Volume 3 Chapter 173 Further Mutation
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
By the time the strategy meeting ended, the sky had already turned amber with sunset.
Kian dismissed the women working at the castle, sending each of them home before heading alone into the Catacombs. A soft dusk washed over the red-brick buildings of Ramsey, staining everything with a dim, cold hue. As he passed through the narrow alleys, not even the sound of doors or footsteps reached his ears. It was as if the entire town had gone to sleep.
Climbing the tight staircase that led to the northwest district, Kian could feel it clearly—the heavy weight of despair clinging to the air.
Reports said only about a thousand people had joined today’s riot.
Which meant over ten thousand of Ramsey’s citizens—excluding Adventurers—had stayed hidden in their homes, more terrified by the chaos around them than by Owl himself.
They were the true victims—trapped by the whims of the powerful, crushed beneath the unfairness of war. And like so many others throughout history, they would vanish into silence, leaving behind not even a single scream. Just like Kian once had.
”Are you getting sentimental now?” Talia asked, her voice carrying a teasing lilt.
(No. Just reminding myself—without strength, nothing changes. Prayers don’t rewrite reality.)
”When danger towers above you, that’s when a person’s true nature is tested,” she said quietly. “The people of Ramsey have already given their answer. Next, I’ll ask the Beastmen. When the hunters become prey… I wonder if they’ll still bare their fangs.”
(So what are you planning to do about that?)
Talia let out a soft laugh.
”You should already know. Deep down, they’re all the same—vile pigs. Not a single one deserves to keep breathing,” she said coldly.
(Are you trying to turn me into a murderer?)
”Don’t be absurd,” she said, gently brushing her fingers across Kian’s right hand.
Though still recovering from Owl’s attack, a tingling warmth pulsed through it—half pain, half something else.
”This hand has felled powerful enemies,” she whispered. “You’re no longer just a man… You are judgment itself. A merciless messenger of the heavens.”
(I don’t even know what she’s talking about…)
”Within the Catacombs, I’ll lend you my blood magic weapon,” Talia continued. “The vampire Talia offers you the Seven Relics—treasures passed down from spirits of the distant past. Even Azrael couldn’t replicate them better than you.”
”Blood magic weapon…” Kian murmured, his black eyes catching the faint glimmer of torchlight.
Talia smiled, a hint of fang peeking from her pink lips.
”Come with this one down this twisted path,” she said softly. “For you are my knight—and the partner I’ve chosen.”
* * *
Once again, she opened the secret stairs and led him down into the great chamber where Owl’s magic circle lay waiting.
The circle had been placed at the far end of the room, leaving a wide empty space in front of it—more than twenty meters across. For Kian, who had no place to train openly within the city, this room was precious.
While Talia raised a thick barrier in front of the magic circle, Kian had already stripped off his Silver Ice gear and was warming up when he turned to her sharply.
”You said you’d lend me your blood technique weapon,” he said. “But if I use that, the sleep curse kicks in, right? Even if it’s night, some people in Ramsey are still awake. If you’re thinking of using that weapon to take down Arminus… Sorry, but I can’t. In real combat, it’d affect everyone nearby. I won’t risk it.”
”The sleep curse won’t activate,” Talia replied as she approached, hands calmly folded behind her back.
Butterfly-shaped golems fluttered into the air from around her, shedding white light across the room. Compared to the red glow from the magic circle, their brightness was a welcome relief.
”My real body is still resting in Count Cain’s domain.”
”But last time you used that weapon, you woke up—and that’s when the sleep curse started. I still don’t get why it only affects me sometimes… but either way, I can’t rely on it.”
”It’s fine,” Talia said, shaking her head. “Even if I activate it now, I’ll stay asleep. The curse won’t trigger.”
”You sure?”
”I’ve tested it over and over.”
”Don’t play around with that. Forced sleep is dangerous. Depending on the timing, you could die.”
”Then watch closely.”
She pointed toward Owl’s magic circle, and a small crystal flew into her hand.
It must’ve been left there from before—one of Owl’s lookout crystals, the same kind Natasha used.
Talia held it up, and inside it appeared the image of guards standing watch at Ramsey’s castle gate.
”I’ll summon the blood technique weapon now.”
”Wait—!”
Before Kian could stop her, Talia raised her right hand into the air.
Though Kian saw nothing at first, it was clear she was gripping something invisible. Her ruby-red eyes glowed faintly… and then the weapon took shape.
It was the same katana she’d wielded before.
The black-and-gold scabbard gleamed. Its golden hilt shone, and the dark guard looked like carved ebony.
A purple-blue cord hung elegantly from its end.
Talia floated the crystal beside her, then held the sword level in front of her chest. With a slow, graceful motion, she drew it a third of the way from its sheath.
A crimson blade emerged—stark and violent against the refined scabbard.
”This is the demon sword Mizuki, or ‘Water Moon’,” she said. “It negates enemy ranged attacks, converts them into mana, then returns them with double the force.”
”────. The guards… they’re still awake? I’m not feeling anything weird either.”
”I told you already. The sleep curse isn’t active.”
”But why?”
”Maybe because, even though I’m using the weapon, my body on the other side hasn’t stirred.”
”Can it just suddenly wake up?”
”It won’t. You have my word.”
”…”
Talia calmly returned the sword to its sheath, then swung it back into the space behind her. Traces of blood-like mist trailed from its edge, dispersing into the air like fading magic.
”The Seventh Relic. The cursed blade Mizuki,” she said. “Now, I’ll show you everything—every technique of my blood magic arsenal. Watch carefully.”
Then, reaching once more into the darkness, Talia began summoning her blood weapons—one after another.
When she summoned a new sword, the previous one vanished instantly. The girl, pulling out illusion swords one after another, moved with a grace that resembled a beautiful, flowing dance.
The sixth magic sword: Mistcloud (Kasumigumo).
The fifth: Rend Tear (Hizakari).
The fourth: Thundercleave (Raikiri).
The third: Heavenbreaker (Tenkaibaraki).
The second: Shadow Pierce (Kagezuki).
The first: Funeral Dance (Soukoku Kagura).
Water Moon (Mizuki).
Heavenbreaker (Tenkaibaraki).
Shadow Pierce (Kagezuki).
When she finally drew the last magic sword, Soukoku Kagura, black wings spread from Talia’s back. She rose into the air like a dark goddess, slashing fiercely with countless red streaks that looked like flowing blood. Her whole form transformed into something otherworldly, a demoness with the regal presence of an ancient vampire queen.
”Soukoku Kagura isn’t strong unless the battlefield is soaked in blood,” she explained, her voice cold. “If the ground is covered in blood, my slashes can reach anywhere within my range, making them impossible to dodge. But once the blood runs out, it’s just a simple shockwave.”
She sheathed her massive twin swords with a shine of black lacquer and vanished the first magic sword. Then, she descended lightly before Kian like a goddess of fate.
”All magic swords, including Soukoku Kagura, can’t be drawn unless my blood flows through the user,” Talia said firmly.
”What about *Water Moon (Mizuki)? Didn’t you use that without restrictions before?” Kian asked.
”Maybe it belonged to a different world when I drew it,” she replied.
”…But that’s not true anymore, right?”
”Most likely not.”
”You don’t have a physical form anymore, do you?” Kian frowned and reached for Talia’s elbow, but his fingers passed through empty air.
”Hey, maybe it’s related to your spare body at the northern fortress in the swamp?” Kian suggested.
”Maybe,” she answered. “Shall we check?”
”Just kidding. That’s impossible.”
If it were Linca’s Nue, she could make the trip fast enough to keep it secret. But Kian’s Wing Cain takes over four days for a round trip. There are less than ten days left until the ceasefire ends, and the enemy could break negotiations and attack any moment. There’s no time to waste on that fortress.
The seventh magic sword, Water Moon (Mizuki), is meant for counterattacks. The sixth, *Kasumigumo (Mistcloud), is mainly for evasion. So, to kill Arminus, I’ll probably need to use one of the first through fifth swords.
By the way, the second magic sword, Kagezuki (Shadow Pierce), moves at super-high speed to cut down enemies, much like the Secret Technique “Pursuit of the Shadow.”
The fourth, Raikiri (Thundercleave), lets the user transform into mist and slice within a certain area, similar to the Secret Technique “Thunder.”
The fifth, Hizakari (Rend Tear), unleashes a torrent of magic power that annihilates enemies in a single strike, like the Secret Technique “Skyrend.”
”Skyrend” is a Secret Technique used by Sarah and Linca, part of the “impact” system. It can mimic the strike of a magic sword even with a plain iron sword, but the sword shatters into dust afterward. I wonder if using Windsong Blade, Misty Magic Sword, or Thorn Magic Sword would break them too—but I don’t want Talia testing that.
”No matter how strong your equipment is, it means nothing if you can’t wield it properly,” Talia said. “Since you can’t draw the magic sword yourself, I’ll hand you whatever I summon. If a sword starts to fade, I’ll call out the next one before it disappears. But because it’s hand-to-hand, there’s always a moment when you’re unarmed during the switch.”
”Eh, that’s…” Kian started.
”If you leave that opening, even Arminus can take you down,” she interrupted. “Better to use Windsong Blade or Misty Magic Sword—they won’t be disarmed so easily.”
”Right. *Water Moon (Mizuki) might work against Oswald, but otherwise, Windsong Blade and Misty Magic Sword are enough.”
Both weapons were incredibly powerful.
”If you turn the battlefield into a sea of blood and have Funeral Dance, Arminus could beat you if he manages to cut your head off—but that’s unrealistic.”
”Yeah. I can’t even react to his normal moves. Taking that kind of risk is almost suicide.”
”So, here’s my point. I have a proposal.” Talia clapped her hands twice.
A moment of silence followed.
Then, a sound of earth being dug up came from beneath her feet.
Kian squinted, watching as the noise grew louder. An uneasy feeling settled in his chest.
(What’s coming out of there?)
He glanced toward the discarded Silver Ice at the edge of the hall, where the Windsong Blade and Misty Magic Sword lay.
At that moment, as Kian instinctively tried to dash toward his weapons like a frightened rabbit, Talia’s voice stopped him clearly.
”Don’t worry. What comes out now is my servant.”
”Huh?” he said.
”Come then.” Talia’s red eyes narrowed.
The stone pavement cracked, and thorny tendrils burst upward.
Pulled by the thorns, a female-shaped monster emerged—twisted and distorted.
”This is…!” Kian gasped.
It was the thorn monster he had fought in the swamp before. Back then, it was a male wrapped in thorns, but this time, it was a woman.
She had golden hair and looked about the same age as Talia did back then.
The woman’s red eyes were empty, and her whole body was filthy with dirt.
She gave off a disturbing aura, much like the Leanan sídhe he had seen three months ago. The naked monster wrapped itself in thorns like clothing. Standing silently beside Talia, it did nothing but stare blankly ahead.
”‘Glasses,’ what is this!?” Kian asked.
”It’s a thorn monster,” Talia said. “One of those that escaped from Count Cain’s territory.”
”I know that! What I want to know is… how can you summon this creature? And from the looks of it, it obeys you!”
”I don’t know how,” she answered, absentmindedly stroking the thorn monster’s cheek. “I don’t really understand it myself. But it listens to me, so why question it?”
”That’s not a good enough reason! Who are you, really?”
”I’m Vampire Talia, blessed by the Thorn Spirit. I should have been devoured by the Black Onyx spirit, but because the Thorn Spirit chose me, I can control those under its shadow.”
”Do you control anyone else?”
”I’ve never tried. I don’t want to stir things up unnecessarily. But I think I could charm lower-rank bloodsuckers, just like you.”
”Are there other thorn monsters around Ramsey?”
”No. The ones that came through the gate are probably loitering near the ancient temple.”
”I see,” he said.
”Can we get to the main topic now?”
”Yeah,” he nodded, still watching the thorn monster warily.
”To defeat Arminus, you need enough physical strength to match him. So, we’ll accelerate your vampiric transformation.”
”Is that even possible?”
”It is. Remember how you enhanced your body by taking in Owl’s blood?”
”That was right before the Oswald battle.”
Kian’s body had mutated after absorbing Owl’s blood. Most of the changes faded or were expelled, but some remained, strengthening his supernatural abilities. However, this also made him more vulnerable to purification and fire.
”This time, we’ll use my blood, not Tobal Cain’s.”
”What?”
”To be precise, it’s the blood of a flesh puppet meant to house Talia’s soul. Here, take it.”
Talia prodded the thorn monster, which reached into its belly and pulled out a large bottle filled with red blood.
”Because you gave blood to the flesh puppet, it started producing its own. I had it bring this to me.”
”So you’ve been preparing this, giving me blood days ahead with the plan to use it now?”
”I see. Have you started to doubt me?” she asked quietly.
He paused, then shook his head. “No, I trust you. You’ve shared your thoughts, understood me, and helped me. At first, I had no choice but to rely on you, but now it’s different.”
”Then why don’t you share those thoughts with your comrades more often?”
”I do trust them…”
”But you haven’t told them the important things.”
Talia’s voice sharpened. “I’m not saying to reveal everything. You need to choose who to trust, or you’ll just be a fool. But Natra, Rufna, Sarah, Linca, Serena — they all want to face you honestly. If you can’t trust them, then who will you connect with in the future? You need friends who can cover your weak points and show you different ways to think. You need partners who can support you emotionally.”
”You’re right. I can’t do everything alone; I need their help. I also need emotional support and diverse perspectives. But does that mean I have to open my heart to them?”
He looked at Talia steadily and said, “I don’t want to force a relationship where we call each other family or soulmates. It’s okay to keep work and personal life separate. Privately, I might open up, but at work, I want a relationship based on mutual use. I don’t need to reveal everything. In fact, trusting too much and mixing public and private matters can cause problems.”
”So you’ll keep secrets from your comrades at work?”
”Even in private, if it affects the group, I’ll keep it secret. There are parts of me no one can enter. That’s mydomain alone. You don’t seem to understand how easily people betray each other. Even if they smile and shake your hand, you never know what’s behind that smile. They might like you at that moment, but later, they’ll put their own family or interests first and turn against you. In thirty years, I’m seen that happen again and again.”
Umar, too.
Sarah, too.
Rean, Ninini, Lyritisse, Vestacia — they all used him and then pushed him away.
Especially Sarah. He learned the hard way that trusting others means risking betrayal. He doesn’t hold a grudge against her anymore, but that experience shaped who he is now.
”In the end, the only one I can rely on are myself. I can’t trust anyone, so I protect myself by not trusting my comrades.”
”But don’t you feel bad for Linca and Sarah?”
”Sarah is out of the question. As for Linca… I don’t know what she’s thinking. I care for them, but I won’t let them into my inner world.”
His childhood, the betrayal by his trusted fiancée fifteen years ago — through poverty and pain, Kian had learned the hard truth about people.
How could he trust anyone?
He want to ask ‘Glasses’ — if he, who is talking to her honestly now, betrayed her, how would she feel?
”I was abandoned by Count Cain, too,” Talia said quietly.
”Now that you mention it, that’s true.”
”Well, I only know Count Cain from information. It doesn’t feel personal. That’s why I can look at my memories with some distance.”
”You sound a lot like Natra. Maybe, right now, you’re a kind of Natra yourself.”
”‘That Talia’s vessel is inhabited by another soul and has grown into something new?’ Fuhahaha, that’s an interesting way to put it.”
Talia stared down at her own hand.
”You need to stop and think about who you really are,” Kian said quietly. “Talia believed in Count Cain, who abandoned her somewhere along the way. She trusted in her father’s love, but I feel like your existence now is tied to all that somehow.”
”There’s no such thing as a father’s love,” Talia replied coldly. “What matters is whether you’re needed or not.”
”That’s a harsh way to see it… But maybe because of your nature, I’m meant to stay by your side. After all, we’re supposed to be a pair.”
”Tell me that after my soul are bound to my body,” she said with a smirk. “We can’t have sex with a shadow.”
Kian blinked. “I wonder about that.”
”About what?”
”If I had the time, I’d like to try. But for now, I shouldn’t waste time on useless things.”
Her words made Kian realize the conversation was drifting off course like a minecart jumping the tracks. He hurried to steer it back.
Kian sat cross-legged on the cold floor, watching Talia opposite him. She sat flat on her bottom, her thighs and calves visible and distracting in a way he tried to ignore.
”…Eww,” he muttered.
”Sorry,” she said with a grin.
”Well, it’s better than having a useless husband,” she continued. “I’m going to have you drink a potion mixed with some monster toxins in my blood. It will change your body deeply by integrating my traits through oral intake.”
”I don’t like the idea of getting stronger through medicine,” Kian said stubbornly.
”But even if you wield a sword, you’ll never match the reflexes of Beastmen. To keep up, you’ll have to become a monster yourself.”
”First, tell me what ingredients you need for the potion.”
”I already have everything ready. All that’s left is to brew it.”
”That was fast.”
”The hard part is what happens after you take it.”
”What do you mean?”
Talia set a blood-filled bottle beside her and crossed her legs. Her mini skirt made the pose even more tempting.
”After you take it, your body will need a huge amount of mental and physical energy to mutate. You’ll need a Blood Servant to constantly give you blood and their body—body and soul.”
”How much blood and magic power will that take?”
”A lot. Not just any blood from highway robbers. You need someone who truly adores you, willing to dedicate their body and spirit.”
”That sounds vague.”
”You need constant intake of body fluids rich in magic power, fresh and without delay. It must fill you to your limit. Someone like Princess Maribel is the minimum standard. During this, you’ll spend your days lying down, drained of life by the beast you become.”
”I’ll die…”
”That’s why the Blood Servant must be physically and magically strong. During the ritual, they’ll wear special ‘glasses.’ I’ll support you.”
Kian frowned deeply at that.
”What I know about you is a secret tied to the core of my power. I won’t let anyone interfere.” He paused. “So that’s what you meant by the casual talk earlier.”
”Exactly,” Talia nodded.
Kian rested his elbows on his knees. “Is the terrifying beast a metaphor?”
”No. You will really turn into a monster. Not furry, but something horrifying like Burgkain.”
”So, the chosen partner has to truly love the beast inside me?”
”It can be a man, too.”
”I’m not bisexual. I like women.”
Kian said calmly, and Talia continued seriously.
”If you take the mutation potion without a partner, you’ll go on a rampage, devouring anyone nearby to satisfy your hunger. Your aptitude for vampirism is extremely high, so you’ll be as dangerous as my own body’s power. Your space perception, sword skills, and instincts won’t weaken. Not even Natra might stop you.”
”That would be a disaster.”
”Of course, the mutation will fail. Like Tobal Cain, most of the factors will be rejected and the process ends.”
Kian sighed deeply. “Talia, why did you think I’d agree to this?”
”You only need to find a trustworthy woman.”
”Rejected. It’s too risky, and I don’t want anyone meddling with my secret. Can’t I just take it slowly, step by step, without such a partner?”
”That was the original plan. But it might not be ready in time for the battle with Arminus. Maybe not even for the rematch with Oswald.”
Kian shook his head. “That’s fine. I never wanted to rely on medicine anyway. I’ve trained my swordsmanship for fifteen years. I’ll keep focusing on that.”
”Is that so? Then what about my blood technique armor?”
”As things stand, only ‘Water Moon (Mizuki)’ is practical. Windsong Blade and Mist Sword are okay. But if I have to face Linca, I’ll need ‘Dominance (Haten)’ or ‘Rend Tear.’ Since they’re spirit weapons, they should work on her.”
”Hmm. ‘Rend Tear’ is reflected by Linca’s ‘Mirror Moon,’ but if you use ‘Water Moon (Mizuki)’ until her sword breaks, that should work. ‘Heavenbreaker’ likely won’t be stopped by her. Because of how it strikes, reflecting it with ‘Mirror Moon’ makes little sense.”
Kian nodded. ‘Rend Tear’ is a wide-sweeping magic sword. ‘Heavenbreaker’ controls countless blades slicing enemies apart.
”I plan to make Linca my wife. I have no intention of killing her.”
”For now, I’ll prepare the medicine, just in case.”
”Ah, I’ll take it little by little. I was planning to leave the brewing to you.”
Kian glanced at the hourglass nearby. “It’s time to enter the dream world. I need to report everything to Maribel.”
”Kian, be careful of that woman.”
”I understand. I also need to find out her true intentions toward me.”
He pulled Priscilla’s pendant from his inner pocket, lay down on the hard, cold stone floor, and slowly closed his eyes.
Notes:
• Arminus – Male. Leader of the Black Panther Tribe. Possesses extraordinary physical abilities, enhanced by the tribe’s unique technique that repels energy and magic attacks. His speed and strength surpass those of High Warlord Isthbaran. Wields the magic sword Balmung, capable of cleaving through an ice dragon with a single strike. His black fur provides camouflage in low visibility, making him nearly undetectable. Relationship: Leader of the Beastmen Alliance’s delegation.
• Count Cain – Talia’s father.
• Linca – Jibril’s favorite girl. High-ranking warrior monk woman from Shin, with strong abilities like ignoring attacks and poisons.
• Nue – A Shikigami summoned by Linca. It has the appearance of a monster with a tiger’s limbs and a monkey’s head. Nue is a powerful but dangerous creature that requires a skilled magician to control.
• Mag – The wolfwoman under Yelmar—the one who was caught by Kian’s group earlier.
• Serena – Wolfmen Girl
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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