Kaito walked down the bustling street, his phone clutched in his hand. Every so often, he'd glance down at the screen, confirming he was heading in the right direction.
"Is it just me, or am I seeing more ghosts than usual?" Kaito mused aloud, "And they're different from the usual kind too."
Normally, Kaito would encounter entities that were clearly distorted, nightmarish creatures drawn from urban legends or fever dreams, often haunting individuals or lurking in shadowed corners. Most of those were quickly taken care of by the Supernatural Task Force once alerted. However, the beings he was seeing now were distinctly human, appearing as spectral apparitions with no injuries from their deaths and were simply wandering the streets.
Shikabanehime voice resonated in his mind. 'That's part of my blessing, Master. If you wish, you are now able to communicate with those souls or use my blade to harvest them for even more power.'
'You should purify those souls and send them to the afterlife,' Durandal retorted with disapproval. 'To do as the cursed blade suggests is wicked.'
"Is there a way to turn it off?" Kaito asked, hoping for a simple solution.
'I'm afraid not,' Shikabanehime replied.
Accepting his new circumstances, Kaito consciously tried to ignore the transparent figures drifting around him.
'Master,' Shikabanehime continued with a note of curiosity in her voice, 'I also noticed those women are wearing clothing similar to a shrine maiden, yet it's vastly revealing, with detached sleeves of all things.'
"They're just cosplaying," Kaito explained.
'Cosplaying?' she echoed, sounding genuinely puzzled.
"Hmm," Kaito pondered, trying to find the right words. "I'm not sure how to explain it, but I guess you could say they're modern clothes... fashions inspired by shrine maidens."
'I see... modern clothing,' Shikabanehime mused. Without warning, her traditional uniform rippled and shifted, transforming to perfectly mimic the appearance of the cosplayer. The outfit was indeed much more revealing, with daring gaps that exposed her armpits, a hint of side-boob, and generous portions of her thighs.
She twirled gracefully in the air. 'Master, how do I look? I noticed the divine blade also wore similarly revealing attire.'
Durandal's petite form bristled with indignation. 'My sacred outfit is inspired by what the saints of the Church had worn! How can it be compared to mere modern clothing?'
"You both look amazing," Kaito interjected, hoping to defuse the rising tension. "Honestly, it wouldn't matter what you wore—you'd be beautiful either way."
Both weapon spirits seemed satisfied with his response.
"Mommy, that guy is talking to himself," a little girl's voice whispered from nearby.
"Keep moving, dear. It's rude to point at others," her mother replied gently as the pair walked past Kaito.
Kaito quickly sped up his pace.
Following the directions on his phone, Kaito soon arrived at a small, traditional shop specializing in custom-made katana sheaths.
'You're looking to buy a sheath?' Durandal questioned. 'Can't you summon and de-summon us at will?'
Kaito communicated back, 'It's a requirement for a katana to have a sheath. It wouldn't be as cool without one.'
'But would an ordinary sheath be capable of handling her power,' Durandal persisted, 'much less when you're using her?'
'With time, it will be imbued with my power, making it more durable,' Shikabanehime assured them.
Kaito pulled out a long case and carefully placed Shikabanehime no Miko inside and stepped into the shop. Various exquisite katanas and intricately carved sheaths were displayed around the shop.
'What kind of appearance do you want your sheath to be, Shikabanehime?' Kaito mentally asked.
'I prefer something in the line of red and black with cherry blossoms in similar colors,' she replied, 'but I shall cherish whatever gift Master presents to me.'
"Hello, how may I help you today, young man?" the shop owner, a meticulous man with silver hair pulled back in a neat bun, greeted politely.
"I would like to order a custom-made sheath for my katana," Kaito stated, placing the case onto the counter and opening it to reveal Shikabanehime no Miko. "With a black and red cherry blossom motif. I'll leave the exact interpretation to your craftsmanship."
The shop owner's eyes widened slightly as if he recognized the ominous aura emanating from the blade, but his professionalism quickly took over. He carefully examined the katana and measure its size. "A fine blade indeed. I can have it done in seven to nine business days. Would you like to pay upfront, or half now and half upon completion?"
Kaito handed him a black card. "All of it upfront, please, and use the highest quality materials and craftsmanship for the sheath."
The shop owner's eyes widened again at the sight of the black card. "A black card! I understand, esteemed customer! I guarantee we will use only the best of the best materials and have our master craftsman work on it personally. It will be done in three to five business days."
"Feel free to send me the bill if it will cost more," Kaito added casually.
"No problem at all, esteemed customer," the owner replied, already bowing repeatedly.
_____________________
The central plaza of Ethfoolin, the City of Fools, was filled with player activity.
"Recruiting members for guild 'Crimson Knight'! All classes welcome!"
"Healers needed for daily dungeon runs! PM for invite!"
"Selling Poison Resistance Potions and Antidotes!"
"What is this place, Master?" Shikabanehime asked with a disoriented curiosity. "I also feel... weird."
"This is the digital world," Durandal explained. "And you now possess a body within this realm, Shikabanehime."
Shikabanehime gazed down at her hands, her eyes, now a natural shade instead of their usual pitch black, studying every detail with quiet intensity. She flexed her fingers, turning them over, then brought them up to gently caress her own face.
"This is what having a body feels like," she murmured in wonder. "It's certainly... different. I'm not sure what kind of power would grant me a body like this." A faint blush seemed to bloom on her pale cheeks.
"I'm not sure either," Durandal replied, radiating a quiet satisfaction, "but I'm grateful for its existence. You should be too."
Shikabanehime then reached out, her pale fingers brushing Kaito's cheek with a soft, exploratory touch, before turning to gently caress Durandal's face.
"Stop being so touchy," Durandal grumbled in protest.
"I apologize," Shikabanehime responded, pulling her hand back. "I'm simply overwhelmed by this sensation. It's... invigorating."
Kaito let out a soft chuckle. "C'mon, there's a lot to enjoy about this place," he said, gesturing around the bustling city plaza. "I'm sure Durandal is happy to show you the ropes."
Durandal scoffed, but a faint shimmer of pride seemed to emanate from her. "As your senior," she declared, puffing out her chest slightly, "I will reluctantly educate you."
_____________________
Kaito's party had ventured out onto a vast grassy plain. The expanse was filled with patches of tall emerald grass swayed in a perpetual, gentle breeze. In the distance, the outlines of mountains rose, blurring into the horizon.
A boar stood on the grassy plain. It was a formidable sight, its hide a dark, mottled brown, bristling with coarse, rigid fur. Two wickedly curved tusks, gleaming like polished obsidian, jutted from its snout. Its small, intelligent eyes gleamed with primal aggression as it fixed its gaze on Shikabanehime who stood on the opposite side of the clearing.
Shikabanehime adopted a serious stance. She held the katana with both hands, her grip tightens as her eyes narrowed in intense concentration.
With a guttural snort, the boar charged, a rumbling thunder of hooves across the plain. Shikabanehime swung the katana, a fluid, sweeping arc intended to meet the charging beast head-on. But the blade whistled through empty air. She had completely missed.
The boar slammed into her leg. A sharp cry of pain escaped Shikabanehime as she tumbled to the ground, the force of the impact sending a jolt through her body.
"Are you alright, Shikabanehime?" Kaito asked with concern as he rushed forward.
"Worry not, Master," Shikabanehime replied, pushing herself up with a wince. "I'm merely adapting to this body. The sensation of pain is... novel."
Durandal, who had been observing the exchange with a critical eye, spoke up. "Your attack was amateurish. You closed your eyes as you swung."
Shikabanehime gave a soft sigh. "I am merely a weapon, not a master swordsman. My previous wielders only used brute strength to kill; I never witnessed true swordsmanship. My knowledge of combat is... theoretical."
Kaito pondered this. "How about we go to a dojo in the far east of Ethfoolin?" he suggested. "I don't really know how to use a katana effectively either. We can learn together."
Durandal tilted her head. "Isn't combat experience the only training that truly matters? Just like you, Kaito. Let her suffer countless defeats and sharpen herself through them. Tonight, she can face you or any number of foes in your mental realm. Given time, she'll forge herself into a true master of the blade."
"Isn't it a bit much?" Kaito asked, wincing at the thought of 'countless defeats.' "We should probably start out slow."
Shikabanehime pushed herself fully to her feet as her gaze met Kaito's with resolution. "Durandal is right, Master. I am determined to fight side by side with you in this realm and the next. If I were to lose my edge against such challenges, I am not worthy to be wielded by you."
With that declaration, she swung the katana at the boar once more, which had circled back and was preparing another charge. Predictably, the blade once again missed its mark.
"At least let me teach you the basics first..." Kaito muttered.