Humanity Online: World Sanctuary

Chapter 24: Daring Dive, Part Five (-and-a-Half)

Before I can wallow too long in self-pity, I take a closer look at my first weapons.

The daggers are slightly curved and so sharp they slice the breeze blowing past their edges. One blade, "Zen," is silver-white and gleams like moonlight. When I try a few practice slashes, it leaves streaks of silver-white flowing behind it. As I flow into the rest of the sword forms I learned in the beta, faint, ethereal music sings from the blade, and it gleams even brighter. The light reflects in my gray eyes, making them shine silver.

The other blade, "Aku," is matte black, the complete absence of light or glimmer, like a black hole in the shape of a weapon. Except this black hole isn't truly empty; this blade throbs, filled with bloodthirsty killing intent. Its murderous aura is so strong, it leaks from the blade like wisps of black smoke. My tattoo responds to the call of the dagger, and warps and twists across the left side of my face. Inky blackness replaces the silver sheen of my left eye.

I can't believe how perfectly balanced the twin blades are. I tested hundreds of weapons during the beta, and none of them came close to the magnificence of these daggers. They're less like independent entities and more like perfect extensions of myself.

It's as if they were designed specifically for me.

I examine them again, this time reading all of the available information.

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[ Zen'aku Twin Daggers ] { CURSED WEAPON }

|| Zen'aku Daggers, also known as the Blades of Good and Evil. These weapons are Cursed. Use at your own peril.||

{Legendary-Tier Cursed Weapons - Special History}

[ Zen Blade ]

|| A lost blade of Masamune, greatest swordsmith of all time. Masamune's greatest creation, Zen can only be drawn by someone with a worthy heart. Anyone who dares draw this blade with unrighteous intentions shall burst into the white flames of justice and instantly perish.

Deals double damage against evil-aligned creatures or players, but if used against an innocent, even unintentionally, ten times the damage will rebound upon the wielder. If used to defend someone weaker than yourself, Zen deals triple damage. When in a party or team, Zen adds +15% Defense to all members at a lower level than wielder.

Active Skills unlockable upon upgrade and level up.||

[ Aku Blade ]

|| A lost blade of Muramasa, the greatest of all Masamune's disciples. Muramasa's greatest creation, Aku can only be wielded during Combat by someone infused with killing intent. Anyone who dares wield this weapon with mercy or lack of murderous conviction shall be swallowed by the black void of vengeance and instantly perish.

Surprise first strike deals double damage; surprise critical hit deals triple damage. For every enemy killed during one Combat session, damage output increases 5%, up to 50%. When facing more than ten enemies at once, attack speed increases by 15%. If Aku is used against an opponent in battle, opponent must die, or wielder must. If opponent kills you, Aku will be unusable for 12 hours upon resurrection. If opponent escapes from Combat, Aku will remember opponent's energy signature. Aku will alert you when that opponent once again returns to range; if you fail to kill opponent by the third time the escaped opponent comes into range, you will die instead.

Active Skills unlockable upon upgrade and level up.||

{Note: Zen'aku Blades are perpetually upgradeable. At each 10th Level, specific requirements for upgrade will be revealed. You must upgrade both daggers at the same time. As the blades get stronger, so too do the consequences for inciting the Curses.

Currently, Curse Death damages Immortal Soul of player. Once damaged, every subsequent death of player will result in player being locked out of the game for 36 hours, and player will lose one random item from Item Storage or Weapon Storage. Further, after a Curse Death, the Zen'aku Daggers immediately drop. If they are not picked up within the 15-minute time limit, they will teleport to a randomized location in the Realm where they were lost.}

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Holy shit.

These are most amazing, terrifying, insanely OP weapons I've ever seen in my life, and I need them like I need air to breathe.

The Curses on these weapons are no joke, though.

To successfully use both weapons, I must possess a killing intent but only choose to use it against worthy opponents. If I ever draw the weapons purely to intimidate or bluff, Aku will definitely turn on me, and Zen probably would consider that unworthy as well.

As I stand in the clearing, struggling with a decision I know very well I've already made, the effervescent light from the open Celestial Chest pulses and releases one last ray of rainbow-like light before finally going dark.

Howls, growls, and the shudder of pounding footfalls come at me from every direction.

I'd known I'd be safe from players here, since I'm still in my Foundation Village instance, so I'd opened the chest without a second thought. Turns out players shouldn't have been my only concern.

The oncoming horde shakes the forest like thunder rumbling across the underbrush.

With a feral grin, I shift into a combat stance, Zen'aku Blades at the ready. Zen's song grows louder, and its sheen beckons the monsters ever closer. Aku trembles in anticipation, and faint screams and battle cries emanate from the void.

My eyes, one silver, one black, glitter with the thrill of danger and excitement.

It's finally time to play.

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Folklore Time! WEAPON EDITION

(It's a little longer than usual, so I'm adding it here instead of its usual Author Note spot.)

Masamune was a very real person, and is known to this day as Japan's greatest swordsmith. In fact, many scholars recognize him as one of the greatest swordmasters of all time, period. Many believe he was even able to craft weapons with magical properties. Though it's unclear exactly when Masamune lived, most of his swords and daggers date between the late 13th and early 14th centuries, 12881328. Several of them are displayed in Japan's National Gallery.

According to legend, one of Masamune's students, Muramasa (also a real swordsmith, historically), challenged his master to see who could craft a better sword. They each worked for weeks without rest, putting all they had into their most perfect creations.

The contest entailed suspending the two blades in a creek with the cutting edge facing the current. Muramasa's sword cut everything that passed: fish swimming downstream, leaves floating on the surface, the very air that blew on it.

Impressed with his pupil's work, Masamune lowered his own sword further down the current and waited patiently. The fish swam right up to it, and the air hissed as it gently blew by the blade. Only the dead leaves floating along the current were cut by the razorsharp blade.

In fact, the fish that were sliced by Muramasa's blade, healed themselves upon reaching Masamune's.

Muramasa scoffed at his master for his apparent lack of skill. "What kind of blade cannot cut? What kind of weapon heals instead of destroys?"

Smiling to himself, Masamune pulled up his sword, dried it, and sheathed it.

A monk, who had been watching the whole ordeal, walked over and bowed to the two swordsmiths. He then explained what he had seen:

"The first of the swords is by all accounts a fine sword; however, it is a bloodthirsty, evil blade, as it does not discriminate who or what it will cut. It is as likely to cut down butterflies as sever enemy heads.

The second is by far the finer of the two, as it does not needlessly cut down that which is innocent and undeserving. This blade serves justice."