The concept of a spirit's inherent skill is, in a way, a characteristic of that spirit.

Some control thunder, some summon strong armor to protect themselves, and some even embody something like "Hell."

The types vary greatly.

It is not an exaggeration to call it a showcase of distinctive characteristics. The myriad of rich skills, from manipulating lightning to various unique attributes, are the "selling points" and "features" of Eternal Bonds, a trait that has been consistently spun since the beginning.

For example, just looking at thunder-controlling spirits, there are skills like "Lightning Release Ability," "Lightning Energy Conversion Ability," "Electromagnetic Control Ability," "Substance Thunder Transformation Ability," "Charging & Transmission Ability," "Thunder Cladding Ability," etc., differentiated in detail. While there are superior versions, there are no exact duplicates.

The strength of the abilities varies by the spirit's rank, of course, but even within the same category and class, there are clear differences—such is the setting of inherent skills in Eternal Bonds.

So, what about Mitsukawa Hana's "Black Dweller Sword"?

Its class is the third in the Divine Weapon Spirit.

However, contrary to the high rank of a divine spirit, Black Dweller Sword Spirit inherent abilities are very simple and limited.

The ability is "the duplication and manipulation of swords held by the caster."

In simple terms, it is the ability to summon and control remote-operable copies of equipment (limited to swords).

The sword weapon is mainstream in games and web novels.

In the web novel and game, there are a lot of uses of the sword, including summoning swords in the air and shooting them like bullets, or making a large group of swords dance gracefully in formation—varied and versatile.

It's powerful, convenient, and visually stunning.

However, the Black Dweller Sword Spirit Mitsukawa Hana has is different.

The word "difference" might be misleading.

It might be more accurate to call it a disadvantage.

There are several "inferiorities" in Black Dweller Sword ability.

For instance, there's a limit to the maximum number of copies.

The number of swords currently summoned suggests the limit of duplication is six. It might increase in the future, but for now, it's six.

Six is not a small number, but it's a delicate figure that can't overwhelm a horde of enemies either.

Not only that, but there is another disadvantage. The ability of the Black Dweller Sword Spirit is "the duplication and manipulation of swords held by the caster."

It's not "own" or "possess," but "hold" that's key.

That means she can only copy and control the swords she is currently holding.

It's not about pulling them out from memory or retrieving them from a different dimension but duplicating the 'held swords.' Therefore, the effectiveness largely reflects the current equipment status.

The current situation, where the weapon I'm equipped with is just a normal sword, is likely one of the worst imaginable.

Not only that, but the Black Dweller Sword isn't automatic, but a manual control spirit.

Grasping the space, determining the position, and remote-controlling with a sixth sense.

It's by no means an easy task.

Controlling a sword floating in mid-air without auto-aim or tracking assist is an incredibly difficult feat, and even if one could do it, the attack would be far inferior to the caster's own slash.

Moreover, if you have to control six swords while engaging in combat, the difficulty level jumps exponentially.

It's not just about the number but is heavily influenced by the quality of the equipment, and more importantly, demands the user's skill and sense - Black Dweller Sword unique skill comes with many such constraints.

I don't want you to misunderstand; I'm not dissing this ability.

It's still a divine spirit. I don't think it's a bad ability at all.

But the required conditions are just too strict.

Not only do you have to be skilled in swordsmanship, but you also have to fully understand the orientation of spirit techniques, and on top of that, you need inhuman spatial awareness and operational skills to even make decent use of it.

It's likely a highly difficult thing where only a master swordsman who has perfected everything from mind, technique, and body can, after many years, possibly master the control of one sword.

Swinging a sword that you hold in your hand is a different story.

It requires different senses, different forces, and different vectors of attack, all of which must be processed in real-time while fighting.

Moreover, the person is doing it while in combat, right? Just thinking about it normally, it's an impossible challenge at best.

So the ability of the Black Dweller Sword is incredibly hard to use.

It's not about being strong or weak; there are no users who can fully utilize this ability, other than this genius girl, Mitsukawa Hana.

Her potential to use such a difficult skill at just 14 years old is outstanding, and she is just 14 years old. When she grows more, how powerful is she going to be?

I can say this confidently that her potential is the same or might be better than the protagonist of this Eternal Bonds.

"ZUBABABAAN!"

With a strange battle cry, the skulls of the skeletons fly.

All the weapons are swords. But the way they are cut is entirely different at each scene.

"One Cut, Two Halves."

A single sword dances gracefully in the air.

The exposed blade dancing in the sky emits a blue light.

A sword without a person to hold its hilt, but fulfilling its purpose by racing across the battlefield.

Fast, sharp, elegant yet cold.

Seeking its prey, the sword flies towards the black hole from which the bones are summoned.

There is an enemy there.

A skeletal soldier, brandishing a spear and groaning.

The sword momentarily pauses by an unknown force.

However, the sword, freed from the unknown's shackles, attacks the appearing soldier with the ferocity of a bird of prey, decapitating the enemy with a swift combo of "lightning-fast draw" and "counterattack."

A draw without a swordsman, using the air as a sheath.

It is Iaido, albeit unconventional.

Such extraordinary skill goes far beyond the ordinary, as if even the laws of physics have been abandoned.

I'm just amazed by Mitsukawa Hana, and my desire to have her as my party member is at its max.