“Eheh! I know that trick! Forget about it, Yoichi. These old weapons are probably just imitations. This man would say anything to sell them. Come on, let’s continue our walk!” Enatsu mumbled, acknowledging the tricks of the trade.

“Don’t listen to your friend, lad. Apparently, he’s not a connoisseur of fine blades like you! Here, try this one. Lift this sword and assess its handling. I’m sure you won’t find anything better here at the Bazaar,” the sly merchant affirmed with conviction.

​​

Before Yoichi could answer, he picked up a short sword from the stall and handed it to him.

Yoichi looked at Enatsu, intent on walking away to visit other stalls, which he thought were more interesting. The merchant’s insistence and his small lively eyes convinced him to grab that ancient, dusty weapon.

The young tamer’s hand shook the hilt and held the sword with its tip pointing upwards. The dim light of the torch hanging on the wall behind the stall illuminated it, revealing its carved details.

The blade reflected Yoichi’s face, who turned the sword in his hands, taking care not to hit anyone. Despite its size, it was light as a feather and cut through the air like a razor.

“How much does it cost?” the ambitious farmer asked.

“Mmh… my young friend, this is a unique weapon in the world. Only a fool would give it up for a few pennies. It costs two gold coins, but only for you,” the little man replied, crossing his arms. “Your careful eyes remind me of my son’s,” he added.

“Oh, just what we needed! Now he also uses the ‘poor son strategy’!” Enatsu fumed, approaching his comrade again.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Yoichi mumbled, looking at Enatsu in a confused air.

“With his son’s story, this merchant is just trying to soft you up. He’ll probably tell you that he died years ago from a serious illness or that someone killed him. In our business, this is one of the oldest gimmicks in the book,” he replied, with a mocking smile printed on his face.

The moustached merchant wrested the sword from Yoichi’s hands. With extreme delicacy, as if handling a porcelain vase, he placed it back on the stall.

“I wish you a good continuation, ” he concluded with a sulky expression.

Enatsu seems pretty convinced of what he says. Maybe I should just listen to him. This sword looks good, but its price is definitely too high. I can’t afford to spend two gold coins now; I have more urgent purchases to make. He thought.

When the moustached merchant returned to his large red pillow, Yoichi and Enatsu greeted him politely. Soon after, they walked away into the crowd.

Various yellings echoed through the ancient ruins of the Bazaar when Enatsu began to speak again. “I’m glad you listened to me. Believe me, my friend, I just saved you a bad deal.”

“You know, that sword was easy to handle. However, its price was too high, and I’m not a good fighter yet,” Yoichi explained, setting out his reasons. “Kenji’s skill can strengthen my limbs, and maybe a sword is not the right choice” he reiterated, imagining using it in combat.

“Very good observation. With those giant hands, you wouldn’t even be able to pull it out of the sheath!” Enatsu joked. “When you meet the Nightblades guild leader, I’m sure he’ll guide you to your best combat style.”

Yoichi nodded and continued to walk. A huge stall full of junk of all kinds caught his eye.

His gaze fell on a vertical mirror, adorned with a frame of precious wood carved and decorated by hand. As Enatsu continued to speak, praising Soda Takamori’s guild, Yoichi’s eyes kept on staring at his reflection.

Suddenly, blood writing appeared on the smooth surface of the glass.

‘Remaining time: 24 hours’ – Without doing so on purpose, young Yoichi began to sweat cold, taking a deep breath. His face turned pale, and the shaking of his hands became more intense.

“Enatsu!” he called out of the blue.

“Yes? Oh my god, what’s going on with you? You look awful,” Enatsu trembled, approaching Yoichi. Dozens of people were around the stall, chatting to each other.

“Where can I find the Demon Teeth?” he asked, quickly moving away from the mirror.

“Why are you asking me that? Is it all right? A moment ago, your face looked like a dead man’s face.”

“When I’ll tame a demon, everything will be fine. I need your help finding what I’m looking for, remember? Just don’t waste any more time! Let’s go,” Yoichi stammered, making his way through the people.

Enatsu followed him, avoiding the looks of those who had heard those strange words. The chaos of that place increased the flow of fear that was running through his friend’s veins. It was as if someone had threatened him or, worse, as if someone very dangerous was chasing him.

Those damn bloody writings. I can’t believe it. They appeared again! Yoichi thought, scared. I can’t talk to Enatsu about it. I have to try to behave normally, remembering that time is running out. It’s already been a whole day; I only have 24 hours left!

“Yoichi, wait! I can’t keep up with you if you walk that fast!” the merchant panted, trying to catch his breath. “Tweet!” Sora added. “That’s it! Those people sell what you’re looking for!”

Enatsu’s words grab Yoichi’s attention, making him turn suddenly.

A large stall administered by two men and a woman was lit up more than the others. The light of the torches scattered around the Old Bazaar made that store look like a divine vision.

Many small glass bottles filled with a violet liquid were stacked next to each other on the long counter. Next to them, separated by a thin wooden barrier, dozens of Demon Teeth.

“There they are!” Yoichi gulped, unable to hold back the emotion.

The famous spines capable of trapping the soul and body of demons were right there, before his eyes. Despite their great magical properties, they were sold as common and cheap goods.

While Yoichi admired them as if they were part of a hallucination, one of the women sitting behind the counter was intent on chopping the stem and leaves of a Crimson Lotus, separating them from its purple thorns. A dense, sticky and smelly liquid dripped to the ground during the process.