NOVEL NEXT Chapter 61: The Three Ships are Defeated, and the Land of Iron is Conquered!
"You must be the Kaede that the entire ninja world is talking about?"
Mifune looked at Kaede with complete calm.
The overwhelming pressure that could render even elite jōnin immobile had no effect on him whatsoever — a testament to the ironclad will within this man.
Kaede smirked. "Compared to the others, you're not bad."
"Thank you for the compliment," Mifune replied without the slightest change in demeanor.
"I've heard that during the Second Great Ninja War, you fought Hanzō," Kaede said.
"Though you lost, your will impressed him enough to let you live."
Mifune allowed himself a faint smile. "It's an honor to have earned Hanzō's recognition."
The era when Hanzō was hailed as the "Demi-God" was something every samurai aspired toward.
Little did Mifune know, that same Hanzō had now lost his once-unbreakable will — reduced to a shell of the man he once was.
Mifune exhaled slowly, then asked Kaede with a grave expression:
"The Land of Iron has always been neutral, never participating in the disputes of the ninja world. You come here today with ill intent — what exactly do you want?"
Kaede smiled faintly. "The current ninja world is already beyond saving."
"The Land of Fire is being carved up, and the buffer nations between the great powers, like the Land of Grass and the Land of Hot Water, have been occupied by the great villages."
"Small countries like yours have no reason to exist anymore!"
"Even if I didn't come to take you today, in a few days, once the Hidden Cloud finishes with the remaining small nations in front of them, they'll bring the slaughter here!"
Mifune's face darkened. He knew this truth all too well.
But for the honor of the samurai, he would defend the Land of Iron no matter what.
It was the last pure land of the samurai.
Kaede seemed to see through Mifune's resolve and shook his head.
"Whether it's against me or against the Hidden Cloud, the fate of the Land of Iron is already decided."
He slowly drew the blade at his waist — Kyōka Suigetsu.
"Your country chooses its leader through swordsmanship, right?"
"I use the sword as well, so I'll give you a dignified way out."
Mifune opened his mouth to refute him.
If Kaede were from the Land of Iron, he'd be glad to have such a strong protector.
But Kaede was a ninja — the sword was only one of his many weapons.
When Mifune hesitated, Kaede's expression turned cold.
"If I offer you dignity, take it. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to slaughter the Land of Iron first."
A third-stage Susanoo erupted into existence, its massive aura shaking the entire capital.
If not for the unyielding will of the samurai here, killing their strongest warriors would be enough to destroy the country.
Kaede had no qualms about using blood to force surrender.
"This kind of power…" Mifune's eyes widened.
If Kaede went all out, their mortal bodies couldn't possibly resist.
So this was the true power of the legendary Uchiha.
Kaede's gaze was cold.
"If you want to save the Land of Iron, bring out all your strength."
Gritting his teeth, Mifune realized this was his last chance.
Clutching his sword, he shouted, "Then come!"
Kaede dispelled Susanoo and waited with his sword.
Mifune charged forward, unleashing seven rapid strikes like a sudden storm.
Kaede curled his lip. "Flashy."
Kyōka Suigetsu lashed out instantly, intercepting Mifune's true attack with precision.
"Now try mine!"
Knocking Mifune's sword aside, Kaede swept his blade in a flurry — over a dozen sword shadows closed in.
"So fast!"
Mifune's eyes widened as he frantically searched for the real strike.
But then he realized — every single shadow was a real attack!
Breaking into a sweat, he tried to block them all.
He managed to parry six, but the rest struck his left shoulder.
The sleeves of both arms were shredded, leaving a bloody slash across his chest as well.
Breathing heavily, Mifune gave Kaede a grateful look.
"Thank you for showing mercy."
Those strikes could have left him gravely wounded, yet Kaede had pulled back at the last instant, leaving only surface injuries.
"Do you see the difference now?" Kaede asked flatly.
Mifune bit down. "I have one last move!"
He dashed in again.
At the instant he closed the distance, he unleashed his ultimate technique at an impossibly sharp angle.
"Iaido Slash!"
A blinding white sword light shot toward Kaede, aiming to decide the fight in a single blow.
Kaede's eyes glinted. Meeting the strike head-on, he swung Kyōka Suigetsu into the slash's weakest point.
In the next moment, the sword light shattered.
Then, before Mifune's stunned gaze, Kyōka Suigetsu cleaved into his blade.
Crack!
In an instant, Mifune's sword broke in two.
"What?" Mifune's disbelief was plain.
This sword had been forged by the greatest smith in the Land of Iron — one of the hardest blades in the ninja world.
But Kaede's control over his strength had been perfect — all his power focused into a single point.
"Do you still want to continue?" Kaede asked. "If you're not convinced, I'll give you a third chance with a new sword."
Mifune gave a bitter smile. He had seen the gap between them — no matter how many chances he got, the result would be the same.
"I've lost," he said calmly.
He let go of the broken blade.
It hit the ground with a crisp sound that struck the hearts of all below.
The strongest samurai in the Land of Iron had surrendered.
Kaede swept his gaze over the crowd.
"From this day on, I will rule the Land of Iron. Who dares to object?"
No one spoke.
Their strongest had been defeated in only a handful of moves — the rest would be nothing but fodder.
And Kaede hadn't even used the jutsu ninja were most known for… nor the terrifying Susanoo that had already shaken their souls.
Turning back to Mifune, Kaede said:
"In three days, dissolve the entire samurai order of the Land of Iron."
Seeing Kaede's power, Mifune accepted his fate.
"I understand."
Kaede smiled faintly. "I'll be back in three days. I hope nothing happens to displease me."
And with that, Kaede vanished.
Mifune stood in silence for a moment, then turned toward the crowd.
With a heavy thud, he knelt and bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry… I failed to protect the Land of Iron."
Everyone's eyes turned red — warriors and commoners alike.
A hot-blooded samurai couldn't hold back.
"Mifune-sama, you don't need to do this. If it comes to it, we'll fight him to the death!"
"I'm willing to die to defend the honor of the samurai!"
(End of Chapter)
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