The scabbard of this blade was pitch-black.
Yet the hilt was pure white, forming an uncompromising contrast with the black of the scabbard.
It was an icy white to the extreme, like the flash of cold light that crossed a blade's edge between the rise and fall of a thought.
Rubbing it while holding it in his palm, there was a faint pricking sensation like animal fur, yet it fit the hand exceptionally well-whether held in one hand or grasped with two, it was almost as if it had been custom-made to his exact measurements.
Uzumaki Hayashi turned it over and over, liking it more the longer he looked at it.
In his past life, he had only ever touched kitchen knives.
Since coming to Konoha in this life, he had played with a couple of kunai, but this was the very first time he had ever touched a real blade.
Gekko Hayate watched the child hugging the blade and looking as though he couldn't bear to let it go, smiling from ear to ear as he began to explain.
"I accidentally acquired a rather decent piece of steel a while back and had someone forge this blade. It can't compare to Chakra Steel, but in terms of flexibility and hardness, it counts as fine material."
As he spoke, he raised a hand and patted those red hairs twice.
"Take this as a gift from me. Consider it... payment for letting me take an A-rank mission reward for free."
Uzumaki Hayashi knew the score inside his head.
How could the reward of a single A-rank mission ever trade for this?
This welcoming gift from Jonin Hayate was simply far too extravagant.
The little merchant inside his heart was fed to absolute fullness, humming with satisfaction.
"This... this is too embarrassing."