Naruto: I, the villain template, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 211 A Noble Banquet? A Mass Funeral!

The capital of the Land of Rain, the central city of Daimyo.

A figure dressed in green layered armor and with a samurai sword at his waist stood outside the mansion.

Although he appeared somewhat short, he exuded a sharp and piercing aura.

Click! Click!

Two servants opened the heavy black gates of the mansion, revealing a grand and spacious luxurious courtyard behind the gates, wide enough for five people to walk side by side.

"Lord Mifune, please follow me."

The waiter respectfully extended his hand and led the man into the mansion.

"Please lead the way."

Although the person in front of him was just a waiter, the man's attitude remained neither humble nor arrogant, giving the impression of being conservative and stubborn.

His identity was clear from the waiter's words.

Mifune, an unknown soldier six years ago, is now a general of the Land of Iron. He is an extremely skilled Iaijutsu user and one of the few people in the ninja world where ninjas have become the mainstream who still adheres to the pure samurai spirit.

What the world doesn't know is that this general of the Land of Iron also has a connection with Hanzo.

Bang!

The mansion gate behind them slammed shut, and Mifune followed the servant through the dimly lit corridor.

Although there were no women in the courtyard, his extraordinary sense of smell allowed him to detect the faint scent of perfume floating in the air, and he could almost see the silver powder applied to the bare shoulders of the maids.

As Mifune entered the palace, he found himself in the vast hall. Golden light poured in from all directions, sweeping away the previously stuffy and damp air, filling the room with a magnificent and luxurious atmosphere.

Outside the window adorned with paper-cut window decorations, a biting rain was falling, but inside, charcoal and wood burned quietly in the fireplace, and crystal chandeliers dispelled the shadows, creating a warm, spring-like atmosphere.

At the far end was a long, crimson table with a six-piece tea set on it. A fire was burning to boil water, and Isisi, who was brewing tea, sat at the far end, with elegant wooden pillars and red ivory eaves above her head.

Compared to the daimyo's mansion that Hanzo had seen not long ago, this luxurious, crystal-like place had not changed at all. It was just that the crystal floor today no longer reflected the enchanting beauties amidst the profusion of flowers, nor the heavily made-up girls.

Now that they are gone, the whole place has lost its vibrant life.

Issei may have wanted to use this "refined" atmosphere to get closer to Mifune, but in Mifune's eyes, the scene seemed particularly out of place.

What should have been a decadent paradise of extravagance and debauchery is now being transformed into a blissful world of desirelessness described in Buddhist scriptures, which cannot conceal the pervasive extravagance and aura of power.

Compared to this, he, the general of the Iron Kingdom, was like a barefoot ascetic in the Rotten Chess Temple, tempering his body and will with trials and tribulations every day.

"It seems that the rumors about the daimyo of the Land of Rain, Isebi, being dissolute and fond of extravagance are true."

Thinking this to himself, Mifune remained outwardly cold and hard. He walked to the long table and sat down, while the waiter behind him stopped a short distance away without approaching.

Because there was only one futon in front of the table, it meant that Damingfu was only hosting one guest today.

"I have long admired Admiral Mifune, but I never expected you to accept my invitation in person. It's a truly unexpected surprise."

Isisi lowered his head and smiled slightly, raising the teapot high with one hand and flicking his sleeve with the other, pouring the tea from above, allowing the tea tips to tumble and spread inside the pot.

"I am deeply honored by His Highness Isei's invitation and will certainly not be impolite." Mifune sat upright on the futon, remaining humble and composed in the face of flattery.

Seeing the composure of this general from the Land of Iron, Isebi chuckled and stopped probing, saying directly, "I've heard that after becoming a general, Lord Mifune changed the Land of Iron's once warlike diplomatic style, gradually becoming more low-key and reserved."

"While traveling to various countries, challenging sword masters, and establishing a formidable reputation, he is also lobbying the daimyo and nobles of the five great nations, hoping to make the Land of Iron a neutral country?"

The Land of Iron is undoubtedly a very special country, not only because there are no ninjas within its borders, but also because of its geographical location and climate.

Geographically, it is located in the cold northern region of the ninja world. To the north lies an icy sea, to the south it borders the Land of Fire, to the west it is separated from the Land of Earth by the Land of Waterfall, and to the east it is separated from the Land of Lightning by the Land of Fields.

Although it's not like the Land of Snow where it's snowy all year round and never sees spring, the climate is still quite cold and resources are very scarce.

The absence of ninjas indicates a lack of strong combat power, and barren land suggests a lack of value for invasion.

At the same time, due to the special nature of the "samurai" group, compared to those ninjas who would kill their masters or fathers at the drop of a hat and prioritize profit, the nobles of today are obviously more willing to trust samurai who prioritize loyalty and righteousness.

In addition to Mifune's lobbying and prestige since taking office, as well as the influence of his warriors who have spread to various countries and become the personal guards of the nobles of those countries, there is no doubt that the Land of Iron has a great chance of becoming a neutral country.

Upon hearing Ishibi's words, Mifune remained calm and nodded slightly, saying, "Yes, I hope that the Land of Iron will value peace and be loyal to it in the future, and become a bridge for friendly exchanges between great powers."

Upon hearing this, Isisi couldn't help but feel a bit sarcastic, but she had to admit the decisiveness of the man in front of her.

To be loyal to "peace"?

With ninjas becoming the mainstream, Mifune was all too aware of the current fate of samurai.

The value of samurai has long since disappeared, replaced by ninjas with powerful ninjutsu. Many samurai have switched to the ninjas' ranks, and even their values ​​have become aligned with the ninjas, turning into bounty hunters who prioritize profit.

After Mifune became the general of the Land of Iron, he immediately drove this group of samurai out of the Land of Iron in order to maintain the "purity" within the Land of Iron.

The Black Warriors, a bounty hunter team of nearly a hundred people hired by Onoki, were composed of those wandering samurai.

If one cannot risk one's life for money, and does not wish for the complete destruction of the country, then one can only be loyal to "peace".

Mifune's seemingly righteous words were actually a desperate measure to escape the war by maintaining a neutral stance.

Nevertheless, even a hero's sacrifice requires courage; not everyone has the resolve to sacrifice a pawn to save the king, like Mifune did, and to put themselves in a do-or-die situation.

"I deeply admire Mr. Mifune's convictions."

Isisi inwardly scoffed at this, but outwardly he feigned admiration and said with a smile, "I invited Lord Mifune this time for two reasons: first, out of admiration, and second, to see if your resolve is worthy of the position of a neutral country."

"How is Your Highness feeling?" Mifune asked with a slight smile.

"Seeing is believing," Isis said sincerely. "Our Rain Country has also suffered greatly from the hardships and pain of war, so I am willing to support the Iron Country in becoming a neutral country in the name of the Rain Country."

Mifune knew there was no such thing as a free lunch, so his face remained expressionless as he stared intently at Isiebi before him and asked directly, "What does Your Highness want me to do?"

Ishibi ignored his directness, picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and smiled, "I hope you can persuade the daimyo of the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire to cease hostilities. As long as the conditions are not too unreasonable, I can agree to them. Even signing a treaty of vassal states is fine with me."

Upon hearing this, Mifune paused for a moment, then gave Isebi, who was smiling, a deep look.

This proposal is indeed in line with his position of being loyal to "peace".

If he could end this war that has lasted for several years through lobbying and exchanges of benefits, his name would spread throughout the entire ninja world, and the Land of Iron would inevitably become a neutral country, and a neutral country with an extremely special status.

When conflicts and disagreements arise between nations, and neither side wants to resolve them through war, yet both have their own pressing needs, the value of the Iron Nation becomes apparent when they cannot reach a consensus.

"I must admit, Your Highness's suggestion is indeed excellent. I have learned a great deal."

Mifune couldn't help but sigh, and his initial contempt dissipated considerably.

Regardless of Isisbi's character, his methods of leveraging and adapting to circumstances certainly befit the position of a king.

In an era where some ninjas possess extraordinary power and can still maintain an equal or even governing relationship with ninja villages, the daimyo of each country are not to be underestimated. If one is not careful, one can easily be used as a free tool.

It seems that, at least in terms of "understanding people's hearts" and "judging the situation," this "General of the Iron Kingdom" still has a lot to learn.

"So, you agree?"

Isisi showed no surprise, lowered his head, poured himself a cup of tea, raised the cup, and smiled slightly.

"I can't think of any reason to refuse." Mifune also put on a slightly stiff smile and raised his teacup in return.

After drinking the tea, both parties were very satisfied with the cooperation.

Isisi stood up and said with a smile, "It's still raining heavily outside. It's not easy for you to come all this way. And since it's almost time for dinner, why don't you join me and try some of the cuisine of the Rain Kingdom?"

Mifune nodded: "Thank you for the invitation, I dare not refuse."

Having said that, he stepped back slightly by half a body length, and the silent attendant opened the palace door for them.

Two waiters waiting outside the door held up umbrellas for the two of them. The rain and mist from the heavy rain rushed towards them like smoke, and the air they breathed suddenly became damp, as if veiled.

Isisi waved his hand with some disgust, trying to get rid of the smell of water, but to no avail. He could only quicken his pace and walk toward the side hall.

A low, U-shaped table sat in the middle of the hall, with small plates of cold food and several bottles of sake on it. Elegantly dressed nobles sat around the table, chatting and laughing.

The noisy atmosphere immediately stopped when Isisi walked in, and all sorts of different gazes were cast toward Mifune behind him.

"I don't think I need to introduce this person much, do I?"

Isebi flicked aside his folding fan, obscuring the lower half of his face, and said with a smile, "The Land of Iron, Admiral Mifune."

Ignoring the whispers of the crowd, Isisi sat down in the head seat with a smile, and the retainers in the next seat made way for him.

After nodding his thanks, Mifune sat down, his hands pressed tightly against his thighs, and observed the layout of the entire hall out of the corner of his eye. Sure enough, he noticed the defenses set up around him.

Those cold, ruthless scrutinizing gazes were very familiar; many of them belonged to samurai from the Land of Iron.

Sniff! Sniff!

Mifune seemed to have sensed something and frowned slightly.

That's... the smell of blood?

How can it be so concentrated?

He turned around following the scent of blood, only to see the old man standing behind Isisi.

The old man noticed his gaze, turned his head, nodded with a smile, and looked like a very kind old man.

A woman knelt down behind Mifune and reached out to pour him a cup of hot tea.

"What is this?" Mifune asked tentatively, looking at Isebi.

Isisi paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "They are the chefs for the banquet; everyone here has one."

chef?

No wonder it smells so strongly of blood.

Realizing this, Mifune's tense body gradually relaxed.

"Haha, don't be so nervous about the dinner."

Isisi realized his thoughts, waved his hand and laughed loudly, "They are just some commoners from the Land of Rain who are good at cooking. Their dishes are so popular that I recruited them."

Having said that, he flicked aside his folding fan to cover his face, narrowed his eyes, and asked with a smile, "Speaking of which, Lord Mifune, I've heard that you seem to have had some connection with Hanzo of our Amegakure in the past. Is that true or not?"

Upon hearing this, Mifune did not deny it. He touched the bandage on his head, nodded, and frankly said, "To be precise, I am very grateful to and respectful to Lord Hanzo."

"When I was still a nobody, he used his kusarigama to cut my sword in half, leaving a scar on my head, but in the end he still spared my life."

When the Land of Iron fought against Amegakure, the samurai of the Land of Iron would turn and run away as soon as they heard the name of Hanzo the Salamander. Only Mifune remained, standing in front of Hanzo with his katana in hand.

After a brief exchange, Mifune used his signature Iaijutsu, but was defeated by Hanzo using the same move, and his sword was also broken by Hanzo.

Hanzo's scythe is highly poisonous; anyone poisoned by it will surely die within two days.

Mifune originally intended to end his life, but before he died, he wanted to use his death to obtain Hanzo's promise not to kill his comrades. However, Hanzo appreciated Mifune's spirit of sacrificing himself to protect his comrades, so he gave Mifune the antidote.

Since then, Mifune has been working hard to uphold his beliefs. Now his Iaijutsu is even more powerful. Ordinary ninja techniques are ineffective against Mifune because he doesn't give them a chance to form hand seals.

"I never expected the two of you to have such a connection." Ishibi covered her face, her eyes flickering slightly, and smiled. "Would Lord Mifune wish to see Hanzo again?"

"Why do you want to see him?" Mifune asked with a faint smile. "It seems Your Highness is unaware that in the hearts of samurai, the moment enemies clash is the instant victory or defeat is decided. We prefer to communicate with swords, so it's better not to see him."

"I see. It's truly a pity I can't witness your swordsmanship."

Isisi sighed and put down the folding fan in front of him.

The solid jade fan ribs made a crisp sound when they were tapped on the table, which meant that the banquet had begun.

"Gentlemen," he looked up at the people at the table and smiled slightly, "please enjoy this delicious food with a grateful heart!"

The atmosphere instantly heated up the moment the words were spoken.

The chefs behind the group also stood up, each holding an iron ladle.

"By the way, Your Highness, what are you doing now...?"

Making way for the chef behind him, Mifune seemed to have thought of something and turned to look at the crowd around him.

But in the next moment.

Thud! Thud thud!

In Mifune's dark pupils, it was as if a magnificent flower had bloomed.

However, what fell was not petals, but...

Behind those nobles, the cooks, wielding iron ladles, had blood streaming down their faces.

All that could be seen before him was a hazy, bloody mist, with blood streaks clinging to Mifune's astonished face like spider silk.

In Yu Guangzhong's eyes, the woman whom Isisby called "the chef" still had a gentle smile on her face, but her pupils had turned into eerie scarlet vertical pupils.

Just now, almost instinctively, he drew his knife from his waist and blocked a powerful blow from behind.

This was a completely unexpected mutation...

"Please enjoy the first dish."

Standing behind the astonished Isisbi, the old man placed his hands in front of him. His gentle face was stained with blood, yet he still bowed slightly in a respectful tone: "Raw animal brains."

(End of this chapter)