The Third's Last Stand

I heard Gantetsu III moved to Rinde from the east and flourished here. A blacksmith who earns his name in history. He's got to be held in high esteem...

I suppose.

Hmm?

I want to talk to you about the katana I asked you for.

Hey, wait! I want to talk to the blacksmith, too!

Blacksmith? Could he mean Gantetsu?

Of course he does! People are flooding to him! What else could we expect?

I heard about this famous blacksmith from the east so I ordered a katana, but it's completely blunt.

I only used it once and it snapped off from the base! My whole unit laughed at me!

It broke on its first outing?

I gave your knife to my wife and there were bits of broken blade in our stew that day.

How can I accept a kitchen knife that chips when cutting potatoes?! I nearly died!

......

I-I do apologize! I'll remake your order, so please...

Let's talk to him when he's calmed down.

*sigh* What is it...

Are you the Gantetsu III?

I am... Can I help you with something?

We heard you were a master craftsman from the east so we came for a katana. But perhaps we heard wrong.

I'm deeply ashamed of myself. I moved to this new land after training. Recognized by past generations, carrying the burden of my school's reputation with me. But now...

I'd apologize by dying, but even my blades for ritual suicide aren't up to the task... It's mortifying!

I understand you're worried but you need to stop with this dangerous talk.

You had the skill to be recognized by the master in your hometown, right? Then why are your blades breaking and chipping?

If you know why, do tell us. Maybe we can help you.

Truth is, my workshop furnace isn't good enough.

Your furnace?

To make a good quality steel katana, you need to refine it at a high temperature. But the bricks made from local clay can't withstand the high temps so my furnace doesn't get hot enough.

So you need good quality bricks that can withstand high temperatures?

That's it! As is, neither the furnace nor my blacksmithing are burning at full potential...

That's a shame. Then we'll find you some bricks.

In exchange, could you make us a katana once you have your furnace?

Agreed! That's no problem at all!

Then let's head off right away.

Any idea where we'll find some good quality bricks?

What about Golem materials from Antiquity? They're strong and fire resistant.

You're right! Golems must be around Derismo Highroad. Let's go!

Golems that we can use for a furnace...

Isn't that...?

That's a good sign! Let's defeat it quick and bring back the bricks.

Sorry, but we need your materials. We'll be taking those bricks!

Come at me!

Huh?

It ran off as fast as it could go...

Shucks. These golems are incredibly cautious...

They take such long steps, we can't simply chase them. We're at a disadvantage here.

What should we do...?

Huh?

What is it?

Can you smell that? It smells like grass or wet earth on a rainy day...

That is a strong smell of earth... Maybe it's the smell left behind from that golem?

But I've never heard of golems having body odor...

Speaking of smell...

Wait a minute!

So that's why you called me!

It is! Can you analyze the smells around here?

Understood. Scanning...

Analysis complete. There is a 95.6 percent probability that the odor component is red clay grass!

Red clay grass?

According to the data, it is a plant native to Derismo Highroad, with a red color and strong earthy smell!

Then why did the golem smell of that plant?

My research materials indicate that some golems are attracted to the odor of the clay they originate from!

So golems tend to be attracted to this red clay grass?

Then if we hide in the grass, we should be able to get them before they escape.

I think there is an incredibly strong possibility of that being the case!

Then let's search the red grass.

Red clay grass odor marking complete! Now I understand the grass location.

Ah, this is red clay grass! That sure is a strong smell!

These are fresh footprints. I think that golem must've just been here.

It's one step ahead of us! But it can't have gone far, if these are still fresh.

I'll continue to search for the odor! Let's chase this golem!

Maybe we shouldn't.

There's definitely an earthy smell in the air... But I don't see any plants like that.

These footprints... They might be those of a golem. Riica probably sensed the remaining scent of a golem that once stood at this spot.

I have failed... My pride wounded.

What are you talking about? You can clearly smell it.

There's something like red grass. We should investigate. Let's look around somewhere else.

No, stop the search.

Oh, it's red clay grass! It's the same earthy smell...

There are no signs of a golem. Let's hide and keep an eye out.

Now!

You won't escape this time! Give us your bricks!

Magical amplification detected! Golem incoming!

Let's give it a rest.

There's definitely an earthy smell in the air... But I don't see any plants like that.

These footprints... They might be those of a golem. Riica probably sensed the remaining scent of a golem that once stood at this spot.

I have failed... My pride wounded.

What are you talking about? You can clearly smell it.

There's something like red grass. We should investigate. Let's look around somewhere else.

Let's give it a rest.

There's definitely an earthy smell in the air... But I don't see any plants like that.

These footprints... They might be those of a golem. Riica probably sensed the remaining scent of a golem that once stood at this spot.

I have failed... My pride wounded.

What are you talking about? You can clearly smell it.

There's something like red grass. We should investigate. Let's look around somewhere else.

Let's give it a rest.

All right! This is exactly the kind of brick we've been looking for!

Let's take it to Gantetsu in Rinde!

Hey! How about this brick?

This color... Its feel...

It reminds me of the bricks used to make stoves in my hometown! I can definitely make a high temperature furnace with this!

But now that I think about it, it would take forever to make a furnace and temper a sword with it.

In that case, I would like you to take my best work that was recognized by my master. I've left behind my other works, but I've kept this one.

I can't accept something so great like that...

No, I plan to make something that will exceed this. Remember my determination when you take it with you!

If you put it that way... I'll gratefully receive it. Thank you so much!

We already have armor. Let's head back to the auction house for now.

Yeah, okay.

We've got the katana. All we need now is armor to complete the bundle...

Gantetsu doesn't appear to have anything else at the moment, so we'll need to win them in auctions. Let's head back to the auction house for now.