Chapter 29: S-Level Talent: Craftsman Soul

[Craftsman Soul (S-level): Your craftsman talent has increased by 100%!]

With this talent, Leno quickly mastered Kosaburo's forging techniques, which made both Koushirou and Kosaburo look at him with admiration. Everyone believed he was a genius!

While others excel in one particular talent, Leno seemed capable of mastering anything he put his mind to. Not only did he grasp the concepts quickly, but he also learned at an astonishing speed.

Forging might seem like simple blacksmithing, but perfecting the craft requires years of practice to master the heat, strength, and other factors needed to produce a quality sword. While Koushirou lacked such talent, others needed at least a year to learn, but Leno could master it in just a day or two, becoming a Grandmaster in three to five days.

His progress was nothing short of extraordinary—a once-in-a-thousand-years phenomenon!

Leno felt a tinge of regret. When Kosaburo was younger, he had an SS-level [Craftsman's Soul]. He forged the famous swords Enma and Wado Ichimonji, both ranked among the twenty-one Great Grade Swords. However, time had not been kind. Physical aging, declining strength, and dwindling energy caused his once-brilliant skills to fade.

Even Kosaburo himself acknowledged that he was no longer what he used to be.

Thus, after discovering Leno's extraordinary talent for forging, Kosaburo decided that Leno should forge his own sword.

"My strength and Haki are not what they were in my youth. All I have now is more experience than you," Kosaburo said, teaching Leno with all his heart and passing down all his knowledge.

Leno remained calm and studious, progressing rapidly under the guidance of such skilled teachers. By forging swords, he not only practiced Haki and strengthened his physique but also honed his Kendo skills. The talent of Lord of Gluttony allowed him to extract strength from food and continuously temper his body.

Leno never neglected his Kendo practice. Every day, after exhausting his Haki, he would practice Kendo and create various moves, combining them with the talent of [Wind's Blessing]. The combined talent bonuses of [Sword Heart] and [One Heart Sword] allowed Leno to rapidly develop his unique style. His sword skills were strong enough to match Koushirou's in battle.

Deep winter had arrived. The wind and snow were fierce, covering the woods in a blanket of white.

At the sword-forging furnace, Leno, under Kosaburo's nervous gaze, carefully removed the sword he had tempered.

It was a standard katana, though it lacked a handle at that moment. The lines and sharpness of the blade were intimidating, reminiscent of the biting cold winds of winter.

Leno smiled. He didn't need to test it to know it was a remarkable sword. After some polishing, he attached the handle, the sword collar, and the hilt wrap before presenting it to Kosaburo for evaluation.

Kosaburo held the sword and praised it, "Just like the one you forged before, it feels good in the hand, and the weight is just right."

This was Leno's signature skill in sword forging.

He tested the sword by striking a solid rock.

With a light slash, the rock split in two with minimal effort.

"It's even harder than I expected. Your Haki has perfectly fused the different metals!" Kosaburo exclaimed in admiration.

He then tested the sword's sharpness by dropping a hair onto the blade. The hair split effortlessly. He infused the blade with Armament Haki, causing it to harden and pulse with energy.

With a slight wave of the sword, a cutting wave flew out, slicing through a tree ten meters away.

"Perfect conduction!" Kosaburo said, giving a thumbs up. "Congratulations, this is definitely a famous sword that could enter the ranks of the Great Grade Swords!"

"Just a Great Grade Sword?" Leno asked with a slight smile.

"Do you even understand what it means to be a Great Grade Sword?" Kosaburo replied, rolling his eyes. "There are tens of thousands of swords in the world, but less than a hundred are considered famous swords!"

"The Supreme Grade Twelve!"

"The Great Grade Twenty-One!"

"The Skillful Grade Fifty!"

"To enter this list, you must surpass the swords already on it, which is no easy feat."

"Many swordsmiths spend their entire lives forging a single Skillful Grade Sword, earning the title of [famous craftsman]. It took me ten years to reach this stage. And you?"

Kosaburo couldn't help but feel a bit envious.

"Oh! Youth has its advantages!" Leno chuckled, "It's all thanks to your guidance, Master."

Kosaburo, though pretending to be angry, handed the sword back to Leno.

"You're qualified. Give it a name."

[Mingqie] refers to naming the sword and engraving the craftsman's name, address, and the year and month of its creation.

"A name?" Leno pondered. "Winter Frost!"

The word "Winter" signifies the season, while "Frost" pays tribute to the Shimotsuki family. Leno planned to gift this sword to the dojo as a token of gratitude. Both Koushirou and Kosaburo had taught him wholeheartedly, benefiting him greatly.

Kosaburo nodded. "With this experience, you can try it again after adjusting your condition."

"Really?" Leno was pleasantly surprised.

Kosaburo nodded. "[Winter Frost] was just for practice. Now, you can forge something truly special."

He retrieved a black-purple ore from the lighthouse and handed it to Leno.

"This is an extraterrestrial meteorite that fell in the nearby sea years ago, causing a tsunami. I found it."

Leno was amazed. The ore was as large as a fist, yet it weighed a thousand catties.

To forge a famous sword, the material is just as crucial as the technique. Without excellent materials, even the most skilled craftsman would struggle to create something extraordinary.

"It's not entirely accurate to call it ore. It's more like divine iron, smelted at high temperatures when it fell from the sky."

"Ordinary flames can't smelt it," Kosaburo explained. "Only the fire of Haki can."

The so-called Haki fire involves wrapping Armament Haki around the flames during forging, raising the temperature to incredible levels. The stronger the Haki, the higher the temperature.

Kosaburo sighed. When he acquired [Divine Iron], he was already past his prime, with his physical strength and Haki greatly diminished. It was like facing a beautiful woman but being unable to act.

With [Divine Iron] in hand, Leno excitedly began designing his sword.

The sword you forge for yourself must suit you perfectly.

After careful consideration and taking Kosaburo's suggestions into account, Leno decided to forge a sword similar to Mihawk's black sword, Yoru. He increased the blade's width and the thickness of the back, making it ideal for powerful slashes.

With the talent of [Lord of Gluttony], as he continued to train, his strength would only increase, making his slashes even more devastating.

To ensure perfection, he practiced with ordinary materials first, identifying and correcting any flaws before starting on the final piece.

Every detail was meticulously planned to achieve perfection.

Once everything was ready, Leno began forging his sword.

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