"It's quite sharp, but it's a pity the blade is too short."
After Maki took the short katana, she swung it a few times. Then she picked up a cut steel pipe from the ground and tested it using different levels of force.
"There are many large Cursed Spirits. This short katana doesn't feel as good to use as the greatsword from before."
Maki secretly thought it was a pity. If the original katana had not broken, it would have been an excellent cursed tool.
"You think it's short? That's easy to solve. The button I pressed just now has another button below it. Try pressing that one."
Eichi had initially worried that Maki had found something wrong with the katana and disliked it. If it was just about the length, it was easy to fix.
"Here?"
Eichi placed his finger on a button slightly smaller than the one above it used for drawing the katana.
"Yes, that one."
Click.
Swoosh.
"Whoa!"
After Maki pressed the button, a section of the short katana blade suddenly sprang out, making the blade longer.
This startled Kirara who had just walked closer.
Kirara had simply thought the decoration on the katana handle, which was actually the umbrella handle, looked beautiful and wanted to take a closer look. The sudden extension of the blade frightened him so much that he fell to the ground on his bottom.
"Sorry. Are you alright?"
Although Maki did not feel particularly close to Kirara, a cute boy who dressed even more fashionably than she did, she did not dislike him either.
In Maki's eyes, Kirara was even more like a bean sprout than Yuta.
Seeing him fall after being frightened, she immediately stepped forward to check on him.
"I'm fine. I was just startled."
Kirara stood up while rubbing his small bottom.
"To be scared by something like that, Kirara, you still have a long way to go."
Hakari, who had a better relationship with Kirara, did not worry about him at all and instead teased him.
"That's so mean, Kin-chan."
Kirara pouted and looked unhappy.
Maki found it a little difficult to understand the strange atmosphere between the two of them.
After confirming that Kirara was indeed fine, Maki turned her attention back to the katana.
"Did you hide part of the blade inside the handle?"
Maki compared the extended length of the blade and asked.
"Exactly. The umbrella shaft length is limited. When designing it, we installed an ejection mechanism. The blade can switch between the length of a standard katana and a short katana."
Eichi nodded and confirmed Maki's guess.
"This design is good."
Maki nodded with satisfaction.
A normal length katana was far more convenient than a short one.
"Are there other forms?"
Clearly, Maki's interest in the Thousand Machine Umbrella was increasing.
"Yes."
Eichi nodded immediately.
He pressed the button again. The katana blade retracted into the handle and returned to its short katana form.
Eichi inserted the short katana back into the umbrella shaft.
Holding the upper part of the umbrella shaft with one hand and the handle with the other, Eichi twisted firmly. The umbrella shaft separated into two sections.
"In this state, the Thousand Machine Umbrella can split into two parts. The upper part becomes a spear, while the lower part can be used as a short staff."
Eichi held the spear in one hand and the staff in the other, demonstrating several martial arts techniques.
Stabbing, sweeping, smashing, hooking.
Although the spear and the staff became shorter after separating.
Their flexibility greatly increased.
This form would be far more advantageous in forests or other complicated terrain.
Even though Maki was skilled enough to wield a naginata in dense forests, if there was a weapon better suited for such environments, there was no reason to insist on using a more difficult long weapon.
Unless it was the only weapon one knew how to use.
"Of course, you can also use it like this."
Eichi pressed a hidden latch above the staff.
The golden decoration on the staff immediately opened to the side, revealing the white staff inside.
Eichi reached out and grabbed the opened section.
The original short staff transformed into a pair of nunchaku.
It was the same weapon Megumi used during the Goodwill Event when fighting Kamo Noritoshi.
"And there is also this."
Eichi held the nunchaku in his left hand.
With his right hand, he lightly tossed the spear upward and caught the bottom of the spear shaft.
"See here? Push this upward and a button will appear."
Eichi pressed the sliding switch with his finger and pushed it upward with force.
A button appeared beneath the switch.
At the same time, because the sliding switch had been pushed upward.
The originally sharp umbrella tip that served as the spearhead suddenly split into two.
A gun muzzle popped out from the center.
"For long range combat and flying enemies, we prepared this as well."
After saying that, Eichi pressed the button.
Bang!
Hakari and Kirara stared in stunned silence.
A bullet shot out from the muzzle and left a clear hole in the ground.
"Due to limited space, it only contains thirty special bullets. The bullets are powered by Cursed Energy. After using them, remember to have Mai refill both the bullets and the Cursed Energy."
After explaining, Eichi reassembled the Thousand Machine Umbrella and handed it to Maki.
"This is great. I'll make good use of it."
Maki looked at the cursed tool in her hand with satisfaction.
"So what exactly needs to be tested?"
After examining it for a while, Maki turned to ask.
"Here is the list. Mainly the feel of using the different forms during combat, and possible directions for optimizing the transformations."
Eichi explained at length.
Although testing was indeed necessary, the real reason was that he wanted Maki to accept the gift.
The complex internal structure and relatively thin umbrella shaft contained many mechanisms, making the shaft almost semi hollow.
However, Medea had applied more than a dozen strengthening enchantments to it. Its durability was absolutely guaranteed.
The reason it was given to Maki under the excuse of testing was because Maki was extremely strong willed.
If she had not been, she would never have left the Zen'in family.
Although Maki accepted kindness from others, she would still feel a burden deep in her heart.
She would work hard in the future to repay anyone who helped her.
That was why Eichi chose this method to give the Thousand Machine Umbrella to Maki.
"Why was it made into the shape of an umbrella?"
Maki opened the umbrella and asked curiously.
To commemorate memories that could never return.
"Because carrying an umbrella outside will not attract suspicion."
Although that was what he truly thought, talking about matters from his previous life would only make people think he was insane.
So Eichi gave another explanation.
"Just imagine it. You wearing a pink and white cherry blossom kimono, holding a beautiful Thousand Machine Umbrella, walking together with your sister along a street filled with falling cherry blossoms. Then a gust of wind blows."
As Eichi spoke, Maki could not help but imagine a beautiful future.
Thump.
"Stop imagining embarrassing things."
Maki suddenly elbowed Eichi in the stomach. The force was neither too strong nor too light.
Eichi immediately begged for mercy.
When I become strong enough, I will make it happen.
Maki turned away with her back to him.
Her face flushed slightly.
In her heart, she had already begun imagining her future together with Mai.
"Hey, hey. Over here!"
Kirara suddenly raised his right hand high like a student eager to answer a question.
"Student Kirara, please speak."
Eichi instantly adopted the tone of a teacher.
"Are there more Thousand Machine Umbrellas? Kin-chan and I want one too."
"For now, there is only one prototype. After the testing is finished, we will decide whether to continue production based on the results."
"Aw, why is that? I want one too."
Kirara's face was immediately filled with disappointment.
"Why do you want the Thousand Machine Umbrella?"
Eichi asked curiously.
"Because I also want to wear a kimono and stroll with an umbrella on a street where cherry blossoms are falling. Kin-chan, do you want to come with me?"
Kirara excitedly invited Hakari.
"The umbrella is gone."
"Kin-chan, you idiot!"
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)