After the spar, Katakuri Sasaki invited me to his living room, a space that reflected his traditional and old-fashioned demeanor. I sat with crossed legs next to a tea table, patiently waiting for him to prepare tea. As I watched him, I couldn't help but admire his deep respect for customs and honor, qualities that he held in high esteem above all else. It was clear that showing courtesy and respecting his home and mannerisms would be the best approach to getting closer to him and potentially befriending him. However, I also knew that crossing him on any of these matters could easily make him a dangerous enemy.
I observed the intricacy of his preparations as he brought a tray with a small teapot and clay mugs to the table. He carefully arranged them, then sat down with a sense of grace and poise. I made sure to be the first to grab the teapot, anticipating his intention to pour it for me, and poured his drink first as a gesture of respect. He seemed to appreciate the gesture, and a small smile played on his lips.
"Not many are like you, young man," he remarked, taking a sip of his tea.
"I was taught to respect the elderly," I replied, acknowledging his age and experience.
"You had a good teacher," he added with a nod.
"It was you," I said, grateful for the lessons he had imparted to me.
He chuckled, but I could still see a hint of doubt in his eyes. We both sipped our tea in silence, and although the flavor wasn't to my liking, I didn't want to decline the offered drink and offend him.
"You seem to not be enjoying the tea," he observed, a keen observer as always.
I couldn't hide the truth. "It's alright," I said with a smile, "You don't have to force yourself, I don't like pretentiousness."
He nodded in understanding. "And I don't like rejecting an offered drink, so it's okay. Besides, it's good for the stomach," he said, finishing his cup.
I followed suit, and soon he was done as well. He looked at me intently and said, "Care to explain how you know so much about my school?"
I took a deep breath, knowing that it was time to share my story. "Well, I will be telling you a story, but it may sound unbelievable. Will you hear me out?" I asked.
He stood up, pulling out a long pipe and some strange-looking herbs. "A story? I would like to hear one, but first, you don't mind if I smoke, do you?" he asked.
I shook my head, "Not at all. Please, enjoy," I said, granting him permission.
Once he lit up his pipe and settled back in his seat, he gestured for me to continue. And so I began my tale, weaving a story of a world much like ours, but more desperate and desolate, a world that had faced trials and tribulations and eventually met its demise. The story was long, and it took several cups of tea and pipe refills before I finished.
Throughout the story, Katakuri Sasaki didn't utter a single word, but he listened attentively, his eyes fixed on me. When I finally finished, he simply said, "Interesting story. You seem to hold a lot of information, but I respect that."
I couldn't help but feel relieved that he didn't dismiss my story as absurd. "I know it's unbelievable," I said, acknowledging the incredulity of my tale.
"Oh, no, I believe you," he said with a nod, surprising me.
"How come you came to that conclusion?" I asked, genuinely curious.
It is because of the spar earlier, your moves, if I didn't know any better I would have sworn you were a relative of mine from the Sasaki household, but never in their history have they ever accepted…well, a white man, as rude as it might sound. They're all stuck-up fools," he said, his voice tinged with amusement as he puffed on his pipe, exhaling a cloud of fragrant smoke into the air.
I couldn't help but chuckle at his remark. Katakuri, the renowned weaponsmith, known for his skill in crafting exquisite katanas, was indeed a peculiar character. With his unruly mop of white hair and rough exterior, he stood out in the traditional Japanese setting. Yet, his talent was undeniable, and his craftsmanship was unparalleled.
"And some of your moves were my own personal addition to the style, and I'm sure as hell I never had a disciple before," he said, a glimmer of pride in his eyes.
"Well, this makes things far easier," I said, feeling a sense of relief. Katakuri's acknowledgment of my skills and his willingness to help was crucial for our chances of success in the upcoming trials.
"Then, the I from your world, or the future as you called it, was a magic smith," he said, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
"Yes, the best one," I said, a hint of nostalgia creeping into my voice as I recalled my past life.
"Good to know that in a past, or future life, even I don't remember, I was of help. So you wish me to help you again?" he asked, his gruff voice softened with a touch of warmth.
For some reason, I felt a flicker of doubt. Would he refuse? Would he be willing to leave his beloved forge, the place where he had honed his craft for years? But I had to try.
"Yes, in all honesty, I don't think we can win. Even if you're with us, but without you, we'll definitely perish. The trials coming are far too great for mere regular weapons to handle," I said, my voice tinged with urgency.
"But I only know how to make katanas. Though a mighty weapon they are, they are not the best weapon for something like killing monsters," he said, his brow furrowed in thought.
His words struck a chord with me. It was true that katanas were not ideal for slaying monstrous creatures, but I had a plan.
"You didn't just craft curved swords," I said, excitement bubbling in my chest, "You made everything, from broadswords to daggers, to armors, that's is of course after you obtained Vulkan's Stigma."
"What is that?" he asked, his curiosity piqued, "I know Vulkan is a mythical god of the forge, but what is this stigma you speak of?"
"Vulkan is a symbol, the symbol of the forge. Think of it as something that was deified after gaining a lot of recognition. A god made from beliefs, a god of the forge. And to have the stigma, you'll need to do a trial. This trial will only be available after the First Phase is over. So for now, you won't need to do much, but I would like to invite you over to my place," I said, pulling out a parchment from my bag and handing it to him.
"Why should I?" he asked, skepticism written across his face.
"I have everything I need here," he said, "From the forge to the hammer, why would I change my smithy?" he asked, his attachment to his forge evident in his words.
Of course, even in my past life, Katakuri never changed his smithy. He was so skilled at his craft that he remained here, and people built an entire barricade around the small forge to protect it day and night, allowing him to work without worrying about the creatures roaming the world. But, as I mentioned before...
"Because you died the last time you did this," I interjected.
Katakuri glanced at me, took another puff of his pipe, and shrugged nonchalantly.
"I suppose I was too arrogant to leave?" he said with a hint of amusement.
I didn't wish to be rude, but I had to say it, "Yes, when it comes to being stubborn, you're the second most stubborn person I know," I said with a chuckle.
"Oh, not the first, that's a bit hurtful," he said, smiling.
"Yeah, the other guy, I'll need to pick him up afterward, he's going to be a pain. And... he's someone you really didn't like back then, so just a heads up," I said, trying to lighten the mood.
Which reminded me, I'm thankful I prepared a certain bribe for that guy, he'll be the most pain in the ass thing I'm going to deal with today. And hopefully the last.
"Interesting, but I don't think I could leave my forge," he said, shaking his head. "How would I work then?"
"I've already taken care of that," I said, pulling out a paper from my bag. "I prepared this in advance."
The paper contained plans and resources I had asked John Dilbert to gather. Katakuri, a renowned smith, had accumulated wealth in his first life and upgraded his forge. However, compared to the upgraded forge he once had, his current one was subpar.
Katakuri looked at the paper in awe. "You... have all of this ready?" he asked incredulously.
"Yes, and there's more to come. Consider it a small upgrade to your forge. Once the Mana is more abundant, I'll upgrade it even further, so you'll be able to forge metals that you've never seen before in your life. What do you think?" I said, trying to entice him.
"It feels like there's a condition attached to this," he said, eyeing me suspiciously.
I shook my head. "No conditions, just a request," I said sincerely. "I only ask that you give priority to me and my party when forging items. As for payment, I'll pay you the full amount, and won't ask for a reduction."
Katakuri seemed taken aback by my generous offer. "Your conditions are too good to be true," he said, still skeptical.
"I don't want to be greedy when it comes to my own survival," I said, hoping to reassure him.
He nodded slowly. "Then... how about I think about it?" he said cautiously.
"Of course," I said, handing him a radio from my bag. "If you decide to join me, use this to contact us on channel 8008. Someone will come to pick you up."
Katakuri examined the radio with curiosity. "Oh, these still work?" he said, impressed.
"Yes, unlike regular phones. Anyway, I'll have to leave for now. I still need to pick up another comrade," I said, preparing to leave.
He nodded, leading me to the exit. "Thank you," I said gratefully, bidding him farewell and making sure not to start my bike's engine until I was far away from his forge, so as not to attract any unwanted attention from creatures lurking nearby.
As I rode away, I couldn't help but feel hopeful. With Katakuri's skills and expertise now potentially on our side, our chances of survival in this dangerous world had just gotten a little bit better.