CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 64: A MAN OF IRON

Kotetsu was a man of action; once he made a promise, he acted on it immediately.

Immediately, they took Sosuke to find the Yoriichi Type Zero.

When Sosuke saw the automaton, his heart couldn’t help but surge with excitement.

The six-armed automaton stood silently.

Of course, claiming this automaton possessed the aura of a powerful warrior would be a gross exaggeration.

No matter how formidable an automaton might be, it remained ultimately a mere assembly of mechanical components.

While capable of unleashing tremendous power, the notion that it could possess the same kind of presence as a living being was pure fantasy.

Yet, in Sosuke’s eyes, this was undoubtedly an invaluable work of art.

He circled the automaton twice, studying its form, and a faint memory stirred within him—the image of Tsugikuni Yoriichi, the undisputed pinnacle of combat prowess in the Demon Slayer universe.

It was impossible to fathom the true extent of Yoriichi’s power. Even though this automaton was modeled after him, the gap between their actual capabilities remained as vast as the heavens and the earth.

"I really... want to try it out!"

He gazed at the Automaton, then quickly shook his head. Such thoughts were best left as fleeting fantasies.

This priceless work of art would wear down with each use. Once it shattered completely, he would never be able to replicate it.

"No... not exactly replicate. Even if I could create a similar, or even an inferior Automaton, it would still be immensely valuable."

Kotetsu nodded. "Right, Brother Sosuke. Are you confident you can do it?"

Sosuke shook his head. "Not at all!"

Kotetsu was momentarily speechless. ’Is it really okay to declare your complete lack of confidence so boldly?’

"I’ll take it with me," Sosuke said, hoisting the Automaton onto his back.

"Should I activate it?" Kotetsu asked.

"No!" Sosuke replied. "I don’t want to wear down any of its components. I’ll carry it myself."

Carrying the Automaton on his back, Sosuke walked out of the forest and back to his house without even breaking a sweat.

Kotetsu stared in awe. "Brother Sosuke... you’ve become so strong! How did you get such incredible power?"

He reached out to pinch Sosuke’s arm. With a flex of his muscles, Kotetsu found himself dangling from it.

"Amazing! Terrifying! Can I become as strong as you someday?" Kotetsu gazed up atSosuke.

"If you train diligently and consistently, you’ll definitely achieve it!" Sosuke nodded.

But Kotetsu fell silent, shaking his head. "Impossible. I don’t have the talent for it."

Sosuke glanced at him and flicked his forehead.

"Ouch!" Kotetsu’s eyes welled up with tears. He wondered if Sosuke, having obtained the Automaton, was planning to silence him permanently and claim the Automaton for himself.

"How old are you? Why do you think you have no talent?"

Sosuke sighed. "Have you forgotten? I’m just like you—I have no talent either."

"But..." Kotetsu paused, thinking back. It was true that just half a year ago, Sosuke hadn’t been considered promising.

In their village, people his age were already forging Nichirin Blades independently.

Yet Sosuke couldn’t even forge a decent blade.

Then, overnight, he not only succeeded in forging a blade but even began crafting Nichirin Blades for the Pillars.

Now, he was highly regarded by the Lord, and it was said that nearly all the Pillars’ blades came from his hands.

If they both lacked talent, why could Sosuke achieve such heights while Kotetsu remained stuck?

Sosuke set the small boy down and ruffled his hair roughly with a large hand.

"Remember this: talent accounts for only one-tenth of success. The remaining nine-tenths depend on hard work!"

Sosuke said, "Think, train, and refine yourself relentlessly. If you can’t understand something the first time, try again. If you can’t do something the first time, do it again. Just like a piece of iron—how can it become a blade without being forged and tempered a thousand times? How can it become a demon-slaying sword in the hands of a swordsman? As for talent... I believe those who are said to possess talent are simply like iron ore with fewer impurities. They require only light forging to become skilled. We, on the other hand, are like iron ore with more impurities, so we need to spend more time refining ourselves. But... that doesn’t mean we have no path to success!"

"The most terrifying thing isn’t a lack of talent, nor is it others’ opinions of you. It’s when you abandon your own belief in refining yourself. If you give up on yourself, then it’s truly over."

Kotetsu stared at Sosuke in astonishment, carefully pondering his words. After turning them over and over in his mind, he realized they held profound truth.

Suddenly, another tap landed on his head.

"Ouch! That hurts, Brother Sosuke!" Kotetsu was on the verge of tears.

"Still thinking about it? Instead of dwelling on meaningless questions, you should save your brainpower for what truly matters!"

Sosuke rarely adopted such a serious tone. "For those of us lacking innate talent, we don’t have time to dwell on what we can’t do or how we fall short. Instead, we should focus on what we can achieve. Once you figure that out, act on it. If you fail the first time, try again. Keep at it until you succeed. Many things in this world seem daunting at first, but once you master one, you’ll find the rest aren’t as difficult as you imagined. Remember these words and just do it!"

"Mm-hmm!" Kotetsu nodded, his head swimming with Sosuke’s pep talk, and turned to leave.

Sosuke watched him go, then muttered to himself, "What’s he planning to do now?"

He quickly stopped dwelling on the matter.

Though his earlier words might have sounded like motivational platitudes, they genuinely reflected his inner thoughts.

He truly believed in them.

Just as he lacked natural talent for swordsmanship, he knew he could still excel by focusing on his strengths.

Swordsmanship... he didn’t need to master dazzling, intricate techniques or flashy, eye-catching displays.

He only needed to perfect the fundamental act of swinging his blade. When facing demons, when he needed to sever their necks, his blade simply had to be sharp enough to cut through!

But now, he had a different task at hand.

He needed to understand the overall structure of the automaton before him and create new ones!

If he succeeded, it would bring immense benefits to both himself and the Demon Slayer Corps.