Chapter 305 Tale Of A Backstabbing Brother (2)
Chapter 305 Tale Of A Backstabbing Brother (2)
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Item: Balmond
Type: Soul Weapon
Damage: 1600-2003 HP per strike
Stats bonus:
> Strength: +22% while equipped for use.
> Agility: +31% While equipped for use.
> Stamina: +23% while equipped for use.
> Stealth: +19% while equipped for use.
> Abilities related to the [Blood Mage] class/ Vampire genes are buffed while the blade is equipped.
> Soul Blade stats are increased after transforming into a Demonic form.
> Deal bonus damage to the targets of its choosing.
Rarity: Mid-Legendary (Upgradable to Mythic rank once High-Legendary tier is unlocked.)
Trust level: 69%
Description:
After absorbing a Mournblade, Balmond has exceeded the limitations placed on the lower civilizations and reforged itself into something new, a Soulblade, the first of its kind. The weapon itself is stronger than most of the Mournblades.
However, due to the unique devouring ability, the only limitation it has depends on the willpower of its owner. This isn't by far Balmond's limit, but a new beginning for a new ruler of weapons to emerge.
Effect(s):
Cannibalism: This weapon can devour weapons of the same type to absorb their stats and make them, its own.
Please note: Once it devours a weapon, that weapon is lost forever and can not be recreated.
Attacking enemies using this weapon exposes them to Haemmorage, making them lose 4% of their HP for the next 10 seconds. This ability has a cooldown period of 10 seconds (Ineffective on Elite beasts. Can only be triggered once. The attack will not ignore [Haemmorage resistance]).
(Weapon's ability was upgraded. Effect duration increased from 10 seconds --> 15 seconds. Damage increased from 4% --> 7%)
Bloodthirst: Attacking enemies would make the dagger feed on their blood, which the dagger with use to heal the user. The ability has a cooldown of 4 seconds, and the maximum HP that can be restored is capped at 400 per strike.
(Weapon's ability was upgraded. Cooldown duration decreased from 5 seconds --> 4 seconds. HP restored increased from 200 --> 400)
///NEW!///
Soul Absorption: Killing monsters and other living beings would store their souls within the blade. Bonus effects would be provided based on the number of souls stored.
>> Each soul absorbed would increase the user's HP by 5 points.
>> For every 10 souls absorbed, the user would gain 1 Unallocated Stat point.
>> For every 30 Souls absorbed, the user would gain the ability to copy ability from one of the souls absorbed.
Grants the user, the passive skill: Locked. (Evade death 3 times to unlock)
Grants the user, the passive skill: Locked. (Unlock the above-mentioned skill to reveal the criterion for unlocking this skill.)
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Ashton rubbed his eyes together and stared at the screen again. Seeing the screen was still there, he hurriedly began reading it. This was by far the lengthiest weapon description he had ever seen.
The worst part about it? If Astaroth was in a better mood he would have readily summarised it all and told Ashton what he needed to know. Things like new abilities, the changes to the old ones along with the changes in his stats.
But considering that he wasn't going to do anything like that, Ashton had to do it by himself in the old fashion. But the more he read, the wider his eyes got. Astaroth's prediction was coming true... He got his hands on an even broken weapon than before.
"It is just as the description stated... I'm the only limitation to Balmond's growth," Ashton shrugged his shoulder as he read on, "The only thing bothering me is the requirement for unlocking Balmond's hidden abilities... Evade death 3 times... what am I supposed to do? First jump in a volcano then save myself?"
As for Balmond's physical form, it changed again. This time it adopted a look leaning towards Beelzebub's Mournblade. But at the same time, it had a unique touch to itself. The black sword had a golden hilt along with luminescent blue marking etched across itself.
Also, it grew in size... by a lot. It grew from being a short sword to a Greatsword. This was the only reason Ashton was a bit worried. After all, he had become well-versed in using a short sword and daggers that shared similar shapes and sizes.
But since his primary weapon had become a Greatsword, he would now have to get used to using two-handed weapons and it sure as hell wasn't going to be easy. Thankfully, he knew someone who could teach him how to use it properly.
"I just hope he doesn't try to trick me into marrying his daughters as a bet again..." Ashton sighed as he remembered the last time he had a duel with Alucard.
Also, there was another thing Ashton was worried about. As Balmond was absorbing the Mournlade, he couldn't help but wonder whether it would also absorb undesirable characteristics as well. For example, the permanent HP loss.
Thankfully, his fears were unfounded as Balmond only absorbed the positives while throwing the negatives away. At least that's what Ashton assumed since there was no mention of it in the weapon description.
[That is one hell of a weapon. Hm... I guess I am your lucky charm after all.]
Although Ashton hated to admit it, Astaroth's voice was music to his ears, or his head, whatever you wanna call it. But more than that, he was a bit worried about him and seeing him being 'normal' gave Ashton quite some relief.
'You good?'
[What's gonna go wrong with me?]
'Well, that's true.'
[By the way, I appreciate your sentiments. Thank you.]
Ashton was a bit surprised by what he just heard, 'You said what?'
[You just had to make it awkward, you damned brat.]
Ashton chuckled and did not tease him further. The man had been through his fair share of turmoil and he did not want to add his stupidity into the mix.
[I guess I should explain more about what happened between Beelzebub and the rest of us.]
'I can't say I'm not interested in it.' Ashton thought, 'But I won't force you or anything. If you want to talk, then I won't stop you.'
Astaroth got silent for a few minutes. Ashton thought he did not want to talk and was fine with it. Prying into someone's past wasn't his thing, especially if the past in question was literally a century before he was born.
In the meantime, Ashton decided not to waste his time and began swinging Balmond, in order to get used to his new form.
[All three of us, me, Lucifer and Beelzebub were orphans. Thrown away by our parents because we were born with a Mournblade. Having such powers might seem a blessing now, but back then it was nothing more than a curse. Technically, any sort of weapon was considered taboo.]
[We were unaware of each other's existence as we wandered around aimlessly, trying to survive in a world where everyone saw us as nothing more than an animal, a pest even. In such a cruel world, one noble soul found us and took us in.]
'Seraph...'
[Yes. He too was born with a Mournblade, arguably, the strongest of them all. Therefore, he knew what we were going through and decided to take us under his wing and teach us how to use our weapons. It was there the three of us met and became 'brothers' and Lord Seraph became our father figure.]
[We had no idea back then, but in reality, Lord Seraph was the leader of the Xyran Council. And as the leader, he had the responsibility to find and raise other Mournblade possessors. Whatever we know now, everything was taught to us by him, from combat to compassion, from power to politics, everything. But one day... everything changed.]