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Blade & Bastard Light Novel #3
BLADE & BASTARD, Volume 3: Return of The Hrathnir
Within the dungeon, a famous weapon is nothing more than a basic blade. Even a broadsword that’s gutted a dragon can be reduced to shattered steel. Devastated, Garbage seeks out a replacement for her beloved sword…but what weapon could possibly match her? An old blade, sharp as diamond—the return of a legend. As ever, the dungeon’s maw yawns wide to swallow foolhardy adventurers, and Iarumas’s party continues to delve for treasure, for corpses, and for answers. One day, a member of Raraja’s former clan catches up to him and dangles a tantalizing proposition: in exchange for clues about the rhea girl’s whereabouts, Raraja must go into the dungeon alone. What could await him but a dark, lonely death? What awaits Garbage but a jagged, broken sword? And what slumbering legends might awaken in the blackest depths of the dungeon?
- GenresLight Novel
175 pages, ebook
First published December 8, 2023
2 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 9, 2024
The world of Blade & Bastard is brutal and unforgiving. You can either get caight up in the fact that it does not meet modern sentiments or revel in its unforgiving nature of a world ruled by barbarity, spite and indifference. Regardless, it is hard to argue that Kagyu is not one of the best in the LN genre.
January 17, 2026
Three books in, and yeah, I’m comfortable saying this is a legit series.
What Blade & Bastard does exceptionally well, starting from the first volume and continuing here, is worldbuilding without the usual fantasy infodump nonsense. The world is explained through action, consequence, and lived experience instead of paragraphs of lore that stop the story cold. The game mechanics are present, but they don’t feel bolted on. They’re part of the fabric of the setting. HP, stamina, injuries, exhaustion. All of it actually affects how characters think, fight, and make decisions.
One of the smartest choices the series makes is skipping explicit level-ups and stat sheets entirely. Characters don’t wake up with glowing numbers floating in the air. They realize they’ve gotten stronger because things that used to be impossible suddenly aren’t. Growth comes through experience, not UI pop-ups, and it keeps everything grounded in sane, understandable rules.
By Volume 3, Return of the Hrathnir, you can really feel the author shoring up the internal logic of the world. Even before later volumes spell things out explicitly, the story is already answering the kinds of questions that usually break fantasy settings. The classic “why hasn’t anyone just done X” problem. The way challenges are structured, the risks involved, and the cost of failure all point toward a world that actively resists shortcuts instead of conveniently ignoring them.
The main character does share DNA with Goblin Slayer. The mannerisms, the mindset, the approach to danger. That’s not a knock. It makes sense, considering the same author is behind both. The important part is that he isn’t just another Goblin Slayer in a different coat of paint. He’s shaped by this world’s rules, not borrowing his identity wholesale.
If you’ve made it this far into Blade & Bastard, you already know what kind of story this is. Volume 3 doesn’t try to reinvent the ride. It reinforces why it works, and it does the quiet groundwork that pays off later. That kind of restraint is rare, and it’s why this series keeps feeling solid instead of flimsy.
What Blade & Bastard does exceptionally well, starting from the first volume and continuing here, is worldbuilding without the usual fantasy infodump nonsense. The world is explained through action, consequence, and lived experience instead of paragraphs of lore that stop the story cold. The game mechanics are present, but they don’t feel bolted on. They’re part of the fabric of the setting. HP, stamina, injuries, exhaustion. All of it actually affects how characters think, fight, and make decisions.
One of the smartest choices the series makes is skipping explicit level-ups and stat sheets entirely. Characters don’t wake up with glowing numbers floating in the air. They realize they’ve gotten stronger because things that used to be impossible suddenly aren’t. Growth comes through experience, not UI pop-ups, and it keeps everything grounded in sane, understandable rules.
By Volume 3, Return of the Hrathnir, you can really feel the author shoring up the internal logic of the world. Even before later volumes spell things out explicitly, the story is already answering the kinds of questions that usually break fantasy settings. The classic “why hasn’t anyone just done X” problem. The way challenges are structured, the risks involved, and the cost of failure all point toward a world that actively resists shortcuts instead of conveniently ignoring them.
The main character does share DNA with Goblin Slayer. The mannerisms, the mindset, the approach to danger. That’s not a knock. It makes sense, considering the same author is behind both. The important part is that he isn’t just another Goblin Slayer in a different coat of paint. He’s shaped by this world’s rules, not borrowing his identity wholesale.
If you’ve made it this far into Blade & Bastard, you already know what kind of story this is. Volume 3 doesn’t try to reinvent the ride. It reinforces why it works, and it does the quiet groundwork that pays off later. That kind of restraint is rare, and it’s why this series keeps feeling solid instead of flimsy.
November 22, 2024
In the third book of the series, Iarumas and his party venture deeper into the dangerous dungeon, facing new trials and uncovering ancient secrets. Their journey brings them face-to-face with powerful foes, including the monstrous Hrathnir. The story is filled with twists and turns, keeping you on the edge of your seat as the mystery of the rhea girl and the return of the Hrathnir unfolds.
Throughout their adventure, the characters grapple with their pasts and make difficult choices, leading to personal growth and development. The battles are intense and vividly described, showcasing both the characters' skills and the brutal nature of their world. While the pacing may vary at times, the overall narrative remains engaging.
Throughout their adventure, the characters grapple with their pasts and make difficult choices, leading to personal growth and development. The battles are intense and vividly described, showcasing both the characters' skills and the brutal nature of their world. While the pacing may vary at times, the overall narrative remains engaging.
March 21, 2024
Yeah Kagyu completely loses the good writing he had just to sexulize the female characters. Including a scene with Sarah naked for absolutely NO REASON considering the leader of that party was Sezmar and it is HE who should show up naked.
CW: Goerz goes full on rapist because men don't know how to write evil men without "I'm gonna rape all the women". Even though he was doing a good job in the books before.
That being said the only praise I can give it is that it does continue to somehow avert expectations with the female characters. Even though he has to add a dash of "You were doing so well until you wrote that."
I will not be buying book 4 when it comes out.
CW: Goerz goes full on rapist because men don't know how to write evil men without "I'm gonna rape all the women". Even though he was doing a good job in the books before.
That being said the only praise I can give it is that it does continue to somehow avert expectations with the female characters. Even though he has to add a dash of "You were doing so well until you wrote that."
I will not be buying book 4 when it comes out.
December 24, 2025
Garbage is on a quest for a new sword since her old sword broke. But nothing she is finding suits. So she is hunting until she finds it. Meanwhile, Raraja is also on a quest of sorts. His old clan is offering clues to the whereabouts of the rhea girl he is interested in. But Raraja need to quest in the dungeon alone for the keys to particular doors. And then there is one of the annoying amulet-wielding priest manipulating events again. So the whole party gets involved. Fun times indeed with plenty of action. Looking forward to the next volume!
P.S. Garbage does manage to lay her greedy hands on a sword that suits!
P.S. Garbage does manage to lay her greedy hands on a sword that suits!
January 5, 2025
Don’t read this series if you are uncomfortable or do not like any of the things I’m going to mention in the next few sentences. These are all both directly and indirectly mentioned throughout, sometimes repetitively. Abuse and harassment including physical, mental, emotional and sexual. Misogynistic statements, including unnecessarily sexualizing female characters and their common gestures as well as degradation. And likely many more, that I may have missed so maybe, just avoid this series if you aren’t planning to read it only for the mystery or underdeveloped action scenes.
Now I understand that this is a depraved world and the author is trying to paint this world, its characters and their personalities. However, repeatedly mentioning the same things as well as the abuse to happen to primarily female characters at practically every chance, can only be overlooked so many times. There isn’t even any acknowledgement or repercussions for these instances which only makes it worse.
So why am I still reading this series? Good question. At first, I was interested in both Garbage and Iarumus’ unknown backgrounds. However now, I’m only looking forward to knowing Iarumus’ past. Garbage’s past has been heavily hinted at since volume two and with the details found in this volume it’s becoming a pretty common trope found in action stories. It’s good, but not interesting enough to keep me reading a book with so many red flags.
Looking back, the series started with Iarumus’ mysterious entrance into existence, followed by his questionable choice of work in the dungeons. He was a character always shrouded in mystery with an air of strength comparable to some of the strongest faring the dungeons. However as the series progresses we are no closer to figuring out his past. Iarumus’ character is greatly underwhelmed in this volume, as the story focuses on other characters and most of Iarumus’ fights are either excluded or shortened. Surprisingly, the story changes perspectives multiple times to accomplish this.
This volume focuses on a past related to Raraja and the expansion of Garbage’s origins. Frankly speaking, Raraja’s story isn’t very interesting but it does depict the overall character growth of each character in Iarumus’ party. Garbage’s origins are no surprise given her inhuman strength, but I wish someone would teach her how to talk and act somewhat like a human. There are also growing undertones of romance which are currently not a huge influence on the story.
Overall, this was a volume that serves to depict some character growth, add a new character to the party and progress Garbage’s backstory. It probably could have been avoided but hey, everyone deserves a chance to fully express their origins and explain why they are venturing into the dungeons.
Read more reviews @ Mystic's Review Shelf
Now I understand that this is a depraved world and the author is trying to paint this world, its characters and their personalities. However, repeatedly mentioning the same things as well as the abuse to happen to primarily female characters at practically every chance, can only be overlooked so many times. There isn’t even any acknowledgement or repercussions for these instances which only makes it worse.
So why am I still reading this series? Good question. At first, I was interested in both Garbage and Iarumus’ unknown backgrounds. However now, I’m only looking forward to knowing Iarumus’ past. Garbage’s past has been heavily hinted at since volume two and with the details found in this volume it’s becoming a pretty common trope found in action stories. It’s good, but not interesting enough to keep me reading a book with so many red flags.
Looking back, the series started with Iarumus’ mysterious entrance into existence, followed by his questionable choice of work in the dungeons. He was a character always shrouded in mystery with an air of strength comparable to some of the strongest faring the dungeons. However as the series progresses we are no closer to figuring out his past. Iarumus’ character is greatly underwhelmed in this volume, as the story focuses on other characters and most of Iarumus’ fights are either excluded or shortened. Surprisingly, the story changes perspectives multiple times to accomplish this.
This volume focuses on a past related to Raraja and the expansion of Garbage’s origins. Frankly speaking, Raraja’s story isn’t very interesting but it does depict the overall character growth of each character in Iarumus’ party. Garbage’s origins are no surprise given her inhuman strength, but I wish someone would teach her how to talk and act somewhat like a human. There are also growing undertones of romance which are currently not a huge influence on the story.
Overall, this was a volume that serves to depict some character growth, add a new character to the party and progress Garbage’s backstory. It probably could have been avoided but hey, everyone deserves a chance to fully express their origins and explain why they are venturing into the dungeons.
Read more reviews @ Mystic's Review Shelf
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews