章 2: This isn't good

"So let me get this straight: you are a sword that is supposedly sought after because you are cursed. Not only that, you have my past life memories—some of which I don't know. Add on this obscu—"

'You don't need to talk out loud, you know? You'll sound crazy to the other passengers' the sword interrupted.

I glanced around under the safety of my hoodie, noticing people giving me the stink eye. Naturally, I blushed and looked away.

'Anyway, where was I? Right! I'm in "DxD," heading straight to where the biggest problems are—where the canon of the story, for plumb's sake, is! Even if I stay away from everything, it doesn't mean I'm out of harm's way, considering I know practically plum all about the story!' I berated the sword and myself.

'However, in light of this and having whatever you are in me, I should be fine with not attracting the attention of, shiver, the redhead or Glasses, right?'

'Right?'

...

'No.'

'While they won't know exactly what you have—'

'No.'

'I'm sorry, but I truly can't do anything ab—'

'No! I don't want this! I didn't ask for this! I don't even know how I died!'

It's getting blurry. This can't happen. Me? Fight against fallen angels? Devils? Gods?!

I'm going to throw up. I just want to go back to my room where it's sa—

'Enough' the THING interrupted.

'Rude. Do you hear me whining about the fact I lost my host? The one who would be great? No. I let you grieve enough. Yes, you are in a different world from your own. Yes, there are beings that could wipe you off the face of the earth while picking their nose! However, they haven't, so that means you are alive, no? So you must strike first' the kind sword berated back at me.

'You aren't the greatest at this, are you?' I shot back.

'Anyone would be honored to hear my words. Now, as I was saying before you decided to choke on your own vomit—entertaining as that might be—no one will be able to tell if you have a Sacred Gear or not. Instead of a "magical" aura or a "smell" about you, since the moment you woke up, you have been releasing a subtle but ever-increasing bloodlust. Those around you have been uncomfortable, and they don't know why' the teaching sword informed me.

'So... how bad will it get?' I fearfully asked.

'Cute, and do be afraid. You see, it will get so bad that anyone whose will isn't stronger than yours will fall to their knees, and in most cases, have their hearts explode' the sword simply stated.

'What?! Wait, that's not so bad. My will isn't that strong, so it's fine, right?'

'Not quite. You see, with the increasing bloodlust, it won't only affect those around you but will affect you first. You've already been affected by it. Your lashing out more isn't just a result of this stressful situation you find yourself in.'

'That's not good.' What'll happen if it gets too high? This isn't good. What happens if it happens on the train?! "On today's news: a gross ikemen attacks random people on a train and is on the run." I can't have that happen to me!

'That's where I should officially introduce myself' the sword interrupted my self-panic to stay on track.

'Right, you never did other than your lame intro of being a sword,' I dumbly stated.

'Lame?! Sigh. Tell me, do you know any sword that is cursed in history? One that is said to be nearly impossible to stop once unsealed? One that has filled ravines and created rivers filled with blood? I am the Muramasa blade!'

...

'What?' I smartly replied to the now-identified blade.

'What?! I am the greatest blade ever forged! I have killed millions! Parts of my history have been erased! I slaughtered hundreds of thousands of innocent chil—'

'Excalibur?' I smugly replied, finally able to get back at him.

'Excal—HA! That holy crap wasn't forged! It was created with magic! I was not! I was forged with hate, the edge being honed on enemies and cursed by my creator and kin when used to kill them! We are different. Do not forget that, "Ryou" Now, I believe we were talking about what happens when the bloodlust gets too high, no?'

'Why has your voice changed? It's deeper, raspy—kinda creepy, trying to act cool?' I smoothly deflected his kind of cool story. Huh, I do feel the difference in me.

'First, this is my original voice. I thought it best to acclimate to something or someone that's familiar. Second, what will happen, just like those who wield my cheap replicas? You'll be driven into a frenzy, and you won't be able to get out of it until you die' Muramasa explained.

'How... how long will I have until that happens?' I started to notice that we were approaching my station in Kuoh.

'Your will, like you said before, is weak. Not the weakest I've seen, but weak. I believe two days at most' Muramasa replied.

'Two?! Great, how can this day get any worse?' I grumpily replied as I stood up and got ready for the train to stop.

'Since you said that, I shall tell you: you don't have your wallet on you, nor did you grab your apartment keys when you left Kyoto.'

'They could be in the bags, right?' I now gloomily replied as the train halted.

At that moment, a woman in front of me, dressed in a simple business suit, fell backward. I, not having enough room to move out of the way, ended up falling into my chest.

I froze up from the contact of a woman touching me.

"I-I-I'm so sorry about that! I'm such a klutz!" The woman spoke to me, her hand resting on my chest to right herself up.

"My, aren't you a handsome young ma—" she froze, staring into his eyes, which made her feel like thousands of snakes were crawling into her body, tearing her up from the inside. Her hands started traveling from my chest to her own neck, applying pres—

"It's fine," I numbly replied, stepping around as the train car started to clear. Moving away from her made her aware of her surroundings again.

'H-he can't go; I want to feel it again!' the woman thought to herself, but she noticed with sadness that he was gone—the one who made her feel full, the only one able to fill her life.

'They're not here. All I have is clothes, the school uniforms, and that's it—nothing else to my name,' I numbly stated to my only friend.

'Not friend. And there is something you can do: go to the most rotten part of Kuoh' Muramasa replied.

I searched for red-light districts, sketchy streets, rumors of gangs—anything off-putting as I blindly put my faith in Muramasa.

'Apparently, there are rumors of underground fights in another area of town,' I informed Muramasa.

'Go where the rumors are, then to see if they are true' Muramasa simply stated.

And so I did—an imaginary sword and an ikemen made their way to the rumors.

'So I'm curious: what's the point of going to a potentially dangerous area?'

'How about you think for yourself? Why would you go where underground fights are? What's normally there?' Muramasa replied, oh so wisely.

Hmm, an underground arena. Bids? Means money, so check. Money means living.

Oh, I'm so smart! Of course I need food, and that costs money, so Muramasa is showing me a way to get money by bidding!

'And how will you get that money, Smarts?' the oddly happy Muramasa asked.

'Well... I-I will—oh—oh no.' I'm starting to piece it together, and I'm not liking it.

'Yes, you will fight. You need the experience, and it will slow down the bloodlust. Remembering the email from the school, you have one month for hands-on learning' Muramasa happily stated.

I can even picture a rusty katana happily sitting on a couch, telling me this horrible news.

'I can't fight; I've never fought before!'

'Then don't get hit, and turn left— you've arrived at your new hell.'

At that, I turned left and saw it: a rundown old bar, half boarded up. Upon entering, I was hit with the foul smell of urine and alcohol. Walking up to the counter, I saw a drunken bartender.

"Wha—what's a clean-lookin' guy like you doin' in a place like this, huh?! You hear me? Or ya lookin' for some... fun, eh? Heh heh!" the foul man taunted.

"N-No, I'm here for the fights," I strongly replied, and no one could tell me otherwise.

"R-really, you? Ha! All right, Clean, this'll be... fun! C'mon, follow me!" He stumbled to the back, and I followed him through.

This'll be where I change my fate, huh?

'Or you'll die' Muramasa chimed in.