Chapter 83 - A blacksmith's might

Sorry that I didn't upload in quite a while, I had a couple of... Situations that kept me busy. Anyway, enjoy a quadruple release as an apology. I'll try to warn in advance if something like this happens again.

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Wasting no time, Ryu snapped his fingers, conjuring his smithy.

As the Zero Divison saw Ryu's smithy, they were immediately struck by its otherworldly appearance. The structure itself was made from the majestic and smooth wood of Yggdrasil. The wood was dark and rich, with a lustrous shine that seems to emanate from within.

The branches of Yggdrasil seemed to sprawl wildly and intertwine with one another, creating a complex and intricate pattern that defies description. It was as though the smithy was grown rather than constructed, each branch carefully cultivated and shaped into place.

The walls of the smithy were adorned with intricate carvings, each depicting scenes from Ryu's journey. The carvings were so lifelike that it was almost as if you could hear the clashing of swords and the roar of mythical beasts as you walked past them.

As the Zero Division stepped inside the smithy, they were immediately hit with a wave of heat that threatened to overwhelm them. The forge at the heart of the structure was a monstrosity of no equal, a roaring inferno of searing flames.

The forge at the heart of the mystical smithy was a rocky structure that kept with the nature-like design of the smithy. The heat it produced was so intense that it seems to warp the very air around it, creating shimmering waves of heat that danced in the light of the flames. The roar of the flames is deafening, drowning out all other sounds and filling the air with a palpable sense of power and energy.

To contain the heat, the forge was surrounded by an intricate and complex runic pattern made up of a multitude of interlocking and overlapping symbols. The symbols themselves are angular and sharp, with straight lines and acute angles that give them a sense of precision and power, unlike the more relaxed and calm feeling that was exuded from the surroundings.

The runic design was arranged in a symmetrical pattern, with each symbol carefully placed to create a harmonious and balanced composition. The design flowed smoothly from one symbol to the next, with each element of the pattern carefully considered to ensure that it fited seamlessly into the overall structure.

The bellows that feed the forge were incredible. They were worked by a team of hulking, muscular, godly Shinobi. Their veins bulged as they pumped the bellows with all their might, indicating that they were capable of producing a blast of air strong enough to topple a mountain.

Then, there was the anvil, the thing that stood out the most. It was just a plain anvil, made from a solid block of steel, with a rectangular base and a flat top surface. Yet its normal appearance contrasted so well with the surroundings, emphasizing the uniqueness of both styles.

"W-what is this?!" Oetsu exclaimed in shock as he examined his surroundings. "This is my smithy. After all, for spectacular creations, a spectacular workbench is needed. Now, let's begin making that sheath!" Ryu said with pride and excitement.

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Ryu carefully inspected the piece of wood he had chosen for the sheath, running his calloused fingers over its surface to feel for any imperfections. Satisfied that it was of the highest quality, he began the process of preparing it for the katana blade.

With swift, precise movements, Ryu used his tools to fib the wood, creating a smooth, even surface that would serve as the foundation for the sheath. He then placed Oetsu's katana blade on the wood, positioning it so that the longest width lay flat on the workbench.

Taking a pencil, Ryu traced a rectangle around the edges of the blade with breathtaking precision, his movements fluid and graceful. He then continued the longest lines of the rectangle so that they extended about five centimeters (two inches) below the tip of the blade, creating a space for the katana to slide into the sheath.

With a flick of his wrist, Ryu summoned his magic, the air around him crackling with energy as he brought his tools to life. He cut along the traced lines with effortless ease, the blade of his chisel slicing through the wood as if it were butter.

As he worked, Ryu remained completely focused, his attention fixed on the task at hand. He knew that creating a sheath for a katana was not a task to be taken lightly - it required skill, precision, and a deep understanding of the weapon itself.

With the first step complete, Ryu turned his attention to the next stage of the process. Ryu began to trace around the blade with a pencil once again for the second part of the sheath, retracing his steps until he had a precise outline of the shape that the sheath would need to take.

Once he had the outline in place, Ryu used a flattened chisel to begin clearing out an area where the blade would fit. He worked slowly and methodically, carefully measuring the thickness of the katana to determine how deep the sheath would need to be.

As he worked, Ryu remained completely focused, his movements slow and deliberate as he chipped away at the wood. He knew that any mistakes at this stage could be disastrous - a poorly fitted sheath could damage the blade of the katana or even render it useless.

But Ryu was a master of his craft, and he approached the work with a level of skill and precision that none could match. With each movement of his chisel, he brought the sheath closer to completion, shaping it to fit the katana perfectly.

With the basic shape of the sheath complete, Ryu turned his attention to the finer details. He tested the thickness of the scabbard by gently clamping the two pieces together around the Zanpakuto's blade, and to his delight, the sword fitted perfectly.

Ryu inspected the inner parts of the two pieces of wood that he had just shaped into the perfect form for the sheath of Oetsu's Zanpakuto. He knew that the outer appearance of the sheath was important, but he also knew that the inner parts needed to be just as perfect, if not more so. With this in mind, he picked up his engraving tool and started to work.

The sound of his tool against the wood was like music to his ears. With each stroke, he carved intricate runic symbols onto the surface of the wood, making sure that they were aligned perfectly with the shape of the blade that would soon rest inside. The symbols were intricate and beautiful, with intricate loops and swirls that seemed to dance across the surface of the wood.

As he worked, Ryu felt the power of the symbols coursing through his fingertips. He knew that each one was carefully chosen to provide the perfect level of hardness to the inner parts of the sheath. The symbols glowed faintly in the dim light of the workshop, their power almost tangible. He knew that the inner parts of the sheath were now harder than anything else in the world, but it still wasn't enough to contain Oetsu's Zanpakuto.

For a last push in strength to allow the sheath to contain the incredibly sharp blade it was meant to host, Ryu infused into the wood the pure concept of hardness. Due to his all-encompassing divinity, he could grasp and infuse that concept into his creation

With a sense of satisfaction, Ryu set about attaching the two wooden pieces together. He pressed them firmly together, the overwhelming vitality of the wood causing the two pieces to grow into one another and form a majestic shape.

Now, it was time to decorate the sheath.

As he worked, Ryu remained completely focused, his movements precise and measured. The sound of his tools echoed through the workshop as he worked, chiseling and carving with an almost hypnotic rhythm. Each movement was executed with care and precision.

The sheath that Ryu had crafted was truly a sight to behold. Its elegant and majestic appearance was a testament to Ryu's skill and artistry.

The first one would notice when looking at the sheath was the intricate pattern of carvings that adorned its surface. Ryu had used a variety of tools and techniques to etch an array of images and motifs into the wood, creating a symphony of lines and curves that seemed to dance and flow across the surface.

One section of the sheath depicted a soaring hawk, its wings outstretched in mid-flight. The details of each feather were carved with such precision that they looked as though they might ruffle in the breeze. Another section showed a field of blooming flowers, their petals so delicately carved that they seemed to shimmer and sway as if alive.

But it wasn't just the quality of the carvings that made the sheath so remarkable. It was also the way that Ryu integrated a variety of trinkets and ornaments into the design. Some were purely decorative, such as the small jade blossom that he had affixed to the tip of the sheath.

Others had a more practical purpose, such as the silver dragon that Ryu had attached to the side of the sheath. The dragon's wings were folded neatly against its back, and its tail curled up to form a hook that could be used to hang the sheath from a belt or sash.

"I think this outta do, let's see if Oetsu's happy," Ryu said as he went to call the God of the Blade