Hagiri

"Alfred sent you, didn't he... Come in."

The wooden door opened, and Bai Ye stepped inside.

The interior was exceptionally tidy. Judging by the decor, the shop seemed to have been out of business for a long time; even the counter had been removed.

Only then did Bai Ye get a clear look at the old man who had opened the door for him. He was an elderly Oni, gray at the temples, with a single sharp horn growing from his head.

"May I ask how to address you, sir?"

After all, according to the usual tropes in certain novels, an old man was bound to be some reclusive master with hidden storylines and side quests attached. Bai Ye had no choice but to be cautious.

But the elderly Oni merely waved a hand, avoiding the question. He slowly said:

"I'm old. I stopped forging weapons last year. But I still have some swords and blades here. If you don't mind, you can have a look."

Bai Ye paused slightly, then quickly understood. Though he could not have a weapon custom-made, buying one was still a good option.

"Follow me."

The old man led Bai Ye deeper into the house. In an inner room, a row of swords and blades caught Bai Ye's attention.

"These are all works from my younger days. Pick whichever one you like."

With that, the old man moved aside and fell silent. His shop had long since stopped operating. But if a customer had been introduced by Alfred, he would allow them to purchase weapons he had forged in the past.

Bai Ye stepped forward and carefully examined the weapons on the racks. He could not judge them by sight alone, but once he touched them, the system displayed the quality of each blade.

Most were white- or green-quality weapons, but Bai Ye did find a blue-quality blade.

[Hagiri]

Quality: Blue

Description: A sharp blade painstakingly crafted by a Higashi artisan. It was forged using an ancient family technique and fine materials, allowing its quality to surpass its limits.

Note: It has no special effects, but it is sufficiently sturdy and sharp.

Bai Ye removed the blade, which the system had rated so highly. Its length was just right, with a slight curve, and its guard was simple yet elegant.

When Bai Ye picked up "Hagiri," the elderly Oni's eyes lit up slightly.

"Good eye."

Bai Ye gripped the hilt and casually swung the blade once, then nodded in satisfaction.

"As expected of a blue-quality weapon. It feels completely different from Black Umbrella."

Bai Ye took the sheath from the rack, slid the blade back into it, and asked:

"I want this sword."

After lowering his head to consider it for a moment, the old man named a price.

"Five thousand Lungmen Dollars..."

Bai Ye's eyes widened in surprise. That price was far too cheap.

As though he had seen Bai Ye's confusion, the old man gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

"It can't be helped. The times have changed. I have to admit that weapons made with cutting-edge industrial equipment are much better than mine... Those machines can process higher-grade materials, and they're more precise and efficient when forging."

"Not many people pursue hand-forged weapons anymore... That's why my smithy has been closed for so long."

Bai Ye pressed his lips together, unsure how to comfort the old man. But the elderly Oni suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

"Don't worry about how to comfort me. There's a saying that goes—those who can't keep up with the times will be eliminated. After all these years, I've come to terms with it. Still, I'm happy that you chose a weapon forged with traditional craftsmanship."

Bai Ye tightened his grip on the blade and said softly:

"Don't worry. I won't let her down."

[Hagiri] suited Bai Ye remarkably well. Though it was not custom-made for him, it felt extremely natural in his hands.

Five thousand Lungmen Dollars was a huge sum for Bai Ye right now. After all, he only had around fifteen thousand on him. Still, Bai Ye readily handed the money to the Higashi Oni blacksmith.

"Tell Alfred not to send anyone else over in the future... I'm old. It's time for me to go home."

That was the last thing the elderly Oni said. As Bai Ye walked out of the shop, the wooden door behind him slowly closed.

Everyone had their own story. In their own stories, they were unquestionably the protagonist.

"Even a little blacksmith shop in a Columbia city can hide such a bittersweet story..."

Bai Ye took a deep breath to calm himself, then slowly walked out of the alley.

On his way back, Bai Ye casually bought some bread, hamburgers, and other food. This was Columbia, after all, where fast food was quite common. He picked a shop with relatively authentic flavors and bought some to take back for lunch—of course, he brought a portion for Texas as well.

Holding a hamburger as he walked and ate, Bai Ye vaguely felt as though he were walking down the streets of Earth—if he ignored all the animal-eared girls passing by.

"What a wonderful world."

Vehicles flowed through the streets, sunlight gleamed off the glass walls of skyscrapers, and people of different races continuously passed by Bai Ye.

This was the first time Bai Ye had walked through the streets so leisurely. Before this, he had either been fleeing or rushing about with a clear purpose.

In truth, Bai Ye had rarely had the chance to stroll down the streets like this in the past. He could count those occasions on one hand. Frail and sickly, he could usually only remain in his study, or sit in the courtyard and bask in the sun on clear days.

Bai Ye looked up at the sky. Though this was a different world, the sky was still the same color.

"Being transported to another world... isn't so bad, actually."

That night, Bai Ye lay in bed and closed his eyes with some difficulty.

When he opened them again, the familiar pure white space was before him, along with Texas, whose eyes had lost their light.

"Here we go again..."

Bai Ye was almost certain that this was the work of the system or some god. Like "after-school tutoring," this space allowed Bai Ye to feel pain at one hundred percent intensity, yet revive after dying.

"So the pain of dying is also one hundred percent!"

Bai Ye looked at Texas standing with her sword drawn in the distance. Perhaps in the next second, or perhaps a minute later, the girl would rush at him with her blade—and then he would die.

"I died enough yesterday. Texas nearly gave me a psychological trauma..."

Bai Ye clenched his fists. He had no desire to experience the agony of death again.

Unlike yesterday, the white space had changed somewhat today. For example, [Hagiri] now lay before Bai Ye.

"I think I understand what the system wants me to do..."

Bai Ye slowly picked up [Hagiri] and assumed a stance before a slash.

"Only by defeating you will all of this end!"

The girl in the distance said nothing, as if silently mocking Bai Ye.

"Don't underestimate me!"

Drawing his blade, Bai Ye charged toward the girl for the first time!