Tap, tap, tap, footsteps echoed clearly in the silent hall after closing hours.
Suō Tsukasa's back was straight, his pace neither fast nor slow, and Matsuzaki Yoshihito followed him obediently.
Passing through rows of tables and chairs, Suō Tsukasa led his friend to a spacious spot and sat down.
"Sit."
Arriving at the table, Suō Tsukasa placed the long package on the table and gestured for him to take a seat.
"Customer, please enjoy."
At this moment, Tamaki appropriately brought over a tea tray and placed cups of tea in front of both of them.
She had originally finished tidying up and was ready to go home, but upon seeing Suō Tsukasa enter with an unfamiliar, craftsman-like friend, she returned to proactively brew two cups of hot tea.
She retrieved the tea tray, stepped back a few paces, leaving them sufficient space, and couldn't help but look curiously at the long, tightly wrapped object on the table.
"Thank you."
Matsuzaki Yoshihito nodded his thanks to Tamaki, a little constrained.
When he noticed her clean and tidy clothes, he realized his own appearance was somewhat shabby and shifted his body awkwardly.
"Suō, don't worry about food, just take a look first."
"This sword... is truly great!"
But this awkwardness was quickly replaced by a stronger emotion.
Business was important. He quickly composed himself, his gaze eagerly turning to Suō Tsukasa as he spoke.
"Alright."
Suō Tsukasa replied with a smile. Under the earnest gaze of the two people beside him, he stood up and reached out to unwrap the cloth.
Strip after strip of cloth loosened and slipped from his fingers, revealing the true form of an entirely black wooden sword.
Suō Tsukasa held the sword horizontally across his chest. The wooden sword was noticeably heavy, nearly double the weight of the white ash sword he currently used.
The blade was meticulously polished from a single piece of high-quality ebony wood. The wood grain was dense like iron, and its texture was as fine as silk.
The dim light in the hall flowed over it, seemingly absorbed and swallowed by the deep blackness, presenting a warm and restrained luster.
The tsuba (handguard) was exquisitely carved and curved, the same material and color as the blade, creating a seamless whole.
It rested quietly in Suō Tsukasa's hand, and the surrounding light seemed to quiet down a few degrees.
"So beautiful—"
Tamaki, standing nearby, was captivated by its breathtaking charm and couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Suō Tsukasa said nothing. He moved to an open space, gripping the sword with both hands and raising it above his head. His entire demeanor changed instantly.
Hoo—
He suddenly swung it down, cutting a graceful arc under the lights. The tip of the sword stopped precisely in front of his glabella, perfectly still.
The sound of the wooden sword cutting through the air was heavier and more solid than the white ash sword. The perfectly balanced weight made every movement appear rock-steady.
"Perfect."
"It's even better than I expected and imagined."
Stopping his movement and standing still, Suō Tsukasa lightly stroked the warm blade with his fingertip, giving a thumbs-up to Matsuzaki Yoshihito in confirmation.
"Good!"
Matsuzaki Yoshihito didn't say much. His calloused fists clenched tightly on his chest, his eyes reddening and trembling slightly, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a heartfelt, brilliant smile.
Making friends, dedicating himself to polishing his work, and receiving affirmation and recognition—everything that happened during this time felt like a dream.
He had forgotten, truly forgotten, how long it had been since he felt this happy.
Or perhaps this joy of understanding and being recognized was something he had never experienced in his long life.
Suō Tsukasa's brow subtly twitched. In his perception, the soul strength of his friend in front of him had increased slightly in an instant. Although the change was very small—far from enough to awaken spiritual power—the spiritual light of his soul became more resilient.
"The power of the heart, then."
He silently noted the event, judging the moment unsuitable for exploring the reason.
An increase in soul strength was beneficial and harmless to an ordinary soul, so it was a good thing after all.
"Let's give it a name."
Matsuzaki Yoshihito said, having somewhat calmed his excitement.
"Oboroyo."
Looking up at the deepening night outside the window, Suō Tsukasa named the sword in his hand without hesitation.
"Oboroyo... That name is wonderful!"
Matsuzaki Yoshihito softly repeated the name. This masterpiece, poured with his heart and soul, had finally received its name, achieving its final completeness.
After feeling satisfied and the rush of excitement subsided, Matsuzaki Yoshihito felt a deep weariness wash over him. His body swayed slightly, and he was a little unsteady.
He stumbled a step, reaching out to support himself on the edge of a nearby table, which allowed him to stand firm. His tanned face was pale.
After several days of nearly sleepless, focused forging, the heavy burden in his heart was finally lifted. The overlooked sense of exhaustion manifested completely.
Although ordinary souls do not feel hunger, the fatigue after hard labor cannot be avoided.
"Are you alright?"
Suō Tsukasa timely reached out and supported his arm, helping him sit down in his seat.
"During the brief support, he simultaneously transmitted spiritual power through his palm to slowly nourish Matsuzaki Yoshihito's somewhat dry and shaky Soul Body."
This was Suō Tsukasa's self-realization and a slight advanced improvement of the Kaido.
The core of Kaido lies in the caster transforming their high-density spirit pressure into energy with restorative and regenerative abilities and injecting it into the injured person's body to repair wounds.
What he had just done was to nourish Matsuzaki Yoshihito with his own spirit pressure, assisting in activating his intrinsic spirit particles to stabilize his Soul Body. It was a practical variation of the technique.
"Hoo, I'm fine, just a brief spell of dizziness, couldn't stand straight for a moment."
Matsuzaki Yoshihito used Suō Tsukasa's support to sit down, letting out a long sigh. His complexion visibly returned to normal at a speed discernible to the naked eye.
Everything happened so fast that the deep, soul-level exhaustion felt like a mere illusion.
"Sister Tamaki, could you please keep an eye on him for me?"
"I'll take you both home later."
Seeing his emergency measure succeed, Suō Tsukasa felt relieved. He turned to the side and apologetically asked Tamaki for help.
"No problem, leave it to me."
Tamaki had been an audience for half a day. Although she hadn't fully understood what happened, she patted her chest and agreed.
"Drink some tea, don't move around. I'll be right back."
Placing Oboroyo on the table, Suō Tsukasa gently instructed the resting Matsuzaki Yoshihito, then turned and headed toward the back kitchen.
Back in the kitchen, his goal was clear. After washing his hands, he scooped a basin of rice from the wooden pot kept warm over a low fire on the stove.
Since he started implementing the "fifth meal," there was always plenty of rice on the stove at this time, so he didn't need to start a new fire.
He seasoned the rice simply with salt, took a sheet of nori from a wooden box, and with a light slide of his fingertips, the nori was evenly divided into three strips in the air.
Picking up a ball of rice, his fingers moved deftly. With a squeeze and a turn, a plump triangular onigiri (rice ball) formed in his palm.
"Done."
He wrapped each onigiri with a piece of dark nori, then took a clean wooden plate and arranged the steaming rice balls on it.
The time it took him to return to the hall with the simple meal was less than one or two minutes.
"Thanks for waiting."
"Matsuzaki, eat something. You'll feel better after you eat."
Suō Tsukasa placed the plate in front of Matsuzaki Yoshihito and said gently.
The onigiri was simple, but it was perfect for someone like him who had just recovered from extreme exhaustion. Anything too rich would only be a burden on his body.