Sword of Courage

The Sword of Courage is a demigod-level broadsword recovered from maritime treasure and named during the Magician's appraisal. It grants courage, fire, defense, explosive attacks, and a powerful Cull, but progressively burns its bearer and replaces sound judgment with reckless aggression.

History

Recovery and appraisal

Lumian obtains the sword from treasure associated with the Blue Avenger and asks the Magician to appraise it. She identifies an Iron-blooded Knight characteristic at its core, names the item, and explains both its combat modes and the unusual need to seal it among at least thirty ordinary broadswords. She proposes using it as an artifact until the characteristic is needed for Lumian's potion, but that conversion does not occur in the supplied corpus. (Chapters 2178–2179)

Lumian's battles and transfer

Lumian carries it in the Traveler's Bag, which helps isolate its courage-inducing effect, and uses its flames, durability, and offensive force against high-level enemies. Its emotional influence is visible when combat confidence escalates toward dangerous recklessness. The blade remains useful even late in his advancement, including as a defense against a mirrored Alista Tudor. (Chapters 2183, 2204, and 2513)

Once Lumian's own level makes the weapon less useful, he transfers it to Franca and Jenna, dividing the ordinary sealing swords between them. Franca is the latest specifically shown carrying it inside a Traveler's Bag; the narrative does not establish that the underlying characteristic was ever extracted. (Chapter 2518)

Abilities and properties

• The bearer becomes courageous and resistant to fear, panic, or paralysis. The same effect suppresses caution and judgment, pushing the user toward reckless attacks and making external isolation or strict tactical discipline important. (Chapters 2178–2183)
• The blade is exceptionally sharp and durable, can block demigod-level attacks, spreads intense flames with every strike, and produces explosions on impact. It can absorb half the damage directed at its bearer, although a normally fatal attack still leaves the user gravely injured. (Chapter 2178)
• Its Iron-blooded Knight Cull costs roughly two-thirds of the user's spirituality. The attack is powerful but cannot be repeated casually, especially during a prolonged battle. (Chapter 2178)
• After being coated in a target's blood or scorching that target, it can be thrown from as far as five kilometers away. It homes like an artillery shell and can devastate an ordinary public square, but it does not automatically return to the thrower. (Chapter 2178)
• If left unsealed for about fifteen minutes, it begins attacking everyone indiscriminately. Proper sealing requires at least thirty ordinary broadswords as “companions”; its heat gradually melts them, so they must be inspected and replaced. Direct wear also inflicts progressively serious burns. (Chapters 2178–2179)

Ownership and custody