Sunlight streamed into the mountain ravine, illuminating the forest on one side. The chirping of insects, the calls of birds, and the gentle murmur of the stream filled the air, creating a refreshing and invigorating atmosphere.
Tetsu no Sosuke was currently polishing the blade.
The entire annealing process had taken a full day.
During that time, Tetsu no Sosuke had focused on crafting the other parts of the sword while waiting.
This included the tsuba (guard), hilt, and other components.
Now, before the whetstone, Tetsu no Sosuke was experiencing both pain and joy.
Polishing the blade was a meticulous and repetitive process. The annealed steel was exceptionally soft, and a single misstep could ruin all his previous work.
Therefore, the process demanded unwavering concentration.
The constant polishing involved repetitive motions, and the combination of focus and repetition made the swordsmith's ordeal no less grueling than that of the blade being refined.
This was the painful part... As for the joy...
[Sharpness +1]
[Constitution +1]
[Sharpness +1]
[Strength +1]
Unlike the previous shaping process, each subsequent polishing stroke now added a touch of sharpness to the blade.
More importantly, each stroke also granted Sosuke a random attribute.
Just listening to these sounds felt like hearing celestial music. Compared to this, neither the gentle murmur of the nearby stream nor the fragrant birdsong of the forest could compare.
The only downside was that such focused, meticulous, and flawless polishing couldn't last forever.
Soon, the blade was fully polished.
The next steps involved heating, quenching, and hardening the metal. Once these were complete, the blade would undergo one or more tempering cycles.
During this process, Sosuke covered all parts of the blade except the edge with clay before placing it in the furnace.
With this method, the blade would retain its original hardness while the body of the sword would remain relatively soft, enhancing its resilience.
After completing the final step, Tetsu no Sosuke attached the guard and hilt. The result was a sword with a pitch-black body, a silver-patterned blade, and an overall length of three feet two inches—a masterpiece of forging.
As he gazed at the sword, Tetsu no Sosuke's expression shifted through a complex range of emotions.
The entire forging process had been a delicate balancing act between various properties.
Meanwhile, the forging techniques from his memories—external methods like annealing, quenching, and tempering—compensated for any missing attributes.
In the end, he had managed to preserve as many desirable properties as possible, completing the forging of the sword.
"Finally... success! You're the first sword I've ever forged. Hmm, should I give you a name? How about... Genesis?"
Tetsu no Sosuke muttered to himself, clearly pleased with his naming skills.
Just then, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind:
[Weapon forging successful!]
[Current weapon sharpness level: 1]
[Forgemaster: Strength +10, Constitution +10, Agility +10, Speed +10]
[Reward Obtained: Sun Breathing!]
"Sun!"
Tetsu no Sosuke's eyes widened abruptly. "Sun... Sun! Sun Breathing!!!"
As a die-hard fan of the original work, having even finished the manga, he knew exactly what Sun Breathing was!
"The primordial Breathing Technique, the source of all others! I... I fucking... forged a weapon and got Sun Breathing? What the hell is this Golden Finger?!"
Dazed, he considered spinning in place or touching his neck with his sword to calm down.
But just then, information flooded his mind.
The amount of information wasn't vast, but it detailed a unique breathing method.
However... that was all.
"What about the sword techniques? Hey... where are the sword techniques?"
Tetsu no Sosuke asked blankly, but no one answered.
His Golden Finger was aloof, offering only occasional prompts and refusing to answer any questions.
The man stood rooted to the spot for a long time, then shook his head. "No, the Breathing Technique itself should inherently contain sword techniques. By deepening my understanding and mastering the Breathing Technique, I'm certain I can figure out the sword techniques myself!"
He nodded and refocused his gaze on the sword in his hand.
"This name, 'Only Genesis... doesn't quite fit, does it? Since you've granted me such a reward as Sun Breathing, how about I call you... Sun of genesis? After all, there's that saying: 'The sun... ah, the sun!'"
There was no reply. The surrounding silence was absolute; even the birds in the forest seemed unwilling to sing.
Tetsu no Sosuke's lips twitched twice. "Heaven granted me the skill to forge iron, yet denied me the ability to name things!"
But he quickly rallied his spirits. After all, having obtained even the Breathing Technique, what was there to complain about?
After sheathing the first sword he had forged into the scabbard he had crafted earlier, he stepped into the courtyard, determined to test his Breathing Technique.
Adjusting his breathing rhythm according to the memories in his mind, he was about to inhale...
"Sosuke-nii!!"
A brat's roar shook the forest, sending countless birds scattering into the sky.
"I... cough cough cough cough!"
Tetsu no Sosuke, who was about to attempt his first Sun Breathing, choked on his breath, nearly losing his composure. He coughed violently, gasping for air, and whirled around to glare angrily.
He saw a stinky brat wearing a Fireman Mask stumble toward him, running and tripping. "Sosuke-nii, the Village Chief sent me to collect the sword."
"Huh?" Tetsu no Sosuke asked, bewildered. "Collect the sword? What sword?"
"You've been forging here for the past two days, right? The Village Chief said today should be when the sword is finished, so he sent me to retrieve it. He wants to see exactly how skilled you've become!"
The mischievous child leaned in conspiratorially. "The battles between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons have been getting fiercer lately, so the Nichirin Blades are breaking more often. All the older brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunts in the village have been working themselves to the bone. The Village Chief said that while you might not be ready to forge a whole Nichirin Blade on your own, you should be able to repair worn ones."
"...How did he know I've been forging lately?" Tetsu no Sosuke asked, utterly bewildered.
"He saw you, duh," the child replied. "Not just the Village Chief, either. I've heard you hammering away every time I pass by these past few days. Hmm, is this the one you made? You really put your heart into it—you even made a scabbard!"
As he reached out to take the blade, Tetsu no Sosuke momentarily lost his focus, and the child snatched the sword away.
"Gotta go! The Village Chief's waiting."
Without waiting for a response, the child's short legs churned, and he vanished in a blur of motion.
"What does that kid eat? How can he run so fast?" Tetsu no Sosuke muttered, speechless.
Meanwhile, in the Swordsmith Village, in the Village Chief's residence, a woman with a gentle smile sat in the main hall, conversing with Chief Tecchin.