Chapter 48 - 19: [Blood Steel and Nether Copper]

Chapter 48: Chapter 19: [Blood Steel and Nether Copper]

It was a fierce flurry of flashy moves, only to deal half a point of damage. He struggled to hold on, raising his longsword horizontally with one hand. The blade was slightly angled, half-protecting his front as he assumed a defensive combat stance.

[Biological Stance Detection: Blade Parry Posture]

[Passive combat posture for humanoid lifeforms. Suitable for medium-sized, one-handed weapons such as swords and short clubs. Focuses on passive blocking and defensive counterattacks. Used one-handed.]

[Database updated.]

[Recorded in "Artificial Biology - Biological Stance Material" library.]

[Available for unit use.]

"You fucking sick pervert! Stop peeping at me with Identification Magic! Do you have more Spiritual Power than you know what to do with?" the Bandit Leader Warrior screamed instinctively. He swung his sword wildly, trying to shake off the feeling of being locked onto by an invisible gaze. His Blood Steel Longsword accidentally struck the nearby beacon tower wall and was nearly knocked out of his grasp!

He cursed inwardly; they never usually drew swords to fight inside the Bandit Camp, and this cramped hellhole was completely unsuitable for a longsword! He frantically tightened his grip on the hilt, suppressing the chills of being spied on. Maintaining the Blade Parry Posture with one hand, he fumbled for a Magic Potion Bottle at his waist with the other, carefully circling Samael to stall for time.

This was absolutely not an enemy he could face head-on. He could only hope that his subordinates outside the camp would quickly finish off this terrifying knight’s companions to create a distraction.

The next second, the mangled corpse of a bandit flew out from the distant darkness, slamming heavily against the ruined wall behind the Bandit Leader Warrior. Its head burst like a smashed watermelon.

"What..." The bandit leader shuddered.

A hoarse laugh echoed from the nearby darkness. The tall, lanky Black Armor Knight wearing a Demon Horn Helmet continuously swung a Hammer Spear amidst the silhouettes of the bandits. Like a Blacksmith wielding an iron hammer, he joyfully and recklessly smashed them apart as if they were pottery jars filled with crimson liquid.

Instantly, the Bandit Leader Warrior dropped his Blade Parry Posture, turned, and ran for his life!

The situation had already deteriorated to this point. Even a fool could see that staying meant certain death... or perhaps worse! He feared he would be captured and imprisoned by this perverted knight who loved using Identification Magic, subjected to unimaginable humiliations with mysterious tools. They were just a group of bandit subordinates. If he went to the borders of the Empire to block the roads, he could easily recruit plenty more fleeing fugitives. As long as he still had this Magic Sword, there was still hope for everything!

He activated the combat skill [Footwork Focus], poured the last two bottles of vitality Magic Potion into his mouth in one breath, and sprinted away in the opposite direction of the perverted knight!

Samael paused for a moment and instinctively activated the [Footwork Focus] biological stance to give chase. However, his speed was far inferior to the Bandit Leader Warrior’s. His Nether Copper Body was too heavy, and accelerating into a sprint required some time.

He realized he couldn’t catch up. Raising his longsword, he aimed briefly and hurled it fiercely at the Bandit Leader Warrior’s back, but the man laughed loudly and agilely dodged it.

There was nothing else to be done; after all, he lacked any long-range attack methods. Samael sighed and stopped in his tracks. He turned to check on Randall and Eliot’s condition, only to see Randall standing up. After blowing a bone whistle three times, Randall unslung his hunting bow, nocked an arrow, and drew the bowstring until it was as round as a full moon, aiming right at the Bandit Leader Warrior’s back.

Following the three piercing whistle blasts, a volley of magic arrows made of venom and small fireballs housed in Magic Potion Bottles launched from the shadows of the night just outside the camp. They streaked over Randall’s head, hurtling toward the Bandit Leader Warrior!

Amidst the bandit leader’s terrified shrieks, Randall narrowed his eyes at the fleeing figure and fired a rapid succession of thirteen arrows!

The venom arrows and quick-burning Demon Fire completely sealed off the bandit leader’s evasion space. Eleven arrows missed in the chaos, but two found their mark—one struck his calf, and the other hit dead center in his back.

The toxins took effect instantly. The bandit leader collapsed to the ground, struggling as he vomited a mouthful of bluish, tainted blood. With great difficulty, he fumbled for an antidote bottle at his waist.

Samael strode forward, plucking up the missed Nether Copper Knight Sword along the way, and dragged it by the hilt toward the fallen man.

CLANG! CLANG!

He struck his Nether Copper Shield with the sword’s hilt, producing a terrifying impact sound like the death knell of the Death God.

CLANG! CLANG!

Trembling, the bandit leader half-lay beside the blood-red longsword. He frantically grabbed the antidote bottle and shivering, tried to bite off the cork stopper. But he was so startled by the horrifying clash of the sword and shield that he flinched. The antidote bottle slipped from his grasp, crashing to the ground and shattering into pieces.

He convulsed a few times, his face turning an unhealthy shade of blue. His throat was blocked by swelling caused by the venom; even if he still had the antidote, he wouldn’t have been able to swallow it.

His breathing and body temperature gradually faded, ultimately reducing to a cold and hollow stillness.

Samael stared silently at the corpse. He picked up the blood-red longsword and activated his scanner.

[Blood Steel]

[Steel Phase Type 2, phase-shifted through Spiritual Energy processing. Forged with a special technique that incorporates organic iron. Semi-living. Possesses Spiritual Energy affinity and biochemical attributes. Capable of channeling Spiritual Energy from living biological tissues and providing biological structural replenishment to the user via a one-way conduction device.]

[The intertwined technological product of Level 1 Basic Material Science and Level 2 Basic Matter Phase Shift. Relevant data updated.]

[Prerequisite technology and equipment missing. Temporarily uncraftable.]

So it was a Vampire Sword. Samael scratched his helmet. His own body could automatically recover its condition by absorbing heat from the surrounding environment, so he had absolutely no need for such a thing. As for Talia, she possessed the innate super-healing abilities of the Demon Race, so she wouldn’t need it either.

"How is Eliot doing?" he asked, turning to look at the two men in the ruins.

"I’m fine... my condition has stabilized," Eliot said. He was already awake, though he still lay weakly on the ground.

Wounds caused by Blood Steel Weapons were extremely difficult to heal and severely drained one’s energy and stamina. Randall had to pour six bottles of Healing Potion mixed with painkillers down his throat before he gradually recovered.

"Thank goodness you were here, Samo Cultivator." Randall sighed exhaustedly. "In the end, I’m just too... too young. I never should have accepted such a dangerous mission. If only I had listened to Talan Cultivator, it wouldn’t have come to this..."

"It’s fine. Everyone goes through a reckless phase where they think they can take on the world... To be young means refusing to settle for the status quo, to have dreams and grand ambitions." Samael fell silent for a moment before adding, "I was just like you a few years ago."

"Were you really, Samo Cultivator?" Randall smiled bitterly.

"Of course," Samael replied. "But don’t give up on that spirit and those dreams. This was just a failure born of inexperience... After all, none of us knows what the future holds.

"Perhaps your entire life will be turned upside down overnight. And perhaps, when you look back, the massive things you once thought were so terrifying will seem so far removed from who you are now, no longer feeling like a big deal at all."

He stared blankly at the dual coppery-white moons in the sky, then flipped the hilt of the Blood Steel Longsword in his hand and offered it to Randall.

"This is..." Randall stared blankly.

"Talan and I have no use for it," Samael said casually. "You shot and killed the bandit leader, so the spoils of war rightfully belong to you."

"No, no... I hardly put in any effort. How could I possibly accept such a precious weapon of this caliber..." Randall backed away, repeatedly refusing.

"Take it. You’ve helped us a lot before. In my homeland, there is a common saying: If a stranger gives you a drop of water when you are thirsty, you should repay them with a gushing spring once you have the means. If someone gives you a simple meal when you are poor and starving, you must reward them with one thousand gold coins once you become wealthy." Samael didn’t say anything more and simply shoved the hilt into Randall’s hands. "Talan and the others have probably mostly finished clearing out the low-level bandits and will be gathering here soon. Get ready to inventory the loot."

"Samo Cultivator." Randall looked at Samael. "I hope the two of you will take first pick of the spoils, and... regarding the distribution of the reward, you should take the lion’s share."

"There’s no need..." Samael replied offhandedly, casually surveying the grain sacks scattered haphazardly around the Bandit Camp. Suddenly, he froze.

He slowly bent down and crouched in front of a grain sack by his feet.

It was a rough woven cloth bag, bulging with wheat grains. Printed on it was a clear and familiar line of text:

[Transport grain to Kana Plain, Demon King Valak’s Dungeon.]