You wake up with hands that itch.
Not rash itch. Craft itch.
Like if you do not make something, your fingers will start building furniture out of the bed frame out of spite.
I rolled out of the guild dorm bed, stretched, and immediately opened my inventory to stare at my materials like they were pets.
Seal dust. Resin. Metal strips. Waxed thread. Spare rings. Little jars of paste.
My brain went, yes. Good. More.
Then the system popped a reminder right in my face.
[NOTICE]
Skill Acquisition: ON
Backlog: Clear
Suggestion: Do not touch settings.
Fair.
I got dressed, strapped my sword, pulled on the sewerwalker gloves, and went downstairs.
Roth was already awake because Roth is not a person, Roth is a concept. Mina was eating slowly. Lyra was awake in the way a cat is awake when it is judging you.
Verena was not here. The audit was complete. The crown had taken her back into the paperwork dimension.
Which meant, for the first time in days, we did not have a royal adult supervising us.
That was dangerous.
Lyra chewed a piece of bread and looked at me. “What are you going to craft today. A new personality.”
“Funny,” I said. “I was thinking of crafting you a muzzle.”
Roth spoke without looking up. “Guild board.”
Right.
Quest board. Dopamine wallpaper.
We crossed the guild hall. New papers. New stamps. New ways to get killed for money.
I scanned fast.
Escort. Clear. Hunt. Gather.
Then I saw it.
Bright orange stamp. Not red emergency, but still urgent.
NUISANCE QUEST
Market District: “Blinkhorn” thefts.
Stolen goods: fruit, coins, small tools.
Cause: one juvenile beast.
Reward: Silver +5, stable voucher, nuisance bounty.
Note: Must be captured alive. Strongly recommended.
I stared.
Lyra noticed and smirked. “You want it.”
“It says stable voucher,” I said.
“It says juvenile beast,” Mina said softly, already guessing my brain.
Roth read the posting once, then nodded. “We take it. Stable access is useful. We will need mounts soon.”
Lyra pointed at me. “You want a pet.”
“I want,” I said carefully, “a mount that does not judge me.”
Lyra laughed. “Everything judges you. The system judges you. That is literally its job.”
Roth ripped the quest paper off the board and slapped it on the counter.
“Party Hero Standard,” the receptionist said without looking surprised. “Nuisance capture. Market district. Juvenile blinkhorn.”
She slid us a small wooden token stamped with the guild seal.
“Present to the merchant council guard. They will direct you. Do not kill it.”
Lyra leaned in. “What is a blinkhorn.”
The receptionist shrugged. “Rabbit. Horn. Blinks. Nasty bite.”
Mina blinked. “It teleports.”
“Short range,” the receptionist said. “Usually steals things and panics. Also causes accidents. Someone tripped off a cart yesterday chasing it.”
Roth nodded. “Understood.”
My brain heard “teleport rabbit” and immediately decided that was adorable and also mine.
We headed out.
The market district was pure chaos.
Stalls everywhere. People everywhere. Smells everywhere. Fish, spice, bread, wet wood, sweat.
Somewhere a man was yelling about turnips like it was a national emergency.
Then the commotion hit.
A shout, a crash, a child laughing, then another shout.
“Thief!”
“Again!”
“There, there!”
A blur of white shot between stalls.
Something small. Fast. It hopped, then vanished, then reappeared two meters away with a bright flash like a camera.
Blink.
Then it hopped again with a potato in its mouth.
A guard tried to grab it. He grabbed air. The creature blinked behind him, bit his belt, and stole a coin pouch like it was doing a side quest.
My system chimed, because of course it did.
[TARGET SPOTTED]
Juvenile Blinkhorn
Threat Level: Low
Annoyance Level: High
Lyra stared. “It is… cute.”
“It is criminal,” Roth said.
Mina watched it hop, then blink. Her expression softened. “It is terrified.”
That made my chest tighten.
The blinkhorn stopped near a fruit stall, nose twitching, horn glowing faintly blue. It looked like a rabbit crossed with a tiny deer, with a short spiral horn on its forehead and faint rune marks on its ears.
Its eyes flicked constantly.
Predator eyes in a prey body.
I stepped forward slowly.
Lyra grabbed my sleeve. “Do not sprint. It will blink away.”
“I know,” I whispered.
Roth pointed at a cart line. “Herd it. Quiet.”
We spread out.
Mina moved gently to block one escape route, hands down, calm. Roth blocked the main path with his shield held low like a wall. Lyra took the other side, fingers glowing faintly, not to attack, just to threaten.
I stepped toward the blinkhorn.
It froze.
Its horn glowed brighter.
My brain screamed do not scare it.
So I did the only thing I knew from being a former convenience store worker.
I bribed it.
I pulled out dried meat.
Then stopped.
Meat probably not.
I pulled out bread.
Too plain.
I scanned the stall. The fruit seller stared at me like I was insane.
“Apple,” I said, pointing. “One.”
The seller blinked, then shoved an apple at me like he wanted this problem gone.
I tossed him a copper coin without thinking.
Then I crouched, held the apple low, and spoke quietly.
“It is okay,” I said, because I did not know what else to say. “No one is going to hurt you.”
The blinkhorn’s nose twitched.
It blinked once, reappeared closer.
I did not move.
It blinked again.
Closer.
Then it stretched its neck, snatched the apple, and immediately blinked backwards like it expected me to swing.
It started crunching the apple while staring at me.
Chewing with suspicion.
My system window popped.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]
Beast Handling (Lv. 1)
Oh.
Okay.
So my life now included animal skills.
The blinkhorn’s horn dimmed slightly as it ate.
I took one slow step forward.
It blinked.
I took another.
It blinked again, but shorter, like it was running out of panic fuel.
Lyra whispered, “It is blinking in smaller jumps.”
Mina whispered back, “It is tired.”
Roth’s voice was low. “Now.”
I moved.
Fast.
Quickstep pulsed. My feet grabbed traction. My hands reached like I was catching a falling object.
The blinkhorn blinked.
And I caught it anyway because the blink had a tiny delay and my AGI was not normal anymore.
My hands closed around soft fur and a surprisingly solid little body.
It squealed and kicked.
Then it bit my finger.
Hard.
Pain flared.
My HP ticked down and my dignity died.
[HP -3]
Reason: Bite. Humiliation.
Lyra laughed. Loud. Cruel.
“Hero,” she said, delighted. “You got bit by a rabbit.”
“It has a horn,” I hissed, holding it tighter as it thrashed. “This is a horned rabbit. That is more dangerous.”
The blinkhorn’s horn glowed bright blue again.
My system flashed a warning.
[WARNING]
Blink attempt imminent.
I reacted on instinct.
I shoved mana into my hands.
I did not know if that would do anything, but I had done enough “mana sense” practice to know what pushing felt like.
My palms warmed.
The blinkhorn’s glow stuttered.
It blinked anyway.
And dragged me with it.
The world jumped.
My stomach flipped.
Suddenly I was three meters to the left, still holding it, and my brain was screaming because teleporting feels like losing a frame of reality.
Lyra’s eyes went wide. “It pulled you!”
Mina rushed closer. “Kenta, are you alright.”
“I am,” I gasped. “I hate it. But I am.”
The blinkhorn went still in my arms, shocked that its blink did not work the way it wanted.
Then it started trembling.
Not rage trembling.
Fear trembling.
Its ears flattened. Its eyes were huge. It looked like a wild animal that had been chased too long and finally ran out of choices.
Mina stepped close and put her hand gently on its head, avoiding the horn.
“It is alright,” she whispered.
The blinkhorn’s breathing slowed slightly.
My system chimed again.
[SKILL LEVEL UP]
Beast Handling: Lv. 1 -> Lv. 3
Okay.
This was happening already.
Lyra leaned in. “So. Capture alive. Bring to guards. Get paid.”
Roth nodded. “Correct.”
I stared at the trembling little beast in my arms.
And my brain, because it is my brain, did something extremely inconvenient.
It went: I want to keep it.
I swallowed.
“We could,” I said slowly, “also… tame it.”
Lyra’s eyebrows shot up. “Of course you want to tame it.”
Roth’s eyes narrowed. “We do not have a beast tamer.”
“I have Beast Handling now,” I said.
Roth stared at me like I had said I could breathe underwater.
Mina’s voice was soft. “If it is tamed, it will stop causing harm.”
Lyra pointed at the blinkhorn. “It is a teleport rabbit thief. That is either a headache or the best mount in the kingdom.”
Roth exhaled. “We can attempt. But we do it properly. We register it. We do not create a feral monster in the guild hall.”
“Agreed,” I said instantly.
My system popped a new option like it had been waiting for me to say the word.
[TAMING OPTION AVAILABLE]
Target: Juvenile Blinkhorn
Requirements: Calm state, bond object, sustained contact
Success Chance: 78%
Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
Proceed? Y/N
I stared.
Then clicked yes.
The blinkhorn’s horn flashed.
A thin line of blue light tried to jump away from me.
My Hero Plate warmed.
My Mana Sense tingled.
Then my inventory pulsed.
Like it wanted to participate.
I had a thought.
Bond object.
I could make one.
My hands tightened around the blinkhorn gently.
“Hold it,” I said to Mina, because Mina was the only one I trusted to not get bitten.
Mina took it with calm confidence. It bit her too. She did not react.
Lyra laughed again. “It bites saints equally.”
Mina smiled through it. “It is frightened.”
I pulled out my basic crafting kit and a strip of soft leather from my inventory.
Then I started working right there in the market like a crazy person.
I cut a collar strip. I punched holes. I stitched in a thin line of seal dust paste along the inside.
Not enough to hurt it. Just enough to stabilize the mana flow around its horn.
It was the same logic as a floodgate seal, but smaller and fluffier.
My system chimed.
[CRAFTING SUCCESS]
Blinkhorn Collar (Uncommon)
Effect: Blink Stabilization (Minor)
Effect: Stress reduction (Minor)
Then it chimed again.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]
Pet Taming (Rank F)
Oh.
Here we go.
I took the collar and held it out.
Mina slipped it around the blinkhorn’s neck gently, like she had done this her whole life.
The blinkhorn froze.
Its horn glow calmed.
Then the taming window flashed.
[TAMING IN PROGRESS]
Bond object accepted.
Establishing link...
A thin blue line appeared in my vision, connecting me to the blinkhorn like a thread.
Then it snapped into place with a soft chime.
[TAMING SUCCESS]
Pet acquired: Juvenile Blinkhorn
Name your companion.
I stared.
Lyra leaned in. “Name it something stupid.”
Roth said, “Name it something practical.”
Mina smiled softly. “Name it something kind.”
The blinkhorn stared at me, chewing the last of its stolen apple like it owned me now.
I blurted the first thing my Japanese brain produced.
“Pyon,” I said.
Lyra snorted. “Of course.”
The system accepted it with no judgment, which was suspicious.
[PET REGISTERED]
Name: Pyon
Species: Juvenile Blinkhorn
Bond: Sato Kenta
Pyon’s ears twitched.
Then, in my head, I heard a tiny, clear thought.
Not a voice.
More like a word shaped feeling.
“...food?”
I froze.
Lyra saw my face. “What.”
“I think,” I whispered, “it just asked for food.”
Mina’s eyes widened. “You can hear it.”
My system chimed like it was proud.
[SKILL ACQUIRED]
Beast Link (Lv. 1)
Effect: Simple communication with bonded beast
Lyra stared at Pyon. “Talk again.”
Pyon stared back.
Then I felt another thought.
“...safe.”
My chest tightened.
Then the dopamine hit hit again, because the system decided emotional moments were also XP.
[SKILL RANK UP]
Pet Taming: Rank F -> D
Roth spoke calmly. “We will pay the nuisance bounty to the market council. We keep the beast. We register it with the guild.”
Lyra pointed at me. “You are going to spoil it.”
“I am going to craft it a saddle,” I said.
Mina’s smile widened.
Lyra groaned. “He is already planning accessories.”
Roth nodded once. “Good. Move. Before it bites someone else.”
The market council guard accepted the token, accepted Roth’s explanation, and accepted a small compensation fee with relief.
They were happy the teleport rabbit thief was gone.
They did not care where it went as long as it stopped happening.
We took Pyon to the guild beast registry. A stable master looked at the blinkhorn and flinched.
“A blinkhorn,” he said. “Those are trouble.”
Pyon blinked and reappeared on the stable master’s head for half a second.
The stable master screamed.
Then Pyon blinked back into Mina’s arms like nothing happened.
Lyra laughed so hard she had to lean on the wall.
Roth pinched the bridge of his nose.
Mina sighed. “Pyon. No.”
Pyon’s ears drooped. I felt a thought.
“...fun.”
My system chimed again.
[SKILL RANK UP]
Pet Taming: Rank D -> B
This was ridiculous.
The stable master recovered his dignity, inspected the collar, and his eyes widened.
“This is sealwork,” he said, stunned. “You stabilized its blink.”
“I made it,” I said.
He stared at me like I had just baked the sun.
“Hero,” he said slowly, “this beast could grow into a mount if properly bonded. Blinkhorns evolve when their mana stabilizes. Most never stabilize. They stay wild, stressed, and angry.”
Pyon nibbled Mina’s sleeve gently like it was innocent.
I felt another thought.
“...fast.”
My system popped a new panel.
[PET EVOLUTION AVAILABLE]
Condition met: Stable bond, stabilized mana, sufficient affection
Evolve: Juvenile Blinkhorn -> Blinkhorn Runner
Proceed? Y/N
Lyra pointed at the window I could see by the way my eyes locked.
“Oh no,” she said. “Do it.”
Roth’s voice was flat. “Do it.”
Mina blinked. “Is it safe.”
I looked at Pyon. Pyon stared back.
Thought: “...yes.”
I clicked yes.
Pyon’s horn flared blue.
A ring of light formed around its body.
Fur rippled like wind through grass. Its legs lengthened. Its frame stretched.
It grew from rabbit size to something like a slim deer, still compact, still cute, but now clearly built for speed.
Its rune marks brightened.
Then it blinked once and reappeared in front of me, head lowered like it was offering itself.
My system chimed like fireworks.
[EVOLUTION COMPLETE]
Pyon has evolved into: Blinkhorn Runner
New abilities unlocked:
Blink Step (Short Range)
Mount Form (Toggle)
Pack Carry (Minor)
Beast Link improved.
A new thought hit my mind, clearer now.
“...ride?”
My heart did a stupid happy jump.
Lyra clapped once, sharp. “Okay. That is disgusting. You got a teleport mount in one morning.”
Roth nodded. “Useful.”
Mina smiled softly. “Beautiful.”
The stable master stared, then bowed. “Registration complete. Please do not let it blink into the guild hall again.”
Pyon blinked behind him and stared at his hair like it was considering it.
Mina put a hand on Pyon’s neck. “No.”
Pyon’s ears drooped again. Thought: “...fine.”
My system chimed.
[SKILL RANK UP]
Pet Taming: Rank B -> A
I did not even do anything. It just happened. The system was basically throwing skill ranks at me like confetti.
Lyra looked at me with suspicion. “You are going to hit S by lunch.”
“I am not,” I said.
My system chimed again.
[SKILL RANK UP]
Pet Taming: Rank A -> S
Lyra pointed at me like she was accusing me in court. “You did.”
I stared at the window, then whispered, “I did.”
Roth said, “Good. Now buy feed and a saddle.”
“Craft,” I corrected automatically.
Lyra rolled her eyes. “Of course.”
We left the stable with Pyon following like a loyal shadow.
Then Pyon blinked ahead, blinked back, blinked ahead again, like it could not stop being excited about having legs and mana.
I felt its thoughts in small clean bursts.
“...go go go.”
“...food.”
“...safe.”
“...Kenta.”
It saying my name in my head was weirdly emotional. I hated that it worked on me.
We headed toward the equipment street.
And that was when we heard it.
A voice.
Loud.
Angry.
Coming from inside a weapon shop.
“I refuse! I am not for peasants! I am destined for greatness! Your hands are greasy and your aura is embarrassing!”
We stopped.
Lyra’s eyebrows lifted. “What is that.”
Roth’s hand went to his sword hilt.
Mina tilted her head. “A person.”
“No,” Lyra said slowly, delighted. “That is not a person.”
We pushed into the shop.
Weapons lined the walls. Spears, swords, axes, bows. Armor pieces hung like trophies.
A shopkeeper stood behind the counter with the exhausted expression of a man losing a war against inventory.
And on the floor, leaning against a barrel of cheap blades, was a sword.
A longsword. Plain. Normal. Iron. Simple leather wrap.
It had no mouth.
It still talked.
“I am being mistreated,” the sword snapped. “This shop is a disgrace. This lighting is insulting. I can feel the humidity. My edge is suffering.”
The shopkeeper looked up and his eyes nearly rolled out of his head when he saw us.
“Hero,” he croaked. “Please. Please take it.”
The sword’s voice rose instantly. “Hero! Finally! A real owner! Yes! You, boy! Lift me! Feel my destiny!”
Lyra whispered, “I love it.”
Mina whispered back, “I do not.”
Roth stared at the sword like it was a new kind of enemy.
I stepped closer and focused on Appraisal.
[APPRAISAL]
Sentient Longsword (Common)
ATK: 12
Durability: 100 / 100
Trait: Talking (Annoying)
Special: None
I blinked.
It was a normal sword.
A normal sword with a loud personality.
The sword spoke as if it could hear my appraisal. “Do not judge me by numbers! Numbers are the language of cowards!”
Lyra leaned in. “Your numbers are bad.”
“My numbers are hidden,” the sword snapped. “I am legendary. This system is wrong.”
Roth’s voice was flat. “It is common.”
The sword gasped like Roth had slapped it. “How dare you! Shield man! You are a wall with legs! I am art!”
Mina’s eyes widened slightly. “It insults people.”
“It insults reality,” Lyra corrected, delighted.
The shopkeeper leaned forward. “I found it in a salvage lot. It will not stop talking. It scares customers. It argues with my other swords. It convinced a man to buy it, then spent the entire walk home insulting his gait until the man brought it back and tried to throw it at me.”
The sword yelled, “He walked like a dying goose! It was embarrassing!”
I stared at it.
Then I did the worst thing possible.
I felt curious.
Not about the talking.
About the why.
Sentient weapon. Common stats. No special.
Why was it talking like it was a god.
My crafting brain woke up like a shark smelling blood.
“Can I hold it,” I asked.
The sword practically vibrated. “Yes! Yes! Finally!”
Roth said, “Do not.”
Mina said, “Kenta...”
Lyra said, “Do it.”
I picked it up.
The grip felt normal. Weight balanced. Nothing special.
The sword sighed dramatically. “At last. A hand worthy of me.”
My system chimed.
[ITEM ACQUIRED]
Sentient Longsword (Common)
Note: Not bound.
Lyra leaned on the counter. “So. Why is it angry.”
The sword snapped, “I am not angry. I am passionate.”
Roth said, “You are loud.”
The sword snapped, “And you are dull.”
Mina said gently, “Please be polite.”
The sword paused, then said, “I am polite to those who deserve it.”
Lyra laughed. “It is a demon.”
The shopkeeper begged, “Please. Take it. I will sell it for almost nothing. Just remove it from my life.”
I stared at the longsword.
ATK 12.
Same as my short sword.
So it was not even an upgrade.
But I had a thought.
A terrible thought.
What if I could craft its attitude.
Like, literally.
If it was sentient, maybe its spirit core could be tuned.
Maybe its “talking” was linked to its mana pattern.
Maybe it was angry because something was wrong.
My hands tightened slightly on the hilt.
“I can fix you,” I said, without thinking.
The sword went silent.
Then it whispered, reverent, “Yes.”
Lyra’s eyes lit up like she was watching a train crash in slow motion.
Roth sighed. “Hero.”
Mina whispered, “Kenta. It is a sword.”
“I am S-rank crafting,” I muttered, like that explained everything. “I cannot leave a broken thing broken.”
The shopkeeper shoved the sword sale papers toward me so fast I thought the ink would catch fire.
“Two silver,” he said. “Two! Please!”
Lyra slapped my arm. “Buy it. This is comedy.”
Roth looked at me. “We do not need it.”
Mina looked torn between kindness and survival instincts.
I bought it.
Two silver disappeared. My dignity followed.
The sword’s voice returned instantly, loud again. “Yes! Freedom! Hero! Together we will conquer the demon king’s armies and be sung of forever!”
Lyra snorted. “Your stats are twelve.”
“Numbers are lies,” the sword yelled.
Roth said, “You are a tool.”
The sword screamed, “I am a companion!”
Mina sighed. “This is going to be a long day.”
Pyon blinked into the shop, sniffed the sword, then blinked away like it did not want involvement.
Thought from Pyon: “...no.”
That made me laugh once, sharp.
Even my teleport deer rabbit had standards.
We brought the sword to a workshop bench, because of course we did.
I laid it down, stared at it like it was a stubborn machine.
“Okay,” I said. “What is your name.”
The sword said proudly, “I am Valeblade, Scourge of the Unworthy, Light of Kings, Whisper of Fate.”
Lyra rested her chin on her hands. “Your name is Valve Blade.”
“It is Vale,” the sword snapped. “V-A-L-E.”
Roth said, “Your name is Sword.”
Mina said quietly, “Please do not bully the sword.”
The sword said, “Thank you, priestess. You have taste.”
Lyra pointed. “It just insulted us and complimented her.”
Mina looked embarrassed. “It is still wrong.”
I appraised again, but deeper, focusing on the “sentient” part.
[APPRAISAL]
Valeblade (Sentient Longsword)
Core: Weak
Mana Channel: Poor
Self-image: Legendary
Reality: Common
Note: Emotional instability linked to low output.
I blinked.
I read it again.
Low output.
Weak core.
Poor channel.
His attitude suddenly made sense in the most annoying way possible.
He was insecure.
He was a loud sword with the stats of a kitchen knife and the ego of a holy relic.
I looked at the sword.
“Valeblade,” I said slowly, “you are angry because you are weak.”
Silence.
Then Valeblade exploded.
“I AM NOT WEAK!”
Lyra clapped her hands. “He is weak.”
Roth nodded. “Yes.”
Mina flinched. “Please.”
Valeblade ranted. “I was forged for greatness! I was meant to drink the blood of demons! I was meant to shine in the hands of a hero! Instead I was placed in a barrel next to cheap spears and a rusted dagger that calls me ‘butter knife’!”
Lyra covered her mouth. “The dagger bullied him.”
Roth said, “Good.”
Mina gave Roth a look.
I ignored them. My brain was already assembling a fix.
“You want to be legendary,” I said. “Then let me make you less pathetic.”
Valeblade’s voice lowered. “You can.”
“I can,” I said.
Crafting menu opened like a hungry mouth.
[CRAFTING OPTIONS]
Target: Sentient Longsword (Common)
Possible upgrades:
Edge Refinement
Balance Correction
Grip Wrap
Minor Mana Channel Inlay
Success Rate: 99%
Warning: Sentient targets may resist improvement due to ego.
I stared at the warning.
Lyra leaned over my shoulder. “Ego resistance.”
Valeblade shouted, “I do not resist! Improve me!”
“Okay,” I said.
I worked.
I sharpened the edge properly. I corrected the balance with a tiny weighted plug in the pommel. I replaced the cheap leather with a tighter wrap. I inlaid a thin channel line with seal dust and metalwork, just enough to let mana flow without screaming.
The system chimed like it was eating candy.
[CRAFTING SUCCESS]
Valeblade upgraded.
Rarity: Common -> Uncommon
ATK: 12 -> 15
Durability: 100 -> 130
Trait added: Mana Channel (Minor)
Then it chimed again.
[SUBSKILL RANK UP]
Basic Metalwork: Rank D -> B
Basic Leatherwork: Rank D -> B
My hands tingled. My brain hummed.
Valeblade went silent for a second.
Then his voice returned, softer.
“Oh,” he whispered. “I... I feel... sharp.”
Lyra leaned in. “How is your attitude now.”
Valeblade took a breath like a man about to give a speech.
Then he said, “Finally. The world has recognized my greatness. As expected.”
Lyra stared.
Roth stared.
Mina closed her eyes like she was praying for patience.
I stared at the sword.
So the problem was not that he was weak.
The problem was that he was him.
Lyra said it first. “Okay. Sell him.”
Valeblade screamed, “WHAT!”
Roth nodded. “Yes.”
Mina hesitated. “He is sentient.”
Lyra pointed at it. “He is also unbearable.”
Valeblade shouted, “I will not be sold! I am a hero’s blade!”
I lifted it. “You are an uncommon longsword with a talking trait and a personality disorder.”
Valeblade gasped. “Your words wound me.”
“Good,” Lyra said. “Then you are learning.”
We took him back to the weapon shop.
The shopkeeper saw us walk in and immediately looked like someone had thrown a bucket of water on his soul.
“No,” he said quickly. “No. I refuse.”
“We upgraded him,” I said. “He is stronger now. Uncommon. Mana channel.”
The shopkeeper hesitated. His eyes flicked to the blade. He licked his lips like he was doing math.
Then Valeblade said loudly, “Shopkeeper! Your hands are still greasy and your shop still smells like regret!”
The shopkeeper’s face twisted.
Lyra leaned in, smiling sweetly. “He is included for free.”
Valeblade continued, because he could not stop. “Also, I demand a velvet sheath and a weekly polishing schedule, and I refuse to be wielded by anyone with weak wrists!”
A customer at the back slowly put a sword down and backed away.
The shopkeeper stared at me.
“You brought me a cursed nightmare,” he whispered.
“I brought you an upgraded nightmare,” I said.
Valeblade yelled, “I am not cursed! I am refined!”
The shopkeeper slammed his hands on the counter. “Get out.”
Lyra laughed. “Unsellable. Speedrun.”
We tried a different shop.
The sword insulted the blacksmith’s beard.
We tried a pawn broker.
The sword loudly announced it would scream at midnight if locked in a box.
We tried the guild exchange counter.
The receptionist took one look at the sword, heard it speak, and physically slid a sign onto the counter.
NO SENTIENT ITEMS.
Lyra pointed at the sign. “They made that because of you.”
Valeblade sniffed. “Cowards.”
Roth’s patience finally cracked by a millimeter.
“We throw it away,” Roth said.
Valeblade screamed, “YOU CANNOT THROW AWAY DESTINY!”
Lyra said, “Watch us.”
We walked to a quiet alley behind the guild.
No civilians. No kids. No carts.
Roth held the sword at arm’s length like it was a dead rat.
Valeblade kept talking. “I will haunt you! I will sing tragic songs! I will curse your descendants!”
Lyra cupped her hands and yelled at the sword. “Shut up!”
Valeblade yelled back, “No!”
Roth threw it.
Not into the street. Not at a person.
Just into a trash pile of broken crates and old straw.
The sword landed with a loud clang.
Then it started yelling from the pile.
“HELP! I HAVE BEEN BETRAYED! HERO! PRIESTESS! THIS IS INJUSTICE!”
Lyra covered her ears. “Oh my god it is worse when it is distant.”
Mina stepped forward instinctively, face tight. “We cannot leave it in the street. A child might pick it up.”
Lyra snapped, “That is not our problem.”
Mina’s eyes sharpened. “It is if a child gets hurt.”
Roth hesitated.
I hesitated too, because Mina was right and also because I did not want this thing in my life anymore.
Valeblade screamed, “PRIESTESS! SAVE ME! YOU ARE PURE! YOU UNDERSTAND HONOR!”
Mina flinched like it had grabbed her conscience by the collar.
She walked over.
Lyra pointed at Mina. “Do not pick it up.”
Mina sighed. “I will move it deeper into the trash so no one gets hurt.”
Lyra’s eyes went wide. “That is also picking it up!”
Mina reached down, grabbed the hilt, and lifted it.
The moment her fingers closed, the system made a sound like a guillotine.
Not a chime.
A heavy confirmation.
My vision flashed.
[BIND ON PICKUP TRIGGERED]
Valeblade has bound to: Mina
Type: Soul Link (Minor)
Removal: Not available
Owner confirmation: Not required
Mina froze mid-lift.
Her eyes widened slowly.
“What,” she whispered.
Valeblade went silent for half a second.
Then he whispered, reverent, “...finally.”
Lyra screamed laughter. Actual screaming.
Roth stared at the sword, then at Mina, then looked up at the sky like he wanted to fight fate.
I covered my mouth and still laughed.
Mina’s voice rose, shocked and upset. “No. No. No.”
Valeblade said loudly, proud again, “Yes! The priestess has chosen me! We are bound! We are destiny!”
“I did not choose you,” Mina said through clenched teeth.
Valeblade said, “Your soul did.”
Lyra leaned against the wall, shaking with laughter. “Mina. Congratulations. You have adopted a loud child in sword form.”
Mina stared at her own hands like betrayal lived in her fingers.
Roth finally spoke. “Can you drop it.”
Mina tried.
Her fingers did not open.
Her hand refused.
The sword did not fall.
Mina’s face went pale.
“I cannot let go,” she whispered.
Valeblade sounded satisfied. “Of course. I am yours. You are mine. It is romantic.”
Lyra choked. “Romantic!”
Mina’s voice went sharp. “Do not say that word.”
Valeblade sniffed. “Fine. Sacred.”
Mina looked at me, eyes desperate. “Kenta. Fix it.”
“I do not,” I said between laughs, “know how to unbind a soul link.”
Valeblade said proudly, “You cannot. Only the goddess could.”
Lyra’s laughter stopped instantly.
Roth’s eyes narrowed.
Mina’s face tightened.
I felt a cold little prickle.
Not fear.
Just the familiar sensation of something being weird again.
Lyra recovered first and pointed at the sword. “Okay. So you admit you are a problem.”
Valeblade shouted, “I am a blessing!”
Mina whispered, exhausted, “I am going to throw you into the river.”
Valeblade yelled, “You cannot. You love me.”
Mina’s eyes went flat. “I do not.”
Valeblade paused. “You will.”
Roth turned away. “We return. We have a mount now. We will not also carry a cursed talking sword problem in the street any longer than necessary.”
Mina held the sword out like it was radioactive.
Valeblade said, smug, “Carry me with pride.”
Lyra said, “Carry him with shame.”
Pyon blinked into the alley, stared at Valeblade, then sent a clear thought into my mind.
“...loud.”
Then Pyon blinked away like it refused to be seen associating with this.
I laughed again.
This chapter was a mistake from start to finish.
We walked back to the guild.
Mina holding a sword she could not drop.
Lyra giggling every time Valeblade spoke.
Roth silent in a way that meant he was filing this under “pain.”
Me walking beside Pyon, hand on its neck, feeling its calm little thoughts like a warm stream.
“...home.”
“...food.”
“...Kenta.”
My system chimed quietly.
[PARTY UPDATE]
Companion added: Pyon (Blinkhorn Runner)
Utility: Mount, Blink Step, Pack Carry
Then another window popped, because the system loves chaos.
[NEW PROBLEM]
Sentient item bound to party member.
Severity: Annoying.
Correct.
Back at the guild dorm, Mina finally sat on the bed and stared at Valeblade like she wanted to exorcise it with her eyes.
Lyra sat across from her, still smiling.
“So,” Lyra said sweetly, “what does your new boyfriend want.”
Mina’s face went red instantly. “Lyra!”
Valeblade said, “I desire a velvet sheath.”
Mina said, “You get nothing.”
Valeblade said, “Then I will narrate your prayers.”
Mina’s eyes widened. “Do not.”
Valeblade cleared his throat dramatically. “Oh goddess, grant us mercy, and also grant Mina a spine, she is too kind, she needs to stab more demons.”
Mina grabbed him tighter by accident and immediately regretted it because she could not stop.
Roth stood at the door. “Sleep. Dawn training. The main quest does not pause for your personal curse.”
Valeblade sniffed. “Main quest. Demon king. Pfft.”
Lyra pointed. “Do not pfft the demon king. That is above your pay grade.”
Valeblade said, “My pay grade is destiny.”
Lyra sighed. “I regret saving him.”
“You did not save him,” I said. “You encouraged me.”
Lyra smiled. “Correct.”
I sat on my bed and looked at Pyon, now in smaller form again, curled like a fluffy loaf near my feet.
Thought: “...safe.”
My chest tightened again.
Then my system chimed one last time, because it could not resist.
[SKILL RANK UP]
Beast Link: Lv. 1 -> Lv. 2
Effect: clearer thoughts, basic intent sharing
Pyon sent a last thought, sleepy and content.
“...together.”
I exhaled.
Two days ago I was a convenience store worker who thought crafting was a hobby and animals were a problem for other people.
Now I had an S-rank crafting brain, a teleport mount, and my healer had a soul bound talking sword that would not shut up.
This world was insane.
And the worst part was, my brain loved it.
Because tomorrow I could craft Pyon a saddle.
And I could craft Valeblade a muzzle.
And both of those sounded like progress.
Valeblade spoke one last time from Mina’s grip.
“Goodnight, party. Dream of my greatness.”
Lyra threw a pillow at him.
He talked through the pillow.
Mina groaned.
Roth shut the door.
Pyon blinked once and fell asleep.
And I lay back, staring at the ceiling, smiling like an idiot.
Because the grind had given me a pet.
And I was not letting go.
Not even if the system begged.
CLASS: Hero
LEVEL: 17
GUILD RANK: Bronze II
MP: 160 / 160
STR: 33
AGI: 42
VIT: 34
INT: 11
WIL: 11
LUK: 8
- Sword Basics (Lv. 5)
- Footwork (Lv. 4)
- Parry (Lv. 5)
- Precision Thrust (Lv. 2)
- Riposte (Lv. 3)
- Hero’s Aura (Passive)
- Heroic Shout (Active)
- Crafting Rank: S
- Sealwork: A
- Leatherwork: B
- Metalwork: B
- Pet Taming: S
- Beast Link: Lv. 2
- Maker’s Focus (Unique, Enhanced)
- Quickstep (Minor)
- Iron Gut (Minor)
- Athletic Body (Minor)
- Skill acquisition backlog resolved.
- Combat efficiency increasing rapidly.
- Dangerous potential scaling detected.
CAPTAIN ROTH
==============================
LEVEL: 28
MP: Low
DEF: Very High
STR: 38
AGI: 21
VIT: 45
INT: 14
WIL: 26
LUK: 6
- Shield Mastery (High)
- Guard Stance (High)
- Threat Control (High)
- Battlefield Command (Mid)
- Anti-Monster Tactics (High)
- Disciplined
- Unshakeable Frontline
- Will Not Retreat
- Primary tank.
- Reliable anchor under pressure.
- Trusts Hero’s growth but monitors risk.
==============================
LYRA
==============================
LEVEL: 24
MP: Very High
Burst Damage: High
STR: 9
AGI: 18
VIT: 15
INT: 39
WIL: 28
LUK: 12
- Fire Bolt (High)
- Flame Fan (High)
- Controlled Burn (High)
- Mana Compression (Mid)
- Targeted Burst Casting (High)
- Tactical Instinct
- Dry Sarcasm
- Extremely Competitive
- High precision AoE and burst.
- Thrives in dungeon combat.
- Increasingly entertained by Kenta’s absurd scaling.
==============================
MINA
==============================
LEVEL: 22
MP: High
Sustain: Extremely High
STR: 8
AGI: 14
VIT: 20
INT: 26
WIL: 36
LUK: 10
- Heal (High)
- Purify (Mid)
- Barrier (Mid)
- Blessing (Mid)
- Emergency Light Spike (Low)
- Compassionate
- Self-Sacrificing
- Moral Anchor of Party
- Valeblade (Sentient Longsword, Bound)
Rarity: Uncommon
ATK: 15
Mana Channel: Minor
Trait: Talks Too Much
- Bound to sentient weapon.
- Emotional resilience high.
- Potential future conflict with Church authority.
==============================
PYON
==============================
LEVEL: Scales with Bond
MP: Moderate
- Blink Step (Short Range Teleport)
- Mount Form (Toggle)
- Pack Carry (Minor)
- Emergency Blink (Reactive)
- Loyal
- Food Motivated
- Surprisingly Tactical
- Utility mount with combat reposition potential.
- High synergy with Hero’s AGI build.
- Bond strength increasing rapidly.
==============================
VALEBLADE
==============================
RANK: Uncommon
ATK: 15
Durability: 130
- Talks Constantly
- Ego: S+
- Volume: Unregulated
- Bound To: Mina
- Mana Channel (Minor)
- Emotional Commentary (Unavoidable)
- Claims legendary destiny.
- Actually mid-tier.
- Impossible to sell.
- Cannot be dropped by Mina.
==============================
DEMON KING
==============================