CHAPTER 89: CHAPTER 89: ENHANCEMENT AND HAMMERING

Sosuke had some understanding of Shinjuro.

He knew the source of his despair, but also recognized that as an outsider, it would be difficult to pull him out of it.

Besides, he had no interest in such matters.

A swordsmith trying to solve someone’s psychological problems? That was clearly beyond his expertise.

As agreed, Sosuke began repairing the Nichirin Blade the next day.

Having acquired the Repair Technique and drawing on his own experience, he established a series of repair steps. These ensured that the blade would not only be restored to its original condition but, by leveraging the techniques provided by the Repair Technique, would even surpass its initial quality.

This approach had already been proven effective.

He had previously helped the Wind Pillar repair his Nichirin Blade, successfully enhancing its various attributes.

Except for Yang Flame!

In fact, after forging so many Nichirin Blades for the Pillars, Sosuke had discovered a problem.

The Yang Flame attribute seemed to have a peak value.

To date, none of the Nichirin Blades he had crafted had ever reached a Yang Flame attribute of 100.

This seemed to be an unattainable pinnacle.

At the same time, he had a vague feeling that if a blade’s final Yang Flame attribute truly reached 100, some astonishing changes might occur.

As for whether these changes would be beneficial or detrimental, it was impossible to say for certain at this point.

The mornings were spent repairing blades, while the afternoons were dedicated to combat training.

Well... "combat training" might not be the most accurate term. To be precise, it was more like getting beaten up.

Tomioka, though cold on the surface, was warm at heart. While sparring with him inevitably resulted in injuries, they were always carefully controlled.

Kyojuro... He was warm-hearted and passionate, and his attacks burned just as fiercely!

Though he initially tried to restrain his offensive, as the battle progressed, his emotions inevitably surged, causing him to unleash his full power. Sosuke was immediately engulfed in a sea of flames that blotted out the sky.

What earned Sosuke Kyojuro’s respect was his ability to maintain both offense and defense even against such overwhelming attacks.

Though his attacks lacked power and his defenses faltered, leaving him battered and bruised by the end of each day, he never lost his fighting stance or succumbed to despair.

This convinced Kyojuro that Sosuke possessed a heart as precious as a treasure. With proper tempering in these flames, it would surely shine even brighter!

As a result, Kyojuro began unleashing his full power more and more frequently during their training sessions.

To this, Sosuke just wanted to die.

Of course, death was never an option. Kyojuro always maintained control, and Kanae massaged him every night, relieving blood stagnation and treating his wounds.

Her specially formulated medicine proved remarkably effective, and Sosuke never sustained any life-threatening injuries.

The combination of these factors meant that even if Sosuke had been beaten to a bloody pulp the day before, he would still be full of energy and ready to take another beating the next day.

This beating lasted for seven days straight.

By this point, Sosuke had become remarkably adept at enduring punishment.

His agility in evading attacks had reached a new level.

His understanding of dodging had deepened significantly.

And all of this... was the result of being beaten relentlessly.

Once he could consistently withstand or evade attacks, Sosuke focused entirely on defense and counterattacks.

This led to the creation of a new hammer technique that had been long overdue.

This strike once again earned Kyojuro’s approval, but he still hoped Sosuke would make a similar breakthrough in his swordsmanship.

However... this seemed to present another challenge, one that remained stubbornly out of reach.

On the third day of their training, Sosuke completed the repair of his Nichirin Blade, the Flame Cutter.

The blade’s fundamental attributes had been enhanced, and Kyojuro wielded it with the joy of a child.

Meanwhile, Sosuke’s reward was a new treasure: the Heavenly Craftsman’s Treasure Chest!

Inside were simple repair tools, such as whetstones, for quick fixes on the battlefield. These allowed for temporary repairs of worn blades, keeping them combat-ready.

However, such temporary fixes were no substitute for proper repairs. The effects were fleeting, and thorough maintenance was still required after each battle.

The advantage lay in its compact size and ease of storage.

Sosuke crafted a special belt to carry the kit, making it readily accessible wherever he went.

After repairing the Flame Cutter, Sosuke began experimenting with forging the core of an Automaton.

His sparring sessions with Kyojuro had given him a fresh understanding of the sword forms of Flame Breathing. Though he had taken his share of hits, the lessons learned were invaluable.

The immediate gains were obvious: improved agility, predictive attacks, defensive counters, and more. But if Sosuke could master the swordsmanship techniques used by the Pillars and ultimately develop his own unique style, that would represent a leap to an entirely new level of mastery.

With nothing much to report, half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

The Kakushi continued to bring parts for the Automaton as usual. On Mt. Sagiri, Tanjiro had helped assemble it, but here, Senjuro took over the task.

Indeed, men never truly outgrow their fascination with such toys.

Senjuro played even more fiercely than Tanjiro. After all, Tanjiro couldn’t slack off on his training, while Senjuro, being younger, had more free time.

Whenever he had a spare moment, he would dive into the assembly game.

Even Kyojuro was curious about it, but his priorities lay in training and demon slaying. Though he longed to try it, he feared becoming too engrossed and thus kept his distance as much as possible.

Today, after assembling the Automaton’s core components, Sosuke felt a strange sensation.

This feeling didn’t come from the Automaton itself, but rather as if something within his heart had been filled.

Following this feeling, he picked up the hammer-sword resting beside him and slowly approached a corner of the courtyard.

A large stone stood there, serving as a unique feature of the courtyard’s landscape.

Sosuke gazed at the stone for a moment before suddenly swinging his hammer and gently tapping it.

With seemingly little force, a sharp crack echoed through the courtyard. As if cleaved by a sword, a clean, straight fissure split the stone in an instant!

The three people watching him assemble the Automaton were drawn by the sound. They turned to look, their faces registering astonishment.

"What... what just happened?"

Sosuke stared at the hammer-sword in his hand, his eyes reflecting confusion.