Only I Am A Reader

"Is it okay to try it out now…?"

Unfamiliarly holding Sword Breaker, Leo was deep in thought. It was true that the capabilities of his 'Sword Body' went beyond the researchers' expectations, but they weren't completely clueless as the main instigators of this mutation.

While they missed out on the versatility of 'swordification', they recorded another ability that they expected to manifest alongside it! Leo had put aside trying it out since he was barely capable of controlling the very basic function of this mutation. However, after a month of uncertainty, he was almost convinced of giving it a try.

"Let's take it easy first."

In the end, Leo leaned Sword Breaker on the cave's wall as he took a regular alloy steel sword of his. Even if he was confident in his success, starting with a simple target first was more recommended.

Shiing.

Slowly taking the sword out of its sheath, Leo tried to familiarize himself with wielding it by giving it a few swings. Although he only stopped using actual swords for a month, the intensive training that Leo underwent made him feel like it was much longer.

Swish! Swish!

'Focus.'

Almost completely closing his eyes, Leo's grip on the sword's hilt tightened as he started the 'swordification' process and let nature take its course. Only, this time he wasn't just turning his hand into a sword!

His fingers started to deform once more. However, this time, they didn't join together into one blade, rather, they enveloped the hilt as if to fuse the sword into his arm. Despite the complication of forming a non-sword shape, it surprisingly went well under Leo's control.

Most importantly, his fingers that were in contact with the sword felt much more flexible under his control. This really wasn't just the researchers' speculations!

Looking at the long hybrid 'Sword Hand', Leo felt even more confident. The 'fusion' was a success, but this was merely the first step of the experiment!

"Huuuu…"

Letting out a long breath, Leo didn't close his eyes this time as he stared at the blade foreign to his body, directly initiating the formation of a normal 'Sword Hand'!

Under Leo's complete focus, the 'organic sword tissue' that enveloped the hilt started moving about, slowly climbing up to envelope the rest of the blade as if its appetite wasn't satisfied.

"This is… weird."

The sensation he felt as part of his body 'consumed' the blade bit by bit wasn't exactly what Leo expected. He thought it would be like having a wood shard stuck under your skin, but it felt more like… growing a longer limb.

Before long, the steel sword could no longer be seen. Only a slightly longer 'Sword Hand' was in front of Leo's eyes. Still, this wasn't the end of it either.

"Here goes."

Putting another 'gag' under his teeth in preparation, Leo's mind clicked as his 'Sword Hand' immediately started shrinking. This was the true purpose of this experiment, Leo wanted to 'absorb' the sword into his body!

Without delay, the 'Hand Sword' returned to its original form in a matter of seconds, but Leo was too busy to notice that as his mind was somewhere else…

'This is…'

A completely new yet familiar sensation enveloped Leo's somatosensory system, he felt like he had just eaten something rich in flavor. The only difference, however, was that he had eaten it through the whole of his body. He was like a pacific hagfish that 'ate' through its skin.

"Done?"

When the overwhelming sensation faded away as Leo came to, he was both surprised and intrigued to see his hand back to normal. He couldn't help but open and close his palm before stretching his body as a whole to shake off the sense of change.

"Was it really absorbed?"

The researchers believed that it would work in theory, but Leo was doubtful as the mutant in question. Yet, things were in line with what they expected up to this point.

"Then…"

Waiting no further, Leo unleashed his 'Hand Sword' once again. This time, however, it looked completely different!

The blade didn't have either the constitution of his personal blade or the steel sword he had just absorbed. It was as if he fed the sword to the fragment inside him so it could form a proper sword.

Moreover, when he withdrew his 'Sword Hand' again, his body felt stronger!

________________________

Personal Statistics:

----------------

True Sword Breath: 1000/1000

Physique: 3.55 (+0.1)

Mind: 1.5 (+2)

Sword Breath: 1000

________________________

"There is even a buff…"

Since it had something to do with him, Leo naturally opened up his Personal Book to check out if there was any change, and it immediately jumped at him!

As long as the blade was kept in his body, an aspect of his body was strengthened in some way!

"It's not that big of a difference, but…"

Ever since he completed his mutation, Leo's stunted physical growth didn't only go back to normal, but it became even fiercer. Compared to that, the addition felt pitiful. However, if this was the effect of a normal steel sword…

Unhesitatingly, Leo formed his 'Hand Sword' once again, this time he focused on withdrawing his own 'sword' only. After watching the earlier process, he was no longer surprised to see it 'peel off' the original steel sword, returning it back to his grip. According to the record, his body was both a sword and a sheath, he could easily 'take in' or 'withdraw' any sword.

"It's your turn."

Shing!

With that in mind, Leo picked up Sword Breaker. If that was the effect of a normal steel sword, then that of an Ascended Sword was something to look forward to!

Watching himself 'devouring' his trusty Sword Breaker, Leo embraced the sensation of 'consuming' this time without any surprise. If the steel sword was to be compared to a decent meal, then he was currently enjoying a delicacy!

The earlier physique strengthening wasn't quite enough to be immediately apparent. This time, however, Leo could feel the toughening of his bones as his hand returned to normal.

Familiarizing himself with the change in his body, Leo wasn't in a hurry to see the 'Hand Sword' that he could form now. Instead, he called out his Personal Book once more! This time…

________________________

Personal Statistics:

----------------

True Sword Breath: 1000/1000

Physique: 3.55 (+0.5)

Mind: 1.5 (+2)

Sword Breath: 1000

________________________

Just 'absorbing' the sword was enough to push his Physique past four times. However, amid Leo's satisfaction with this new ability of his, he finally noticed that something else had changed…