Chapter 86: Devour (2)

[Tough Leather Armor]

[Gale Dagger]

[Ring of Wisdom]

Piece by piece, uncommon equipment that could have sparked minor conflicts among players in the outside world was reduced to nothing more than nourishment for the Devouring Soul Blade.

With every piece consumed, another patch of rust visibly flaked away, and the exposed area of the dark-gold blade continued to expand.

The blade’s color also seemed to shift subtly as it consumed equipment imbued with different attributes.

At times, it appeared as dark as the night. At others, a cold metallic sheen rippled across its surface.

The entire process resembled a solemn and eerie sacrifice.

The laboratory remained silent, save for the faint sounds of equipment being decomposed and the subtle, almost imperceptible throbbing of the blade’s hunger.

It was being satisfied. Yet somehow, it still seemed to crave more.

Finally, the last piece of uncommon equipment remained.

[Thick Earth Ring].

Aiden fed it to the blade.

The ring was quickly swallowed by the spreading rust before dissolving into a stream of earthy energy that disappeared into the weapon.

Then—

[The [Devouring Blade] has consumed "Thick Earth Ring (Uncommon)."]

[Current Growth: 25%!]

The moment the notification appeared, Aiden’s gaze fixed on the weapon in his hand.

Its appearance had undergone a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering transformation.

The disgusting dark-red rust that had once covered almost its entire body had mostly disappeared.

Nearly sixty percent of the blade was now exposed.

What lay beneath was a deep, restrained dark-gold metal, as though it had been tempered through a thousand years of forging.

The color wasn’t flashy or gaudy. Instead, it possessed a heavy, mysterious quality—a hue that seemed to have settled after countless years of corrosion, consumption, and accumulated power.

The remaining rust clung to the back of the blade and around the hilt in scattered patches, resembling mottled scars.

Rather than diminishing its appearance, those remnants gave the weapon an even more savage character.

The lines of the blade had also become smoother and more refined.

Beneath the dark-gold surface, faint vein-like patterns could now be seen running through the metal. They were naturally formed and almost imperceptible, yet thin traces of dark-red light occasionally shimmered within them.

The tip of the blade, which had once been blunt and somewhat clumsy, now ended in a razor-sharp point that radiated a bone-chilling coldness.

Even its weight had changed. The short blade felt noticeably heavier in Aiden’s hand, dense and solid, as though it contained an immense amount of compressed power.

Aiden slowly turned the weapon, examining every inch of it.

For a moment, he simply stared. Then, understanding gradually dawned in his eyes.

’So this was why it looked completely different from what i remembered.’

The Devouring Blade he had known in his previous life had never looked like this.

Back then, it had been a far more complete and terrifying weapon.

But the weapon in his hand now... It had been buried beneath layers of rust and sealed away by the passage of time.

And what he had just witnessed was only the beginning.

Aiden’s fingers tightened around the hilt. A faint smile appeared on his face. "Interesting..."

What excited Aiden more than anything else was the dramatic improvement in the Devouring Soul Blade’s stats.

[Devouring Soul Blade (Unique)]

Quality: Uncommon (Fine — Growth)

(Upgraded from Common (Damaged)!)

Equipment Requirement: Soul Bound (Aiden)

Stats: Physical Attack 35–45

(Significantly Increased!)

[Special Effects]

[Devour Growth: Can consume other weapons, armor, accessories, or special energy cores to permanently increase its own stats and quality.]

Weak Armor Penetration: (Newly Unlocked) When attacking, there is a chance to ignore a portion of the target’s physical defense.

[Source Absorption: (Not Unlocked) ???]

[Devouring Soul: (Not Unlocked) ???]

[Current Growth: 25%]

[Description: The rust has been partially shed, revealing its fangs. It is still hungry, but it is no longer the same weapon it once was.]

Aiden’s eyes lit up. ’Its physical attack had nearly tripled.’

More importantly, its quality had risen from common to uncommon, and it had unlocked a brand-new special effect—

[Weak Armor Penetration].

Although the effect was only at a basic level for now, its potential was obvious. An ability that allowed the blade to partially ignore an enemy’s physical defense could become extremely valuable against tougher opponents.

Aiden couldn’t help but feel excited. He gave the short blade a casual swing.

Whoosh!

The dark-gold blade sliced through the air, producing a low, sharp whistle.

The sensation was completely different from before.

The blade moved more smoothly, responded more naturally to his movements, and possessed a sharpness that far surpassed what it had displayed when it was still covered in rust.

"This... this is incredible!" Silas stared at the transformed weapon, his usually composed expression replaced by undisguised astonishment.

"It can actually become stronger just by eating equipment? Sir Aiden, this blade of yours is a treasure!" Luna’s eyes widened as well.

Her purple eyes remained fixed on the dark-gold blade, filled with curiosity and a faint trace of instinctive caution.

"It has become... much better-looking," she murmured.

Then she hesitated for a moment. "And somehow... it feels much more dangerous."

Aiden smiled. He slowly ran his fingers across the cold surface of the dark-gold blade, feeling the immense power hidden within it.

The weapon was far stronger than before. Yet he could still sense that faint hunger through their soul link.

It was weaker now. But it hadn’t disappeared.

The Blade was still hungry. And that realization only made Aiden more excited. This was merely its first feeding.

It had consumed nothing more than a collection of obsolete common- and uncommon-tier equipment, yet the transformation had already been so obvious.

Then what would happen if it consumed rare-tier equipment?

Epic-tier?

Legendary-tier?

Or even powerful energy cores containing immense amounts of concentrated energy?

Just how far could the Blade ultimately evolve?

Aiden’s imagination began to run wild. He could almost see it already.

A peerless, ferocious blade that devoured everything in its path.

A weapon that grew stronger with every feast.

A terrifying existence capable of severing anything standing before it.

And now... That weapon was slowly awakening in his hands.

Aiden tightened his grip around the hilt, unable to suppress the smile spreading across his face.

There was perhaps no greater satisfaction than watching a terrifying artifact grow stronger with his own hands.

And this was only the beginning.

....

The first transformation of the Devouring Soul Blade had brought Aiden immense satisfaction.

However, as a growth-type divine artifact, its evolution would not end there.

Feeding it would be a long and arduous process, one that required a constant supply of high-quality fodder.

Aiden quickly pushed the matter to the back of his mind and refocused his attention on the alchemy laboratory left behind by Alderton.