From that night onward, Tetsu no Sosuke didn't rest.
He wasn't sure what he was clinging to. Perhaps it was just the fleeting glimpse he'd caught in the hot spring? Or maybe it was his refusal to let something beautiful—a beautiful person—be destroyed by that thing?
Whatever the reason, he had made his decision.
He would wage a solitary battle against something indescribable, a battle only he knew existed.
With the forging hammer in his hand, he would turn the impossible into reality.
This was the swordsmith's true battle.
And then... in the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
The Nichirin Blade was fully repaired.
The temperature control scale had been crucial during the restoration.
The visual gauge allowed him to maintain the perfect heat—not a degree too high, not a degree too low.
He perfectly integrated everything.
Restored the blade's hardness and re-sharpened it.
The material used for Nichirin Blades was completely different from ordinary iron. Until now, this process had been purely theoretical for Sosuke.
But this time, despite it being his first practical attempt, he flawlessly combined theory and practice.
Raising the Nichirin Blade high, he thought he heard it cheering—probably just a hallucination.
Sosuke, dark circles under his eyes, grinned wryly. "I'm definitely losing it."
Weapon repair complete!
[Current weapon sharpness level: 2]
[Repairer: Strength +10, Constitution +10, Agility +10, Speed +10]
[Reward obtained: Bloodforging Method!]
The notification chimed in his ear, and Sosuke froze. The attribute boosts were identical to those gained from forging a new weapon?
"Is it because I only repaired the original Nichirin Blade?"
He speculated inwardly, but frowned at the final phrase in the notification: "Bloodforging Method."
A deeply unsettling feeling washed over him.
Is this some kind of dark forging technique? Does it require human sacrifice to create a Sword Spirit?
As these chaotic thoughts swirled in his mind, the information about the Bloodforging Method began to integrate into his consciousness.
His expression shifted slightly. So that's it!
The Bloodforging Method wasn't some evil ritual involving human sacrifice.
Instead, it was a technique that utilized the sword's master's blood. At a critical moment, the master would drip their blood onto the blade, and through a special forging process, the blood would perfectly fuse with the sword's body.
When a swordsman wielded such a weapon, it would feel as natural as an extension of their own arm.
The remarkable aspect of this method was that even if the weapon was exceptionally heavy, once the Bloodforging Method was applied, it would become perfectly balanced for its master.
Even a massive, door-sized weapon weighing hundreds of pounds would feel as light as a willow catkin in its master's hand.
"This forging method... it's practically metaphysics, isn't it?"
After organizing his thoughts, Sosuke grinned. "But it's undeniably powerful!"
No, extremely powerful would be more accurate!
Sheathing the weapon, Sosuke, who hadn't slept for two nights, walked with slightly unsteady steps toward the Village Chief's house.
He needed to deliver the sword and retrieve his first forged blade—a memento of immense sentimental value.
"It's just a shame the Bloodforging Method came too late. Otherwise, this sword..."
As he walked, he glanced at the weapon in his hand. "How am I going to convince the Village Chief to let me forge a Nichirin Blade for Kanae?"
Unfortunately, as an unqualified swordsmith, repairing the weapons of the Nine Pillars was already his limit.
How could he possibly presume to forge Nichirin Blades for them?
He racked his brain until his head ached, but no solution came to mind.
Finally, the Village Chief's residence loomed ahead.
The guard at the entrance immediately recognized him and ushered him inside.
"You repaired it so quickly?" Tecchin's tone was far from pleased.
When he received the report that Tetsu no Sosuke had managed to repair such a severely damaged weapon in such a short time, his first reaction wasn't joy, but annoyance.
The extent of the damage made a swift repair impossible.
For Tetsu no Sosuke to have completed the task so quickly, he must have either worked tirelessly without rest, maintaining unwavering focus the entire time,
or... he had simply rushed the job.
Knowing Sosuke's character, Tecchin suspected the latter, and a wave of disappointment washed over him.
He sighed heavily. "Let him in."
Moments later, Sosuke entered, carrying the Nichirin Blade.
"Village Chief," he greeted respectfully.
The Village Chief glanced at him and sighed again. "Give me the Nichirin Blade."
A nearby attendant immediately stepped forward to take the blade.
"Alright, go back and get some rest," Tecchin said, his head aching as he looked at the blade. 'How am I going to explain this to the Nine Pillars?'
'Should I send Sosuke back to rest and have someone else reforge it?'
"Um... Village Chief..."
Sosuke couldn't just leave like that. "What about the Sun of genesis I forged?"
"The Sun of genesis?" Tecchin was momentarily confused. "What Sun of genesis?"
"The blade I forged. Can I have it back?"
"You... you even gave it a name?" Tecchin nearly laughed in exasperation, glaring at him. "Get out of here."
"...So unreasonable?" Sosuke muttered, pouting. In the Swordsmith Village, the Village Chief held the highest status and was revered above all others.
As a transmigrator,Sosuke had no desire to further anger the man. He sighed, grumbling under his breath as he stood up and turned to leave.
Watching his nonchalant demeanor, Tecchin grew even angrier. "This thing you call a repair... and you even..."
He grabbed the Nichirin Blade, which had been placed nearby, and drew it from its sheath. The words he was about to speak caught in his throat.
A chilling, menacing glint radiated from the blade, its sharpness almost palpable.
This sword... it had been fully restored, and to an astonishingly high degree of perfection!
One could easily mistake it for a newly forged Nichirin Blade.
Tetsu no Sosuke, however, flew into a rage at Tecchin's words, abandoning all pretense of respect. He whirled around, his voice bristling with anger. "If you won't give it to me, fine! But why resort to such vile insults? This kind of thing I repaired? What kind of thing are you talking about?"
"Insolence!"
The two men flanking the Village Chief erupted in fury at Sosuke's outburst.
In this village, respect for hierarchy was paramount; no one dared show disrespect to the Village Chief.
"You... you..." Tecchin stammered, his eyes fixed on the Nichirin Blade in his hand. After a moment of careful examination, he slowly said, "The restoration... it's truly remarkable."
"Huh?"