"Looking at you, you seem drunk, your gaze hazy and blurred
You and I, we're kindred spirits; pour the liquor and let's drink
..."
He casually plucked a toothpick from the counter and stuck it in his mouth. Humming a distinctly old-school Minnan song, Rasa headed deeper into the inn with his sword in hand.
Tilt your head and feel the beat!
The inn's name, Maple Forest Pavilion, stirred up memories. It reminded him of a classic Hong Kong movie he'd seen in his previous life: A Better Tomorrow.
When Brother Ma fought a bloody battle at Maple Forest Pavilion, this song, "Never Lose Heart," played in the background.
It would've been even better if he had a woman of the night in his arms, spinning round and round to "The Magic of Love" until they reached the inn's deepest room. That would've suited his low-key persona.
If only.
"Who's there?"
At the sound of a head hitting the floor by the counter, several ninjas rushed out of the nearest rooms to investigate.
A flash of steel, and heads hit the floor.
"So, you see, making the right choice matters more than working hard. If you hadn't come out, you could've lived another minute, at least."
Rasa's face was as cold as ice. He flicked the blood from his vibrating blade, then slashed apart several shuriken. The shuriken flew back and claimed the lives of several more ninjas.
In this era, with Hashirama Senju dead and Madara Uchiha barely clinging to life, Rasa was the undisputed king of stomping the weak.
Biwa Juzo and Suikazan Fuguki had heard the commotion too. They led the ninjas from their rooms outside, and when they saw what was happening, their hearts nearly leaped into their throats.
How long had it been since they'd first heard the noise? Five seconds, maybe?
And several Chunin were already dead?
After studying Rasa's face and attire, the two were certain: this was the Himura Kenshin Ringo Ameyuri had mentioned.
The real man was even more terrifying than the rumors.
Rasa cleaved through an incoming Water Release technique, drove his blade into a Chunin's stomach, and took another life. Then he stepped forward.
No one could stop him.
Suikazan Fuguki instinctively stepped back and bumped into a ninja behind him. Only then did he realize he shouldn't be retreating.
Even if his enemy looked like a demon who'd slaughtered his way out of Hell.
Doing his best to steady himself and calm his nerves, Suikazan Fuguki ventured, "Friend, we have no grudge against you.
Why, then, have you attacked our people and slaughtered them without a word of explanation?"
Suikazan Fuguki was fat, but he was probably the most quick-witted of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Anyone who let their assumptions convince them he was a brute would end up dead in a very unpleasant way.
"Clang!"
Rasa blocked a Kunai aimed at his back, then turned and hacked down another Chunin. Smiling, he said, "You and I really do have no grudge between us.
But what does that have to do with me wanting to kill you?"
You've killed so many of my men, and you still say we have no grudge? They were the foundation I'd use to shake up the Shinobi World and earn points in the future!
"What does that have to do with killing us?"
Suikazan Fuguki and Biwa Juzo were furious, their eyes practically spitting fire. This wasn't just arrogance. He was acting as if they didn't exist.
He treated them like weeds by the roadside, trampling them at will. Even if they withered and died, it wouldn't draw the slightest notice from him.
Who would care?
"Whoosh."
He cut apart an incoming Water Dragon Bullet. It was a pretty decent Water Release Ninjutsu, more or less, but it was useless. It couldn't even make Rasa curious enough to wonder who'd used it.
He danced with his long blade inside Maple Forest Pavilion, every strike stained with an enemy's blood.
His wooden sandals thudded against the inn's wooden floorboards. Blood filled the air, and corpses lay scattered behind Rasa.
Every one of them had died from a single strike. That was the fate most ninjas could expect when facing Rasa. A Chunin took one strike; an Elite Jonin might give him a little trouble.
And that was with Rasa deliberately holding back. Otherwise, the carnage would've been even more spectacular, even more frenzied.
Biwa Juzo and Suikazan Fuguki weren't the ones leading the charge. They didn't want to fight Rasa, and now they were under more pressure than ever before.
Chunin weren't cabbages growing by the roadside. Even they couldn't kill Chunin as easily as slaughtering pigs.
No, this wasn't slaughtering pigs. Chopping melons and vegetables was a better comparison.
The Chunin Rasa killed seemed to throw themselves onto his blade, rushing to meet their deaths. His swordsmanship defied reason. His skill was almost supernatural—like a ghostly dance of blades, like the Shinigami swinging a scythe.
Biwa Juzo had never seen how White Fang of the Leaf, Hatake Sakumo, killed. But today, he had the good fortune to witness how Rasa wielded a blade.
He'd rather never encounter anyone this skilled with a sword again.
Beside Suikazan Fuguki, Kisame Hoshigaki's sharklike eyes gleamed with yearning. This was the swordsmanship he longed for.
Simple, deadly, existing only to kill.
"Thud!"
Suikazan Fuguki slammed into the wall behind him. There was nowhere left to retreat, and the red-haired devil was only two people away from reaching him.
Forcing a smile despite the crushing pressure, Suikazan Fuguki managed to say, "Actually, we can still talk this through."
At the same time, he searched for an opening in Rasa's defense.
Rasa cut down an incoming shuriken, then kicked a Kunai off the floor. It pierced a Chunin's heart. Rasa took another step forward. His heart stayed still; his hand never paused.
Looking straight ahead, he smiled and asked, "How do you want to talk?"
Only one person stood in front of him now. Suikazan Fuguki still hadn't found an opening in Rasa's defense—or maybe Rasa was nothing but openings.
Suikazan Fuguki cursed inwardly and glanced at Ringo Ameyuri beside him. "You came for this woman, didn't you?
We don't even know her. We'll hand her over to you, and you can call it a day. How about it?
You should know, we're the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure. If we really fought, you might not beat us so easily."
Then fight him already! Why are you hanging back so far?
Ringo Ameyuri stared at Suikazan Fuguki in disbelief. He was just going to sell her out like that? Was this the responsibility of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?
Kisame Hoshigaki's expression remained calm. That was what being a ninja meant: sacrificing less important things for greater interests and goals.
As Suikazan Fuguki's direct subordinate, he'd already killed many former teammates.
Rasa cut down the last man between himself and Suikazan Fuguki, then stepped forward with his blade. "Sorry, I've got my eye on her.
Her life isn't yours to decide."
Killing intent mingled with the reek of blood and surged toward Suikazan Fuguki. He'd killed many people before, but this was the first time he'd found himself in this position. It might also be the last.
His face twisted into a snarl, sharp teeth bared. Suikazan Fuguki grabbed the injured Ringo Ameyuri beside him and hurled her at Rasa.
"Smack."
Rasa slapped the girl aside with his blade, only for something bigger and thicker to appear before him.
The kind of thing that could kill a man.
Let's leave the broken bowl here for now...
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