I Became a Demon Sword and Traveled the Anime Worlds Chapter 58 58: Experiencing the Feeling of Being Sharpened

Tanjiro's instincts scread before his mind could catch up.

He twisted sideways at the last second.

The knife in Haganezuka's hand sliced through empty air, missing him by a hair's breadth.

The swordsmith's body carried forward from the montum. He staggered a step, then whipped around with terrifying speed. Behind that hideous hyottoko mask, his face was definitely twisted beyond human recognition. Even without seeing it, Tanjiro could feel the rage pouring off him.

"You broke my sword!" Haganezuka roared, brandishing the knife like an executioner. "You miserable brat! This isn't over! Not even close!"

Tanjiro raised both hands in panic.

"I'm truly sorry!" he shouted at once. "The enemy was too strong, and I almost died—"

"That's because you're weak!"

Haganezuka stabbed the knife toward him again.

Tanjiro dodged backward, sweat running down his forehead.

Inside Asuramaru, Alex watched the scene with a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Strictly speaking, that Nichirin sword had not broken because of Tanjiro.

It had broken because of him.

But naturally, Alex had no intention of stepping forward to shoulder the bla. A Demonic Sword had dignity. Also, watching Haganezuka chase Tanjiro around was sowhat entertaining.

Outside, Tanjiro did not make excuses.

He only kept apologizing.

"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"

"You snapped my sword!" Haganezuka howled. "Since you broke it, you should die with it!"

He raised the knife and chased after him again.

Tanjiro fled around the courtyard, apologizing as he ran. With his current strength, subduing Haganezuka would have been easy. He could have done it without hurting him.

But Tanjiro never even considered fighting back.

After all, he really had broken the sword Haganezuka forged for him.

The two ran in circles for quite so ti.

At last, Haganezuka stopped, panting with fury. He still looked ready to kill soone, but the worst of his rage had burned itself out.

Tanjiro cautiously stopped a short distance away. After letting out a breath of relief, he asked, "Mr. Haganezuka... have you forgiven ?"

The words were like oil thrown onto a fla.

"How could I possibly forgive you?!"

Haganezuka's roar shook the courtyard.

This ti, however, he did not charge again.

His whole body still radiated an attitude of I would very much like to murder you, but at least the knife was not actively chasing Tanjiro's throat anymore.

Tanjiro pretended not to notice the murderous aura. He walked over with a gentle smile and said, "Since you ca all this way, Mr. Haganezuka, please co inside and rest for a while."

With that, he led the way toward the mansion.

Haganezuka followed behind him, muttering with deep resentnt.

"Don't think I'll let you off just because you're being polite!"

Tanjiro could only smile helplessly.

The two entered the Butterfly Mansion and settled in a bright side room ward by sunlight. After they sat down, Tanjiro hesitated for a mont before carefully bringing up the most important matter.

"Mr. Haganezuka, about my Nichirin sword..."

The mont those words left his mouth, Haganezuka's barely controlled temper ignited again.

"You still want a Nichirin sword?!"

He threw his head back and roared.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! I will never give another Nichirin sword to soone like you!"

His stance was firm.

Very firm.

Admirably firm.

Unfortunately, Tanjiro had no room to admire it.

Without a Nichirin sword, what was he supposed to do for his next training session? Use a wooden stick? Ask Asuramaru to politely avoid cutting anyone's sword in half? That sounded even more impossible.

And if Haganezuka found out he had broken two Hashira's swords during training...

Tanjiro suddenly felt a chill.

He could already imagine the swordsmith chasing him from one end of headquarters to the other while screaming about atonent.

Just as Tanjiro sank into despair, Haganezuka's gaze shifted.

Behind the mask, his eyes locked onto Asuramaru at Tanjiro's waist.

The murderous aura vanished.

In its place ca naked longing.

"Of course," Haganezuka said slowly, "it is not as if you can't have a Nichirin sword."

Tanjiro imdiately looked up.

"What must I do for you to forgive ?"

Haganezuka could no longer restrain himself. He pointed straight at Asuramaru, his voice trembling with urgency.

"Let sharpen that sword at your waist with my own hands. Just once. If you do, I'll give you the Nichirin sword I forged."

Tanjiro stiffened.

That request placed him in a difficult position.

Asuramaru was not an ordinary sword. He had his own will, his own thoughts, and he clearly disliked being touched by strangers. Tanjiro could not make this decision on his behalf.

After a brief struggle, Tanjiro gritted his teeth and prepared to refuse.

Before he could speak, Asuramaru's voice sounded in his mind.

"Tanjiro, hand over."

Tanjiro froze.

"It just so happens that I haven't been maintained in a long ti," Alex added.

Truthfully, Alex was also a little curious.

Since he had beco a sword, he might as well experience what it felt like to be sharpened. Consider it research. Very professional research.

Tanjiro listened carefully. There was no reluctance in Asuramaru's voice. No displeasure. No hidden resentnt.

Only then did he relax.

If Asuramaru had been forcing himself for Tanjiro's sake, Tanjiro would rather go without a Nichirin sword.

Under Haganezuka's burning gaze, Tanjiro slowly drew Asuramaru from his waist and held him out respectfully with both hands.

"Then please use your finest sharpening technique."

"Hmph! Who do you think I am?"

Haganezuka snapped back with dissatisfaction, but his hands were unbelievably careful as he accepted Asuramaru.

The mont the sword rested in his palms, the air around him changed.

His anger vanished.

His breathing steadied.

His focus narrowed until nothing else existed in his world.

To Haganezuka, Asuramaru was perfect.

The curve, the weight, the texture, the edge, the craftsmanship—everything had reached a realm beyond ordinary understanding. It was not rely a sword. It was a masterpiece that stood at the peak of all bladesmithing.

A treasure without equal.

Haganezuka carefully laid Asuramaru down, opened the bag beside him, and took out a high-quality whetstone along with his sharpening tools. His movents were solemn, almost reverent.

Then he began.

The whetstone t the sword's edge with a soft, steady sound.

Shhck.

Shhck.

Shhck.

As he worked, Haganezuka murmured under his breath, completely entranced.

"This technique... it's beyond anything I've ever seen. What kind of divine craftsman could have forged a sword like this?"

His hands did not stop.

"Why is there no maker's na? No signature? No mark?"

He paused only for a heartbeat, then seed to understand sothing on his own.

"I see... The swordsmith must have poured everything into forging it. Once a sword like this was completed, whether or not he left his na no longer mattered."

With every careful stroke, Alex felt a strange sensation pass through him.

It was hard to describe.

If he had to compare it to sothing, it was like getting a massage after years of tension he never realized he had.

Surprisingly comfortable.

Not bad.

Being a sword had its inconveniences, but perhaps it had a few benefits too.

Beside them, Tanjiro watched with complete seriousness. His eyes followed every movent of Haganezuka's hands. The angle of the whetstone, the rhythm, the pressure, the care given to each pass—he tried to morize it all.

One day, he hoped he could personally maintain Asuramaru.

Half an hour passed.

Haganezuka finally stopped.

Not because he had finished.

Because he realized he could not sharpen Asuramaru at all.

The whetstone had worn down noticeably, yet Asuramaru looked exactly the sa as before. Not a scratch. Not a change. Still flawless.

If anything, the sword's condition was already so excellent that there was nothing for him to improve.

Reluctantly, Haganezuka returned Asuramaru to Tanjiro.

Then he reached into his bag and took out a brand-new Nichirin sword.

He held it out.

But the mont Tanjiro reached for it, Haganezuka's masked face suddenly leaned in close, like a ghost appearing at his shoulder.

"This is the Nichirin sword I brought for you," Haganezuka said in a voice so friendly it beca terrifying. "If you dare break it again, I will absolutely kill you next ti."

"O-Okay!"

Tanjiro quickly sheathed Asuramaru and accepted the new Nichirin sword.

His hands closed around the hilt.

A breath later, color spread through the steel.

From the base to the tip, the blade gradually darkened.

Until the entire sword turned black.

.....

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