Call Me Foreign Lord

Machiya are also a type of traditional Japanese architecture.

However, finding them is incredibly convenient; you can basically tell how many machiya are on a street with just a glance.

Compared to the thatched roofs of most houses, machiya use a roofing tile design that's centuries ahead, with black Kyoto tiles layered one after another, reflecting the sparse Tokoyo sunlight and making them stand out.

Uesugi Tetsu approached the machiya. Before he could even send out his Hundred-Eyed Demon eyes to scout, he was blinded by the cold glint of weapons behind the latticed windows.

Every weapon in sight was either Excellent or Rare, with even two or three boasting Epic quality.

For a moment, Uesugi Tetsu considered taking advantage of the blacksmith's break to snatch up all the weapons in the building.

But that thought quickly vanished.

Because in the shadows inside, a burly old man with a rough face was dozing on the counter.

This wasn't important.

What was crucial was the black aura floating above his head.

Not the red or blood-colored aura that signifies "danger," but a black one that likely meant "death."

So, Uesugi Tetsu followed his instincts and knocked honestly.

Knock knock.

"Enter," a dry voice suddenly sounded in Uesugi Tetsu's ear. His heart tightened, but his movements were unhesitating as he pushed the door open.

"Brahma again?"

The old man's tone held a hint of surprise. Uesugi Tetsu looked up at his head.

The words "[Blacksmith]" clearly appeared.

Who was the one blacksmithing inside?

Blacksmith: "Since you're Brahma, just buy any weapon you fancy."

Uesugi Tetsu shifted his gaze and saw the cheapest Excellent quality dagger in the corner.

[Price: 800 Soul Ash]

Turning again, he saw a Rare quality Uchigatana. Its blade was clear and beautiful, and the few accompanying skills made Uesugi Tetsu drool.

It was a shame...

[Price: 3200 Soul Ash]

The old blacksmith watched Uesugi Tetsu wander around the shop for several minutes before speaking as he reluctantly headed for the door:

"Not buying anything?"

Uesugi Tetsu turned back, his Laughing Brahma mask as calm as an ancient well. "Can't afford it."

Seriously, any weapon here costs over a thousand Soul Ash. This blacksmith shop should be in Edo Castle, Uesugi Tetsu thought.

Not in a 'Ghost Village' like this, a one-star map where the Soul Ash dropped from slain monsters might not even be enough to buy anything.

"Seeing as you're Brahma."

The blacksmith's peripheral vision caught the Walker token on Uesugi Tetsu's waist as he slowly said, "It's not impossible for me to forge a weapon for you."

Custom weapon?

Uesugi Tetsu's first thought was that the old man was hitting on him.

This blacksmith shop might look fancy, but it's probably a trap. The blacksmith just wants to turn my Laughing Brahma into a weapon.

But then again...

I, Uesugi Tetsu, am not a native demon. If I die, I die. I can always wait twelve hours and be a new man.

With that thought, Uesugi Tetsu nodded. "What do you need me to do?"

"More sensible than that White Brahma. Good," the blacksmith said leisurely. "Less than three hundred meters east of my machiya, there's a small workshop."

"It's incredibly noisy every day. Just get them to shut it down."

The blacksmith scoffed disdainfully. "What kind of shoddy assembly line manufacturing can compare to the weapons I forge?"

Three hundred meters east?

Uesugi Tetsu's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "East, which direction is that?"

Hearing this, the blacksmith couldn't help but burst into laughter. "As expected, Brahmas have muscles for brains, the foolish kind."

After laughing, the blacksmith didn't forget to point Uesugi Tetsu in the right direction. "That way is east. The method to discern direction is simple: the direction the twin moons rise at night is the extreme east."

Twin moons.

So Tokoyo has day and night cycles?

Uesugi Tetsu wondered if he had just arrived during Tokoyo's daytime.

Or do the twin moons get covered by dark clouds?

His thoughts flashed by. Uesugi Tetsu noted the direction the blacksmith indicated and estimated that the large factory he had seen earlier was located to the northeast.

A rough map of Arakawa Ghost Village began to form in Uesugi Tetsu's mind, so he thanked the Blacksmith.

Without the Blacksmith, Uesugi Tetsu wouldn't even know which way was north, south, east, or west, let alone how many lives it would cost him.

"Hurry back," the Blacksmith waved dismissively. "If that workshop makes any more noise, I might just get lazy and leave this desolate place."

Uesugi Tetsu paused, nodding to show he understood.

So this Blacksmith is an NPC who can move between maps. No wonder the weapons here are so expensive.

Meeting him now must be pure luck...

Uesugi Tetsu rubbed the Walker token at his waist.

--Or maybe it's not just luck.

Leaving the blacksmith's shop, Uesugi Tetsu immediately decided to check out the small workshop to the east.

Firstly, it was close, meaning fewer unexpected encounters on the way. Secondly, Uesugi Tetsu wanted to get his hands on a suitable weapon as soon as possible. While the cleaver was easy to handle, it felt incredibly awkward when he tried to use his sword techniques.

The three hundred meters passed in an instant.

As it seemed to be time to start work, Uesugi Tetsu heard the rumbling of machinery from quite a distance away when he was halfway there.

He arrived at a small house tens of meters from his destination. Looking up at the pale double moons that had just risen, Uesugi Tetsu felt his eardrums ache.

No wonder the Blacksmith couldn't sleep...

This noise is almost as bad as that factory built entirely outside the village.

After standing still and adjusting for a moment, Uesugi Tetsu finally released his Hundred-Eyed Demon eyeballs.

Although the Blacksmith's request was to shut down the workshop, how could Uesugi Tetsu let such precious Soul Ash escape?

Before taking action, an intelligence network was, of course, a crucial step.

[Clumsy Worker Apprentice]

[Tier: Zero Star]

These were the details of the small monsters moving around and operating the machinery in the workshop. Uesugi Tetsu counted them; there were about twenty to thirty.

The actual number should be higher... but Uesugi Tetsu circled around without finding their foreman.

However, if it was a matter of patience, Uesugi Tetsu, who could maintain a state of utter calm for extended periods, was not afraid at all.

He waited for a full half-hour before a burly man wearing a white hard hat appeared within his sight.

The man yelled and cursed at the apprentices, clearly acting like a leader. Uesugi Tetsu, however, just stared at the man's head, waiting for the information he needed.

[Worker Leader]

[Tier: Half Star]

Only Half Star.

This made things much simpler.

The only difficulty lay in the large number of Zero Star apprentices in the workshop.

If all the apprentices in the workshop swarmed out, he could, at best, take down two or three with his single life, which was hardly efficient.

Since that was the case, his recent discovery was very important.

Through nearly an hour of observation, Uesugi Tetsu could clearly see that the small monsters in this workshop were different from the factory workers and the contaminated farmers.

They possessed a degree of intelligence, undoubtedly, and were capable of communication. The elite leader was the same.

Since that was the case.

Uesugi Tetsu tidied up his Western-style school uniform.

It wasn't much in reality, but in this ghost village, this uniform was top-notch attire, worthy of being called a Foreign Lord.

With such an appearance, tricking a few ignorant apprentices into following him to a deserted corner wouldn't be difficult at all, would it?

After another hour of patient waiting, Uesugi Tetsu finally saw two apprentices sneak out of the workshop to take a break outside.

He recalled his Hundred-Eyed Demon eyeballs and retied his tie at his collar before strolling casually towards the two apprentices.