Kochou Shinobu rolled her eyes at Tomioka Giyu, saying with a hint of exasperation, "It's not like we're parting ways forever, what are you being so sentimental about?"
"Mr. Tomioka, you really do love to make a fuss over nothing~"
Tomioka Giyu's mouth twitched. These past few days, that girl had been subtly teasing him.
He decided he had to properly retaliate today.
"Actually, the most important thing is, I'll miss you~" Tomioka Giyu looked at Kochou Shinobu very seriously.
Kochou Shinobu was first startled, then her cheeks visibly flushed.
However, this time she didn't run away. Instead, with a hint of sadness in her eyes, she smiled and said,
"Me too, but as long as demons still exist, I can't live in peace."
After saying this, Kochou Shinobu paused, no longer looking into Tomioka Giyu's eyes, but gazing at the moon.
"Giyu, if in our generation, we can truly eliminate all demons..."
At this moment, Kochou Shinobu turned her head back again, her eyes revealing an emotion he couldn't comprehend.
"Could you say what you just said to me one more time?"
Before Tomioka Giyu could answer, Kochou Shinobu flashed away from the rooftop.
A smile appeared at the corner of Tomioka Giyu's mouth, and he murmured, "You didn't even give me a chance to answer you..."
"But, don't worry, Shinobu, the day you're looking forward to won't be far off."
The night passed uneventfully. Early the next morning, Tomioka Giyu left the Butterfly Mansion.
He didn't bid anyone farewell, because he felt he would be back at the Butterfly Mansion for recuperation within half a year.
At 10 AM, after many twists and turns, he finally arrived at the Swordsmith Village.
Yes, his new sword.
Mori Tekko had not yet delivered it, saying it was still being forged. Helpless, he decided to go and see for himself.
After visiting the village chief, Tomioka Giyu walked towards Mori Tekko's residence.
On the street, Tomioka Giyu walked and wondered if he should intercept Yoriichi's sword.
However, he quickly dismissed this idea. Yoriichi's sword was best left for Tanjiro, after all, he was the successor of Sun Breathing.
As for learning Sun Breathing, Tomioka Giyu had indeed considered it.
But clearly, only Water Breathing was most suitable for him, and it was what he could bring to its utmost potential.
In comparison, Sun Breathing would actually limit his performance.
Unknowingly, Tomioka Giyu arrived at Mori Tekko's doorstep.
As he got closer, he heard the clanging sounds coming from inside the house.
Pulling open the door, he saw Mori Tekko sweating profusely, holding a hammer, tirelessly striking the red-hot blade repeatedly.
Seeing that the visitor was Tomioka Giyu, Mori Tekko smiled and cupped his hands, "You've come a bit early, the sword will take another five or six days to forge."
"How about this, Tomioka, you go wait in the back room first."
With that, Mori Tekko stopped paying attention to Tomioka Giyu, picked up his hammer, and continued forging.
Tomioka Giyu didn't disturb him. This was the first time he had seen Mori Tekko's full face.
Tomioka Giyu could only use two words to describe him: "Steely Resolve."
Upon entering the back room, he sat for several hours. Around nine in the evening, Mori Tekko finally announced that the day's forging had come to an end.
"Hahaha, sorry to keep you waiting, Tomioka!"
"I must apologize to you first!" Mori Tekko bowed solemnly.
"I will forge this sword even better; it won't break again!"
Tomioka Giyu quickly waved his hand, saying with a wry smile, "No, no, it has nothing to do with you."
"I wasn't strong enough, and that demon attacked the side of the blade."
The two chatted briefly for a while longer. Just past ten o'clock, Tomioka Giyu left Mori Tekko's residence and headed towards the hot springs on the mountain.
After an introduction from the swordsmith, Tomioka Giyu was very interested in these hot springs.
Cuts, burns, hemorrhoids, anal fissures, constipation, gout, and even the pain of a broken heart, were all said to have curative effects.
He neatly took off his clothes and entered the hot spring.
Tomioka Giyu closed his eyes, leaning lazily against a rock in the hot spring, thoroughly enjoying himself.
Around eleven o'clock, Tomioka Giyu returned to the accommodation arranged for him by the village chief and slept soundly.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
The next morning, Tomioka Giyu entered the mountain forest. He wanted to find Yoriichi Type Zero for a simple sparring session to see how it would go.
However, after entering the mountain forest, as he passed a waterfall, he inexplicably paused, staring at the waterfall for a long time without moving his feet.
He inexplicably had a feeling that there was something there, guiding him towards it.
After a moment of thought, Tomioka Giyu still decided to go in and take a look. As for danger, it was unlikely according to common sense.
Approaching the waterfall, Tomioka Giyu looked for a long time but couldn't figure anything out.
"Enm... should I go inside?"
Entering behind the water curtain, Tomioka Giyu looked left and right, murmuring, "There's still nothing here, just rock walls and a few stones of varying sizes."
"And... huh? What's that?" Tomioka Giyu suddenly noticed something flash.
Immediately after, Tomioka Giyu leaned over towards that direction, and as he got closer, he finally saw clearly what it was.
"This is... a sword?!"
A samurai sword, entirely pale white, was quietly wedged in a crack in the rock.
Although he found it a bit strange, Tomioka Giyu decided to pull it out and take a look.
But the moment he gripped the hilt, a chill spread from his palm, rapidly permeating his entire body, making him shiver involuntarily.
With a slight pull, the sword was drawn out by him.
But upon seeing the entire sword, Tomioka Giyu couldn't help but be stunned, subconsciously exclaiming,
"Hm? This is a broken sword..."
Without further thought, Tomioka Giyu left the waterfall with this cold-feeling sword.
Just now, he had a bold idea and needed to ask Mori Tekko if it was feasible.
Soon, Tomioka Giyu arrived at Mori Tekko's residence.
Mori Tekko was still concentrating on forging the sword in his hands. He didn't even lift his head at Tomioka Giyu's arrival.
Cough, cough — — — —
Tomioka Giyu coughed twice, waving the cold-feeling sword, signaling Mori Tekko to look over.
Mori Tekko merely glanced at it, then continued to forge the sword in his hand, but suddenly, he froze.
Immediately after, he rushed to Tomioka Giyu, took the sword, and examined it carefully.
"This... this coldness, it must be Cold Iron, which ceased to exist around the Warring States period!"
"Cold Iron?" Tomioka Giyu thought back, but found no memories related to Cold Iron.
Mori Tekko nodded, speaking with great excitement.
"That's right! Very few people know about it now!
"I happened to learn about it because I was very interested in ancient swordsmiths."
"This kind of iron, although it can't completely freeze water into ice, at the very least, it can make water extremely cold!"
"Oh, by the way, where did you find it?!"
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