A Writer's Transmigration into the world of fantasy-Chapter 74: Merging with the Sword of Leo

The remaining chibi turned back to Qin Wei, expression suddenly serious—no grin, no mockery.

"You aren’t stealing the sword," it said quietly. "The sword itself wants to leave its master. It wants to stay with you. You’re not taking anything—it’s offering. You would be saving it from a bond it no longer desires. Accept it, Qin Wei. Accept what’s already yours."

The little devilish figure folded its arms and waited.

The golden light from the sword pulsed once—brighter, warmer, almost pleading.

Thea, still leaning against him for support, watched the blade with growing confusion and unease. She couldn’t hear the voices. She couldn’t see the chibi figures. All she saw was the Zodiac Sword behaving in a way it never had before—hovering, glowing, refusing her call.

She looked up at Qin Wei, searching his face.

"Qin Wei...?" Her voice was small, uncertain. "What’s happening?"

He didn’t answer immediately.

His gaze remained locked on the sword.

The notification still glowed steadily in the corner of his vision, waiting.

[Do you wish to proceed?]

Qin Wei stared at the glowing Zodiac Sword hovering between them, golden light washing over his face in slow, hypnotic pulses. The devilish chibi’s final words still echoed inside his skull—quiet, reasonable, almost kind in their ruthlessness. The sword wanted this. It had chosen him. Accepting it wasn’t theft; it was rescue.

The angelic voice had been kicked away. Silence followed.

He exhaled once, slow and deliberate.

"Aria," he said silently in his mind, addressing the system directly. "Before I make the decision... I want to know exactly what this sword is. How much help will it be if I accept its offer?"

The reply came instantly—cool, precise, devoid of judgment.

[The Thirteen Zodiac Swords are divine treasures forged by the ancient Celestials. Each blade corresponds to one zodiac sign and carries powers aligned with that constellation’s domain. There are thirteen in total. When all thirteen are united under a single wielder, the combined authority allows the user to slay even a true Deity with a single, ordinary slash. Individual Zodiac Swords already grant exceptional advantages—enhanced attributes, domain authority, soul-bound synergy—but the complete set transcends mortal limits. Accepting the Sword of Leo will immediately elevate your combat potential and grant partial access to celestial-grade techniques. Full potential unlocks only after collecting the remaining twelve.]

Qin Wei’s pulse quickened. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

A single slash to kill a Deity.

Even one sword out of thirteen would be a monumental leap. With the system already accelerating his growth, with his potential already brushing against ceilings most people could never dream of touching... this wasn’t just helpful.

This was transformative.

He closed his eyes for half a heartbeat.

"Alright," he said silently. "I accept the sword. But I don’t want to initiate anything obvious. Make it look like the sword chose me on its own."

[Affirmed. Proceeding with capture protocol.]

The very next instant, black tendrils erupted from Qin Wei’s body—thin, liquid shadows that spilled from beneath his robe like ink poured into water. They lashed outward in perfect silence, wrapping around the hovering sword in a heartbeat.

Qin Wei reacted as though genuinely startled.

"What’s going on?!" he shouted, voice cracking with alarm. He staggered backward, arms instinctively rising to shield himself, dragging Thea with him.

Thea’s eyes widened in matching panic.

"Husband—!"

Before either could move further, the black tendrils tightened. The Sword of Leo gave one violent shudder—its golden light flaring wildly—then shot forward like an arrow released from a bow. It plunged straight into Qin Wei’s chest, vanishing completely inside him with a soft, resonant hum that vibrated through both their bodies.

A cascade of notifications exploded across his vision.

[Ding! The Sword of Leo has been captured. Proceeding to sever the blood contract with its past owner.]

Three slow, deliberate breaths passed.

[Ding! Blood contract severed. Ding! Proceeding to merge with the host.]

[Ding! The host will enter hibernation for 24 hours to facilitate soul integration. Do not disturb the process.]

Qin Wei’s eyes snapped wide.

"Wait—what?!"

The word tore out of him in genuine, startled alarm.

Before he could form another thought, a wave of sudden, overwhelming blankness crashed over him. His vision tunneled. His knees buckled. The world tilted sideways.

He collapsed.

Thea fell with him—still tangled in his arms—both of them hitting the corridor floor in a graceless heap. Pain flared briefly in her already exhausted body, but she ignored it. She scrambled up onto her knees beside him, hands flying to his face.

"Husband... Husband!"

Her fingers pressed against his cheeks, his neck, searching frantically for a pulse, for breath, for any sign of life. His chest rose and fell—slow, deep, unnaturally even—but his eyes were closed, expression slack, as though someone had simply switched him off.

Panic clawed up her throat.

She reached blindly into her storage ring, fingers closing around a small crystal vial filled with shimmering blue liquid—a high-grade mana recovery potion. She uncorked it with shaking hands and drank it in one desperate gulp. Cool relief flooded her channels almost immediately, easing the bone-deep exhaustion enough for her to think clearly again.

But her stamina remained at rock bottom. Her head swam; black spots danced at the edges of her vision. She swayed, one hand braced against the floor to keep from collapsing on top of him.

Still, she forced herself to focus.

She placed both palms flat against his chest and sent a thin strand of her mana inward—careful, probing, diagnostic.

She felt it instantly.

The Sword of Leo—its presence unmistakable now—was fusing directly with his soul. Golden threads of celestial energy wove through his spiritual sea, anchoring, merging, rewriting something fundamental at a pace she could barely track. His body was in perfect stasis—protected, preserved—while the integration ran its course.

Her face drained of color.

"What’s happening...?" she whispered, voice cracking.

She looked down at him—her husband, unconscious, defenseless, yet radiating a quiet, terrifying power even in stillness.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back fiercely.

She leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his chest, listening to the slow, steady beat of his heart beneath the fabric of his robe.

"I don’t know what you just did," she murmured against him, voice trembling but resolute. "But I’m not leaving you. Not for a second. Not until you wake up."

She stayed like that—kneeling on the cold corridor floor, arms wrapped around him, body shielding him as best she could—while the villa lights dimmed further into the night.

Somewhere deeper inside Qin Wei, the Sword of Leo continued its slow, inexorable merging.

Meanwhile, in the grand dining hall of the main residence, the long table was laid with quiet elegance.

Candles burned steadily in silver holders, casting warm pools of light across porcelain plates and crystal goblets.

The elders of House Griffin sat in their usual places, voices low as they discussed minor matters of trade routes, border tensions, and the upcoming seasonal rites.

Kaelan occupied the head of the table, posture straight but relaxed, fork in hand as he methodically cut through a slice of roasted venison.

Since the arrival of the other two Rank-10 grandmasters would still take time, he had allowed the day to continue as normally as possible. Luna remained under heavy guard in the secure infirmary wing—isolated, monitored, safe.

The first sign that something was wrong came without warning.

A sharp, tearing pain lanced through Kaelan’s chest—sudden and vicious, as though an invisible hand had reached inside his ribcage and wrenched something vital free. His fork slipped from numb fingers and clattered against the porcelain plate. A heartbeat later, blood surged up his throat. He coughed once—harsh, wet, and dark crimson sprayed across the white tablecloth.

The room froze.

Elders half-rose from their seats, voices overlapping in alarm. Servants rushed forward with napkins and water.

Kaelan’s body swayed, then collapsed forward; his palms slammed against the table to keep himself upright, knuckles white, veins standing out stark against his skin.

Concerned hands reached for him.

He raised one palm sharply toward them—stop—then pressed the thumb of his other hand firmly to the center of his chest, directly over his heart.

A faint pulse of his own mana flared beneath the skin, steadying the violent backlash. Color slowly returned to his face; the ashen pallor receded, though sweat still gleamed along his brow and temples.

The elder seated to his right—a gray-haired woman with sharp eyes—leaned forward, voice tight with worry.

"What happened, House Lord?"

Kaelan straightened slowly, breathing through the lingering ache. When he spoke, his voice was low, grim, carrying the weight of something irretrievable.

"The bond with my sword... was severed. Forcefully."

A stunned silence fell over the table.

The same elder’s eyes widened.

"What?" she breathed. "But didn’t you say you left the Sword of Leo with Thea? For her to aid Icarus during his breakthrough?"

Kaelan nodded once, jaw tight.

Another elder—a broad-shouldered man with a scarred cheek—leaned forward, voice urgent.

"Was there an attack? Someone targeted Lady Thea? Vanessa was sent away earlier—we have no one watching her directly right now..."

Kaelan pushed himself fully upright. His fists clenched at his sides, knuckles cracking audibly.

"I’m going to check the situation myself," he said. The words came out flat, final. "Until I return, place the entire estate on high alert. Double the patrols. Seal the outer gates. No one enters or leaves without my direct authorization."

He did not wait for acknowledgment.