The Black Nichirin Blade

Looking at the strangely dressed person before him, Chiba Yo was at a loss for how to respond. Was he supposed to speak the same way?

At that thought, Chiba Yo sat up straight and said solemnly, "Hello, I am Mr. Chiba Yo, a swordsman. Thank you very much for forging my Nichirin Blade, Mr. Tetsumaru-yama."

Chiba Yo bowed to Tetsumaru-yama, but when he raised his head, he found that Tetsumaru-yama had not been looking at him at all.

Tetsumaru-yama was taking a cloth-wrapped case off his back.

"This blade was forged from crimson red iron sand and crimson red ore. I spent ten days hammering it without pause. It holds the power of the sun and is the only weapon capable of harming demons," Tetsumaru-yama said as he unwrapped the cloth around the case.

Then he slowly opened it, revealing a sheathed Nichirin Blade.

"Thank you for all your hard work. I can't thank you enough," Chiba Yo said gratefully.

The next moment, the previously solemn Tetsumaru-yama suddenly leaned toward Chiba Yo, thrusting his face right up to his.

!

Chiba Yo had no idea what Tetsumaru-yama wanted, and his expression turned awkward.

"If you're grateful, hurry up and draw the blade!!! Let me see what color your Nichirin Blade turns!!"

Tetsumaru-yama had completely abandoned his earlier solemn demeanor and was shouting. Although he still wore a mask, his excitement was unmistakable.

"All right, all right, I understand," Chiba Yo answered repeatedly, helplessly holding up a hand to block the face pressing toward him.

Only then did Tetsumaru-yama sit back, though he continued staring intently at Chiba Yo and urging him on.

Mr. Tetsumaru-yama really is hard to figure out. Are all the swordsmiths who forge Nichirin Blades like this?

Chiba Yo thought as he glanced at Tetsumaru-yama, then picked up the sheathed Nichirin Blade from the case.

A pleasing ring sounded as Chiba Yo drew the blade from its sheath.

The next second, the previously colorless blade began turning black. Moments later, the entire blade had become pitch-black.

"So it's black. It looks pretty good..."

Watching the Nichirin Blade change color before his eyes, Chiba Yo let out an astonished remark. But no sooner had he finished speaking than he sensed something wrong with the atmosphere in the room.

"Black... black..."

A dark aura rose around Tetsumaru-yama as he repeated the word over and over.

A bead of cold sweat appeared on Chiba Yo's face at the sight.

Huh? What's going on? Did I do something Mr. Tetsumaru-yama couldn't stand?

As Chiba Yo wondered, Tetsumaru-yama suddenly raised both hands, steam rising from his head in anger, and shouted at breakneck speed, "I came all this way from the village without taking a single break because I heard you were the Flame Hashira's Tsuguko and wanted to see the Nichirin Blade I forged turn red! Aaaaaah!!!!!"

Tetsumaru-yama's roar left Chiba Yo momentarily dazed. Just then, Tetsumaru-yama lunged at him, clamped both legs tightly around him, and began repeatedly pounding his head with both hands.

"Apologize! You have to apologize to me! Flame Breathing users all have red Nichirin Blades, so why is yours black? Hurry up and apologize!"

The blows were not particularly hard, and Tetsumaru-yama's words had now made it clear to Chiba Yo why he was angry.

"Oh, so that's why. Maybe it's because Flame Breathing isn't the only style I use," Chiba Yo said in realization.

Upon hearing that, Tetsumaru-yama stopped for a moment and tilted his head in confusion. "Not the only one? Are you saying you know other Breathing Styles? You must be bluffing, right?

"Even though I'm not a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, I know each swordsman only knows one Breathing Style. At most, they might develop another style from it. How could anyone know multiple Breathing Styles?"

"But I really do know several Breathing Styles. I think I know four now: Flame Breathing, Thunder Breathing, Water Breathing, and the Breathing Style I already knew myself," Chiba Yo answered honestly, counting them off on his fingers.

He had learned Flame Breathing after watching Kyojuro demonstrate it once, and afterward, Kyojuro had taught him all its corresponding Sword Techniques.

As for Thunder Breathing, he had learned it after seeing Zenitsu use it once during the Final Selection, along with Thunder Breathing's First Form.

Naturally, he had learned Water Breathing by watching Tanjiro use it.

"I named the Breathing Style I already knew Sun Breathing. It feels like it suits my name pretty well, too," Chiba Yo told Tetsumaru-yama with a smile.

At the same time, he remembered how he had named his Breathing Style.

As the sun began to rise, Kyojuro demonstrated all of Flame Breathing's Sword Techniques for Chiba Yo, who then performed every one of them again without the slightest error.

"Amazing! Well done! You've mastered Flame Breathing and all its corresponding Sword Techniques! Next, you need to develop Sword Techniques for your own Breathing Style!" Kyojuro praised him loudly after watching his demonstration.

"Yes, Master Rengoku!" Chiba Yo was delighted to receive his teacher's praise.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Kyojuro asked Chiba Yo, "Come to think of it, you haven't named your Breathing Style yet, have you?"

"Not yet." Chiba Yo shook his head.

He had not even considered that question. If Kyojuro had not reminded him, he probably would not have been able to shout out his moves when fighting enemies later, cutting his intimidating presence in half.

"Then take this chance to think of a name for your Breathing Style!" Kyojuro said loudly and enthusiastically.

Chiba Yo fell into thought. Just as he was racking his brain for a name, a ray of sunlight fell across his face. Its warmth made him decide on the name immediately.

"I'll call it Sun Breathing! The sun is the demons' bane, and I hope I can become their bane just like the sun and one day slay every evil demon!" Chiba Yo declared firmly as he gazed at the slowly rising morning sun.

Tetsumaru-yama froze briefly at Chiba Yo's smile, then said sulkily, "Hmph! Who cares what your Breathing Style is called?"

He then released Chiba Yo, closed the case on the floor, wrapped it in cloth again, and strapped it onto his back.

"Take good care of that blade. It's a brother who'll always fight by your side," Tetsumaru-yama said earnestly, returning to his earlier solemn demeanor. He looked at the blade in Chiba Yo's hand with some reluctance to part with it.

"Don't worry. I absolutely will!" Chiba Yo answered just as earnestly.

"Goodbye. I hope you become an excellent swordsman of the Demon Slayer Corps." After bidding Chiba Yo farewell, Tetsumaru-yama stood and left.

"Goodbye." Chiba Yo smiled as he returned the farewell.

Somehow... Mr. Tetsumaru-yama's voice sounds rather soft and delicate...

Watching Tetsumaru-yama's retreating figure, Chiba Yo found himself wondering about that.