Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Roger's Biological Experiments
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I became entranced by past memories the moment I turned that nameless saint alchemist into a carcass sword and saw its name.
An Easter egg from the game company.
A hidden dungeon. A hidden piece.
A secret item.
"My lord, are you all right?"
"I'm fine."
Kallias's condition was visibly poor.
He wasn't injured anywhere, but the intense battle had exhausted him mentally and physically.
The mine in the beaker, Roas.
The moment Kallias pressed his sword against Roger's test subject, it shattered the beaker and went berserk.
The creature didn't fear Kallias's sword, and even when its limbs were severed, it devoured dormant monstrosities from other beakers to regenerate.
There was no need to delve deeper into whether it was truly human or a monster.
He enveloped it in the sword aura of Silver Flower Sword Wave and used the nourishment to slay the mine.
[Roger's Test Subject – Cleared]
[Strength +2]
Roger's carcass dissolved into a stream of light and vanished, leaving Kallias with two swords.
One was the renowned sword Lucen, left behind by Esther.
The other was...
[Predatory Sword - Roas]
Grade – Renowned Sword.
Indwelling Spirit – Merged Spirit.
-Roger's culmination of research, a test subject.
It was his final mine, but it became a sword at the hands of Kallias von Jerban.
Unique Ability – Predation.
Predation Count – 0
Predatory Sword - Roas.
A sword with a savage blade like a beast's fangs.
Its edge gleamed as if it thirsted for blood and flesh at any moment, jagged as if deliberately shattered.
Despite being a renowned sword, the Predatory Sword took the form of a longsword and possessed a unique ability.
A power granted only to spirit swords and above was attached to this one.
Predation.
A unique ability that directly transplanted the creature's characteristic of devouring blood and flesh.
Though graded as a renowned sword, it grows progressively with each predation, surpassing a hundred, then a thousand.
It could become a spirit sword, even a phantom sword.
That was the Predatory Sword, Roas.
A so-called growth-type sword.
"But why does that thing have a scabbard? As far as I know, carcass swords don't come with scabbards, right?"
"Normally, no."
Carcass swords have no scabbards.
Even Lucen had been placed in a makeshift one.
Swords ultimately return to the gods' embrace, not some scabbard.
But the Predatory Sword, made from neither beast nor human, came complete with its own scabbard. The merged spirit is rejected by the divine, by design.
Thus, the scabbard exists.
The Predatory Sword is a demonic sword. It has no resting place to return to.
Hence, it manifested sheathed before his eyes.
"Tch."
Kallias clicked his tongue.
‘If it had to be something, anything but the Predatory Sword would have been better.’
The Predatory Sword was, as its name implied, a growth type.
It had the advantage of potentially reaching high grades, but in the late game, that very trait became a drawback. Even as its grade rose, the unique ability never changed.
While the ability's power grew stronger, compared to other spirit or phantom swords, it was rather mundane.
It preys.
It grows from that.
Nothing more. Paltry next to top-tier swords that spewed fire or summoned natural disasters.
Clack.
Kallias sheathed the Predatory Sword and swept back his disheveled hair as he looked at Brans.
"Found the exit?"
"Yes! It's this way!"
Nodding, he headed straight for it.
‘Of course, beggars can't be choosers right now.’
The only issue was a touch of regret.
Carpe had many hidden dungeons.
Even without Roger, there were plenty who conducted taboo experiments forbidden by the church, like biological tinkering.
Among them, saint alchemists serving as Empire lackeys ran bizarre experiments, and clearing such hidden dungeons yielded better swords. But the problem was...
‘They're hard to find.’
The dungeons weren't part of his design, so even Kallias didn't know their locations.
These saint alchemist lairs were arbitrarily added by the game director in meetings, without his input—he'd only heard about them vaguely from colleagues. He'd have passed Roger's lab entirely if not for Brans.
"Why are you staring?"
"Nothing."
Finding it was tremendous luck in itself.
Which made the Predatory Sword all the more disappointing.
‘Of all things, the Predatory Sword.’
For Kallias, who didn't even have a single spirit sword, it was better than nothing—but human hearts aren't so simple.
Knowing it was a chance for better swords made it sting.
‘Can't be helped, though.’
Until he found the Pilgrim's True Sword.
More swords were always better.
High-grade ones were different, but renowned swords and below broke easily.
In that light, the Predatory Sword was great.
Feed it blood, and it regenerated even if shattered.
"Since we're at it, maybe I should do some good as a pilgrim."
"Pardon?"
Brans tilted his head in confusion, but quickly shut his mouth at Kallias's chilling smile.
* * *
One month later, near the northlands.
Snow-capped mountains amid falling snow.
At their center stood a settlement of wooden fences and log cabins, infamous as the haunt of brigands.
The biting cold, with breaths freezing white and fierce snow flurries, made it easy to lose one's way—even mountain guides avoided it.
The snow mountains, Enebatty.
Home to the notorious brigand gang.
The Twin Axe Bandits.
Their leader, Yurumati, had been drinking heavily since midday when a subordinate woke him.
"Boss! Boss!"
"What the hell, this early in the morning!"
"It's midday, boss. Get up! This is serious!"
"What's the big deal, damn it—my head's killing me, quit yelling! My skull's splitting."
Only when he gripped his twin axes did the subordinate's voice quiet.
"You know those guys from the next turf over."
"The Bloodsoaked Bandits or whatever? What about 'em—did they cross into our territory and skim taxes again?"
"No! Worse—they're all dead!"
"All of them?"
"Yes!"
"How?"
"That's just it, we don't know. And it's not just them. Bloodsoaked, Kallish, Frutz—all the bandit gangs wiped out!"
"...All of them?"
"That's what I said!"
Every bandit gang in the region annihilated.
Dead without a trace of the culprit—Yurumati sobered up instantly.
"Did the kingdom army raid? Or the church? What the hell. Damn it, they left us alone until now, then suddenly massacre bandits? What did we do wrong? I'm innocent!"
"You're not innocent, boss."
"Fair point."
Harassing villagers, freeloading, thieving, robbing money, snatching women—they'd done it all.
Boom!
Scratching his head sheepishly, he was interrupted by a commotion outside.
Snowstorm raging in the Enebatty snow mountains.
There, a man in a red cloak with two swords at his belt appeared out of nowhere in the Twin Axe Bandits' lair.
"Who opened the gate for him?"
"No one! The fence just shattered, and he walked in!"
"What? That's impossible..."
Predators prowled these mountains, so the fence was meticulously maintained without even a mouse hole.
No human strength could breach it.
Then—
Slash!
"What the fuck!"
The intruder suddenly drew his sword and began cutting down the bandits.
"Grab him! No, kill him! What are you waiting for!"
Yurumati bellowed.
The bandits drew their twin axes and charged the sword-wielding visitor.
The Twin Axe Bandits were the largest and most infamous in the area.
They numbered over a hundred, including recruited mercenaries with their tales.
Headcount alone exceeded a hundred.
And not mere rabble—they were a band of skilled fighters.
Snorting, Yurumati crossed his arms.
Whoever this madman was, he'd soon be bloodied and kneeling before him.
But moments later.
After one minute, Yurumati uncrossed his arms.
After three, his face paled.
After ten, he gripped his twin axes at his back without realizing.
"Fuck..."
Ten minutes.
In just ten minutes, the lair fell silent.
Not figuratively—every last one was dead.
Over a hundred corpses piled like a mountain, and before them stood a lone swordsman, red cloak fluttering proudly.
His swordsmanship was elegant and beautiful, but merciless.
The bandit leader spotted the rosary at the intruder's neck.
He was a pilgrim.
A Sword Pilgrim heeding the gods' call.
"Why! Why me!! If you're crazy, go hunt swords somewhere else!"
He roared in outrage, but instantly regretted his words.
Regret turned to death.
Moments later.
Amid the lair where the leader's head had fallen, the pilgrim's mutter echoed.
"Not enough."
[Predatory Sword - Roas]
Grade – Renowned Sword.
Indwelling Spirit – Merged Spirit.
Unique Ability – Predation.
Predation Count – 494
"Close enough, though... Just need five hundred magic beasts now."
The pilgrim was Kallias.
He was feeding blood to the Predatory Sword - Roas. To raise its grade, it needed a balanced diet of monster and human blood.
Thus, over the past month, while heading north to evade Carpe's eyes, he'd slaughtered bandits plaguing the roads.
The northlands were perpetually harsh with heavy snow, beyond the kingdom army's reach—breeding grounds for criminal gangs.
On the way north anyway.
Kallias had sought out infamous bandit lairs and wiped them clean.
Social cancers like them—he felt no qualms killing.
An individual's sob story for turning bandit?
If he fretted over that, he might as well be a saint alchemist.
"Huff! Pant! My lord! Take me too! Don't leave me behind!"
"Brans."
Clicking his tongue, Kallias sheathed the Predatory Sword.
Blood dripped from it, but no need to wipe.
It would slurp it up greedily anyway.
"I thought your stamina had improved traveling with me. First time in the north?"
"N-not just the north! Huff! The bag's gotten heavier too!"
"Hm."
Lately, raiding bandits had yielded plenty.
Grateful villagers gave food, and bandit dens overflowed with gold and loot.
The artifact [Eldora's Double Bag] bought in Trista couldn't negate weight, so Brans hauled a heavy load up the mountain.
‘Around a hundred kilos, give or take.’
No wonder Brans's body had bulked up lately.
Not just his legs—his upper body muscles were ripped, quite the physique now.
‘Honestly thought he'd bail quick...’
For a local thug, he had grit.
"Where to?"
"Gotta scrounge. A lair this size must be stuffed with gold and goods! Can't leave it!"
"It's already heavy."
The bag would get even heavier.
"Even if I die tomorrow, I die with money!"
He'd changed much since Trista.
‘But still a gold-grubber.’
No difference there.
Now or then.
Waiting patiently as Brans rummaged, Kallias sorted his thoughts—then drew his sword again.
"Smelled the blood."
Snow mountain magic beasts.
The north was the north, indeed.
Even here, magic beasts lurked as if it were natural.
Snow leopards, white as snow.
Twice the size of normal ones, with razor claws.
"Perfect timing."
Time to feed them to the sword.
The first to approach saved him the trouble.
Kallias swung the Predatory Sword wildly once more.
One, two, ten.
The beast corpses mounted, yet their numbers didn't dwindle.
‘They should be scared off by now.’
Kallias eyed the Predatory Sword – Roas.
The ominous blade emanated menace, greedily slurping the blood from its surface.
"A demonic sword, as expected."
This ill-fated longsword seemed to draw magic beasts somehow.
Kallias dodged claws and fangs from the charging horde, felling countless.
And shortly after.
"My lord! Come here, you gotta see this! Eek!"
Brans came barreling out from somewhere in the lair, then froze in shock.
The bandits' corpses were now joined by a mountain of massive magic beast carcasses.
"You got drenched in blood in that short time."
"What is it."
Wiping his bloodied face roughly with [Twilight Cloak], Kallias approached Brans.
"There's someone here—you need to see them."
"Who's worth the fuss."
"Well..."
Entering the lair, Kallias saw a few women who looked like maids and one child locked in a jade cage.
"Noble?"
Dressed in fine fabric like a noble house heir.
Kallias, uninterested, was about to chide Brans for summoning him over this—then froze, looking back at the noble child.
Hair black as a moonless night.
And gray eyes utterly inhuman.
The surrounding maids trembled at the blood-soaked Kallias, but the noble child stared unflinchingly into his eyes, unafraid.
"What's your name."
The child stood from his seat, eyes bright, and declared proudly.
"Emily. Emily von Jerban."
The noble child was of a great northern noble house.
The north's overlord.
The swordsmanship clan renowned in the north.
The same house as Kallias.
A noble bearing Jerban blood.