31. 'My Gift "Additional Bonus," Treated as the Weakest, Was Actually the Strongest Skill That Could Obtain Allies, Weapons, and Rewards' - Chapter 31: Overcoming the Trial

Recap of the previous chapter

The legendary hero who wields hundreds, even thousands of light swords—the Holy Dual Swordsman Ramzas.
The "Dawn Covenant" took on the challenge in an all-out battle, unleashing the "Flash of Bonds" that combined the power of every ally.
That single strike tore through the storm of light, and Ramzas acknowledged them before departing.
However, the words he left behind pointed toward a new journey.

Main Text

After the Silence

After the storm of light swords vanished, silence returned to the vast space of the ruins.
The blades of light that had covered the sky were gone, leaving only rubble and the ragged breathing of the companions.

"…Is it over?" Cain asked, kneeling while resting his dual swords on his shoulder, wiping away sweat.

"No… it's not over."
Asura said, staring at his black-silver dual blades.
"Ramzas was only testing us. Not our strength… but our 'bonds' as allies."

No one disagreed with those words.
Zeke, Selene, Ord, and Sophia—everyone had certainly felt it during the heat of battle.

The Tactician's Voice

"…It's finally quiet."
Leon closed his scroll and let out a breath.
Everyone remembered how his voice had echoed incessantly during the battle.

"Shift to the right, overlap the shadows and arrows—"
"Everyone, step back with the shield as the axis!"
"Now for the flames, protect the rear guard!"

His voice wasn't a roar, but calm and certain guidance.
Because of that voice, the allies were able to move without a moment of disorder.

"Leon… we didn't collapse because you were there," Asura said honestly.

Leon smiled slightly and shrugged, saying, "…Well, it doesn't feel bad to be told that."
But the next moment, he looked at them with a serious expression.
"Just don't forget. It was you yourselves who were moving on the battlefield. I only pulled the strings. …The next one will be even tougher."

The Echo of the Holy Dual Swordsman

A faint light remained on the ceiling of the ruins, and a voice echoed from it.
"Dawn Covenant. You possess the qualifications.
The next trial sleeps deep within the ancient ruins.
There, the memories of past heroes exist, and there is a path that leads to the future."

The voice was soft, yet it was something that certainly pushed them forward.

"Qualifications, huh…" Asura muttered softly.
He gripped his black-silver dual blades again and nodded quietly.

The Aftermath of Comrades

"That was amazing… Asura. Your strike—no, everyone's strike, I mean," Cain laughed.
"I seriously thought I was going to die, though!" Zeke said jokingly, softening the mood a little.

Selene narrowed her eyes while holding her bow.
"…That hero of light is surely still watching us. To see how far we can go."

Ord stood firmly, readjusting his shield on his back.
"If we're being tested, we just have to accept it. We can do it."

Milia finished healing the minor wounds of her allies and gave an exhausted smile.
"But… I think it's okay to rest a little now. Our bodies and minds are at their limit."
The pixies also landed on his shoulder, nodding cutely while saying, "Let's rest," and "We're at our limit."

Then Leon stepped forward.
"…Rest. I'm at my limit too. The next time might require more than just reading the battlefield. That is exactly why you must recover your energy."

The Path of Light

A single ray of light shone through a gap in the collapsed ceiling.
It shone as if it were a lamp illuminating the next path.

Asura looked at his companions and said powerfully,
"Let's go. We are the 'Dawn Covenant'.
Treated as the weakest, used as decoys… but it's different now.
Together with my allies, I'm moving on to the next trial."

Everyone nodded at those words.
There was fear and anxiety. But there was hope that made their hearts tremble even more.

—And so, the "Dawn Covenant" begins their journey once again.

Afterword

In Chapter 31, I depicted the aftermath of the battle with Ramzas and the inner feelings of the companions.
In particular, the presence of the tactician Leon played an indispensable role in organizing the battle and binding the allies into "a single flow."
This chapter also showed that not only power, but the "power of words" to see through the battlefield is also a strength of the "Dawn Covenant."

From the next chapter, we finally head deeper into the ancient ruins.
The memories of past heroes and new trials await them.




Thank you so much for reading this far!
In this chapter, I firmly depicted the lingering emotions after the battle and the presence of the tactician Leon.

✨ Which ally's words left the biggest impression on you?
✨ If you were a member of the "Dawn Covenant," would you be on the side following the tactician's instructions, or the side giving the commands?

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Those words will help expand this story even further.