Mifune, lying on the ground, seemed to sense something. He raised his left hand and saw that it was trembling uncontrollably.
Hanzo turned and saw Mifune kneeling on the ground. His hoarse voice came from behind his mask.
"This is salamander venom. My sickle is coated with it too, but don't worry. The pain will soon be replaced by numbness, and you'll be dead within a couple of days."
"Ha... ha..."
Looking at Mifune, who had bravely drawn his sword against him, Hanzo felt a pang of regret and spoke.
"Do you know why everyone fears me, Hanzo the Salamander? I'll tell you the secret. Consider it a parting gift before I send you on your way."
Hanzo began to recount his past experiences, then showed Mifune the spot on his abdomen where he kept his venom sac.
Upon learning that even Hanzo's breathing could poison those around him, Mifune asked a question.
"Then... why don't you... take off your mask... during battle?"
"Although it would give me an advantage, it would also be risky. The mask protects me from poison. If my venom sac were slashed during a fight...
"The venom would leak out and turn into poisonous gas. Even I, despite my resistance to poison, would be poisoned and unable to move if I inhaled it.
"It wouldn't be fatal, but it would give my enemy an opening. So when I'm up against a master like you, I can't afford to let my guard down.
"Too bad your sword was so dull..."
Mifune lowered his head and looked at the broken sword clenched tightly in his right hand. He had carried it for a long time, and now, at the end, he was being told it wasn't sharp enough.
"Like man, like sword... I see... You're saying... I'm