Chapter 22: The Ancient Blade

It had been a few days since the conclusion of the Organization’s assessment. Gin had expressed a measure of approval for Moray’s abilities and provided him with an internal Organization mobile phone. He made it clear that the device was equipped with background surveillance and encryption systems, and that all future communication with the Organization must be conducted through it; any missions would also be dispatched via this handset.

Moray, in turn, prepared a list, offering the compensation he had received from the maple leaf gold coins in exchange for the Organization’s assistance in procuring specific materials.

While gold, silver, and mercury held special significance in occult practices, they were ultimately commodities relatively easy to acquire in modern society. Large, pure, natural gemstones were precious, but lower-quality ones were not impossible to find. If all else failed, one could place synthetic gems under a stream of magical energy to imbue them with high magical adaptability.

In fact, it was only in the last two days that Moray had discovered that synthetic gemstones could serve as substitutes for natural ones. Although the French chemist Gaudin had succeeded in producing aluminum oxide crystals via chemical means as early as 1837, those gems could not be processed. It wasn't until 1877 that someone synthesized a ruby that could be cut and polished, though the crystals remained too small.

It was not until 1900 that Verneuil, using his self-invented flame-fusion process, grew synthetic ruby crystals large enough to be of use to mages. The idea of using synthetic gems as a substitute for natural ones was proposed by the magical community around that time; however, due to the lack of immersion in ley lines, the magical content of synthetic gems was virtually zero, and those initial attempts ended in failure.

But setting aside later history, when Moray had first transmigrated, it was 1873. At that time, synthetic gems were still in the laboratory stage and could not even be processed, so it was natural he hadn't known they could be used.

However, the ley lines of this Earth were already quite withered; one could barely sense their presence on the surface. Perhaps there were still veins of spiritual power deep in the mantle or extending from the roots of great mountain peaks, but those were places unreachable by human hands.

Since Moray could not create a device capable of emitting a continuous and stable stream of magical energy, he had to charge the synthetic gems personally. Consequently, his plan remained focused on "shearing the sheep" at the zoo.

He intended to pay for the aforementioned materials himself through the Organization's channels. What he truly requested the Organization’s help with were materials currently difficult for him to source.

For example, an obsidian blade once used in the sacrificial rituals of the Aztec civilization in the Americas.

For example, an iron stake once used in Europe to pin down a corpse to prevent its resurrection—it had to be a genuine piece from several centuries ago, yet free of rust. Truly effective stakes were forged using special techniques to absorb blood, remaining rust-free for centuries. If Koizumi Akako’s words were true and the decline of spiritual energy had occurred within the last two hundred years, it was impossible for the medieval Church to have been without occult traditions; such stakes should still exist in Europe.

For example, a scarab figurine, once a symbol of rebirth and resurrection in ancient Egypt, crafted with a lapis lazuli body, golden wings, and inlaid with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Only pharaohs, who were considered gods, or sages acknowledged by them were qualified to possess such items. It had to be authentic; modern replicas were not acceptable.

Upon first seeing this list, Gin took a deep breath.

Furthermore, items like "a steel ingot naturally circulating with iridescent light (p.s.: there may be clues in the ancient civilization ruins of Northern Europe)" made Gin reach for the gun at his waist.

Is this brat playing me?

Fortunately, Moray clarified: there was no time limit, and any of the above would suffice, using up to the 20% compensation he was owed. This caused Gin to temporarily suppress his murderous intent.

Does this kid not know how short-handed the Organization is? How could they possibly help him find these things?

Gin indicated he could find at most one or two of the items. The scarab figurine alone exceeded the value of Moray’s compensation; if it were found, Moray would have to pay the difference, to which Moray readily agreed.

He had once worked as a middleman for the Royal Navy, and when he provided materials to fledgling magical families—who lacked historical depth but sought to enter the magical world with accumulated wealth—the prices he charged were far more predatory than this.

Moreover, in the past, when magic was abundant, the rarity of these materials could not be compared to the present. Therefore, Moray had no objections to the price.

Sigh, the soaring cost of materials was yet another reflection of this age of decaying magic...

During this time, Moray had not been idle. In fact, he had heard news: an antique collector in Tokyo was planning to sell an ancient sword.

Though it was called a sword, the Japanese never distinguished between blades, so it was, in fact, a katana.

It was said that the owner’s ancestor was a member of the Shinsengumi, and this blade had been passed down through generations as his personal sidearm. Unfortunately, the current owner had suffered a sudden family crisis, forcing him to pawn the heirloom. Recently, the antique collector had decided to put the sword up for sale.

Ever since he had gained memories of the future, Moray had been obsessed with the Battle of Reichenbach Falls. In addition to assigning excessive homework to the young Holmes (Note 1), he had sought out masters to learn formidable hand-to-hand combat techniques.

However, beyond that, he had always wanted to learn a martial art involving cold weapons, but had never found the right opportunity.

Firearms were convenient, but they could not be used at will in modern society. Although Moray’s body was powerful after using enhancement magic, the duration of such magic was too short. Therefore, a skill using cold weapons was, in his view, a necessity—though looking cool was also a reason.

However, taking on a master was not only slow but often meant failing to learn the most closely guarded secrets.

Moray had once agonized over whether to learn Italian fencing and become a master of the Fiore school, or to head to the Iberian Peninsula to witness the Spanish "Destreza"—a sword art based on geometry that he thought would be well-suited for a mathematical genius like himself. Or perhaps he could learn the ancient English Silver school of swordsmanship, or even hold his nose and study Classical French fencing to become a dashing duelist.

But now that he was in Japan, he intended to do as the locals did and try his hand at Japanese Kendo. Buying this sword was for the purpose of using "Syncing Magic" to resonate with the blade, unlocking the skill tree of Japanese Kendo through the "memories" contained within a sword that had been venerated for generations.

Today was Moray’s second time coming to purchase this famous blade.

The scorching sunlight was softened by the paper doors, casting shadows on Moray’s face that made his expression difficult to read.

"Ah, my, my↓, I am terribly sorry↑, Mr. Moray↓," the antique collector, Maru Tenjiro, sat before his desk with a mercenary smile on his face. "Your offer is still too low... the original owner of the sword, Mr. Suwa, has already offered 8 million yen, you see?"

Having been locked in a tug-of-war with this man for two days, Moray was becoming impatient. "But you and I both know this sword isn't worth 8 million yen, right? I’ve already offered 7 million..."

"No, no, no, Mr. Moray. You are not Japanese, and you are certainly not a samurai. You wouldn't understand." Maru Tenjiro shook his finger, tilted his head slightly, and smiled.

"The spirit of Bushido, the honor and heritage of a family... to us, these are priceless treasures that cannot be abandoned."

"And so?" Moray raised an eyebrow.

"You have to pay more." Maru Tenjiro leaned forward and made a money gesture with his right hand.