By morning, the street outside Hephaestus Weapon Shop was already crowded.
Adventurers filled both sides of the road, some wearing armor and weapons as if they were about to enter the Dungeon, while others had clearly come only to watch the excitement.
Supporters, smith apprentices, merchants, and even a few bored gods mixed into the crowd, all trying to catch a glimpse through the shop windows.
A Zanpakutō had been placed on public sale.
A sword forged by Yotosai.
A sword that could choose its own master.
And if the rumors were true, a sword that might kill anyone it rejected.
For Orario, where adventurers treated weapons as lifelines and dreams often began with a blade in hand, that kind of rumor was impossible to ignore.
Rayleigh arrived through the side entrance before the crowd became completely unmanageable.
Today, he wore a simple black coat and only carried Senbonzakura and Ruri'iro Kujaku at his waist.
Hyōrinmaru and Sakanade had been left at home, partly because he had no need for them today, and partly because bringing four Zanpakutō into a situation like this would only make the adventurers outside even more restless.
The shop manager hurried over as soon as he saw him, his expression already showing the exhaustion of someone who had spent the entire morning dealing with impossible customers.
"Rayleigh-sama."
"Did anyone cause trouble?"
"Not yet. They're noisy, but no one has tried to force their way in."
"That's good."
The manager gave him a tired look. "I'm not sure good is the word I would use. We've displayed first-tier weapons before, but even they never drew a crowd like this."
"That's because this isn't a first-tier weapon."
Rayleigh's tone was calm.
"It's a Zanpakutō."
The manager looked as if he had a dozen complaints ready, but after opening his mouth once, he swallowed all of them back down.
Rayleigh understood his headache.
A first-tier weapon was expensive and powerful, but it still belonged within Orario's common sense.
Adventurers could understand it through its materials, weight, sharpness, durability, special effects, and compatibility with their fighting style.
A Zanpakutō did not fit neatly into any of those categories.
It had a soul.
Once that kind of weapon was displayed before adventurers, even those who knew they had no chance would still find themselves wondering whether they might be the exception.
...
The display room had been sealed overnight.
The black floral Zanpakutō rested inside a reinforced glass case surrounded by three layers of security.
The first was the shop's own lock, the second was a Magic Item barrier arranged by Hephaestus Familia's craftsmen, and the third was Rayleigh's Kidō seal, written in thin strokes of Reishi that ordinary people could not see.
Even through the glass, the sword had a quiet presence.
The glossy black scabbard reflected the light in the room, while golden flowers decorated its surface with a refined elegance.
At first glance, it looked more like a noble's treasured collection piece than a weapon meant for the Dungeon.
But the longer one looked at it, the more that gentle beauty seemed to carry something cold underneath.
The female clerk from yesterday stood near the display case, her back straight and her expression serious.
She still looked excited, but at least she had enough professionalism not to touch the case without permission.
Rayleigh glanced at the sword.
'Still sulking?'
The sword gave no answer.
Rayleigh smiled faintly.
'You agreed to this yourself.'
The cold inside the case seemed to deepen by a small degree.
The clerk shivered. "Rayleigh-san?"
"It's nothing. This child has a bad temper in the morning."
The clerk's eyes immediately brightened with curiosity.
Rayleigh decided not to explain further.
...
The underground testing room beneath the shop had also been prepared.
It was originally a reinforced chamber used by Hephaestus Familia to test weapons, armor, shields, Magic Swords, and other equipment that could not safely be demonstrated aboveground.
The stone floor and walls had been strengthened many times over the years, and several defensive enchantments had been added for today's trial.
A Guild employee sat near the entrance with a stack of documents.
A member of Ganesha Familia stood beside him as security.
Two Hephaestus Familia smiths guarded the weapon stand.
The rules were strict.
Anyone who wanted to attempt the trial had to sign three documents.
The first confirmed that the challenger understood the sword possessed its own will, the second confirmed that injuries caused by rejection were the challenger's responsibility, and the third confirmed that the challenger's Familia or legal representative had been notified.
Rayleigh looked over the documents and then glanced at the shop manager.
"You prepared more than I expected."
"Lady Hephaestus personally ordered it. She said that if paperwork can stop even one god from screaming at her later, then the paperwork is worth it."
"That sounds like her."
"She also said that if anyone dies after signing everything, you're responsible for dragging their god away before they destroy the shop."
Rayleigh paused. "I refuse."
"I thought you might say that."
The manager's smile became even drier.
"Lady Hephaestus also said that if you refused, she would deduct the repair costs from your future sales."
Rayleigh silently turned his eyes away.
'My goddess has become more ruthless lately!'
...
The first challenger arrived before noon.
He was younger than Rayleigh expected, probably around sixteen or seventeen.
His brown hair was rough, his skin was darkened by the sun, and his patched leather armor had clearly been repaired many times.
His sword was cheap, his boots were worn, and the cloth tied around his wrist looked more like a keepsake than proper equipment.
His name was Ansel.
A Level 1 adventurer from a small Familia Rayleigh had never heard of.
When the Guild employee asked about his savings, the answer was exactly what the attendant had reported yesterday.
He had almost no money.
The shop manager's expression immediately turned unpleasant.
"Then why are you here?"
Ansel clenched his fists.
"I know I can't afford it right now."
"That means you can't buy it."
"But the condition says the sword has to acknowledge the buyer first, doesn't it?"
The young adventurer raised his head. His voice was tense, but he forced himself to continue.
"If I'm not chosen, money won't matter. If I am chosen, I'll spend my whole life paying it back!"
The room quieted.
The Guild employee looked at him with sympathy, while the Ganesha Familia guard scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Even the shop manager, who had looked ready to throw him out a moment ago, hesitated.
Rayleigh studied the young man for a while.
Ansel was afraid.
His shoulders were tense, his breathing was uneven, and his eyes kept drifting toward the sword as if he could not decide whether it was hope or a monster.
But he had still come.
"Why do you want a Zanpakutō?" Rayleigh asked.
Ansel looked at him.
"To become stronger."
"That answer is too vague."
The young man stiffened.
Rayleigh continued, "Everyone here wants strength. Some want fame, some want money, some want revenge, and some simply hate being stepped on. Wanting strength is normal. I'm asking why you need this sword."
Ansel lowered his head.
For a while, he said nothing.
Then his fingers tightened around the cloth tied to his wrist.
"My younger brother died on the ninth floor."
His voice came out rough.
"He was fifteen. We joined the same Familia because we wanted to earn enough money to send back home. I was the older one, so I told him I'd protect him."
His jaw trembled.
"I couldn't."
No one interrupted him.
"A War Shadow came out from the wall behind us. I panicked and i swung too late. He pushed me away, and the monster stabbed him instead."
His voice grew lower.
"Everyone told me it wasn't my fault. The captain said rookies die in the Dungeon all the time. The Guild said the same thing. My god told me to rest, recover, and try again."
Ansel gave a short, bitter laugh.
"But my brother is still dead."
Rayleigh looked at the cloth around his wrist.
Ansel noticed his gaze and gripped it harder.
"This was his."
"So you want revenge?"
"I did."
"And now?"
"I don't know."
That answer made Rayleigh's expression soften slightly.
Ansel lifted his head again, his eyes red.
"I just don't want to be the kind of person who survives because someone else dies in my place. If that sword can change anything, then I want to try."
The testing room stayed quiet for several seconds.
The shop manager no longer looked as annoyed as before.
Even the Guild employee sighed softly.
Rayleigh walked to the sword case and placed his hand over the Kidō seal.
"Ansel."
"Yes."
"Listen carefully. This sword is not gentle. If you only want comfort, it will reject you. If you try to force it, I'll stop you before it kills you. If you ignore my warning, whatever happens afterward is your responsibility."
"I understand."
"No, you only understand the words."
Rayleigh's tone remained calm, but the pressure behind it made Ansel's face pale.
"That isn't the same as understanding the weight. Once you touch this sword, it may show you something you don't want to see. If your heart breaks because of that, no document you signed will help you."
Ansel swallowed.
His fear was obvious now.
But after taking a long breath, he nodded.
"I still want to try."
Rayleigh watched him for another moment before undoing the seal.
The barrier faded... and the case opened.
A thin chill spread through the room.
The two Hephaestus smiths stepped back at once, and the Ganesha Familia guard shifted his stance with one hand near his weapon.
Rayleigh lifted the Zanpakutō from its stand.
The sword was quiet in his hand.
Too quiet.
He looked at Ansel.
"Hold out your hands."
Ansel obeyed.
Rayleigh placed the sheathed Zanpakutō into his palms.
The moment the sword touched him, Ansel's entire body went rigid and his eyes lost focus.
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