Chapter 30: Nichirin Blade
"Dinner's ready, children."
"Coming!"
Just as a strange, heavy silence had fallen over the four of them, Urokodaki Sakonji's call shattered the deadlock.
After the meal, Akira's Kasugai Crow finally returned. He had just completed the "arduous" task of naming the bird 'Ink Shadow' and had immediately sent it to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters. The matter of the Hand Demon needed to be reported directly to Ubuyashiki Kagaya.
It wasn't the kind of issue that could be discussed openly at the end of the Final Selection. If word leaked, it could damage Kagaya's credibility among the new recruits. But it couldn't be left unsaid, either. Otherwise, the Master of the Corps might continue to believe that the security flaws Akira had pointed out were merely theoretical possibilities.
While no one wished for such a tragedy, the problem had now surfaced, and it was Kagaya's responsibility as the leader to find a solution.
Of course, in his message, Akira had also included the request for his Nichirin Blade that he'd forgotten to mention earlier. He had never been fond of standard katanas; the curve of the blade felt awkward in his hands. He much preferred the straight-bladed style of the Tang dao from the memories of his past life.
Now, Ink Shadow had returned bearing Kagaya's reply, along with a separate letter of apology addressed to Urokodaki Sakonji. Factoring out the crow's travel time, nearly a full day and night had passed. The delay was a clear sign of how deeply the matter had troubled Kagaya, filling him with self-reproach.
His letter also proposed a feasible solution.
Henceforth, during each Final Selection, two Cultivators or two currently unassigned swordsmen of the Kinoe rank or higher would serve as proctors. Their duties would be to intervene and save participants when necessary, as well as to grade the recruits assigned to them, providing a reference for the final results. At the conclusion of the trial, the results would be announced on the spot, allowing any objections to be raised and resolved then and there.
It wasn't a perfect system, but it was a significant step toward preventing the failures of the Final Selection from ever happening again.
...
In the days that followed, Akira settled into a routine of living and training alongside Urokodaki and his three disciples.
Since Akira had already mastered Total Concentration: Constant and Makomo had passed her trial on Mount Fujikasane, neither of them participated in the grueling physical and reaction training. That particular regimen—which had once inspired Jigoro Kuwajima—involved a frantic race to the treacherous summit of Mount Sagiri and back down, all while handling a gauntlet of traps and mechanisms carefully prepared by Urokodaki.
Though Giyuu and Sabito were exceptionally talented, they had only just begun practicing their Breathing Techniques. They would return from every session in a truly pathetic state, bruised, scraped, and gasping for air. For Akira and Makomo, watching the two boys stumble through their daily ordeal became a source of quiet entertainment.
Meanwhile, Akira's proficiency with Water Breathing steadily improved, and he slowly began to find new inspiration for refining his Thunder Breathing.
Nearly half a month passed since the end of the Final Selection. At long last, the Nichirin Blades that Akira and Makomo had been so eagerly awaiting were delivered by a figure wearing a distinctive Hyottoko mask, who had climbed all the way up Mount Sagiri.
After Akira and Makomo welcomed the swordsmith into the small cabin, the man began to speak as he presented the wrapped blades.
"My name is Haganezuka Hotaru. I am the swordsmith who forged the blade for the Demon Slayer, Kanzaki Akira. As for this blade," he said, indicating the other, "it was personally crafted by our village chief, Tecchin Tecchikawahara, for Urokodaki Makomo."
"The Nichirin Blade is made of..."
Haganezuka launched into a detailed explanation of the materials and forging process. Akira had no idea what use this information was to a pair of laymen like himself and Makomo, but it seemed to be a mandatory part of the ceremony, so he listened patiently, treating it as a story.
He had to admit, it was a good one. Hearing about how the Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore were gathered from a mountain bathed in sunlight year-round, imbuing the blade with the power of the sun to slay demons, and how it was folded countless times during forging, was certainly captivating.
Akira was also somewhat surprised that this particular swordsmith had been the one to forge his blade. He made a quiet vow to treat his new weapon with the utmost care; the last thing he wanted was to be hunted down by a man who valued his creations as much as his own life.
'Only... for Makomo's blade to be made by the village chief himself...'Akira mused.'Could it be because he heard she was a beautiful girl?'
While Akira was lost in his thoughts, Haganezuka finished his scripted speech. Now came the part both he and Makomo had been waiting for.
"Now, please unsheathe your Nichirin Blades," the swordsmith urged, his voice trembling with anticipation. "Allow me to witness the sacred moment of the color change."
When a Nichirin Blade is drawn for the first time by its owner, the blade changes color according to the user's aptitude and Breathing Style. Even among swordsmen who practice the same technique, the exact hue can have subtle differences. Akira had seen Jigoro Kuwajima's blade before; the brilliant yellow lightning patterns that adorned it were striking, perfectly matching the crackling aura that enveloped his master when he used Thunder Breathing.
With hearts full of anticipation, Akira and Makomo each drew their new swords.
It had to be said, Haganezuka's craftsmanship was truly top-tier. Working from nothing more than a textual description, he had perfectly recreated the Tang dao style Akira had requested. The blade was perfectly straight, its edge only angling sharply near the tip to meet the spine.
Under Akira's expectant gaze, the steel began to transform. Starting from the hilt, a pure white lightning pattern crept slowly toward the tip, spreading across the surface until the entire blade seemed to be wreathed in captive electricity.
"A pure white blade... a color I have never seen before," Haganezuka breathed, his voice filled with reverent admiration. "And these lightning patterns... truly beautiful..." He seemed immensely pleased with how the sword he had forged had turned out.
Akira was more than satisfied with his Nichirin Blade's appearance. He turned his attention to the sword in Makomo's hands.
Her blade had already completed its transformation. The entire length had turned a deep water-blue, the standard color for a user of Water Breathing. But as Akira looked closer, he noticed that the blue held a faint, almost imperceptible hint of green, like the color of a deep, clear spring. It wasn't a pure azure.
Makomo, however, was delighted with her sword. She examined it from every angle for a long moment before her gaze shifted to the blade in Akira's hand.
"Oh, Akira, your blade is so special..." she murmured, her eyes wide with wonder. Both its style and its color were unlike anything she had ever seen.
"Yours is very beautiful, too," he replied with a soft smile.
"Alright, the blades have been delivered, and my task is complete," Haganezuka announced, his tone brisk once more. "It is time for me to leave. I hope you will both cherish the swords in your hands and slay many demons. I wish you success in battle."
"Goodbye, Mr. Haganezuka."
Following the delivery of the swords came their uniforms. They were woven from a special fiber, said to be durable enough to withstand the claws of weaker demons without tearing. The design featured tightened cuffs, pant legs, and a high collar, but the rest of the garment was relatively loose, and the fabric's excellent elasticity ensured it wouldn't hinder movement in the slightest.
At Akira's request, his uniform was a stark, pure black, emblazoned with the character for "Destroy" (滅) on the back. The buttons on the front were engraved with the character for "Kinoe" (甲), signifying his current rank as a Kinoe-class swordsman.
Makomo's uniform was the conventional dark brown, with the same "Destroy" character on the back and "Kinoe" rank on her buttons.
From the modest cut of her uniform, Akira deduced that the glasses-wearing, "fan service"-loving tailor from the original story had not yet joined the Corps. That was for the best. The idea of female Demon Slayers fighting in somewhat revealing outfits just didn't sit right with him, no matter how he thought about it.
With their equipment finally assembled, their first mission followed immediately.
"Matsuda Village! Matsuda Village!" a crow cawed from above. "Suspected traces of a demon discovered! Kinoe-rank swordsmen Kanzaki Akira and Urokodaki Makomo are to investigate! Go investigate!"
"Well, the easy days are over," Akira said, stretching his arms over his head. He turned to look at Makomo, who was standing beside him, a bright smile on her face.
"To be assigned our very first mission together... How lucky," she chirped. "In that case, please take good care of me, Akira~"
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