Uzumaki Ashina

The samurai sword in Yamada's hand shimmered with a faint blue light as it slid through the air.

In the Naruto World, beyond their armor and physical prowess, the ultimate killing move for a samurai was to channel chakra into their blade.

By forming a chakra cloak over the surface of the sword, they could extend its reach and amplify its destructive power.

Yamada Yosuke, once a renowned samurai, was an expert in this technique. His katana, originally less than a meter long, transformed into a two-meter giant blade in mid-air, slashing straight toward Chigusa.

The wind pressure generated by the massive blade even ruffled Chigusa's hair.

Yet, standing his ground, Chigusa showed no sign of panic. He moved after the attack had begun but struck first, drawing the short sword from his waist with his right hand as Yamada watched in shock.

A brilliant blue lightning current enveloped the short sword in Chigusa's hand, similar to how Yamada had coated his blade with chakra.

However, swirling around the exterior of Chigusa's lightning blade was a layer of orange-red flames.

The orange-red fire resembled a galloping dragon, instantly illuminating the darkness on the deck and causing the surrounding temperature to soar.

This move was inspired by Sasuke Uchiha's signature Chidori Stream, combined with the essence of lightning and fire nature transformations and the classic art of the quick-draw.

Because it required no hand seals, the attack speed was blistering. Wherever the blade passed, the intense heat melted defenses first, while the lightning cut through the enemy and induced paralysis.

He had given this move a thunderous name: Thunder-Fire Sword!

Yamada's chakra-infused samurai sword was truly no match for the Thunder-Fire Sword; the sheer heat of the flames instantly melted the chakra cloak protecting his blade.

When the lightning-charged edge made contact with the steel, it sliced through the sword as if it were tofu, cutting it clean in two.

Seeing his beloved weapon destroyed, Yamada dropped to his knees, performing a standard dogeza as he shouted, "Respected Maritime Scavenger! I am willing to surrender unconditionally; I beg you to spare my life!"

Yamada's ability to gain a modest reputation in the Land of Water was not due to his martial arts alone, but primarily to his decisive nature when it came to surrendering.

Chigusa extinguished his Thunder-Fire Sword and sheathed his short sword. "It would have been better if you'd done that sooner. You've saved me quite a bit of trouble."

Yamada, his head buried against the deck, was drenched in sweat.

Back in the Land of Water, he had relied on his swordsmanship to wound many famous ninjas before they could even finish their hand seals. This was the first time he had been so easily defeated by a young ninja.

"Respected Maritime Scavenger, may I ask for your noble surname? I wish to know to whom I shall pledge my future loyalty."

Yamada probed cautiously; facing such a young powerhouse, securing a position under his wing was the top priority.

Chigusa saw through his intentions and laughed heartily. "Just call me Chigusa."

Yamada pressed his forehead back against the deck, his tone filled with trepidation. "How could I dare address you by your given name, my lord? Please, tell me your surname."

Chigusa reached out and pulled him to his feet, saying with a touch of melancholy, "My surname... I haven't used that in a long time."

Chigusa brought Yamada into the cabin. Seeing his men subdued without a single sign of resistance, Yamada broke into a cold sweat.

Had he not surrendered decisively, the consequences of angering this person would have been unimaginable.

After splashing cold water on his subordinates to wake them, the novice pirates stared blankly as their leader stood behind the young ninja, bowing and scraping in a desperate attempt to curry favor.

To Chigusa's relief, none of the pirates were hot-headed enough to attack him, which saved him a great deal of effort.

Over the past three years, Chigusa had faced countless powerhouses, and the various phantoms within his mental space were too numerous to count. To the current Chigusa, these ordinary pirates held no value for replication.

Yamada explained the situation to his men. Upon hearing that they could start a new life in the Land of Whirlpools after a short period of labor reform, none of them were interested in drifting at sea any longer.

The pirate ship set sail once more, but this time, the destination was not a merchant vessel on the trade routes, but the harbor of the Land of Whirlpools.

The pitch-black pirate flag was lowered, replaced by a sheet of pristine white canvas. The contrast between the murderous-looking hull and the white flag of surrender was somewhat absurdly comical.

Three days later, the pirate ship slowly entered the harbor on the eastern side of the Land of Whirlpools.

From afar, Chigusa saw Uzumaki Ashina standing on the open ground of the port, waiting for him.

After giving instructions to the port staff, Chigusa leaped off the large ship and landed steadily in front of Ashina, saying with pleasant surprise, "Brother Ashina, what brings you here to meet me?"

In appearance, Uzumaki Ashina looked more like a samurai than a ninja.

He wore exquisite plate armor over his upper body, his red hair meticulously combed and tied back, and his square face carried a faint air of authority that inspired awe.

Seeing Chigusa return, Ashina revealed a look of relief. "I had some business to attend to here at the East Port. I heard you were at sea, so I waited for you."

When Uzumaki Ashina first met Uchiha Chigusa, he had not understood why his sister would take an Uchiha clansman as a disciple.

The Uzumaki Clan and the Senju Clan shared deep ancestral ties, maintaining a strong relationship throughout the Warring States period, while they often had friction with the Uchiha Clan.

However, after engaging in deep discussions with Chigusa, Ashina had to admit that his sister had sent him a remarkable talent.

As a ninja, Uzumaki Ashina believed his own talent was second to none, but he knew that building a nation was not his forte.

Chigusa, however, had provided many invaluable suggestions during the founding of the Land of Whirlpools.

Today's Uzushiogakure already possessed the prototype of the future Konohagakure, fully absorbing ninja talent from various clans and uniting them under a leadership core centered on the Uzumaki Clan to build the village together.

They had established measures such as a ninja academy and a tiered mission system, which significantly reduced the casualty rate among ninjas.

At the same time, under the supervision of the ninjas, they implemented "work-for-relief" programs, utilizing various civil engineering projects to settle refugees arriving in the Land of Whirlpools, developing infrastructure while putting the displaced population to productive use.

They also leveraged the geography of the Land of Whirlpools to vigorously develop maritime trade, monopolizing the trade routes between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water, and earning their first pot of gold through the price differences of goods between the two nations.

Though the territory of the Land of Whirlpools was small, it had become a powerful force second to none among the ninja clans, firmly establishing itself at sea and providing a new home for countless displaced people.