Countless villages had been looted clean.
"Moo~~"
The bull's bellow rang out like a war drum.
"Shutenmaru!"
The samurai resisting the bandits looked horrified and turned toward the bellow. When they saw the pink-haired samurai lying on the black bull's back, despair flooded their hearts.
Kuri's most terrifying monster had arrived!
If they were only facing ordinary bandits, they still had a chance of surviving. Once reinforcements arrived, they could even fight back.
But with Shutenmaru here, death was their only fate.
"Boss Shutenmaru!"
The bandits licked their blades, their eyes brimming with a thirst for slaughter.
Lying on the bull's back, Shutenmaru raised his head slightly and cast a sidelong glance at the terrified Grain Transport Team, murderous intent surfacing in his eyes.
To avoid inviting trouble, he rarely plundered supplies belonging to Orochi or the Beasts Pirates. His targets were mostly peddlers and laborers without powerful backers, along with impoverished villages. Only during festivals did he pull off a few big raids.
But now the enemy had come knocking at his mountain stronghold. If he did nothing, who would respect him in the future? How would Atama Mountain ever know peace?
This was his warning to those trying to suppress the bandits!
Under his subordinates' eager gazes, Shutenmaru climbed down from the black bull, drew the sword at his waist, and pointed it at the Grain Transport Team.
"Kill them all!"
"Raaah!!!"
The bandits roared with bloodlust.
"Ahhh! Help!"
In less than five minutes, the bandits slaughtered every samurai in the grain convoy. Even the fleeing farmers were chased down and butchered.
The bandits rushed excitedly toward the grain wagons to inspect their spoils. But the instant they lifted the tarps, sharp blades plunged into their bodies.
"Ahhh!!!"
"It's an ambush!"
"Help us, Boss Shutenmaru!"
Nearly half the bandits fell in the opening exchange. Then scores of samurai leaped out of the grain wagons and pursued the rest.
The situation reversed in an instant!
Shutenmaru was surrounded by four ninja as well.
Daikoku stared at Shutenmaru, recalling Good's orders. A chill rose in his heart.
Shutenmaru had reacted exactly as that man had predicted.
Daikoku collected himself and threatened in a low voice, "Shutenmaru, you have nowhere left to run. Surrender!"
"You think you can make me?!"
Shutenmaru's expression darkened. His men's screams rang in his ears, filling him with fury. How could he fail to realize he had walked into a trap?
The enemy had a cunning strategist!
Right now, his priority was to lead his brothers back to safety.
Shutenmaru's eyes widened in rage as he suddenly charged at Daikoku, his bulky body bursting forward with astonishing speed.
"Don't underestimate a samurai!"
"What?!"
Daikoku staggered half a step back in horror.
An instant later, Shutenmaru appeared behind Daikoku, still holding the stance of a completed sword swing.
"Pfft!"
Daikoku spat blood, his eyes slowly rolling back. A massive bloody gash opened across his upper body. He had nearly been cut in half.
"Daikoku!"
The other three ninja were horrified.
Daikoku was the strongest among them, second only to their captain, Fukurokuju. Yet Shutenmaru had taken him down in a single exchange.
Just as the rumors claimed, their opponent was a monster among monsters!
"Attack!"
With no time to think, the three immediately launched their attacks.
"Weasel!"
"Fire Release: Explosive Flame Bomb!"
"Cherry Blossom Shuriken!"
Wind Blade swung two swords, unleashing multiple Flying Slashes. Thunder Blade hurled a burning bomb, while Chiyome flung shuriken shaped like cherry blossoms.
Three completely different attacks closed in on Shutenmaru from all sides.
"Boom!!!"
An explosion erupted skyward!
At the Bandit Suppression Camp south of Atama Mountain.
Good watched the distant explosion, a smile spreading across his face.
He and Yamato had stayed at the Bandit Suppression Camp to lull Shutenmaru into a false sense of security, while Daikoku led the samurai hidden in the grain convoy, waiting for him to take the bait.
It was a very simple strategy.
After all, raiding enemy supply lines was common sense in war.
"Let's go!"
In less than ten minutes, Good arrived at the battlefield with the samurai. But the fighting had already ended, and corpses littered the ground.
Shutenmaru had escaped.
Daikoku leaned against a grain wagon, his body wrapped in bandages. Seeing Good approach, he lowered his head in shame.
They had successfully ambushed Shutenmaru's gang, yet let him escape. Worse, Daikoku himself had suffered serious injuries. He had utterly disgraced the Oniwabanshu.
Wind Blade and the other two stood beside Daikoku, all injured and equally unable to raise their heads in shame.
Had Shutenmaru not been intent on retreating rather than continuing the fight, they might have been wiped out. His strength far exceeded theirs.
"My apologies, Lord Good."
"It's fine."
Good waved a hand calmly. He had expected this.
After all, Shutenmaru was a formidable warrior who could go toe-to-toe with Jack. It would have been strange if a few ninja had managed to kill him.
And for Good, both sides suffering heavy losses was the best possible outcome. Shutenmaru and Orochi's samurai were both his enemies.
Who would reap the benefits depended on whose methods proved superior!
"Daikoku, report what happened here to Shogun Orochi. Tell him we've severely wounded Shutenmaru and will take his head tonight!"
After giving that order, Good scanned the area, spotted Yamato tending to the wounded, and lifted the girl up.
"Yamato, you're up!"
"What for?"
Yamato tilted her head in confusion.
The battle was already over. What could she do?
Good's lips curled into a smile. "You have a keen nose, don't you? I need you to follow the scent of blood and track down Shutenmaru and his fleeing gang."
"Track down the bandits?"
Yamato was a little bewildered.
Her sense of smell was indeed extremely sharp, allowing her to distinguish the scents in the air clearly. But why did this feel a little strange?
Who tracked enemies with their nose?!
Wait!
That bastard Good wasn't treating her like a dog, was he?
The girl glared at him!
Good spoke calmly. "Once we've wiped out the bandits, I'll give you ten times the workload, plus the finest Chum Salmon Sashimi."
"I'm in!"
The girl wagged her tail!
Chapter 43: Unspoken Assumptions Are the Deadliest
The sun set, and night fell.
Deep within Atama Mountain, at the bandits' stronghold.
Shutenmaru sat in a wicker chair with several arrows and shuriken embedded in his body, along with numerous burns and sword wounds.
After falling into the enemy's ambush, he had forced his way through their encirclement with his men. Escaping unscathed had been impossible.
"Drip~ drip~~"
Blood dripped steadily onto the ground.
"Pfft!"
An arrow was yanked out, bringing a spurt of hot blood with it.
Shutenmaru let out a heavy breath and looked at the few brothers remaining in the hall. Bloodshot veins rapidly spread across his eyes.
Even after fighting desperately through the bloodshed, he had saved only a third of his brothers. All the others had died at the samurai's hands.
He had never suffered such a crushing loss!
"Devil Muscle Man!"
Shutenmaru growled through gritted teeth.
According to their information, the pirate known as "Devil Muscle Man" had planned all of this. There was no way he would let this slide.
He would have his revenge!
Meanwhile, at the foot of the mountain.
The Bandit Suppression Army lay hidden in the bushes.
Yamato twitched her nose and pointed toward the trail up the mountain. Judging by the scent, quite a few people had gone up this way not long ago.
"The scent of blood leads up the mountain!"
"Well done, Yamato."
Good was generous with his praise.
They had found the Bandit Stronghold. Next came wiping the enemy out, but some preparations were still needed to stop the bandits from escaping down side trails.
"Everyone, rest here!"
"Rest?"
The samurai froze.
They had already crept right up to the bandits' headquarters. Why rest instead of attacking before the bandits discovered them?
Though puzzled, the samurai obediently sat down to rest. Those injured in the earlier battle were especially eager for a chance to catch their breath.
Daikoku approached Good.
"Lord Good, what is the meaning of this?"
Before you continue