Do Eyes Not Get Dry?

Ringo Ameyuri hadn't even finished speaking when Samehada began to descend. Why was this guy becoming increasingly unreasonable?

No chakra, pure swordsmanship—this wasn't the way of a ninja, nor was it the way of a samurai. Even Mifune, the General of the Land of Iron, couldn't achieve such a feat!

"Clang!"

Biwa Juzo drew the Kubikiribōchō from his back, blocking the Samehada swung down by Suikazan Fuguki. He said calmly, "Let her finish."

"Although what she says sounds absurd, it remains consistent with her previous statements. I find it at least somewhat credible."

"Drip..."

Cold sweat from her forehead hit the wooden floor. Ringo Ameyuri was suffering internally; why did no one believe her when she told the truth?

Did they really want her to make up a story about ten elite jonin enemies?

"At the time, our reaction was just like yours—incredulous. How could someone rely solely on pure swordsmanship, without using any chakra, and reach such a level?"

"Before we could even recover our senses, he struck. I saw him swing his blade, again and again and again, without blinking even once."

"Then, only three of us were left alive."

Recounting this memory was undoubtedly a torture for Ringo Ameyuri's heart; it was like peeling open her own wounds to display them to strangers.

In the corner, the grunt-like Kisame Hoshigaki raised his hand to pose his question: "If he didn't blink for that long, wouldn't his eyes get dry?"

Ringo Ameyuri: ...

Is the blinking the point here?

I told you he kills without blinking, and you're asking if his eyes get dry?

Helpless, Ringo Ameyuri explained, "I don't think they would. When he killed the chunin, he only needed one strike each."

"Six or seven ninjas combined couldn't even hold him off for five seconds. He was just like the legendary White Fang of the Leaf."

The expressions of Biwa Juzo and Suikazan Fuguki turned abruptly serious. Ringo Ameyuri's words were still outlandish, yet they remained self-consistent.

Furthermore, her unintentional use of Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang of the Leaf, as an example served as a reminder to them.

Such things were indeed possible for some... at the very least, the late ANBU commander of Konoha, Hatake Sakumo, was exactly that kind of master swordsman.

He didn't need flashy techniques, nor did he need to expend much chakra. A single, plain, unremarkable strike was enough to take a ninja's life.

Suikazan Fuguki glared at Kisame Hoshigaki, then finally appeared somewhat convinced, turning to signal for Ringo Ameyuri to continue.

"After that, he severely wounded me and killed another ninja. Besides him, only Captain Kaguya Taiga was left standing."

"Captain Kaguya Taiga felt the pressure and unleashed his Kekkei Genkai. A forest of white bones erupted from the ground, surging toward that Himura Kenshin."

"He still held his blade with one hand, with no chakra fluctuations whatsoever. With a single swing, lightning condensed in mid-air."

"It transformed into a lightning phoenix, destroying the entire bone forest before cutting down Captain Kaguya Taiga."

"The whole thing took about half a minute."

An Kage-level powerhouse—he was absolutely an Kage-level powerhouse!

Suikazan Fuguki and Biwa Juzo exchanged glances, both seeing the same realization in the other's eyes.

They had witnessed Kaguya Taiga's Dance of the Seedling Fern; it was the ultimate technique the Kaguya clan only used when fighting for their lives, and it consumed a massive amount of energy.

Even they wouldn't be confident in receiving that move unscathed.

The room fell into a dead silence. Half a minute to wipe out an entire squad led by a jonin with a Kekkei Genkai—such a record truly horrified them.

The lack of any perceived chakra fluctuations might be because the man used so little chakra and possessed such peak-level control that Ringo Ameyuri couldn't detect it at all.

The two leaders were now fifty percent convinced, but there was one final point of doubt.

Suikazan Fuguki scrutinized Ringo Ameyuri, who was kneeling on one knee. His sharp gaze made her feel very uncomfortable as he asked, "Since even Kaguya Taiga was killed in the line of duty, why were you the only one to survive?"

"Don't tell me you escaped while he wasn't looking. If I encountered a master like that, even I wouldn't have a chance to escape with my life."

"I asked him the same thing—why he spared me."

"He said that the life of a master is lonely, and he hopes someone will challenge him in swordsmanship in the future."

"He said I had talent, which is why he let me live."

Ringo Ameyuri explained, her heart fluttering again as she recalled the side profile of Rasa at that moment.

Perhaps this was the mindset of a true master; a mortal like her, lacking the necessary height, would never understand.

Suikazan Fuguki remained silent. Such a possibility did exist; back in the day, Madara Uchiha had spared the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, and Hanzo the Salamander had successively spared the Sannin and Mifune.

By now, the image of a swordsman from the Land of Iron, standing at the pinnacle of the ninja world, possessing a sense of justice but also a respect for talent, had been established in everyone's minds.

Suikazan Fuguki couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. There was an Kage-level powerhouse in the Land of Artisans who loved to champion the weak and couldn't stand to see people bullying others in groups.

And yet, they still had to complete the final cleanup. If word leaked out and they left survivors behind, Yagura would certainly make them pay for the sake of Kirigakure's reputation—even if he didn't kill them, he would definitely make them suffer.

Suikazan Fuguki looked at Biwa Juzo, the other leader of this mission, and decided to pass the buck: "What do we do? Do we continue the pursuit, or return to the village now?"

Biwa Juzo didn't take the bait, tossing the problem back to everyone: "Let's brainstorm. Everyone, think of a solution."

The group fell into a dilemma. If they continued the search and pursuit, they might run into this ruthless man; if they returned to the village now, none of them would have a good time.

After a long silence, Ringo Ameyuri had an idea and proposed, "How about we split up?"

"He can't stand anyone violating the spirit of the samurai, so if we search separately, we can increase our efficiency, though it will be a bit more dangerous."

Biwa Juzo nodded, "Perhaps this Himura Kenshin has other eccentricities, but for now, this is the only way."

"Click, clack," the sound of wooden geta sandals rang out.

A ghost, a ghost with long red hair, wandered through the streets of the Land of Artisans.

He spread out his Electromagnetic Force to form a faint magnetic field; it was not enough to kill enemies, but it was more than sufficient to perceive his surroundings.

"Based on the electromagnetic sensing I left behind, it should be here."

Rasa glanced up at the inn's sign, Maple Forest Pavilion—he liked the name—and then stepped inside.

The ninja sitting at the counter keeping watch saw Rasa enter and, as if shooing away a fly, said impatiently, "Get out, get out! This inn has been booked by us."

He couldn't stand these wandering ninja dressed like samurai; they were nothing but riffraff.

"Shh..."

Rasa smiled, holding his left index finger to his lips in a gesture for silence.

The ninja was confused. What was this guy playing at?

Because he couldn't sense any chakra fluctuations, he didn't raise his guard much.

Electromagnetic Force, activate.

A brilliant, dazzling flash of blade light swept past, and a head hit the floor, eyes wide open in death.

The "click, clack" of the wooden geta sandals gradually faded into the distance.