[Used Bronze Card. Obtained 500 Survival Points, Deep-Fried Tempura.]
[Deep-Fried Tempura]
[Type: Recovery Item]
[Function: Restores 50 Health Points and 30 Mental Power.]
[Note: Fried food makes it easy to gain weight~!]
Erni had used her Bronze Card with high expectations. However, the result left her deeply disappointed. It was like playing a gacha game and trying to change her fate with a single pull, only to find out her luck was utterly abysmal.
I'm supposed to be a lucky "European" player!
Erni stared gloomily at the Deep-Fried Tempura in her inventory.
[Used Black Iron Card. Obtained 100 Survival Points, Evil Spirit Call.]
[Evil Spirit Call]
[Type: Skill Book]
[Function: Learn the LV1 Active Skill Evil Spirit Call. Evil Spirit Call: Summons evil spirits to assist the summoner in attacking enemies.]
[Prerequisites: Intelligence 8, Spirit 8.]
[Note: Eat! Enslave! Drive!]
A... A skill book?!
Ai Asama looked at the skill book in her inventory, her hands trembling with excitement. However, her mood dampened when she remembered the terrifying spirits Kusaregedo had summoned earlier.
[Used Black Iron Card. Obtained 100 Survival Points, Rice Ball.]
[Rice Ball]
[Type: Recovery Item]
[Function: Restores 30 Health Points.]
[Note: A rice ball made of squeezed rice. Ordinary.]
Chen Xiaoxue looked at the rice ball in her inventory. She felt her luck was bottom-tier.
Truly a "dark-faced" player!
After a short rest, they recovered the arrows from Kusaregedo's head and body. Thinking that this monster might revive and continue its evil deeds after they left, the group decided to scavenge materials—basically tearing down a house—to burn the corpse and sever any possibility of resurrection.
Before that, Cyan used the demonic blade to absorb Kusaregedo's blood. As an existence that turned from human to monster by eating people, Kusaregedo was considered a powerhouse; the demonic blade did not reject its blood.
After absorbing the blood, the blade's attributes underwent a significant change.
[Demonic Blade: Red Steel Grudge-Alms]
[Type: Plot Character Weapon]
[Attributes: Attack Power 46-63, Strength +2, Constitution +2.]
[Special 1: Mugen-ryu One-Sword Style (Special) skill level increased by LV1.]
[Special 2: Red Steel Grudge-Alms has drunk deep of the blood of the innocent and become a demonic blade. Its obsession with slaughter will plague your mind. Simultaneously, it possesses growth potential; continuously hunting powerhouses and absorbing their blood will make it stronger.]
[Special 3: Restores 1% of Health Points based on damage dealt. No restoration occurs if the amount is less than 1 point.]
[Equip Requirements: Strength 15, Agility 15, Constitution 10. Note: Once equipped, this item is soul-bound to the user and cannot be traded. If the user dies, the equipment disappears!]
[Note: Zankuro Minazuki used the blood of countless people to turn Red Steel Grudge-Alms into a demonic blade!]
Nishi looked at the sharp arm-bone still impaling Kusaregedo's rear. Enduring her disgust, she pulled it out and tossed it into her inventory, planning to exchange it for Survival Points back in the Survival Space.
After burning the corpse, the sky grew dark. The group decided to rest in the village for one night and leave the next morning.
"Master, this is for you."
Nishi handed her Bronze Card to Cyan. Unlike survivors, servants only had five inventory slots.
"Keep it for yourself. No need to give it to me."
Cyan glanced at the card but didn't take it.
Nishi was happy to hear this. She wasn't one to be overly polite, so she used the Bronze Card right in front of Cyan.
[Used Bronze Card. Obtained 500 Survival Points, Mud Toss.]
[Mud Toss]
[Type: Skill Book]
[Function: Learn the LV1 Active Skill Mud Toss. Throw a clump of thick mud to slow the target and have a certain chance to cause blindness.]
[Prerequisites: None]
[Note: Despicable scoundrel! To use such an underhanded method!]
Throwing... throwing mud?
Nishi blinked as she read the skill info, pursing her lips to suppress the words bubbling up in her mind.
How is throwing mud a skill?! Why wasn't my lime-powder throwing a skill then?
Despite her thoughts, after asking for Cyan's opinion, she used the skill book.
When she activated the skill, a clump of slimy black mud appeared in her hand. Strangely, it didn't stick to her skin. After throwing it, Nishi showed Cyan the skill's attributes.
Mud Toss (Active), Skill Level LV1.
Consumes 5 Mental Power. Throws a clump of thick mud that reduces the target's movement speed by 15% for 10 seconds. Has a 20% chance to cause blindness for 5 seconds. Cooldown: 10 minutes.
"It suits you."
Cyan looked at the skill info. Thinking of Nishi's sneaky combat style, she felt this skill was tailor-made for her.
"Ah! Where did this mud come from! How disgusting!" Erni, who had been trying to get closer to Cyan, stepped right on the mud on the ground. She slipped and landed hard on her backside, hissing as she inhaled a breath of cold air from the pain.
Her shapely hips failed to reduce the damage from the fall; instead, she felt a dull ache in her tailbone. Her health dropped by over a dozen points from the tumble.
Touching her rear, she felt the slimy mud. Erni let out an angry shriek.
"Ah! So gross!"
Hearing the scream, Nishi playfully stuck out her tongue, looking completely innocent.
Late at night, Cyan sat outside the house where the others slept, hugging the demonic blade. Her severed limb was wrapped in bandages. These were the Power Bandages; Nishi's hand had healed, so she had returned them to Cyan.
Cyan had her eyes closed and looked asleep, but in reality, she was constantly practicing the Mugen-ryu One-Sword Style in her mind. While not as effective as physical practice, it still helped.
Cyan opened her eyes and looked at the door. A moment later, it opened, and Ai Asama crept out hunched over, looking like a little thief who had just succeeded in a heist.
"Cyan, this is for you."
Ai Asama held out the skill book she had gotten from the Black Iron Card. Cyan had protected her the whole way, and she had nothing else to give in return. This skill book was her way of showing gratitude.
"You are too weak. You need this skill to survive."
Cyan glanced at the skill in Ai Asama's hand and closed her eyes.
Too... too weak...
Cyan's bluntness stung Ai Asama. She wanted to argue, but she couldn't, because Cyan was right—she was too weak.
Then again, what was there to be picky about if it meant staying alive?
However, when she tried to use the skill book, the Survival Brand reminded her that she couldn't learn it.
Aren't the attributes enough?
Ai Asama looked at her stats and realized that her current attributes were boosted by "Attribute Strengthening." It seemed that the prerequisites for learning skills only counted a survivor's base stats, excluding bonuses from strengthening or equipment.
Having reached this conclusion, Ai Asama put the book away. Gazing at Cyan's face, which seemed to glow under the moonlight, her face turned red as she whispered, "Thank you..."
"Master, you really are a softie!"
After Ai Asama went back inside, Nishi jumped down from the roof. She crossed her arms and leaned in toward Cyan, her lips almost brushing Cyan's cheek.
"A softie?"
Cyan used her scabbard to push Nishi's face away, her voice carrying a hint of confusion.
"You don't... know what 'softie' means?"
Nishi looked at Cyan in surprise, as if looking at a rare species.
"I don't."
"Then let me tell you, Master! Being a softie means..."
Nishi started yapping away like a noisy little bird.
The next day, the group left the deserted village. However, it wasn't long before they were surrounded by a band of marauding ronin.
"Beautiful women, and even a Western chick—they'll sell for a lot! Oho, and a beautiful young lad. Selling him to the big shots will fetch even more!"
The lead ronin scanned Kagaribi, Erni, Nishi, Ai Asama, and Chen Xiaoxue with eyes full of greed and lust.
A... a beautiful youth!
When he saw the stunningly beautiful Cyan, his eyes widened even more. Everyone knew the wealthy elite had certain "unspeakable" hobbies—it was actually an open secret, just that no one dared say it aloud.
"Boss! This one's missing an arm! He won't sell for much, will he?"
Hearing his subordinate, the ronin leader noticed Cyan's bandaged stump. A trace of regret flashed in his eyes.
What a pity, he's flawed.
I'm a little... annoyed...
Cyan placed her left hand on the demonic blade, preparing to start a massacre.
"If you don't want to die, you'd better move!"
Kagaribi, feeling the blatant, naked stares from the ronin, knit her brows tightly. She notched an arrow to her hunting bow and aimed at them.
"Get them, boys! Catch them alive!"
At the leader's command, the ronin swarmed forward.
Swish!
Kagaribi released the string, and an arrow pierced through a ronin's neck.
Ai Asama watched a ronin charge at her. She thrust her short blade into his abdomen, pulled it out, and stabbed again repeatedly. Finally, she pushed the dead ronin's body off of her.