Bear School Astartes

"Hmm... Easier to handle than I imagined."

Lann dropped the wolf fang club in his hand, flexing his wrist as he murmured.

He initially thought this would at least be an opponent of Gregor Clegane's level. Though not too difficult, it should have required some maneuvering.

However, a top-notch warrior's body controlled by a child-like mind was all too easy to deal with.

Lann suspected that if he threw a candy on the ground, he would mindlessly squat down to pick it up.

The main force behind them caught up, and Kotaro dragged the drooling Tairou Soldier lying on the ground aside.

After crossing the bridge, there were two arrow towers built on both sides.

If the archers among the bandits were intent on defending instead of eager to plunder, Lann wouldn't have found it easy to bring people directly over.

But this further proved the destructive power of a traitor.

These two arrow towers did absolutely nothing to stop the bandits' intrusion.

"Have someone hold this position, I don't want us to be swept again from behind."

Lann grabbed the shoulder of a short-bow ashigaru, directing him to the arrow tower. At this bridgehead, he left a reasonable number of people and arrangements according to shooting angles and melee defense considerations.

If it were just ordinary bandits, it's estimated that even over a hundred of them couldn't force their way through.

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In the high terrain of Hirata Manor, two ninjas dressed in purple-black striped outfits were overlooking the growing flames of the manor.

A ninja wearing the same outfit used the Light Body Skill to suddenly dart up from below, half-kneeling behind them, clearly in a lower ranking position.

"Lord, the ashigaru and ronin in Hirata Manor's Castle Town have organized a counterattack, and have already cleared out eighty percent of the bandits entrenched there. Those forces are heading towards the main house."

"Oh?" A member of the Lonely Shadow Group, watching the fire, turned around. "Didn't the owl promise us that the troop distribution he arranged couldn't regroup again?"

"Hmph, just country ninjas. Zheng Jiu, do you still expect him to do a perfect job?"

"True enough. But it's of no concern either." The Lonely Shadow Group member known as 'Zheng Jiu' shook his head. "Those bandits were meant to be discarded trash anyway, which is why we only speed things up without properly cleaning the places already breached."

"Exactly, Zheng Jiu. To eradicate the Hirate family, all we need is to eliminate the last Young Master Hirata, nothing else matters. Without successfully protecting their master, which clan in Iwami would trust the retainers who let him die at the hands of mere bandits? We don't need to intervene; they'll eventually die off by themselves."

"But didn't the owl say that the Young Master Hirata must be captured alive?"

Zheng Jiu asked his companion beside him, who replied with a dismissive chuckle.

"He said? It's him siding with the Inner Mansion—how can country ninjas have a say in conditions with us? Alright, enough talk. These bandits can die as they please, but I still fancy Chongzang. I'll go give him a heads-up; he can retreat once he's done."

Zheng Jiu nodded gently.

"I recall, he calls you 'Brother Zheng'? Truly familiar. I'll take some men to trouble those regrouping warriors. Let's not return only to find the Young Master Hirata still unlocated, but rather that they've caught up with our progress."

"Very well, let's get to work."

As soon as the words fell, the figure of the Lonely Shadow Group members rose sharply as if merging into the nightshade like a black hawk, then descended rapidly.

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Lann was leading a group of people rushing toward the inner mansion, and on this stretch of road, they crossed another bridge.

One cannot help but marvel at the treacherous terrain of Iwami Country. Even though efforts were made to build the manor in relatively flat areas, the fractured terrain and waterways still demanded various measures for connectivity.

While advancing, Lann took a moment to glance down and discovered that even in this tributary of Longquan River, there were those splendid colored carp.

If they survived the night, he definitely wanted to return and thoroughly search for these 'jewel suppliers.'

The clinking of armor and weapons accompanied the running of the team.

The inner mansion's main gate was already in sight, and Lann, at the forefront, heard nothing amiss, but sudden frightened shouts erupted from the rear of the group.

"Someone's dead! There are enemies!"

The cries caused a slight commotion, halting the team's advance.

Lann frowned and walked back, seeing a limp ashigaru's body.

In his unprotected neck was a sharp iron needle, similar to a knitting needle, piercing his throat, with blood seeping from the wound.

Lann recognized such throwing weapons from the "Lonely Shadow Group Ninja Techniques Manual," known as 'Chiben.' Their slender and sharp design made them hard to spot mid-flight, and even the wind noise they created was nearly inaudible.

Which means... it's the Lonely Shadow Group!

"It's ninjas! Form a circle! Hold shields on the perimeter!"

Lann calmly instructed, and those who had experienced his perfect command instinctively followed through.

Just as the shield-bearers finished setting up the formation, a series of three 'thud thud thud' sounds.

Three iron needles embedded themselves into the shields. Judging by the landing points, if they were a second later, at least three more would have fallen.

Lann's eyes narrowed slightly.

He hadn't heard or smelled anything just now. Judging by the opponent's stealth and breathing abilities, their skill was nothing like that of the guy being pursued by wolves!

Suddenly, Lann recalled the anecdotes revealed in the "Lonely Shadow Group Ninja Techniques Manual."

"The Lonely Shadow Group is the most trusted ninja group of the Inner Mansion, led by Oshibu Shogoro, who adopted seventeen foster sons, all with extraordinary skills."

One of the seventeen foster sons?

"Kotaro."

"My lord, I'm listening!"

Standing in the center of the circle, Lann's height and the soft glow reflecting off his silver hair made him stand out remarkably.

He didn't make any evasive moves, and the opponent didn't seem eager to attack him either.

"A lone ninja here is only possible to buy time. Perhaps their plan is nearing its end, or maybe they've deployed new forces behind us. But we can't just watch as he achieves his plan."

His slightly glowing cat-like eyes scanned the shadows between the bamboo forest and buildings under the dim moonlight and firelight.

"I'll go out directly; he can't ignore my influence, and he'll follow. Meanwhile, you need to return to the previous arrow tower to prepare for potential enemy reinforcements. Understood?"

Lann earnestly fixed his gaze on the short man before him, who had just lost his mother.

His timid and comical face immediately turned solemn, his cheeks tightened and puffed up.

It seemed being entrusted with a task by Lann already thrilled him greatly.

"My lord... We shall undoubtedly repel the invaders!"

"Then go do it."

Lann swept the disheveled silver hair from his forehead back, pushing past the ashigaru maintaining the circle to walk outside.

As expected, the ninja no longer targeted the ordinary soldiers.

Most of the fighting power of this small troop was concentrated in Lann alone. If the ninja didn't want this enormous variable to interfere with their mission, they had to block the lone Demon Hunter.

As for the ordinary soldiers, they were practically not a problem in comparison.

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