He hadn't expected to gain such information just by having a meal. Aoki Yoru quickly gulped down the rest of his wheat cake, took a few large swigs of water, wiped his mouth, and stood up.
"Let's go!"
He followed the landlady through a small alley to a secluded blacksmith shop. The storefront wasn't large, but the interior was bright and airy, with various swords and blades hanging on the walls.
A strong old man was wielding a massive iron hammer, nearly as tall as a person, striking heavily against an iron billet on the anvil.
The landlady pointed at the blacksmith. "This is my father, Sosuke. He's one of the top swordsmiths in our Land of Artisans," she said with a proud expression.
"Father, I've brought a customer for you. He's from out of town, so make sure to treat him well," the landlady said a few words to her father.
She then nodded toward Aoki Yoru and left, swaying her hips as she walked away.
The blacksmith didn't stop his work. Without looking up, he asked, "What kind of blade do you want to forge?"
"I wish to forge a Kusanagi Sword." Aoki Yoru stepped forward and stated his ideal weapon.
The blacksmith in front of the furnace paused. He slowly lowered his raised hammer and looked up at him as if looking at an idiot.
"A Kusanagi Sword? Do you know the origin of the Kusanagi Sword? That is a treasure passed down from the age of myth. It's said to be made from the hardest ore in the world, and to this day, no Kusanagi Sword has ever shown a nick or a crack."
He took a deep breath, showing a look of yearning. "Throughout history, countless swordsmiths have tried to recreate it, but unfortunately, all have failed. My lifelong wish is to see this legendary weapon with my own eyes."
Hearing this, Aoki Yoru showed a look of disappointment. At the same time, he felt envious of Orochimaru's luck; there were only three Kusanagi Swords in total, and he had obtained two of them by himself.
"Is there any way to forge a Shinobi Katana that comes close to it?" Aoki Yoru could only settle for the next best thing.
This time, Sosuke didn't object. He just lowered his head and pondered for a while. After a long time, he looked up and said:
"There is a way, but the materials required are too rare. Other materials like Thousand-Forged Dense-Pattern Steel are scarce, but I still have some in stock."
"But if you want to get infinitely close to a Kusanagi Sword, you need two types of ore: star-fallen mysterious iron and chakra active crystals."
He then stared intently at Aoki Yoru. "Regarding these two materials, I have only seen star-fallen mysterious iron a handful of times in my life."
"As for chakra active crystals, they are even rarer than Chakra Metal. I've only heard of them in legends. If you can find these two ores, I will forge the blade for you for free."
Hearing this, Aoki Yoru looked troubled. Not only were these two materials rarely seen, but even if he knew where they were, he couldn't afford them.
After a long time, Aoki Yoru made up his mind. Since he had come this far, he couldn't return empty-handed. He would try first; if it really didn't work, he'd trade with Orochimaru. Of course, that was a last resort, as that snake was far too greedy.
He then looked at Sosuke. "You are an experienced veteran. Do you know the location of these two ores, or perhaps any legends about them?"
Sosuke nodded. "You've asked the right person. As far as I know, General Mifune of the Land of Iron has a piece of star-fallen mysterious iron. He obtained it twenty years ago."
"He originally intended to use it to upgrade his personal sword, but later he inherited the position of General of the Land of Iron and received the general's sword passed down through generations. So, that piece of star-fallen mysterious iron was never used. As far as I know, it should still be in his hands."
He paused, picked up a water cup nearby, and took a sip to moisten his throat. Then he said proudly:
"As for the chakra active crystal, I suspect no one in the entire Ninja World knows about it except me."
"It is said that the founder of our Land of Artisans, Seimei, used chakra active crystals to forge the Four Sacred Treasures. Unfortunately, no one has ever seen them, and they remain a legend in the Land of Artisans to this day."
He then took a deep look at Aoki Yoru and emphasized again, "As long as you find these two mineral materials, I guarantee I will forge a weapon for you that is not inferior to a Kusanagi Sword, and I won't charge you a penny. I will also prepare the other materials myself."
"I hope you keep your promise once I find the two materials." Aoki Yoru glanced at the blacksmith and turned to walk out of the shop.
At this moment, Aoki Yoru's heart was racing. While the chakra active crystal was just a legend to the old man, he, knowing the plot, knew it existed. Those Four Sacred Treasures were right here in the Land of Artisans.
In a few years, they would be held by the Shitenshoujin to resurrect Seimei.
Although he didn't know if the four of them already possessed them, as long as he knew they were in the Land of Artisans, with his sensory abilities, he could even dig them out of Seimei's grave and melt them down.
Walking out of the blacksmith shop, Aoki Yoru wandered around, searching for those four familiar figures.
"Ah! It really isn't that easy."
After searching for a day without success, Aoki Yoru could only find an inn to rest for the night. Although the Land of Artisans was only the size of a single city, it still had over a hundred thousand residents. Trying to find someone in this vast sea of people was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
The next day, Aoki Yoru headed toward the Southern District. This was where the commoners lived. He hadn't considered this area before, as the four were Ninjas and would typically be high-ranking figures in the Land of Artisans.
But on second thought, the four were merely losers in a political struggle, which was why they wanted to resurrect the founder and dominate the Ninja World.
Now, living like stray dogs, it wouldn't be surprising if they were hiding in the commoner district.
He then wandered the streets, not in a hurry, expanding his perception to its maximum. As long as he searched everywhere, he would eventually find them.
As the sun set, Aoki Yoru suddenly stopped his footsteps at the southern border of the Land of Artisans.
"Found them. I didn't expect such good luck, to have a result so soon!" Aoki Yoru broke into a smile.
In a basement at the border, four people were sitting together, whispering about the Founder and the Four Sacred Treasures.
Aoki Yoru was in no rush. He jumped onto a tree, hiding his presence and aura as much as possible, quietly waiting for nightfall.
The night was dark and the wind was high; the moonlight was hidden.
Four dark shadows emerged from the ground, looked around, and then silently vanished into the night.
Half an hour later, in a canyon 20 kilometers north of the Land of Artisans, three men and one woman were standing on a protruding rock on a cliff halfway up the mountain, excitedly looking at the cave entrance behind the rock wall.
"Houki, are you sure Lord Seimei's Four Sacred Treasures are hidden inside?" The only woman among the four, Kujaku, asked with an excited look.
"Of course. My ancestor was Lord Seimei's personal bodyguard. When I was organizing books two days ago, I found his notes, and this is the place recorded in them," said Houki, who had a thin face, narrow eyes, and a shrewd, cold gaze, with a confident expression.
He then walked toward the cave entrance. "Let's go. Remember, there are traps everywhere inside. You must stay strictly behind me. According to the records, one wrong step will lead to eternal damnation."
Aoki Yoru followed from a distance. Watching them go in, he had no intention of following them inside at all.
As the founder of the Land of Artisans, Seimei was a hero of his generation. Who knew what kind of power the traps he left behind possessed? He wouldn't put himself in danger.
He would just snatch them from those four when the time came; after all, their strength was only mediocre.