Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

Arthur's jaw tightened. His eyes narrowed sharply as he stared at the knight, searching for clarity. "And the demons? What are they after?"

The knight's glowing eyes snapped back to Arthur, the faint light reflecting the exhaustion etched into his face. His voice, however, was calm and steady as he answered.

"They are after our world."

Arthur's frown deepened. "After our world? What does that mean?"

The question hung in the air, heavy and unanswered. The knight's gaze dropped slightly, his expression unreadable. For a long moment, he said nothing. The silence stretched until Arthur was certain he wouldn't get an answer.

Then, finally, the knight spoke again, his voice quieter, tinged with something Arthur couldn't quite place. "Don't worry about that now."

Arthur's fists clenched, frustration bubbling under the surface, but he held his tongue.

The knight continued. "You'll find out later on. For now, there are other things that matter more. First things first..." He lifted his head, his glowing eyes meeting Arthur's. "I want you to come closer."

Arthur nodded slowly, his boots pressing into the ground as he stepped forward. The green light surrounding the knight illuminated his path, casting flickering shadows across Arthur's face as he moved.

As he drew closer, the oppressive energy in the air grew heavier, thicker. Arthur stopped a few steps away, his sharp eyes scanning the knight's miserable state.

The knight was a shell of the man Arthur had seen in his vision. His once-radiant armor was now cracked and tarnished, his once-strong body gaunt and weakened.

Arthur tilted his head slightly, his sharp gaze flicking over the knight's form. "You don't look so good," he muttered under his breath, his tone dry but tinged with unease.

The knight didn't respond to the remark. Instead, one of the glowing vines that held him began to shift. Slowly, it unwound itself from his chest, moving with an unnatural fluidity that sent a shiver down Arthur's spine.

Arthur tensed, his hand instinctively brushing the hilt of his dagger. The vine ignored him, snaking its way further behind the knight into the shadows. The darkness swallowed it completely, leaving the glowing vine invisible for a moment.

Arthur watched, his sharp eyes narrowing. His breath slowed, steady and controlled, as his body remained poised to act.

Then, the vine emerged from the darkness, and Arthur's eyes widened.

The vine carried a sword.

A pitch-black katana that seemed to drink in the faint green light around it. Its blade was smooth and flawless, darker than the shadow itself, with faint crimson veins etched along its surface, pulsing like a heartbeat. The hilt was wrapped in black silk, intricate silver threads woven into patterns of twisting flames.

Arthur's heart skipped a beat. "That sword..." he muttered, his voice low. Recognition flickered in his eyes. It was the same sword he'd seen in the vision—the weapon the knight had used to seal the demon.

His sharp gaze followed the blade as the vine brought it closer, holding it aloft in front of the knight.

Arthur's mind raced. 'It's the same one he was using in that vision. That sword must be incredibly powerful since it did a decent load of damage against that demon.'

The knight's voice softened, his tone filled with a mixture of longing and sadness that seemed to echo in the glowing chamber.

"This sword..." he began, his words slowing, heavy with emotion. "It has been my companion for as long as I can remember. I've shed the blood of thousands of demons with it. It's drunk an entire sea's worth of their darkness." He paused, his glowing eyes dimming slightly. "But... it's time to part ways."

Arthur tilted his head, watching the knight carefully. He wasn't used to seeing this kind of vulnerability from someone so imposing—even in such a weakened state.

The knight's gaze fell to the blade, his voice dropping lower. "I'm willing to give you this sword, as long as you promise to treat it well. Take care of it. It means... a lot to me."

Arthur didn't hesitate. He straightened, his sharp eyes locked onto the blade. "Of course," he said firmly.

The knight gave a faint nod, relief flickering across his haggard features. "Good."

The vine holding the blade shifted, moving slowly toward the knight. The katana, its pitch-black blade gleaming faintly, seemed to vibrate subtly, almost imperceptibly. Arthur's sharp eyes caught the faint tremor, and his brows furrowed.

It wasn't shaking from instability. It was... emotion.

The blade trembled as if alive, as though it could feel the weight of this moment, its very existence tied to the knight in front of it. Arthur felt a chill run down his spine. This weapon wasn't just a tool—it was something more.

The knight's lips curled into a faint, bittersweet smile. He turned his gaze to the katana, his voice soft but filled with a quiet command. "Don't be upset, Chaos."

Arthur blinked, startled. 'Chaos? He named it?'

The knight continued, his tone calm and reassuring, as if speaking to an old friend. "I've found you a good owner. He's strong enough to carry my legacy. And... I can't wield you anymore. You know my condition." His voice faltered for a moment before he steadied himself. "I don't want you to resist him. Just... accept him as your master. Okay?"

The katana shook again, this time more violently, as if refusing. A low hum filled the air, resonating with the green glow of the chamber. Arthur's eyes widened slightly.

The blade is resisting.

The knight let out a soft chuckle, though it was tinged with sadness. "You're still as stubborn as ever," he murmured. "Chaos. You're continuing the fight. That's what matters. "

The katana stilled, the hum fading into silence. For a moment, it remained motionless, its dark form bathed in the faint glow of the chamber. Then, slowly, it vibrated again—but this time, the motion was gentler, almost hesitant.

Arthur stared, equal parts awestruck and incredulous. "It's... alive," he muttered under his breath, his mind racing. "It has a soul. That's so cool."

The knight smiled weakly, as if hearing Arthur's thoughts. "Chaos has always had a will of its own. It's a weapon born for battle..."

The katana floated forward, carried by the vine. It hovered before the knight for a moment, as though saying a silent goodbye. Then it moved toward Arthur, stopping just in front of him.

Arthur hesitated, his sharp eyes flicking between the knight and the sword. Slowly, he reached out, his hand hovering just above the hilt.

The blade trembled again.

He met the knight's gaze, his voice steady. "Are you sure it'll accept me?" Experience new stories on empire

The knight gave a faint nod, his expression calm. "You'll know soon enough. Take it."

Arthur exhaled and grasped the hilt.

The moment his fingers closed around the dark silk wrapping, the chamber seemed to shudder. A surge of energy shot up his arm, raw and untamed, as if the blade was challenging him. His breath hitched, but he held firm, refusing to let go.

The katana vibrated violently for a moment, then stilled. Arthur felt its power settle, no longer resisting but... acknowledging him.

The knight smiled faintly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Good... Chaos has chosen you."

['Chaos Katana' has chosen you as its master.]

Before he could check its status, The knight spoke once again.

Arthur barely had time to process the surge of power from Chaos before the knight's voice broke through the silence again.

"Good," the knight said, his voice faint but steady. "Now that Chaos has chosen you as its owner, there are things you must know."

Arthur straightened, his grip tightening on the katana. The weight of the blade was undeniable, not just in its literal sense but in the sheer gravity of what it represented. He didn't interrupt, sensing the urgency in the knight's tone.

The knight exhaled, his glowing eyes flickering like a dying ember. "Apollyon... the demon I sealed..." He paused, his voice growing heavier. "I've been holding him off for all these years. But my time has run out. What you see here—" he gestured faintly at himself, his chained, battered form "—is nothing more than a soul remnant. And today... today is my last day."

Arthur's chest tightened. He didn't speak, but his mind raced.

The knight continued, his voice steady but carrying the weight of centuries. "When my soul dissipates, the seal I placed on Apollyon will begin to weaken. Strongly. He will start breaking free, and it won't take him long. A couple of months... maybe less."

Arthur's eyes widened. "A couple of months?" he repeated, his voice sharp. That was nothing. No time at all.

The knight gave a slow nod, his expression grim. "You need to grow stronger, fast. Apollyon is not a threat you can face as you are now."

Arthur's grip on Chaos tightened, his jaw clenching. He felt the weight of the knight's words pressing down on him like a crushing force.

The knight's faint smile returned, though it was tinged with sorrow. "I wish you had come earlier, we would have had more time to prepare and know each other. But unfortunately, fate had other things in store."

"There's a chamber within this place—a vault where I've stored items, skills and a few other things I've gathered over the years. Take them. Use them to grow."

Arthur nodded, his sharp eyes locking onto the knight's. "I will. Where is it?"

The knight tilted his head slightly, gesturing weakly toward the back of the chamber. "The path will reveal itself to you when I'm gone. My presence keeps it hidden for now."

Arthur frowned, his sharp mind already calculating. He knew time wasn't on his side, but something about the knight's next words made his chest tighten further.

"Meet the other protectors," the knight said firmly, his voice gaining a sudden intensity. "Find them. Not all villages have failed. Some protectors still live. They're scarred, battered, maybe broken—but some should be alive. You need to form a legion, Arthur. A united force. You and the other protectors... you're the only hope this world has."

Arthur inhaled deeply, his sharp eyes flickering with determination. A legion. Other protectors. It made sense—but it also sounded like a monumental task.

"How many of them are there?" he asked, his voice low.

The knight shook his head faintly. "I don't know anymore, new ones might have emerged, just like you. Decades, centuries... time has blurred. Some may have fallen. Some may still fight. You'll need to search for them."

Arthur's lips pressed into a thin line. The weight of the task before him felt suffocating, but he forced it down, burying the doubt and uncertainty beneath a layer of resolve.

"I'll find them," he said, his voice sharp. "I'll get stronger. I'll stop Apollyon."

The knight's faint smile widened just slightly, pride flickering in his dimming gaze. "Good."