If someone could peer into Aize's body, they would discover golden patterns running through him.
These golden patterns flickered between bright and dim, sometimes dazzling, sometimes dull, pulsing rhythmically like a heartbeat, as if alive.
They covered every inch of Aize's flesh and organs, fused completely with him.
No—more accurately, they were born from Aize himself, merely awakened by the Fantasy Library. They were inseparable from him.
The moment Aize grasped the Black Furnace Demon Sword, the golden patterns throughout his body suddenly burst into brilliant light.
Clang!
Golden patterns appeared on Aize's hand holding the Black Furnace Demon Sword. Like golden blood, they flowed into the sword, engraving matching golden patterns onto its body.
Buzz!
The Black Furnace Demon Sword trembled, and its pure white blade emitted terrifying heat, forming a wave of scorching energy that swept through the testing chamber.
"What…?!"
On the other side of the glass window, the previously composed white-coated researchers panicked.
"What's going on?"
Claudia also looked startled, her hand tightening on the holster at her waist.
In that instant, not only did the Black Furnace Demon Sword react violently, but Claudia's own Stellar Radiance-style armament began to tremble as well.
The violent heatwave turned the entire testing chamber red-hot, distorting the air.
The temperature soared rapidly, turning the room into a giant furnace.
"Is it out of control?!"
"These readings are insane!"
"The heat has surpassed the critical threshold! This is unprecedented!"
"Activate the defense barrier!"
The researchers scrambled to raise a transparent shield around the chamber.
All the heat was trapped inside, even isolating Claudia outside the barrier, leaving only Aize within, standing at the center of the blazing heat, holding the burning demon sword. His clothes billowed, his figure distorted by the heated air.
Because of this, no one noticed the golden patterns on Aize and the sword—except the Black Furnace Demon Sword itself. It sensed something extraordinary and released even greater heat. Black patterns formed from universal matter surrounded the blade, then flowed into the crimson core, which glowed more brightly.
At that moment, the sword's once-white blade turned black under the extreme heat.
Originally formed by concentrated heat capable of melting steel, the Black Furnace Demon Sword now became a true embodiment of its name, its power exceeding all prior levels.
Even members of the Starmark Generation couldn't withstand such heat. Anyone too close could be melted instantly.
But Aize stood unharmed, gripping the sword calmly, without breaking a sweat.
He simply stared at the Black Furnace Demon Sword, feeling its will.
It had previously lost interest in him, but now it seemed startled, as if it had awakened—first confused, then excited and reverent, as though recognizing something unbelievable.
It was like a loyal subject seeing their king.
The golden patterns flowed quickly from Aize's hand into the sword.
Soon, the golden patterns fully engraved the sword, forming a complex, glowing geometric pattern on the crimson crystal, and finally embedding within it.
Thus, the ultimate authority over the armament took effect.
The Black Furnace Demon Sword performed its one-and-only life-binding recognition, becoming Aize's first exclusive armament.
Beep Beep—
A screen displaying compatibility values began to spike.
The white-coated researchers were stunned.
The compatibility rate, originally only 8%, soared past the academy's standard threshold of 80% for loaning Stellar Radiance-style weapons.
It kept climbing to 100%, then burst into unreadable characters amid alarm sounds.
Even Claudia was shocked, and the researchers stood speechless.
"Com… Compatibility can't be measured!"
"He's broken the limit!"
The max compatibility value was supposed to be 100%.
Yet now, someone had surpassed it.
The Black Furnace Demon Sword—one of the most powerful and notoriously unmanageable Stellar Radiance-style weapons—had remained unused for years.
Now, someone not only obtained it, but achieved compatibility beyond the limit!
Buzz!
The energy blade formed by universal matter vibrated and hummed.
Aize lowered the sword and looked at it, now resonating with his will, and smiled.
The chamber's heat began to recede.
"Let's work well together, Black Furnace."
His soft chuckle echoed as the heat faded, along with Claudia's complicated gaze…
…
Top floor of the high school division, student council office.
"Is that everything, President?"
Aize handed the final signed document to Claudia at the desk.
"Yes, that completes the paperwork."
Claudia accepted the file, eyeing Aize as if trying to read his mind, while maintaining her usual calm smile.
"When will I receive Black Furnace?"
Aize asked casually.
"Once the Equipment Bureau finishes final adjustments and inspections, it'll be yours," Claudia replied.
Despite the earlier chaos and the unprecedented compatibility result, the academy ultimately approved the loan.
Clearly, they were eager to see what someone who surpassed the limit could do with a Stellar Radiance-style weapon.
After all, collecting combat data was the whole point of loaning these weapons to students.
So Aize had officially obtained the Black Furnace Demon Sword and would receive it soon.
Of course, if he wished, he could summon it immediately.
The sword had already become his exclusive armament—summonable at will.
Others thought he merely borrowed it, but in truth, the sword had changed ownership.
Aize had no intention of revealing that fact.
Claudia, unaware, still felt emotionally conflicted.
Even she hadn't expected Aize to truly gain the Black Furnace Demon Sword.
"The future has changed," Claudia murmured.
"What?" Aize looked puzzled.
"Nothing," she said with a soft smile. "The Black Furnace Demon Sword is extremely powerful but notoriously difficult to co
ntrol. I hope you use it wisely."
"I will," Aize replied with a smile.
(End of chapter)