Near dusk.
The sky was dyed with intoxicating sunset glow.
"…Mm, it should be here." Baal put down the map in her hand and looked up at the volcano not far away. "As expected of a blacksmith who forges Demon Weapons, he actually lives in a volcano."
"…"
Beside her, Kikyo also looked at the smoking volcano, as if remembering something, and whispered to Baal.
"It is said that skilled blacksmiths are good at using the power of earth fire to forge weapons. Legend has it that Gan Jiang and Mo Xie were also weapons forged by earth fire."
"Mm, it seems this blacksmith's forging skills must be very strong." Baal's beautiful eyes showed a look of hope, and she nervously pursed her cherry lips. "I hope the blacksmith is an easygoing… Demon."
"…Don't worry, I'll help you."
Kikyo seemed to perceive the girl's inner tension, and gently comforted her, then walked calmly towards the volcano.
"Wait for me… don't walk so fast."
Baal gently blinked her beautiful eyes, a gentle smile appearing, and quickened her pace to catch up with Kikyo.
Even she had to admit one thing, which was that even though Kikyo might be a little younger than her.
However, she unexpectedly gave people a very reliable feeling.
After some time.
"Is anyone home? I'm here to… request a weapon to be forged?"
Baal stood in front of a giant skull, which belonged to an unknown Demon, and called out loudly.
"Please… do come out and meet us."
"…"
Silence.
No one answered.
"…"
Baal and Kikyo exchanged glances, hesitating whether to knock or push the door open and enter.
"Coming! At this time… someone is still knocking on the door!"
The dilapidated wooden door opened.
An old man with eyes as big as light bulbs, holding a long iron hammer, walked out. His wrinkled face was tipsy, and he looked at the uninvited guests outside the door.
Then, he quickly fell silent.
"Sorry, Totosai… isn't home. You'd better go back!"
With that, he immediately tried to close the door and send them away, but the door that should have closed was caught by a slender hand.
"Don't worry, we're not… bad people!" Baal held the door tightly with her slender hand, her smile as gentle as possible. "We really just came to request a weapon to be forged."
"…"
Totosai twitched his mouth, looking at the purple-haired girl and the cold Miko. He had also heard that during this time, there was a purple-haired deity and a Miko of extraordinary strength, hunting down powerful Demons everywhere.
And these two at his door… should be the rumored individuals themselves.
"…I haven't killed anyone, nor have I done anything bad. I'm just a poor old man, just a small Demon who helps Totosai with odd jobs."
His voice suddenly became sorrowful, and he wiped the corners of his eyes with his sleeve, looking utterly pathetic.
"So, please… don't kill me."
"…So that's how it is!" Baal's expression showed understanding, then a half-smile. "However, that's fine too."
She reached out and patted Totosai's shoulder.
"Then you can help us forge the weapon."
"No, I… don't know how to forge weapons." Totosai quickly shook his head, his wrinkled face bitter. "Only Lord Totosai has the ability to forge weapons."
"…"
Baal's smile became even gentler, and the hand on Totosai's shoulder tightened, her voice becoming even softer.
"It's okay, just go ahead and forge the weapon."
"What if… it's not forged well?"
Totosai asked with a troubled expression.
Many Demons had come to forcibly demand him to forge Demon Swords, but so far, no Demon had been able to force him to forge a sword against his will.
Even if he agreed… it was only to find an opportunity to escape.
"It's okay, I believe in Master Totosai's strength." Baal released her hand from Totosai's shoulder, a sweet and charming smile appearing. "If even Totosai can't forge a Demon Sword, then no one can."
"…Ha, alright."
Totosai seemed to sigh helplessly, opening the door again and turning to walk inside. He seemed to have given up on hiding his identity.
Baal and Kikyo exchanged glances, then followed him into the house.
Inside this giant skull-shaped house, all the equipment a blacksmith should have was arranged, whether it was bellows, a furnace, hammers, chains, and so on.
The aura of a seasoned blacksmith… almost assailed them.
"Why did you come to me to forge a weapon?" Totosai found a stool and sat down, scratching his head in distress. "I can't forge divine artifacts, nor am I good at forging magical artifacts for Miko."
"I want to ask you to forge a Demon Sword." Baal gently shook her head, her voice revealing sincerity. "You don't need to forge divine artifacts or magical artifacts."
"Ah… even Demon Swords aren't forged casually." Totosai raised his hand and picked at his ear, showing a disdainful and pompous expression. "If there are no suitable materials, I also have no way to forge a Demon Sword."
He planned to trick these two into leaving. When they went to find materials, he would immediately move and disappear without a trace.
He was already very skilled at this kind of thing.
"…The materials are already prepared."
Baal gently raised her head, took out the materials from her system space, and neatly placed them in front of Totosai.
"Ah, you're very well-behaved."
Totosai twitched his mouth, briefly examined the materials the girl took out, and his expression gradually became serious.
"Where did you get these material combinations from?"
As a blacksmith with excellent memory, he had an extraordinary understanding of material quality and combinations.
And the materials the girl took out… were overly sufficient.
These were definitely not materials that an amateur could acquire. Those materials were the most valuable parts from powerful Demons.
Moreover, these materials combined… were very compatible.
"…"
Baal subconsciously glanced at Kikyo beside her, after all, even if Kikyo only took the parts she took from the Demons.
However, a little thought revealed that this was not the case.
"It's a combination obtained from Yakumo Yukari…"
With that, she took out a map from her system space and directly handed it to Totosai for inspection.
"…"
Totosai took the map, looked at it repeatedly, and then, with his light-bulb-sized eyes, he stared at Baal with a strange and serious expression and asked:
"What is your relationship with Yakumo Yukari…?!"
"…"
A regretful expression appeared on Baal's delicate and pretty face. Why did these Youkai always ask about her relationship with Yakumo Yukari?
"Hmm, it's a very complicated relationship… hard to explain in a short time."
She explained as if giving up on treatment.
"Hmm… so it's a second-generation Youkai?" Totosai stroked his chin beard, revealing an expression that said, 'I understand.' "Even the Youkai Sage Yakumo Yukari came to ask me to forge a weapon… What an honor."
"…"
Baal fell silent for a moment, then asked faintly:
"So, are you willing to help forge the Youkai Blade now?"
Sand sculpture picture.jpg