Kochou Kanae gave her a gentle look and shook her head lightly. "It wasn't that simple."
"Hm?" Shinobu Kocho looked at her sister in confusion.
"I wasn't actually the key to winning this battle." Kochou Kanae glanced over at Tetsu no Sosuke, who had fallen asleep at some point.
Shinobu Kocho glanced at Tetsu no Sosuke. Though she was somewhat reluctant to admit it, she still nodded. "True. This swordsmith did play a part, I suppose."
"More than just a part..." Kochou Kanae shook her head with a smile. "There were actually two crucial factors. The first was this blade. Using it was unlike anything I'd ever experienced, and he was the one who forged it."
"This new Nichirin Blade?" Shinobu Kocho had naturally noticed the blade's unusual form as well and was eager to try it.
Kochou Kanae gave her an amused look and handed her the weapon.
The moment she took it, Shinobu Kocho's expression shifted slightly. "It's heavy."
"Heavy?" Kochou Kanae was taken aback.
"Not especially heavy, but much heavier than my own blade." Shinobu Kocho sounded puzzled. "Can't you feel it, Sis?"
Kochou Kanae shook her head, then suddenly remembered how Tetsu no Sosuke had asked her for a drop of blood before she left the Swordsmith Village.
Could that be why?
Though she had a suspicion, she couldn't be certain.
Instead, she said, "This blade increased the speed of my slashes. And there always seemed to be a warmth flowing from the hilt into my body, greatly slowing the drain on my stamina. Most importantly, this blade was effective against demons. It could suppress their regeneration."
"I noticed that right from the start. That Upper Moon Two was actually very powerful... At first, he seemed to be toying with me and even deliberately let me