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

Chapter 214 Asahi, who stood in front of him, and the indifferent markings on his face.

The Land of Rain, Daimyo Prefecture.

Bang! !

A sonic boom echoed through the rainy night.

Dust and white smoke, tens of meters high, rose like a curtain, blown away by the uncontrollable gale.

Amidst the chaos and ruins, several figures leaped backward from the dust and smoke.

Mifune, flying backwards in mid-air, raised his sword, creating a whistling wind in front of him to block the raindrops that were flying like ink.

*Pfft! Sizzle!*

The ink-like rain fell on the broken wall behind Mifune, producing a piercing and terrifying sound like sulfuric acid hitting the ground, and corroding the smooth wall with visible marks.

"..."

The blade blocking his way slowly lowered, revealing Mifune's slightly gloomy expression.

Seeing the blade in his hand stained with ink-like raindrops, a look of heartache and surprise flashed across his eyes.

Swords are a samurai's second life.

The sword he used was called "Kurosawa," a famous sword and one of the legendary Kusanagi swords.

The name "Kusanagi-tsurugi" is not unique to any one sword, but rather refers to a class of swords. Each Kusanagi-tsurugi is undoubtedly a formidable weapon, and it is said that each possesses its own unique abilities.

The "Kurosawa" used by Mifune not only possesses extremely strong chakra conduction capabilities, but also has the characteristics of being sharp and tough.

Although the black ink-like substance failed to corrode or deform it, Mifune still keenly sensed that his Kurosawa had become lighter.

"Yoshitaka, you bastard..."

Thinking of this, Mifune subconsciously gritted his teeth, his brows furrowed as he glared at Yoshitaka in the distance.

The moment he finished speaking, his figure vanished from the spot, leaving only the ground cracking inch by inch.

Mifune leaped up like an eagle, his blade like a sharp beak. He clearly had no intention of holding back, swinging his arm with real power, creating a misty, rain-like flow, and slashing towards Yoshitaka with absolute killing intent.

In the dim light, Yoshitaka's face darkened, and he swung his sword diagonally like a falling leaf to meet the attack, cutting through the rain and leaving ripples on it.

Clang!

Mifune struck the famous sword Kurosawa against Yoshitaka's short sword, activating every muscle fiber and instantly making Yoshitaka feel an unusually heavy, strong, and cold pressure.

"You can't win," Mifune said coldly. "The gap between us isn't something you can bridge with some petty tricks. Face reality!"

In terms of strength, Yoshitaka was clearly at a disadvantage, and his direction was instantly skewed by the heavy blow. However, Yoshitaka remained unmoved in the face of Mifune's words and killing intent, and used his strength to swipe the blade to dissipate the force.

At the same time, his chest heaved deeply, two wisps of white mist escaped from the corners of his mouth again, he took a small step forward to get closer to the killing distance, gathered his sword stance under his feet, gripped the hilt of the sword with his backhand and flicked it upwards, making a motion similar to drawing a sword!

"Rain Breathing - Second Form - Floating Duckweed!"

This was the Shin-yu sword technique that Yun Chuan used when facing Musashi's Niten Ichi-ryu style. Yoshitaka had perfectly integrated it into his close-combat short sword technique.

"Third Form: Swift Rain!"

Yoshitaka seized the moment when sparks rained down and disappeared into the rain, and the instant his vision dimmed. He unleashed a flurry of short sword strikes like a storm, delivering several blows in a short span of time with incredible speed.

Seeing the several swords slashing at him almost simultaneously, Mifune's pupils contracted. He gripped the sword with both hands, took a deep breath, and planted his feet firmly on the ground.

Regardless of the origin of the knife technique or the type of swordsmanship, in close combat, the lower body is always fundamental.

Mifune is undoubtedly the best among them.

Bang! Bang bang! Bang!!

He braced himself against the ground, his famous sword Kurosawa swirling in a dazzling display of speed, so fast that it was impossible for the naked eye to follow, the wind from his blade forming an impenetrable wall.

In the dim, turbulent rain, sparks flew continuously in front of Mifune, completely blocking Yoshitaka's attack.

Black rain and white shadow, two completely different blades, two completely different sword techniques, suppressing and stripping away the space in which they exist.

However, unlike Yoshitaka, who came from humble beginnings and became a swordsman later in life, Mifune began to hone his physical strength and swordsmanship at a very young age. He went to places that Musashi had never been to before, and he was even younger than Musashi was back then!

Faced with such a Mifune, Yoshitaka was far inferior in both talent and experience!

The omnipresent sound of rushing rain could not conceal the gleam of the blade!

Although the initiative had returned to Yoshitaka, Mifune, with his exceptional swordsmanship and experience, managed to withstand Yoshitaka's relentless attacks and even gradually reversed his disadvantage.

No matter how fiercely the rain of short swords fell, Mifune was like a bottomless lake, receiving all the dense attacks without flinching or dodging, demonstrating his power at his peak!

Just a moment ago, Mifune was still using the defensive swordsmanship of the Yin-style, blocking Yoshitaka's storm of blades, and even trying to use "Muto-tori" to seize Yoshitaka's wrist as he was about to strike.

The next moment, Mifune suddenly seized on Yoshitaka's momentary mistake and turned the tables, switching directly from the Yinliu style to the Tanghuang sword style, and without hesitation swung his sword to slash at Yoshitaka's throat.

"Wow, Mifune is really strong!"

Sweat dripped down Yilong's cheeks, but the smile on his lips deepened.

The pent-up frustration in his heart was released with a loud shout, and he stopped his sword strike without hesitation to prevent his sword from being taken away.

Instead of dodging as Mifune had expected, it rammed into Mifune with its body as if courting death.

Clang!

This action broke Mifune's "no-sword take-off," and his body took the initiative to move forward, getting close before Mifune's sword-wielding arm could exert force. The two swords clashed together, splashing rainwater around them, and sparks flew up again.

The two were now close together, their stance resembling a horse stance, their leg muscles taut as hard as steel, rooted firmly to the ground.

But the sharp blade of the famous sword Kurosawa kept getting closer to Yoshitaka's face, and the tiger's mouth and palms that Yoshitaka gripped the hilt and supported the blade were pressed until they bled.

Both of them were exerting different forces with their hands, staring intently into each other's eyes, the dim light illuminating the anger in their eyes.

Like lions and tigers, they are competing to see who has the sharpest fangs, locking onto each other's necks, and exerting all their strength to drive their jaw muscles.

"..."

Yoshitaka's chest heaved violently, and his mind became shrouded in uncertainty.

The appearance of Mifune was unexpected.

The seemingly short samurai in front of him was filled with surging power. Under the unreserved clash of power, Yoshitaka, who was focused on speed, was no match for him.

The sword techniques that Yoshitaka has developed so far are all geared towards stealth and assassination. If it comes down to explosive power, he might not necessarily lose, but he has to admit that his physique is far inferior to Mifune's.

This general of the Land of Iron is undoubtedly a renowned sword.

Therefore, it was Yoshitaka who ultimately forced the end of the contest of strength.

His upper body leaned back like a taut pine or bamboo, and before Mifune could react, he rammed his head into her.

Bang! !

Their foreheads collided, producing a chilling cracking sound, and they immediately felt a jolt in their heads and their vision went black.

The next moment, both sides attacked with all their might almost simultaneously, and at the same time, they blocked each other's knife strikes. The force of the blade rebounding made their hands go numb.

As the two were separated by the force of their collision, before Yoshitaka's feet could find a foothold, Mifune, who was in mid-air, ducked and drew his sword at his waist.

"Enough, Yoshitaka! I've had enough! How do you intend to bridge the gap between ordinary iron and a legendary sword?"

Mifune's cold, sharp voice came from his mouth as he flung Kurosawa out amidst the rain, waves, and dark currents, cleaving through the rain between the two with a single strike, and slashing towards Yoshitaka's abdomen with a white light!

Yoshitaka's head was still a little dizzy, and he subconsciously gripped the hilt of his knife, making a teeth-grinding creaking sound as he shielded himself.

Click click!

The famous sword Kurosawa clashed with a dagger forged from ordinary iron, causing a crack to appear on the blade of the dagger in Yoshitaka's hand.

Yoshitaka, knocked back into the air for the second time, was unable to move, while a third deadly attack was closing in on him! The threat of death descended like a flood, threatening to engulf everything he had!

"Yoshitaka! What makes you think you can bridge the gap between ordinary iron and a legendary sword?"

Crack! Bang!

He held his short sword in front of him, and the impact with the incoming blade light caused Yilong's bones to crack, sending him flying several meters away in an instant.

Steadying himself, Yilong felt a slight surge of blood and qi rising in his chest. His face, with bulging veins, flushed red, and his chest heaved violently as he looked at the short sword in his hand.

Originally considered a fine piece of wrought iron among ordinary iron, the blade is now covered with cracks. It groans mournfully when swung, and could break into several pieces of scrap iron at any moment!

"When I get back, I must make sure Lord Yunchuan takes over the Takumi Ninja Village and forges a sturdy sword for me!"

Just as Yoshitaka's thought arose, a panicked voice suddenly rang out.

"Teacher Yoshitaka! Watch out!"

As the words reached their ears, a sharp whistling sound also rang out.

Yilong suddenly bent over backward, his pupils dilating slightly, watching the white blade light tear through the rain curtain and whistle past his nose.

Sword Technique: Sky-Splitting Slash!

puff! !

The chakra blade that swept past Yoshitaka cut several demons and samurai who were fighting behind him in half at the waist. The severed wall was torn apart with a loud bang, and the blade flew into the distant rain without losing momentum!

"..."

Upon witnessing this scene, cold sweat seeped from Yoshitaka's forehead, trickling down his neck and into his clothes.

Mifune, despite being a samurai who adheres to outdated principles, has actually combined chakra with swordsmanship, just like those unorthodox bounty hunters he drove away.

"Yoshitaka, tell me now!"

Mifune stood atop the roof, looking down at him. He ripped off the bandage from his forehead, revealing the ugly, grotesque scar, and said coldly, "How can you, so insidious, despicable, and devoid of any conviction or will, possibly bridge the gap between us?"

He was grateful to Hanzo for sparing his life, but he also felt ashamed and angry about it.

When Hanzo nearly severed his head with that blow, he always covered the scar on his forehead with a cloth, regarding it as the shame of his life.

Pity is the most arrogant form of treatment among warriors.

He regarded Hanzo as his enemy and constantly wanted to use his swordsmanship and his Iaijutsu to regain the victory he lost years ago and wash away the shame of being pitied by Hanzo.

In his eyes, only Hanzo could earn his respect, and how could he allow himself to be defeated by Yoshitaka?

"You're a troublesome guy."

Mifune sheathed his sword again at his waist, gazed at Yoshitaka who was still catching his breath in the distance, and said calmly, "If you had been the one standing behind me just now, and suddenly attacked me, I might not have been able to stop you."

"However, you have no chance of winning if you face me directly."

"So, this is the end, Yoshitaka... This strike should have been given to Hanzo."

As Mifune spoke, Yoshitaka sensed a strange phenomenon.

He could sense something in the air gathering towards the three ships, like a storm-like siphon, drawing in things in the air that humans couldn't observe, like a whale sucking water.

That was "momentum," the sharp and assertive "momentum" emanating from Mifune. As he gradually sheathed his sword and his chakra surged within him, it was now being drawn back into his body.

The moment Yoshitaka realized something was wrong, in the blink of an eye, Mifune completed the process of visual observation, breathing, cutting through the mouth of a carp, and slicing off in an unbelievable speed.

Draw your sword! Iaijutsu!

Mifune actually managed to remember his breathing rate during the brief stalemate, capturing that incredibly fleeting moment between his breaths!

Before he could even exhale, the blade, so fast it chilled him to the bone, was already upon him!

"There's no way to avoid it!"

I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I'm going to die!

His constricted pupils reflected the terrifying white light that was approaching. Yilong's blood seemed to be rushing through his body desperately, but it was still frozen into ice by the bone-chilling cold and the will to die.

But in the next moment, a figure suddenly stepped into his field of vision; it was a familiar, short, stout figure.

"Ashe!"

Asana's roar, filled with shock and rage, reached Yoshitaka's ears, causing his pupils to dilate suddenly as he stood frozen in place.

He looked at the figure blocking his way and the blinding white light that cut through the air.

For no apparent reason, a flood of emotions surged into Yoshitaka's heart like a raging storm.

Outrage! Shame! Madness!

These emotions were too sudden, too complex, too overwhelming, like branching lightning bolts that swept across the sky, flowing freely through his mind.

Yoshitaka never expected that he harbored such emotions. He had not felt fear when death was imminent, but now he felt anger and shame!

He can die; he's simply not as skilled as others.

He was a person without any motivation to begin with, and he should have died when his teacher Musashi died.

It was Yun Chuan who promised to bury Musashi's body that he joined Dawn as a teacher.

Even if I die, it's just returning my life to Yun Chuan.

But now, with his own student standing in front of him, the anger was like a flame burning in his chest. Mifune's killing intent and death intent could not extinguish the flames in his chest, but could only ignite them!

His bones cracked and splintered, and the torrents in his veins boiled like magma.

Until, unable to suppress the flames in his heart any longer, it felt as if a gash had been torn open in his chest, and the three ugly scars below his eyes were quickly covered by three dark marks.

The Demon Slayer Mark is not the mark that is activated when the body temperature reaches 39 degrees Celsius and the heart rate exceeds 200 in the Demon Slayer world. Rather, it is the outward manifestation of a ninja's physique, will, and potential.

boom!!

In that instant, black gas burst forth from Yoshitaka's body, as if a giant beast were spewing out damp, cold mist from its mouth.

The black rain and mist spread instantly from Yoshitaka's center, engulfing everything around him, including Asahi who was not far away, and shrouding the samurai and demons within it.

The incredibly sharp and unstoppable sword light sliced ​​through the rain and mist, leaving its mark, only to be filled back by the surging black rain and mist.

It was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, only causing ripples before being swallowed up by the rain and mist and disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

The black rain and mist continued their relentless advance, rushing towards them like smoke, engulfing and shrouding Mifune's figure as if he had stepped into an independent domain.

(End of this chapter)