Demon's Extract

Ozneth: "In fact, besides Teigu, there are also Subordinate Arms here that an emperor commissioned craftsmen to create two hundred years ago."

Ozneth: "Although Subordinate Arms cannot compare to Teigu, they are still quite formidable weapons."

Esdeath: "I see, Teigu and Subordinate Arms? Just hearing the names makes the disparity between them clear."

"That said, while these weapons all look quite good and seem powerful, none of them give me that spark of excitement."

Just then, Esdeath noticed a pot sitting directly in front of her.

"Is that pot also a Teigu?"

Ozneth explained: "That is a Teigu said to be made from the blood of a Super Dangerous Species living in the Far North Land. It is a blood-type Teigu, and rumor has it that anyone who drinks it gains the ability to control ice."

At this, Ozneth couldn't help but shake his head. "But everyone who has ever drunk it has ended up insane."

Hearing this, Esdeath became even more interested. "Oh, a blood-type Teigu? I didn't know such a thing existed. It sounds quite powerful."

Seeing Esdeath walk over, Ozneth was startled. "You don't mean? Are you going to drink it? Even for someone like you, that is far too dangerous."

"Dangerous? On the contrary, I feel this Teigu is perfect for me. My wild intuition, honed through battle, tells me so."

Esdeath took the Golden Pot containing the Demon's Extract and opened it, revealing a deep crimson liquid like fresh blood.

Upon seeing the Demon's Extract, Esdeath seemed to recall something and looked toward Lilith, who was already holding a long spear.

"I remember you seem to have an interest in blood. If you have your eye on this Teigu, I can let you have it."

Lilith stiffened, then looked at Esdeath. "When did I ever give you that impression?"

"I recall you were quite interested the first time you saw the blood of a Dangerous Species."

"...It has been so long, yet you still remember."

Lilith felt a bit helpless; she hadn't expected Esdeath's memory to be so sharp.

Lilith walked up to Esdeath.

"..."

"Esdeath."

"What is it?"

"Could you put this pot down a bit?"

She couldn't reach it.

"...Certainly."

"Wait!" Ozneth realized what was happening—Lilith was also interested in the Demon's Extract. "Listen to me, the Demon's Extract is dangerous. Esdeath is one thing, but it is too dangerous for you, Lilith. Your compatibility is far too poor."

"Compatibility."

This was an inescapable term between a Teigu and its user.

Under normal circumstances, it wasn't so much the user choosing the Teigu, but rather the Teigu choosing the user.

If the compatibility was poor, the Teigu would reject the person trying to force it to work.

Even if one managed to force it, they could never unleash its full power.

The user might even be harmed by their own Teigu.

As for how to gauge compatibility, the first impression was vital.

If you looked at a Teigu and suddenly felt that "spark," then it was almost certainly the one for you.

In the past, everyone who drank the Demon's Extract had gone mad, which showed just how dangerous it truly was.

"It doesn't matter. As long as it is blood, no matter the creature, it is nothing more than food to me."

A sharp glint flashed in Esdeath's eyes.

In the years she had spent with Lilith, Esdeath had tried more than once to probe into Lilith's past, but every time, Lilith would clam up, and she could never get anything out of her.

This was the first time Lilith had voluntarily revealed information about herself.

But then again, were there really people who specialized in consuming blood?

Lilith wasn't just boasting; the moment Esdeath opened the lid of the pot containing the Demon's Extract, Lilith's heart had begun to race.

It was as if the Demon's Extract held a massive, magnetic pull for her.

Lilith dipped her index finger into the Demon's Extract and touched it to the tip of her tongue.

The instant the blood touched her tongue, a sudden surge of killing intent assaulted her sanity.

The malice arrived so abruptly that it startled Lilith, but that was all it did.

Having spent years slaughtering on the battlefield, Lilith was no longer the ordinary person who had never seen blood before; this sliver of killing intent was not enough to drive her mad.

More than that, the changes in her body made Lilith even happier.

After that single drop of the Demon's Extract entered her mouth, Lilith felt it being instantly absorbed.

The absorbed blood seemed to attempt to alter her body, but that was undoubtedly an act of supreme arrogance.

The drop was instantly devoured by Lilith's own blood.

After consuming it, Lilith could clearly feel that her blood had undergone a change, as if something new had been added.

At the same time, Lilith could sense that she was now able to control ice.

Was that it?

Lilith looked again at the Golden Pot containing the Demon's Extract and found that the crimson blood before her no longer held any attraction for her.

Lilith thought for a moment and understood: her body had evolved, or rather, stimulated by the Demon's Extract and having analyzed its ability to control ice, she was now capable of controlling ice herself.

If there were a game interface, Lilith suspected her status screen would show the addition of Ice Affinity.

"How does it taste?" Esdeath asked out of curiosity.

This question stumped Lilith. To her, no blood ever tasted bad, though that might not be the case for others.

Therefore, she didn't know how to answer for a moment.

"The taste... should be fine... I suppose?"

"Why are you phrasing it as a question?"

"...That is not important. There, this Teigu is useless to me now; you can drink it."

"???"

Both Esdeath and Ozneth were baffled.

What did she mean it was useless? It was just a single drop of blood; what kind of effect could that possibly have?

"If you are concerned about me, there is no need. As a friend, you are far more important than a Teigu."

Lilith felt both touched and helpless. Why was it that when she told the truth, no one believed her?

"I am not lying to you. Drinking it makes no difference to me compared to ordinary blood; it would be a waste for me to drink it."

Seeing that Lilith did not seem to be lying, Esdeath looked at the blood in the pot, beginning to doubt the power of this Teigu.

Could this Teigu... have sat for so long that it expired and lost its potency?