ease!――

“Uh, I almost got killed earlier, you know…?”

What's there to be at ease about, you bastard.
I thought about stabbing Muramasa with werewolf feces lying around here to teach it a lesson, but I stopped.

I almost had my head cut off when I tried to flush it down the toilet before.
And just now, I was almost forced to commit suicide, but the fact is that I'm not mentally invaded.
I can hear the voice of many cursed equipments desires, but that's it.
Muramasa is still protecting me, but…

“Hey, Muramasa.
Thanks to you, I can handle these problem children, but didn't it start with you that I got my hands on them in the first place?”

I scolded it, but Muramasa didn’t respond at all.
It's completely ignoring me.
Irritated by its response, I recall what happened the other day.

◆◇◆

The day I became a magic knight.
Hypno was thrilled and handed me cursed equipment.

“So first off, here it is! 'Crimson Blood-Stained Sword Dainsleif' times 47! I turned the broken blades from the battle with Karen into a bunch of small knives like swords!”

Hypno puffed out his (?) chest with a smug look on his face (a thin one).
In contrast, a staff member handed me a tray with a face that looked like they were about to cry.

On it were numerous weapons emitting an aura of blood and smoke…
Eek!?

“It seems that Karen's hatred has restored its ferocity, but it's no problem for the 'Legendary Overcomer'! Now, I’ve made pockets inside the uniform, so put them in there!”

“Hey, Hypno…”

No,

 

Hypno-san, that 'Legendary Overcomer' is a misunderstanding! So I can't accept something like that!!! Just as I was about to say that bluntly, suddenly Muramasa shook with a buzz.

 

――Power! Strengthening! Soul consumption efficiency!――

My arm was completely controlled, and I took one knife after another in both hands! Then, I threw them into the air and spread my coat with momentum.
The falling knives landed perfectly in the pockets Hypno had made.

Hypno exclaimed, “Wow!”

‘What's with the show-off, Muramasa?! Also, even though it was said that the viciousness had been restored, if I accept it…
uh!?’

Then, my soul shook with a thud.
A bluish-white mass floated in my mind's eye.
This must be my soul.
A large number of crimson blades were heading towards it.

―Blood, blood!―

They shouted, trying to stab the tips into my soul.
They must be trying to curse me like Muramasa.
Hypno, unaware of the strange phenomenon, continued to smile and said, “These two too!”

He handed me the remaining equipment.
I wrapped the chain around my left arm and attached the holster that had been prepared to store the gun.
Then, my soul shook even more, and a pewter-colored chain and a decayed-leaf-colored arrow headed towards my soul!

―Blood, blood!―

―Guts! Liverrrrr!―

―Scatterrrrr! Suicideee!―

The evil intent overflowed in my heart.
The cursed equipment surrounded my soul and simultaneously rushed towards me to make me theirs—however…

――Omit! I refuse, reject, and annihilate them all!!!――

Black blades extended from all corners of my soul, piercing and attacking the cursed equipment in reverse…! As they were sucked into my soul, the sounds of tearing and gnawing echoed from within.
And then…

――Subjugation complete――

In the next moment, the equipment I was wearing was dyed in black.
Upon witnessing this sight, Hypno exclaimed, “Whoa! Kurou-kun, you're the real deal! The cursed equipment has been dyed black, as if it has been imbued with your strong will of 'not forgiving evil'! Wowwwww!”

Hypno was going crazy with excitement.
However, my face turned pale with fear.
I looked over at Muramasa, trembling.

‘Y-you can even control the cursed equipment!?’ I shuddered at this ability.
I had always dreamed of escaping its control and becoming free, but to think it had such power…!

‘And even if I found a way to escape Muramasa's control, if I let it go…wouldn't I be cursed by other equipment in the next moment…?’

――That's exactly right!――

‘It’s absolutely not right!!! You knowingly accepted the cursed equipment, didn't you?!’

……And now, I'm trapped by Muramasa with no way to escape…!