The next morning, Akimi and Asuna headed to the small mountain where Kio had previously mentioned the presence of special ores.
The mountain was shaped like a large round platform.
The slopes were covered in spruces, pines, and cypresses, but the summit was completely barren.
That said, the mountain itself wasn't very big — the top had a diameter of only around fifteen or sixteen meters.
In fact, most of the western region of the seventh floor was made up of deserts and sand dunes, with very little greenery.
This mountain could be called a lone patch of green in a sea of yellow.
As Akimi and Asuna ascended the mountain, they were surprised to find a stone-paved path winding through the thick conifers.
Piece after piece of bluish-green flagstone lay quietly in the shaded undergrowth, making it feel like they were deep within an untouched forest.
"Mm~ It's rare for the seventh floor of Eternal Summer to have such a cool place," Akimi said as he walked ahead, hands behind his head, relaxed.
He hummed a cheerful tune — Gurenge.
"Hehe, only our heat-intolerant young master Akimi would be so happy just because it's cool,"
Asuna teased him with a squinting smile, hearing his light-hearted humming from behind.
"It's not just because it's cool," Akimi replied, stretching broadly.
"We've been running around for days helping with Nirrnir's quest. Isn't it nice to finally take a break?"
Asuna nodded in agreement, "That's true…"
When they reached the top of the mountain, clusters of blooming wisteria flowers climbing along bamboo fences came into view, filling their eyes with vibrant color.
"Wow~ such beautiful wisteria!"
"Wisteria?!"
Asuna's face lit up as she looked at the drooping blossoms, each like a fluttering purple butterfly.
Meanwhile, Akimi thought of something else — was this another NPC related to Demon Slayer?
At that moment, the sound of bang! bang! bang! echoed from inside the yard enclosed by the bamboo fence.
Akimi and Asuna circled around the fence draped with wisteria and entered the courtyard.
The first thing they saw was a traditional two-story Japanese wooden house.
In front of the house stood an NPC wearing a red fire demon mask and a blue-and-white checkered headscarf.
That NPC, masked and clad in a headscarf, was currently wielding a heavy-looking hammer, repeatedly striking a piece of ore on the ground that resembled iron.
"Hmm?"
The NPC paused when he heard Akimi and Asuna's footsteps.
Slowly, he lifted his head, which was covered by a comical fire-demon mask.
When he saw the Nichirin Blade hanging at Akimi's waist, he lowered his head again and resumed hammering the ore, saying, "A Demon Slayer swordsman? And a woman of unknown origin?"
Akimi drew his Nichirin Blade and said, "I want to strengthen my sword."
"…?"
The NPC, named "Haganezuka Hotaru," scrutinized Akimi for a moment, then said, "If you want to enhance a Nichirin Blade, go to the Swordsmith Village on the 17th floor and find your own swordsmith. Why are you bothering me? Shoo, shoo, don't interrupt me while I'm forging the world's greatest blade!"
"…?"
Akimi stared at Haganezuka, completely confused, and said flatly, "How would I know who my swordsmith is?"
"…?"
Just as Haganezuka was about to resume hammering the ore, he froze and widened his eyes at Akimi's reply.
He exclaimed, "How is that even possible?! Aren't you a Demon Slayer swordsman? How could you not know who your swordsmith is?! Don't tell me… your Nichirin Blade is picked up?!"
Akimi nodded seriously, his expression earnest.
"…?"
Haganezuka's confusion was about to break through the limits of his fire-demon mask and AI script.
He stared blankly at Akimi and muttered, "You seriously… picked it up?"
"Yeah. It feels pretty good to wield. I've already used it to kill a demon," Akimi replied with a nod.
"..."
Akimi and the exaggerated fire-demon mask — with one large and one small eye — stared at each other in silence for a long while.
Finally, Akimi couldn't hold it in anymore.
He frowned and said coldly to Haganezuka, "Just tell me — can you enhance it or not?"
"Hmm… it's not impossible, but— you'll have to go mine some ore for me. I'm running low on materials,"
Haganezuka said with hands on his hips, his crooked-mouthed fire-demon mask tilted proudly upward.
"Fine…" Akimi said after a brief moment of thought, stroking his chin.
"Oh, right — you can forge new Nichirin Blades, right?"
"Of course! I'm one of the finest swordsmiths around! No matter the type of Nichirin Blade, I can forge it!" Haganezuka said confidently.
"Why are you asking?"
Akimi was asking, of course, because of Asuna's weapon situation.
Right now, she was still using the Radiant Silverlight rapier, which they had obtained back on the first floor in the United Allied Kingdoms' treasury.
That rapier had already been enhanced to its limit — Asuna had used all available enhancement attempts on it, only failing once in the process, so it was at +14.
While it had served her well through the earlier floors, on the seventh floor it was starting to fall behind.
Against the stronger high-level monsters there, the Radiant Silverlight was clearly lacking.
When they fought the boss earlier, most of Asuna's attacks had been negated by the boss's tough dragon scales.
Only thanks to her high level was she able to deal at least some chip damage here and there.
Now that they had found an NPC capable of forging Nichirin Blades, Akimi was seriously considering getting a new weapon for Asuna.
After all, a Nichirin Blade had stats good enough to last all the way through to endgame — high base power, infinite durability, unlimited enhancement attempts, and a minimum enhancement success rate of 50%.
In other words, as long as you had enough materials, you could theoretically enhance a Nichirin Blade to any level.
(Kirito's Elucidator and Dark Repulser were only +50 when he left SAO, and that level of enhancement was described as "a miracle born of unbelievable luck.")
"Can you forge a rapier for me?" Akimi asked Haganezuka with a grin.
"Let me think…" Haganezuka pondered for a while, then said, "Alright… but your mining quota is going to be doubled—no, tripled!"
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