Tong Gu sat upright at the table, as immovable as a stone tower.
Across from him sat Mori Tetsuken, a swordsmith wearing a comical mask, visibly nervous. Unlike the hot-tempered swordsmith Urokodaki seen in the original tale, Mori Tetsuken appeared almost excessively restrained in Tong Gu's eyes.
"Is there something wrong with my blade?" Tong Gu asked, noticing that Mori Tetsuken kept sneaking glances at him, only to avert his eyes the moment Tong Gu looked back.
"N-No, not at all. Your blade... it's excellent," Mori Tetsuken stammered, hurriedly shaking his head.
Tong Gu frowned. He had provided a precious piece of alloy for crafting his custom Nichirin Blade, hoping to enhance its hardness. Could there have been a mistake? Sensing Tong Gu's growing displeasure, Mori Tetsuken quickly dragged over a large wooden case from behind him.
Tong Gu opened the box, revealing a Nichirin Blade nearly two meters in length. The jet-black scabbard bore dark red engravings, and the cross-shaped handguard was made of alloy to increase its weight. The blade itself was slender, less than three fingers wide.
Drawing the blade slowly, Tong Gu felt its weight—heavier than Gyomei Himejima's weapon, but perfectly suited for him.
Clang!
The blade hummed as Tong Gu swung it casually, slicing through the air with a sharp whistle.
"You've done an excellent job on this sword. So why do you look so..." Tong Gu's voice trailed off as he noticed Mori Tetsuken fidgeting.
Blushing beneath his mask, Mori Tetsuken placed a silver piece of alloy on the table, speaking earnestly. "It's just... I've never encountered such a durable material before, and I thought about keeping the leftover piece for myself..."
Tong Gu was taken aback, then laughed. "Mori-san, material loss during forging is normal. I wasn't expecting to reclaim the scraps—"
Before Tong Gu could finish, Mori Tetsuken had already scooped up the leftover alloy and a piece of crimson ore, swiftly packed his belongings, and bolted out the door.
Tong Gu sighed. "Well..."
At that moment, Sanemi Shinazugawa, the Wind Hashira, approached. "Your swordsmith is Mori Tetsuken? Don't let him scam you out of your materials."
Tong Gu held his newly named blade, Masamune, and looked at Sanemi with a stiff expression. "So all the smiths from the Swordsmith Village are eccentric?"
"Caw, caw! Mission, mission!"
Before Sanemi could retort, the sound of a crow echoed overhead. A large black messenger crow landed on the windowsill, flapping its wings.
"There's a demon attacking a northern town. Tong Gu, proceed immediately!"
Tong Gu's eyes lit up. Finally, a mission. Grasping his sword, he stood and prepared to leave.
Sanemi hesitated for a moment, recalling his earlier conversation with Gyomei. "Kid, you're not the only one aiming to kill Muzan or the Twelve Kizuki. Don't throw your life away."
Tong Gu smirked. "Don't worry. I still need time to develop Heaven Breathing."
Sanemi clicked his tongue, irritated, but turned away.
---
Following his crow's guidance, Tong Gu reached the nameless town by the third evening. Along the way, he searched for any trace of the demons Tanjiro encountered in the original story, hoping to increase his progress in this world. However, apart from Mount Natagumo, most locations lacked clear landmarks, leaving Tong Gu with little to go on.
As for Mount Natagumo, the death of Lower Rank Five, Rui, in the original plot had triggered Muzan's purge of the Lower Ranks, accelerating the story's pace. Tong Gu wasn't sure what consequences killing Rui at this stage might bring, so he refrained from intervening.
Pondering these thoughts, Tong Gu, towering over the townsfolk, entered a small inn with a finely crafted wooden box slung across his back.
The innkeeper, wearing a troubled expression, served him a simple meal. "Not many customers tonight, eh?" Tong Gu asked casually.
The innkeeper sighed. "It's those gossipy women spreading rumors about demons in town. Now, no one dares to come out at night."
Tong Gu inspected the food, confirming its safety before continuing. "And do you think there's any truth to those rumors?"
The innkeeper hesitated. "Well... there's an old dried-up well in town. Recently, a few young fools wandered there at night and vanished. People say it's the work of demons, but who knows?"
Hearing this, Tong Gu had a general idea. After finishing his meal, he stood and prepared to leave.
As he walked out, the innkeeper, moved by Tong Gu's generosity, whispered, "Sir, whether or not the rumors are true, it's best to avoid the western part of town at night."
Tong Gu smiled and nodded, then headed straight for the west.
Under the moonlight, the western side of town was eerily quiet, with many houses abandoned. Tong Gu unslung his Nichirin Blade, Masamune, and thrust its tip lightly into the ground.
Closing his eyes, he activated Earth Breathing, Third Form: Earthshaking Tremor.
His breathing became deep and rhythmic, attuning him to the faintest vibrations in the earth. He could sense the scurrying of mice, the cries of small animals—and then, a powerful, unnatural tremor. Following this lead, he soon reached an old, dried-up well.
The stone well had a wooden cover, now split apart. As Tong Gu approached, a sultry voice echoed from the depths.
"Come down... Come find me..."
Gripping Masamune tightly, Tong Gu infused the blade with his will, its surface turning jet black. Under the silver moonlight, it exuded a chilling aura.
"Alright," he said calmly. "Here I come."
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