In Hii's eyes, Senju Haruto clearly had no idea how valuable this asauchi was. Giving such a fine katana to someone like him was nothing but a waste.
Better, she thought, to buy it from him herself and present it to Lord Killer Bee.
Whether it was swordsmanship or anything else, few in the entire shinobi world could compare to Lord Bee.
Haruto, however, couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he looked at the money pouch in Hii's hand.
It wasn't that he didn't understand what an asauchi was—it was that he understood it all too well.
An asauchi might be called a blade of limitless potential, but at the end of the day, it was still an unawakened sword.
And in the Rift, nothing was more common than asauchi.
Even if it awakened into a true Zanpakutō, the strength of one blade compared to another could be worlds apart.
And besides, his Sign-In System assistant kept giving him tasks and rewards.
This particular asauchi wasn't so precious to him that he'd treat it like a priceless treasure.
To Haruto, it was simply a weapon with potential worth looking forward to—nothing more.
Still, it was his.
No matter how much Hii offered, he wasn't going to sell it.
"You seem to be misunderstanding something," Haruto said with a shake of his head. "I have no intention of selling this asauchi."
"I see." Hii nodded, unsurprised. "Even if keeping it might cost you your life?"
"Hmm?"
Hii smiled faintly, then walked over to the master swordsmith, Kazuma Ichikaku, greeting him politely.
Ichikaku glanced at Haruto. Seeing that the boy didn't object, he handed the asauchi over to Hii.
She began explaining the blade's exceptional qualities in detail.
"Whether to a shinobi or a samurai, one look is enough to see this katana is extraordinary. And yet here you are, wearing it openly on your hip, strolling down the street."
Hii shook her head with exasperation. "If you hadn't run into us, you might already be dead."
"Especially if you cross paths with Kirigakure's ninja—you'd better pray you never meet them."
She paused. "So? Want to hand this trouble over to us? You'd get a fortune—enough to live comfortably for the rest of your life."
"Or," she added, "you could come to our village."
Yugito Nii suddenly cut in, extending her own invitation to Haruto.
Despite her regal, queen-like demeanor in Shippuden, Yugito was at heart a kind and gentle person.
If Haruto truly couldn't part with the katana, she could bring him to Kumogakure, where at least she could offer him protection.
But Haruto ignored the offer, turning to Ichikaku instead.
"How long will it take to make a scabbard? I don't plan to stay in the Land of Iron long."
"Well…" Ichikaku hesitated. He had never seen such a flawless katana before, and crafting a scabbard worthy of it would not be easy.
From selecting the materials to finishing the piece could take quite some time.
"If possible, please stay," Ichikaku said, bowing deeply. "Don't worry—if it's a matter of lodging expenses, I'll cover them."
Haruto appreciated his sincerity—but he simply didn't have the time.
Tomorrow was the meeting with the Raikage.
"In that case, forget it." Haruto shook his head, declining the offer.
Ichikaku felt his mind go blank.
And he wasn't alone—every swordsmith present shared the same sense of regret.
But Haruto's next move stunned them even more.
He walked straight into the blacksmith shop, browsed the ready-made scabbards, and, after matching lengths with his asauchi, casually pulled one out.
Returning to Hii's side, he held out his hand.
Hii frowned at the sight of the cheap scabbard—but as a shinobi of Kumogakure, she returned the asauchi to its owner without further complaint.
Haruto slid the blade into the scabbard, gave it a quick test swing, and said casually, "Not bad. I'll take it."
Ichikaku, his apprentices, Hii, and Yugito were left frozen in disbelief.
To them, Haruto's treatment of the blade was nothing short of barbaric—an insult to the asauchi.
Before Hii could even scold him, another group approached.
Ichikaku's face darkened instantly.
These men were wandering ronin who roamed the area. For the right price, they'd serve anyone.
In the Land of Iron, this was a culture all its own.
"Kid."
The leader of the ronin stepped forward, holding out his hand, while the others quickly surrounded Haruto.
"I knew it." Hii sighed, as though she had expected this all along.
A seemingly defenseless youth carrying such a blade—of course people would target him.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Yugito stepped forward, shielding Haruto behind her and fixing the leader with a cold stare.
Haruto might have refused to sell the katana, but that didn't give these men the right to simply take it.
"Ninja."
The ronin leader noticed her forehead protector but dismissed her without concern.
"You do know the Land of Iron is a neutral nation, right? No shinobi are allowed to use force here. That's common knowledge."
He signaled his men to seize Haruto's katana.
And he had another reason to be confident—he'd heard the Raikage and Hokage were coming here for talks.
If she caused trouble now, it would only put Kumogakure in an awkward position.
After all, Haruto wasn't one of their own. This was an Iron Country matter.
Most importantly, ronin carried a natural pride. They didn't see shinobi as anything special.
"Heh."
Yugito, seeing their arrogance, acted without hesitation. She seized the wrist of the man trying to grab Haruto's blade, poured her chakra into her grip, and crushed his bones.
"AAAH!"
The man screamed, then felt a force slam into his stomach, sending him flying into Ichikaku's shop wall.
Hii rubbed her temples, muttering, "Yugito, you've stirred up trouble again."
"But…"
She drew her own sword and took position at Haruto's other side.
"See? This is exactly what I was talking about—carry a blade like that around, and all you'll find is danger."