Chapter 56: The Sword Saint’s Curse

After just a single day together, Eve felt that Anna and Yulim’s personalities were almost polar opposites.

One was a bright, outgoing, carefree prodigy.

The other was a timid, introverted, and quiet pessimist.

No matter how one looked at it, two girls with such wildly different dispositions seemed an unlikely pair to form a team.

Even more so, considering they belonged to different races and factions.

Yet, the truth was, they journeyed together.

Eve had even encountered them.

And had now become the third party.

What was most astonishing was that Eve, the latest addition, also belonged to a different race. Though her faction was the Demon Lord’s Army, she was secretly watched by the Goddess of Light, making her true allegiance a complete mystery.

What was this called then?

‘A three-way meeting?’

A small team of three, yet comprising three distinct factions and races—their composition was unusually complex.

Just then, Eve suddenly noticed a small, dark figure shuffle closer to her.

Turning her head, she saw the hooded girl offering a skewer of freshly grilled, steaming meat, much like a tribute.

Meeting Eve’s questioning gaze, Yulim bravely spoke, “Luosha… if you’ve finished… I have plenty more here…”

Eve glanced at the empty bamboo skewer in her hand, surprised that Yulim had noticed.

Taking the skewer, she smiled at the girl. “Thank you, Yulim. When we reach Xielan, it’ll be my treat for skewers.”

Yulim nodded, immediately retreating after handing over the skewer, leaving Eve unsure if she had heard her.

Meanwhile, Anna finally began recounting their initial encounter.

As Eve enjoyed her skewer, she listened with relish to Anna’s tale of meeting Yulim. It had to be said, Anna possessed a genuine talent for storytelling.

From gathering all the required adventure quest materials, to getting lost and stumbling into a rift valley, and then encountering a hunted Yulim.

The plot was full of twists and turns, utterly captivating.

Indeed, it was quite similar to Eve’s own encounter: Anna, witnessing injustice, drew her sword to help and saved Yulim.

With nowhere to go after being rescued, Yulim was invited by Anna to become an adventurer with her. The two naturally began traveling together, a partnership that had now lasted for nearly a year.

However, what piqued Eve’s interest even more was Anna’s background, which she had unintentionally mentioned during her storytelling.

“Anna, I can’t believe you’re the only daughter of a Sword Saint lineage?”

While Eve knew Anna belonged to the Ragnarok faction, she had no idea Anna possessed such an incredibly prestigious identity.

Her astonishment grew even further when Eve opened Anna’s basic stats panel, revealing an attribute distribution that was shockingly lopsided.

[Ally: Anna Tiabruns (Lv. 61)]

[Class: Sword Saint]

[Physique: 131]

[Spirit: 36]

[Agility: 36]

[Power Rating: B+/S- (No threat in normal state; comparable to a humanoid nuclear bomb in Judgment Form)]

The system’s final rating, especially, stood out, dividing her power into two forms. One of them was S-!

An S-! Unbelievable!

The last time Eve had seen an S- power rating was for Saintess Alice!

Eve remembered the system’s previous assessment of Alice: ‘second only to a deity’!

Anna, at merely Level 61, already had such a rating!

‘Has the Saintess already become obsolete?’

Of course, this was merely Eve’s inner jest. She knew that if the system had given such a rating, there had to be a reason behind it.

After all, Anna’s faction was Ragnarok—a name that implied a direct confrontation with the gods. Without some serious power, how could one contend with deities?

Moreover, such immense power couldn’t possibly come without a cost. The system had rated her Judgment Form as a ‘humanoid nuclear bomb,’ suggesting it was likely a last resort, akin to a suicide bomber, meant for a decisive, life-or-death struggle.

In any case, after reviewing the entire panel, Eve’s gaze toward Anna had completely shifted.

Anna, however, remained oblivious. Hearing Eve spontaneously bring up her family, she dropped her guard entirely and began her introduction.

The Tiabruns—a Sword Saint lineage that had endured through generations.

Every member born into the Tiabruns family possessed strength no lower than Tier Six, and without exception, their profession was always Sword Saint.

According to the system, a Swordsman differed from a Sword Saint. The former was merely someone who wielded a sword as a weapon, a common profession.

The latter, however, was a hidden class: one who had mastered the sword, achieving the realm of ‘man and sword as one’.

It was from this lineage that Anna’s formidable swordsmanship had been honed.

“However, my family’s ancestors once failed in an attempt to slay a god and were cursed by the deities.”

“As long as Tiabruns blood flows in their veins, no one, regardless of who they are, can ever again wield a sword.”

As she spoke, Anna tilted her head back, gazing at the night sky. The vast expanse of stars reflected in her deep blue eyes, her thoughts unknown.

Eve could only see from her side that a smile still played on Anna’s lips.

Suddenly, Anna turned her face, grinning at Eve. “Don’t you dare disbelieve me! It’s true! My family really did duel with gods once upon a time!”

“Luosha, do you have a sword? I can show you the curse on me.”

‘Of course, I believe you…’

Keeping her thoughts to herself, Eve nodded silently and reached for her bracelet.

A rusted iron sword materialized in her hand.

[Adventurer’s Longsword (Battle-Hardened)]

[Description: An unadorned iron sword, severely damaged due to poor maintenance. The rust on its blade may inflict additional poison and bleeding damage on its target.]

Indeed, that tetanus-inducing iron sword had fallen into Eve’s possession.

Every time Eve had disembarked to hack at slimes, she’d had to borrow a sword. Eventually, the adventurer had simply given it to her, saying it was fine to use as she pleased, as it was merely a street vendor’s item he’d bought for two copper coins.

Eve had been utterly flabbergasted at the time; a plate of fries cost at least ten copper coins, for goodness sake!

‘Two copper coins for a sword? That’s just ridiculous!’

She had initially thought this sword would have no further use, having left it in her bracelet ever since departing the caravan. Yet, unexpectedly, it now found its purpose.

At the sight of the sword, even Anna’s face wrinkled in distaste.

“Luosha, did you pick this sword up from a junk collector?”

“…No, it was a gift.”

“Who gives a sword like that as a gift? Is that person even your friend?”

“You’re right, actually. I don’t even know his name.”

Eve quipped, then reversed her grip on the sword, offering the hilt to Anna. “Just make do and try it, I guess.”

“Alright, I feel like the curse won’t even be necessary; this sword will probably break instantly…”

In the end, Anna took the sword.

The moment she grasped it, dark purple markings instantly spread across the entire blade, covering it in cracks like fractured glass.

Crack—

Anna’s hand closed on empty air.

The shattered remnants of the iron sword clattered to the ground, piece by piece.

Anna looked down at the fragments on the grass, then lifted her head, a proud expression on her face, as if a child proving a prized certificate was indeed their own.

Only now did Eve truly understand why the blue-haired girl before her had resorted to using an eggplant as a weapon.

‘A Sword Saint who cannot wield a sword…’

‘This truly is the most vicious of curses…’