I walk through the castle.
This time it’s different from before, open and proud.
「Ara, Shiro-san? Weren’t you at Kagetsu-dono’s place? Is something the matter?」
「Hmm. Came to play.」
Tachibana. A shinobi like Shion and Ayame.
Pretty strong? Ayame is stronger. A little weaker than Shion, maybe.
But she seems clever.
「I see. Then I shall guide you to fox shrine maiden-sama.」
「Hmm.」
Tachibana walks ahead and opens the door to the room where Kukuri is.
Inside, Kukuri is seated beyond the blinds.
Then the blinds is lifted, revealing Kukuri kneeling properly in seiza.
「My…… you came so soon. Allow me to introduce myself properly, I am the current fox shrine maiden, Kukuri.」
「Hmm. I’m Shiro.」
「Shiro-san, yes. So…… what brings you here?」
「I want to play.」
「Play…… You don’t mean it literally, do you? I can feel fighting spirit from you…… Are you asking for a sparring match?」
「Hmm. You catch on quick. Shiro wants to fight strong people.」
「……May I ask why?」
Why. There’s only one reason.
「Shiro wants to become even stronger.」
「……If I may be so bold, Shiro-san already seems extraordinarily strong…… Yet you still wish to grow stronger?」
「Hmm. But Shiro can’t beat Kukuri. Can’t beat Reagaia either. Or Cassandra. Or Hayato.」
「……The earth dragon and her daughter, and even the drifter hero? I would call those exceptions. Aside from such exceptional beings, you are already so strong that finding worthy opponents would be the difficult part…… So why seek even greater strength now?」
「To protect lord.」
So that lord never suffers such terrible wounds again.
「Eyes without the slightest hesitation…… I see. Even as you are now, you seem more than sufficient, but……」
「You never know what might happen. Lord attracts those kinds of exceptions. Look, Kukuri is one too, right?」
「……Indeed. Perhaps that person was born under such a star. Very well. I believe you would never misuse your power, and since this can also serve as thanks, I shall spar with you.」
「Hmm!」
「Or so I would like to say…… but to be perfectly honest, at the present moment the difference in our strength is far too great.」
「Hmm……」
I know that.
Not even one in a billion chance of winning.
Even if Kukuri didn’t move from that spot for ten full minutes, I can already tell it’s impossible right now, her sheer pressure is overwhelming.
And the power she keeps hidden inside is simply immeasurable.
Sparring with an opponent like this…… what should I even do?
「Please don’t look so down. I have hundreds of years of training behind me, so this gap is only natural. That being the case…… how about we try this instead? From now on, I will not land a single attack on you.」
「Hmm?」
「……I won’t land any, all right?」
A terrible chill washed over me in an instant.
The moment I reflexively tried to leap backward, Kukuri’s figure was already right in front of me, a massive fist hurtling toward my face.
Slowly, the image of death grew clearer and clearer.
But the fist stopped dead right before my eyes.
A perfect, absolute halt that didn’t even stir my bangs.
Of course, it wasn’t the enormous fist I had sensed earlier, it was a small one, fitting Kukuri’s delicate frame.
And only then did the cold sweat start pouring without stop.
I hadn’t seen anything at all.
Not the moment she rose from seiza, not the path of her movement, not the motion of extending her fist, nothing. By the time I realized, the fist was already right there.
I knew there was a difference, but…… this wide?
「Let’s train your senses, just like that. Once your senses become sharper, you’ll be able to move your body much more quickly.」
I had been on full alert ever since entering this room.
Yet even my reflexes couldn’t keep up.
It feels like the first time in a long while that I’ve faced someone faster than me.
「It seems your instincts are sharp, you move your body reflexively before you even think. That’s not wrong in itself. But beyond that…… once you can think and move faster than your own reflexes, you’ll gain a far greater advantage.」
「……That sounds difficult.」
「Yes. Once you’ve lorded relying on reflexes and built your fighting style around them, it actually becomes harder to change. But if you haven’t even reached that level yet, there’s no moving forward anyway. See quickly. Think quickly. Move quickly. That’s all it takes, anyone can become stronger with just these three things.」
It’s true, I’m confident when it comes to reflexive evasion.
Back in the forests of Elduke, I was always on edge, constantly preparing for danger. That sharpened my instincts, honed my split-second reflexive actions.
I’ve survived by relying on them.
But against someone who moves faster than my reflexes, it’s useless.
What if the place I reflexively, unconsciously dodge to…… turns out to be a fatal spot? That’s more than possible.
「First, learn to see quickly. Simply put, we’ll train your eyes to adapt. Once you can react, go ahead and try. Of course, no matter how you move, I won’t hit you. Now then…… shall we continue?」
Come to think of it, when I used Third Cloak: White Lion, my senses sharpened dramatically, I could pick up even the tiniest movements of my opponent, and everything around me felt just a little slower.
Kukuri’s teaching means it’s possible to achieve that kind of heightened awareness even without relying on skills.
……If I master this and then use Third Cloak: White Lion on top of it, what would happen?
「……Nn. Nfufu.」
This is what the world of those above looks like.
I’m happy. Shiro can still grow stronger.
「You too smile after experiencing that…… How frightening, yet nostalgic, and intriguing at the same time. Very well. Just how strong will you become, I wonder?」
「Hmm!」
An overwhelmingly superior being is training me so that I can become stronger.
That is something to be deeply grateful for.
Yes, it’s scary, but Kukuri is so far beyond me that I can fully trust her words when she says she won’t land a hit.
It feels almost exactly like the days when I was still small and Kuro trained me.
Speaking of which, Kuro was on a completely different level of strength too.
I wonder which one is stronger, Kuro or Kukuri……?
「Then, shall we begin?」
「Hmm!」
……I will become strong.
Even stronger. Strong enough that no one can defeat me.
Someday, strong enough to beat even Kukuri.
Never again…… will I let anyone hurt lord.
To make sure no one ever does.
Shiro will become stronger and stronger.
※※※
Woodworking…… bamboo copter, traditional marquetry, those are woodworking too.
The biggest difference from the metals and gems I usually handle is probably that wood has knots and growth rings, and there’s a proper direction that’s easier to work with.
Moreover, since I can’t use Handing on it, I’ll have to understand each piece’s elasticity, hardness, and other properties.
It’s been a long time since I did this kind of basic crafting.
It really does feel like a fresh challenge, and honestly I’m excited about it too. I’ll enjoy it while taking it seriously.
「The base is a single board. It’s already smoked and dried, so first plane down the surface, then move into shaping. After roughly cutting it to size, you just keep shaving. Even a single tooth on the comb, if you slack off even a little, it becomes junk. Well, it’s the perfect test to gauge a woodworker’s skill.」
The teeth are the life of a comb.
The sample the boss prepared for me…… is truly impressive, as expected.
It shows its age, but the teeth are aligned with flawless precision, and it’s clearly been well maintained.
The thickness…… thin, yet unbelievably sturdy.
Since Yae-sama’s tail has fine, silky-straight fur, I’ll need to make a comb with similarly fine, delicate teeth.
That said, with Woodworking at level 1, how far can it really take me……? The question lingers.
Still, once I’ve decided to do it, I can’t start making excuses and give up before I even begin.
The materials to choose from are Amatsutsuge, Amatsuminebari, and Amatsuisunoki.
Amatsutsuge develops a deeper luster the more it’s used, with excellent tenacity, perfect for detailed craftsmanship and fine work.
Amatsuminebari is the material the boss used for the comb he gave me last time. It grows slowly, but in return it’s exceptionally tough; even when carved into thin teeth, it rarely breaks.
Amatsuisunoki has a deep, weighty color that exudes luxury. Once properly dried, its strength rivals, even matches, Amatsuminebari. However, working it will probably be quite difficult.
「……」
The boss says nothing, which means this part is up to my sense.
For now, I reach for Amatsutsuge, the one I feel best suits the purpose of the comb I’m about to make, and begin processing.
「First, roughly shape it and decide where the teeth will go. Make sure you carefully judge the length and width right here.」
「Yes.」
The dark patches here and there are from smoking it during drying.
Even just preparing this single flat board without warps or twists must have taken an enormous amount of time, I can feel the care poured into it.
The blackened, scorched parts…… that’s where I use the Woodworking skill.
While the skill is active, just stroking with my fingertips lets me shave off thin layers like sandpaper.
Apparently, as the level rises, the range and intensity become adjustable, you can even substitute for a plane or cut things.
At my current skill level, I can’t cut, so I’ll have to use a saw for that part. But at the boss’s level, he can apparently circle a log as thick as my torso with his fingertip once and turn the whole thing into a perfect cylinder.
That said, the boss is also highly skilled at processing with tools like planes and files, he says using tools often produces better results.
Even if the Woodworking skill levels up and unlocks more convenient abilities, MP consumption tends to become a problem.
Just like in alchemy, handwork can produce superior items compared to relying purely on skills. Even in a world with skills, depending on them alone isn’t enough.
Now then, the comb I’m making this time will have an arched shape.
After finishing the rough cutting and removing the scorched parts, I mark the nodes so the teeth will be longest in the center and gradually shorten toward the ends.
「Next, we saw out the teeth. One by one, carefully draw the saw. This part takes concentration, stay focused. If the widths are uneven, it’ll feel terrible to use. There’s a guide, so use that.」
「Yes.」
Here, we set the width and length of the teeth.
Since this first comb is meant mainly to get me used to the basics, I decide to go with slightly wider teeth.
Even so, we’re talking millimeters.
Carefully…… with every single stroke wearing down my nerves, I carve the teeth with absolute concentration, allowing not even the tiniest deviation.
After finishing a few teeth I let out a breath, but there’s still an endless road ahead.
「Don’t give up already over something like this. Next is tooth filing. Sharpen the tips while making them smooth enough for comfortable combing, use the file-wrapped filing rod until each tooth is perfectly even. Keep the same rhythm, or the thickness will vary. The files have slightly different roughness; judge them yourself. The final polish uses the rod wrapped in polishing grass. This part is the most important. Don’t let your guard down on a single tooth, put your full spirit into it.」
「Yes.」
The tool is a thin board shaped like a small knife, with sandpaper attached. I slide it between the teeth and rub upward.
Over and over, repeating with the exact same rhythm and pressure.
The angle at which I insert the filing rod, the force I apply, even the slightest difference causes tiny shifts.
If it were only the surface, I could stroke it with my fingertips using the skill, but between the teeth it’s far more difficult, and the pressure control is so precise that I have no choice but to use the filing rod.
I proceed carefully to avoid over-filing and making the tips too sharp, but being able to occasionally test the feel against the tail is a huge help.
「Finally, refine the overall shape, smooth everything out while bringing out the luster, and it’s done. If you’re actually going to use it, soak it in Amatsutsubaki oil afterward.」
The final adjustments I do using the Woodworking skill.
Gently, almost caressing, I apply the skill to shape the handle until it fits perfectly in the hand.
It does consume MP, but thanks to all the training from alchemy, this much drain is no problem for me at all.
「Let’s see…… Hm…… Not bad, I suppose.」
Haa…… “Not bad”, huh…… I thought I put in a pretty good effort……
Well, it’s the first one, so that’s about right.
「Look here. The teeth at this end and that end, the thickness is slightly off, right? They gradually got thinner toward one side. That’s what happens when you only use the neighboring tooth as reference. Over here you tried to correct it by looking at the whole, but now the balance is messed up.」
「I see……」
It’s subtle, but when I look closely I can tell there’s a slight warp.
I only noticed after staring hard, but the boss spotted it instantly, as expected.
「Let me borrow that for a sec.」
I hand over the tools, and right there the boss starts making corrections across the whole thing.
The difference in skill is staggering, his filing is powerful yet incredibly delicate. When he hands it back, the comb gives a far more refined impression than what I had made.
「Still, for a first attempt, that’s pretty damn good.」
「Thanks…… But it’s still not worthy of Yae-sama, right?」
「Yeah…… Think you can do better?」
「Of course.」
I understand the process now.
The boss doesn’t interrupt unnecessarily, he just summarizes the key points, which I’m really grateful for.
His critiques of the flaws are always precise, so I know exactly what to watch out for next time. The following attempt should turn out noticeably better.
I start over from the very first step and repeat the whole thing.
With every comb, the boss points out issues, and I produce failure after failure. But I avoid repeating the same mistakes, and gradually I can feel the quality improving.
It’s fun to sense the technique sinking in.
Lately with alchemy, I’ve been relying so heavily on skills that things just sort of get made on their own.
Challenging something new and watching it become part of me is genuinely enjoyable.
Right around the time that feeling starts to grow……
『Tsuge Comb Resistance (Lesser)』
It doesn’t have the same level of dexterity as the one the boss gave me before, but…… Resistance……?
I hope it doesn’t mean what I think it means, but maybe it makes it less likely to snag?
And yeah, no way I’m getting 『Lord of Fingertips』 or anything like that……
Still, though……
「……That’s a fine piece of work.」
「Haa…… All right.」
「Gahaha! Never thought you’d improve this much in a single day. Impressive concentration you’ve got there.」
「It’s because your teaching was so good. Still…… haaaa…… I’m exhausted…… but it was fun.」
How many failures did I make……? Just look at the pile of discards on the table. Quite a few.
Toward the end I got the hang of it and sped up, but I still messed up a lot……
Even the failures aren’t total trash, the boss could rework them into usable combs, so apparently the apprentices will use them for finishing practice or for experimenting with decorative inlays.
If they have some use, then at least they won’t go completely to waste. That’s a relief.
「……Right. Next one.」
「Hm? You’re still going?」
「Of course. This one has pretty coarse teeth, right? It was just for rough shaping at the start. Next, I want to make one with finer teeth, something that can actually be used as a finished comb.」
「You’ve got real grit. Fine. I’ll stick with you.」
The boss has been glued to my side this whole time, he must be tired too, yet he’s willing to keep going. I’m grateful.
Fuuu…… All right. Let’s do this.
We’ve reached a decent stopping point anyway. Before starting the next one, I’ll quickly alchemize a thin-bladed rotary saw to speed up the rough cutting and,
「No no no. It’s already late at night, you know? In just a little while the roosters are gonna start going cock-a-doodle-doo! m’lord hasn’t even eaten dinner yet, so you really need to rest now, okay?」
「Eh?」
「Kuu……」
「Suu……」
「Aina-san and Wendy-san were trying their best too, but they fell fast asleep a little while ago!」
When I look closely, right beside me, the two of them are leaning against each other, showing off the cutest sleeping breaths and expressions.
And on the desk…… somehow, the food and dried fish have gone completely cold……!
There it is……?
「Ah…… I got way too focused, huh?」
「Gahahahaha! You lost track of time completely from concentrating so hard! But man, it was fun, wasn’t it? Looks like my apprentices got fired up too.」
Apprentices?
Oh, right, when we started, the disciples who had been watching from around us are now all slumped over their workbenches, fast asleep, with half-finished combs and decorative boxes scattered everywhere.
「Looks like it was a real good stimulus for them. Well, when a beginner churns out something like this, it’s only natural the apprentice craftsmen start feeling the pressure.」
「I was already used to detailed work from alchemy. My MP pool is pretty decent too, I think…… The rest was just stamina, but my love for the tail kept me going.」
When I actually test it against the tail, the difference is obvious.
The early failures aren’t bad by any means, but this finished one sends a shiver through me the instant it touches.
Just gliding it smoothly through the fur feels incredible……
The silky smoothness of the teeth lets it glide effortlessly, while the appropriately stimulating tips make the tail quiver with delight.
「……So, just a little bit more……」
「Shiro-san! Shiro-saaaaan! We’re carrying m’lord back to the inn! This person won’t listen to reason!」
「Hmm…… Roger. Shiro’s sleepy too. Sleep with lord～」
「Wait! At least let me make the thin-bladed saw! Just a thin rotary saw for efficiency’s sakeeee!」
I’m sure I can make it as a magic tool instead of a weapon!
With a thin rotary saw, cutting the teeth would become so much easier!
If I make a guide, I can insert the blade at a consistent width, and all I’d have to do after that is adjust the length myself aaaah!
「You’re not running away from comb-making, okay? Come on, time to rest for today!」
No, I’m definitely not running away, but I want to do it while the sensation is still fresh!
I won’t say I’ll nail it in one go this time…… but I feel like I won’t fail nearly as much as before!
I’m confident I can finish it in half the time!
「Fwaaa…… Guess I’ll turn in too, then. Come back tomorrow, kid.」
Ah, wait, boss! Just a tiny bit more! Even just the tips of the teeth would be fine!
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