"Radiant Armament…"
Looking at the light blade in his hand, Aize's eyes trembled slightly.
In this world, the weapons commonly used were no longer cold steel or firearms made of metal.
The meteor shower that fell onto Earth brought with it a substance known as "Omnimatter." Besides influencing the birth of a new human race called the Starmark Generation, Omnimatter could naturally crystallize into a special mineral known as Omnigem.
Using this Omnigem, many fields of science in this world had undergone groundbreaking developments. One of the most representative was the creation of Omnimatter Transformation Energy Weapons, with Omnigem as the core.
These weapons used the Omnimatter within Omnigem as their power source, achieving full recyclability and zero consumption. By simply activating a device embedded with Omnigem, the Omnigem would manifest a preset elemental pattern and convert Omnimatter into a focused beam, forming blades, arrows, bullets, and more.
These weapons were called Radiant Armaments.
Not only could Radiant Armaments be adjusted in output and power manually, but when inactive, they were just small handle-sized devices. Their usability and convenience made them the dominant choice—so common that even civilians used them, from self-defense tools to children's toys.
Naturally, in Asterisk, a city built for duels, and the six academies training contestants for the Starmark Festival, Radiant Armaments were essential gear.
Any student enrolled in one of the six Asterisk academies could apply to receive a Radiant Armament for free and even request customized adjustments based on their personal abilities.
At this moment, the weapon Aize held was a Radiant Armament.
And then…
——
Clutching the hilt tightly, Aize felt something inexplicable.
Before this, he had never handled any real weapons. The sharpest tools he'd held were kitchen knives and fruit cutters, maybe a pair of scissors or nail clippers.
Given that, he should've felt unfamiliar with a weapon. He should've had no idea how to use it.
Yet the moment he gripped the Radiant Armament, what surged within him wasn't a sense of unfamiliarity—it was a feeling so potent it bordered on omnipotence.
It was as if something was telling him...
"What you hold is your hand and foot."
"It is an extension of your senses."
"You have already mastered it, and know precisely how to wield it."
"It is your servant."
"Buzz!"
Suddenly, Aize swung the sword.
His eyes were closed, as though entering a mystical state, and he naturally began to move.
The Radiant Armament felt like a true extension of his limbs, causing his entire body to follow its motion effortlessly.
Despite never having practiced, despite only becoming younger and stronger recently, Aize's swordplay was fluid—like that of a seasoned master with decades of training.
"Buzz!" "Buzz!" "Buzz!"
With the energy blade humming, his speed increased, growing more refined, until the sword light multiplied and created a blinding curtain of strikes.
"Slash!" "Slash!" "Slash!"
Under his accelerating and sharper strikes, the ground around him began to show sword scars, and flowers and grass in nearby gardens fluttered wildly from the sword wind.
"Boom!"
Finally, Aize opened his eyes and unleashed a mighty slash, stirring up a blast of sword wind that ripped apart the lawn before him.
Dirt flew, rocks scattered, and the neatly trimmed turf was shredded like it had been cut by countless blades.
"Did I… do that?"
Aize snapped back to reality. Looking at his sword-wielding posture and the mess he'd made, his eyes widened in shock.
"What was that noise?"
"Something exploded?"
"Was there a duel?"
"Let's check it out!"
Sure enough, the commotion had attracted attention. Figures rushed toward the scene, prompting Aize to swiftly deactivate his Radiant Armament, concealing the hilt in a belt holster before bolting.
Fortunately, he moved fast. By the time the others arrived, the area was empty.
All they could do was look at the ruined lawn and chat away in confusion…
---
"Whew..."
Elsewhere, Aize exhaled deeply after fleeing to a quiet corner.
"Wait, why did I run?"
He suddenly smacked his forehead.
He almost forgot—this was Asterisk, the city of duels. Student-versus-student duels were commonplace here, whether inside school or in the city.
That meant even causing public property damage wasn't a huge issue. You wouldn't even need to pay compensation.
Of course—so long as there's a valid reason.
"Practicing sword techniques in an open space… should count as valid, right?"
Aize shook his head, but soon forgot about it entirely.
Thinking back on the earlier sensation, he once again drew his Radiant Armament and activated it.
"So it wasn't just a fluke or illusion. It's real."
Gripping the weapon again confirmed it—he could completely control it.
No practice needed. No training. Simply by holding it, he could instinctively unleash perfect swordplay, replicating that overwhelming performance from earlier.
"Is this… the power of Authority?"
Aize was thrilled.
"No. That's just the beginning."
He could feel it—his Authority allowed even deeper interaction with the weapon.
"I… might even be able to make this weapon recognize me as its master?"
Trusting his instincts, he sensed this was true.
This automatic mastery was just the most basic effect of his Authority.
If he willed it, he could use his Authority to imprint ownership onto the weapon—make it recognize him as its master.
Once bound, the weapon would become his personal exclusive armament. It would scale with his strength, grow as he grew, and even if broken, he could absorb it into his body for restoration. After a time, it would regenerate completely.
Even if lost, it could be summoned back instantly, immune to theft or use by others.
"This is the true power of Authority!"
With this realization, Aize's mind came alive with new plans.
He didn't bind this standard Radiant Armament.
After all, it was just a regular unit, even if slightly customized. It was far from powerful.
Now that he understood the full potential of his Authority, there was no way he'd settle for this average weapon.
To become stronger quickly, he needed a superior, special, and powerful weapon!
With that in mind, Aize turned to look back at the school building.
"Guess I have to go…"
He pursed his lips, put the Radiant Armament away, and walked toward the school building.
(End of chapter)
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