Chapter 28: Forging
Hashirama was true to his word. On the return journey, he sent a messenger to deliver 10% of the chakra-conducting metal to the Sarutobi clan. How the various small clans decided to divide it among themselves was no longer their concern.
Tobirama was clearly unhappy about it, but Masahiko was beaming.
This was because after the metal was delivered to the Sarutobi, a familiar line of text had flashed in his mind: "Witnessed and participated in a Naruto world Side Story: The Origin of the Flying Swallow. Received 2 Witness Points."
Masahiko thought for a moment before he remembered: "Flying Swallow" was the name of Sarutobi Asuma's chakra knives in the original story. So those knives were forged from the metal they had just acquired. What an unexpected surprise.
Speaking of which, Asuma must be the current Sarutobi Clan Head's great-grandson... That weapon really had a long history.
On this one-month trip, Masahiko had spent 1 Witness Point on "Mining" and had now gained 2 points. All in all, he had a net profit of 1 point.
"An entire month out, and all I earned was one point—and it was an accident. The number of Witness Points available in this era is just too low..."
Masahiko was not very satisfied with this harvest, but there was nothing he could do.
Back in the Senju compound, it was time for Masahiko's favorite event: the victory banquet.
After eating and drinking his fill, Hashirama announced, "On this expedition, we harvested a lot of chakra-conducting metal. Any clansmen who need some can register with Tobirama."
The Senju clansmen looked around, but no one wanted to be the first to speak up.
Masahiko stood up with a smile. "Tobirama, I need two shuriken."
Tobirama nodded, making a mental note.
Masahiko had broken the ice, and the Senju clansmen suddenly became enthusiastic.
Don't think that their harvest was a small amount. A weapon couldn't be forged entirely from this metal; the main body still had to be iron. Therefore, this harvest was huge. It was enough for every Senju Jonin and above to get at least one kunai.
The next day, Masahiko and Tobirama went to the Senju clan's forge.
The place was piled high with iron ore and other auxiliary minerals. The blacksmiths were all hard at work, hammering out weapon "blanks." Only when the blank was formed would a master blacksmith mix in the chakra-conducting metal.
That's right. Chakra-conducting metal was extremely rare in this era. Even in the Senju clan, only the master blacksmiths had any experience working with it.
"Great-Uncle, we have to forge a lot of weapons this time," Tobirama said, watching the bustling forge. "I'm afraid our weapons will have to be last. You're not in a hurry, are you?"
"I'm not. You said 'our' weapons? You need one too?" Masahiko asked, puzzled.
"Yes. I need a sword to use in combination with my Hiraishin," Tobirama replied.
Masahiko looked thoughtful. 'Tobirama's sword... it couldn't be the "Sword of the Thunder God" from the story, could it?'
'If I get involved, this is another side story. I'll get at least 2 Witness Points...'
Masahiko's eyes lit up. He said to Tobirama, "You don't have to wait. I'll forge them myself. I'll make a great sword for you, too."
"Great-Uncle, you... you know how to forge?" Tobirama had noticed Masahiko was a skilled miner a few days ago, but he didn't dare believe he also knew smithing.
Masahiko glared at him. "Your Great-Uncle knows everything!"
Walking into the forge, Masahiko picked up a hammer and started hammering a piece of iron.
Tobirama's face darkened. This is what he calls "knowing how to forge"? He was just banging on it randomly, with no technique whatsoever.
Masahiko hammered for a full hour. The iron ingot had become an iron pancake, but the "Forging" skill still hadn't appeared on his status panel.
Masahiko glanced at Tobirama, embarrassed. "It's... been many years since I've smithed. A little rusty."
Tobirama rolled his eyes, thinking, 'More like you've never smithed before.' He gave up on Masahiko and turned to handle other matters.
Masahiko's face darkened. That was humiliating... 'It shouldn't be like this. Based on my experience with mining, hammering for an hour should have been enough to make the skill appear.'
He stayed in the forge all day, stoking fires and adding charcoal. Finally, just before the end of the day, after following a blacksmith's lead and successfully forging one complete kunai, the skill appeared in his status panel.
Forging LV1 (0/100)
"Whew. What a pain. I actually had to forge a complete weapon to activate it." Masahiko sighed in relief. He had been close to giving up, but that would have been too humiliating in front of Tobirama.
Seeing the skill appear, Masahiko immediately added 1 point.
Forging LV6 (10000/20000)
"This point system really isn't scientific... It can even directly implant forging experience into my brain..." Masahiko thought.
He wanted to immediately try forging his two shuriken, but he saw the blacksmiths were putting out the fires and preparing to close. Masahiko also felt hungry and realized he hadn't even eaten dinner.
After dinner, Masahiko searched through the forging experience he had just gained.
"I see... LV6 is basically the limit for a mortal, a 'Master Smith.' The Senju's master blacksmith is probably at this level."
Masahiko looked at his remaining Witness Points. He still had 4.
'The two shuriken I'm making for myself will probably be used for a long time. And forging the "Sword of the Thunder God" for Tobirama will probably get me some Witness Points.'
Masahiko gritted his teeth and added 3 more points to his Forging skill.
Forging LV8 (40000/60000)
"In that case, I should be able to forge two divine weapons tomorrow... Godly items? I wonder how they'll compare to the Kusanagi Sword..." Thinking this, he gradually fell asleep.
Early the next morning, Masahiko eagerly hurried to the forge.
In just half a day, Masahiko had forged his two shuriken. LV8 Forging was on another level. The finished shuriken didn't look special, but when Masahiko idly grazed one against a furnace, it instantly sliced a gash in the metal.
"Oops, I broke it!" Masahiko's expression changed. He grabbed his shuriken and quickly walked out.
He thought for a moment and headed to the Senju's Training Ground 2 to test them.
Since they were infused with chakra-conducting metal, Masahiko immediately tried to channel his chakra into them.
"Urk..." Masahiko squinted. When infused with his chakra, the shuriken began to glow with a blinding light.
"Well, so much for stealth attacks. Maybe if I pump in more chakra, I can just blind the enemy?" Masahiko muttered.
Masahiko weighed the shuriken and threw it with all his might.
He was just about to form the hand seals for his Shuriken Substitution Jutsu, but his expression changed. The very next second, he and the shuriken swapped places.
"No hand seals required..." Masahiko almost laughed out loud. "Isn't this... just the Hiraishin no Jutsu?"
He looked back at where he had just been standing and shook his head. "It's still less convenient than the real Hiraishin. I can't exactly treat these shuriken as disposable kunai... Looks like I need to move 'Inventing Sealing Scrolls' up my priority list. It would be great to make a summoning scroll for them, like the Seven Ninja Swordsmen have..."
"Tomorrow... I'll let Tobirama see his Great-Uncle's true forging skill!"