Trial

Seeing Tsunade's bewildered expression, Yizhe understood everything clearly.

At this point, he finally understood what had happened.

It had all begun when he had picked up a swordsman's insight from a novel and used it to fool Daidao, creating the current situation.

Thinking of this, he could only lean close to Tsunade's ear and slowly explain how it had begun.

After hearing him out, Tsunade remained silent. She quietly drained the wine in her cup, shot Yizhe a cold look, then turned to the kneeling samurai. "Let's go! Lead the way!"

Just as she rose to follow the samurai out, she suddenly turned back and asked Shizune and Yizhe, "Are you two coming?"

"I'd better go with you, Lady Tsunade. Maybe I can be of some help," Shizune said softly, holding the pink piglet Tonton.

Although Tsunade's face was expressionless, Shizune, who knew her temperament well, understood that she was truly furious right now.

If the situation had not been urgent and intolerant of delay, she would probably have already exploded on the spot.

Tsunade turned her gaze toward Yizhe, wanting to hear what he had to say.

Feeling somewhat guilty, Yizhe subtly avoided Tsunade's sharp gaze and looked toward the samurai waiting at the entrance. "What happened after Daidao injured Lord Mifune?"

The leading samurai's face turned cold as he shouted harshly, "That traitor didn't fare well after injuring Lord Mifune, either. He took a counterattack from the lord and was badly wounded. Then he fled out of fear of punishment. Lord Rikaku is leading men in pursuit right now!"

Daidao had ended up where he was today entirely because Yizhe had misled him.

Yizhe bore an inescapable responsibility. If Daidao died because of this, he would likely never know peace for the rest of his life.

If Daidao had been an enemy, then death would have been death, and Yizhe could have accepted it with a clear conscience. But Daidao was not an enemy. He was a swordsman striving to revive the samurai.

In a sense, Yizhe admired Daidao greatly.

Therefore, he could not let Daidao fall into these people's hands. He had to save him!

"I don't know medical ninjutsu. How about I help you capture Daidao instead?" Yizhe asked tentatively, doing his best to put on a friendly smile.

When they heard him say he did not know medical ninjutsu, both Tsunade and Shizune were deeply puzzled. He had clearly just learned the Healing Technique and Mystical Palm Technique recently, so why was he lying and saying he did not know medical ninjutsu?

Still, thoughts were one thing. Since he was currently their companion, neither of them spoke up to expose him.

"Really?" The leading samurai was overjoyed. Samurai excelled at direct combat, but when it came to tracking, they were inferior to ninja.

If they could receive the help of a ninja, that would be perfect!

"We heard Daidao vanished near the east gate. Lord Rikaku is leading a search there. Please, little brother, go lend him a hand!" The leading samurai cupped his hands toward Yizhe.

"Of course, of course!" he readily agreed.

"Then... Lady Tsunade, I'll head east to search for Daidao!"

With his back to Tsunade, Yizhe tossed out those casual words. His Body Flicker Technique stirred, and he vanished from the spot.

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune tugged at Tsunade, who was staring blankly at the place where Yizhe had disappeared, and called softly.

"Hm?" Tsunade suddenly snapped back to her senses. Facing the anxiously waiting samurai, she said calmly, "Let's go!"

The group left the restaurant and headed straight for Mifune's residence. Along the way, the streets were brightly lit, and they could faintly hear the clash of blades and the battle cries of samurai fighting.

The samurai of the Land of Iron had truly fallen into chaos!

"Lady Tsunade, Yizhe, he..."

"Don't worry about him!"

Shizune, walking at the very back, had just started to say something when Tsunade cut her off directly.

Tsunade looked up at the dim sky in the distance and said in an inscrutable tone, "The fact that he learned the Healing Technique and Mystical Palm Technique in such a short time without my guidance shows that he does have decent talent."

"Then... Lady Tsunade, have you decided to take him as your disciple?" Shizune asked curiously.

"I've said before that there is no shortage of people with outstanding talent in this world. Talent is not the standard for taking a disciple." Tsunade shook her head and continued, "And for him to meet me among the vast sea of people is also fate between us."

"So, he has gained the opportunity to become my disciple."

"So?" Shizune still did not understand.

"Now, it depends on whether he has the qualifications to become my disciple." Tsunade turned to look toward the east.

"What qualifications?" Shizune asked carefully.

"Character! As the saying goes, you can know a person's face but not their heart. Taking on a disciple is a major matter, so their character is naturally of utmost importance! This matter involving Daidao is the test of his character." Her tone was earnest.

"How do you intend to test him, Lady Tsunade?" Shizune hugged the little pink pig in her arms even tighter.

"The matter with Daidao began because of him. If he truly helps those samurai capture Daidao, then he is cold-blooded and heartless. I could never accept him as a disciple. It would only mean we are fated to meet but not meant to stay together. But if he rescues Daidao, then it proves that he at least has a sense of responsibility and is someone who dares to take responsibility for his actions. Only such a person is qualified to be my disciple," Tsunade said quietly.

"I hope he doesn't choose wrong." Shizune looked anxiously toward the east.

Yizhe had only just arrived at the east gate when he encountered a group of samurai frantically searching for Daidao's trail.

Once they heard that he was a ninja who had come to assist them, the group led by Rikaku did not think much of it and immediately brought him into their ranks to search together.

Seeing that they were still searching, Yizhe finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Because Daidao was still relatively safe for now.

If they had already found Daidao, then in his severely injured state, he would likely have been unable to resist. He would have been in great danger.

At that point, if Yizhe wanted to save him, conflict with these samurai would have been unavoidable.

What was more, he was alone and outnumbered, making it even harder to cope.

Therefore, before any of that could happen, he had to find Daidao first, take him away from this place, and hide him!

The samurai held gleaming longswords as they searched house by house for Daidao's trail, looking as though they would tear up the earth itself to find him.

Night fell, and most of the houses near the east gate had already been searched.

There were not many left unchecked!

Suddenly, a loud voice shouted, "Daidao is here!"

"Daidao is..."

The voice cut off abruptly. Daidao had presumably silenced him, but it was already too late!

Countless samurai surrounded a low residential house, and dim yellow lamplight illuminated the area.

Daidao had finally been discovered!

Yizhe was alone, unlike them, who had a whole group searching.

Although he had anticipated this outcome long ago, he had still wanted to try, hoping he could find Daidao before the others did!

To avoid conflict as much as possible!

But now, it seemed that the goddess of luck had not favored him.

He now had to consider how he could rescue Daidao from the encirclement while ensuring his own safety.

"Guard the surroundings closely! Don't let that traitor Daidao escape! Watch how I take him down!"

Rikaku, the leader, shouted loudly as he directed the many samurai into position.

Clang!

That was the sound of Rikaku's longsword leaving its sheath!