"Are you okay? How do you feel!" Tanjiro knelt down, looking concernedly at Kotetsu.
Kotetsu shoved Tanjiro aside, glaring at the figure behind the doll. "Let go of me! I won't give the key to anyone! Even if you torture me, I won't give it up! If it's used one more time, it's going to break!"
Muichiro Tokito slowly lifted his gaze to Kotetsu. His eyes remained devoid of any warmth. "Have you ever undergone torture training? Even adults can't withstand it. Do you really think a child like you could?"
"Besides, if it breaks, we can just make another one."
"Do you have any idea how many people die in the time you spend prattling on?"
"You are wasting a Hashira's time. Do you realize how valuable a Hashira's time is?"
"Aside from making weapons, you swordsmiths can achieve nothing."
"Hand over the key. Before you act, know your place. You're not a three-year-old child anymore." Muichiro looked down at him, his tone leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.
Aoi Kazama decided he had gone too far. She slapped Muichiro's outstretched hand away, striking with enough force that her own palm stung.
She glared into Muichiro's eyes, her voice trembling slightly with suppressed rage. "Muichiro Tokito! That is way too far! What's wrong with being a swordsmith? Without them, what would you use to slay demons? How would you protect humanity?!"
"Swordsmen and smiths need each other!"
Having his hand slapped away, Muichiro lifted his eyes slightly, a flicker of irritation at being disturbed crossing his features.
He glanced at Aoi, and in the next second, he simply grabbed her by the wrist and turned to walk away, dragging her behind him.
Tanjiro tried to intervene, but Muichiro knocked him out with a backhand strike.
"Tanjiro!"
Aoi struggled. "Let go! What do you think you're doing!"
Muichiro didn't speak; he simply quickened his pace.
"You aren't planning on killing me to silence me, are you!"
"Killing you to silence you?" he repeated softly. "I have no such tedious intentions at the moment."
Aoi looked at Muichiro's tense profile and pressed further. "Then where exactly are you taking me? You can't just drag me along forever, can you?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
Aoi was rendered momentarily speechless. Her struggles weakened slightly, replaced by a touch of exasperated amusement. "So, the whole point of dragging me away from there was just because you didn't want to hear me talk? Muichiro Tokito, you are far too awkward for your own good."
"Awkward?"
He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Aoi. Suddenly, he reached out and pinched Aoi's cheek.
"You... what are you doing!" Aoi snapped back to reality, slapping his hand away, a mix of shame and annoyance flushing her face.
"Nice texture..." he muttered, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing together as if savoring the sensation.
"Ridiculous!"
Aoi wrenched her hand free and turned to run back the way they came.
Ugh, how embarrassing! I actually got my cheek pinched by a kid!
On the other side of the clearing, Tanjiro was locked in combat with the mechanical doll. Having just woken up from being knocked out, he was still slightly dizzy. The Nichirin Sword in his hand barely managed to block a sweeping strike from the doll's iron arm, the force sending a stinging vibration through the webbing of his thumb and forefinger.
Tanjiro grit his teeth, staggering back two steps as the breath was forced from his lungs.
But the mechanical doll gave him no chance to breathe. With the harsh click-clack of metal joints, six iron arms swung upward simultaneously, hurtling down toward his head with the force of a gale.
After a grueling series of maneuvers, he finally managed to slice off the doll's head.
Suddenly, a sword revealed itself within the doll's chest cavity. Tanjiro stared at the scene, utterly dumbfounded.
"That sword must be over three hundred years old," Kotetsu remarked in shock.
"Yeah, this blade is definitely something special. What do we do!" Tanjiro's face was red with excitement.
"Tanjiro-go, aren't you distressed right now because no one will forge a sword for you? Why not just take this one and use it."
"No, no, no, how could I do that!" Tanjiro shook his head frantically.
"The quality of Sengoku-era steel is amazing!" Kotetsu said, flailing his arms with enthusiasm.
"It's just too inappropriate!"
"What is inappropriate?" Aoi Kazama happened to overhear Tanjiro's words as she returned.
"Tanjiro-go found an ancient sword inside the body of this doll. Since he doesn't have a Nichirin Sword to use right now, I wanted him to take it," Kotetsu explained.
"Why don't you draw it first and have a look," Aoi suggested, looking at them.
"Eh, okay!"
Tanjiro carefully drew the sword, only to find it entirely covered in thick iron rust. "Aw, it's rusted through."
Tanjiro slumped to the ground in disappointment. Kotetsu patted his back in consolation. "It's only natural! After all, it hasn't been maintained for three hundred years, and no one found it before now."
"I'm sorry, I got your hopes up for nothing!"
"It's okay, I don't mind," Tanjiro said with a strained smile, tears streaming uncontrollably from his eyes.
"Tanjiro-go, Tanjiro-go, I'm sorry!" Kotetsu panicked, reaching out to wipe the tears from Tanjiro's face.
Seeing Tanjiro like this, Aoi walked over and offered a gentle consolidation. "It's all right, Tanjiro. At worst, it just needs to be re-forged."
Before the words had even left her mouth, the sound of heavy footsteps drifted from the distant bushes.
The three of them stared warily at the spot. A large man with a heavily muscled, shirtless torso stepped slowly from behind the shrubbery. He wore the standard Swordsmith Village mask, obscuring his features.
Tanjiro was startled. "Who are you? Haganezuka-san?"
"I heard everything. Leave the rest to me," the man said in a low, slow voice.
"Leave what to you!" Kotetsu questioned from the side.
Haganezuka gripped the sword in Tanjiro's hand and pulled it toward himself. "Hand the sword over to me."
"Let go! Why are you trying to steal it!" Tanjiro and Haganezuka instantly began a game of tug-of-war. The rusted ancient blade grated within their grips, making a harsh, shrieking sound.
"Just hand it over!"
"I came here specifically to see Haganezuka-san! Where have you been!" Tanjiro demanded, his eyes red as he gripped the hilt tightly, pulling back with all his might.
Haganezuka froze for a moment, not answering the question.
Aoi seized the opportunity to kick him away. Haganezuka staggered under the blow, but he didn't loosen his grip on the sword. With a powerful tug, he yanked Tanjiro and Kotetsu to the ground.
"You really don't act like an adult!"
Just then, Kozo Kanamori appeared behind Haganezuka. "Young men, Haganezuka's weakness is his armpits."
With that, Kanamori reached out and began tickling his armpits.
Haganezuka's entire body stiffened, and the strength in his grip instantly vanished. As if someone had struck his funny bone, he crouched on the ground, clutching his armpits and groaning. The ancient sword fell to the ground beside his feet with a loud clang.
Kanamori explained to the three of them, "Actually, Haganezuka-san has been secluded, training intensely to improve his forging techniques. So that you wouldn't die in battle, he wanted to forge an even better Nichirin Sword for you. He just won't admit it."
"For me." Tanjiro was immediately filled with joy.