Departure! (Continued)

All of this led him to a theory.

He felt that the blow had broken through some barrier in his body, or perhaps some limit he had always taken for granted.

His body had undergone a change he could neither explain nor fully understand.

And the Nichirin Blade before him had taken shape faster than he had expected.

That was largely thanks to the changes in his body, which made every strike of his hammer more effective than before.

It was not just a matter of building up attributes. More plainly, what had once taken ten strikes now took only one.

The precision of his control was astonishing.

As a result, he had finished shaping the blade before noon.

After that, Tetsu no Sosuke took the drop of Kochou Kanae's blood and worked it into the blade.

He activated his Breathing Technique and began the special hammering sequence of the Bloodforging Method.

He had worried that it might not work well, but to his surprise, this forging method proved even more effective.

A tempering process that should have taken much longer was complete in just three hours.

The remaining steps demanded less strength, but he still had to proceed with care.

Heating the blade in the forge, raising its temperature, sharpening the edge, engraving the words "Slay Demons," then tempering and quenching it—Tetsu no Sosuke did not rest once through any of it.

He kept going until the blade was finished, fitted with the Four-leaf Sword Guard and a handle, and paired with a sheath.

Only then was it truly complete.

The blade felt quite heavy in his hand.

It might have been heavy for anyone else, but Kochou Kanae would have no trouble with it.

The Bloodforging Method ensured that in its owner's hands, it would feel as light as a wisp of willow fluff.

Rather than leaving the blade long and straight, Tetsu no Sosuke had given it a curve and made it wider, shaping it somewhat like a butterfly wing.

The cutting edge was slightly broader, yet the blade felt light rather than cumbersome.

He had based the design on Kochou Kanae's swordsmanship. Its curve and shape would let her strike faster and with greater force. The curve would also give the blade more power in a downward cut, allowing Kanae, who lacked an advantage in raw strength, to sever even an incredibly tough neck with relatively little effort.

"Never waste strength you can save. Forging a weapon means finding a balance among its various qualities. In battle, the strength you save can be put to use elsewhere, improving your chances of victory."

Tetsu no Sosuke carefully slid the blade into its sheath.

Just then, the expected notifications appeared.

[Weapon forged successfully!]

[Current Weapon Sharpness Level: 3]

[Forger: Strength +30, Constitution +30, Agility +30, Speed +30]

[Reward obtained: Heavenly Crafting Hammer!]

After the notifications, Tetsu no Sosuke suddenly felt several changes ripple through his body in quick succession.