As Albedo spoke, he picked up a one-handed sword emanating a strange, ominous purple glow.
The blade looked eerie, its hilt adorned with a gemstone that shimmered with a violet luster. When Albedo set it down, the sword didn’t rest on the ground—it floated upright in the air before him.
“Whoa?” Paimon’s eyes widened with curiosity. “What’s this? It looks so creepy…”
“As you can see, it’s a one-handed sword,” Albedo said matter-of-factly.
“Aren’t alchemists supposed to focus on potions and experiments, not forging weapons?” Lumine asked, puzzled.
Jia Changjiang crafting weapons was something she could accept, but Albedo?
Albedo shook his head. “The sword wasn’t forged by me, but I’ve applied alchemical enhancements to it.”
He turned his gaze to Lumine. “Would you like to try it?”
“Try it?” Lumine perked up. “Wait… are you giving this to me? What’s the catch?”
“Based on my research, this sword is unique—it seems you’re the only one who can wield it. I need combat data from it, so I’d like you to use it extensively.”
“Only I can use it? That sounds suspicious,” Lumine muttered as she examined the sword. “Is this some kind of cursed weapon? What’s the downside?”
“Precisely because you’re the only one who can use it, you won’t experience any adverse effects,” Albedo explained calmly. “This is indeed a cursed sword.”
“What if I use it?” Jia Changjiang interjected with interest. “Will it curse me too?”
“Perhaps, perhaps not. Your constitution is different from Lumine’s,” Albedo replied. “You might be able to wield it briefly without issue, but I wouldn’t recommend prolonged exposure.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Lumine said, baffled. “Why is there suddenly a sword that only I can use?”
“We’ll figure it out as we go,” Albedo said. “Let’s find some monsters and put it to the test.”
Albedo led the group to an area where several slimes had gathered. Lumine took the sword and swung it experimentally at the creatures. To her surprise, the weapon felt exceptionally balanced, its edge sharp and responsive.
Even more surprising was what happened when she defeated the slimes. A faint energy flowed from their bodies into the blade, as if the sword were absorbing their strength.
But before Lumine could fully process the strange sensation, a loud voice interrupted her.
“There it is! That’s the sword!”
A group of Treasure Hoarders burst onto the scene, pointing accusingly at the group.
“You thieves! Hand it over!” one shouted.
“Who are you calling thieves?!” Lumine snapped, her temper flaring. She stomped the ground, summoning pillars of stone that erupted beneath the Treasure Hoarders, launching them skyward.
As the men flailed in midair, blades of wind, seemingly summoned by the sword, sliced at them mercilessly. They crashed to the ground in a heap and scrambled away in defeat.
“Those Treasure Hoarders called me a thief? They’ve got some nerve!” Lumine fumed.
“Exactly! They’re the real thieves!” Paimon huffed, puffing her cheeks. “How dare they accuse us?!”
“They weren’t very strong, though,” Jia Changjiang remarked, rubbing his chin. “You handled them so quickly, I didn’t even get a chance to step in.”
“They sure showed up fast,” Albedo noted.
“Wait, don’t tell me you stole their stuff, Albedo,” Lumine said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
“Of course not,” Albedo replied, his tone exasperated. “The Knights recently apprehended a group of Treasure Hoarders, and their illicit goods were confiscated. This sword was among them, unclaimed and left in storage.”
He sighed at Lumine’s continued suspicion and explained, “Originally, I intended to use it for experiments. But upon closer inspection, I discovered its extraordinary origins. This sword was crafted by a legendary blacksmith, said to have disappeared after creating it.”
“A cursed sword made by a legendary blacksmith?” Lumine eyed the weapon in her hand. “No wonder it’s absorbing energy from enemies… Is this really something humans could create?”
“It is,” Albedo confirmed. “Are you familiar with Durin and the history of this mountain?”
Lumine tilted her head in confusion, but Jia Changjiang nodded. “Yes. Durin was the corrupted dragon defeated by Barbatos and Dvalin centuries ago. It fell to this mountain, and its toxic blood caused the calamity we now call the Dragonspine disaster.”
“Ah! That corrupted blood… I purified some of it before,” Lumine recalled, glancing at the sword—the Festering Desire. “So, does that mean this sword is connected to Durin?”
“Correct,” Albedo replied. “This blade was forged from remnants of the dragon’s body. Durin’s corruption and venom were infused into the sword, becoming its source of power. It’s an extraordinary feat of craftsmanship.”
Albedo’s tone grew somber as he continued, “The blacksmith who created it must have been ecstatic upon finishing such a masterpiece. However, when they tested it, the corruption seeped into their body, leading to their disappearance.”
Turning to Lumine, he added, “But you, having purified Dvalin’s toxic blood, are immune to this corruption. You can wield this sword safely, even draw out its full potential. That’s why you’re the perfect user.”
“That makes sense, but… why is it glowing now?” Lumine asked, gesturing to the sword. Since defeating the slimes and Treasure Hoarders, the blade had begun to emit an eerie light. The gemstone in the hilt now displayed a faint shadow resembling an eye, adding to its sinister appearance.
“For me, it signals the start of the experiment,” Albedo said. “This sword is still weak, but it can absorb power from defeated foes, growing stronger with each battle. In a way, it’s a living weapon.”
He met Lumine’s gaze. “Traveler, take it with you on your adventures in the snowy mountain. Let it grow and develop. By the end, all our hypotheses will be tested.”
“A living weapon? That absorbs power?” Lumine looked at Jia Changjiang. “Doesn’t this remind you of the sword you used against Dvalin?”
Jia Changjiang shook his head. “Not quite the same. That sword—Aatrox—wasn’t just a weapon. It was sentient, a Darkin, originally a being, not a forged blade. And Aatrox wouldn’t rely on something as crude as a curse. That’s why I could wield it without issue.”
“Curse or corruption, though… I’m not sure,” Jia Changjiang mused, reaching for the sword. “But I can give it a try—see if I can learn anything.”
“Learn anything?” Albedo’s curiosity was piqued. “What do you mean?”
“Mr. Jax is amazing!” Paimon chimed in, puffing up proudly. “He can sense the history of weapons just by holding them!”
“Interesting,” Albedo said, his gaze sharpening. “How does this ability work? Is it some residue of the weapon’s past? Or something else entirely?”
Jia Changjiang shrugged. “It’s more like… the will within the weapon,” he explained, taking the sword from Lumine. “Weapons are extensions of their creators, infused with intent. They’re more alive than most people think.”
The moment Jia Changjiang gripped the hilt, a familiar sensation washed over him.
It was the same presence he had felt when purifying the chunks of corrupted blood.
The will of Durin.
It was childlike, innocent, almost naive.
In that brief connection, images surfaced in his mind—fragments of a long dream.
He saw a land of songs and green fields, where dragons danced in the skies alongside kind-hearted people.
—
This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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