Taue didn't hesitate. He simply stepped forward before anyone else could react, and grabbed hold of the wakizashi hilt from Yachiyo.

"I don't trust you for a lot," Taue admitted, "considering you hid all of this from us, but I do trust that you don't want us dead if you need us."

The hilt felt good in his hands -- high quality, though a lack of a blade was strange. He'd held swords before, and he knew just enough to know this one's hilt was pretty well made.

"So, come on. How does this thing make me able to fight monsters? It doesn't even have a blade..."