One week after the Hihishirokane Silver was completed, I returned to Alka after finishing my work in Memoria, only to be whisked away by Ed and taken to the Crafting Hall.
“Is it done?”
“Yeah! It’s no exaggeration to say it’s my finest masterpiece to date!”
Ed puffed out his chest, and seeing the sword he presented, I could understand his excitement.
“Just as ordered, it’s generally not much different from Usugre.”
“From a usability standpoint, there wouldn’t be much need to change it significantly.”
The Hihishirokane Silver sword looked almost identical to the Azure Silver Sword – Pale Green. The differences were subtle in color and design. Well, the weapons for Mana, Flam, and Rebecca, which they had to get new ones for when they evolved to Ancient Class, also had barely any changes in appearance or balance, and it was easier for us to use what we were accustomed to, so it was only natural.
I placed my hand on the sword’s hilt and slowly drew it from its azure scabbard. Unlike Usugre, a blade of pale crimson appeared. “Wow, it’s beautiful.”
“How is it?”
“Yeah, it feels natural in my hand, the balance is good. And the weight, it feels great.”
“Hihishirokane Silver is slightly heavier than Azure Silver, so that was a good thing?”
Indeed, for 1 kilogram of iron, magic silver is 500g, and Azure Silver is 700g, but Hihishirokane Silver is 800g. However, if a weapon is too light, it can be difficult to use, and it’s not suitable for weight-based weapons. This is the same for Azure Silver and Hihishirokane Silver, but since it’s slightly heavier than Azure Silver, it should be manageable with magic.
“Probably. As for usability, we won’t know for sure until we use it in actual combat.”
“That’s true. But the sun has already set for today, so we’ll have to test it tomorrow.”
Unfortunately, that’s true. I’d love to go test it right away, but my wives probably wouldn’t allow it. However, this sword is as well-made as Usugre, which Richard-san forged, and it feels just as good in my hand, so the usability probably won’t be much different, and might even be superior. Oh, I forgot something crucial.
“Ed, what did Father say?”
“Asuka-san? He tried the prototype and he raved about it.”
The prototype that was properly forged, not the simplified version where the ingot was just casually worked, right? But if it could withstand Father’s magic power, that means it can definitely be used by Arc Class as well.
“In that case, would you mind forging another sword with a slightly different design for me?”
“That’s fine… Ah, are you giving it to Asuka-san?”
“Yeah. I considered a magic item, but I don’t know if it’ll work there. Hihishirokane Silver is the same, but this is a finished metal, so it should probably be fine. I thought it might be a unique souvenir from Helios Orb.”
I’ll probably lose the ability to use magic when I return to Earth. While I feel like I can use some magic items, I don’t think Storage Bags will work, and I don’t think magic stones will be worth more than gemstones. I’ve already gifted them everyday clothes and dresses made with royal silk, but that’s also for daily necessities, so it’s a bit different from a souvenir.
“A unique souvenir from Helios Orb, huh? Not a bad idea. Asuka-san and Maoh-san are leaving around the 10th, right?”
“It’s April 10th, so around then.”
“Then it’s fine, but I can only manage one. Got it. I’m sorry, but please.”
“Yeah. The more I forge, the more I’ll get used to it, and it’ll be good experience for me too.”
Come to think of it, this is Ed’s first time truly using Hihishirokane Silver. Well, Hihishirokane Silver was just completed, so it’s only natural. I eventually want to have everyone else’s weapons remade with Hihishirokane Silver, so I want Ed to get used to it even a little.
“On that note, Yamato, have you decided on a name for it?”
“Of course.”
A sword’s name is essential for Ee-quipping. It’s also said to help the magic power synchronize better with the wielder and foster attachment, so I worked hard to think of one for my Hihishirokane Silver sword.
“This one’s name is Hihishirokane Sword – Amaterasu.”
Hihishirokane Silver is a legendary metal from Japan, said to be the color of the sun. So I decided to use the name of Amaterasu Omikami, the god of the sun and our principal deity.
“A god from Yamato’s world? That sounds quite audacious.”
“Well, if you say that, MARS and MINERVA are apparently the same, so in terms of borrowing luck, isn’t it safe?”
I thought it was a brilliant naming, but Marina and Ed dismissed it almost immediately.
“On another note, you’ll be making everyone’s weapons out of Hihishirokane Silver eventually, won’t you?”
“I’d appreciate that. Though it doesn’t need to be right away, so no need to rush.”
Only Mako-san has evolved to Element Class, but eventually, everyone will be able to. Azure Silver is fine, but since Ed forged the weapons, it’s purely an upgrade. However, Hihishirokane Silver is quite difficult to smelt, so even preparing enough for weapon and Crest Defender Coat upgrades will take considerable time. I guess it’ll be fine if I can prepare it before the resolution with the demons.
Side: Mako
After Yamato-kun was taken to the Crafting Hall by Edward-kun, I also headed to the Crafting Hall with Asuka-kun and Maoh-san. There was only one reason, and they were both very curious. When we arrived at the Crafting Hall, Yamato-kun had just decided on a name, but Amaterasu is quite an imposing name. Since it uses Hihishirokane Silver, I understand the sentiment, though.
“It’s a beautiful sword~”
“Yes. It’s all thanks to Edward-kun’s skill.”
“No, no, without Asuka-san and Maoh-san, Hihishirokane Silver wouldn’t have been possible.”
“Perhaps, but what’s the point if you don’t have the skill to handle it?”
Edward-kun and Asuka-kun are humbling themselves, but it’s undeniable that Hihishirokane Sword – Amaterasu couldn’t have been completed without either of them.
“Yamato, may I hold it for a moment?”
“Of course.”
Not just Amaterasu, but even though Usugre incorporates Japanese sword-making techniques, it’s not a Japanese sword. Still, it’s undeniably based on Japanese swords, and Asuka-kun, being an swordsman at heart, is naturally interested. Asuka-kun took Amaterasu from Yamato-kun and slowly drew it from its scabbard.
“I see. It fits in my hand better than I expected. And it’s light. It seems easy to handle, truly a good sword.”
“All right!”
With Asuka-kun’s endorsement, Edward-kun looked genuinely satisfied.
“With this completed, Yamato, you can fight in your original style now, right?”
“No, it’s no different from the fighting style I used with Usugre Type-2.”
Indeed, with the completion of Amaterasu, Yamato-kun can now fight in his original high-mobility combat style. He was doing it with Usugre Type-2 as well, but Yamato-kun felt a slight discomfort with it, so the frequency had decreased. I feel bad for Edward-kun, but Usugre Type-2 is ranked lower than Usugre forged by Richard-san, so that’s probably the reason.
“Regarding that, it’s because my skill doesn’t match Grandpa’s.”
“Richard Grandpa is the best blacksmith on the Philia Continent. Ed has also improved a lot, but this isn’t something that can be done overnight.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply Edward-kun was bad.”
Maoh-san didn’t mean any harm, but she was a bit careless. Edward-kun doesn’t seem bothered, but you should choose your words more carefully.
“For me too, Usugre forged by Grandpa is a goal. I’ve forged many swords since then, but I don’t seem to be able to forge a sword better than Usugre.”
“It’s also a matter of materials, but it’s Grandpa Richard’s magnum opus. It’s unlikely there’s a blacksmith on the Philia Continent who can surpass that sword.”
“That’s amazing. I feel truly sorry that the sword forged by such a person has been damaged.”
“That’s my line.”
The Azure Silver weapons made by Richard-san that I know of, besides the Azure Silver Sword – Usugre, are Prim’s Scarlet Wing, and the swords held by Emperor Reinhardt, Grand Hunter’s Master, and Marquis Freyus, the father of Lydia and Ludia. All of them are said to be Richard-san’s magnum opus, and he has yet to forge weapons that surpass them. Because of that, Edward-kun also brought Hihishirokane Silver to Richard-san, but Richard-san, being Normal Class, couldn’t process it properly. Even Fiana, who is of a higher level than Richard-san, couldn’t process Hihishirokane Silver, so it was concluded that it couldn’t be handled by Normal Class. It’s understandable, as it’s difficult even for Ancient Crafters, let alone High Crafters.
“Weapons break, after all. Besides, since it’s made of Azure Silver, it lasted over a year, but with magic silver or adamantine steel, it might not even last one battle, let alone a month. No matter how much soul you put into forging it, it’s tough for crafters.”
“I see. If weapons break immediately, there’s less meaning for crafters to pour their souls into them. However, alloy weapons can be used for a considerable time, so they’ve become true partners for hunters.”
“Yes. Even with alloy weapons, I’ve heard stories of them being broken by monsters. Of course, it’s not uncommon, but for a crafter, there’s no greater joy than having their work used for a long time.”
That’s certainly true. I know because I’ve registered as a crafter myself; I want my created weapons and magic tools to be used for as long as possible. However, with weapons, no matter how carefully they are handled, they can be broken during battles with monsters, or they can break because they evolve to High Class during combat and can’t withstand the magic power. These are unavoidable problems for both hunters and knights, and it’s the same for crafters. Therefore, Jade Silver and Blue-Gray Iron, which can withstand the magic power of Ancient Class, let alone High Class, are also valuable materials for crafters.
“Is that so? It’s very important not only for hunters but also for crafters.”
“That’s right. That’s why I was relieved when alloys were created.”
“I agree.”
Of course. While Mako and I can cover it by generating Engraving Tools, general hunters can’t do that. In fact, High Class were having trouble with weapons, and it’s said that a large stock of identical backup weapons were stored. By the time I came to Helios Orb, they were already somewhat distributed, and more importantly, since I decided to join Wing Crest, I’ve never had any trouble there.
That aside, with the completion of Hihishirokane Sword – Amaterasu, test cutting is a definite part of tomorrow’s plan. After that, Yamato-kun will have his daily work after attempting the Dual Heart Fusion Technique. According to Caladbolg and Failnaught, Wing Bit Liberator is getting accustomed to Yamato-kun faster than expected, so it might be successful within a few days. He hunts monsters every day, and Helios Orb has more magic power than Earth, so it’s probably easier for it to adapt. There are less than two weeks left until they return to Japan, so I’d like them to see it if possible.
