Bear School Astartes

Ludwig’s Moonlight Greatsword, when not invoking its power, is merely a large hand-and-a-half sword wrapped in cloth.

For someone like Lann, the sword is almost like a one-handed sword.

Its sharp, fluid lines appear rigid, with many small carvings on the hilt and guard. Though intricate, they are not noticeable unless closely examined.

Aside from that, it doesn’t have many distinguishing features.

In the Magic Middle Ages, any normal Demon Hunter wearing it as their armament on their back would not find it too out of place, save for its slightly larger size.

However, just moments ago, Lann witnessed the sword truly unleashing its power.

The intense transformations were starkly different from the Moonlight Greatsword in Lann’s hand.

The sword in Lann’s hand originates from the Losric Demon King Ausloes’ soul, inheriting the moonlight of White Dragon Hiss—a magic dragon weapon.

Even in its ordinary state, the blade should be a large, unique-looking dull bluish-green crystalline structure.

Once its power is invoked, it emits a glow from within, turning the blade ice-blue, and complex magic patterns appear high and bright inside.

Lann inverted his magic dragon weapon in his right hand, while his left hand sharply withdrew the large hand-and-a-half sword embedded in the moist rock.

”Holy Moonlight Sword.” Maria, in knee-high boots, quietly approached Lann while stepping on the exposed rock surface and spoke to him. ”That’s the name of this sword, Ludwig’s iconic weapon.”

As she spoke, Maria let out a slight sigh, first looking at Ludwig’s silent head not far away, then raising her eyes under the triangular hat to gaze at the Demon Hunter.

”This is why you came to Yan’an. You’ve acquired it.”

This moment, Lann somewhat understood what she meant earlier and now.

Yan’an, where outsiders always seem to pursue something.

Perhaps it’s for Blood Healing or something else.

And this city perpetually envelops everyone in insidious malice.

An outsider drawn here by tales of another sword similar to his own.

Possibly to possess both swords or to prove themselves more worthy of the Moonlight Greatsword... for this, killing the other or facing one’s own death isn’t hesitated.

Such reasoning would seem utterly insane to normal folks, but... how should this be phrased?

—This is Yan’an.

That single statement suffices.

Here, people going mad in pursuit of a weapon, sacrificing their lives for it, seems not inappropriate.

Thus, this somewhat neurotic story naturally formed in Maria’s mind, an Yan Nan person, when she witnessed Lann drawing the Moonlight Greatsword.

The Yan Nan People can fully understand and believe such tales.

And honestly, having two unique and magnificent supernatural weapons like the Moonlight Greatsword appear together, poised for a fight... even Lann himself is a bit stunned.

Claiming it as coincidence—who would believe that?

Thus, when Lann drew this magic dragon weapon, Maria, adhering to the Yan Nan People’s unique and indifferent customs, decided to relinquish the battleground, allowing the two sword-bearers to settle their dispute independently.

This is seen as a form of respect in Yan’an.

Though the situation is urgent, Maria nonetheless abandoned ambushing Ludwig, which signifies profound respect for Lann.

A willingness to forego time for his objective.

Outsiders might misunderstand, even perceive it as erratic or insane.

But in Yan’an, the customs are thus.

A custom showing friendliness and respect in one place might be deemed insulting and contemptuous in another.

Lann, having traveled many places and met various people, can comprehend this situation.

”Fine, let’s go with your ideas.”

Faced with Maria’s expression of ’you’ve accomplished the task’, Lann opened his mouth but ultimately couldn’t explain; he simply nodded and spoke.

”We need to urgently get to the Church Town above.” After granting Lann full ’Yan’an-style respect’, Maria promptly returned to the topic.

The Blood Nobility spoke with a serious expression: ”We’re pressed for time, but with even Ludwig sent here for such tasks...”

Saying this, Maria furrowed her brows at Ludwig’s head, leaving the words unfinished.

Yet her intentions are crystal clear.

Even the Church’s First Hunter being dispatched, seemingly to block all mutant disease-stricken Yan Nan People in the lower town, surely indicates the gateway above is sealed.

”No matter what,” Lann frowned too but assuredly stated, ”you take Adeline up first, I have a way.”

The corpse of Kos’s Orphan is still in Upper Church Town. One way or another, this nightmare must come to an end!

They must go up.

Maria naturally shared the same thought as Lann, and she nodded gently.

Now Lann held his own dragon weapon, the Moonlight Greatsword, in one hand, and Ludwig’s Holy Moonlight Sword in the other.

He wanted to put both weapons into the alchemy pouch on his lower back.

However, just as the iron hand-and-a-half sword blade and the crystalline greatsword blade were placed together, the Demon Hunter suddenly had a peculiar idea.

As a Demon Hunter and a transforming Interstellar Warrior, those who live by combat always have a preference for weapons and armor.

Just like Belengar, even if he’s no longer doing the work of a Demon Hunter, he still loves to collect many weapons and armors.

Lann was no exception.

But on the other hand, now still active in battle and likely to be for the foreseeable future, Lann’s affection for weapons leaned more towards practicality.

Both Moonlight Swords were rare masterpieces, but in combat, even with the alchemy pouch, frequently switching weapons would ultimately be a hassle and a flaw.

Having many weapons is great, but after all, he’s only a man with two hands.

If he could consolidate the advantages of his weapons, it would be a better choice for someone of his practical nature.

And this idea was not without foundation.

After all, the dragon weapon, the Moonlight Greatsword, was obtained by Lann in the Flame World.

That was a world where soul power was incredibly prosperous, and even this entire weapon was refined from the distorted soul of the Losric Demon King.

It appeared to be material, but in essence, it was a soul.

And here in Yan’an, the Holy Moonlight Sword... not only this sword, but even this entire vast city was within a deep nightmare.

Looking at it this way, it seemed... somewhat feasible?

Lann tentatively began to activate the power in these two swords.

The Moonlight Greatsword, which had turned back into a dull blue crystalline form, shone with an icy blue light once again.

And the Holy Moonlight Sword in Lann’s hand also made a ’hum’ sound, with the azure blue light blade extending upward from the inverted V-shaped guard.

Thanks to his recent surge in proficiency with his Moonlight Greatsword, the similarity between the Holy Moonlight Sword and the Moonlight Greatsword seemed very strong as well.

This very high relatedness and similarity even led Lann to wonder if these two swords from different worlds truly had some unknown connection?

Thus, Lann easily managed to activate the power of the Holy Moonlight Sword as soon as he got hold of it.

Lann attempted to control the power of these two swords.

The process was unexpectedly much smoother than he had imagined.

The Holy Moonlight Sword became illusory, like a dream bubble.

The Moonlight Greatsword simply transformed into a small, quietly burning blue flame.

This was precisely the form of those powerful souls in the Flame World.

The Moonlight Greatsword was forged from a soul, but it could not be reverted to the original Demon King soul. This process was irreversible.

After all, the Ember King Rudus originally used the Soul Refining Furnace to forge the distorted soul of Ausloes into this sword.

The current flame was merely another form of the Moonlight Greatsword.

Perhaps all the special weapons in the Flame World, forged from powerful souls, could accomplish this.

Lann took a closer look, holding it in his hand, and finally placed the flame of the Moonlight Greatsword onto the phantom of the Holy Moonlight Sword.

Benefiting from the inexplicably high compatibility of these two swords, the Demon Hunter barely exerted any effort, and the blue flame merged into the phantom.

Finally, the Moonlight Greatsword vanished entirely, while the Holy Moonlight Sword once again became tangible.

”Whoosh~”

Looking at the ’merged’ Holy Moonlight Sword in his hand, Lann instinctively twirled it, creating a sound that cut through the air.

But although it still maintained the normal wrapped hand-and-a-half sword form, as the sword tip sliced through the air, a faint trace of blue light could be seen, leaving an afterimage in mid-air.

The fusion of the two Moonlight Swords into one made this mysterious and bright moonlight appear even deeper.

Surprisingly completing the fusion of the two swords so effortlessly, Lann felt a little unexpected.

Yet, he was glad that everything could go smoothly at this dangerous and critical moment.

After storing the fused Holy Moonlight Sword back into the alchemy pouch, Lann activated his Demon Hunter senses.