Obanai gave a brief self-introduction before drawing his Nichirin Blade.
If he hadn't handed the blade over, his expression alone would have made Sosuke think he was about to be sliced in half.
"This is my original Nichirin Blade. You can forge one for me based on this shape. All I need is the ability to suppress demon regeneration."
Sosuke took the blade. It felt slightly heavy in his hand. The blade was purple and curved like a snake, with a circular guard intricately carved with serpentine patterns.
He'd never paid much attention to the blade while reading the manga, but now that he held it, Sosuke couldn't help but notice... 'How much does this look like the Golden Serpent Sword?'
After examining the blade thoroughly, he had fully absorbed its specifications.
Length, weight, curvature, thickness—all the data was processed in his mind. He nodded. "I understand. What about the materials? I don't have enough on hand right now."
The Serpent Pillar had clearly come prepared. He produced a small pouch containing the materials needed to forge a Nichirin Blade.
After handing the materials to Sosuke, Obanai asked, "Do you need to keep this blade here?"
Sosuke shook his head. "No, I've already recorded the data."
"When should I come to retrieve it?"
After a moment's hesitation, Sosuke replied, "It will be forged within seven days. I'll send you a letter with the exact time."
"Understood," Obanai said, pausing before adding, "Thank you."
He turned to leave, but stopped abruptly, glancing back as if wanting to say something. After a moment's hesitation, he shook his head, said nothing, and finally departed.
Sosuke felt bewildered. Was there something on his face? What was that awkward moment at the end?
His mind buzzing with questions, Sosuke gathered the materials. The forging shed should be completed today, allowing him to begin forging the Serpent Pillar's blade tomorrow.
He only wants the blade to suppress a demon's regeneration, not to be particularly heavy, so the Bloodforging Method won't be necessary.
Sitting down inside, he picked up paper and pen and began sketching the Serpent Pillar's sword.
Staring at the newly drawn diagram in his hand, he suddenly thought, "If I become a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, should I forge my own Nichirin Blade? Hmm, what kind of Nichirin Blade would I need?"
His gaze involuntarily drifted to the Heavenly Artisan's Forging Hammer.
He blinked, then shook his head vigorously. "No, no, no! How could a swordsman use a hammer? No way! Everyone else carries swords, and here I'd be lugging around a hammer? What kind of impression would that make? Besides, how could you possibly behead a Demon with a hammer?"
But as soon as the thought faded, another idea surged forth.
"Why not?"
Simultaneously, the image of a weapon materialized in his mind: the Church Pick from Bloodborne!
A weapon from the Bloodborne universe, the Church Pick concealed a sword within its hammer form, allowing for instant switching between heavy and light modes.
"This..."
His mind reeled, and his hand began sketching unconsciously on the paper.
In a matter of moments, the weapon had materialized on the paper. Sosuke stared at it for a moment before frowning.
"How should I handle the mechanism that conceals the sword within the hammer? Hmm, that shouldn't be too difficult. With careful consideration, it can be forged. The design, however, will require more thought. Otherwise, how can a Nichirin Blade wield an iron hammer?"
He shook his head and deconstructed the diagram on the paper, separating it into a hammer and a sword.
Then, he redesigned the sword's length and the hammer's weight, performing various calculations until he arrived at an optimal combination.
By the time the complete blueprint had taken shape in his hands, the sky outside had darkened.
Sosuke finally snapped out of his trance, staring at the newly completed design with speechless exasperation. "I've been poisoned by this obsession," he muttered. "Why did I go and create a hammer for myself? If I ever become strong enough to reach the Pillar rank, will I really have to call myself the Hammer Pillar?"
With a sigh, he picked up the blueprint and placed it at the very bottom of a stack of papers.
Stare...
Sosuke felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.
The person across from him no longer bothered to conceal the murderous intent in her eyes, repeatedly subjecting him to a visual form of thousand cuts.
This person was none other than Shinobu, the future sister-in-law Sosuke had already mentally claimed.
Heaven only knew what psychological breakdown Shinobu had endured.
After returning from a mission, she had been struck by a bolt from the blue: that detestable swordsmith was going to be living at the Butterfly mansion from now on?!
Wasn't this just indulging his ambitions?
She had tried to argue with her elder sister, but Kanae had told her it was an order from the Lord.
She was powerless to resist!
She was frustrated!
The young woman, her heart a tangled mess, could only channel her fury through her gaze, directing it at the "villain" who deserved to die a thousand deaths.
This made Sosuke's meal an excruciating ordeal.
Kanae glanced between the two, then sighed softly. "Eat."
Shinobu obeyed instantly, averting her eyes from Sosuke and taking a bite of rice. Then she resumed... Stare...
Sosuke's face darkened. 'You think you've got me cornered, huh?'
He immediately returned the stare!
Like two bolts of lightning colliding, their gazes met with a thunderous crack.
As Kanae ate, she felt sparks landing on her skin. She abruptly looked up at the two of them.
As if anticipating her gaze, both of them instantly lowered their heads and resumed eating.
The moment Kanae looked down again, they resumed their silent, thunderous clash, neither willing to yield an inch.
The atmosphere during the meal was so bizarre it defied description.
After finishing, Sosuke walked toward his courtyard, his head throbbing. He desperately wanted to post online: "How do I deal with a strained relationship with my sister-in-law?" Or perhaps: "How can I improve my sister-in-law's affection level toward me?" Or even: "Should I just use my forging hammer to hammer away all her resistance to me?"
"I'm going crazy!"
Sosuke felt utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally, his eyes aching.
As he stepped into his courtyard, he saw a young woman standing there, gazing up at the stars in a daze.
"Kanae..."
Sosuke paused, startled. The girl turned to face him, a gentle smile gracing her lips.
Ten minutes later, on the rooftop, Sosuke sat on the left, while Kanae sat on the right.
"It's been so long since I've properly looked at the stars," she murmured.
Her voice, usually ethereal, now carried a hint of grounded reality.
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P.S. Every 250 power stones = 1 Bonus chapter