The Blacksmith's

Fantasy worlds are a concept that, in Japan, was considered the peak of fiction for young people and some older audiences. In my case, I had quite the enjoyment for them. While not outwardly being the novel type, I read quite a bit in my free time. And I even had the luxury of having good friends with whom I could share interests. 

They were the best.

Being transported into a fantasy world was never a dream or goal of mine...But...If I knew I'd be coming to one...I'd want them here with me.

And now that I'm here, in one, there's been something I've wanted to see myself. Swords. While I've been in the tavern, I've come across many people who, despite their relaxed demeanor and simple clothing, carry a blade of some sort with them. Be it an axe, a sword, or even a spear. Back in Japan, getting a sword was easy but brandishing and using one was near impossible.

Well, unless you practiced a sport of some sort.

Because of my disposition and stature, sports and I didn't mix, which led me to not ever pick up a sword besides the one time I was shown one in my senior year of Junior High. This time, however, I plan to not only purchase a sword...but also train with it. Something inside me says it's the right thing to do.

And that desire has led me to the shopping district. As relatively close as it is to the tavern, having only been born just a few months ago, despite how large I am, I wasn't too keen on venturing out this far, especially with no coin. But now that I've finally made some money, even if it was from an annoying task, I'm confident enough to go out.

Takoragami was quite advanced. It had roads and even vehicles moving down them. They weren't cars like in Japan, however, they functioned very similarly. They had large casings that housed small compartments to store people within them, however, unlike cars having a streamlined appearance, the vehicles here in Takoragami were much more grandiose and quite large. It led me to believe they were for the very wealthy to own. 

As I already knew from the tavern, electricity was commonplace, meaning street lights, signs, and other such things that ran on power were quite common to witness. However, the shopping district was much like those that you would read about in fantasy novels. Vendors line the streets and open-air stalls hosting an array of fruits and vegetables for the buying. But I hadn't walked out for anything like food or simple jewelry. No, I came for something with much more class.

Right across from a fruit vendor was a brick building with an obvious sword and shield insignia. If anyone had even half a brain, they could tell that it was the designated blacksmithing shop open to the public. It was across the way though and so I began my walk in that direction. The crowded and busy nature of the district makes it hard to get by without bumping into someone but simultaneously easy to blend in and hide my presence. I wasn't afraid of getting attacked or anything like that, however, my appearance still wasn't typical.

My dark eyes and my horn stood out among the crowds of people with rather bland white sclera and no visible horns sticking out of their skulls. I had my hood up, my horn hooking it so it stayed in place while I moved through the crowd. Eventually, with enough rubbing up past people, I made it out of the busy section and around the fruit vendor and the blacksmithing shop. Paying no mind to the fruit, I dipped off in the direction of the blacksmith.

" Hey! Hey you! "

Many people were talking and chatting it up in the district so it wasn't out of the realm of possibility to hear those words among the mixture of babble. However, anyone can tell when such words are directed toward themselves. I paused for a moment, which prompted another call out to me. However, I didn't want to get caught up—I just wanted to spend my Zen and leave. And so, before another word could leave the vendor who called out to me, I went into the shop, shutting the door behind me swiftly. 

And immediately I was embraced with the scent of iron. It had a very distinct smell, especially in a place chock full of it. Turning around from the door, my eyes were filled with all sorts of armaments. Shields, chest plates of steel armor, spears, and even bows. But most importantly to me, swords. I wasn't the type to nerd out over swords and the like, however, I knew a thing or two.

There were shortswords, longswords, and even blades that resembled massive cleavers. Knowing the body types of the common Demon that resided within Takoragami, having such weapons wasn't outlandish. A fair amount of Demons were large, bulky, and had definite and expressive muscles. It was impressive, to say the least, just how built some Demons were.

And it seems I, at not even a year old, was approaching that as well. 

Scanning the shop, there was plenty among the shelves and walls, however, there wasn't a single shopkeeper in sight. No one was at the front desk and not even anyone was tending to the items that lined the shop. It was quite convenient, meaning I didn't have to show my face to anyone just yet. And as such, I began to peruse the shelves. Some of the blades were quite sharp already, prickly to the touch. Others not so much. The quality varied from sword to axe and axe to spear. However, nothing particularly looked shoddy. 

But...it was all so basic. Simple silver swords and armaments meant to protect you but not provide much more than that. It was surprisingly normal—though I don't know what I expected. Armor is armor and swords are swords. There's no reinventing the wheel with these sorts of things, right? 

Picking up one of the swords that was freely hanging on the wall display, I raised it into the air and brought it down. It was hefty, heavy enough that it lifted some dust particles when I brought it down. It was a simple longsword, nothing too special, however, it certainly left an impression on me. Swinging a sword like this for the first time, even if I was just replicating movements I saw in media, was exhilarating. The weight of the blade, the scent of the metal, and even the pump I felt in my muscles all elicited a response that could only be born in this scenario. All my young fantasies about wielding a blade had come rushing forth and my mind was inundated with countless forms I had seen in anime, manga, and weebtoons I wanted to act out.

And before long, I was swinging the sword around in the shop, narrowly avoiding the carefully crafted weapons. 

" Hey...Kid. "

I kept on swinging. My form resembled a certain clad-in-black swordsman from a popular series I once used to read. The way he used his sword-wielding skills to perform symmetrical cuts that seemed to simultaneously appear within the virtual space got my imagination going. 

" ...Kid.... "

My hands started to grip the sword's handle tighter, feeling the roughness of the leather wrappings. It was hard to stop, the feeling of the handle digging into my hand and leaving marks as I swung fervently, wanting to unleash all the repressed fantasies.

" Oi...Stop ignoring me!! "

Coming to a sharp halt, in the middle of my swing, having worked up a deep sweat, I looked over in the direction of the voice. I hadn't heard it the first few times but right there at the end, it pierced my ears. My hood had come down from my excessive swinging of the blade and my excited face probably wasn't too hard to spot.

I could feel the corners of my mouth turn upward and my heart pounding with exhilaration. Trying to catch my breath while looking for the source of the yelling was difficult. It was the first time I had ever done anything that strained my body and I wanted to do more. 

" Who's there...? "

Spoken between gasps for air, I called out. 

" Finally—right here, kid. "

In the center, there was a display case. It was so expensive looking that I naturally avoided it, especially during my little fun. I didn't want to accidentally knock it over and cause any problems. And what was inside was so extravagant looking that I didn't look at it for any longer than a passing glance. I knew for a fact I couldn't afford that kind of thing.

Besides, it was just a...dagger.

It had a special design, sure, with its red and black markings and the curved blade that had a glowing ridge upon it. Not to mention the handle that seemed to call for your hand. It had perfect grooves in it as if it was made exactly to a specific hand that was built to wield it. 

And the voice that I had heard...was coming from the dagger. 

How did I know? Well, any child could tell that a voice had to come from something, right? And if there wasn't another person in sight and the voice still originated from the direction of the obvious centerpiece, then, well...That centerpiece is what made the sound.

Though, maybe that line of logic only works on someone so used to plot conveniences from fiction...

" A talking dagger? "

" Ah- you're quick to catch on. Not as much of a dullard as I thought. "

" Dullard? I've heard of dagger-dick but never a dagger that's a dick. "

" Though I am curious, you can hear me. "

'Huh? The dagger called to me without even being sure I could hear it or something?'

Immediately my mind found it hard to believe. Was the dagger constantly calling out to people in the hopes of finding someone who could hear it? And if it was, how many people did hear it but decided to ignore it because they attributed it to their imagination?

" Well...yeah. If I'm responding to you—I can hear you. "

" Right...Well, come on, get closer. Let me get a good look at you! "

Having no intention of simply turning away from it, as it was far too interesting to do so, I approached. Close enough to raise my hand and put it near the glass the dagger resided in. 

It was a beautiful piece of equipment. And the blade was much longer than I initially took it for in my passing glance. It wasn't as long as a shortsword but definitely not the average length of a dagger, right? My knowledge of swords was limited but even I knew it was beyond the average length. 

" You've got a sturdy body. "

" So the dagger says...But hey, I've got a question for you. "

" Then ask it, no need to be shy. "

" How are you talking? I mean- is it...magic? "

Right as I had finished asking my question before the dagger could even reply, I heard the sound of a door clicking before swinging open. Right from the back, someone had come out. 

" Hmm...Hey. "

A hand came down onto my shoulder, shocking me enough to look up. I heard the door but I was so locked in on the dagger, I didn't fully register it. I turned slightly to look up at the person touching me. It was a woman. She was wearing the traditional looking blacksmith attire, black overalls sort of deal with an off-white shirt, obviously stained from all kinds of materials from her work. Her golden hair that complimented her soft white skin was put up in a bun, goggles resting upon her forehead. She had already gotten so close but for some reason, I didn't take my eyes up from the dagger when I had first heard the door. It was as if I was stuck there, staring at it.

My eyes turned up, looking directly into her eyes. And in that same moment, I felt odd.

Her eyes were just like mine. She had black sclera and piercing blue eyes that seemed to even glow a bit. For a moment, I felt validated. As though, finally, I could get some idea of an explanation for what I had become. 

" What's a young Oni doing here? "

" Oni? "

It looked as though my confusion had made her perplexed as well. 

" Yeah, Oni. That is what you are, right? "

I didn't know how to respond. I knew about Demons, the race that lived within Takoragami, but I didn't know much more than that. I was still extremely new to this world and its inhabitants. She looked at me for one second and immediately deduced I was an Oni...So...does that mean she's one? 

" Then are you an Oni too? "

" No, of course not. How could I be? I don't even have a horn, see? "

'So it was the horn.'

The horn had tipped her off to what I had been. That meant all Oni must've had a horn or something of the like. However, when she had said that, she looked at me deeper, this time I could tell she was looking at my eyes. 

" Oh...black and red? Then you must be a Demon too—a hybrid. You're lucky to be here, y'know. "

" What do you mean, 'hybrid'? "

" Your parents never told you? Well, considering your nature...maybe... "

" Hey! Why am I being ignored?! "

So quickly I had gotten a bunch of answers as to what I was. But with those answers, I had only developed more questions. But before I could ask anything and right as she had begun to fall into thought, probably from the fact I had just been revealed to be a hybrid, the dagger had yelled again. It made me snap my head in its direction, grimacing slightly. It was a loud weapon and it was the second time it had yelled in my ear. 

 " Pipe down, will you? "

" Wait, you can hear it? "

Immediately the blacksmith had asked me about my ability to hear the dagger. I nodded. She put a hand to her chin and glanced over to my hand gracing the glass. She smirked a bit and lowered her hand, asking for a handshake. 

" I'm Anna. How would you feel about taking that pesky spirit weapon off my hands? "

I looked at her hand and then at the obviously expensive weapon. And then right back to her. 

" What? "

CHAPTER 4 END