Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Blood and Sword
Nate steadied his breath, gripping his katana as the wraiths circled him like hungry beasts. His body screamed in pain, his vision still flickering in and out from the lingering Blind effect.
Then—
Ding!
A mechanical chime echoed in his mind, cutting through the haze of exhaustion.
[The traces of a soul are awakening within your weapon due to how many monsters you've killed with it so far.]
[The weapon yearns for more bloodshed, wanting to utilize the essence from the blood to have these soul traces congregate and form a true soul. However, it knows that it cannot achieve this alone, so it asks for your help.]
[A nascent weapon bond has been made between you and the katana. Current bond level is 1.]
Nate's grip tightened. He could feel it.
A faint pulse ran through the blade, subtle but unmistakable. Like a whisper in his mind—his katana was… alive.
His connection with it had deepened, no longer just an extension of his arm but something more.
Something waiting to evolve.
The wraiths shrieked, their forms convulsing as they lunged at him in unison.
No time to think.
Nate moved.
He sidestepped the first wraith's lunge, his reflexes sharper, his movements more instinctual. He could feel his katana guiding him, pulling toward weak points he couldn't consciously see.
Another wraith attacked from his blind spot. He twisted his body at the last second, feeling the brush of cold air as claws missed him by mere inches.
His katana hummed in his grip.
Nate lashed out, his blade finding the solid core within the misty form. The wraith let out a keening wail as the katana tore through it, devouring its essence.
[Sword Mastery (Novice) Acquired!]
[Slightly improves your control with the sword and increases all damage dealt with swords. Your enemies will feel more pain from your sword attacks as your damage increases.]
A rush of clarity filled him.
The weight of his blade felt more familiar, his movements more fluid. Every swing, every angle—it all made sense in a way it hadn't before.
His katana was no longer just a weapon.
It was an extension of his will.
The next wraith attacked. Nate pivoted, his katana slicing through the air in a seamless arc—
This time, it met resistance.
A thin shriek cut through the silence as the wraith recoiled, its form spasming. The mist that had once made it intangible now parted beneath his strike, as if his blade had weight in this dreamlike realm.
It was working.
Nate exhaled, stepping forward, pressing his advantage. His katana lashed out again, carving a clean path through the creature's core.
The wraith collapsed, unraveling into a swirling mist before fading into nothing.
Two down.
The remaining wraiths twisted unnaturally, their bodies shifting like fluid shadows. They were learning.
And they were furious.
The temperature dropped sharply.
The last three wraiths suddenly merged, their misty forms combining into something larger, more solid—more dangerous.
A single entity now loomed before him.
[Name: Nightmare Wraith (Mutated)
Rank: E-
Description: After the loss of its weaker halves, the remaining essence of the wraiths has converged into a stronger entity. Gains increased speed, intelligence, and resilience. Its attacks now cause the "Frostbite" effect.]
Nate's breath hitched.
Shit.
This wasn't good.
The creature surged forward, no longer mindless, its movements precise and terrifyingly fast.
Nate barely brought up his katana in time—
CLANG!
A chilling force slammed into him, sending him skidding backward. His arms trembled from the impact.
His arms trembled, his breath escaping in ragged gasps.
The cold burned.
His fingers went numb, ice creeping across his skin. Frostbite was setting in.
The wraith lunged again, its movements sharper, more methodical. No wasted motion.
Nate barely parried, his blade shaking.
I can't keep up.
The cold was slowing him down. His stamina was already drained. His katana pulsed in his grip, as if urging him to act.
[Sword Mastery (Novice) effect activated.]
[Your control over the katana slightly improves, increasing precision and damage.]
The wraith.
It vanished—
Nate's instincts screamed.
He spun on his heel—just in time to block the attack aimed at his throat. Sparks erupted as steel met shadowy flesh. His katana struggled to cut through the wraith's dense form.
The creature screeched, its claws raking across his shoulder.
Blood splattered onto the cold stone floor.
Nate gritted his teeth.
This thing was too fast.
He couldn't outlast it. He had to end it now.
The wraith lunged again—
Nate stepped into the attack.
It was reckless. Insane. One mistake and he'd be gutted.
But he didn't hesitate.
"Dead Man's Reversal."
At the last moment, he twisted his body, his katana following an unnatural arc—
SLASH!
The blade cut deep, carving a jagged line across the wraith's core.
The creature let out a shrill, inhuman wail.
Nate didn't let it recover.
He lunged forward, katana flashing—once, twice, thrice—each strike more precise, more devastating than the last.
The mutated wraith shuddered, its form destabilizing, shadows writhing around it.
It lashed out in desperation.
Nate ducked, rolling beneath its swipe. His katana howled, a final downward slash cleaving through the creature's core—
A piercing screech filled the air—
Then—
BOOM!
The wraith exploded into swirling mist.
Silence.
Ding!
[You have defeated Nightmare Wraith (Mutated).]
[Your mastery over the blade has improved.]
[You have gained the title "Sword Heir."]
Nate fell to his knees, chest heaving.
His katana still trembled in his grip, blood dripping from its edge.
Then—
A new message appeared.
[Title: Sword Heir – The blade recognizes your talent. While wielding a sword, your attacks cut deeper, and your skill with the blade progresses faster. A true swordsman is not made in a day, but you have taken your first step toward becoming one.]
Nate let out a breathless chuckle.
He rolled his shoulders, wincing at the lingering ache. His breath was steady now, but the weight of exhaustion pressed against his limbs like chains.
The messages had faded, but the implications still echoed in his mind.
"Sword Heir."
The title wasn't just for show. He had felt it in that last exchange—the way his blade moved, the way it guided him, the way the wraith's body no longer felt untouchable.
And his katana…
It wasn't just metal anymore.It wasn't just the sword his father gave him for his protection.
It was awakening.
Something within it has changed.
A thought crossed his mind, and he pulled up his weapon details.
Ding!
[Weapon Details – Unnamed Katana]
Grade: ??? (Unknown)
Condition: Worn but functional.
Durability: 32/50
Attack Power: Scales with user skill.
Special Effects:
Bloodthirst (Dormant) – The blade absorbs traces of battle essence. As it drinks more blood, hidden effects may awaken.
Lingering Will (Nascent) – Faint traces of a soul are forming within the blade. Its existence is incomplete, but it has started to resonate with its wielder.
[A nameless katana that has been wielded in numerous battles. Though it lacks a title, it has begun to awaken to something more.]
Nate's eyes narrowed.
The Bloodthirst effect… had that been triggered by how many monsters he had killed?
And Lingering Will… A soul forming within the blade?
His fingers tightened around the hilt. The sword had already started to change. Did that mean he could push it further?
The meaning was clear: the more he fought, the more his sword would change. If he could push it further, evolve it, then maybe—just maybe—he could carve his way through whatever else the Nightmare Realm threw at him.
He exhaled, closing the runes that shows the weapon description.
For now, it wasn't about what the katana could become.
It was about what he could become.
"Sword Heir… The blade recognized me. Not just as a wielder—but as someone worthy of mastering it."
A thrill coursed through him.
He had won. Not just against the wraith, but against himself.
And that wasn't luck.
It was his growth, persistence, Hardwork.
He glanced around the ruined battlefield, the mist swirling aimlessly without the wraiths to command it. His fight wasn't over. This place still held more dangers,Stronger enemies, deadlier battles,more challenges—and more opportunities to grow.
Nate rose to his feet, sheathing the sword with a practiced motion.
If he wanted to survive…
If he wanted to become more than just another fighter swinging a sword…
Then he had to walk the path of the sword.
His path.
The path of the Sword Heir.
He flexed his fingers, the Frostbite still lingering. A reminder that he was still alive.
And he needed to keep it that way.
A smirk tugged at his lips.
"Good."
The Nightmare Realm wasn't done with him.
And he wasn't done with it.