My new wielder better than I imagined, Tetsuko admitted she watched the lord deflected a bandit’s ax with ease before cutting him down with her edge.

The nobleman didn’t just know how to use a sword; he was good with one. He knew how to end his enemies’ life with Tetsuko.

Every bandit that managed to slip past the circle of soldiers defending the lord didn’t live for long.

Instead of the fame or the reward they could get if they killed the nobles commanders, they died at the hand of either Alonso or Enrique.

Tetsuko smiled in her mind.

Guess appearances can be misleading, she thought as Alonso slashed another bandit. Even if they’re mostly weaklings, to fight and kill so many people at once in this tight space… that’s not something many could do.

But as Tetsuko was swung around and hit metal, leather, flesh, and bones, the former blacksmith noticed something strange.

Unlike during Fael’s fight, when she was entirely focused on to help her first wielder survive as much as he could, this time paid more attention to herself.

As a sword, Tetsuko realized something she didn’t before.

I still don’t feel pain when I collide against metal or leather, but I can feel something whenever my edge cuts anything human, the soul residing inside the blade realized.

It wasn’t just that the energy inside her was moving faster.

Tetsuko felt more awaken, sharper, more… alive…

As the bodies piled up, with each swung, she was aware of all the weight of her metal body.

She could feel each part of her colliding with another metal or flesh.

She could feel as her edge cut the air before hitting a target.

The sparks that flew whenever she struck metal were like a warm bath on a cold day.

But even if she acknowledged that, there was Tetsuko was struggling to admit.

She had no idea if it had happened during Fael’s fight, when she had just arrived in this new world and still had ties with her old life.

But now it was impossible to ignore.

She was enjoying the sensation of cutting a human being.

Not as a swordswoman.

Tetsuko never liked taking a life, even if she didn’t hesitate when her life was on the line.

But as a sword, the sensation felt different.

The blood spilling and running down on her blade felt as if she was rubbing the red liquid on her skin.

The red drops dripping from her tip felt as wine falling from her lips.

The bones trying and failing to stop her as she went through felt as twigs she broke to feed a fire.

Tetsuko could feel all that.

And despite how scared of herself those feelings made her, she also felt something else.

A laugh.

A hollow, dark, and heavy laugh.

In mere moments, she couldn’t stop laughing in her mind.

I always thought it was stupid and foolish when those idiots soldiers said how they’d bathe in the blood of their enemies…

And now…

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She laughed louder.

Now I’m the one bathing in blood!

And that wasn’t all.

There was something else she noticed.

Maybe that’s the cause of all what I’m feeling…

It was faint, almost a speckle compared the exhilarating sensation of cutting the bandits.

But each time she cut someone’s flesh, broke their bones, and ended their lives, the soul in the sword could feel their energy stronger than ever.

And the energy of each life that ended by her edge became part of Tetsuko.

It feels as if I’m draining their energies, the former blacksmith put her feelings into words.

It was hard to notice, but now she could only focus on that.

Every living soul in the forest had the same energy as hers flowing inside them.

Not only the humans. The animals and even the trees had it.

And with each life that ended on her blade, she absorbed a bit of their energy.

In mere instants, it became part of her, as if it had always been there.

I’m not only draining… I’m feeding on their lives, the soul in the sword realized.

Is that what a weapon made out of living metal can do…?

She thought about it for a moment.

No… no matter how rare this metal is, it can’t be true…

So the only reason is because my soul is here.

Yes… and soon… Soon I’ll be able to control this energy, Tetsuko simply knew. It was just a matter of time.

And she couldn’t wait for that, even though she didn’t know what she could do with it.

But she had a clue.

The more she drank the enemies’ blood and absorbed their energy, the stronger and sharper her edge became.

As the time passed and the bandits died, it became easier for her to slash through metal.

Even her new wielder stopped for a moment to stare at the blade he was using.

It was plain in his eyes; no matter how arrogant and confident he was, he knew everything wasn’t due to his skill alone.

But even with those doubts growing in his heart, the noble didn’t stop swinging Tetsuko.

Without hesitating, Alonso slashed his sword at his enemies, at the kingdom’s enemies.

With little or no armor to protect them, the blade slashed through two bandits and stopped at the third. But even if Tetsuko couldn’t cut through him, the wound was fatal enough.

Out of the bushes, a bandit appeared behind the lord, right at his blind spot. With his dented ax, he was trying to strike the leader of the army.

Behind you, the soul inside the sword shouted to her wielder.

It didn’t matter if Tetsuko liked him or not. She wanted to devour more souls. To find out her limit. And for that, she needed someone to wield her. No matter who.

She couldn’t tell if Alonso heard her or not. But the lord noticed the bandit.

On top of his horse, the lord swung Tetsuko to block the ax.

But the bandit was stronger than he looked, and Alonso lost his balance.

He fell with a great thud on the forest ground. As he lost his breath, his sword slipped through his fingers.

The fear crossed his eyes as the lord desperately tried to find the hilt of the sword.

Here! I’m over here!

The former human shouted in her heart.

But her wielder didn’t notice.

To her frustration, her voice belonged only to her.

I’m sure he’ll listen to me… just like Fael… but if he dies here…

Tetsuko concentrated all the energy inside her.

The old and the new, everything that belonged to her.

The energy boiled inside her as she concentrated on calling her wielder’s attention.

And to her relief, the lord turned his eyes in her direction.

Before the bandit could stand up, Alonso reached out for her handle.

When his fingers closed around her, she felt his energy pouring into her.

The bandit who had thrown him off the horse jumped to strike the noble with all his force.

Alonso swung Tetsuko.

The weapons collided for a moment.

The impact only lasted an instant.

After that, it was the same as nothing.

Tetsuko’s blade went through the dented metal of his ax and armor as if cutting leaves.

She didn’t even feel his bones crushing; she simply went through everything.

As the lord stood up panting, Tetsuko only had her attention to herself.

Amazing… she couldn’t help but smile.

She was right. With that energy, she could become sharper. She could become deadlier.

With mud and blood that didn’t belong to him all over his face, Alonso stared at Tetsuko.

The soul within the sword stared back at her wielder.

Then he smiled at her.

And she smiled at him in her mind.

Soon… soon my new wielder will listen to my voice… then we’ll find worthy enemies to fight, Tetsuko thought.

Then she couldn’t stop thinking about her future opponents.

How will the energy of strong opponent taste?

I’m sure it’ll be much better than these weakling bandits.

Before she could bask in the idea, another weak enemy jumped from behind a three.

The next moment, he died by Alonso’s hand and Tetsuko’ edge.