"Tsukimichi-shounen!"
While I was sharing various stories with Yoriichi, Niimiya arrived carrying a wooden box.
Ah, right. I had almost forgotten about the gift.
"Indeed, Yoriichi. This is a gift for your wedding."
"A wedding gift?"
"I am the number one creator of Nichirin Blades~! Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, Oh-my, Sa-mai, San-mai, Niimiya Oetsu!"
Master Niimiya took his usual exaggerated pose before opening the lid of the wooden box.
Inside lay a brilliantly crafted Nichirin Blade in the form of a katana. On the side of the blade, the single kanji for 'Destroy' (滅) was engraved.
"I engraved 'Destroy' on the side of the blade just as you ordered, Tsukimichi-shounen!"
"I wanted to emphasize something unique. The character for 'Destroy' looks quite imposing, doesn't it?"
If a Demon is cut by the blade this man wields, they will all be annihilated in a single stroke. Such was the double meaning I had intended for this Nichirin Blade.
I looked at Yoriichi.
"Normally, I would have given this to you five years from now when you were meant to join the Corps, but you will need a Nichirin Blade if you are to slay Demons. To truly protect Uta, you will need this."
"Go on, take it up, boy!"
"Thank you, Elder Brother."
Yoriichi bowed his head once and lifted the Nichirin Blade.
A Nichirin Blade's color and characteristics change depending on the owner's aptitude for Breathing styles.
Just as my blade, as the creator of Moon Breathing, took on a purple hue; and Rengoku, who has an aptitude for Flame Breathing, has a crimson-red blade; and Amano, with her talent for Mist Breathing, has a pale blue-white blade.
In cases like Uzui, who has no aptitude for any specific Breathing style, the blade does not change at all.
The Breathing style Yoriichi possesses is Sun Breathing—the original style from which all others are derived.
Would it take on a red color like the sun, or would it possess all the characteristics of every Breathing style? Then again, considering mine is purple for Moon Breathing, it might take on an entirely unexpected color.
At that moment—
'A Bright Red Blade?'
Suddenly, Yoriichi's blade was dyed a brilliant, deep red and began to glow with heat.
*Sssssssssss!*
The smell of scorching and intense heat radiated from the Nichirin Blade in Yoriichi's hand.
The sword is heating up just by him holding it?
No, wait, just before it turned that fiery red, the color was definitely...
"To have a blade turn such a brilliant red! This is a phenomenon I have never seen in all my years!"
At this unprecedented and peculiar sight, the smiths of the Swordsmith Village gathered around to witness Yoriichi's glowing red Nichirin Blade.
"A Nichirin Blade burning this hotly! It is a similar yet entirely different color from mine!"
"Given that hissing sound, it seems the blade truly is burning..."
"If ye touch the side of that blade with bare hands, ye'd surely be burnt to a crisp."
The Hashira were among the crowd as well.
Leaving behind Yoriichi, who was flustered by the sudden attention, I fell into deep thought for a moment.
Through the Transparent World, my eyes had seen it just before Yoriichi's blade turned bright red.
I saw the blade as it first began to be dyed black.
The speed at which it heated up was so fast that even Master Niimiya next to him didn't seem to notice, but the color the blade transformed into before the red took over was undoubtedly jet black.
In the era before Breathing styles were passed down, a jet-black Nichirin Blade was considered an ill-fated 'dud' because no one knew which lineage it belonged to. To think that it actually signified Sun Breathing...
In other words, it wasn't a dud, but the ultimate prize. Unfortunately, all known owners of jet-black blades have since passed away, leaving only records behind.
Still, it means Yoriichi isn't necessarily the only one who could have held a black blade. If I could find others with the aptitude and teach them Sun Breathing, I could mass-produce Yoriichi prototypes... No, wait.
Something feels off.
Is the 'Bright Red Blade' truly a characteristic of Sun Breathing itself?
The records specifically mentioned the color jet black; there were no records of those black blade users heating their swords to a glowing red like Yoriichi just did.
That means the red blade Yoriichi created might not be an inherent trait of Sun Breathing...
Was it possible only because it's Yoriichi? Yet, when Yoriichi held a regular katana, it didn't turn red or heat up like this.
Could it be a specific trait of the Nichirin Blade? Something that activates under certain conditions?
I'll have to ask Yoriichi about it later.
'I just held it and it turned red on its own.'
I'm certain that will be his answer... but it's better than not asking. I shouldn't get my hopes up, though.
Besides, I don't even know what the specific effect of a Bright Red Blade is yet. I shouldn't be hasty.
No, more importantly—even if they are all gone now, there were at least others with an aptitude for Sun Breathing. So why is it that there are no other purple blades representing Moon Breathing?
Is this really some kind of exclusive skill of mine?
Just what exactly have I created?
"By the way, what kind of Breathing is yours, for the blade to take on such a red hue?"
Banda-san spoke up after closely examining Yoriichi's blade.
Ah, I realized I hadn't properly explained Yoriichi's situation to the Hashira yet.
"It is nothing significant, but it is Sun Breathing."
"Sun Breathing?"
"Sun Breathing? Then don't tell me... are you the 'originator' that Michikatsu-shounen spoke of!"
Rengoku was wide-eyed with shock; even though he had known Yoriichi for three years, he hadn't known his true identity.
"The originator? Now that you mention it, Lord Michikatsu did say he 'discovered' Breathing, not that he created it, didn't he?"
"Yes. I simply taught everyone how this fellow breathes."
Banda-san's jaw dropped. Seriously, you could fit a whole fist in there.
"Incredible... to think the person who created the prototype for all Breathing styles was your younger brother. So, is he strong? Looking at that Mark, he seems like he can hold his own."
Shimotsuki, a battle enthusiast as always, showed his competitive spirit.
"Forget it. He dislikes fighting... and even if ten of you attacked at once, the match would be decided in a single stroke. Don't even try."
"It is not to that extent, Elder Brother. How could I possibly defeat someone as well-trained as him?"
"Don't give him an opening. If you do, he'll pester you for a duel until the end of time."
I sighed, looking at Shimotsuki with pity.
"It doesn't seem like Lord Michikatsu is lying at all..."
Minase's comment left Shimotsuki speechless for a moment.
***
"Uta, this is a gift for you."
Since I gave Yoriichi a Nichirin Blade, I had to give Uta a gift as well.
What I gave Uta was a bouquet of flowers. A bouquet is an essential part of a wedding, after all.
"Wow! These are truly beautiful flowers."
Seeing Uta smile so brightly makes me wonder, 'Is this girl really the same age as me physically?'
Her smile was so pure and innocent, almost like a young child's. Though Yoriichi isn't much different in his innocence.
Besides, at seventeen, she *is* technically still a child. It's Yoriichi and I who are the strange ones. It seems I've become far too adjusted to the Sengoku period.
Regardless, the bouquet... come to think of it.
Looking at the bouquet in Uta's hands, I suddenly recalled the modern wedding culture of 'throwing the bouquet.'
"Uta, did you know? In certain lands, they call this a 'bouquet'."
"A bouquet?"
"Yes. In those lands, there is a custom where the bride holds a bouquet during the ceremony and then throws it to the guests... There is a legend that whoever catches the bouquet will be married within six months."
"Oh...! Truly?"
Uta's obsidian-like eyes sparkled.
"Yes, well, it's just a superstition."
At that, Uta held the bouquet out to me.
"Here."
Wait, why are you giving it to me?
"You should get married soon too, Elder Brother-in-law."
Being called 'Elder Brother-in-law' by her almost brings tears to my—no, wait.
"No, I told you, you're supposed to throw it, not just hand it over."
At my words, Uta puffed out her cheeks and tossed the bouquet high into the air.
Why is she puffing out her cheeks, though?
Just then.
*WHOOOOSH—!*
From among the guests, two shadows blurred forward at transcendent speeds, snatching the bouquet at the exact same time.
...?
The bouquet couldn't withstand the impact; the petals were all stripped away, and the stems were ripped clean in half.
The identities of the two shadows were Amano and Uzui.
You two... wanted to get married that badly?
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