Since the attack in the canyon, the atmosphere in the entire caravan has become heavy. The guards who were relatively relaxed now have tense expressions, and their hands holding their weapons have never let go. Everyone looks like the next assassin who will bite poison out of their teeth.
The Tokugawa businessman still played his role as a frightened employer, but the too frequent wiping of sweat and the glances at the three Senju Chen from time to time, mixed with fear and some secret expectation, all fell in the eyes of Senju Chen.
As they marched, Maruboshi Kosuke began to speak less and less, but his teachings to the two teenagers became more and more meticulous.
"Look at that rock." He pointed to a rock half-buried in the soil on the side of the road. "There are new signs of turning on the bottom, and the humidity of the soil is different from the surroundings. Someone stayed here, and the time was no more than a day. He was here to observe the passing roads."
"There are also branches over there," he pointed to a shrub not far away. "The fracture at the end is an oblique cut, which is very smooth. It is the mark left by a sharp weapon, not a wild beast. It means that the people passing by are carrying weapons and habitually clear obstacles on the road."
He no longer just taught how to identify the traces of wild beasts, but began to teach deeper reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance skills. How to judge whether someone is following someone through the most inconspicuous details, the number of people, habits, and even the approximate height of the other party.
This knowledge is trivial and boring, but it is the iron rule of survival summarized by licking blood on the tip of a knife.
Shisui listened with a serious face and tried hard to remember this knowledge in his mind. He began to understand that the real battle started long before the enemy appeared.
While listening carefully, Senju Chen confirmed these skills with the modern investigation knowledge in his mind, and his respect for the old man deepened. He could feel that Kosuke was using his own way to fill the gap caused by Orochimaru's absence, trying to arm them into ninjas who could truly stand alone.
That evening, the team camped in a sparse woodland near a stream. The bonfire was lit, and Tokugawa and his guards gathered together spontaneously, separated from the three Konoha Ninja by a distance, and the atmosphere seemed slightly separated.
Maruboshi Kosuke It's still the big black pot, simmering the fragrant broth.
Senju Chen drank the delicious soup and looked at Mr. Kosuke beside him who was concentrating on wiping the short knife. He hesitated for a moment and finally spoke.
"Mr. Kosuke," he put down the bowl with the curiosity and respect unique to a young man, "I heard from my sister that your swordsmanship is called 'Konoha Liu·Liu'. Is that... a very powerful swordsmanship?"
Shisui heard this and immediately cast a curious look.
"Konoha liu·Liu", this name sounds like an elegant and ancient feeling.
Maruboshi Kosuke paused in wiping the blade. He raised his cloudy eyes and looked at Senju Chen without answering directly. He stood up, walked to the stream, and casually broke off a soft but tough willow stick.
"Little Chen, come here."
Senju Chen followed the instructions and walked over.
"Use your Kunai to stab me." Mr. Kosuke said calmly.
Senju Chen was slightly startled, but seeing the calm look in his eyes, he nodded, took out a Kunai from his ninja bag, put on a standard thrusting stance, took a deep breath, and thrust forward suddenly!
His movements were quick and precise, with a sharp sound of wind.
However, Maruboshi Kosuke did not dodge. Just when Kunai was about to touch his chest, the wicker in his hand moved.
The soft wicker, as if weightless, rested lightly on Senju Chen's wrist.
Senju Chen only felt a strange, soft but irresistible force coming from him. His inevitable thrust slid to one side involuntarily. The wicker moved along with his strength, and his center of gravity suddenly became unstable. He staggered forward two steps, and almost lost his grip on Kunai.
He turned around in shock, only to see Maruboshi Kosuke still standing there, the wicker in his hand shaking slightly, as if he had just brushed off a little dust on it.
"'Liu' is not only a swordsmanship, but also a kind of principle."
The voice of Mr. Kosuke sounded in the evening breeze, carrying a unique charm.
"Look at this wicker, it doesn't compete with the wind. When the wind is strong, it swings with the wind; it doesn't fight against the boulders, and when the rocks fall, it bends to avoid it. What it does is to adapt and bear all the forces exerted on it, and then... at the most appropriate time, guide and resolve this force, and finally, with the minimum effort, give the enemy a fatal blow."
As he spoke, he used the wicker to draw a soft arc in the air. The movement did not look like he was practicing a move, but more like an old farmer waving casually in the field. It was natural and without any fireworks.
Senju Chen stared blankly, as if lightning flashed in his mind.
Adapt, endure, guide, resolve...
Isn't this the essence of Tai Chi Chuan? Use softness to overcome hardness and use force to fight! But Genjutsu is added on this basis to make it more difficult for the enemy to defend.
He had always thought that the power system of this world was the faster, stronger, and more gorgeous Ninjutsu. But the Maruboshi Kosuke in front of him showed him a completely different path. A path that returned to nature and integrated skills and philosophy into swordsmanship.
This understanding of power has transcended simple "skills" and reached a realm of "Tao".
Senju Chen Looking at this old man who was not tall and wearing an ordinary vest, he felt an indescribable shock for the first time in his heart. Shinobi World version Zhang Sanfeng Ah, this is it.
Just when Senju Chen was immersed in this shock, a shrill howl of a wolf broke through the quiet night sky.
"Ouch--!"
The sounds came and went from far to near, as if there were enemies on all sides.
In the shadows at the edge of the forest, pairs of green eyes lit up one after another, flickering like will-o'-the-wisps, slowly approaching the camp with bloodthirsty greed.
It's a pack of wolves! And there are so many of them!
The guards of the caravan were instantly in disarray and gathered around the campfire with pale faces, the weapons in their hands shaking like chaff.
"It's a wolf! It's a hungry wolf in the forest!" Tokugawa's voice was filled with tears, and he almost collapsed to the ground.
"Don't panic!" Shisui shouted, blocking in front of everyone, his hands quickly Hand Seals, "Fire Release·Great Fireball Technique!"
A huge fireball roared out, carrying a scorching wave of air and crashing into the place where the wolves were densest. It instantly devoured several wolves and scorched the black land.
The wolves howled in terror and retreated a few steps.
But hunger soon defeated fear. Under the high-pitched howl of the alpha wolf, the wolves not only did not disperse, but became even crazier, and surrounded them from both sides again without fear of death!
Senju Chen also slapped the ground with both hands, and several thick wooden pillars rose up from the ground and quickly intertwined to form a strong wooden fence to temporarily protect the caravan. Then, he Hand Seals with both hands, countless vines emerged from the ground, trying to stop the footsteps of the wolves.
However, the number of wolves was too great. They were biting the vines frantically and digging at the wooden posts with their claws, making harsh friction sounds.
At this moment, Maruboshi Kosuke moved.
He didn't Hand Seals, nor did he make any unnecessary movements, he just slowly pulled out the inconspicuous short knife at his waist.
He didn't even look at the wolves blocked by Wood Release. Instead, he took a step forward and walked out of the wooden cage like a leisurely stroll. He was alone, facing the dozens of pairs of green eyes outside.
The next moment, Senju Chen and Shisui seemed to see countless willow branches.
I saw the figure of Maruboshi Kosuke, like a fallen leaf, quietly blending into the pack of wolves.
There are no earth-shattering Chakra fluctuations, no gorgeous and dazzling Ninjutsu light effects.
Only wicker.
A muscular wolf swooped in from the side, its open mouth exuding a fishy stench. Maruboshi Kosuke didn't even turn his head. He just turned his body slightly to one side and escaped the wolf's kiss by a hair. The short knife in his hand was like a poisonous snake's letter, and he flicked it up casually.
The evil wolf drew a parabola in the air and fell heavily to the ground. There was a thin line of invisible blood on its throat. It twitched twice and then became silent again.
Another wolf attacked from behind. He held the knife in his backhand and pushed his elbow back accurately, hitting the wolf's jaw, causing its attack to stall. Then, the short knife drew a strange arc in his hand and silently grazed the wolf's neck.
It seemed that he was not fighting, but dancing a dance of death.
Every time he dodged, every time he drew his sword, it was simple to the extreme, yet effective to the extreme. His steps were leisurely and unhurried, and his figure shuttled through the siege of dozens of wolves, but not a single leaf touched him. He was like a wicker in the wind, withstanding attacks from all directions, but directing every ounce of force towards the most deadly gap.
Senju Chen even secretly turned on Sharingan when everyone's attention was on the wolves to observe and learn from Maruboshi Kosuke's movements.
He could clearly see every movement of Maruboshi Kosuke, but he couldn't understand it. The grasp of timing, distance, and angle had transcended the scope of skills and became an almost instinctive art.
The art of killing.
Shisui was even more stunned. He opened his mouth and even forgot to close the seals in his hands. He never thought that Taijutsu, or in other words, the purest killing skills, could reach such a terrifying situation.
In their shocked eyes, the number of wolves was decreasing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In the end, only the largest wolf was left. It let out an angry roar, and with a desperate aura, turned into a gray lightning and rushed towards Maruboshi Kosuke.
Facing this thunder blow, Maruboshi Kosuke just stood there quietly.
Just when the alpha wolf was about to pounce on him, he moved.
His body floated backwards like catkins, and at the same time, the short knife in his hand drew a graceful arc from bottom to top facing the wind.
The figures of humans and wolves pass each other.
Maruboshi Kosuke Slowly sheathed the knife, making a slight "click" sound.
Behind him, the huge wolf's body froze in mid-air, and then a smooth blood line split from head to tail, split into two halves, and fell heavily to the ground.
The few remaining wild wolves let out a wail, tails between their legs, and fled into the dark forest without looking back.
The whole camp was deathly silent.
All that was left was the crackling sound of the bonfire and the nauseatingly rich smell of blood.
Senju Chen and Shisui stared blankly at the old man who had his back turned to them, slowly wiped the dagger clean and inserted it back into his waist.
At this moment, Senju Chen truly understood how powerful this man known as "Eternal Genin" was.