Kotone shot Mochi a smug look.
It was the kind of look that clearly said: See? Miyu actually knows how to appreciate knowledge.
Mochi responded by sticking out her tongue.
—That's right —Kotone continued with an air of superiority—. Weapons are divided into different tiers based on the quality of the materials used and, above all, the rank of the anomaly core used in their creation.
Miyu listened with complete attention.
—There are four main categories.
Kotone held up four fingers.
—The most common are mass-produced weapons, also commonly known as generic weapons. They are manufactured in large quantities using a steel alloy and Rank C anomaly cores.
—They possess no special abilities and are designed to serve as basic tools. They're durable, affordable, and easy to produce.
She then raised her index finger.
—That is usually the first weapon any agent receives.
Her smile became proud.
—Although, of course, that wasn't the case for me.
—What a surprise... —Mochi muttered.
—I started out directly with a Unique Weapon, a relic passed down through my family.
—Nepotism —Mochi commented without hesitation.
—Family tradition —Kotone corrected.
—Nepotism.
—Mochi... —Miyu sighed.
Kotone decided to ignore her.
—The next tier consists of Tamahagane Weapons.
As she spoke, she spun her brush between her fingers.
—They are forged using Tamahagane steel, a special alloy created by incorporating various materials with spiritual properties. Depending on the craftsman, silk, wood, paper, bone, or other materials compatible with ether may be used.
—That sounds complicated —Miyu commented.
—It is.
Kotone nodded.
—They also require Rank B anomaly cores.
She raised another finger.
—Above them are Watetsu Weapons. Watetsu weapons are far more difficult to forge. They use high-quality materials and Rank A anomaly cores. Each one is usually considered a masterpiece in its own right.
Finally, she raised her last finger.
—And at the very top are Shinkane Weapons.
Even her tone of voice changed slightly.
There was genuine respect in it.
—They are the rarest and most powerful weapons in existence.
Miyu held her breath.
—Are they really that special?
—Only a handful exist in the entire country.
Kotone raised her brush.
—Creating one requires exceptional materials, Rank S anomaly cores, and craftsmen capable of turning those materials into true works of art.
The brush spun elegantly between her fingers.
—My weapon belongs to this category.
Miyu stared at the brush with admiration.
—That's incredible...
—I know.
Mochi rolled her eyes.
—I think the brat has said "I know" for the tenth time today.
Kotone decided to pretend she hadn't heard that.
Miyu then opened her wagasa umbrella.
—Kotone, could you tell me what tier my weapon is?
Kotone examined it carefully.
She spun it around.
Studied the details of its construction.
Ran her fingers along the handle.
After a few seconds, she nodded.
—It's excellent.
Miyu's face lit up.
—Really?
—Without a doubt, it belongs to the Watetsu category.
—Awesome!
Miyu's smile grew enormous.
Mochi immediately stepped forward.
—Now mine!
She pulled out her brass knuckles enthusiastically.
—Alright, genius. Tell me how amazing they are.
Kotone took one of the knuckles.
She examined it.
Then she took the other.
Her expression changed.
First, she frowned.
Then her eyes widened slightly.
Finally, she looked genuinely surprised.
—What...? —she murmured.
Mochi immediately straightened up.
—I knew it!
A triumphant grin spread across her face.
—Are they Shinkane?
Kotone remained silent.
—Or Watetsu?
Silence.
—They're special, right?
Kotone finally looked up.
—This weapon is...
Mochi waited expectantly.
—...of terrible quality.
—Huh?
—The craftsmanship is poor.
—Huh?
—The materials used are mediocre.
—HUH!?
—It can barely be considered a Tamahagane.
For several seconds, silence reigned.
Then Kotone burst out laughing.
—HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Mochi froze.
—No...
—It really suits you.
—That can't be!
—It's crude, unrefined, and looks like it's been smashed against a wall several times.
Kotone's laughter continued.
Mochi turned red all the way to her ears.
All the excitement she had built up came crashing down in an instant.
Kotone looked at the brass knuckles again.
This time, however, she remained silent.
The quality is poor.
Strangely poor.
As if the core used had been damaged or stored improperly for a very long time.
But that wasn't what truly intrigued her.
There's something else...
She examined both knuckles once more.
At first, I thought they were two separate weapons forged as a matching pair.
But that's not it.
Her eyes narrowed.
They're a single weapon.
Two bodies... but one flow of ether.
That was extremely strange.
Even for someone with Kotone's knowledge.
Somehow they're still connected to each other.
As if they share the same core despite being physically separated.
For the first time since meeting Mochi, Kotone felt genuine curiosity.
Who made these?
The level of craftsmanship required to create something like that was absurd.
Only the finest craftsmen in Kyoto could even attempt it.
And even then, she wasn't sure they would be capable of succeeding.
That city's headquarters...
Kotone glanced sideways at Mochi, who was still looking depressed.
She seems to be hiding far more secrets than I originally thought.
—Alright, let's move on. We don't have much time before nightfall —Miyu said.
With their weapons ready, the three of them crossed the barrier.
The moment they took their first step to the other side, an unsettling sensation enveloped them.
Miyu stopped immediately.
—This feels really strange...
—Yeah... the difference is huge —Mochi agreed as she looked around.
The instant they passed through the barrier, every sound in the forest vanished completely.
The songs of birds.
The buzzing of insects.
The rustling of small animals in the undergrowth.
Everything was gone.
It was as if they had entered a different world.
An unnatural silence ruled the area.
The three continued forward cautiously.
The deeper they ventured into the forest, the more obvious the differences became.
The trees were far larger than any they had seen before.
Some looked so ancient that it was difficult to imagine how many centuries they had stood there.
Their massive trunks were covered in reddish moss that emitted a faint glow, as though it absorbed the surrounding light and slowly released it back into the world.
The humidity was also much more intense.
A thin mist drifted between the roots and hovered close to the ground, partially obscuring the path.
Miyu couldn't stop looking around.
Every detail sparked her curiosity.
—Kotone, do you know what kind of anomaly could be behind all of this? —she asked while gazing at the giant trees.
Kotone walked a few steps ahead, carefully examining the surroundings.
—There are several possible candidates —she replied without stopping.— For now, we should assume we're inside its domain. Let's proceed carefully.
The three of them continued deeper into the forest.
Several minutes passed without finding anything.
No footprints.
No signs of human activity.
No trace of the missing children.
Only that unsettling silence.
Suddenly, Mochi stopped.
Her feline ears twitched slightly.
—Wait! —she exclaimed.
She crouched down and picked something up from the ground.
—Look at this.
Between her fingers was a massive black feather.
It was no ordinary feather.
It was far larger than that of any bird she had ever seen.
Several more were scattered among the damp grass.
—They're way too large to belong to a crow —Mochi murmured.
Kotone immediately stepped closer.
She took one of the feathers and examined it carefully.
For several seconds, she remained silent.
Her eyes traced the feather's glossy surface while she sensed the flow of ether still lingering within it.
Then her expression changed.
—There are traces of ether in them.
Miyu and Mochi watched her attentively.
She rotated the feather between her fingers.
—And it significantly narrows down the list of possible suspects.
Mochi crossed her arms.
—So who is it?
Kotone looked up.
For the first time since they had entered the forest, her tone sounded completely serious.
—If these feathers truly belong to the anomaly that created this place...
She paused briefly.
—Then there's only one possibility.
The silence of the forest seemed to grow even heavier.
Kotone held the feather up in front of them.
—These feathers belong to a Tengu.