The Lesson of Blood
Blood had always frightened him a little.
Not because of its sight, but because it answered him.
Even when he was a child, small cuts healed too quickly. The blood shimmered faintly, whispering — not pain, but promise. Now, after mastering the Red Code and Nihility Fire, that whisper had grown louder.
Kuroha watched him from the railing of the training yard as crimson light bled from Lumiel's palms.
"You're overcharging," the fox said lazily. "Try not to vaporize yourself before breakfast."
"I'm not overcharging," Lumiel said through gritted teeth. "I'm… multitasking."
"You call bleeding and catching fire multitasking?"
"Efficient pain management."
Ayaka appeared at the edge of the arena, hair tied up, tails flicking with curiosity."Professor Vastel said you're finally testing your bloodline skills. Want a sparring partner?"
"I was thinking something less living," Lumiel muttered, gesturing toward the golems lined up nearby.
"Boring," she said, already stepping into the circle.
Blood and Nihility
He inhaled and summoned the Nihility Fire — black and crimson flame swirling around his hands.But this time, he didn't let it float; he fed it with his blood.
A thin line along his palm glowed as liquid red light dripped upward instead of down.The fire hissed, hungry — and then, it changed.The black flame deepened into pure crimson, shaped by will and pulse, folding into form.
Ayaka blinked. "You're forging… with yourself."
Kuroha's tone turned serious.
"Be careful, Lumiel. You're blending annihilation and essence. That's how gods built weapons — and how they died."
"I'm not trying to die," Lumiel said softly. "Just trying to stop being afraid of my own power."
He brought his hands together.The fire roared.And from it, a blade grew — long, curved, elegant.
The Crimson Scythe sang like a heartbeat when it touched the air.Its blade shimmered with runes of Red Code, constantly rewriting their own edges.
The Test
Ayaka summoned a mirror illusion — dozens of phantom warriors surrounding him."Show me if it's more than a pretty light show."
Lumiel smiled faintly. "Gladly."
He moved — and the scythe moved with him.It wasn't heavy; it was alive. It extended his reach, each swing trailing fire and reflection. The ground beneath cracked into red glass.Every illusion that touched the blade shattered into ripples of light.
Ayaka leaped back, laughing. "You've made dancing look like murder!"
Kuroha nodded approvingly. "Impressive balance between aggression and grace. You're shaping the void, not letting it shape you."
Lumiel spun the scythe, letting its crimson flame fade to an ember. "It's not a weapon of death," he said quietly. "It's a reminder — even Nihility bleeds for something."
Red Code Revelation
As the weapon dissolved, lines of red light remained suspended in the air, forming new script — runes different from any he'd seen before.They hovered, resonating with his heartbeat.
Fragment IV updated → Subroutine: Weaponization Protocol — Nihility Armament Online.
Vastel's voice echoed from the edge of the yard. "So, Mister Valentine, you've created a stable Red Weapon without an external forge. Do you realize what that means?"
"Probably that I broke something sacred," Lumiel said.
"Exactly!" Vastel beamed. "Splendid work."
The Crimson Memory
That night, Lumiel held his hand out in the dark.A faint pulse — and the scythe reappeared, weightless, obeying his thought.
The blood in his veins answered it, glowing briefly.For the first time, he felt no division between flame, flesh, and spirit.
Ayaka peeked through his doorway. "You're still awake?"
He smiled faintly, twirling the weapon once before letting it fade into sparks."Yeah. I just wanted to make sure I can call it when I need it."
She leaned against the doorframe, tails curling. "You made something terrifying look poetic. Typical Lumiel."
"Poetic murder," he said. "A growing art form."
Closing Scene
Before sleeping, he looked into the mirror — his reflection flickered, and Cartethyia's faint voice whispered through the glass:
"Every weapon forged from your fear becomes a key to your destiny."
He closed his eyes and whispered back, "Then I'll forge until I'm free."