The Seal
I was suffocating, but I finally managed to shake Sierra off—if you could call having her barely cling to my back "shaking her off," that is. It was as if she had developed separation anxiety over the past week; she simply refused to let go of me.
"Your bond is remarkably deep. It is quite fascinating to see a mass of demonic energy clinging to a human body... But tell me, were you always able to touch her?"
"Yes... Well, it turned out that way."
At my reply, Deidros cleared his throat, muttered something along the lines of, "I suppose nothing should surprise me anymore," and turned on his heel.
"In any case... the sword is what matters," Deidros said, standing beside the completed Demon Blade. The weapon was wrapped in a luxurious cloth. With Sierra still piggybacking on me, I stepped closer to the blade.
"You might not be able to see it clearly, but... I put a great deal of effort into its aesthetic. I designed it to suit her, given her Eastern origins. This is the greatest masterpiece of my draconic life: the Demon Blade, Sierra."
Typically, a Demon Blade is named after the soul sealed within it. Thus, Sierra became both "Sierra" and a "Demon Blade."
Following Deidros's words, I slowly peeled away the layers of cloth covering the sword. For some reason, my heart raced. Perhaps it was because of all the effort that had led to this moment. Finally, the Demon Blade revealed itself.
A scabbard blacker than a winter night. The hilt was embroidered with delicate petals. Finally, the jewel that had once hung from her pendant was now embedded in the pommel. Even a cursory glance told me its quality was peerless.
A Gold Dragon's forge indeed... I gently ran my fingers from the tip of the scabbard up to the hilt. As I did, Sierra's body, still clinging to my back, trembled.
"Are you planning to forbid me from even handling it, Master?" I replied dryly.
I carefully lifted the Demon Blade. Gripping the scabbard and hilt, I drew it slightly to inspect the blade.
Sssshing.
The edge was crimson, and the flat of the blade was pitch black—a striking, harmonious contrast. Leaving the sword partially unsheathed, I felt a wave of raw, unrefined demonic energy surge outward.
Clack.
"Just hearing the sound of the blade tells me how sharp it is. And the demonic energy... I can feel its immense power," I sheathed the sword fully and spoke to Deidros.
"To face that level of demonic energy head-on and remain unharmed... Is it due to your master's gentle touch? Are you going to seal it right away? More importantly, do you even know how?"
"Of course. I would like to perform the sealing right now, actually. Is there a suitable place nearby?"
"Hmm. Let me think..."
While Deidros and I discussed the sealing, Sierra spoke up from behind me.
"If you wield a Demon Blade without sealing it, the leaking demonic energy will slowly corrode your body. Demonic energy accumulates within you, and eventually... you turn into an abomination."
Sierra's voice grew heavy at my explanation. It seemed she had encountered such creatures in the past.
"Abominations... Ah, those bring back memories. Not many have come to me wanting to forge Demon Blades lately. It must be because of the blood iron. Damned blood mages... All they ever think about is chewing up and swallowing the materials for such a beautiful masterpiece."
Having grasped the gist of my conversation with Sierra, Deidros spat out harsh words. Thanks to those troublesome blood mages, possessing blood iron was strictly forbidden. However, blood iron was also the primary material for a Demon Blade. In a sense, forging one was breaking the law.
I didn't know the laws of every nation on the continent in detail. In the game, carrying a Demon Blade never got you put on a wanted poster, so I had never paid much attention to it. As long as I didn't go around boasting that the sword in my possession was a Demon Blade, I doubted any major trouble would arise.
Since the game's genre was fantasy, swords with unusual blade colors were incredibly common. I recalled that Demon Blades also came in various colors. Once properly sealed, it wouldn't leak any demonic energy, making it difficult for anyone to identify it as a Demon Blade.
Suddenly, Deidros, who had been tapping his fingers against the wall, stepped closer to me.
"I just thought of a good place nearby to perform the sealing."
"Let's go right away."
Without delay, we left the mansion.
Deidros led me to a vast field near the village. We walked deep into the meadow. In the very center stood a colossal, ancient tree, its roots dug deep into the earth.
"An ancient tree of this scale is bound to harbor at least some spiritual energy. It will aid in the sealing," Deidros stroked the bark of the tree as he looked at me.
I nodded at Sierra's words. Deidros tactfully withdrew, leaving only Sierra and me beneath the ancient tree.
The first light of dawn was beginning to break, casting a bright glow over the star-studded night sky. Kneeling before the ancient tree, I drew the Demon Blade Sierra. Immediately, a powerful surge of demonic energy erupted.
Slash.
I sliced my palm across the edge of the blade. Blood dripped steadily from the deep cut, and I let the droplets fall onto the sword. The blood iron greedily drank it in, its properties as potent as ever.
Along with Sierra's reaction, the Demon Blade began to hum. Soon, she floated into the air, her eyes closed.
Pressing my blood-soaked index and middle fingers together, I ran them firmly along the flat of the blade. By painting it with my blood, I engraved my ownership upon the Demon Blade. Then, I recited the lines I had seen so many times in the game.
"I request a contract."
The blade glowed with a crimson light, and a massive torrent of demonic energy began to churn.
"I shall honor you, and I shall fulfill your wish. I pray that you will become the strength of my very soul."
Sierra's voice, now solemn, echoed in my mind. The knowledge and process of the sealing had flowed into her consciousness.
"Your wish... is to defeat the Sword Saint, Chris, with your own swordsmanship."
My raised voice carried on the wind blowing across the field. This was the process of sealing the Demon Blade and contracting with the soul. Since Sierra and I had already discussed this, I expected the process to go smoothly. Until Sierra gave her answer, that is.
Floating directly in front of me, Sierra shook her head, flatly denying my words. Her sharp rejection caught me completely off guard. Wait, then what is it...? But the sealing was already underway. She wouldn't lie in this state. With demonic energy enveloping my entire body, the faster I finished this, the less strain it would place on me. I quickly suppressed my bewilderment and continued.
"...Then what is your wish? I shall devote my entire being to fulfilling it."
Sierra remained silent for a long moment, even though she, too, must have been fully focused on the ritual.
Breaking the brief silence, Sierra spoke her desire. Her wish was simple enough. To never leave. I had no intention of discarding the Demon Blade, nor did I have any reason to abandon her. Yet, it was strange that this was what she truly, deeply desired.
"To never leave you. Is that truly enough?"
I felt a bead of sweat roll down my forehead and trace my cheek. I didn't know why she wanted such a thing, but I had to finish the sealing quickly.
"With this, I bring it to a close."
I felt Sierra's demonic energy mingle with the mana circulating through my body. Sealing and contracting a Demon Blade possessed a power similar to a mana oath. Her demonic energy, now inside me, slowly harmonized. Her seal was being placed, and our contract was being forged.
"..."
After some time, I sensed the demonic energy, which had been rising like a heat haze, finally settle. The sealing was complete. I slid the Demon Blade back into its scabbard.
Clack.
The crisp sound of the sword being sheathed echoed clearly across the field, and Sierra floated down in front of me.
Sierra had returned to her usual self.
"Haha... You never mentioned anything like this before."
Sierra gave a bitter smile.
"Why did it change...?" I asked, attempting to push myself up from my kneeling position, but my body swayed. The sealing had taken longer than expected, draining a massive amount of my stamina.
Flump.
Sierra caught my stumbling body, supporting me.
"A thirst..." I leaned back comfortably against Sierra. Though it wasn't cold, a shiver ran through my body.
I quietly leaned against Sierra, listening to her lament. Her body, which had been freezing cold when she was confined to the pendant, now radiated a gentle warmth.
Sierra's voice, echoing in my mind, trembled. Loneliness. It was an emotion that could sometimes rival sheer terror.
"Don't worry. I will keep our contract, no matter what. And of course, we will defeat the Sword Saint." I took Sierra's hand, speaking in a gentle voice. If her mental state as a Demon Blade became unstable, it wouldn't bode well for either of us. The trembling in her hand gradually subsided.
Soon, Deidros, who had been watching from a distance, walked over to us.
"Did the sealing go well? It's been a very long time since I last witnessed a Demon Blade being sealed. Quite a spectacle," Deidros spoke with his arms crossed. In response, I immediately opened my status window. There was no better way to confirm my success.
It seemed I had also gained experience from this sealing, as my level had jumped by two in an instant. Edward's class is a shame... It was regrettable, but fortunately, the Labyrinth would be opening soon.
Beneath Ghost Swordsmanship, I saw the newly acquired swordsmanship created by Sierra: Reverse Heaven. The word "Incomplete" next to it clearly indicated that the style was still unfinished.
Does Reverse Heaven level up once for every four levels of Ghost Swordsmanship...? Skills derived from Ghost Swordsmanship could not be directly upgraded with skill points. Instead, investing skill points into Ghost Swordsmanship would simultaneously raise the levels of its sub-skills. However, the rate at which they leveled up depended on the power of the sub-skill.
In the game, the Sierra-style Purple Moon I had obtained from her leveled up once for every two levels of Ghost Swordsmanship, but Reverse Heaven required twice that. That meant its destructive power was on a completely different level.
Reading further down the status window, I confirmed the word "Bound" next to the Demon Blade Sierra.
"...It seems the sealing was a success," I replied, a wide grin spreading across my face as I dismissed the status window floating in the air. I had finally obtained the Demon Blade I had desired so desperately.
"By the way... that posture of yours looks rather peculiar, to say the least. Don't you think it's time to get up?" Deidros stroked his chin as he stared at me leaning against Sierra.
"Should I?"
Heeding Sierra's firm command, I decided to rest a bit longer. A cool breeze swept across the field, gently tickling my skin. Looking up at the sky, I saw the stars, soon to be obscured by the rising sun, shining with the last of their strength. Perhaps it's because everything went so well, or because a heavy burden has been lifted. Today, the world seemed exceptionally peaceful.