Seeing the strangely dressed man standing before him, Chiba Yang felt unsure how to respond. Should he imitate the man's peculiar speaking style?
After a moment of thought, Chiba Yang straightened his posture and spoke with a serious expression.
"Greetings. I am the swordsman Chiba Yang. Thank you very much, Mr. Tetsumaru Yama, for forging my Nichirin Blade."
After speaking, Chiba Yang bowed respectfully. However, when he lifted his head, he realized that Tetsumaru Yama had not been looking at him at all.
Instead, the swordsmith was busy removing a cloth-wrapped box from his back.
"This blade was forged using Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore. I hammered it continuously for ten days without rest. The blade contains the power of the sun—it is the only weapon capable of harming demons."
As he spoke, Tetsumaru Yama began unwrapping the cloth around the box.
When the wrappings came loose, he slowly opened the lid. Inside lay a Nichirin Blade, resting quietly within its sheath.
"You have my deepest thanks for your hard work," Chiba Yang said sincerely.
The next moment, however, the previously serious Tetsumaru Yama suddenly leaned forward, pressing his masked face right in front of Chiba Yang.
Caught off guard, Chiba Yang froze awkwardly.
"If you're grateful, then hurry up and draw the blade! I want to see what color your Nichirin Blade will turn into!"
Tetsumaru Yama shouted excitedly. Even with the mask covering his face, his enthusiasm was unmistakable.
"Alright, alright, I understand," Chiba Yang replied helplessly, pushing the swordsmith's face away with his hand.
Only then did Tetsumaru Yama sit back down, though his eyes remained fixed on Chiba Yang with burning anticipation.
This man is really hard to figure out… Are all swordsmiths who forge Nichirin Blades like this?
Chiba Yang glanced at him before reaching into the box and lifting out the sheathed blade.
A clear metallic sound rang out as the sword left its sheath.
In the next instant, the previously colorless blade began to darken.
Black spread across the metal.
Within moments, the entire blade had turned pitch black.
"So it's black… It actually looks pretty good."
Chiba Yang admired the transformation with curiosity. But as soon as he finished speaking, he sensed that the atmosphere in the room had changed.
"Black… black…"
Tetsumaru Yama muttered repeatedly as dark frustration seemed to radiate from him.
A bead of sweat appeared on Chiba Yang's forehead.
What's going on? Did I do something that upset him?
While he was still wondering, Tetsumaru Yama suddenly raised both hands in fury, steam practically rising from his head.
"I rushed all the way here from the village without resting because I heard you were the Flame Hashira's successor! I wanted to see the Nichirin Blade I forged turn red!"
Before Chiba Yang could react, the swordsmith suddenly pounced on him, locking his legs around him while repeatedly knocking on his head.
"Apologize! You must apologize! The Nichirin Blades of Flame Breathing users always turn red! Why is yours black?! Apologize!"
Fortunately, the blows were not very hard. From the swordsmith's rant, Chiba Yang quickly understood the source of his anger.
"I see… That might be because I don't only use Flame Breathing," Chiba Yang said thoughtfully.
Tetsumaru Yama paused, tilting his head in confusion.
"Not only? Don't tell me you can use other Breathing Techniques too. You must be bragging."
"Even someone like me who isn't in the Demon Slayer Corps knows each swordsman usually only uses one Breathing Technique. At most, they develop variations from a single style. How could someone use multiple techniques?"
"But I really do know several," Chiba Yang replied honestly, counting on his fingers.
"I can currently use four. Flame Breathing, Thunder Breathing, Water Breathing… and the Breathing Technique I originally mastered myself."
He had learned Flame Breathing simply by watching Kyojuro Rengoku demonstrate it once. Later, Rengoku had personally taught him all of its sword forms.
As for Thunder Breathing, Chiba Yang had seen Zenitsu Agatsuma use it once during the Final Selection and managed to grasp the First Form.
He had also learned Water Breathing by observing Tanjiro Kamado.
"As for the Breathing Technique I developed myself… I call it Sun Breathing," Chiba Yang said with a smile. "It suits my name perfectly."
His thoughts drifted back to the moment he had first named it.
The rising sun had just begun to illuminate the horizon.
That morning, Kyojuro Rengoku had demonstrated every form of Flame Breathing for Chiba Yang. Afterward, Chiba Yang reproduced every movement flawlessly.
"Amazing! Excellent work! You've already mastered Flame Breathing and all its forms! Now it's time to develop techniques that belong to your own Breathing style!"
Rengoku had praised him loudly.
"Yes, Rengoku-sensei!" Chiba Yang replied happily, thrilled by the compliment.
Then Rengoku suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, you haven't given your own Breathing Technique a name yet, have you?"
"Not yet," Chiba Yang admitted.
He had never even considered the issue before. Without Rengoku's reminder, he might not even have names for his moves when fighting.
"Then now is the perfect time to think of one!" Rengoku said enthusiastically.
Chiba Yang fell into deep thought.
Just then, a ray of sunlight touched his face.
The warmth instantly gave him the answer.
"Then I'll call it Sun Breathing."
"The sun is the natural enemy of demons. I want to become like the sun itself—an existence that eradicates demons from this world one day."
He gazed toward the rising sun as he spoke, his voice firm with determination.
Back in the present, Tetsumaru Yama stared at Chiba Yang's smile for a moment before snorting.
"Hmph. Who cares what your Breathing Technique is called."
He released Chiba Yang, closed the box on the floor, and wrapped it again before slinging it over his back.
"Take good care of that blade. It will fight beside you like a brother for the rest of your battles."
His tone had returned to its earlier seriousness, though there was a trace of reluctance in his gaze as he looked at the sword.
"I will. I promise," Chiba Yang replied solemnly.
"Farewell. I hope you become an outstanding swordsman of the Demon Slayer Corps."
With that, Tetsumaru Yama stood and prepared to leave.
"Goodbye," Chiba Yang said with a smile.
As he watched the swordsmith depart, a strange thought crossed his mind.
For some reason… Mr. Tetsumaru Yama's voice sounded surprisingly gentle.