A Living Weapon

[1]


Imeki's looks and personality have changed. she was deceiving us with her real self before, but she feels more human now, even though she has no memories of her past from when she was still human. Her eyelashes and hair have turned white, and even her kimono has changed white in color because of her spiritual power. Arnes made a pact with Imeki, which made her his familiar, and the proof was the crest that appeared on the dorsal aspect of his right hand. He had to make excuses about his past relationship with Imeki as a maid, which was indeed a lie, and he couldn't risk revealing himself as a cursed necromancer.

Only five days remain before the Inter-Academy Mage Tournament. Arnes and Imeki practiced every day with basic swords; even though Arnes was a necromancer, he had to learn basic swordsmanship for his own defense, and Imeki trained alongside him to refine her skills, as she has more experience with swords. On the other hand, Tsuki Ernie and Kerfern Karshatsuha practiced as a duo too. Time mattered for Arnes since the tournament was approaching, and he only had Griffin as his puppet. Since it's two vs. two, Imeki will fight one opponent, and Arnes will have to fight by himself without relying on Imeki, which would be easier if he didn't have to hide his real power. He had to conceal it, or he would make enemies of the church, the academy, and the whole kingdom if they ever found out he is a curse user.

Arnes whistled, and a small snake crawled up to his hand. It was his pet named Yamata. Arnes adopted him out of guilt for using his mother's corpse as a puppet when he found a baby snake not leaving the side of its monster mother snake.

"So, Yamata, I almost forgot about you. By the way, did you find what I was searching for?"

The snake was indeed small but seven years old. Despite his age, it was the size of Arnes's hand. The snake wrapped around his hand and slowly moved its tail, interacting with Arnes.

"I see, makes sense...but defeating a dragon will be hard...but we have no choice since I urgently need a corpse."

I only have Griffin's corpse as my puppet, but I don't think it will have any value for the upcoming battle. I need a stronger corpse. People believe I am a tamer, which is a lie. I can't pick something outrageous like a human corpse, or people will find out I am a necromancer commanding puppets. The most suitable thing was a dragon. Even the principal once suggested hinting at finding one corpse for myself.

Arnes and Imeki followed the snake Yamata towards the forest, which links with the academy. We didn't have to sneak out. We just took the principal's permission, and she smirked, saying, "You need to find it before dawn." The forest was linked with the mountains near the academy, so it was no big deal to sneak out, but there were SS-tier academy mages and teachers, so we just took permission to be fair.

"Master, don't you think the snake is taking time to show us the place? His body is too small, and it's taking time to crawl on the ground," Imeki pouted, speaking to Arnes as they were on their way towards the hilltop.

Imeki still calls me master like always. Nothing has changed except her whole persona and looks...more like everything, but I just don't want to admit it that she is like a different person now.

"W-well yeah, but he at least helped me find the place where dragons reside. I asked him a few days ago, and he desperately searched for it, making it easier for me to reach the destination," Arnes scratched his head.

"Hmm, master, but I can see no dragons here...are you even sure this snake is correct?"

"Well, he can't be wrong since he has been my companion for seven years and I made him do errands."

Imeki looked around for claw marks and broken trees but found no hints of a dragon residing on this mountain. She kept quiet because she didn't want to talk back to her master. We kept walking, and it looked like a dragon mouth-shaped cave.

"Oi Yamata...this isn't a real dragon it's just a stone temple..." Arnes sighed as it turned out to be a temple with a dragon-shaped mouth stone cave, completely exhausted from walking all the way up to the mountain to find not the real deal. The pet snake Yamata crawled into some bushes, probably heading towards the academy to hide under Arnes's bed which was his own nest.

"Master, we are here. Why not just get inside to pray? Plus, the temple is really eye-catching, just like back 300 years ago," Imeki said with interest, which piqued her curiosity.

Arnes sighed and agreed. He didn't want his journey up the mountain to be in vain. He didn't use Griffin's corpse even he was exhausted climbing the mountain as a shortcut because he didn't want to damage it. The Griffin's body would make an excellent puppet in the tournament but using it carelessly might ruin the corpse.

[2]

"I-Imeki, don't you think it's quite hot in here?" Arnes and Imeki were walking straight through the cave. They lit a coal torch since it was dark.

"Yeah, master, it's even kind of hard to walk...like I feel something sticky... are the moss here like that?"

"I don't even see any statues or decorations here. Are you sure it's a temple or shrine?" Arnes asked Imeki in confusion.

As we kept walking deeper, the temperature increased. Imeki suddenly felt like she was in danger with her instinct.

"Master, do you remember the time I kissed you?"

The time Imeki kissed me...of course, I couldn't react in front of Tsuki and Kerf, but after I got kissed by Imeki, I felt power within my body. The mana flow within me...I could feel it, it felt like I could sense eight times better than I normally do.

"Yeah, what about it?" I stared at her as it felt like it was related to some serious discussion.

"Let's kiss again, master," Imeki said straightforwardly, smiling without any hesitation.

"What is this nonsense? Aren't you showing a bit too much of your emotions, huh?"

"No, I am serious. It's because I am your familiar now. It's a vital act for preparation for combat."

I don't get what she is even talking about, but I guess it's related to the increase of mana flow in my body. The heat is messing up with my mind and I can't even think straight.

"Fine, Imeki, just kiss me now...do it fast."

"Why are you saying it like you are desperate to kiss me?" Imeki felt little creeped even though she was creepier and more sounded desperate.

I just wanted to get it over with. I was annoyed that I had to walk deep into the heat, and getting outside was my priority. I showed no special feelings or lust towards the kiss. Imeki grabbed my cheeks with her small hands, but her fingers felt a little long. Her white eyelashes got close to my face, and her lips shone with the coal torch I was holding. Her lips felt soft, the sensation is real. It's not like I remember the first kiss I had with Imeki since I was stabbed with a sword at the time and couldn't comprehend my senses at all. But now everything felt like something out of a romantic novel, yet I was annoyed with the high temperature and getting out of the temple, which had nothing inside, completely wasting my time.

As our lips met, our bodies shone brightly along with the crest on my right hand, which shone purple. As soon as Imeki and my lips detached, she vanished.

"Huh? Imeki? Wait, she was with me? We kissed, right? Was that all hallucination?" Nope, it can't be. I am still inside the temple, and Imeki never leaves my side. Wait, what is this sensation on my hand? It feels heavy.

I looked towards my grip and saw I was holding a white, thin, shiny sword, which was a little heavy to me, but considering it's a sword, I would say it's far lighter than most of them I have ever held. But since when was I even holding it?

"Master, sorry to confuse you, but I am the one who turned into a sword."

I turned around to find Imeki, but she wasn't in sight, which means it really wasn't a prank. Familiars can turn themselves into swords, axes, whips, etc., according to the flexibility of the pact-holder's abilities, and this is the first time I have witnessed it. I could sense immense power flowing through my body, channeling the mana from my body to Imeki, who now turned into a sword.

"Eh? I see, you are a familiar, so now it makes sense. Hah, really, just how fast-paced is my life...imagine someone making a biography of my life...the readers would say the protagonist just keeps meeting absurd moments haha." Arnes chuckled to his own joke.

"Master, I am glad you like it. Now it's time to test the power," Imeki said, ignoring my joke to move forward.

*Crumble* *Grumble*

The land suddenly started shaking back and forth.

"Oi Imeki, what's happening? An earthquake?"

"Master, I have to admit you are dumb sometimes."

"..."

"Hold my hilt with both of your hands and focus your mana channeling towards the top, passing through the edge."

"Like this, I assume." Arnes made a wide grin as he suddenly started enjoying it.

"Now calmly think about your life energy turning into physical energy, and since I am infusing my mana into you, you can just swing upwards."