I was going to the 7th tier area.
Inside there belongs a wandsword, that you can take into the endgame, if you're careful.
One of the ego swords in game, that does not stop yapping about possibilities.
'Swing left, dodge right'
In game, all it did was give your character a chance to gain a crit, or dodge a hit.
But here, it could give a edge up over the competition.
And if my memory, doesn't fail me, it also behaves like the 'Sword of Beginnings'.
A holy sword held by a transfer character, that the player interacts, with and eventually recruits.
Said transfer character is a paladin from the Principality, and becomes one of the most important characters to the player.
They are a livewire character, just like Mark, and just like Mark, they will die permanently.
The paladin is different in that, in game there is an rng factor involved with masked character's genders.
Both allies and enemies share this trait.
Under the helmet, you may see a man, but until you raise your companionship, you can't know for sure.
Even the Character companion sheet will straight up lie to you, until they reveal themselves.
Anyways, the sword spirit of the 'Sword of Beginnings' is prideful and will rarely reveal themselves to the player character, but on the off chance it does, you can immediately tell the gender of the paladin.
Why? Because just like the sword I'm going to pick up, it carries with it the trait, 'Stylized Mentor'.
Whatever the gender of the wielder, the spirit will oppose.
Naturally the spirit doesn't have a definite form, until both wielder and spirit choose so, but the opposite gender gives the wielder the ability to fight against and learn the weaknesses of the other gender.
You may be wondering, wouldn't it make more sense for the spirit to be the same gender so the user understands themselves more?
And to that I say, the spirit takes on whatever form you need to spar with mentally.
The only other use of that trait aside from learning to fight different bodies of the different gender is exactly that 'style'.
If you a male swordsman, encounter a short female assassin, as opposed to a tall female greatsword wielder, without any prior experience, it's going to be a bad time.
However, you already know the weak spots for a man.
And that's why 'Stylized Mentor' is so important.
Definitely. No other reason.
I was still walking to the 7th tier area, when twin girls decided to meet me.
"Hi Lucas."
"Hey, Lucas."
"Hello, Armoria, Kimoria."
"So, I looked for the person you were looking for, but they don't exist in the knight's program."
Impossible.
I'd already sifted through the mage program to find them.
"That's alright then."
"Anyways, when are you going to teach us what you promised?"
"When school goes into full swing."
"Got it."
"Well, thanks for the help."
"Yep, any time."
Kimoria left the two of us
"Oh Lucas, what weapon are you going to get? You wield both weapons right?"
"So are you grabbing a Wandsword or just a wand or sword?"
"I'm going to head to the 9th tier and make my way back to a wandsword that likes me."
"Understood, but I think I'm going to stay in the 5th tier, right now."
"Sure, I'll see you when classes begin."
And with that I left the 5th area.
To cover the fact I already knew where the sword I wanted was, I needed to not look for it, and go straight to the 9th tier.
***
*Vice-Dean Rachelle's Pov*
"Bella look at Lucas pretending he doesn't know where he's going."
"Um, ma'am, none of the incoming freshmen know where anything is in here, which is why we have sign holders, and people to let the freshmen know of dangerous weapons."
"I'm certain his young master, or someone else told him about the layout of the building."
"The tiers were rearranged ma'am and the swords were too."
"Oho, that's interesting."
"Why do you say that ma'am?"
"Well, normally if someone didn't find something they liked, they would either slow down and start scrutinizing to find something better than the rest, or walk faster to find something more valuable."
"If he was pondering his options, he would have slowed down or stopped entirely."
"But he keeps an even pace, as if he has a destination."
"Well what if he just wants to go to the 9th tier?"
"Unlikely, he knows better than to try to wield those things."
"Uh, ma'am he just walked into the 9th tier area."
"What."
***
*Lucas' Pov*
That should be a good enough smokescreen.
I reached the 9th tier and took in the few people and weapons in the room.
Nobody could wield these, even if they tried.
With that I stopped my feet and pretended to think.
After a minute or two, I started to walk back down the tiers to the 7th 'carefully' watching each sword as if I was truly inspecting them.
Until I found my way to a broken blade. Or really a blade cut in an odd shape, almost like it had been cut in two diagonally. Think bahubali sword. But a silver ring underneath it's crossguard.
The sword could be used like a rapier, or a broadsword, and its crossguard could move between a basket, half-basket, straight, and curved crossguard at the user's request.
The blade wasn't actually broken. What had actually happened was that the previous owner was switching between a katana and arming sword.
And in between the switch it had been inserted into the ground, because the owner had died.
Now it was my turn to take the 7th tier ego sword.
I let my mana spread out into the surroundings.
I focused it around the sword.
Then I started to talk to the sword.
The ego sword's mental world was a black lake.
It walked on the surface, and I started to walk towards it.
"And you are?"
Oh man, maybe the sword was the first thing/being I could use my reincarnation to my advantage.
"Hello ego sword Mara."
"And how does one as young as yourself know of my name?"
"It has been centuries since I last had a owner, and he was not a well known man."
"In fact, he was a swordsman who hid his name and techniques."
"I know of Oran Temeris."
"You are informed young one."
"In fact, I also know how to bring out your maximum potential, Mara."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes."
"And how would you do that?"
"Well first, I need to give you a new name."
"H-How do you know about that?"
"I already told you, I know how to bring out your full potential."
Mara turned to look at me in sword form.
Pressure began to mount inside and outside the mental realm.
"Are you, a mere 4th star swordsman saying you're capable of bringing me out of the 7th tier and to the top of this world?"
"Yes, ego sword."
"Quick with your words, but not with your heart."
It moved her body to slash at me.
I cast magic to defend.
"I see you are a magic swordsman, or are you perhaps a battle mage?"
"Depends on my opponent."
I sheathed my sword.
"Test my will."
The sword turned as if to ponder my request.
"Very well young one."
The pressure got terrible, I could feel my body start to bend and break, but I would not allow my eyes to move from the hilt of the blade.
5 minutes passed and the pressure eased.
"Alright, lets enter in to a pact, here and now."
"You will guide me to the height of my potential, with all your strength, and I will assist you throughout your journey with all of my own."
"We shall use mana, and as I am of the greater mana quality, I shall be the creator."
"I wouldn't be so sure."
"Alright, you arrogant human, I will humor you, try me."
I let the ambient mana surrounding the sword cling to it.
Then I let the dragon blood within me begin to flow in the mana.
The mind realm began to break down as my own started to invade it.
"How? How is your mana stronger than mine?"
"You are a weak 3rd circle mage at best."
"How?"
"I am a dragon if only barely."
"That makes sense, your arrogance, your will and pride, they make sense now."
I stopped the dragon blood.
I didn't want to make a scene, or attract unwanted eyes.
"Let us make a contract as equals."
"Never."
"What does that mean?"
"I'm unable. You, no matter the scenario, will always be stronger than me."
"You contain within you the power of apocalypse."
"I wish to take you as my master."
"I am willing to subordinate myself to you, I believe in your words."
"And why is that?"
"A prideful dragon never lies, and one as strong as you will protect me as he does his treasures."
"I already told you I'm not."
"But your very soul is part dragon too."
"Huh?"
"Can you not see your own soul?"
"Not yet."
"I see. In any case, I shall be your sword. With my words I sign a mana contract to make Lucas my master."
"In the name of mana, I accept and make the ego sword Mara my subordinate."
With that I withdrew the surrounding mana.
Thankfully I didn't have to reveal my ambient mana attribute to do this.
'We can use mana message now.'
'Please master, give me a name.'
'A new name instead of Mara, huh? Let's see.....'
'How about Isla?'
'As in island?'
'No, as in land of change.'
'I like it.'
As the ego sword, took on the new name, a mature woman appeared in the mind realm in front of me.
'So tell me master, how do we get stronger?'
'Well I need to pull you out first.'
'I don't know if you have the strength.'
'I can use my mana to.'
'Hahhhhhh'
The sword sighed loudly.
'Go ahead and try master.'
So I did.
I left the mind realm, and began to pull in reality.
And as the sword said it didn't work.
'That's unfortunate, do you have a solution Isla?'
'I do, but that's a dragon's pride for you.'
I quickly denied it.
'I think it may be a side effect of my constant use of the dragon blood within me.'
'Perhaps. My solution is to seal away my 5th, 6th, and 7th levels, until you are able to handle them.'
'Great. As you know it shouldn't take too long for someone like me.'
'That is if you do not fall master, do not be arrogant.'
'Don't worry Isla, I'm more cautious than you think.'
'Very well.'
She sealed up her own tiers and I pulled her out of the groove.
"What an interesting way to obtain an ego sword, would you like to share it with me?"
Of course the vice dean was watching.
Thankfully I hid the activation of the dragon blood, and didn't use my unique attribute.
"It's simple, if you saturate the surrounding area with mana, entering the ego swords mind realm is easier and more stable."
"What an interesting way to do it."
"I will award you with merits, do not be worried."
"Yes ma'am."
'Why do you bow to a being beneath you?'
'Actually I don't. This is just for appearances.'
'Good.'
'Anyways, while you sleep, I can train you to be a better swordsman, or better your magic attacks on a swordsman.'
'How do we go about improving me though.'
'You are already perfect, Isla'
'You just need to bloom'
If a sword could blush, she would be as red as Aura right now.
'Between the two of us master I can feel your emotions as you can feel mine.'
'You are quite the promiscuous person.'
'Listen, Isla, it's not like that'
I closed my eyes and entered the mental realm.
I walked towards her.
"It's not like that at all."
She turned around not wanting to face me.
"All you want to do is romance these girls."
"Actually Isla, I don't think we can feel the emotions of one another accurately yet.
"You're probably only sensing my shallowest thoughts and emotions right now."
"Oh."
"The reason I say that is because you are also one of those 'girls'."
And for the first time in history, I saw a sword blush.
"Noooo. Get away from me, I don't want to get pregnant!"
"You're a sword you can't get pregnant without a spirit body to begin with."
"On top of that, I'm not even coming after you. I can't afford to split my attention away from getting stronger right now."
"What does that mean?"
"In three weeks right before the first interim evaluation the princess is attacked."
"Which one master?"
"Charlotte."
"I see, but how does this help me?"
"Isla, when I grow you grow."
"By training me, you are able to grow alongside me, your creator made it so."
"And who would my creator be?"
"I can't say."
Of course the female design for Isla, or Mara in game, since you could only name her once you gained enough companionship ranking, was made by a person in Nyx.
I didn't bother to remember most of the staff.
So technically it's not wrong to say Nyx made her, but I don't want to say anything wrong and get smited.
"It involves the gods, Isla."
"Wow, you really are a dragon if you interact with gods so casually."
"I already said I'm not."
#$&*5.
"Gotta go, things are happening outside."
"Got it."
She pushed me out of the mind realm faster than I could leave.
All students report to the entrance to register your chosen weapon.
Now was the time to find my protagonist.