Chapter 57
“This is a jackpot, seriously.”
Looking at the System Window that popped up before my eyes, I cheered inwardly.
To think Riri’s first gacha result was an S-rank Item.
[Demonic Sword Bloodbringer (S)]
- A demonic sword forged with great care by the Blood Blacksmith. It is a sword imbued with a Curse that thirsts for blood. You gain Additional Attack Power equal to 30% of your Strength.
[Blood Thirst]: Absorbs blood every time you deal damage to an enemy, recovering the user’s health and charging the sword with blood energy. (Passive)
[Blood Energy Release]: Releases the blood energy contained in the sword in the form of a powerful slash. (Active)
“Wow. The options are crazy too…!”
Giving Additional Attack Power equal to 30% of Strength was great.
The core option was definitely [Blood Thirst].
Anyone who had played games would know that having a built-in Lifesteal option on a weapon was a significant merit.
It provided self-sustain without the need for potions or a Healer.
On top of that, there was [Blood Energy Release], which allowed you to launch the accumulated blood as a ranged slash.
It was a weapon that covered close-Range, long-Range, and sustainment perfectly.
“Riri. This is an excellent result.”
“Ehehe! Did Riri do well?! I got praised by Master!”
I stroked her red hair with genuine sincerity.
Riri liked it very much.
If she had had a tail, I would have been able to see it wagging vigorously.
I immediately called for Sera.
“Fourth Retainer. Take this sword. I am bestowing it upon you.”
“Ah…”
Sera looked at the Demonic Sword Bloodbringer.
However, her pupils were trembling slightly.
It was understandable, since an ominous red aura was creeping up from the blade, even to me.
But that was only for a moment.
“A-A holy relic personally bestowed by Master…! I will treat it very preciously…!”
Far from refusing, Sera carefully accepted the sword.
Well, it was a demonic sword, not a holy relic, but.
If she liked it, I guess it was fine.
“Alright. Now that we pulled a weapon, we should test its performance right away.”
I took my Retainers and headed to the Special Training Ground.
‘I’ll set the terrain exactly the same as the last gate…’
As I manipulated the System Interface, the interior of the Training Ground transformed into the rugged Rocky Mountain Gorge of the B-rank Gate we visited yesterday.
For reference, since I had upgraded the Training Ground, the Illusions had also become more lifelike.
To the point where, if I consumed blood power, I could make them bleed just like in reality.
“Sera, This time, try climbing this mountain alone without the help of others.”
“Y-Yes! Understood!”
Sera gripped her new sword with a resolute expression and began to climb the mountain.
The other Retainers and I walked leisurely behind her, observing her battle.
“Grrrrr!”
Soon after, Illusions of the exact same monsters from yesterday appeared throughout the gorge.
“Haaht!”
Sera calmly swung her sword.
Its power was definitely different from the iron sword I had temporarily given her.
Slash - !
Every time Bloodbringer cleaved through the air, the monsters were sliced apart like tofu.
“Oh, her damage has gotten a lot stronger.”
I nodded in satisfaction.
However, she reached about halfway up the mountain.
I felt a strange sense of incongruity.
‘Hmm… She’s strong, but it feels somewhat frustrating.’
The cause of the incongruity was Sera’s Combat Style.
Every time a monster attacked, Sera instinctively pulled her body back or deflected the attack with the flat of her sword.
It was textbook Swordsmanship focused on defense and evasion, not much different from before she obtained the demonic sword.
But that was extremely inefficient.
‘If you’ve equipped a Lifesteal item, shouldn’t you be going hard and trading blows instead of playing it safe…?’
Because even I could see, I could see her attacks constantly being interrupted as she wasted turns defending.
From a gamer’s perspective, that was a clear loss of DPS.
Her health would recover if she hit them anyway.
As long as it wasn’t a fatal wound, it was more advantageous to readily accept minor scratches and land an attack.
Of course, if it were me, I wouldn’t take hits while attacking no matter how much Lifesteal I had.
Why?
Because it hurts.
If she was hesitating because of that, I would understand, but from what I heard from the other Retainers, Vampires basically have a high resistance to pain and don’t feel it much.
It didn’t seem like Sera was flinching because she cared about the pain either.
‘I should say a word about this, shouldn’t I?’
I didn’t know anything about Swordsmanship, so it was hard to give advice, but I felt like I could at least point her in the right direction.
“Sera.”
“Master…?”
Sera, who had been cutting down monsters, turned around in surprise.
I spoke with feigned seriousness, my hands clasped behind my back.
“Why are you still bound by the outdated mold of a mortal?”
“…?”
“Do not fear being cut. What need is there to block every single minor attack? Give Flesh, Take Blood. The sword in your hand will heal those wounds.”
“…!”
I had just crudely packaged my advice.
But suddenly, a shock spread across Sera’s face, as if she had gained a tremendous realization.
“I see… I am no longer a fragile human…”
Sera muttered quietly and adjusted her grip on her sword.
And her posture completely changed.
“Chweeeek!!”
An Orc Warrior Illusion rushed in, swinging its axe.
In the past, she would have stepped back and deflected it.
But Sera did not dodge.
Instead, she took a step forward and slightly offered her shoulder.
The axe blade cut shallowly past Sera’s shoulder.
At the same time, Sera’s demonic sword accurately pierced the Orc’s neck.
Vwoom - !
At that moment, Bloodbringer’s blade flickered with a blood-red light.
The sword, having absorbed the enemy’s blood, activated the [Blood Thirst] effect.
A red energy seeped over the wound on Sera’s shoulder, and in an instant, new flesh sprouted, healing it completely.
“…!!”
Sera’s eyes widened as she confirmed with her own two eyes that her wound had recovered in an instant.
And from then on - .
There was nothing to hold her back.
How should I put it: she became extremely aggressive?
In exchange for abandoning defense and evasion, she displayed extreme aggressiveness.
She secured her stability through the demonic sword’s Lifesteal.
Taking the enemies' attacks while only avoiding fatal blows, she sliced them apart faster and more powerfully than before.
“This is exactly it.”
Only then could I nod in satisfaction.
Having traversed the mountain without stopping, Sera finally reached the same mountain peak as yesterday.
And what welcomed her was.
“Kieeeeeeek-!”
The Illusion of the [Triple Head Gryphon], the opponent from yesterday’s boss battle.
The creature was circling in the sky and glaring at Sera, just like last time.
Last time, it was an Aerial Monster that Sera’s sword couldn’t reach, so she had to receive help from Si-Yeon and Katarina.
But now it was different.
“…”
Sera calmly pulled her sword behind her back.
The massive amount of blood energy she had charged in the demonic sword by cutting down countless monsters all the way up the mountain was immense.
It began to spew out along the blade.
Rumble…
Like the sword aura swordsmen were said to wield, a Blood-red Aura shimmered around Bloodbringer.
And at that moment.
“Haaht - !”
With a shout, Sera swung her sword widely into the air.
A massive, crescent-shaped red slash cleaved through the air.
It was [Blood Energy Release].
The blood energy slash, flying at an overwhelming speed, split the Triple Head Gryphon floating in the air in two, torso and all.
Squelch - !
Thud!
The beast, split perfectly in half, crashed to the ground.
“Crazy.”
I was startled.
The damage was much greater than I thought.
To think she by herself sliced apart a B-rank Gate boss in a single blow.
It was a perfect Solo Clear.
Ding!
[Your Retainer has awakened to a new Combat Style.]
[Acquired Mystery - “Blood Fiend Sword Art”!]
“Huh?”
My eyes widened as I saw the System Message.
A new Mystery.
Originally, she could only obtain a Skill if I consumed Essence of Blood to bestow a blessing upon her.
But Sera gained enlightenment and awakened on her own!
As expected of someone with S-rank Potential, her talent was extraordinary.
With this, the Fourth’s armament was completely finished.
“Huu…”
Sera, who had been breathing heavily, soon sheathed her sword and approached me.
If it weren’t for [Exalted Dignity], I would have clapped enthusiastically in admiration.
“…”
I had no choice but to stand there with my arms crossed, putting on airs.
Having just seen her fighting like a maniac while scattering blood, I was also secretly a little intimidated.
However, as if she had never done such a thing, she carefully Knelt on one knee before me.
“M-Master… How was it…?”
The way she timidly gauged my reaction, only slightly raising her eyes.
She looked exactly like a small rabbit.
‘What the. She’s cute?’
I reached out and lightly stroked the crown of Sera’s head.
“You did very well.”
“Ah…”
Sera’s face instantly flushed red all the way to her forehead.