Time Pass

"The Isshin Art strives for complete harmony between blade and mind from the moment that forging begins. Blacksmith, flames, materials, wielder... everything should be in perfect harmony to accomplish the perfect sword for oneself."

*Fush* Tomoki stoked the fire of the forge at maximum capacity, creating unruly flames.

"However, is the more harmonious, the most compatible with oneself, the best weapon?" *Crrr* Amethyst Lumps, Crystal Chunks, Electro Crystals, every material cracked at the strong temperature, chaotically mixing together.

"What if you are weak? Are you bound to use a weak weapon?" Tomoki put the mix over the mold, quickly condensing into what everyone would think to be a completely fail.

"This is were the Shihai Art enters" Tomoki lifted his hammer high, clenching it with all his strength "Dominance. Use the best and most powerful material, take their strength and force them under submission."

*CLANK* The hammer stroke against the metal loudly "It doesn't matter harmony, it doesn't matter their voice or likes, make them submit by your sheer power, make the materials be scared of you."

*CLANK* Tomoki continued striking the metal and with every strike the metal transformed, the heterogenic mix completely bending together.

*CLANK* With the final strike, a purple glow appeared all over the blade, showing the final product.

"You can see it yourself" Tomoki finally turned over Allen who approached at the recently formed blade.

"It's refined. It's a three-star weapon" Allen whispered shocked. That complete chaos in so little time had created a completely refined weapon, and quite good at that! This was simply inconceivable of other methods.

"Allen you are not simply not liked by the elements, they avoid and escape from you." Tomoki explained "So force them with your willpower."

"Yes!" Allen nodded "Thanks, master!"

"But be aware." Tomoki warned "It is said that the best blacksmith can forge treasures with trash materials. In this way, the Shihai Art would never be the best. This will also mean the need of stronger and more dangerous materials, to the point of even put your life in line to submit them. Be careful with this Art."

"Okay" Allen nodded thoughtfully. Using the Isshin Art one might be capable of creating a 4-star weapon with normal material, but with the Shihai Art some core and powerful material would be needed. Anyway this opened his path as blacksmith, making it possible to continue going forward.

"Anyway, don't focus too much and continue to forge your own path" Tomoki said before leaving Allen at the forge alone.

That day, the sound of hitting metal never ceased.

...

"Checkmate!" Allen declared at Kokomi. Both sat around the desk in Kokomi's hidden cave.

"I see..." Kokomi said thoughtfully "So that's the answer."

"You are not playing like usual Kokomi, making all of these strange plays... Anything wrong?" Allen asked.

"Oh!" Kokomi broke her thought with surprise and quickly answered "I thought about what you told me previously."

"That you are a greater strategist and chess player than me?" Allen asked as it was the truth. Certainly Kokomi's processing power was stronger than his.

"Yes" Kokomi nodded "You said that, but even like that you win most of the games so I asked myself why. And I reached the answer that you are actually reading my movements and style."

"Yes, that's correct" Allen nodded "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. I know more or less your style, but is rapidly improving and it won't be long until I can't win. There's no need to change your style with these random movements to try to trick me. They are bad movements."

"It's not that!" Kokomi shook her head and showing a big smile "I've read you, your style."

"What do you mean?" Allen lifted an eyebrow.

"You are the passive type, you wait for adversary to move first and act accordingly." Kokomi explained with shining eyes "Rather than create a flow you use the flow of others to your own advantage."

"You may be right, but do you think that with this new style of you, you will win against my style?" Allen asked.

"I'm not trying to win these games" Kokomi shook her head "But with this style of yours, wouldn't it be a pity to directly win against it? Rather than that, I think it's better to improve myself against it, learning more while trying different things as you will counter them in an almost perfect way."

'She is using me' Allen blinked in surprise before exploding into a laugh "You are really good, Kokomi" Allen calmed a little "Rather than the result of a battle, is most important what can you gain from it? In the end, it's a loss if you end better than the start?"

"I really like you Kokomi" Allen said truthfully. He really would love for her to join him as a subordinate, she would make a great tactician and force for him, but unfortunately, she was needed for other things for now.

"Yes, I also like you" Kokomi said with a cute smile "You are one of the few breaths in my suffocating life as the Divine Priestess."

"Yes, let's continue this so fruitful relationship" Allen said with a smile "Oh? And one thing. If the sea route would be closed for some reason... let's say a perpetual thunderstorm, will you have some way to continue our tradings?"

Kokomi make a thoughtful face before answering "It will be difficult, but using Enkonomiya as the core, we will be able to create a subaquatic route to directly reach Watatsumi Island." she answered "But why do you ask that? The actual route with Snezhaya is going well and the Shogunate hasn't been able to realize the actual trade."

"Nothing. It was only a hypothesis." Allen smiled "For curiosity."

...

*Clank* *Clank* After some clashes, Allen finally saw an opening, swinging his sword and sending both of his adversaries' swords flying.

"Hah!" Kazuha panted "We can't still win against him, Ayaka."

"You are too strong, Allen" Ayaka said with a smile while she recovered her sword.

Kazuha's training under Tomoki had gone quite well and Kazuha quickly got in shape, the stamina training finishing and starting to train with the swords.

Tomoki decided to teach him the Kaedehara style that for some reason he knew about it. The Kaedehara sword style was also based in blacksmithing and evolved from testing blades to an actual sword style and quite good at that, focusing on an offensive and swift style.

"Says the one that only had trained for 6 months." Allen said to Kazuha

Kazuha showed great talent, having what it needed to become a great swordmaster. But it wasn't only with swords, he showed a great intellectual and artistic talent, especially in poetry. It reached the point that Ayato was constantly trying to recruit him at the Yashiro Commission.

"But you are really good with swords!" Ayaka quickly interjected "Even brother is only barely able to win against you and he as far older."

"That's if he doesn't use his Vision. He has become better at it after these years." Allen had trained quite times with Ayato who always seemed to appear when Allen found himself with Ayaka alone and challenge him.

Due to being 6 years older, Ayato was clearly stronger than him, causing him to win without much difficulty, always finishing with a grin while showing of to Ayaka.

Was Ayato too strong for Allen to win? The truth was that not. Without using Visions, Allen could 100% win against him, but not with the Niwa swordsmanship. He would need to use his true swordsmanship and showing his Sword Eater talent that he preferred to keep a secret.

And using Visions? It would become quite more difficult, but using some dirty tactics, it could be possible, not that they will have a deathmatch or anything...

"We finished for today" Allen said "Let's quickly return home, Tomoki said that he has something important to say."

Kazuha nodded, quickly preparing to leave.

"Bye, Ayaka!" "Bye!" "Bye, boys!" Everyone said goodbye and they returned to the Niwa residence.

Once they arrived, the found Tomoki waiting for them in the resting room with a serious face, telling them to sit with him.

"Kazuha" Tomoki turned to him "You have done it very well. You can return to your home."

"What!?" Kazuha shouted shocked "But Tomo, I hadn't learned any blacksmithing. I can't revive my Clan yet. You can't abandon me!"

"Kazuha" Tomoki shut him with a serious and sad voice "It's about your father."

"What happened to him?" Kazuha asked worried, realizing Tomoki's tone.

"He has fell ill, he doesn't have much time" Tomoki answered sadly "Pass his last moments with him."

"H-how can it be? It can't be" Kazuha's eyes went wide and quickly stood up. He was looking everywhere, as if trying to find an answer.

"Go" Tomoki said, making him react.

"Thanks, Tomo" Kazuha bowed towards him "Thanks for everything" And quickly left the house towards the Kaedehara residence.

A silence was created, being only Tomoki and Allen "You already know it" Allen broke the silence "since the start."

"I-" Tomoki tried to say something but was quickly interrupted by Allen "You never tried to teach him blacksmithing. You were aware that his father was about to die and took Kazuha as your pupil to teach him how to live without him."

"I can't deceive you, Allen" Tomoki sighed "Yeah, I knew it since I visited Kazuha's father. He explained me about his illness and that he didn't have much time."

"He supplicated me to teach Kazuha about everything except blacksmithing. He had spent all his life bound to the Kaedehara Clan, fruitlessly trying to revive it. He doesn't want that life for his son." Tomoki explained. "The Kaedehara Clan will fall and he didn't want Kazuha to be there wasting his life."

"So you did it like me, teaching him to make his own decisions." Allen realized.

"Yes, it was a short time, but I wanted him to learn about freedom and have enough strength to follow it." Tomoki said looking at the ceiling "In the end, honor and traditions can be worthless." Tomoki turned to Allen "Are you angry at me?"

"Why should I?" Allen answered "Kazuha would be the one deciding it. And knowing him, I'm sure that he would be aware of it, so at least don't run from him and tell him the truth." Allen said before leaving the room.

"I will." Tomoki said alone.

...

"All it's going quite well" Allen, wearing his Fatui uniform, appeared over Kujou Takayuki's office "I see that you had made a good use of our money and weapons. The Kujou Clan is really becoming stronger."

"And I see that you used the information given of the other clans" Takayuki answered sarcastically "I can see how some "suspicious" people are helping some clans to fall into ruin."

"Yes, all is going fine for both. Truly a win-win" Allen clapped his hand "But couldn't it be even better?"

"What do you want now?" Takayuki glared at Allen.

"It wouldn't be great for the Tenryou Commission to win more influence and power? To cement the Kujou Clan as the strongest? At the highest position that nobody will dare to even challenge?" Allen asked theatrically.

"I am listening" Takayuki said curious but still warry.

Allen nodded and gave him some papers.

"This is-?!" Takayuki's eyes went wide reading the papers.

"Yes" Allen grinned "Let's start a Vision Hunt!"