Chapter 7
Chapter 7
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Demonic Sword Ignis
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It was a request for a rare-grade sword if he wanted to know.
But.
"We can't hand out rare-grade swords without proof of your strength."
Shin Ji-ah stated firmly.
Rare was the grade that four-star swordsmen relied on as their main weapons.
They couldn't just give one to Shin Yu-hyun, who had only just reached the lowest tier of two-star.
"Even like this?"
Shin Yu-hyun picked up one of the long swords that Shin Ji-ah had been examining moments ago.
It was a normal-grade standard long sword, but it looked sturdy enough, and its blade was sharp.
It was top-quality, hardly different from a magic-grade one.
Shin Yu-hyun slowly channeled mana into the long sword.
Whumm.
The sword vibrated faintly, and strands of black aura began to flow from it.
"So you've opened your ki, after all."
Seeing this, Shin Ji-ah nodded. In truth, it was his chakra that had opened, but he saw no need to mention it.
"That's not all."
Whoosh!
Black flames suddenly erupted from the long sword in Shin Yu-hyun's hand.
"...!"
Shin Ji-ah's eyes widened in silence.
Black flames wrapped around the long sword, blazing fiercely.
In that state, Shin Yu-hyun swung the sword lightly. A crimson sword light flashed, painting the air with trails of black flame.
"You can already use attributes? Didn't you just open your ki yesterday? How are you doing something that's supposed to require three-star...?"
Shin Ji-ah stared at Shin Yu-hyun in astonishment.
For superhumans, rank was as good as their life. It served as a measure of strength, but the gap in ability between two-star and three-star was vast.
Upon reaching two-star after opening ki, one could handle mana, reinforce their body with Body Strengthening Technique, and manifest aura from their sword.
At three-star, they could unlock aura attributes.
Yet here was Shin Yu-hyun, freshly two-star, wielding an aura attribute.
"Guess I just have talent."
Shin Yu-hyun said it casually.
It wasn't quite enough to chalk up to talent alone, but she had no choice but to accept it.
Even Shin Ji-ah herself had awakened a talent for instinctively spotting enemies' weaknesses upon hitting two-star.
"I see."
With that, Shin Ji-ah nodded in agreement.
Talents came in all varieties, after all.
'Strictly speaking, it's not an aura attribute.'
Dark Soul Blaze was a bound skill attached to the Immortal King's Blessing.
But he had no desire to reveal anything about the Immortal King, so he passed it off as an aura attribute born of talent.
'Wonder what aura attribute I'll get at three-star.'
In his previous life, he'd been blessed with a ridiculous neutral attribute.
But in this life, having inherited the Immortal King's power, he had no idea what it might be.
Shin Yu-hyun looked at Shin Ji-ah and spoke.
"The problem is I can't use this attribute ability freely."
He poured even more mana in, making the black flames burn fiercer.
Whoosh!
The black flames engulfed the entire blade, growing larger.
Crackle! Crackle!
Soon enough, the long sword couldn't withstand the black flames. It ignited and crumbled to ash, scattering in the air.
"Normal-grade long swords can't handle it."
"So that's why you want rare-grade..."
Shin Ji-ah nodded.
Now she understood why the sword he'd brought had turned to dust.
"Ideally, something that can withstand the black flames."
"Rare-grade should have swords tough enough for your power. Just pick one."
"So you can give me the sword I want?"
"Any rare-grade sword."
The moment she'd seen the black flame aura, Shin Ji-ah had acknowledged his skill and talent.
She was prepared to gift him any rare-grade sword within her discretion.
But.
"The demonic sword, Ignis."
"What? Ignis?"
Shin Yu-hyun's utterly unexpected choice left Shin Ji-ah aghast.
The Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan housed all manner of swords.
From those forged by humanity's magitech to those looted from dungeons.
And beyond: divine swords, holy swords, demonic swords, relic swords, legendary swords, and more.
Demonic swords were dangerous.
Their performance was unmatched, but they were picky about owners and often devoured their users' lives.
Most were sealed away, untouched by anyone.
Ignis was no exception.
Known as the Flame Devourer, this demonic sword had been abandoned even by Shin Cheol-jin, Hall Leader of Vermilion Bird Hall and the clan's second son. It was perilously treacherous.
"N-No, not that one. It's too dangerous. Absolutely not."
Shin Ji-ah refused flatly.
But Shin Yu-hyun didn't back down.
"Ignis is the only one for me. There aren't many rare-grade swords that can handle black flames. And I can't exactly get a unique-grade one, right?"
"Of course not."
Shin Ji-ah nodded.
She had leeway for rare-grade.
Unique-grade was another story.
To claim a unique-grade sword, one needed not just her recognition but proven contributions to the clan.
Clan rules were strict on that, and Shin Yu-hyun had none.
"At least give me a chance. The recognition ceremony will tell us."
The recognition ceremony.
A ritual where rare-grade or higher swords resonated with one's aura.
It revealed compatibility—for better or worse.
Thus, it would show if Ignis would accept him or reject him.
"The recognition ceremony? Even Cheol-jin failed. You think you can?"
"Yeah. Worst case, nothing lost. No harm in trying."
The ceremony itself wasn't dangerous.
Just a check for compatibility.
"Fine. Let's do the recognition ceremony."
"Thanks."
Shin Yu-hyun smiled at her permission.
Shin Yu-hyun followed Shin Ji-ah into the armory's heavily secured inner sanctum.
Security and surveillance intensified the deeper they went. Drones patrolled the ceilings.
Under her guidance, he arrived at the rare-grade vault sealing the demonic sword Ignis.
'Definitely a different vibe.'
It was smaller than the general armory, with fewer weapons.
But the presence emanating from those rare-grade arms was on another level. The pressure was palpable on his skin.
"Here."
Soon, they reached the demonic swords' sealed section.
Each was isolated in its own small, heavily monitored chamber with cutting-edge equipment.
'Talk about tight security.'
Opening the thick steel doors required fingerprint and iris scans.
Clank! Rumble...
With Shin Ji-ah's scans, the massive steel door ground open.
Inside, the demonic sword Ignis—with its crimson blade—stood impaled in a steel altar.
Two iron chains from the ceiling's ends crossed diagonally, binding it before anchoring to the floor.
Whumm! Whoosh!
As Shin Yu-hyun and Shin Ji-ah entered, Ignis vibrated wildly against its chains, spewing crimson flames.
But the pitch-black iron chains held firm.
"Think you can earn Ignis's recognition?"
Recognition?
Shin Ji-ah's words as they entered made Shin Yu-hyun chuckle inwardly.
The recognition ceremony tested if the sword accepted its wielder.
But he wasn't worried.
He'd inherited the Immortal King's power.
"I don't need its recognition. I'll make it submit."
"Make Ignis submit?"
Shin Ji-ah gaped at him. Gaining recognition was hard enough—submission?
Whoosh!
Ignoring her shock, Shin Yu-hyun summoned Dark Soul Blaze in his hand—the black flames—and approached Ignis.
Dark Soul Blaze: an S-grade bound skill of the SSS-grade unique trait, Immortal King's Blessing.
How long could a mere rare-grade demonic sword endure?
Whoosh!
The black flames poured onto Ignis.
Vrrrmmm!
Ignis trembled as if in ecstasy, greedily absorbing the black flames.
The demonic sword Ignis's other name: Flame Devourer.
An epithet born of its insatiable hunger for flames.
Its blade quivered, drawing in the black flames endlessly.
'Taking to it better than expected.'
Shin Yu-hyun smiled.
He'd figured a rare-grade wouldn't handle much quality black flame, but it was devouring it surprisingly well.
But.
Grrrrowl!
Soon, Ignis's blade began shuddering violently.
'Hit its limit.'
He still had plenty in reserve, but Ignis could take no more. It started overflowing, rejecting the flames.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
No—worse. It erupted its own crimson flames in defiance, resisting the black ones.
"You gonna keep this up?"
Shin Yu-hyun smirked.
Whoosh!
The black flames blazed fiercer.
Ignis countered by flaring its crimson flames higher.
Black and crimson swirled around Ignis, nipping at each other.
But as time passed, the crimson flames waned.
Soon.
Zzzzzing!
Black flame patterns etched into Ignis's crimson blade like tattoos.
Ignis had surrendered.
"Ignis acknowledged you?"
Shin Ji-ah stared in shock. The black flame sigils on the bare crimson blade were proof of Ignis's acceptance.
In truth, it was less acceptance and more domination by his black flames.
Still, Shin Yu-hyun had succeeded where even Shin Cheol-jin had failed.
"Sis, it's fine now. Release it."
"R-Right."
At his request to unseal Ignis, Shin Ji-ah nodded readily. She'd seen it submit.
Clank! Shhhrk!
Moments later, the binding chains retracted into the ceiling.
Only the demonic sword Ignis remained, thrust into the steel altar.
Shing.
Shin Yu-hyun drew it effortlessly.
Ignis was sleek and finely balanced by design. The new black flame sigils on its blade added even greater elegance.
Whumm!
At his touch, Ignis thrummed.
A system message appeared simultaneously.
Confirming the message, Shin Yu-hyun smiled in satisfaction.