What should I do to get out of this situation? I surveyed the area using the [Dota 2 skill set] map which no one can see but me. The room is about as big as a mansion’s living room, well, technically, this is a mansion so nothing strange about that, except for a hidden passageway.

It was situated right behind a fireplace. The path behind it stretched for about 10 meters before arriving at another room. For some reason, I could see a green dot inside it, meaning someone is inside there that regards me as an ally.

“Well, what do you say, Kouta?”

“Hmm… Fine.”

Before the situation could get any worse, I agreed while thinking about how to get to that room. But, that was just not possible.

“… It seems that you are not willing to take upon that task, so I am afraid that you cannot join the [Black Hand]. Jaarl-kun, please show our guest to the exit.”

“Certainly, Kuhaal-sama.”

With a word, Jaarl lunged at me with frightening speed. I blocked his strike reflexively with my tail, but his weapon, a dagger with a glowing red blade didn’t break. If I hadn’t blocked that strike right now, I would have died immediately.

“… What are you playing at…?”

“Since you have already seen our faces, I’m sad to say that you are not allowed to be left alive for our health’s sake.”

While a cold sweat poured on my cheek, Kuhaal replied in a nonchalant tone. Jaarl quickly retracted his dagger and slashed at me while I was talking with Kuhaal. Again, the dagger was blocked by my tail, but for some reason, I’m getting a feeling that more strikes will be the end of me.

“Tch…”

Jaarl clicked his tongue in annoyance as he kept on slashing me without giving me a break. He continued this act for more than ten times, and just when he landed his next strike, I noticed that my tail was gradually feeling hot.

“!? Shit!”

I quickly stepped back when I had the chance and took my sword from my item box. This sword was bought in the weapon shop earlier. I didn’t use this sword when I encountered the thugs earlier as I thought that a rugged sword was just enough to deal with them.

(Finally going to use me ehh?)

The sword I took out looks just like any other normal sword, but if you have appraisal, then it’s a different story.

Item Name: None

Item Type: Weapon – One-handed sword (Intelligent Weapon)

Owner: Endou Kouta

Durability: 3500/3500

Magic Conductibility: A

Sharpness: S

Skills given to owner when equipped:

[Elite Swordsmanship 3]

[Quick Reflexes 3]

[Weapon Mastery 6]

[Flowing Sword Technique 10]

[Appraisal 9]

[Concealment 9]

Titles:

[Weapon Wielded by a Master]

[Intelligent Item]

Note: This item cannot be wielded by anyone other than the person who was deemed worthy by this intelligent item.

This is its status. When I first saw this, I was stunned to see it being sold at a very low price. When I asked why the sword was being sold for a low price. The shopkeeper told me that the blade is so dull, that it couldn’t even slice through butter. At most, it would be just used as a decoration, but because of its ordinary appearance, nobody bought the sword.

By the way, here are the effects of the skills and titles.

[Elite Swordsmanship] – Skill evolved from the skill [Swordsmanship], each level increases control and strength twice as great than [Swordsmanship]. Does not include katanas.

[Quick Reflexes] – Increases reaction time.

[Weapon Mastery] – Increases control and strength when wielding any type of weapon.

[Flowing Sword Technique] – Style of combat where counters are commonly used in combat. Each level increases damage dealt when countering with a sword.

[Concealment] – Allows the user to mask his presence, making it harder to detect him. The higher the level, the harder it is to detect his presence. Can also be used on the user’s status.

[Weapon Wielded by a Master] – Title given to a weapon which was wielded by a person who could destroy an entire army single-handedly. Title effects:

When wielded by the owner, increases each of the status attribute of that person by 50.

[Intelligent Item] – Title given to an item which has gained a will of its own. Title effects:

Ability to use [Telepathy] with owner. Increases status the owner by 25.

If I didn’t have appraisal at level 10, I might have not been able to come across this kind of sword.

(This will be our first battle together eh partner? And with a high level vampire at that.)

‘Can you see any openings?’

(None, I can tell that the robed man has a high [Concealment] skill. I can’t appraise him.)

As you can see, I can communicate with this sword with my mind. Apparently, this sword was once wielded by a sword instructor who was persecuted because of killing a noble’s daughter who was attending his school. While the girl did die, it wasn’t the instructor who killed her, but another noble who was jealous of her talents, then the blame was shifted on the instructor, causing him to flee.

The instructor went through many paths filled with danger. There was one time where the instructor faced against a whole army. It was during the Demon King subjugation, and he came out alive, while killing many from the two sides. There was no particular reason why he didn’t side with any. Maybe he was just brought into their fight and wanted out, but was pressured by the country and instead joined the subjugation. Then he started killing off demons, after which when the Demon King was sealed, he was the next target of a part of the army, presumably, the noble who had his daughter stolen from him.

He fought bravely until none was left, but the instructor died from his wounds and the sword was found by travelling merchants, and that’s how this sword got to me. The sword already had a will when the instructor fought the army, so this sword is a witness to the Demon King subjugation.

Back to the present…

‘Then let me.’

(Impossible to appraise)

‘!? I can’t appraise him!’

“It is bad manners to peek at the status of a person you know.”

While seemingly bored, Kuhaal raised his voice and revealed the fact that I tried to use appraisal. Jaarl then lunged at me with another quick movement and slashed at me. This time, what received his dagger was not my tail, but my sword.

(HOT!!! What the heck is with that dagger!?)

‘It’s probably a magic weapon. It was probably imbued with the fire element, causing it to burn what it touches.’

(I hate those kinds of weapons. They hurt me more than being crushed by a ton of weight.)

While the both of us were chatting in my head, Jaarl kept on swinging his dagger at me with no reduced whatsoever. It feels like his energy is limitless.

[Dragon Tail]!

I used my skill [Dragon Tail] to immediately swing my tail against him. He wasn’t able to block my tail, causing his dagger to fly out from his hand.

Now is my chance!

(Do it partner!!)

I held my sword overhead and swung it down on Jaarl’s head with a quick motion. The sword slashed through not flesh, but clothes. Jaarl was able to avoid my strike at the last second, but at the cost of revealing his appearance.

He had blue skin, horns on his head, arms covered in shell just like an insect’s, red compound eyes just like a fly, and legs that looks like a grasshoppers hind legs.

“Tch…”

Jaarl clicked his tongue in frustration because of his identity getting revealed. Jaarl was not a member of the three races, but of the demon race.

“Ahh, this is bothersome, I can’t have you running off now as you have seen something you were not supposed to see.”

Kuhaal, who was silently waiting at his seat for Jaarl to kill me stood up and grabbed something in his clothes.

(!? Partner!! Dodge!!)

“Die…”

With one word, a sound resounded throughout the hall, it sounded like something dropped. When I noticed it, my left arm has been cut from the shoulder down.

“!? AARRRGHHH!!!”

(Shit! Run away!)

Pain assaulted my left side as I lost balance for a second because of the sudden loss of weight.

“I missed, but next time won’t.”

I quickly stored my dismembered arm in my item box and dashed towards the fireplace. Just as I did that, a sound resounded through the room again. This time, it was not a part of my body, but the floor had been cut with a straight, perfect line.

“Jaarl-kun! Hold him down!”

“Certainly!”

Jaarl dashed at me once again. He was able to pick up his dagger when Kuhaal attacked me with some sort of weapon or magic. Because of the grasshopper legs, he was able to close the distance between us in a second.

“Kuh!!”

I barely dodged his strike, and I counterattacked while his dagger was still in motion. My sword was able to cut his body, but only a few centimeters in because he was able to shift his body at the last moment.

Almost there!

I was nearing the fireplace when suddenly, Kuhaal appeared before me while pointing at me with.

“With this, it’s over…”

I felt a chill down my back. If I don’t dodge, I will die, was the feeling I was getting from Kuhaal. My body was still in motion, so it was impossible to dodge, so instead of dodging, I tried blocking with my tail. I predicted the attack’s course of travel and positioned my tail there, in hopes of stopping the mysterious attack.

“!?”

Kuhaal was shocked when he saw his attack getting blocked. When I saw him stunned for a moment, I saw this as a chance to strike. I used [Dragon Tail] as it was already finished cooling down and my tail smashed against Kuhaal, causing him to crash into the fireplace.

The fireplace wall crumbled down and revealed a passageway. When I was about to get inside and run straight to the room where the green dot was, I was stopped by Jaarl.

“…”

Jaarls was silent throughout the chase and fight making it hard to guess what he is planning. While Jaarl was blocking my path, Kuhaal got up from the rubble and looked at me with an annoyed face.

“Damn, you really did a number on me there. Let me return the favor.”

Kuhaal lunged at me with his hand still in his clothes, while Jaarl took the hint and flanked me from behind.

Since I can only block the mysterious attack from Kuhaal using my tail, my position was in a bit of a disadvantage.

“Eat this!!”

Kuhaal attacked again with his mysterious attack, but this time, I was able to block with my tail. Soon after, I turned around to receive the attack from Jaarl. I was able to parry the sword just in time and gave Jaarl a kick to the abdomen.

Damn, this hurts like hell!!

My body was feeling weak from the blood loss. Any second now and I just might drop dead. I can’t use [Elder Dragon Form] as I may destroy the mansion along with the green dot person, so I settled on using [Partial Elder Dragon Form]. There was one reason why I was hesitant to use this skill, because it consumes way too much MP. But now, I have no choice.

“!? Well, well, it seems the fight is not over yet.”

My body turned scaly and a pair of wings grew on my back. The scales had a lustrous silver color, and my body became as tough as my tail. But the wound on my left wasn’t healed, so it was still hard to move.

Shit… This is bad…

(Partner, I have an idea.)

‘Tell me… My vision is starting to get blurry…’

(Throw me towards Kuhaal and dash towards the passage behind him when he is distracted. With your body now, it is almost impossible to wound you. Don’t forget to pick me up with [Item Box] when you pass him alright?)

‘Good, leave it to me.’

Just as my sword said, I threw it towards Kuhaal. Kuhaal then tried to block it, and that was the time I dashed towards the passage. With my wings, I am faster than Jaarl, so he can’t win against me in terms of speed.

“!? Shit!!”

Kuhaal noticed what my plan was and instead tried to use his mysterious skill to attack me instead of defending. Too bad, you lost your composure at the very wrong time.

I quickly sidestepped, grabbed my sword in midair while spinning and cut through Kuhaal’s neck using the centrifugal force from my spin. Kuhaal’s head was perfectly dismembered from his body as his body came slumping down to the ground.

I should’ve just used this skill earlier. Damn I’m an idiot…

Blood formed under Kuhaal’s unmoving body. Just as I was about to head into the passageway, Jaarl surprised me with an attack from behind. Too bad, my scales are harder than you think.

The dagger was stopped by my scales and I spun around while using my sword to cut Jaarl’s body in halves. Blood scattered on the floor and walls, along on my body. This battle was, pretty anticlimactic. Next time when I fight, I’m never cutting corners again.

(Partner, what about your arm?)

‘It still hurts, but because of [Dragon’s Blood] and [Self-Regeneration], the wound is starting to close, and it won’t be long until a new arm forms.’

(Is that so?)

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t named you yet right?’

(Yes…)

‘Then, how about Poka.’

(… Are you making fun of me?)

‘Hm? I thought that Poka was a good name.’

(… You…)

‘Then how about Motu?’

(… Are you serious? Just how bad is your naming sense?)

“???”

While having a dumbfounded face, the both of us continued down the path.

(Just call me Cordo. That was what my previous owner called me.)

‘Then Cordo it is.’

While the both of us were walking down the path, we came across a door. The door was locked, but before cutting it down, I used appraisal to check if there are any traps set.

(No traps detected)

When appraisal said that, I didn’t hesitate to cut the door open. What showed upon my vision were a room with a bed and table with chairs. On the chair, a golden haired elf with green eyes was sitting down while looking at me with a shocked expression.