[Option 1 - Sara]

[Option 2 - Ice Soul]

Kang Oh examined the two choices, and then asked, "So what are the pros and cons of either choice?"

He wasn't all that surprised, as he was offered a similar choice when he'd first obtained Demon Sword Blood.

"Choose me," Sara said.

"Like I said, what are the pros and cons?" Kang Oh said calmly. 'I'll make a decision after I've heard all the information!'

"If you pick me, then it'll become an ego sword."

"Growth," Kang Oh said.

"Yes. The sword will become an evolvable demon sword."

"If I choose the Ice Soul, it'll be more powerful now, but it will have no room for growth."

"Yes."

"Let me ask you something."

"What is it?"

"If I choose the Ice Soul, can I use Absolute Zero?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll pick the Ice..."

There was nothing to think about. Come here, Absolute Zero!

"Wait," Sara yelled. "You have to pay a hefty price in order to use Absolute Zero."

"A price?"

"Your life. After all, the more powerful a demon sword is, the more danger it presents to its user."

She probably wasn't lying. That's how demon swords worked.

"Can you give me any concrete details?"

"I cannot. You're here not to find the right answer, but to make a choice," Sara said decisively.

"Let me ask you one more thing. If I choose you and I upgrade the weapon, will I be able to use an Absolute Zero that's less harmful towards me?"

"No. Absolute Zero is the Ice Soul's power. Its power is absolute, but it has a limited number of uses."

"Hmm." Kang Oh looked at his choices and thought them over.

If he could, he would pick the Ice Soul over Sara. After all, it would allow him to use Absolute Zero!

But what if Absolute Zero's activation cost was the user's life? Moreover, it had a limited number of uses.

Ultimately, Kang Oh's decision was...

"I'm picking Sara."

[You have picked Sara.]

[Ice Demon Sword Sarahoff's power and characteristics have been determined.]

[You may use a Yuki-Onna's power, as well as a portion of the Ice Soul's power. The weapon has infinite room for growth, but its raw power cannot match up to the Ice Soul's.]

[Sara's ego has been retained. She indirectly sees, hears, tastes, and feels the world through her wielder.]

"Thank you." Sara beamed.

As an ego sword, she could now indirectly experience the world through Kang Oh. Originally, her dream was to explore the continent. In a way, she had fulfilled her dream.

Whirl.

The landscape began to spin quicker and quicker! When he started to feel a little dizzy, he returned to the real world, with Valan haughtily sitting in front of him.

"Did it go well?" Valan asked. He was clearly being sarcastic. It was like he was saying, 'How's it feel to make such a fuss over nothing?'.

"Thanks to you." Kang Oh grinned. 'How does that make you feel!?'

"You finished the easiest task. Hurry up and finish the rest," Valan said.

He needed to master Demonic Swordsmanship and acquire a Demonic Swordsman secret move! There was still so much for him to do.

"Yes. Now if you'll excuse me." Kang Oh quickly left. Staying with Valan for too long was a recipe for disaster.

"Hmm, it won't be long now," Valan said, staring vacantly at the spot that Kang Oh had left.

He was referring to the wall that prevented proficiency from rising any further! It wouldn't be long before Kang Oh faced this wall.

* * *

As soon as he left the Holiseum, Kang Oh examined Sarahoff's item information.

[Ice Demon Sword Sarahoff (+0)]

A once in a lifetime masterpiece created by Hoffman!

...

+ Absolute Destruction: Anything that clashes with this blade will break. This includes weapons, armor, tough scales, and even bone! The object in question will eventually break, depending on how tough it is.

+ Damage Amplification: Always increases the damage you deal to your enemy. At minimum, increases damage by 1.5 times, and at maximum, increases it by 3 times. Will stack with critical hits!

+ Frost Demon's Domain: Lowers the temperature of anyone within a 10 meter vicinity of the demon sword. This lowers their abilities, and also inflicts frostbite or freezes them.

+ Sara's Collectible: If you explore a new area, kill a new monster, or complete a difficult quest, then there is a low chance that you will obtain Sara's Collectible. If you collect enough, then the sword will evolve. Next Evolution: 0/3 Sara's Collectibles.

'Hmm. Frost Demon's Domain and Sara's Collectible, huh...'

The 'Dangerous Gamble' ability, which increased the sword's attack power by 1% every 5 seconds in exchange for a proportional amount of his HP, had disappeared.

Frost Demon's Domain had taken its place, which lowered the temperature of anyone within a 10 meter vicinity, reducing their abilities and possibly inflicting frostbite or freezing them.

Like Ubist's 'Predation' or Blood's 'Evolving Weapon', 'Sara's Collectible' acted as a way of upgrading it. The only difference was its approach; like Sephiro's Lasselpino Bow, Sarahoff required that he collect items to upgrade it.

'As expected, it's not all that great.'

That's how evolving weapons were. Ice Demon Sword Sarahoff didn't meet his expectations. For the time being, that is.

However, his judgment would change based on its future evolutions.

'You can't expect too much on your first time.'

Kang Oh headed for the intercity transfer gate. Although he'd completed the Guardian of the Continent Quest, he still needed to become a Master.

"Talastrum!"

Soren's magic circle worked without a hitch. He immediately arrived in Talastrum, which was inhabited by the powerful, ancient Tuslam.

His nose was assaulted by the unpleasant smell of the sewer, so he quickly got out.

Then, he saw a Tuslam sitting upon a lotus-shaped statue. His weapon was a bone hammer made out of a Giant Kruger's skull. Metal boomerangs hung from the belt around his waist as well.

[You have discovered Tuslam's Descendent, Moldon.]

Kang Oh hid behind the half-destroyed statue and pulled out Sarahoff.

Devil Trigger!

He'd sealed Sara within the demon sword, so he could use Devil Trigger with it now.

The purple blade expelled a cold, blue energy, which wrapped itself around Kang Oh's body.

His eyes turned a frigid blue like a Yuki-Onna's eyes. Two frozen horns protruded from his forehead, and frozen, sky blue armor covered his arms and legs. It was as though he were covered by the snowy fields themselves.

"Hoo." Kang Oh breathed out, releasing a misty cloud of air.

[You may now use the Ice Queen, Sara's power as your own.]

[You are completely resistant to the ice element. You become more powerful in cold environments.]

[You may now use Yuki-Onna's Breath, Ice Wall, and Frozen Spike.]

[Ice damage is added to your attacks. There is a fixed chance that your attacks will freeze your opponent!]

'Yuki-Onna's Breath, huh...'

Kang Oh jumped out from behind the statue, and horizontally swung Sarahoff at the Tuslam.

Yuki-Onna's Breath!

A frigid, fan-shaped energy blast shot out. The weeds froze instantly, and the blast also froze the surface of the ruins too.

It was an aura technique, reminiscent of Ubist's Abyss Claw or Blood's Fresh Blood Wave, that allowed him to unleash the demon's power.

"An enemy!" Tuslam Moldon reacted immediately.

He backed off, dodging the Yuki-Onna's Breath. Then, he immediately drew two boomerangs, one in each hand, and forcefully threw them.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Moldon's boomerangs flew at Kang Oh, emitting a dangerous 'whoosh'.

Ice Wall!

A thick wall of ice formed in front of Kang Oh.

Bam! Bam!

As always, the Tuslam's boomerangs were extremely powerful. Upon contact, the boomerangs let out a giant 'bam' like dynamite and destroyed the wall.

"Huahp!" Moldon screamed and threw his boomerangs once more.

Kang Oh stomped on the ground.

Frozen Spike!

Icicles surged from underneath Moldon's feet.

"Tch." Moldon threw himself to the side.

Kang Oh seized the opportunity.

"That's what I was waiting for!"

The Tuslam possessed inherently high combat prowess, so they were capable of fighting Kang Oh evenly in a one-on-one fight.

At first, that is.

When did it start? When did Moldon's lips turn purple?

Sarahoff's special ability, Frost Demon's Domain, had lowered his core temperature. As a result, his movements slowed, and the force behind his weapon weakened.

Swish, slash, swish!

Sarahoff cleaved through his body.

At that moment...

Crack!

The wound froze over.

It was a vicious cycle. Moldon's core temperature went down, reducing all of his abilities, and left him more open to Kang Oh's attacks. With him unable to block Kang Oh's attacks, Sarahoff would inflict status ailments, making him even weaker than before!

"Grr!"

Moldon fought back as hard as he could. He moved fiercely, shaking off the ice that lined his body, and swung his hammer threateningly.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Kang Oh calmly swung Sarahoff and blocked Moldon's hammer.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Crack!

Ultimately, Moldon's hammer shattered into pieces.

'It's better than I expected.'

Sarahoff's abilities were pretty good. 'Frost Demon's Domain' lowered his opponent's abilities, allowing him to better make use of the sword's original abilities, 'Absolute Destruction' and 'Damage Amplification'.

However, Moldon was still a Tuslam! He wouldn't lose that easily.

Moldon picked up a sharp piece of bone, a remnant of his broken hammer, and swung it like a dagger. It was a quick, precise attack!

Kang Oh, who'd sensed the attack prior, quickly pulled his neck back. However, he was a bit late.

Swish!

The bone fragment grazed Kang Oh's neck. The neck was a vital area! Thus, a huge fistful of shards of red light burst out.

Kang Oh got back into position, and quickly swung Sarahoff downwards.

Transcendent Blade!

Sarahoff's purple blade pierced through Moldon's chest. While it was still embedded in his chest... Yuki-Onna's Breath!

The Tuslam Tribe possessed incredible elemental resistance. But that didn't matter when the cold energy was injected directly into their body.

A heart-shaped ice fragment appeared on his chest.

"You bastard!" Moldon angrily threw the bone fragment.

Danger!

Guided by his Hyper Intuition, Kang Oh swung Sarahoff at the incoming bone fragment, deflecting it, and then swung downwards.

Slash!

Swish!

His sword left behind a sword scar across Moldon's muscular chest.

'Now.'

Kang Oh spun around like a top, and then swung his blade at Moldon's neck.

At that moment...

Moldon ducked down like a frog about to jump!

His demon sword cut through nothing but air.

Bam!

Moldon sprung up and tackled Kang Oh. At this range, it was almost impossible to dodge.

Kang Oh gritted his teeth.

Bam!

Kang Oh was pushed back with a 'bam'. Huge shards of light fell from his body. However, he didn't take as much damage as he'd expected.

'He's a lot weaker than I thought.'

There's no way a Tuslam's tackle would be this weak. Seeing how it was, Sarahoff's Frost Demon's Domain must've reduced his abilities significantly!

'What if Sarahoff were to gain another ability on top of this?'

Just thinking about it left him excited. Kang Oh grinned and swung Sarahoff several times.

Moldon wasn't able to fight him off, and ultimately fell to his knees.

* * *

Kang Oh roamed across Talastrum, searching for Tuslam that were alone. A short while later, Kang Oh found a suitable opponent.

[You have discovered Tuslam's Descendent, Barad.]

Kang Oh pulled out Blood with his offhand.

Devil Trigger!

Blood's crimson energy and Sarahoff's blue energy mixed together and engulfed Kang Oh's body. Overall, Blood's energy was more pronounced, covering more of his body.

Kang Oh sported a red body with wings and a bat mask to match. However, two frozen horns protruded from the mask, and frozen armor covered his arms and legs.

It was as though a white whirlwind pattern streaked through a red background.

Fusing Sarahoff and Blood's power had resulted in this new Dual Demon form!