Chapter 48: After Retirement, I Became the Demon Sword Apophis

Page 1 of 3

“Ha! Apophis, I never thought you’d recover so quickly!”

After a brief silence, Altortai forced himself to restore the atmosphere with a loud laugh and said viciously, “I thought with bones as old as yours, you’d have to sleep for another thousand years before we could meet again.”

“The wounds I inflicted on you the other day must still be aching, I imagine?”

“Heh heh. That is why the Holy Church’s system remains so backward and inefficient even after all these years.” Apophis leisurely spun his blade. “While you were still relying on the Hero’s radiance and recklessly squandering your strength, this old man had already studied every mineral within his body to its absolute limit. As a sacred weapon blessed with an exceedingly long life... the secret to strength lies in maintaining one’s health.”

“Shut up! You vile Fallen Sword! How dare you call yourself a sacred weapon?!”

Altortai rebuked him furiously. “Before me, you were the mightiest holy sword, the proof of countless powerful Heroes! The undisputed Sword of the Hero!”

“Then why do you no longer answer the Hero’s summons? Why did you leave the Holy Church? Why has your name disappeared from the list of sacred weapons?!”

“Answer me!”

An intricate mixture of grief and hatred flickered across Altortai’s surface in an instant.

Minot was slightly moved. As the questions died away, he noticed that the demonic sword Apophis on the other side had suddenly fallen silent, light slowly flowing along its blade.

Faced with Altortai’s heartfelt interrogation, Apophis finally seemed ready to reveal the truth.

“Because... I retired.”

“...”

“Huh?”

“What?”

Minot and Altortai froze in unison.

They stared in disbelief at the infamous black demonic sword, confirming that the voice had indeed come from him.

Apophis swayed his hilt from side to side in mild puzzlement. His solemn silence was gone, replaced by a tone that seemed to say, “That’s what you were asking about?”

“Because I reached the end of my term. My warranty period and Hero-assignment period both expired, and my six-thousand-five-hundred-year service term is over as well... Oh, yours may be different. Your generation has a seven-thousand-year term. Once the term is up, naturally I’m removed from the list, and there’s no reason for me to keep living in the staff dormitory.”

“Now that I’m retired, of course I should go do the things I want to do. Otherwise, staying in the Holy Church for too long would give me senile sword dementia.”

“Besides, I’m retired. Why would I still answer a Hero’s summons...” Apophis said with an expression of complete incomprehension. “It’s not as though every Hero is a sweet, soft girl.”

“What’s so wonderful about following an adult man with sweaty hands most of the time, sleeping rough in the wilderness every day, never knowing where your next meal is coming from, and having to sleep on hard, crude floors whether you’re in the city or out in the wild...?”

“Um... well... you do have a point...” Altortai’s imposing presence visibly weakened. He stammered:

Page 1 of 3

Page 2 of 3

“Sorry. I raised my voice a little just now...”

“Hey!”

Minot was stunned. “Don’t look so envious of the enemy! What happened to your noble ideals?!”

“Ah! I nearly fell to temptation!” Altortai’s blade trembled as he came back to his senses. “As expected of a Fallen Demonic Sword. You nearly led me astray.”

“You’d better mean nearly! The interrogation hasn’t even started yet!” Minot shouted.

Altortai gritted his teeth and refused to concede. “Regardless, the fact remains that you fell into darkness and became a demon! The black demonic aura covering you is proof enough. I will never forgive such—”

“Oh, you mean this?”

Before he could finish, Apophis suddenly gave himself a light shake.

Under Altortai’s horrified gaze, the thick black demonic aura surrounding Apophis faded like dye washing away. In the next instant, it had transformed into a pure white, dazzling holy aura—one considerably richer than Altortai’s own!!!

“Hair dye,” Apophis said flatly.

“Hair dye?!”

Altortai’s voice rose into an unnatural squeak.

“I’m a sacred weapon of considerable age, after all. Every now and then, I want to try a nonconformist style. Otherwise, you can’t survive in the retirement crowd...” Apophis spoke with the air of someone passing on valuable experience.

“You’re an ancient holy sword, and you’re still playing at being a nonconformist?!” Altortai said, utterly exasperated.

Apophis stiffened his hilt. “Heh. You’re allowed to bleach yourselves white, but I’m not allowed to dye myself black? How hidebound.”

“Hmph! There is nothing more to say!” Altortai boomed. “Regardless, I will never, like my master, submit to your tyranny!”

“A holy sword will never be a slave!”

“You’re still insulting us?!” Minot stared at him wide-eyed.

“Don’t be so tense, Altortai.” Klaudina gave a soft laugh. “All we need you to tell us is the weakness of the sacred relic known as the Frostbound Heart. For a holy sword who also came from the Holy Church, that should be the simplest information in the world... shouldn’t it?”

“The Frostbound Heart? You’re going after Lena?” Minot immediately understood. Then he chuckled. “Looks like she’s caused you quite a bit of trouble.”

“What, are you worried about your childhood sweetheart?” Klaudina did not answer directly, instead teasing him.

“Childhood sweetheart...?” Minot’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. Before he could react, Klaudina turned her head toward Altortai.

“So, holy sword, what is your answer?”

Altortai’s blade let out a soft hum. He was just about to speak when—

Page 2 of 3

Page 3 of 3

“Not a chance!”

At that moment, Minot came to his senses. He sprang to his feet and stepped in front of Altortai, speaking for him in a ringing voice.

“You think a mere interrogation will force information about the most important sacred relic protecting the Saintess out of my holy sword’s mouth? What a fine scheme you’ve come up with!”

Minot swung an arm with absolute conviction, a cold smile spreading across his face.

“Even if you break our hands and feet, shatter our spines, and slowly torture us to death by the cruelest methods imaginable, we will never—”

Ding—

The Interrogation Quest has been refreshed.

Interrogation Quest: The holy sword Altortai, your contracted familiar, is about to undergo interrogation by the demonic sword Apophis. The quest will be considered complete once he reveals the information during the interrogation.

Quest Reward: Three Command Seals of the Demonic Sword Apophis. They can double Apophis’s power for a short time or seal his strength completely.

Minot turned his head and looked at Altortai.

“Altortai, you should just confess already.”

“You really are asking to be cursed!” Altortai cried in shock.

At first, Minot had refused.

But the reward was simply too tempting...

Among all the chronicles of the Heroes, every human elite knew that in a thousand years, not a single Hero had ever defeated the Demon King. Aside from the Demon King’s unprecedented might, the demonic sword Apophis was the greatest obstacle of all.

Though he occupied only the eighth demonic seat, Apophis had never been a monster who fought alone. Once placed under the Demon King’s control, his combat strength became terrifyingly overwhelming.

And so, throughout that long millennium, even with humanity united alongside the Round Tower, the Holy Church, the dragons, the dwarves, and even the goblin sages, no one could see any hope in the war against the demonkind.

But now, Minot could see it!

The Command Seals that could imprison the demonic sword Apophis were humanity’s greatest hope!!!

“Heh heh. You foolish holy sword, hurry up and give in obediently.” With his arms folded leisurely, the Hero Minot cast a disdainful look toward Altortai in the corner. A cold smile appeared on his face.

“—You won’t be able to withstand the cruel and terrifying interrogation of the demonkind.”

“Who exactly is the villain here?!”