Chapter 9 - The First Exclusive Weapon

If someone could peek into Erend's body, they would find gold-plated lines running through him.

These lines pulsed rhythmically, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, as if they were alive. They covered every part of his flesh and organs, seamlessly fused with him.

No, it would be more accurate to say that they had always been part of him, merely lying dormant until awakened by the Fantasy Library. Now, they were inseparable from him.

The moment Erend grasped the Black Furnace Demon Sword, these golden lines suddenly blazed with brilliance.

"Emima!"

The hand holding the Black Furnace Demon Sword was covered with gold-plated lines, resembling golden blood flowing toward the sword. These same intricate lines etched themselves into the blade.

"Buzz!"

The Black Furnace Demon Sword trembled violently, its once pure-white blade erupting with an intense heat. A terrifying wave of energy surged outward, engulfing the entire experimental site in a fiery blaze.

"What…?!"

Beyond the glass window, the white-clad researchers, who had been working calmly, suddenly broke into a panic.

"What's happening?"

Claudia's eyes widened, her hand instinctively reaching for the glove on her waist.

There was no helping it. At this moment, not only was the Black Furnace Demon Sword undergoing an extreme reaction, but Claudia's Pure Star Weapon also vibrated intensely in response.

The heat wave turned the entire room into a furnace, causing the air to warp and shimmer. The temperature was rising at an alarming rate.

"Out of control...?!"

"This energy level is unreal!"

"The heat is beyond critical limits! These numbers have never been recorded before!"

"Hurry! Activate the defensive barrier!"

The scientists frantically manipulated the control panels. A transparent barrier quickly enclosed the experimental chamber, sealing off the immense heat. Even Claudia found herself cut off from the space, leaving only Erend inside.

The scorching air churned violently, distorting Erend's figure in the center of the heatwave. The others couldn't see it, but the Black Furnace Demon Sword had clearly sensed the change, responding with an even greater surge of energy.

Dark lines formed around the sword, floating downward before embedding themselves into the glowing red Universal Crystal. The crystal pulsed, growing even brighter.

Now, the once-white blade of the Black Furnace Demon Sword turned completely black under the sheer intensity of its heat.

This weapon, formed from condensed flames, was already capable of burning through steel with ease. But now, with its power amplified, it finally lived up to its name—a black blade that radiated unprecedented levels of heat.

Even the strongest Festival Users couldn't withstand such an infernal temperature. Simply standing too close could result in being melted on the spot.

Yet, Erend remained unmoved.

Not a single bead of sweat dripped from his body.

He held the Black Furnace Demon Sword firmly, gazing at it with deep focus.

At that moment, he could sense its emotions.

Where once the Black Furnace Demon Sword had ignored him, it now seemed awakened. It was first shocked, then panicked—before its gaze softened into recognition. Then, as if witnessing something incredible, its emotions shifted from confusion to joy, from doubt to reverence.

The Black Furnace Demon Sword now looked upon Erend the way a loyal subject would regard a king.

The golden lines flowed from Erend's hand into the sword, spreading rapidly over its entire form. Soon, the intricate, pulsating designs were engraved onto the Universal Crystal, merging with it completely.

At that moment, the ultimate authority over the weapon took effect.

The Black Furnace Demon Sword had acknowledged Erend as its one and only master, becoming his first exclusive weapon.

"Ding—!"

The screen displaying the compatibility rate chimed as numbers climbed rapidly.

The white-clad scientists froze, their eyes fixed on the monitor.

The suitability percentage, which had initially been 8%, skyrocketed at an unimaginable speed.

Within moments, it had surpassed the 80% threshold required for Durmstrang Academy to lend Pure Heavy-Color Weapons to students.

Then, it reached the 100% mark—the maximum recorded value.

And then—

"ERROR!"

A blaring alarm rang out as the numbers turned into garbled code.

The laboratory fell into stunned silence.

One of the scientists, his voice shaking, announced:

"The compatibility rate… cannot be measured!"

"He—he's surpassed the limit!"

The highest possible compatibility value had always been 100%.

Yet now, Erend had broken past that limit.

The Black Furnace Demon Sword was considered one of the strongest Pure Heavy-Color Weapons—a blade so difficult to wield that no one had successfully mastered it in years.

And yet, not only had Erend claimed it, but his synchronization rate had shattered all known records.

"Buzz!"

The Universal Element-forged energy blade hummed in resonance.

Lowering his sword, Erend gazed at the weapon, feeling its will submit to him completely.

A faint smile touched his lips.

The scorching heat began to subside.

The furnace-like air cooled.

With a soft chuckle, Erend murmured,

"I look forward to working with you, Black Furnace."

Claudia, watching from beyond the barrier, remained silent, her expression unreadable.

The heat dissipated into the air—along with her complicated emotions.

Student Council Office, Top Floor of the High School Building

"Is this everything, President?"

Erend handed the last signed document to Claudia, who sat behind her desk.

"Yes," she confirmed, taking the papers while staring at him intently, as if trying to decipher a puzzle. "That completes all the formalities."

"When can I retrieve the Black Furnace?"

Erend asked.

Claudia set the documents down. "Once the Equipment Bureau finalizes their inspections and adjustments, it will be officially transferred to you."

Despite the chaotic events of the experiment, Durmstrang Academy had made its decision.

They had agreed to lend him the Black Furnace Demon Sword.

Perhaps they were curious to see what someone could achieve with a Pure Heavy-Color Weapon that had broken past compatibility limits.

After all, collecting combat data was one of the academy's primary goals.

Thus, Erend had officially secured his first Pure Heavy-Color Weapon.

He would receive it soon.

Of course, he already knew the truth—

The Black Furnace Demon Sword was no longer merely on loan.

It had become his.

He could summon it at any time.

Others believed he had simply borrowed the weapon.

In reality, its very nature had changed.

This was something he chose to keep to himself.

Claudia, unaware