"So, what is the content of the test?"
"…For now, just follow me," said the vampire Judite.
With that, Judite began to walk, so I obediently followed along.
"By the way, what's your name?"
"I'm Kiska."
"Kiska, huh? Come to think of it, you seem to know my name quite well."
"Well, I heard rumors about a vampire residing in this dungeon…"
"I see. Well, I have been living here for quite some time, so it's not surprising to hear such rumors."
I actually heard it from Agetha during the repeated time leaps, but I decided to keep that to myself.
"Did Kiska use a teleportation circle before coming here?"
"Yes, I did."
"Are you aware that there were three teleportation circles?"
"Yes, I am."
"In that case, the explanation will be straightforward. This dungeon has a somewhat peculiar design, and the route you can take changes with each teleportation circle. However, once you step on a teleportation circle, you cannot access a different route."
As Judite explained, the route indeed changed significantly depending on which teleportation circle you used.
The first route had the sealed Agetha, the second route had the vampire Judite, and the third route had the Parasitic Sword.
"However, with a certain secret tactic, you can move to a different route."
Saying this, the vampire Judite placed her hand on the wall. Initially, I thought it was an ordinary wall, but it seemed to function as a concealed switch. When Judite pressed it, the wall recessed, and a new passage appeared.
I had no idea there was a hidden passage like this…
Walking through that passage led to another new path. As I continued down the path, I came across a familiar sight.
"If you can gain control over the Parasitic Sword, I'll consider it a passing grade for the test," Judite said.
"Control…?"
Wait, I don't understand the meaning.
I've used this sword countless times, but I've never been able to control it even once.
"This sword has a very tricky nature. It parasitizes its owner, and with each defeat of monsters or humans, it grows and eventually even takes over the consciousness. Honestly, because it attacks monsters and humans indiscriminately, I've always wanted to dispose of it. But merely touching it would lead to parasitism, so I couldn't risk doing anything."
"So, what do you want me to do?"
"After being parasitized by this sword, overcome it and gain control over the sword in return."
"Can I even do something like that…?"
"You'll most likely fail nine times out of ten," she said with a nonchalant expression.
"Well, I'll give you some guidance," she said, but I honestly didn't feel like I could actually control it.
"Perhaps you got cold feet? Unfortunately, you don't have a choice. If you refuse, I'll kill you right here and now."
It seemed there was no choice after all.
"No, I'll do it. Please teach me how."
"Hehe, it seems you've already steeled yourself. Now, for the specific method, first, grip the blade instead of the hilt."
"Understood."
As instructed, I gripped the blade.
"Ugh…"
Instantly, intense pain surged through my entire body. However, it was less painful than when I gripped the hilt. I could still endure this.
"So, what should I do after this?"
"Swallow it."
"Huh?"
"While looking up, insert the blade smoothly from the tip into the back of your throat."
"Well, if I do something like that, won't I die?"
"Yes, I think there's a high possibility of dying. But it seems to work occasionally."
"Umm…"
I let out a sigh.
Well, I guess there's no choice…
With determination, I inserted the Parasitic sword into the back of my throat.
And in the next moment, my consciousness faded away…