Chapter 35 – A Shabby Demon Sword
The sword, making a squelching sound as it absorbed blood, hesitated for a moment.
[ Wh-what? ]
“Yikes! Don’t stop, just keep slurping that blood! My clothes are getting soaked!”
When the sword ceased its bloodsucking, blood began to ooze from the wound. A hole in the clothing could be mended, but getting blood out of fabric? That’s a whole other headache.
At my sharp command, the sword trembled as if shocked and hurriedly went back to gulping down the blood. The bleeding that had been pooling stopped instantly.
“What’s going on?”
“Is this some kind of dark magic we don’t know about?”
“Truly, he must be a great being…”
“Everyone, cover your ears! If you accidentally listen in, you might just kick the bucket!”
The slaves scrambled to cover their ears and huddled in a corner, shaking like leaves. Despite their panic, there was a flicker of hope in their eyes.
The fact that I had some inexplicable power basically meant I had a better chance of surviving in this fight.
[ Why… are you not dead? By now, you should’ve turned into a mummy! What even are you?! ]
The sword spoke in a flustered voice.
“How are you planning to repay this?”
[ Huh?! ]
“Do you think you can just run away after sucking my blood and putting a hole in my clothes?”
[ Well… umm… ]
I’d been living as a housewife in the comedy world.
To coexist with my mom, who turned the kitchen and laundry room into a battlefield like she was some mad scientist, I had to be on my toes.
In the comedic world, being a housewife is a terrifying job, almost like being a ‘warrior.’ They can swing three kids at once in their arms like it’s nothing and could carry ten bags of rice if there’s a sale.
Especially during those limited-time offers or seasonal discount days, they display some serious, jaw-dropping strength.
And let’s not even start on the markets with no set prices, where they engage in intense psychological warfare and negotiate like pros.
My housewife instincts shouted loud and clear: this sword is a total sucker.
“In this day and age, where even donating blood gets you gift cards, you’re not seriously planning to skedaddle just because you’re a sword, right? Oh, I mean, you wouldn’t, right?”
[ Blood… donation? Gift… what? Has the world really changed that much? ]
*
The demon sword Gargandoa was an incredibly powerful sword that had claimed countless lives, creating rivers of blood centuries ago.
Gargandoa grew stronger with every drop of blood it absorbed, which is why it’s known as both the most powerful and the most nefarious demon sword.
Its cruelty lies in the fact that even those who value life become cold-blooded killers the moment they wield it. It shatters the user’s spirit, transforming them into mere harbingers of death.
Since Gargandoa demanded blood without distinguishing between friend and foe, even the Demon Realm treated it as a dangerous weapon.
On the day when blood flowed like rivers and countless lives met their end, the Dragon Lord sealed the demon sword Gargandoa and tossed it into the abyss.
That such a terrifying demon sword ended up amidst junk swords was all thanks to the Demon King.
When the Demon King invaded the mid-realm and the dimensions shook, the sealed Gargandoa was drawn toward the Demon King’s land like a magnet, summoned back to the surface.
Having not absorbed blood for an extended time, the demon sword had become profoundly weakened. That’s why it ended up banished among other discarded swords.
[ Why…! Why are you still alive?! ]
Even while greedily sipping Lian’s blood, the demon sword couldn’t hide its bewilderment.
Lian, instead of going mad, appeared to be annoyed even after being stabbed; and despite absorbing enough blood for ten adults, he looked perfectly fine—that sight was downright shocking.
“No matter how clueless you are, this is ridiculous. Blood doesn’t just flow like water!”
What made the demon sword even more flabbergasted was Lian’s precise voice demanding compensation. To the demon sword, which had always commanded fear and awe, Lian’s attitude was a complete puzzle.
The firm stance Lian took, even before the sword could do anything, struck fear into the demon sword that it had never experienced before. It had always leaned on psychological collapse to win previously.
[ Then, I will lend you my power! With my help, you can become the strongest on the surface! I will grant you the power to obtain whatever you desire! ]
As the sword continued talking, its confidence seemed to grow. Yes, it really is a sword anyone would covet, the ultimate, most fearsome sword!
“Is that all?”
But what returned was a “Is that it?” expression. The demon sword felt like it was sweating buckets, even though it had no sweat glands.
“Oh great, if lending a bit of strength was all it takes, there wouldn’t be anyone struggling in this world.”
Lian clicked his tongue, as if the sword were naively unaware of the world’s realities and shook his head.
“Forget it, then. Melting you down for scraps might be worth more.”
[ What?! Do you know what kind of sword I am? I am the mightiest—…]
“The handle looks decent too; I could fetch a good price for that.”
The demon sword felt as if it were about to burst from nervous sweat. No matter how mighty it once was, that was a relic of centuries past.
Now, it was thoroughly weakened, thanks to being sealed for so long. If tossed into a furnace, it would melt away without a trace.
[ ‘Not that…!’ ]
The demon sword, with no social experience and having lingered in its thoughts for centuries, spoke desperately.
[ That’s a hasty choice! You should at least try using me once! ]
Lian’s eyes gleamed with interest.
“Come on, it’s painfully obvious you’re just a shabby sword hanging around the old rusted ones. What’s there to confirm?”
[ Shabby?! I am no shabby sword! I am a great demon sword that even dragons couldn’t seal! ]
“Oh? Even dragons?”
[ Yes! And not just any dragons! I’m the sword that barely got sealed by a Dragon Lord himself! ]
It felt like it had finally gotten a taste of the carrot after being whipped nonstop, and now it was ready to tango in excitement.
“But without proof…”
[ Argh! Use me at once! Then you too shall see my greatness! ]
“Sure, checking it out is fine, but what can you really learn from a single swing?”
[ Then swing me as much as you want until you’re pleased! You will definitely be in awe of my prowess! ]
Lian thought to himself.
‘Gotcha.’
Lian deftly extracted the phrase “use me as much as you like” from the demon sword thanks to the nature of contracts with demon swords.
Even a demon sword that had been sealed for ages had enough power to manipulate Lian’s body, poking him in the gut. So, it couldn’t be used freely at will.
To wield a demon sword according to its master’s wish, one needed power strong enough to suppress the demon sword’s strength or, like Lian, to secure a deal with it.
Typically, when striking a deal with a demon sword, one has to offer something in return, or set usage limits, leaving it practically unusable after a few summons.
Initially, Gargandoa had aimed to aid Lian only once, but due to Lian’s combination of pressure and incentive, it blurted out the terrifying promise “you can use me until you’re satisfied.”
In simpler terms, it was like a complete novice signing a contract with a rogue corporation.
“Well then…”
[ Hahaha! Yes! Swing me now! Come to know my greatness and be astounded! ]
Unaware of the fact that its future was being pawned away, the demon sword simply laughed heartily in delight.
Clang, chrrrrl.
“Come out! Your turn now!”
As if everything had just fallen into place, the gates that had been shut lifted. Lian, with the demon sword’s hilt still embedded in his belly, asked,
“Can’t you stop the bleeding?”
[ That should be a piece of cake. ]
Having absorbed blood from at least a hundred humans, the demon sword was capable of basic spells. True to its word, when Lian pulled the sword out, not a single drop of blood flowed out.
A transparent film materialized over the wound, keeping the blood from leaking.
[ This will block any blood from flowing out, but it won’t heal the injury. ]
The demon sword, worried that Lian might croak before swinging it, subtly let him know.
“Uh? Oh, it’s cool, it’s cool. As long as my clothes stay clean, I’m good!”
Even the demon sword, seasoned by being drenched in the blood of countless lives, was shocked by Lian’s casual tone.
“Hey, you looking forward to being forcibly dragged out?”
While Lian was whispering with the demon sword, some time had passed, and a grumpy-looking guy approached, furrowing his brows as if he was about to toss Lian into the arena again like last time.
“Oh, I was just choosing a weapon…”
As Lian awkwardly smiled and quickly walked toward the entrance, the man clicked his tongue and stepped back. The slaves, who had been covering their ears, trembled and followed closely behind Lian.
“Woaaaaahhh!”
Amid the roaring cheers, Lian contemplated,
“But don’t those folks ever tire out? Seriously… are they seriously screaming like that every day? They can’t be getting paid for that, right?”
Carrying such thoughts—so typical of a comedic world resident—he casually strolled to the center of the arena, the demon sword dragging behind.
“The creature that will face the five brave gladiators is…”
Clang, chrrrrl.
The iron bars on the opposite side lifted, and the creature they had to battle stomped out, thudding heavily with every step.
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