Chapter 08: Off to be a Blacksmith.

Zenitsu was granted permission to visit the Swordsmith Village in light of his meritorious services to the Demon Slaying corps. He was blind folded and led there in company of Crows and KAKUSHI, with his heightened sense of hearing, it was not hard for him to walk around blind folded.

He was brought to an audience with the village chief, Tecchin Tachiwakahara.

"Young Demon Slayer, what brings you to our village" asked the little old man wearing a funny mask.

"I'm here for a vacation as well as to learn some sword making, is that acceptable?" Zenitsu replied sipping the tea served to him.

"The knowledge of making NICHIRIN blades come from our ancestors and it is an art we have hidden away from the world, prove yourself worthy enough to gain our trust, if we find you worthy enough to teach you our ways, you shall be taught. If not, this village shall be no more than a vacation spot for you." The old man said in a heavy tone.

"I agree, please ask whatever you must." Zenitsu said in a resolute manner, he was no longer in his happy go lucky persona, his smile turned serious, while the air around him turned heavier.

The people in the room were feeling suffocated by the pressure Zenitsu and their chief were releasing, "present me your blade" the old chief asked in a stone voice.

Zenitsu took out a piece of clean cloth from his robes and laid it before him and placed his katana on it. The villagers who saw this, felt happy for the respect Zenitsu had for his blade.

The chief did not say anything and nodded, he picked up the blade and unsheathed it. It had a brilliant golden colour like the eyes of the young demon slayer before him.

The blade was in beautiful shape, neatly polished and there was not even a little shipping, but the blade was sharp, shining with a cold gleam, proudly showing its edge that bathed in demon blood.

The others in the room were extremely satisfied to see how much the blade was cared for, yet the chief had a sullen expression. He knew that the blade could not hold on, the blade was unable to respond to the will of the one wielding it.

The chief heaved a long sigh and spoke, "answer me honestly, can this sword respond to your will? Can it bear your strength?"

Zenitsu softly shook his head, but did not speak a word. He had a look that said spoke a million words to the village chief. He understood the boy, his love for beautiful blades, how much he cherishes them he could not help but sigh again.

The chief bowed before Zenitsu, shocking all the people in the room and Zenitsu helped him up.

"Don't stop me, I must apologize to this swordsman who cherished the blade, who held on even though the blade could not respond to his growth, even though the blade could not reach his potential. The brat had known about this, and yet, and yet, he did not discard it, there is not a single chip in the blade despite of it's reaching its full potential. Despite knowing that he could do more, he did not over draft the blade, he supressed his own growth for the sake of the blade."

Tears fell from under the mask of the village chief, the others were shocked at the words but they knew that the boy sitting before them loved the blades as much as they did.

"Don't sweat the small stuff, this is the first blade I received from you guys. No matter what happens, I will cherish it. Even if you guys want it back, you will have to fight me for it. Once it's mine, it's mine, I love this blade and under no condition I am giving this blade away." Zenitsu spoke in a resolute voice.

The chief decided to test him a little and asked, "if we asked a Hashira to defeat you and take your sword away, what will you do?"

"Stupid question, even if I am defeated now, I will grow stronger than the Hashira and take my blade back, no matter the cost, I will take it back." Zenitsu stared back into the eyes of the old man and spoke his words of promise.

"You brat sure are wild, much like that brat Jigoro in his younger days. HAHAHAHA, he raised a fine pupil indeed, good brat, I will teach you myself." The chief laughed.

Zenitsu stretched his hand, his palm facing upwards, asking the chief to return his blade.

"I won't give it back unless you can pass my test. If you manage to pass my trial, I will give your blade back along with the best blade I know." The chief said sheathing Zenitsu's blade and handing it to one of his men standing behind him.

"Matsu, give him the blade Jigoro used before retiring. Brat, don't you dare put a scratch on it." The Chief said as he stood up and left.

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Three months later,

Zenitsu was learning how to care for blades, how to fix them and even some forging methods. His aptitude for learning was really pleasing to the eyes of the swordsmith villagers, they taught him, guided him, corrected his mistakes, chided him for his wrongs and praised him for the rights.

The village chief had allowed him to stay in his own quarters, the old man did not have a family of his own and having Zenitsu live with him was like getting a grandson, he never had. He introduced Zenitsu to the Yoriichi Type Zero dummy and fixed it back to shape.

The puppet regained its past glory it had in the Sengoku period, and Zenitsu was really having a tough time managing to hold on with its speed and movements. Zenitsu who for the first time faced a great wall before him, strived tirelessly, every time he fought the puppet, he would return slashed and bruised.

Slowly over time, as the months passed, Zenitsu was adapting to the fight and gaining the upper hand. He developed the tenth stance of the Thunder breathing in order to defeat the puppet. He named it RAIJIN NO NAGEKI, or the Thunder God's lament.

It involved him throwing the blade like a spear to impale the target like a bolt of lightning and Zenitsu rushing in to grab the blade and decapitate the target.

Even then, he was not satisfied. He threaded the stances together, and formed the final stance of the art of Thunder Breath, the Thunder Devil, RAIKI. All the moves were threaded with each other forming a chain that would not stop before the enemy was destroyed.

A year later,

Zenitsu had destroyed the puppet in a fight, discovering the blade hidden inside. The crimson blade of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the blade was restored by the chief himself and the guard was remade.

Zenitsu was ecstatic to receive the blade and the chief informed that he would help him re-forge this blade with Zenitsu's blade to make his magnum opus.

Zenitsu tagged along with the old man to forge the blade and this helped him to ingrain all that he had learned in his stay at the swordsmith village. The blade took five months to get completed, Zenitsu polished it like it was his own child, he was really in love with this blade.

The katana had a gentle curve with a fiery crimson colour and a golden glint lining its edge, he carved runes of sharpness and charmed it to be unbreakable and then carved runes to replicate the effects of SECTUMSEMPRA.

The crimson blade in his hand will work like a charm

Chuntaro came to him and perched on his head, after some petting and pampering, Chuntaro delivered the message that Zenitsu was now promoted to join the ranks of Hashira and join the Flame Hashira in his investigation.