75. Swordsmith Village
"Whoa…"
Kotaro removed the blindfold and looked at the clustered houses, all emitting dust and heat from their chimneys.
Bang! Bang!
Even outside, he could hear the sounds of hammers striking iron. Without a doubt, he was in a village of swordsmiths!
"Playful Cloud…"
It was time for his upgrade!
…
Tsuchinoto.
It's the fifth rank in the Demon Slayer Corps. At this rank, a Demon Slayer is considered full-fledged and not just cannon fodder.
Still a long way from reaching the top, but halfway there. Privileges, like a customized weapon, become available. Knowing this, Kotaro didn't waste time ordering one. But still, his customized weapon—Playful Cloud—needed his own supervision. He had to test if it was made well or not.
No one in the history of the Demon Slayer Corps has wielded a weapon with no sharp edges, so Kotaro's presence was necessary. In the end, he was invited to the Swordsmith Village by his assigned blacksmith—Gozo.
When Kotaro first heard the name…
"Gozo?"
He instantly associated it with 'Gojo Satoru', thinking of 'Gozo Satoru', and laughed hard enough to nearly burst a lung.
But name aside, Gozo was indeed a brilliant blacksmith. The Nichirin Staff he crafted was sturdy yet light, making it easy for Kotaro to wield. This showed Gozo's rare expertise in making blunt weapons.
Most blacksmiths here are referred to as Swordsmiths; even the village itself is called Swordsmith Village because of the high number of swordsmiths. The reason is clear: most of them make swords. To kill a demon, you need to cut the neck in one swift stroke, which calls for a sharp weapon—the sword.
With demand so high, blacksmiths here learn to forge swords and are called Swordsmiths. But of course, there are exceptions, and Gozo is one of them.
Instead of sharp weapons, Gozo crafts blunt ones. Apparently, he made the spiked ball used by the Stone Hashira.
[A/N: I searched for the blacksmith responsible for Gyomei's weapon but couldn't find it, so let's say Gozo Satoru made it.]
This made Kotaro feel reassured; he was in good hands. Speaking of the Stone Hashira…
"I need to find some time to talk to him."
The strongest of this generation—Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Hashira. Though Kotaro has grown stronger than before, his hunger for strength has only increased, especially after his fight with Kamanue.
Despite having a cheat—Hamon—he suffered a lot. If a demon not even of the Lower Rank nearly killed him, what could a true Lower or Upper Rank demon do?
He could feel the urgency.
"It's been almost a year since I joined the Demon Slayer Corps. Next year…"
Two years. That's the time he had to improve, and a year has passed. A year after, the protagonist will join the Demon Slayer Corps, and everything will move quickly.
He has to become stronger—no, the strongest. Unlike others, he's not fighting demons for their sake, but for his own.
"Mitsuri…"
He has to survive the final battle. That fight where almost all the Hashira die—he has to survive beyond that point. Not only him, but Mitsuri as well.
"I can feel my limits."
Kotaro clenched his fist, feeling his current strength. He had reached his physical limits.
Even with Hamon's constant cycle of tearing and repairing, he knew that, in the future, he would lack the burst strength other top Demon Slayers possessed.
"Demon Slayer Mark…"
Once that awakens, he'll undoubtedly lose in terms of strength compared to others. He needs an alternative to give him that burst strength in times of need.
And for that, only one person could help him: the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima.
"I need to learn it—the Repetitive Action!"
But before all of that…
"Ah~ This water is so soothing…"
Kotaro could feel himself melting into the warmth of the hot spring. If only Mitsuri were here; he could enjoy this hot spring with her!
He could make some romantic memories with her in this place. After all, this hot spring was where he first learned who Mitsuri was. Her character development arc started here. Remembering that scene from the hot spring in his mind, Kotaro got angry.
"Damn, Ufotable! How dare they show my wife in such a way?!"
He began to complain, forgetting he was once one of the many who whistled at that scene before reincarnation.
Anyway, it was decided!
"Next time, when Mitsuri reaches Tsuchinoto…"
He would accompany her. They'd both come to this hot spring. Yes! This was the future he was working so hard for.
"Yosh! I need to work harder!"
All for this future!
…
Swoosh!
With a beautiful strike, the demon fell, vanishing into ashes. The girl who killed it, Mitsuri, felt a tickle in her nose and…
"Achoo~!"
She sneezed cutely, like a rabbit.
"Did I catch a cold? But I didn't get wet anywhere. It must be Kotaro-sama. Is he thinking of me?"
===
A/N:
The proper weapon seems to be necessary for the next step. Playful Cloud is coming!