Chapter 24 – Getting Used to My New Weapon
[Gray’s POV]
The moment my blood touched the crimson blade, I felt something change.
A connection.
No...
It was more than a connection.
It felt as though another existence had awakened and acknowledged me.
A strange sensation traveled from the hilt, through my hand, and into my very soul.
Then I felt it.
Hunger.
An immense...
Terrifying hunger.
Not hunger for mana.
Not hunger for energy.
But hunger for blood.
For battle.
For death.
The sensation lasted only a brief moment before sinking beneath the surface, becoming silent once more.
Yet I knew what I had felt wasn’t my imagination.
This sword desired slaughter.
Fortunately, I didn’t sense any hostility from it.
Instead...
I felt acceptance.
As if it had finally found the master it had been waiting for.
Mother watched my expression before giving a small nod.
"Good."
"It seems the weapon has accepted you."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"After bonding with a Blood-Bound Weapon, its information will appear on your Status."
"If nothing appears, then the weapon has rejected you."
Her gaze shifted toward the crimson katana in my hand.
"But judging by your reaction, it has already acknowledged you as its master."
Then curiosity flickered across her eyes.
"Go on."
"Check whether it awakened an ability after forming the bond."
I nodded.
"Status."
Immediately, the familiar blue screen appeared before my eyes.
⸻
[ STATUS WINDOW ]
Name: Gray Starlight
Age: 8
Rank: G-
Bloodline: [Unawakened]
Physique: [Unawakened]
Class: None
Talent: SS+
Attributes
Strength: G-
Agility: G-
Endurance: G-
Mana: G
Mana Capacity: G
Will: G
Charm: S
Intelligence: C+
Luck: ??? (Random)
Affinities
• Ice Affinity
• Darkness Affinity
• Space Affinity
Skills
None
Mastery
Swordsmanship Beginner Mastery (81%)
Bound Weapon
Name: Unnamed
Rank: ??? (Current Growth Stage: G-)
Ability:
[Life Steal]
Whenever the blade wounds an enemy, it devours their blood and life force, converting them into vitality for its wielder.
The deeper the wound and the stronger the opponent, the greater the restoration.
Fresh blood is absorbed through the crimson veins of the blade and transformed into healing energy capable of restoring flesh, stamina, and even fatal injuries.
Current Restriction:
Due to the wielder’s low rank, only minor injuries can currently be healed.
The weapon’s true power remains sealed and will gradually awaken as both the wielder and the sword evolve.
⸻
My eyes widened.
A regenerative ability?
And one that could eventually heal fatal wounds?
That was terrifying.
No wonder I had sensed such overwhelming bloodlust from the blade.
It literally fed upon blood and life itself.
Still...
Something immediately caught my attention.
Unnamed.
The sword had no name.
Which meant...
It was waiting for me to give it one.
As I stood there deep in thought, Mother noticed my expression.
"What did you get?" she asked.
I looked up from my Status.
"The sword accepted me."
I paused before continuing.
"It awakened an ability."
Seeing the look on my face, Mother immediately understood it wasn’t an ordinary ability.
"So," she asked with interest, "what ability did your sword awaken?"
Amy leaned forward excitedly, unable to hide her curiosity.
Rather than keep them waiting, I answered immediately.
"It’s called Life Steal."
"It absorbs the vitality of enemies I wound and uses it to heal me."
"Most of its power is currently sealed, but as I become stronger, it’ll eventually be able to restore stamina, regenerate missing limbs, and even heal fatal injuries."
Mother and Amy exchanged surprised glances.
Then Mother nodded.
"An incredible ability."
"Your luck truly is exceptional, Gray."
"Yeah!" Amy agreed enthusiastically.
"That’s ridiculously amazing!"
I smiled before carefully sheathing the crimson katana.
Then Mother asked,
"Do you also need a sword art suited for your new weapon?"
My eyes immediately lit up.
"Yes!"
"I need a proper katana sword art."
"I barely know anything about katana techniques."
Mother nodded thoughtfully.
"What rank do you want?"
"And what kind?"
"Tell me your requirements, and I’ll see whether our treasury has something suitable."
Immediately, countless thoughts flashed through my mind.
An SSS-Rank Sword Art!
The idea appeared almost instinctively.
But I quickly discarded it.
SSS-Rank techniques were unimaginably rare.
Even if I somehow obtained one, mastering it would likely take years...
Perhaps even decades.
Mother quietly watched my changing expressions.
She had clearly noticed the brief greed that crossed my face before disappearing, yet she remained silent.
After thinking for a while, I finally answered.
"Mom..."
"I want katana arts that are easy to analyze and dismantle."
"I’ll need several of them."
Her curiosity deepened.
She had expected me to ask for the strongest sword art available.
Instead...
I had requested something completely different.
Not the most powerful.
But the easiest to understand.
"Why?" she asked.
"Wouldn’t it be better to obtain a high-ranking sword art and dedicate yourself to mastering it?"
I nodded.
"Normally, yes."
"But every sword art reflects its creator."
"If I completely devote myself to one person’s style, I’ll eventually shape my own swordsmanship around their preferences."
I paused before continuing.
"I’ve read that in several books."
"So instead..."
"I want to learn the fundamentals."
"I want to dismantle different sword arts, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and then create my own style."
"It won’t become the strongest overnight."
"But I can continue improving it throughout my life."
"And because it’ll be mine..."
"I’ll always be able to refine it however I want."
Then I looked directly into Mother’s eyes.
"And I don’t think someone can become a true powerhouse by simply following another person’s footsteps."
"I need to carve out my own path."
In this world, there were two ways to obtain skills.
The first was through skill books or scrolls discovered in dungeons, ancient ruins, or purchased from others.
Using one would imprint the skill into the user’s mind at its most basic level.
However, everything beyond that depended entirely upon the user’s own comprehension.
The second method was creating skills personally.
By combining knowledge, experience, concepts, and understanding, one could create entirely new techniques.
Some were named by their creators.
Others were naturally recognized and named by the world itself.
Sword arts worked in much the same way.
The only difference was that they couldn’t be instantly learned through books.
They had to be practiced.
Understood.
Mastered.
After finishing my explanation, I noticed Mother quietly staring at me.
"Gray," she asked calmly,
"Where did you learn so much about sword arts and the world’s power system?"
I didn’t panic.
"I read books from the family library."
"Mostly books about swordsmanship, combat techniques, and the world’s power system."
"They fascinated me, so I kept reading."
Then I smiled sheepishly.
"Of course..."
"Some of what I just said is only my own deduction."
I looked at her.
"Am I wrong, Mom?"
Mother simply waved her hand.
"No."
"Most of your deductions are surprisingly accurate."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"I’ll arrange the sword arts you requested."
"And once Astrid returns from her mission..."
"She’ll personally teach you katana techniques."
My eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Aunt Astrid is coming back?"
"I haven’t seen her in months."
"Where did she go, Mom?"
"She’s your second-in-command, isn’t she?"
Mother nodded.
"I assigned her an important mission."
For just a moment, warmth appeared in her eyes.
"When she hears you’ve awakened..."
"I’m certain she’ll be delighted."
Astrid wasn’t merely another member of the Starlight Family.
She was Mother’s right hand.
One of the pillars supporting the entire family.
Despite her strict personality, she cared deeply for both Amy and me.
In many ways...
She treated us like her own children.
Although, when it came to serious matters...
Her loyalty belonged solely to Mother.
Suddenly, I remembered something important.
"Mom."
"Hm?"
"I need to give my katana a name."
I raised the crimson blade slightly.
"It still doesn’t have one."
Mother smiled faintly.
"Then the answer is simple."
"A weapon’s name is important, Gray."
"Choose it carefully."
"After all..."
"This sword will accompany you for the rest of your journey."
Hearing those words, I lowered my gaze toward the crimson blade resting in my hands.
For some reason...
It felt as though the sword itself was quietly waiting for my answer.
Even now, I could still vaguely remember that overwhelming hunger I’d felt through our bond.
It wasn’t hostility.
Nor madness.
It felt more like instinct.
As though the crimson blade longed to drink blood...
To grow stronger with every battle.
Strangely enough...
I wasn’t repulsed by that desire.
Instead...
It felt as though I understood it.