Master Blacksmith in Demon Slayer

Chapter 30: The Hammer

Iguro Obanai gave a brief self-introduction, then drew his Nichirin Blade.

If the guy hadn't handed the blade over, just from his expression, you'd think he was about to split someone in two.

"This is my original Nichirin Blade. You can forge a new one in this shape. The only thing I need is the property that suppresses demon regeneration."

Tetsu no Sosuke took it. It was slightly heavy in hand, the blade purple, curved like a serpent, with a round sword guard carved with serpentine patterns.

He'd never paid attention when reading the manga before, but now he noticed... didn't this blade look a lot like the Golden Serpent Sword?

After examining the blade thoroughly, he had all the data locked in his mind.

Length, weight, curvature, thickness—he sorted through every detail internally, then nodded. "I understand. What about materials? I don't have enough on hand right now."

The Serpent Pillar had clearly come prepared. He carried a small pouch with him, containing the materials for forging a Nichirin Blade.

After handing it over to Tetsu no Sosuke, he asked, "Do I need to leave this blade with you?"

Tetsu no Sosuke shook his head. "No need. I've already memorized the data."

"Then when should I come to pick it up?"

After a slight hesitation, Tetsu no Sosuke said, "I'll forge it within seven days. I'll send you a letter with the exact time."

"Alright." Iguro Obanai paused, then added, "Thank you."

He was about to leave, but stopped in his tracks. He turned back as if to say something, hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

Tetsu no Sosuke was baffled. Was there something on his face?

What was that almost-saying-something about?

With a head full of questions, he stowed the materials away.

The Sword Forging Shed should be finished today. Starting tomorrow, he could forge the Serpent Pillar's blade.

"He only wants the property that suppresses demon regeneration. He's not fixated on weight, so I don't need the Bloodforging Method."

He went inside, sat down, picked up paper and pen, and sketched the Serpent Pillar's sword.

Looking at the freshly drawn picture, a thought struck him: "If I become a member of the Demon Slayer Corps someday, I'll need to forge my own Nichirin Blade, won't I? Hmm, what kind of Nichirin Blade would I even need?"

Then his eyes uncontrollably fell on the Heavenly Crafting Hammer.

He blinked and quickly shook his head. "No, no! How could a swordsman use a hammer? Yeah, that won't work! Everyone else walks out with a sword, and I'm the only one lugging a hammer—what would that look like? Besides, how could you behead a demon with a hammer?"

But as soon as the thought faded, another one burst in.

"Why not??"

At the same time, a weapon form surged irresistibly into his mind... the Kirkhammer!

From Bloodborne—a Sword-in-Hammer, two forms that could switch in an instant, transforming from a heavy weapon to a light one in a flash.

"This..."

His mind was a mess. His hand started sketching on the paper unconsciously.

In moments, the weapon was on the page. He stared at it for a while, then frowned.

"How do I handle the mechanism for the Sword-in-Hammer? Hmm, that's not too hard. If I think it through carefully, it's not difficult to forge. But the design needs more thought—otherwise, how could a Nichirin Blade support a hammer?"

He shook his head, broke the drawing down into separate hammer and sword components.

Then he redesigned the blade length, the hammer's weight, ran all kinds of calculations, and finally arrived at an optimal combination.

By the time the design was fully complete, it was already dark outside.

Tetsu no Sosuke snapped back to reality. Staring at the fresh blueprint, he was speechless. "Guess I'm infected too. Out of nowhere, I'm making myself a hammer. When I get strong enough to reach Pillar level, am I really going to end up with the title 'Hammer Pillar'?"

He sighed, picked up the design, and tucked it at the bottom of a stack of paper.

Out of sight, out of mind!

Stare~~~~~~

Tetsu no Sosuke sat on pins and needles.

The person sitting across from him had stopped hiding the murder in her eyes.

She was mentally flaying him alive with repeated glances.

That person was none other than the one he'd already mentally claimed as his future sister-in-law... Shinobu Kocho!

Heaven knew what kind of psychological breakdown Shinobu had gone through.

After returning from a mission, what earth-shattering news had she heard!?

That despicable swordsmith was going to live at the Butterfly Estate from now on!?

Wasn't that just indulging his ambitions!?

She'd fought it too. She went to argue with her sister, only to be told it was the Master's order.

She couldn't resist.

She couldn't refuse.

A tangled mess of emotions, utterly stifling!

The girl, burdened with an incredibly complex heart, could only channel her fury through her glare, pinning it on the 'despicable villain' who 'deserved a thousand deaths.'

This made Tetsu no Sosuke's meal an excruciating ordeal.

Kochou Kanae glanced at one, then the other, and let out a soft sigh. "Eat."

Shinobu Kocho obeyed at once, immediately looking away from Tetsu no Sosuke, took a bite of rice, and then resumed... staring~~~~~

Tetsu no Sosuke's face darkened. Did she really think he had no way to deal with her?

He stared right back!

Like two bolts of lightning, they clashed on the spot, sparking thunder and fury.