Chapter 14

It has been eight years since Kenshin left to venture out with Hiko and Shin. It is now 1872 (the fifth year of the Meiji era), and the police system has been established. Whenever Shin goes down the mountain, he must be prepared to deal with these troublesome police. Currently, Hiko Seizō and Shin still live a semi-reclusive life on the mountain. Since Kenshin's departure, Hiko has started learning pottery and is now known by the pseudonym Shinjin Kakunoshin. His pottery skills have gained some recognition in the pottery world. As Hiko would say, "I'm a genius; this kind of thing is a piece of cake."

During this time, Shin hasn't been idle either. Not only has his forging skills reached a near-master level, but he has also delved into various fields, making significant progress in tofu making, among other things.

The katana forged by Shin have now reached a high level, but he is still stuck at the threshold of creating top-tier katana. (Examples of top-tier katana include the Reverse Blade Sword Shadow Strike, Full Blade Sword, and the Tiger Thoroughbred. Above these are the pinnacle-level katana, such as the Reverse Blade Sword True Strike, Kiku Ichimonji, Infinite Blade, and Kikyo Sen Fuyuki.)

According to the data from the Infinite Heart, creating top-tier and pinnacle-level katana not only requires high-quality materials and forging techniques but also the addition of the forger's intent into the blade.

In the original story, Arai Shakku continuously forged various swords, trying to infuse different intentions into them. He eventually created two pinnacle-level katana: the Reverse Blade Sword True Strike, infused with his pure ideal of peace, and the Infinite Blade, infused with his pure will to kill. However, infusing intent while forging is a difficult task. One must maintain the forging process without being disturbed and simultaneously focus a significant amount of mental energy to imbue the sword with intent. Forging a top-tier katana is no small feat. The swords Shin currently forges either fail to have the intent infused or have flaws in the forging process, making them prone to breaking.

"Take a look at this new sword I forged, Hiko." Shin swung a sword with both the back and the edge sharpened at Hiko. However, Hiko was quick to react. Their figures crossed, and with a "crack," a piece of the blade spun through the air and embedded itself in the ground.

"Wow, Shin, your sword is really like tofu."

Hiko sheathed his Kikyo Sen Fuyuki, which remained unscathed. This scene has been a common occurrence over the past eight years, and this time was no different. Shin's replica of the Full Blade Sword was no match for Hiko's Kikyo Sen Fuyuki and was cut in half with a single strike. "Ah... it broke again." Shin picked up the broken blade. This time, the sword itself was not the problem, but it did not emit the bone-chilling aura of killing intent.

"Did I fail to infuse my intent into this sword...?"

Seeing Shin in deep thought, Hiko also pondered, "Shin, I feel that the purpose of forging and using a sword is the same—to kill. Your sword seems to lack a purpose, forged merely for the sake of forging. A sword without a purpose is like a person without a heart, useless."

"The purpose of forging a sword...?" Shin thought for a moment and then returned to the forge. The raw materials were, of course, the refined iron ore provided by the Infinite Heart. The iron hammer continuously struck the metal, and Shin's will was continuously transmitted. A sword, by its nature, is a weapon of death. A sword is a weapon, and swordsmanship is a killing technique. No matter how beautiful the excuse, this is the truth. This is the soul of the Rurouni Kenshin series. As weapons, swords are not mere decorations but tools used for safety, the future, and life, to cut down others.

The shape of a sword began to take form on the anvil under the continuous hammering. Even though the sword was not yet complete, a chilling aura emanated from it. Even the Reverse Blade Sword, used by Kenshin to help others, exists to harm. This cannot be denied. A single strike from the Reverse Blade Sword can break several ordinary katana used to block it and can result in broken bones if it hits a person. Shin's sword, however, has no such hesitation. In Shin's hands, the sword exists to kill, without any doubt. The shape of the sword was now visible, and the light from the fire reflected off its bright surface, emitting a soul-piercing glow, like a sword that could devour everything in its path.

The next day, Shin found Hiko to test the sword again. This time, the sword Shin forged looked similar to an ordinary katana, but the cold, piercing aura emanating from it caught Hiko's eye.

"It seems you've forged a good sword this time, Shin. Let's see it in action." Hiko gripped the hilt and assumed a battōjutsu stance. Naturally, Shin did the same, battōjutsu against battōjutsu.

Two flashes of white light, and this time, a clear clashing sound was heard. Both stabilized their stances. Hiko's sword was unscathed, while Shin's sword had a small nick at the point of impact. For a top-tier katana to fare this well against a pinnacle-level katana is quite impressive.

"It seems you've succeeded this time, Shin." Hiko looked at the small, almost invisible nick on Shin's sword and praised him.

"Yes..." Shin felt a surge of excitement. Now, Shin can forge top-tier katana, reaching a level comparable to Arai Shakku. With more practice, he can achieve the pinnacle level of human capability...

Current status:

Heart Coins: 1100 (Killing Heart advanced to LV2, received 200 Heart Coins)

Rurouni Kenshin World

Name: Shin (Liu Tianyin)

Gender: Male

Physical Attributes:

Physical strength is about eight times that of an average person.

Detailed Attributes:

Strength: 83 (10) - Affects burst strength, pure strength, and strength beyond limits.

Agility: 90 (10) - Affects speed, reaction time, and intuitive strength.

Stamina: 86 (10) - Affects endurance, recovery speed, and the ability to withstand certain techniques.

Skills: Swordsmanship - Yuki Tenken Ryū

Acquired Heart Powers:

Killing Heart LV2: Does not waver in most situations when killing others, has some resistance to certain illusions, and gains minor recovery from killing.

Compassion Heart LV1: Compassion is a necessary heart for a strong person, has some resistance to certain illusions, and gains minor recovery from helping others.

Other powers not yet activated.

Note: This is a transitional chapter. The original story will begin soon. Reviews, recommendations, and collections are appreciated.

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