"Is this the Swordsmith Village?"
With his blindfold removed, Tanjiro Kamado adjusted to the light, his face full of curiosity as he looked at the village before him.
"Take a sniff with your nose, Tanjiro. The answer is in the air."
Suzuki Makoto, of course, didn't need a blindfold, but rules were rules. So even though he had brought Tanjiro along, the boy had been blindfolded and carried all the way by the Kakushi.
The boy took a deep breath. The scent of fire, the scent of the sun, the scent of sulfur, and... the one scent he could never forget, the scent of burning coal.
As the two entered the Swordsmith Village, a villager wearing a Hyottoko mask came to greet them.
"Are you Lord Suzuki Makoto and Corps member Tanjiro Kamado?"
"Yes."
"The village chief has been informed of your purpose for visiting the Swordsmith Village. He asked me to wait here and lead you to him as guests immediately."
"Please lead the way."
At the edge of the Swordsmith Village was the chief's residence. Tecchin Tecchikawahara, the chief of the Swordsmith Village, was already waiting for them.
"Lord Suzuki, and young Kamado, welcome to the Swordsmith Village."
"Thank you for your warm hospitality, Chief."
After the pleasantries, the conversation went straight to the point.
"The Master sent a message ahead, saying that Lord Suzuki has considerable experience in aura sensing and discovered that the power of the Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand seems to be related to temperature. Is that why you've come to the village to investigate?"
"Yes. I referenced past records about the Crimson Red Blades. After all, the techniques of the Swordsmith Village shouldn't have been lost over so many years. Logically, it should be impossible for the Crimson Red Blades that existed in the past to be impossible to replicate now. That's why I want to directly observe the forging process and find the reason."
The chief nodded repeatedly.
"Indeed, the village is also at a loss about this. It's not just me; every swordsmith is deeply troubled by the loss of the Crimson Red Blade technique. Everyone has desperately honed their forging skills, yet the most powerful blade has been lost to time. Please rest assured, Lord Suzuki. Every single person in the Swordsmith Village will actively cooperate with all your requests."
"My thanks in advance."
With the main issue addressed, the atmosphere of the conversation lightened. Suzuki Makoto looked at Tanjiro, who was happily eating Karinto on the side.
"Chief, I'm here to ask Mr. Haganezuka to forge a new sword for me."
"Ah, you mean Hotaru? That kid has gone missing recently. We're looking for him too, so please be a little more patient."
"Hotaru?"
Tanjiro Kamado thought back to the swordsmith uncle who delivered his blade, his head full of question marks.
"That name... is so cute."
"Right? That boy was so cute when he was little. I was the one who gave him that name. But then he complained it was too cute and even got mad at me."
No, if you give a name like that to Mr. Haganezuka, I think getting mad is understandable.
"Hahaha, Mr. Haganezuka is so angry because it's all my fault. I'm the one who always gets my swords chipped and now I'm asking for a different kind of sword..."
"No, it's that boy's fault—to make a sword that can't withstand the trials of battle, that can't even meet the user's needs, that little brat just needs a good beating."
The chief's voice turned grim.
"Rest assured, young Kamado. Once we find him, we'll drag him back."
"Please... don't be too rough with him."
Listening to the dialogue, which sounded like a manzai comedy routine, Suzuki Makoto couldn't help but laugh.
Perhaps only a conversation between two pure-hearted individuals could have such a simple and innocent charm.
"I hear you're still injured. The hot springs in our village have certain restorative and healing properties. Please be sure to get a good rest. Lord Suzuki, you must try them too. All the Hashira sing the praises of our hot springs."
"Of course, I'm looking forward to it."
Night fell. Suzuki Makoto got out of the hot spring bath and stretched comfortably.
While it wasn't as exaggerated as the villager who led them here described—a cure for all ailments—the hot springs were indeed very comfortable. He heard there was also a sake hot spring, which was the real specialty here.
"Tanjiro, how do you feel?"
"It feels great. Nezuko likes it too."
His sister, holding his hand, happily raised her other hand in agreement with her brother.
"No wonder the Hashira like to come here. It really is comfortable."
"Yeah, I heard the Love Hashira is coming tomorrow, and the Mist Hashira too!"
Tanjiro Kamado was already demonstrating his superb social skills, having gathered all sorts of information.
The Love Hashira is that... girl who radiates an aura of muscle? It's not strange that she'd like hot springs, but that kid Muichiro Tokito likes to come to hot springs too?
Suzuki Makoto rubbed his chin, quickly putting the thought out of his mind.
"Tanjiro, your injuries haven't healed yet. It shouldn't take the chief and the others long to find Hotaru Haganezuka. For the next few days, just focus on resting and recovering here."
"Yes, sir! I'll recover as quickly as possible, at least to the point where I can resume training!"
Tanjiro Kamado wasn't the type to think about slacking off. He was currently worried that he couldn't resume training yet.
The next day, Suzuki Makoto woke up early. Without waking Tanjiro, he ate breakfast alone and then went to the village's forges to observe.
The swordsmiths of the Swordsmith Village all knew Suzuki Makoto's purpose for being there, so none of them refused his observation. Instead, they focused intently on the sword blanks before them.
Suzuki Makoto walked past several forges. Just the rich scent of the sun, so dense it was almost tangible, was proof enough that the power of the Nichirin Blades was indeed related to temperature.
He stood beside a sword blank that was already being quenched, watching the entire process as the red-hot blade was taken from the furnace, hissed as it entered the cold water, and finally cooled down.
The unique aura of the Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand went from surging to restrained, eventually becoming the same as a regular Nichirin Blade.
"Is this a finished Nichirin Blade?"
"Yes, it is."
"Do you mind if I reheat it?"
The swordsmith was puzzled but nodded. The chief had said they must cooperate with whatever Suzuki Makoto requested.
He picked up the finished Nichirin Blade, put it back into the furnace, and worked the bellows.
But before the Nichirin Blade could be heated to its melting point, Suzuki Makoto snatched it from the furnace with lightning speed.
The swordsmith stopped, looking at Suzuki Makoto with confusion. The man stared at the Nichirin Blade in front of him, his brow slightly furrowed.
It was true that the Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand could be made more powerful by increasing its temperature, but this increase didn't seem sufficient to create a Crimson Red Blade like those described in the old records. At the very least, he saw none of the expected external characteristics of a Crimson Red Blade on this sword.
As for heating it further... that was impossible, because no one could fight a demon while holding a sword that was about to melt.
_____
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