Tanjiro had barely gotten two words out before the man in front of him launched into an introduction. "My name is Haganezuka. I forged and brought the blades for Lin Guang and Tanjiro Kamado."
Hearing this, Tanjiro stepped aside from the doorway. "I'm Tanjiro Kamado. Please come in."
Then he called into the room, "Lin Guang, the blades are here!"
"I heard," Lin Guang said as he came out, somewhat puzzled. Wasn't forging them supposed to take fifteen days? Why did it take twenty?
But Tanjiro and Lin Guang watched as Haganezuka sat down with his back to them. He took the long box off his back and seemed ready to take out its contents. "These are Nichirin Blades. I forged them."
Seeing that he had no intention of entering the house, Tanjiro continued, a little helplessly, "Um, please come inside first. I'll make you some tea."
Haganezuka still showed no intention of going inside and continued talking to himself. "The materials for Nichirin Blades are mined on the mountain closest to the sun. Using crimson red iron sand and crimson red ore, we can forge iron that absorbs sunlight."
"Really?" Seeing that Haganezuka still had no intention of changing his mind, Tanjiro could only respond to what he was saying.
"After all, Sunlight Mountain gets sunlight all day long." Haganezuka stood up and pointed at the distant sun.
Inside the wooden house, Sakonji Urokodaki complained with a touch of exasperation, "That man never listens to anyone, as usual."
Suddenly, Haganezuka turned around and thrust his face close to Tanjiro and Lin Guang.
The Ugly Mask on Haganezuka's face startled Tanjiro, making him involuntarily take a step back. Lin Guang, however, showed no reaction.
"Hmm? Oh! One's a Child of Bright Red Flame, and the other's an ice breathing user. Fire and ice-what an unusual combination," Haganezuka said in disbelief, pointing at Lin Guang and Tanjiro.
"No, I'm Tanjuro and Kie's son," Tanjiro corrected him.
"That's not what I meant!"
Haganezuka pointed at Tanjiro's hair and continued, "Your hair and eyes both have a reddish tint, right? Families who work with fire consider it good luck when a child like you is born. It makes them happy!"
Then Haganezuka poked Tanjiro's cheek with his finger.
With his cheek being poked, Tanjiro replied a little helplessly, "Is that so? I had no idea!"
"Looks like your blade might turn red!" Haganezuka said excitedly. Then he looked at Lin Guang beside him. "And as for you, the creator of ice breathing, I wonder what color your blade will turn."
"Well, we'll find out in a moment, won't we? Can you come inside now, Mr. Haganezuka?" Lin Guang asked with a smile.
"Of course. I imagine Urokodaki can't wait to see the colors of your blades either. Isn't that right?" Haganezuka called into the house.
Sakonji Urokodaki answered in a low voice from inside.
Only then did Haganezuka carry the finished Nichirin Blades into the wooden house, with Tanjiro and Lin Guang following him.
Once inside, Haganezuka sat down beside Sakonji Urokodaki, while Lin Guang and Tanjiro sat opposite them.
Tanjiro was just about to make tea when Haganezuka handed him and Lin Guang a blade each.
"Tea can wait. Hurry up and draw your blades! Nichirin Blades are also called color-changing blades. They change color according to their owners!"
At his words, Lin Guang and Tanjiro drew their Nichirin Blades.
A few seconds later, the originally golden blade in Tanjiro's hand gradually began turning pitch-black from the base.
Lin Guang's blade did the opposite, gradually turning pure white.
Haganezuka had expected Lin Guang's blade to turn white. After all, he was a swordsman who used ice breathing, so either white or pale blue would have been possible.
But when he saw Tanjiro's blade turn black, Haganezuka couldn't help crying out. This clearly wasn't the result he had wanted.
"Black!"
"Black, is it?" Sakonji Urokodaki murmured, remaining perfectly calm.
Seeing how shocked Haganezuka was, Tanjiro grew nervous. "Huh? Is black bad?! Is it unlucky?"
Sakonji Urokodaki explained to Tanjiro, "No, it's nothing like that. It's just that pitch-black blades are rarely seen. This is my first time seeing a blade turn white like Lin Guang's, too. Perhaps it has something to do with the ice breathing he developed."
Unable to contain himself, Haganezuka shouted in frustration, "I thought I'd get to see a bright red blade! Damn it!"
Haganezuka sprang up, latched onto Tanjiro, and locked his body in a hold.
"Ow, ow, ow! Mr. Haganezuka! Please calm down! How old are you?!" Out of respect for the swordsmith, Tanjiro didn't dare fight back and could only let Haganezuka do as he pleased. In the end, he was the one who suffered.
Yet Haganezuka showed no shame at all and answered with complete seriousness, "Thirty-seven!"
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