Forge Room.
The signboard, slanting and tattered, seemed to reflect the declining status of swords in this era. Since the Meiji Restoration, the katana's position in Japan had plummeted. It transitioned from a brutal weapon of slaughter to a mere decorative showpiece, adorned by high-ranking figures and military officers as a symbol of their exalted status. Now, the katana couldn't even uphold this diminished role.
Sunaga Takashi stepped into the overgrown courtyard. On the veranda of a distinctly Japanese-style mansion, an old man sat hunched over, his long white hair disheveled. His lifeless eyes suddenly lit up with surprise when they caught sight of Sunaga Takashi. "You have finally come before me," he exclaimed.
