"I've never seen it myself, perhaps I lack the skill to bring forth such things, but," he turns to look at the sword with both his tone and expression taking a turn somewhat more serious. (Storytime ensues.)

"It's said to have its own spirit. For instance, on Earth, in Japan, Ryūgū-jō is the undersea palace of Ryūjin, the dragon god of the sea. Apparently, the sword's smith, Yasutsuna, once decided to offer the sword to the seafloor Palace of the Dragon King. He threw it into the waters, but it was swallowed by a whale. Several hundred years later the sword was found in the belly of the whale, in some miraculous way without rust." Steve's eyes narrow at the sword on his wall, like some skeptical falcon.

"Again, some several hundred years later it came into the possession of Nitta Yoshisada, a general who was a loyal retainer of the Southern Dynasty. Yoshisada mounted the sword in his campaign against the seaside city of Kamakura, but when he was en route, he was thwarted by a flood at Inamuragasaki, which lies to the southwest. In order to move faster, he offered his beloved sword to the sea to return it to the Palace of the Dragon King, and lo and behold, the flood drew back spontaneously for more than a kilometer. So, in the end, he was able to occupy the town." With that, his levity returns, as does his gaze to the customer.

"The sword's spirit is said to have an insatiable desire to kill demons, and that it may manipulate events and swordsmen toward that end."