Watching this, Lin Guang smiled faintly and twirled the Nichirin Blade in his hand. It felt perfectly natural to wield, so he sheathed it and bowed to Haganezuka in thanks. "Thank you for forging this Nichirin Blade for me, Mr. Haganezuka."
Only after hearing Lin Guang did Haganezuka let Tanjiro go and turn to look at him.
"I don't know what was going on with that tamahagane you chose. The usual forging temperatures weren't enough to melt it. It only fused when placed in the molten crimson red iron sand and crimson red ore, blending into the molten metal. Otherwise, I don't know whether I could have forged your blade at all."
Haganezuka stared at Lin Guang through his mask, as though searching for something unusual about him.
Lin Guang was a little surprised by Haganezuka's words. I only infused that tamahagane with a little of the Ice-Ice Fruit's power. I never imagined it would linger for so long!
With a gentle smile, Lin Guang thanked him again. "I'm sorry for the trouble, Mr. Haganezuka. I only used Ice Breathing while choosing the material to see if I could find something suited to my blade."
"I never expected it to cause you so much trouble. I'm truly sorry."
Haganezuka shook his head. "It's all right. When it comes to forging blades, there's no such thing as too much trouble. Besides, I'm delighted that I could forge a blade suited to your Breathing Style."
"That's a relief to hear."
Standing nearby, Tanjiro looked at the amiable Haganezuka before him, scarcely able to believe he was the same man who had just tried to pin him down.
Just then, two crows flew into the wooden house.
"Lin Guang!"
"Tanjiro Kamado!"
"I will relay the Demon Slayer Corps' orders to you."
Hearing the Kasugai Crow speak, Tanjiro was a little astonished. "Huh! It talked!"
Lin Guang, Sakonji Urokodaki, and Haganezuka, on the other hand, remained completely calm.
"Head to the town in the northwest! Young girls are disappearing there. A girl disappears every night! Find the demon lurking there and slay it!"
"Lin Guang (Tanjiro Kamado)! Be careful! This is your first assignment as a Demon Slayer!"
After delivering their orders, the two Kasugai Crows flew out of the wooden house.
After receiving their assignment from the Demon Slayer Corps, Lin Guang and Tanjiro rested for a day, then changed into their Corps uniforms early the following morning.
Lin Guang put on the Frost Haori he had obtained from a Treasure Chest over his uniform, while Tanjiro wore his usual black-and-green checkered robe.
Seeing that Lin Guang and Tanjiro had finished changing, Sakonji Urokodaki asked, "Are you ready?"
"Yes!"
"I'm ready, Grandpa Urokodaki."
Lin Guang and Tanjiro stood before Sakonji Urokodaki. Looking at the two spirited young men, he felt as though his children had grown up. "Good. Very good."
"Come here, both of you. Before you begin your assignment for the Demon Slayer Corps, there's something I want to explain."
At his words, Lin Guang and Tanjiro sat down and listened attentively.
"The Nichirin Blades in your hands change color according to their wielders. Different colors have different properties. But so few people have blades that turn black or white that we still don't know the details."
"Because so little is known about them, some say that swordsmen with black blades will never amount to anything."
Tanjiro was not discouraged by Sakonji Urokodaki's words.
"I don't know how I'll fare in the Demon Slayer Corps, but I'll definitely turn Nezuko back into a human!"
Sakonji Urokodaki had witnessed both Tanjiro's response and his efforts throughout the past year of training. At that moment, he believed this boy might truly find a way to turn demons back into humans.
"Yes. I believe in you, too."
"And take this with you!"
As he spoke, Sakonji Urokodaki pushed a small wooden box beside him toward Tanjiro.
"This is a box for carrying your sister on your back during the day. It's made from a very light wood called mist cloud cedar. I also coated the outside with rock lacquer to reinforce it, greatly improving its seal and strength."
"Thank you so much!" Tanjiro bowed to Sakonji Urokodaki in gratitude, then picked up the wooden box.
The instant he lifted it, Tanjiro was astonished by its weight.
"It's so light! So light, Mr. Urokodaki!"
Then Tanjiro carried the box over to Nezuko and gestured for her to crawl inside.
Obediently, Nezuko wriggled into the wooden box little by little, like a caterpillar.
Finally, Sakonji Urokodaki turned to Lin Guang.
"Lin Guang, you've always set your sights on standing among the very best in the Demon Slayer Corps, but above all, I hope you'll stay safe."
In the seventeen years since taking Lin Guang in, Sakonji Urokodaki had poured his affection into him and come to regard him as his own child.
"Don't worry, Grandpa. I'll definitely become a Hashira who can uphold the Demon Slayer Corps, and then I'll destroy Muzan Kibutsuji!"
Seeing how clear Lin Guang was about his goal, Sakonji Urokodaki knew that all he could do was support him.
"Yes! I believe in you! I believe you can do it!"
Before you continue