# 687
Chapter 688: The Blade Repairer
By the time the two got off the car, they had arrived at a remote countryside. The surroundings were desolate, with only a few small houses scattered about, and not a single pedestrian in sight.
"That remote?" Lin Qiye said in surprise.
"He's somewhat reclusive and doesn't like living in crowded places." While Amemiya Haruki led the way forward, he said, "We got off here because the driver only dares to drive this far. Ahead is the wilderness and a graveyard. We still need to walk a bit further into the mountains."
"Who exactly is this blade repairer?"
"According to legend, when the Chief God of the Great Nation created the nine Magatsu Blades, besides the several National Gods skilled in this craft, a mortal blade forger of unparalleled skill was specially invited—Furuhara Yoshiki.
After Furuhara Yoshiki worked with the other National Gods to forge the nine Magatsu Blades, he considered them the most stunning masterpiece of his life. He therefore requested of the Chief God of the Great Nation to become the blade soul of the final blade, hoping to coexist eternally with the Magatsu Blade in such a form, completely merged with his own creation.
Later, the Chief God of the Great Nation agreed to his request.
After Furuhara Yoshiki bestowed blade souls upon the first eight blades, he used the ninth blade to pierce his own heart, falling into the molten lava together with it. Using some kind of ritual, he fused his soul with the blade, ultimately becoming the blade soul of the ninth blade."
Lin Qiye pondered this. "So the forger of the Magatsu Blades became the blade soul of the ninth blade. That's why the ninth blade has the power to repair the other Magatsu Blades?"
"That's right. But this is limited only to knowledge—as a blade soul, he cannot personally forge and repair the other eight blades. Therefore, each generation of inheritors of the Ninth Blade are spirit mediums skilled in the art of forging." Amemiya Haruki continued, "The blade repairer we're looking for is the current master of the Ninth Magatsu Blade."
"But didn't you say the Magatsu Blades can't be destroyed? Why would they need repair?"
"You've asked the right question." Amemiya Haruki sighed helplessly. "Precisely because the Magatsu Blades themselves are indestructible, the Ninth Blade's ability to repair other Magatsu Blades seems particularly useless. It's never been used more than a few times up to now. Moreover, this blade itself has no offensive capabilities, which is why the Ninth Blade has gradually faded from the view of the 'Pure Land.'
Unless under very special circumstances where damage occurs to the blade souls of the Magatsu Blades, no one would seek out the master of the Ninth Blade to repair them..."
"But how did you find him?"
"My master brought me to him back then."
"I see."
Lin Qiye followed Amemiya Haruki up the mountain step by step. The sky in the distance gradually darkened, the forest between the mountains grew increasingly black, and the abandoned graves occasionally passed along the way became more sinister.
Of course, such an environment couldn't possibly affect Lin Qiye and Amemiya Haruki.
Even if something unclean really jumped out, they wouldn't mind drawing their blades and becoming Ghost Slayer Corps for a night.
The two walked along the mountain path for a long time, passing through grave after grave. When the token at their waist faintly glowed, they finally saw a few streaks of light deep within the forest ahead.
It was a small Japanese-style house, covering a considerable area, but clearly quite old. Dark gray exterior walls surrounded the entire house, covered everywhere with dense cobwebs and cracks. A few faint lights came from the house behind the walls, drifting in the pitch-black night sky. Against the backdrop of the surrounding deep forest, it inexplicably added a sense of eeriness.
This place didn't look like somewhere normal people lived...
Lin Qiye and Amemiya Haruki walked to the door. The latter reached out and gently knocked. After a moment, the gate slowly opened.
A sturdy figure stood behind the door, wrapped entirely in black cloth, with deep-set eyes, looking haggard like a zombie. At his waist hung a gray long blade. The moment Lin Qiye saw his face, he thought some grave keeper had crawled out to open the door for them.
His spiritual pressure instantly scanned the other party. After confirming this was a living person, he slightly relaxed.
The zombie—no, the man's dead-fish eyes scanned Lin Qiye and Amemiya Haruki, finally lingering on Amemiya Haruki for a moment. The hand gripping the sword hilt relaxed.
"It's you..." he rasped. "Knocking on the door in the middle of the night. I thought I'd seen a ghost."
Lin Qiye: ...
Probably even a ghost would be scared off knocking here.
"In any case, you don't sleep at night anyway. Not a disturbance, right?" Amemiya Haruki raised an eyebrow.
"...Come in. It's dark and gloomy outside. Creepy."
The man opened the door and stepped aside. Lin Qiye and Amemiya Haruki walked in one after another. He closed the door behind him and locked it with an iron lock the size of a fist before turning to walk toward the house.
He led the two along a dim wooden corridor. Their footsteps on the floorboards produced a sharp creaking sound. Both sides were pitch-black rooms covered in dust, as if they hadn't been used in a long time.
Lin Qiye watched as he led them past the reception room and straight into an open courtyard. Throughout the yard were heavy forging tools, and a furnace sat dignified in the center, its flames still burning.
The man somehow produced two small stools from some corner, blew the dust off with his mouth, and placed them on the ground.
"Sit. Want some tea? I don't have any."
Lin Qiye: ...
"No tea." Amemiya Haruki casually sat on one of the stools and looked around. "Four years. Your place hasn't changed at all."
"He's the master of the Ninth Magatsu Blade, Furuhara Yoshiki. This is my friend, Asaba Nanaya." Amemiya Haruki briefly introduced the two. Lin Qiye smiled politely at him.
Furuhara Yoshiki didn't respond, just staring straight at Amemiya Haruki. Those dead-fish eyes in their deep black sockets looked terrifying no matter how you looked at it.
"Do you need something?"
"...I do."
Amemiya Haruki turned to look at Lin Qiye. "The blade?"
Lin Qiye snapped back to attention, took down the black case from behind him, placed it on the ground, and opened it. Two broken sections of a snow-white long blade lay quietly inside, flashing with a cold, ominous gleam under the furnace fire.
Before coming, Lin Qiye had already summoned White Slash and placed it in the case meant for a Straight Blade.
"Take a look. Can you repair this blade?" Amemiya Haruki said.
Furuhara Yoshiki walked to the black case, squatted down, and slowly picked up the two sections of the long blade. Those dead-fish eyes suddenly sparkled with vitality as he examined the blade carefully.
After a long while, he nodded.
"No problem. Give me five days."
Hearing his confident tone, Lin Qiye was somewhat surprised. It seemed this blade repairer really had some skill.
Amemiya Haruki didn't seem surprised by this. He spoke again: "After it's repaired, put a blade soul in it too."
Furuhara Yoshiki froze.
He turned his head stiffly. "Are you joking with me?"