Half a month after leaving Mount Fujikasane, Sakonji Urokodaki's Kasugai Crow brought word that the Nichirin Blades and uniforms would soon be delivered.
After receiving the message, Sakonji Urokodaki told Kurozawa to wait on the road at the foot of the mountain.
At the foot of Mount Sagiri, Kurozawa stood with his arms folded, leaning halfway against a tree so thick it would take several people to encircle it. He looked bored, but in truth, blood surged through his body and his muscles pulsed.
Kurozawa was practicing Total Concentration Breathing, tempering his physique.
Though Gray-White helped him, Kurozawa himself was also extremely diligent.
Moreover, Gray-White's boosts were never small. If he suddenly gained immense strength before his body had fully adapted, he might accidentally do something like smashing through a door and charging out.
His training now could both temper his body and make the abilities he gained from Gray-White truly his own, preventing him from losing control of his strength.
Abilities one could not control often hurt both others and oneself. Better not to have them at all.
Jingle, jingle. A sound like swaying wind chimes rang out ahead, and Kurozawa raised his head.
The first thing to enter his sight was a wide, round-topped hat decorated with a ring of wind-chime-like ornaments.
Then came the face beneath the broad hat, covered by a comical fire-blower mask.
A huge wooden box was strapped to his back. It looked rather heavy, yet the newcomer's waist was not bent in the slightest.
"Not bad strength."
The small portion of the masked man's arm exposed beneath his sleeve was packed with twisted muscles and bulging veins. One look was enough to tell he possessed great strength.
"Hotaru Haganezuka?"
As the masked man passed by, Kurozawa called out to him.
"That's me." The masked man turned his head and saw Kurozawa waiting by the roadside.
"So you're the swordsmith Master mentioned. This is my first time seeing a swordsmith."
"Come with me."
Kurozawa stopped his Breathing Technique and led the way ahead.
He reached out, intending to help Hotaru Haganezuka take down the large wooden box on his back, but Hotaru Haganezuka shook his head and refused.
"Don't underestimate swordsmiths. I'm not some frail piece of trash who can only be protected by others!"
"I could carry twice as much!"
Since the man had said so, Kurozawa withdrew his hand. Still, he found it strange that Hotaru Haganezuka had personally delivered the blade.
"I heard Kakushi members were supposed to deliver the blades and uniforms. Why did you come yourself as a swordsmith? And without a swordsman escort, aren't you afraid of running into demons?"
Swordsmith Village was extremely well hidden. Kurozawa did not know where it was, but it was probably nowhere near Mount Sagiri.
Judging from Hotaru Haganezuka's travel-worn appearance, he had clearly covered quite a distance.
"I told you not to think of swordsmiths as frail, you bastard!"
Hotaru Haganezuka turned to glare at Kurozawa. Kurozawa could practically picture the furious eyes beneath that mask.
This swordsmith had quite the temper.
"I forged the Nichirin Blades. I know how to use them better than you swordsmen do!"
"I could take on ten ordinary demons with one hand!"
Rolling up his sleeve, Hotaru Haganezuka showed off his sturdy muscles.
From the look of his next movement, he seemed ready to lift his shirt and show Kurozawa his abs as well.
Kurozawa hurriedly stopped him and gave him a thumbs-up, indicating that he was impressive.
"Fine, fine, I was wrong. I shouldn't have underestimated you. I admit it—even an Upper Rank would lose if it met you."
Hotaru Haganezuka knew he was being praised, but why did it sound so unpleasant? Hmph. Have you never heard of the name Onmyoji?
Kurozawa smiled. "You still haven't told me why you came to deliver the blade yourself."
"Hmph. It was indeed supposed to be the Kakushi delivering the blades and uniforms."
"But I heard someone broke Lord Urokodaki's Nichirin Blade, so I came to see who did it!"
Huh? Wasn't that me?
Kurozawa scratched his head. "I broke it."
Hotaru Haganezuka's steps came to an abrupt stop. He suddenly turned around and stared at Kurozawa's face.
That fixed gaze made Kurozawa's skin crawl.
"Master said it could still be repaired after breaking. It's no big deal."
There was something strange yet familiar about Hotaru Haganezuka's gaze, making Kurozawa hasten his steps uncomfortably.
This swordsmith had a rather odd temperament. It would be best to have as little contact with him as possible.
"You broke... the Nichirin Blade?"
"Ah! Do you know how hard it is to forge a Nichirin Blade? Do you know how difficult it is to repair one?"
"And Nichirin Blades cry too, you bastard!"
As Hotaru Haganezuka said these words, he flew into a rage.
Kurozawa could almost see invisible steam rising from the man's head. He was so angry he seemed to be smoking.
Clang! Hotaru Haganezuka reached behind his waist and pulled out a gleaming kitchen knife. Then he sprang forward and slashed at Kurozawa.
"Damn!"
Kurozawa jumped in alarm, shifted his footing, and dodged the knife's downward chop.
He wanted to strike back, but then he remembered his master's solemn instructions.
"Kurozawa, the person delivering the blade is named Hotaru Haganezuka, a swordsmith."
"His temperament is somewhat odd. When the time comes... indulge him a little."
Kurozawa had readily agreed at the time, but he had never imagined this was the kind of odd his master meant.
Since he had promised Sakonji Urokodaki, Kurozawa could only start running to evade Hotaru Haganezuka's pursuit.
However, Kurozawa could tell that Hotaru Haganezuka was not truly attacking with lethal intent. He merely wanted to teach him a lesson.
If Hotaru Haganezuka had truly meant to harm him, Kurozawa would definitely have fought back. He would not kill Hotaru Haganezuka, but he would cripple his ability to move, even if Sakonji Urokodaki had told him otherwise.
One chased while the other ran. More than ten minutes later, the two arrived one after the other at Sakonji Urokodaki's house.
"Hotaru, enough."
Sakonji Urokodaki reached out, took Hotaru Haganezuka's kitchen knife from him, and spoke casually.
Hotaru Haganezuka seemed to respect Sakonji Urokodaki greatly. He snorted coldly, then shot Kurozawa another glare.
"Hmph, brat. If you do something like that again, I'll teach you a proper lesson."
"Tch. I'd let you have one hand."
After being chased down the road with a kitchen knife, Kurozawa was not about to be nice to him.
Hotaru Haganezuka's temper was strange, but Kurozawa was not going to indulge him just because of it.
Who the hell chased people with a kitchen knife?
"Enough, Kurozawa. Both of you settle down."
Seeing that the two were truly about to come to blows, Sakonji Urokodaki stopped them in time.
Kurozawa still listened to his master, so he said nothing more.
The three entered the house. Hotaru Haganezuka set down the large wooden box on his back, then slowly opened it.
Nichirin Blades and uniforms were taken out one by one and placed on the tatami mats.
A small slip of paper was wrapped around each Nichirin Blade's hilt, bearing the name of its corresponding swordsman.
Kurozawa spotted the one with his name on it and picked it up. The instant he grasped the Nichirin Blade—
The originally pure white blade began to turn a deep, profound black from the base near the hilt. Even the colors of the surrounding space seemed affected, growing dim and shadowed.
Then, at a speed visible to the naked eye, the black climbed upward inch by inch. Within several breaths, it had stained the entire Nichirin Blade.
"Nichirin Blades are also known as Color-Changing Blades."
"They display different colors depending on their users."
"Lord Urokodaki, I thought I would see another azure blade."
"I never expected it to be black."
"Black... and black to this extent. A blade so dark it seems to swallow light—I've never seen one before."
Before you continue