Just as the rabbit’s massive greatsword was poised to cleave my head.
-Kugugugu…!
Unexpectedly, a potent shockwave burst forth from my very being, flinging the suffocating rabbits away in every direction.
[ The Bond grade has improved from C to B. ]
And amidst the heart of that shockwave, I found myself basking in an unparalleled sense of tranquility.
“……”
An ecstatic rapture washed over me.
It was a rapture akin to shedding an old skin and being born anew.
Alongside this, an incomparable coziness enveloped me.
A warmth, as though I had returned to the embrace of Arche, my progenitor and mother, suffused my entire being.
I had encountered this precious sensation once before.
This comfort and sense of omnipotence, first felt when I was reborn as a vampire by accepting Arche’s blood, now returned.
It felt, almost, like an addiction waiting to take hold.
Thus, I had drawn one step closer to Arche.
As the saying goes, a good beginning is half the battle, isn’t it?
I was overwhelmed with emotion.
After approximately five seconds, the shockwave that had pulsed from my body began to dissipate, slowly vanishing without a trace.
“……”
Amidst the renewed stillness that now enveloped me.
I slowly pushed myself upright.
A dull, throbbing ache resonated in my chest and arms.
It appeared my internal injuries had not yet fully regenerated.
Though undeniably a grave situation, I found myself, oddly enough, completely devoid of anxiety.
Feeling an emptiness in my hand, I glanced down to find my Blood Sword shattered and half-melted on the ground.
It seemed the hardening had unraveled the moment I briefly lost consciousness, crashing against the wall.
Solidifying blood into a specific object and sustaining its form demanded considerable concentration, making this occurrence hardly surprising.
Well, there was no helping it.
My only recourse was to forge a new one.
As I imbued the scattered blood with magical power, my affinity for magic and my intense concentration converged, churning and surging as if reaching a boiling point.
And before long, just as it always had, it solidified into the form of a sword and settled firmly within my grasp.
Yet, something about it felt distinctly different from before.
‘The strain feels significantly lessened.’
The burden I felt in both forging the Blood Sword and sustaining its form had markedly diminished compared to previous attempts.
It appeared that with the elevation of my Bond grade, my magical affinity had also experienced a substantial surge.
If this is the case… that might actually be possible, mightn’t it?
-!!?!??!
Just then, the colossal rabbit, which had been flung back by the shockwave, charged at me, its eyes blazing with a furious red glow.
And this time, I could truly see it.
The creature’s movements, once too swift for my eyes to track, were now clear.
Its crude, brutish fist, hurtling directly towards my philtrum.
I made no effort to evade that incoming blow.
-Thwack!
I caught its enormous fist squarely in my palm.
While my palm throbbed with a dull ache, that was the extent of it.
Had it been my former self, my hand bones would have surely shattered.
But now, it was entirely endurable.
‘Were you always this feeble?’
A small, wry chuckle escaped my lips as I gazed up at the creature.
-!!!!!!
It appeared to be thoroughly enraged.
The enormous rabbit, letting out a guttural shriek, brandished a colossal greatsword, perfectly befitting its immense stature, with a single hand.
I, too, retaliated by swinging the Blood Sword I had just forged moments before.
The colossal greatsword and my Blood Sword collided mid-air.
-Shing.
My Blood Sword cleaved its greatsword in twain.
The colossal rabbit, clearly caught off guard by this unforeseen turn of events, displayed overt signs of bewilderment.
Seizing that opportune opening, I unleashed a clean, horizontal sweep with my Blood Sword.
-Swoosh!
A gaping wound, commensurate with its massive size, appeared across its chest.
‘It has grown even sharper.’
Could it be due to the heightened magical affinity? The newly forged Blood Sword’s keen edge was undeniably extraordinary.
For me, one who predominantly wields bladed weaponry, this was nothing short of unequivocally welcome news.
-!!!?!!
Bleeding profusely, the rabbit frantically stumbled backward, then pointed an accusatory finger at me and let out a monstrous shriek.
At its command, the other rabbits, who had been lying in wait, holding their breath, surged forward, charging at me in unison.
However, merely contending with a horde of rushing adversaries was a feat I could accomplish even before my Bond had reached this new level of maturity.
Even with my internal injuries, their mindless charges held little significance for a version of myself that had advanced yet another step.
In that case, I resolved to test the very limits of my capabilities.
-Whoosh.
-Shing!
Continuing the standoff in a manner similar to before, I began to infuse the liberally scattered blood on the floor with magical energy.
Then, after taking a deep breath, I channeled my entire focus into shaping a new form.
While it was far from simple to concentrate on a secondary task amidst a fierce exchange with the rabbits, I was fortunately beginning to discern their attack patterns, allowing me to conclude my work by a narrow margin.
Soon, two newly forged Blood Swords descended, settling upon the ground.
Including the one I already held, this brought the total number of Blood Swords to three.
‘I understand implicitly now. Three is my current limit.’
At present, the maximum number of armaments I could fashion from blood was three.
Certainly, even with three swords already forged, I could still solidify the pooled blood on the floor to create smaller blades, capable of piercing an enemy.
However, sustaining that hardening for any prolonged period would prove impossible.
Should I attempt to force the hardening, the very swords I had so painstakingly crafted would inevitably slip from my control and dissolve away.
Now, then, shall I unleash the technique I’ve long envisioned?
Continuing the back-and-forth exchange, I used my magical power to effortlessly levitate the two Blood Swords resting on the ground.
While it was virtually impossible for a mere swordsman to levitate objects with magical energy, it was a feat I could achieve, for my identity was not solely confined to that of a swordsman.
And the two suspended swords, responding to my will, surged forward.
-Shing!
-Thud!
They moved with unrestrained freedom through the rabbit horde, reducing the creatures to mere chunks of flesh.
Whether struck by terror at the sight of weapons moving autonomously, as if possessed, the rabbits shrieked in primal fear.
One bold, yet trembling, creature even attempted to seize a Blood Sword, only to have its wrist severed, leaving it to writhe in agony.
‘Remarkable, it actually works.’
Clutching my throbbing head, a faint smile played upon my lips.
Recalling Choi Seon-hee’s gun, which had once floated through the air, unleashing a barrage of bullets, I endeavored to emulate her technique.
‘Its versatility is undoubtedly exceptional. However… good heavens, how does Choi Seon-hee manage this?’
While I could imitate the technique, mastering the simultaneous control of multiple armaments with her level of proficiency clearly required practice.
In my current state, even managing two Blood Swords simultaneously proved overwhelming.
‘This simply won’t do.’
If controlling the swords meant neglecting my own body, it would be akin to the cure being worse than the disease.
Hence, I recalled one of the two floating swords into my hand.
Indeed, with the number of Blood Swords under my direct control reduced to a single blade, I found I had ample mental capacity to attend to my own physical state.
If this is the case, it seems I’ll have no choice but to practice wielding dual swords until I can skillfully control two Blood Swords simultaneously.
I had never before wielded dual swords.
Perhaps, with enough practice, I would grow accustomed to them.
Regardless, I had now definitively ascertained my limits.
All that remained was to utterly eradicate the rest of the rabbits.
Grasping dual Blood Swords in each hand – a first in my life – I, in turn, charged headlong into the remaining creatures.
I surrendered myself to the flow of experience and the Pinnacle Blade.
-Shing!
The astonishing efficacy of the Pinnacle Blade instantly transformed me into a master of dual-wielding.
Though occasionally, impudent foes would attempt to exploit my blind spots.
-Clang!
I would deftly manipulate a Blood Sword to parry their attacks, then swiftly retaliate, extinguishing their lives.
With Blood Swords moving even beyond my physical reach, it felt as though I had gained a trustworthy comrade, one upon whom I could always rely.
Thus, as I grew accustomed to this novel combat style, I swiftly hunted down the rabbits.
-Thud!
Before long, a Blood Sword plunged deep into the heart of the final creature.
“…Hoo.”
I had finally achieved it.
I, a mere C-grade, had single-handedly managed to hunt down every last one of those numerous B-grade monsters, the Killing Bunnies.
If this fact were to become known to the world, people would surely faint in disbelief or dismiss it entirely as sheer nonsense.
As an exhilarating thrill pierced my mind, a profound desire to collapse and rest slowly began to surface, yet I could not indulge it just yet.
For labor always demanded its just reward.
Reading the surrounding magical energy, I immediately located the magic stones embedded within their corpses.
Eight in total.
More than what I had absorbed moments ago.
And just as before, I manipulated the blood of the corpses to sever their bodies, gathering the magic stones into my hand.
With no further use for them, I reverted all the Blood Swords back into blood, then removed my gloves to touch the magic stones with my bare hands.
A jolt of energy coursed through me as the magic stones were absorbed.
B – Bond [ level – 2/4 ]
( Progress to next level: 8% )
[ Skill grade improves with each level increase. ]
‘It filled up less than I expected.’
Perhaps due to the increased Bond grade, the accumulated experience felt somewhat underwhelming.
I had no idea how many more monsters I would need to carve through.
But why isn’t this magic stone absorbing… wait?
‘It’s not a magic stone?’
While the other magic stones were absorbed, one gem stood proudly, preserving its form.
Its resplendent beauty belonged to none other than a Skill Stone.
My prior disappointment vanished instantly.
Yes, this was truly worth the arduous effort.
I had already acquired two Skill Stones, something others might struggle to obtain even once in a lifetime.
It seemed the skill ‘Endless Greed’ was proving to be remarkably effective.
My heart inexplicably fluttered with anticipation, wondering how many more Skill Stones I would acquire in the future.
Now, then, let me check this newly acquired skill—.
“……”
Just as I was about to shatter the Skill Stone, my magical affinity detected a familiar, yet immense, magical presence rapidly approaching.
Ah.
The police had arrived.
