I cross a perfect lawn to a stone fountain. I sit on the edge and lay out my gear.

The Axe of Price. Ashbrand. The clan recovered them for me.

Hey! What the hell are you doing, ignoring me for days? Your partner! Why’d you just ditch me? Ikaku, answer me!

Such a racket. You are a nine-hundred-year-old magic axe. Try to carry yourself with some dignity. Not that I was concerned, of course.

I pull a dirty white cloth from my jacket. Inside is a lump of glowing, red-orange charcoal.

I set it on the stone next to Ashbrand.

Huh? First a magic axe, then me… and now you’re lining up a hot piece of charcoal? It’s lit! You just pulled that from your jacket!

“Fireproof cloth. It’s fine. Meet the Blade of Homura. My new magic sword.”

The Blade of Homura? Fancy name for a briquette. I bet it’s for grilling. Give the meat a nice smoky flavor. Hahaha!

The barbecue expert has opinions.

I grip the glowing coal. Squeeze. It shatters with a series of sharp cracks, bursting into a black sword that writhes with fire.

Whoa?! Startled, Ashbrand’s form recoils inside the steel. It transforms? And it’s easy to carry?

“Correct. Not bulky, like a certain demon sword. It’s a blade when I need one, nothing when I don’t. What do you think, Smoky Brat? Maybe you should learn to be more compact.”

Wh-what’s with that look?

“Nothing. Just a warning. The Blade of Homura is going to replace you.”

WHAAAAT?!

Ahaha! Grandma’s getting fired! You’re canned! Canned!

I’m not fired yet! Ikaku Akamuro, don’t be rash!

“You puff out some smoke, then sleep for a few days and turn into a paperweight. You’re a pain to carry. On top of that, I don’t need another fire sword.”

You’re mistaken, Ikaku Akamuro! I am a Smoky-Eyed Sword Maiden. Our abilities don’t overlap at all.

“That’s not a real class.”

Besides, my ability is one of a kind! I am irreplaceable!

“Hint: smoke grenades.”

Shutupshutupshutup! I can’t hear you!

Come on, Grandma. Struggling is pathetic. What’s that they say? Go out with dignity? Why not make a clean exit for once?

You wretched little axe, I’ve had enough of your insolence… Ngh. Ikaku Akamuro! Tell me! What can this upstart even do? It can’t produce a mystical smoke vast enough to blanket everything!

I swing the black sword in a flat arc. A line of fire hangs in the air.

An instant later, a vicious explosion rips through its wake.

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