Kurokane
Many people know about Hihi’Irokane, or “scarlet ore”. A metal able to convey heat and souls through it. But it’s not the only mythical ore of Japan. I classify these types as “Colored Mythical Metals” due to their simple naming scheme of (color)irokane, with iro being removable, as is the case with this one, Kurokane.
Kurokane is known as the “Black Steel”, a powerful material said to be hard enough to be unforgeable by normal means. Much like Hihi’Irokane, it is able to transfer energy and souls through itself, but the element is completely different. This is similar to other metals, such as “Kuwa’Irokane”, a metal forged of lightning, but unlike such metals, this one does not have a normal element. No, this metal has a special element: Corruption.
Some sources say the metal’s element is closer to Shadows, morphing the energy into itself so as to heal or form new shapes, or releasing the darkness around a person into a single point for an attack. This makes some sense; shadow energy is considered very corruptive when applied directly to living organisms, ranging from rot to negative influence if the organism has a brain. Simply touching the shadows, however, won’t corrupt necessarily; the more condensed the energy, the more corruptive it can be.
Shadow energy that has become a physical part of the material, thankfully, is not corruptive, as it is no longer energy, but matter. Only those skilled in manipulating darkness, thus, are able to truly forge anything from the material, as once the metal obtains the energy, it will become as soft as other metals, allowing a forge to do its job; however, one does not necessarily need to forge it, as it can easily be used as part of a wand. Though, without control over the negative energy, one may find themselves corrupted from the energy leaking into their own body.
Take caution, if you see any metal that seems to glow with dark energy, or that grow when your mind turns to forbidden thoughts, for such a weapon can easily mess with one’s sanity. Though, if you’re seeking the metal for yourself, perhaps insanity is the best medicine...
