Nian

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Nian (年)
Alias(es)	Miss Nian; Nian Beast; God of Forging and Smelting
Species/Race	Nian Beast; god/divine being
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Yae Shrine (former temporary resident); Rhodes Island
Occupation/Role	God of forging and smelting; Rhodes Island worker
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 283

Background / History

Nian arrives unannounced at Yae Shrine seeking food, shelter, and mahjong. She identifies herself as a Nian Beast and is admitted despite Hoshino's reluctance. Her interest in the shrine is sustained by its unusual smelting techniques and weapons, especially Jizo Mitama. 283 284

While residing at the shrine, Nian becomes friends with Heavy Bunny through their shared interest in manufacturing and smelting. Hoshino repeatedly deprives her of spicy food, making Nian's stay an ongoing culinary grievance. 284

Nian accompanies Hoshino and Jingzhe to Yan Kingdom after the Xuanyuan Sword returns to the shrine. She acts as a living scabbard, swallowing the Xuanyuan Sword and Hoshino's other weapons into her internal forge. Jingzhe concludes that Nian manipulated the situation to lure Hoshino into Yan Kingdom; Nian confirms the suspicion. 287 288

During the Black Ji Lin incident, Nian enters a shared dream through Fenghuang Down. There, she displays her forging authority against Black Ji Lin, but largely shelters inside a mass of self-made shields until Hoshino arrives. 290 291

Hoshino later subjects Nian to the “Graveyard of Gods” illusion, showing her how the Taixu Divine Sword can erase collective memory and thereby destroy gods. The experience leaves Nian terrified of being forgotten and uncertain how much of her own past has been lost. 294 295

After leaving Yan Kingdom to seek her siblings, Nian is directed to Rhodes Island by the God of Snow Mountain. Raiden Mei shelters her there, and Nian joins Rhodes Island after an exchange with the Doctor. 296 297

At Rhodes Island, Nian eventually becomes unusually compliant after Hoshino, as the Exalted Immortal, captures her while she attempts to flee. She later clocks in for work at the Weapons Department, astonishing Kal'tsit. 381 382

Appearance

Nian is a white-haired, red-eyed divine being whose appearance combines modern clothing with conspicuously ancient and supernatural traits. She is often armed with self-forged weapons or carries objects inside her body. 283 312 531

• Two pairs of horns, often associated with the Nian Beast. 283 290
• Tattooed arms. 283 286
• A red, heat-radiating tail. 536
• Common attire includes a coat, tube top, hot pants, sneakers, and white boots. 296 312
• Frequently carries or produces greatswords, shields, and an enormous forging cauldron. 283 530 534

Personality

Nian is profoundly lazy and treats leisure as a priority over nearly every obligation. She prefers observing the world change over changing it herself, and repeatedly interrupts dangerous situations for hotpot, alcohol, or a nap. 283 286 528 532

She is playful, shameless, and frequently provocative. Before her experience in Yan Kingdom, she casually treated others as actors in a story she could direct, teasing Jingzhe with fire and lightning simply because she found the reaction entertaining. 285 286 381

Despite this frivolity, Nian is observant, highly experienced, and capable of taking command when necessary. She understands formations, evaluates weapons and materials instinctively, and coordinates Saria and Muelsyse against Hoshino's illusionary challenges. 530 533 534

Nian describes herself as a nihilist who cannot easily place faith in anyone. Her confidence is undermined by her fear that forgotten gods can truly die, leaving her especially wary of Hoshino and the Taixu Divine Sword. 294 295 529 536

Abilities & Skills

Forging and Smelting Authority

Nian can directly forge objects from available materials, bypassing ordinary processes such as smelting, shaping, and assembly. Her body functions as a forge with an internal temperature of approximately 1,400°C. 287 290

• Creates weapons, shields, barriers, and tools from stone, ore, lava, and other surrounding materials. 290 531
• Can forge a weapon from a cavern wall and infuse it with flowing lava and extreme heat. 290
• Creates massive constructs, including a lava giant powered by mobile-city furnaces. 533 534
• Can identify flaws in artificial constructions, including inferior material purity and mechanical weaknesses. 534 535
• Cannot reproduce the method used to forge the Xuanyuan Sword or fully comprehend the emotions embedded within it. 286 287

Internal Forge and Weapon Storage

Nian can swallow and retain weapons and other objects inside her body without apparent harm. She compares her body to a vast forge. 287

• Swallowed the Xuanyuan Sword and two of Hoshino's swords to serve as their scabbard during the Yan Kingdom journey. 287
• Draws swords, shields, folding fans, firecrackers, and other objects from her mouth. 288 529 531 532
• Retrieves a swallowed weapon through an unusually flexible tongue. 288
• Can consume an object designated as a formation node to fulfill a prearranged condition in Hoshino's illusion. 532

Combat and Construct Creation

Nian is an ancient and formidable combatant whose fighting style centers on forged weapons, defensive constructs, heat, and direct knowledge of manufactured enemies. 531 534

• Formed layers of barriers strong enough to withstand Heimdall's greatsword strikes. 534
• Defeated Heimdall with a single heavy strike after identifying the mech's vulnerability. 534
• Destroyed Father by overloading and self-destructing her lava giant. 534
• Captured and reforged Hephaestus using a massive cauldron, magma, and a hammer. 535
• Her defensive shield was cut apart by Lightning Empress after she mistakenly created a conductive shield. 531

Formation Knowledge and Illusion Guidance

Nian claims knowledge of formations and serves as Saria and Muelsyse's guide within Hoshino's illusory Lungmen. 530

• Explains that the illusion has three formation cores that must be destroyed to escape. 530
• Warns that time inside the illusion may pass at Hoshino's discretion. 531
• Assigns allies to opponents based on their strengths during the battle against Father, Heimdall, and Hephaestus. 533
• Uses a staged display of her authority to establish herself as a credible guide. 530

Weaknesses

• Nian irrationally fears explosives and firecrackers despite her control over heat and smelting. 531 532
• The possibility of memory erasure and being forgotten causes her severe psychological distress. 294 295
• She is prone to abandoning or delaying responsibilities in favor of food, rest, and entertainment. 532 535

Relationships

• Hoshino / Yae Sakura — Initially Nian's reluctant host at Yae Shrine; later a source of intense fear after the “Graveyard of Gods” lesson. Nian also recognizes a sisterly, twin-like bond with her. 283 295 381 529
• Heavy Bunny — Nian's friend at Yae Shrine; they bond through manufacturing and smelting despite being unable to understand one another's speech. 284
• Jingzhe — A Yan Kingdom official whom Nian repeatedly teases with fire and lightning; Jingzhe later deduces Nian's role in drawing Hoshino to Yan Kingdom. 285 286 287
• Raiden Mei — Offers Nian shelter at Rhodes Island and wins her over with suitably spicy cooking. 296 297
• The Doctor — Has a silent exchange with Nian that influences her decision to remain and work at Rhodes Island. 297
• Amiya — Nian recognizes her as the Demon King and agrees to work under her supervision at Rhodes Island. 297
• God of Snow Mountain / Pramanix — Treats Nian as a kindred spirit after her Yan Kingdom trauma and directs her to Rhodes Island. 296
• Saria and Muelsyse — Nian guides them through Hoshino's illusory Lungmen, fights alongside them, and repeatedly demands hotpot as payment for saving them. 529 533 535
• Cang Xuan's Book — Initially clashes with Nian over sweets versus spicy food; Nian becomes interested after learning that she is a weapon beyond Nian's understanding. 408

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arrival at Yae Shrine

Nian enters the story as an uninvited divine guest seeking food and mahjong. Her presence disrupts the shrine's routine, gives Hoshino progress toward unlocking Phoenix, and introduces her friendship with Heavy Bunny. 283 284

Yan Kingdom and the Graveyard of Gods

Nian helps bring Hoshino to Yan Kingdom, serves as a weapon scabbard, and participates in the Black Ji Lin operation. Hoshino then uses the aftermath to frighten Nian with an illusion demonstrating that gods can be erased through the destruction of collective memory. 287 290 294 295

Joining Rhodes Island

Frightened by the implications of her missing memories and her siblings' fate, Nian leaves Yan Kingdom and settles at Rhodes Island. She bypasses the normal recruitment process, accepts work, and remains drawn to the landship's cafeteria. 296 297

Hoshino's Illusory Lungmen

Within Hoshino's illusion, Nian becomes a guide for Saria and Muelsyse. She reveals her authority over tools and forging, battles Lightning Empress and the Three Mecha Brothers, and demonstrates that her slacking conceals considerable combat ability. 529 530 531 533 534 535

Notable Quotes

“I'm not the protagonist.” 290

“If they forget, they die. Gods are very fragile.” 294

“I'm an old thing. My heart is already crammed with too much, so I haven't been able to believe in anyone for a long time. You could even call me a nihilist.” 529

Trivia

• Nian strongly prefers spicy food, strong liquor, and hotpot; she has experimented with chili oil ice cream and spicy stocking milk tea. 286 529 539
• She considers sweet food deeply unpleasant and once called for an end to all sweet peppers and sweet vegetables. 408 528
• Nian calls Rhodes Island her “third hometown.” 350
• She fears firecrackers despite being able to generate intense heat and forge lava-based constructs. 312 532