mercenaries who had mocked him shocked. How could he be so strong when they could barely stand under those ninjas pressure?
Two ninjas attacked him from both sides, their intentions clear and menacing.
"Don't get cocky," he warned, his voice laced with caution.
With a lethal gleam in their eyes, the ninjas thrust their kunai toward his vulnerable flank.
Reacting with faster speed, he deftly evaded their strikes, stepping back in a graceful maneuver.
In one fluid motion, he swiftly lunged forward, delivering two precise slashes with his sword.
The blade danced through the air, leaving behind a fleeting trail of luminous arcs as it cut through the resistance of the wind. The defeated ninjas crumpled to the ground, lifeless echoes of their failed attack.
Fugaku, despite lacking formal training in swordsmanship, marveled at his instinctive reflexes.
"I'm done playing!" he declared, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.
His eyes sparkled with infectious excitement as he moved with unparalleled agility, leaving afterimages in his wake. Two more adversaries met their demise, their bodies crashing against the unforgiving earth.
Kneeling upon the ground, he slid his katana back into its sheath—a moment of tranquility after an exhilarating flurry of combat.
His movements had been seamless and fluid, akin to those of a seasoned samurai. Fugaku savored the coolness that fighting in such a manner brought, relishing in the samurai's grace that enveloped him.
"Hey, hey. Am I dreaming?"
"Wow. That's incredible."
"No way... Is this a dream?"
"Those... Those are ninjas!"
The mercenaries were amazed. Was he a real swordsman? When Fugaku returned to the caravan, everyone was still in awe.
He didn't know that his spontaneous show of the stylish bandit slayer would be spread throughout the elemental nations by these mercenaries. Some even compared him to Mifune, the leader of the samurai!
Who would win in a duel between his wind-style swordsmanship and Mifune's swordsmanship?
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With everyone's admiration, they continued their journey to the Land of Rain.
Entering the Land of Rain proved to be trouble-free, thanks to Jiro the merchant's special pass from his previous visits. The rain ninjas guarding the border merely glanced at them without performing any searches. This indicated that the Land of Rain remained unaffected by the war and that the Rain Village had not yet closed its borders.
Upon arriving at the Land of Rain, they successfully delivered Jiro, the merchant, and his goods to their destination. Fugaku then departed on his own.
He could now begin his search for a summoning beast. In this unfamiliar land where it rained incessantly, Fugaku gazed up at the sky and let out a sigh.
Despite the deserted street, he had two individuals trailing behind him.
"Hey, why are you following me?"
Fugaku inquired. Both of them were drenched, but Fugaku paid no mind. He noticed that the two individuals were trembling, likely due to the chilly weather that persisted even in July, coupled with the heavy rain.
Upon hearing Fugaku's question, Komeko, a woman in her twenties, promptly responded, "Mr. Yasuo... Could you please accompany us back?"
Fugaku crinkled his eyebrows upon hearing the name "Yasuo." However, he had no other choice. To avoid drawing attention from the hidden villages, he preferred not to use his actual name.
"Why don't you hire some of the ninjas in this country? There seems to be a good bunch of them," Fugaku asked with curiosity.
The Rain Village, though small, boasted a formidable force of ninjas that rivaled the five great nations. Their assassination abilities were particularly renowned, making them on par with the Mist Village.
Many individuals from different countries journeyed to this land, seeking tasks from the rain ninjas.
The main allure was the presence of a supremely powerful ninja within this country, esteemed as the "ninja demigod." This individual was renowned for his exceptional speed, skill, and deadly poison abilities, which he demonstrated in the second ninja war.
The Sannin were Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru, three legendary ninjas from the Leaf Village. They were famous for their ninjutsu, medical, and summoning skills.
The fight took place in the Land of Rain, where most of the war was fought. The Sannin were part of a larger squad that faced Hanzo and his forces. Hanzo used his salamander summon, Ibuse, to release poison gas that affected everyone, including himself and his allies.
The Sannin were the only survivors from their side, and they managed to hold their ground against Hanzo.
Tsunade used her healing abilities to counter the poison, while Jiraiya and Orochimaru attacked with Ninjutsu and snake techniques. Hanzo dodged their attacks with his speed and fought back with his sickle and kunai.
The fight ended in a stalemate, with both sides exhausted and injured. Hanzo was impressed by the Sannin's strength and resilience, and he decided to spare their lives.
He gave them the title of Sannin, meaning "three ninjas", and told them to use it with pride.
He also warned them not to cross his path again, or he would kill them. The Sannin accepted his offer and left the battlefield.
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When Fugaku proposed hiring ninjas, he noticed the gloomy expressions on their faces.
Curious, he asked, "Do you...Perhaps you don't have any ryo?"
Fugaku found it dubious that they had only provided him with 5,000 ryo earlier.
However, he chose not to question why they were being pursued by ninjas or why they had concealed their true identities.
He deemed such information irrelevant to their current predicament, for it would only burden his already-occupied duties.
Eagerly, Komeko exclaimed, "If Mr. Yasuo escorts us back to the Land of Grass, you may name your price... We will compensate you upon our arrival."
Her determination to have Fugaku accept her proposition surprised him.
Though ninjas possessed wealth and high social standing, the wealthiest individuals in this world were not ninjas but rather merchants.
Cardo: He is a merchant from the Land of Fire who sells weapons and supplies to ninjas. He is very rich and influential, and he has connections with many powerful people. He is also very stingy and never lowers his prices, even for his friends. He is a friend of Jiraiya, who often borrows money from him.
Gato: He is the leader of the Gato Company, a shipping corporation that dominates the Land of Waves. He is also a ruthless crime lord who hires ninjas to do his dirty work. He is very greedy and cruel, and he exploits the people of the Land of Waves for his own profit.
Strangely, Fugaku asked, "What do you do for a living?"
Upon catching a glimmer of hope, Komeko replied, "I am the princess of the Land of Grass... Money is of no concern, as long as Mr. Yasuo escorts me back."
"Komeko is Princess?" Fugaku's emotions raced, struggling to find calmness.
He pondered the incredulity of the situation. Could it truly be that the transmigration brought about a serendipitous encounter without the need for further explanation?
Having randomly saved someone, only to discover that this person was a princess, felt utterly absurd. After all, even a princess from a small country held significant power, didn't she? Though her appearance disguised her noble position, Fugaku could discern her graceful figure.
Nonetheless, he simply couldn't spare the time for an escort mission.
He struggled with his dilemma. Being a princess made her valuable asset.
After careful consideration, he asked, "I'll stay in the Land of Rain for a while. If you can wait, maybe I'll consider it."
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