"That's not it! I'm not angry that Shinichi-san broke his Nichirin Blade during battle. While it's truly regrettable, given it was a fight against an Upper Rank, such an outcome is understandable.
But! What makes me furious is that after returning to the corps, the first thing Shinichi-san did wasn't to forge himself a new Nichirin Blade! That is absolutely unacceptable!!"
The small room was filled with the roaring voice of Tetsushin Ren, while Shinichi and Yuichiro quietly huddled in a corner, passively enduring the blacksmith wrath.
"What is a Nichirin Blade? It is nothing less than a Demon Slayer's second life! Every member of the Demon Slayer Corps should wield a Nichirin Blade that perfectly suits them! Our ultimate goal is to forge the finest blades with our greatest craftsmanship, so that our slayers can fight Demons with them!" Tetsushin Ren ranted, waving his arms animatedly.
Indeed, Shinichi had long heard that every master blacksmith in the Swordsmith Village was a true blade fanatic, pouring their heart and soul into each Nichirin Blade.
Someone like Master Tetsushin Ren was already considered one of the more mild-tempered smiths in the village.
Had it been a more hotheaded master, upon hearing that you broke the blade they forged, they might very well chase you down with a kitchen knife.
After obediently enduring Tetsushin Ren's tirade for half an hour, Shinichi finally spoke up once the blacksmith's fury had subsided slightly.
"Uh, well, Tetsushin-san , I sincerely apologize for not immediately seeking to reforge my Nichirin Blade. That was my oversight. However, I heard you've already forged a new one for me. May I see it?"
Whoosh!
The moment Shinichi mentioned his new creation, Tetsushin Ren instantly perked up, practically leaping to his feet from the tatami and eagerly unwrapping the wooden box he had brought with him.
As he opened it, Tetsushin Ren spoke excitedly, "Of course! Though Shinichi-san was rather negligent, as soon as I received the news, I immediately set to work forging a new Nichirin Blade for him. This time, I made special adjustments to the selection of scarlet ore and the ratio of scarlet iron sand!
"This new Nichirin Blade has reached an entirely new level in both hardness and sharpness! Truly, this is my most satisfying masterpiece to date! Magnificent! Just thinking about it fills me with excitement! Quick, Shinichi-san! Try it out at once!"
Now, Tetsushin Ren showed no trace of his earlier anger—his tone brimmed only with pride and anticipation for his new creation.
The speed of his mood shift left Shinichi and Yuichiro utterly dumbfounded.
Swiftly unwrapping the package, he opened the wooden case and carefully retrieved a Nichirin Blade wrapped in silk, then solemnly handed it to Shinichi.
Shinichi accepted the blade with both hands, immediately noticing its weight—it was much heavier than his previous Nichirin Blade.
Under Tetsushin Ren's expectant gaze and Yuichiro's curious one, Shinichi pulled away the silk, revealing a long, elegant Nichirin Blade before them all.
A pure white scabbard made of iron birch wood, adorned with delicate willow leaf patterns in green.
Upon closer inspection, the cross-shaped tsuba at the blade's mouth revealed numerous fine engravings, while the hilt was meticulously wrapped with a red-and-green patterned hilt cord.
An exceptionally beautiful Nichirin Blade!
A flash of awe crossed Shinichi's heterochromatic eyes, while Yuichiro's eyes widened in amazement—'Master's sword was truly magnificent'.
As for Tetsushin Ren, beneath his mask, his gaze was entirely fixed on the Nichirin Blade in Shinichi's hands.
"Quickly, quickly! Shinichi-san! Draw it! I can't wait to see those beautiful patterns again!" Tetsushin Ren exclaimed excitedly.
"Alright!" Shinichi nodded and firmly gripped the hilt.
With a swift motion—shing!—a razor-sharp Nichirin Blade was effortlessly unsheathed.
The moment the blade was drawn, red and green hues immediately began spreading across its surface, completely coloring the sword within moments.
Yet Shinichi, along with Yuichiro and Tetsushin Ren, stood frozen in shock—especially Tetsushin Ren, who stared dumbfounded at the blade in Shinichi's hand.
This... this coloration... why... why was it so bizarre!?
Shinichi was even more bewildered.
His Nichirin Blade was perfectly divided down the middle—one half emerald green along the flat, the other half crimson along the edge—the two colors starkly distinct without blending, splitting the sword into equal halves.
Yuichiro broke the silence, "Master, why does your Nichirin Blade look so much like a watermelon?"
Shinichi: "..."
Tetsushin Ren: "..."
****
Not long after, Tetsushin Ren departed the Butterfly Mansion carrying an empty wooden crate, muttering to himself all the while.
"How could this happen? Such colors... so unprofessional! A watermelon? Damn it! Was it because I ate watermelon that day? Or does Shinichi-san like watermelons?"
Meanwhile, Shinichi stood at the mansion's entrance watching the swordsmith leave, then glanced down at the Nichirin Blade at his waist.
"Watermelon it is, then. It'll be cutting through Demons' necks regardless—no difference there."
Beside him, Yuichiro now also wore a Nichirin Blade at his waist—another of Tetsushin Ren's creations, though forged during the smith's younger years.
Upon hearing Shinichi had taken a disciple who hadn't undergone Final Selection, Tetsushin Ren had gifted it to Yuichiro.
As Shinichi murmured to himself, a gentle voice suddenly reached his ears.
"Shinichi-kun?"
Looking up, he met Shinobu shimmering violet eyes.
"It really is you! When did you return to headquarters?" Shinobu said, her figure flashing as she instantly appeared beside him, curiously examining the new Nichirin Blade at his waist.
"Oh? Is this your new Nichirin Blade, Shinichi-kun? It looks quite lovely~"
Seeing traces of her former playful self in Shinobu's demeanor, Shinichi smiled and partially drew the blade.
"Take a look. Yuichiro says it resembles a watermelon—I think so too. Maybe I should just name it 'Watermelon.'"
This drew a delighted laugh from Shinobu, her eyes curving into beautiful crescents.
Before Shinichi and Shinobu could catch up further, a sudden exclamation interrupted them.
"Muichiro!!"
Both Shinichi and Shinobu turned their heads simultaneously to see nearly identical twin brothers standing face to face, their expressions overflowing with the joy of reunion.
Yuichiro gazed at his younger brother Muichiro's face and an indescribable surge of emotions exploded within him—excitement, joy, guilt, self-blame, and relief.
These overwhelmingly complex feelings left Yuichiro rooted to the spot, speechless.
Muichiro, equally teary-eyed, was the first to speak softly, "Brother..."
Yuichiro immediately broke down in tears, rushing forward to embrace his brother while sobbing uncontrollably.
"Waaah, I'm sorry! Muichiro, it was all my fault! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! The 'Mu' in Muichiro stands for 'infinity'—I've always known that!"
The scene of the brothers' reunion at the entrance of the Butterfly Mansion drew the attention of many Demon Slayer Corps members, all deeply moved by the touching moment.
Shinobu, being particularly sentimental as Muichiro's mentor, was overjoyed to witness this.
In her emotional state, she instinctively grabbed Shinichi's arm.
Having been on the verge of tears herself but without a handkerchief, the mischievous Shinobu shamelessly used Shinichi's sleeve to wipe her eyes.
Noticing that Shinichi didn't protest, a glimmer flashed through her violet eyes before she clung tightly to his arm without letting go.
Unaware of her intentions, Shinichi simply smiled fondly at his disciple before absentmindedly ruffling Shinobu's hair—an automatic response since she had just tugged at his sleeve.
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