More regrets than glory

Decades have passed, but Mifune's beliefs have never changed; his "sword" has only become sharper.

Hanzō was about to unleash his full power to kill the enemy when he discovered that Mifune's sword was so fast that he didn't even have a chance to unleash his Ninjutsu.

A master like him, skilled Iai Iaijutsu, strikes with Inazuma speed; by the time you realize he's about to strike, the blow has already landed.

"Sky-Splitting Slash!" Mifune shouted, unleashing a crescent-shaped sword aura.

"You..." Hanzō was surprised by the speed of the opponent's sword strike, so fast that he couldn't even form a complete hand seal for a Ninjutsu, and his arms were almost severed.

In contrast, Mifune became increasingly courageous in battle.

As if by fate, the Land of Iron, which has always been neutral and has never participated in any national conflicts, has joined this Shinobi World War.

And he even encountered Hanzo of the Salamander here.

Mifune never felt hatred towards this Demigod; on the contrary, he only felt awe.

So much time has passed that many people are no longer aware of what happened during World War II.

Nowadays, when people talk about him, they only think of him as the Admiral of the Land of Iron, the Hero who led the Samurai of the Land of Iron to fight and defend their homeland.

Only Mifune himself knew that it wasn't him leading the Samurai to defend the Land of Iron at all.

When Hanzō led his men into the Land of Iron, Mifune's companions, intimidated by the prestige of Demigod, immediately dropped their swords and fled.

The remaining Mifune unsurprisingly lost to the Demigod.

"There's something I want to tell you: a person's ultimate end is not death, but when they lose their faith."

These were the words the Demigod had said to him back then, and Mifune still remembers them vividly, remaining steadfast in his beliefs for many years.

At the time, Hanzō also said, "That's why it's troublesome, because it's hard to judge from appearances. Even if you die on the spot, it's definitely not a dull knife."

"Those so-called companions of yours who turn tail and run at the mere mention of my name are the real blunt knives."

"You shielded those people with your body. I will proclaim your Hero deeds to the world. As compensation for killing you, state your name!"

Mifune did not reveal his name, but instead used it as a condition, hoping that Hanzō would spare his companions.

This touched Hanzō, who not only spared Mifune's life but also fed him the antidote for the Ibuse.

Whether a person has convictions cannot be judged from appearances; some things can only be discerned through battle.

"I haven't seen someone like you in a long time. I'll let you off this time."

"Why?" Mifune asked at the time.

"Upholding one's beliefs is incredibly difficult; only those who share the same beliefs truly understand. I want to bring peace to this world!"

These words stayed with Mifune for decades.

Decades later, Mifune can no longer feel that burning conviction in the other person.

This left Mifune feeling regretful.

He shouted, returning all the words that Hanzo had Hanzō given him to the other party.

"A person's end is not death, but the moment he loses his faith!"

"Hanzō, you are dead. Not at the hands of Kazan, but on the day you chose to abandon your mission to bring peace to the world!"

Mifune sheathed his sword, but this was not the end; rather, it was a prelude to an even stronger strike.

That would be the culmination of decades of honing his skills and all his beliefs.

Hanzō sensed the danger; a chilling killing intent swept over him, and he gripped the Scythe tightly in his hand.

"One Sword Style: Iai!"

Mifune flashed past like a gust of wind; no one saw how he drew his sword.

People only saw him appear behind Hanzō, and in the blink of an eye, his long sword was already drawn.

"Clang!"

Hanzō's Scythe was severed, and his gas mask shattered.

This strike amazed even Hanzō.

"Your loss to Kazan was no accident. Someone like you couldn't withstand that kind of punch, not because of your physical body, but because of your will!"

Hanzō didn't move, as if he were lost in thought.

He is Impure World Reincarnation body, impossible to kill, only to be sealed away.

However, his faith crumbled, and looking back, he had unknowingly forgotten the path he had taken.

Only then did Hanzō realize why he had let Mifune go in the first place.

He might say that the other person's Bushido Spirit is outdated, but in the end, he realizes that he is the same kind of man.

The man she couldn't bear to see die was now dead, and she hoped he would act as a witness to remind Hanzō whether he had strayed from his original intentions.

As a result, I really did go against my original intention.

This kind of defeat was even more devastating for Mifune than a direct loss to Hanzō.

Suddenly, he thought of the Akatsuki again and understood why they were resisting him.

He has fallen into depravity and is unworthy to be the Chief of Amegakure.

And which other Ghost of Konoha dared to single-handedly storm his own Headquarters, his unstoppable punches causing even his Impure World Reincarnation body to ache?

Even though he couldn't feel any pain at that moment, the burning fist felt as if it were hitting his soul.

"You didn't lose unfairly!"

Hanzō felt relieved. He picked up the broken Scythe from the ground, knelt down, and slashed his own abdomen.

That place holds the poison sac of the Ibuse that was implanted in him when he was a child.

The poison gas began to spread, but Mifune was unaffected, as his body had developed antibodies years ago. This poison was left to him by Hanzō.

"Sparing your life back then was one of the best decisions I ever made."

"Do it, Mifune! You must live on with my beliefs!"

Um?

Almost simultaneously, Kabuto Yakushi also noticed the unusual activity.

"You dare defy the commands of my spell?"

He was surprised; it seemed that the Impure World Reincarnation wasn't truly perfect.

For some people with strong convictions, perfect control is impossible; they need to be controlled personally.

He immediately switched to self-mode, depriving Hanzō of the right to act independently. But it was in vain; Hanzō had already been numbed by his own Poison Mist.

"I will pass on your Hero name to future generations!" Mifune gave the other person a deep look and ordered, "Seal it!"

The news quickly reached the command center, which greatly encouraged Shikaku Nara and his team.

The First Hokage defeated the Jinchūriki, and later, the Admiral of the Land of Iron completed the sealing of Hanzō.

These infamous Ninja were all dealt with by them.

"Pass the message to the Frontline!"

Shikaku Nara believed that this news would greatly boost the morale of the Allied Shinobi Forces.

"Leaving so soon?" Kazan muttered to himself. "Well, at least it wasn't a wasted trip."

Hanzo of the Salamander, an ambitious yet respectable man.

"Let's end this chaotic era after this Shinobi World War is over."

Chaotic times inevitably produce many heroes and countless moving stories, but ultimately, there are more regrets than triumphs.