Chapter 49
Reincarnated as the Greatest Sword Genius
< Character Information >
Name: –
True Name: Fragment of the First Progenitor, Blood Demon.
Title: Red Blood Sword (赤血劍)
Race: Soul Fragment – born from the fang of the Blood Demon
Traits: Parasitism, Sealing
Current Abilities: Bloodsucking, Blood Magic, Treasury of Information
Potential Abilities: –
Current Emotions: Confusion, Fear, Terror, Incomprehension, Panic
Due to the temporarily heightened ability of the Insightful Eye, all information can be viewed.
All the information about the vampire reflected in Ruin’s retina.
Since in the mental realm Ruin had the power to make anything possible, he maximized one of the authorities of <Perfect Form>—the “Insightful Eye of Interpretation.”
Thus, he confirmed the details.
Then came another.
< Character Information >
Name: Sword Spirit (劍魂)
True Name: Black Shadow (黑影)
Title: Lord of the Sword, Eternal Companion of Bellion
Race: Spirit
Traits: Sword Intent, Gluttony
Current Abilities: Swordsmanship (Ultimate)
Potential Abilities: –
Current Emotions: Understanding (but not really), Interest
Due to the Insightful Eye at its peak, all information can be viewed.
Reading the information about the sword spirit Black Shadow reflected in his eyes, Ruin chuckled.
“Seriously, why does a sword spirit have ‘Gluttony’ as a trait?”
But, oblivious to Ruin’s inner thoughts, the sword spirit nodded seriously.
“This one… was created from the fang of the First Progenitor, Blood Demon?”
The vampire, who had already realized Ruin had uncovered his identity, abandoned all resistance. Stricken with fear, he confessed everything.
“Yes. After the Third Patriarch, Sword Saint Petron Laingrime, killed the Blood Demon, I was made.”
Petron—the Sword Saint, former master of the Blue Sword of Fire now held by Seron.
“So he was the one who killed the Blood Demon.”
As expected of Laingrime, a house that had endured nearly a thousand years—their ancestors’ feats were extraordinary.
“So you’ve been hiding all this time in the Armory under the name Red Blood Sword, dreaming of the Blood Demon’s revival?”
“No. I lived bound by a sacred contract with the descendants of Laingrime.”
“Ha, a contract, you say…”
At the sword spirit’s mocking tone, the vampire shouted bitterly.
“They gave me blood, and I gave them strength. That was all.”
Ruin quickly pressed further.
“Then where are the other fragments of the Blood Demon? Are they in this armory too?”
“…I don’t know.”
Shaking his head, the vampire answered. The sword spirit clenched his fists.
“Hey, Ruin. Do you really think these filthy things would spill the truth so easily? Leave it to me. I’ll snap his neck right now and wring out the answer—”
But.
“Hold still for a moment.”
“What? What did I—mmph!”
Before the sword spirit could protest, a giant band-aid appeared over his mouth.
Of course—it was still Ruin’s mental realm.
“Do you mean you don’t know if other fragments exist at all, or you just don’t know where they are?”
“The location. The Blood Demon had a total of eight fangs. I was the innermost, the smallest fang.”
The vampire’s candidness made Ruin nod.
“If all eight fangs are gathered, the Blood Demon will be resurrected?”
“…Maybe?”
His uncertain answer made the sword spirit flail.
“Mmmph! Mmmph!”
“Quiet already.”
“Mmrrrgh!”
The sword spirit gestured wildly, begging Ruin to take off the band-aid. With a sigh, Ruin waved his hand, and it vanished.
“Phew, I thought I’d suffocate. Hey, Ruin, are you actually believing this leech?”
“Yes. I don’t think he’s lying.”
“Ugh.”
Ruin’s firm nod left the sword spirit speechless.
Turning back to the vampire, Ruin asked, “This contract you mentioned—did you make one with Andrei as well?”
“…No.”
The vampire shook his head, then muttered,
“To form a contract, a sacred ritual is required. Drinking the counterpart’s blood within the mental realm, swearing a binding oath. But he never faced me.”
The reason the Red Blood Sword drank others’ blood—it was because the fang of the Blood Demon parasitically dwelling within absorbed it, regaining power to enter its host’s mental realm.
“What power does one gain from the contract?”
“They inherit the energy from the blood I drank.”
“And that energy… is the Blood Demon’s?”
“No. It is pure life force filtered from blood.”
Ruin nodded grimly at the firm reply.
“Just as I thought.”
The reason why such a sinister thing—a fang of the Blood Demon—had been forged into a dagger and buried in the Laingrime Armory was now clear.
“If a sword could cut down enemies and grow stronger through their blood, anyone would covet it.”
Be it cursed blade or demon sword—if it amplified its user’s power without side effects, no warrior would resist it.
But…
“How did such a blade stay hidden quietly in the armory? There’s no way I would’ve overlooked such information, not even as Number 1872…”
Recalling his past life’s memories, Ruin narrowed his eyes.
“When was the last contract made?”
The vampire tilted his head, then rasped,
“I cannot say precisely… but my last contractor served the 15th Patriarch.”
“The 15th?”
Laingrime, one of the Four Northern Houses, had endured nearly a millennium. The current Patriarch, Damon, was the 22nd. That meant seven generations prior.
Ruin quickly estimated the gap.
“So it’s been at least two hundred years. Then that makes sense.”
Not even the shadowy intelligence of Number 1872 could track two-century-old records in detail.
“If I could, I’d have been a historian, not a spy.”
Still…
“Once I’m out, I’ll need to cross-check this.”
Ruin wasn’t about to take the vampire’s word at face value.
After all, the Red Blood Sword had lain dormant for centuries, unchosen—only to end up with Andrei.
“Whew.”
He had uncovered far more of the sword’s secrets than expected.
“But I still don’t know why <Perfect Form>’s authority didn’t work on it.”
If it was merely that his Insightful Eye hadn’t matured enough, perhaps. But Ruin sensed there was another hidden secret.
“If I analyze every detail in the status window, maybe I’ll figure it out…”
Looking at the vampire before him, Ruin smiled slyly.
Then asked lightly,
“Red Blood Sword, want to form a contract with me?”
“Let me go!”
The moment he opened his eyes, Andrei’s furious shriek rang out.
Ruin quickly grasped the situation: the Red Blood Sword still in his hand, Andrei pinned to the ground by instructors.
“What the hell? What just happened?”
“He drew a real blade.”
“Crazy bastard. If Ruin hadn’t caught that, someone could’ve died!”
The trainees who had witnessed everything muttered among themselves, glaring at Andrei with scorn for recklessly endangering a peer’s life.
Then—
Step, step.
Demon Instructor Harken strode toward Ruin.
“You alright?”
At his indifferent tone, Ruin nodded.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“…”
Harken’s eyes dropped to Ruin’s hand holding the Red Blood Sword.
“That one is disqualified. He’ll also pay the price for today’s incident.”
“…The price?”
“He will likely be expelled from here.”
Harken’s tone left no room for doubt.
Ruin hesitated, then asked carefully,
“Instructor.”
“…?”
“May I speak with him for a moment?”
Ruin pointed at Andrei. Harken studied him silently, then asked,
“You intend to duel further?”
Though Ruin wasn’t in great shape, Harken still asked if he wished to continue according to the rules.
Ruin smiled and shook his head.
“No, this is enough. My hand is too injured to hold a sword properly.”
“…I see.”
Nodding, Harken turned away, murmuring,
“Enforcers will arrive soon. Until then, you have a little time.”
Indirectly, he had granted permission.
“…That cut is deep.”
Only now did Ruin notice the wound the Red Blood Sword had left on his hand. Though the bleeding had stopped, the gash was severe.
At that moment, the sword spirit muttered in disbelief.
[Why are you stopping here?]
‘I already won three duels. No need to push it further.’
Ruin shrugged. The sword spirit whispered,
[If you say so… but that girl’s eyes don’t look right.]
Following his gaze, Ruin spotted Selena Marquess staring at him intently.
Then—
“The first duel ends here. Next, Aileta, step forward.”
Harken calmly declared the match over and called the next fighter.
“…!”
Selena’s pupils widened.
The duel she had long anticipated against Ruin had vanished in vain.
Grit.
Her fury and resentment turned toward Andrei, being dragged out by instructors.
“That idiot…”
At the same time, her anger reached Ruin as well—for choosing Andrei instead of her.
“What were you thinking, picking him over me?”
Anyone could see fighting her would have been far more worthwhile. Instead, he chose a fool and even got injured.
“Idiot.”
She cursed him inwardly, convinced his eyes were rotten.
Then—
“Hm?”
She saw Ruin approaching the restrained Andrei.
“What now?”
At his approach, Andrei thrashed wildly again.
“Ruin Laingrime!”
Screaming like a madman, he struggled against the instructors’ hold.
“Stay down, Andrei.”
“Let go! Damn it, let me go! I said let go!”
His bloodshot eyes fixed on Ruin.
“You bastard, hand it over! Give me back my Red Blood Sword!”
Selena’s eyes naturally followed—to Ruin’s hand.
The crimson dagger Andrei had claimed from the Armory. It was now in Ruin’s grasp.
And—
“He’s smiling?”
For some reason, Ruin’s lips curled into a faint smile.
Meanwhile—
“…”
Golden-haired Maylin watched silently, her eyes deep.
Ruin’s lips moved, whispering something to Andrei. Selena couldn’t hear, but Andrei’s face twisted hideously, like a demon.
“You bastard, Ruin!”
He shrieked, as if ready to lunge.
But—
Bang!
The doors of the arena swung open. Figures in dark navy uniforms entered.
“The Enforcers!”
“Blue Night Ghosts? Are they real?”
“I’ve only heard rumors… this is my first time seeing them.”
“Just their presence is terrifying.”
Within Laingrime, they were called Blue Night Ghosts—those who inevitably appeared when house laws or rules were broken.
Those taken by them never met good ends. To Northerners, they were reapers themselves.
Without hesitation, they approached Andrei, relieved the instructors, and restrained him.
Clang!
Heavy iron chains bound his body, then a rough cloth gag silenced him.
“Mmmph! Mmph!”
Andrei resisted, but the Enforcers subdued him effortlessly.
Like criminals, they bound him and nodded silently to Harken.
The demon instructor returned a nod.
“Take him to the Tribunal.”
With that quiet order, the navy-clad men dragged Andrei away.
And—
“…Farewell, Andrei.”
Waving lightly, Ruin murmured with a smile,
“And thank you once again. I’ll make very good use of this.”
“Mmmph! Mmph!”
Though gagged, Andrei’s eyes spat curses and hatred.
But the more he raged, the deeper Ruin’s smile grew.
The sword spirit clicked his tongue.
[You, Ruin… you’re going to live a very, very long life.]
