Humming Blade

A Humming Blade is a sophisticated armament developed and manufactured by Yamamoto Defense Industries for close-quarters combat. It uses the intensity of a swing to generate a potent, focused vibration down the length of the blade, adding to the severity of its cut. It is a favored weapon among Syndicate OpSec, CEOs, and Justicars. After multiple strikes, the vibrations make the blade white hot and allow it to cut through steel.

Shaped predominantly like an Uchigatana, albeit with a straighter length and more squared tip to make it somewhat more focused on chopping than slicing. The edge of the blade appears straight at first, but closer inspection reveals scallops inset into the blade, giving it a serrated effect once the vibrations are activated.

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Summary

Subtype / Model

Gravity Blade

Manufacturer

Yamamoto Defense Industries

Related Technologies

• Meissner Antigravity

In Combat

Even without the added benefit of its humming, the blade is incredibly sharp and cast whole from carbitanium alloy. When supplied with a charge, the sunmetal in the blade reacts with local gravitational fields, vibrating rapidly. The greater the charge, the faster the hum builds. The greater the gravitational force, the stronger the hum can be.

The hum does not last long if the blade is still, just a couple seconds. It is best to keep the blade moving with sweeping motions so that the hum is not lost. For this reason, the Humming Blade invites sweeping movements and misleading flourishes leaving up to critical strikes.

While the blade is best used offensively, the lingering hum of the blade may be used creatively in defense as well, though the applications are limited except against other swords and gravity blades—the latter of which Humming Blades were designed in direct response to.

Because the hum can reach great intensity, it is advised that wielders have a Cochlear Augment.

Creation

The Humming Blade was specifically made as a counter to the Gravity Blades of the ValuSelu Pact's elite Rajhska sword-gods.

Gravity blades emit a repulsive Meissner field, allowing them to parry projectiles such as ballistic slugs. A Humming Blade absorbs this force, turns it into charge, and can damage or even break a gravity blade on strike.

Kelvin Yamamoto's boots clicked against the ceramic tiles of the arboretum's plaza, blade in hand as he circled the sparring drone. Sweat dripped from his forehead; the arboretum was humid from the clouds of mist raining down from the sprinklers spanning its dome.

"Your heel, Kelvin." Jun Tran Yamamoto, a man of towering portions and tapering proportions, instructed his son from the sidelines with his arms crossed behind his back. His gaze was distant and unfocused, but followed a Synesthiesiac fulcrum positioned squarely between the two combatants, a center of mass calculated from the average of their own. As they moved, it moved, accentuating who could afford to drive the attack and who should remain reactive. Each time the pendulating force favored Kelvin, he telegraphed his shift to an attack stance by the way he planted his bracing heel.

Kelvin did not heed Jun. He drove forward, and as he swung his blade it awakened with a metallic humming. The drone seeing what Jun had seen, retreated into its backstep, forcing Kelvin to choose between overextending his strike and receding. When Kelvin chose the latter, the drone pressed its advantage, and Kelvin was forced to take steps in retreat as the bot swipped at him horizontally, diagonally, vertically, testing every weakness in his stance as its plain steel blade clanged harshly against Kelvin's Humming Blade.

Drones had their shortcomings, such as predictability, but they made up for it in speed. With each ringing strike of blade on blade, Kelvin's footwork became sloppier, easier to read and guide.

"Your blocking strikes are too short," Jun reminded his son. "The blade works best with momentum. Attack its strikes to parry and break its defense! Stop flailing in reaction, and act with determination."

Kelvin gritted his teeth. Jun watched as the fulcrum once more shifted into Kelvin's favor. Kelvin pressed with rapid, arcing flourishes. The blades hum climbed in intensity and clarity, ringing like a bell against the drone's guard. As with a drone, the tradeoff of Kelvin's predictability was his speed—though his feet telegraphed his attacks, his flurries came with the necessary intensity to build the power of the hum until—

—the sound alone could stun. The drone could not be stunned, but neither did it need to be. It lay on the floor, hand weakly pawing at the marble as its bisected halves struggled to coordinate. With a wave of Jun's hand, the drone became motionless, and he smiled proudly at his son.

"Excellent!" he exclaimed. "You have heard the cry of the Hunning Blade, and wielded its strength. Now, let's see if you can do that again."

Another drone stepped forward. More waited in line, silent and stoic in their duty.

"Begin!"