บท 48: Chapter 48 - Big stick
Sparks flew in the air as Ryu's hammer came down onto the glowing yellow metal that rested on his anvil. The clang of metal on metal echoed through the small workshop, tucked away in a quiet corner of the village. Birds took flight from the nearby trees, startled by the loud noise.
Ryu was a master at his craft, a fact made evident by the precise and powerful blows he rained down on the heated metal. Each strike seemed to mend the dents left by the previous one, creating a seamless transition between them. The once thick rectangular block began to take the shape of a large axe head, its form reflecting the skill and dedication of its creator.
Ryu's speed was extraordinary. He moved with the fluidity of a dancer, each strike following the other in rapid succession. By the time his shadow hit the metal, his hammer was already poised for the next blow. Despite his incredible speed and precision, Ryu's technique pushed the limits of the steel he was working with. The metal struggled to withstand the relentless barrage of hammer strikes, its structural integrity on the verge of collapse.
Ryu knew the dangers of pushing the metal too far. He had experienced his fair share of ruined blades, their once-promising forms reduced to twisted lumps of metal. But Ryu was nothing if not a quick learner. After several failures, he refined his technique, ensuring that the steel could withstand the intense process he put it through.
Once the axe head had taken on the shape Ryu desired, he began the process of normalizing the steel. He gently heated the metal and allowed it to cool multiple times, which helped to balance its internal structure. Ryu then reheated the axe head and submerged it in an oil bath, quenching the steel and hardening its edge. Afterward, he slowly reheated it once more to relieve the stresses caused by the quenching process.
With the axe head properly hardened, Ryu moved on to sharpening its edge. He summoned a coarse whetstone and applied oil to the axe's cutting surface. Using steady, circular motions, he rubbed the whetstone against the metal, each pass making the edge a bit sharper. At last, the axe head was complete.
The finished product was a thing of simple beauty. The silver color of the steel glistened in the sunlight that streamed through the workshop's open windows. There were no intricate engravings or ornate decorations on the axe head, but it didn't need any. Its unadorned appearance spoke of its purpose – a tool designed for efficiency and performance.
Ryu knew that the true measure of his creation was not its appearance, but its ability to fulfill its intended purpose. To test the axe head's performance, he placed a piece of wood in front of him and held the sharpened edge about ten centimeters above it. With a flick of his wrist, he released the axe head and watched as it sliced through the wood with almost no resistance, creating a sound reminiscent of tearing paper.
The short fall had given the axe head enough momentum to cleanly split the wood in half. Ryu examined the results, satisfaction shining in his eyes. Confident in the axe head's performance, he turned his attention to crafting the handle, or at least he was about to.
Just as Ryu was about to start his work on the wooden handle, he was interrupted by an unexpected visit. "He's the one! He killed Akihiro!" The Yamanaka shinobi he had frightened yesterday returned with several other skilled fighters as backup. Ryu quickly assessed their abilities with his Mangekyo, determining that they were likely clan heads and their bodyguards.
Ryu let out a tired sigh, setting down the piece of wood he had been about to shape. "And who might you be?" he asked wearily.
"A mere blacksmith dares to address the clan leaders informally? I sho-" A Yamanaka bodyguard began to protest, but Ryu silenced him by transforming the man into a single drop of water. As the droplet fell to the ground and was absorbed by the soil, the man's consciousness and body disintegrated. "Anyone else wants to be difficult?" Ryu challenged the stunned group.
When no one else spoke up, Ryu continued, annoyance seeping into his voice. "So, what do you want?"
"Well, isn't this something..." A female shinobi stepped forward, her tone smug. "We heard a very unusual report from one of our own, so we wanted to see it for ourselves. I'm glad it was worth the trip."
The woman had a fierce, animalistic appearance, reminiscent of a wild predator. Her long, spiky, untamed brown hair framed a face marked by vertical slit-like pupils and elongated canine teeth. Even her nails were sharp and claw-like. She was Tsume Inuzuka, the head of the Inuzuka clan.
Tsume's gaze swept over the workshop, taking in the completed axe head and the neatly split piece of wood. Her eyes narrowed as she assessed Ryu, clearly intrigued by the blacksmith who had managed to catch her attention.
"So, what do you plan on doing now? If you want to attack me like your idiot underling, you'll meet the same end as he did, I can promise you that," Ryu said casually. His frustration at the wasted time overshadowed any concern he might have felt about the threat these elite shinobi posed.
"You're feisty, I like it!" Tsume exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Not feisty, just aware of my own skills," Ryu replied. "So you say. But no matter, we have more important things to discuss," Tsume steered the conversation back on track. "And that is...?" Ryu prompted.
"We've heard about your skills. Join our side, and we'll reward you handsomely!" Tsume proposed. "Yeah, no. I'm siding with the civilians on this one, so I'm already spoken for," Ryu responded.
"We can offer you much more than they can, though. Are you sure you won't even consider it?" Tsume pressed. "Believe me when I say that you can't offer me a single thing that I can't get in ten seconds flat. So, no thank you," Ryu chuckled.
"That's disappointing," Tsume replied, her tone seemingly resigned. But the excitement in her eyes betrayed her true feelings. She was eager to see Ryu's skills in action, even if it meant facing off against him later on.
"Oh, right. One last thing before you go," Ryu called out as the group turned to leave, making them turn around in curiosity. "From now on, this area is neutral ground. This place will be used for negotiations between the two sides when the time comes, and it's a safe place for both parties as long as they remain peaceful. Keep that in mind moving forward," Ryu said, leaving Tsume and the others were taken aback.
"Do you even realize the audacity of what you just said? Not only do you have the gall to declare this place a neutral zone when it's not even your land, but you've already sided with the civilians! By all accounts, this place can't become one no matter what you say!" Tsume and the rest of the shinobi tensed up. Such a provocation was practically an invitation for conflict.
"Oh, but it can. You see, here's the beautiful thing about politics: You can spin your words however you want, make it seem like all that stuff really matters, but at the end of the day? The guy with the biggest stick gets to do what he likes. I decided to support the civilians somewhat, so I'll do that. But I also declare this place a neutral ground so that we'll have an easier time in the future. That, and I don't want a fight breaking out here. You can try and go against my words, but..." Ryu spoke as he let his chakra spread out like a tidal wave. The ground cracked like a spider web as the group of shinobi buckled under the pressure. This man, he was a monster!
The raw power emanating from Ryu was palpable, filling the air with a sense of dread that left the Shinobi gasping for breath.
"Now, if you don't mind, I have an axe handle to finish," Ryu said, the casual tone returning to his voice. The Shinobi, still trembling from the aftershock of his overwhelming chakra, quickly took their leave, fully aware that Ryu's power was not to be trifled with.
As the group vanished into the distance, Ryu turned his attention back to his workshop.
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