MTL NOVEL Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Sugawara Shōko
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In the depths of the night, stars lit up the gray-blue sky, and amidst the icy wilderness, a faint white glow shimmered.
The caravan stretched like a long dragon, winding its way from the other side of the mountain, leaving twisting trails in the snow. In the silent world, the sound of wheels crushing snow echoed crisply and continuously.
Kamihane, who had been cultivating in the carriage, suddenly opened his eyes.
Three kilometers ahead, at a bend in the cliff, more than thirty people lay in ambush, silent and unnoticed.
They were all armed with blades, some hiding behind stone walls, others concealed in the snow. Their presence was calm yet menacing, and each one's chakra strength was not weak.
None of this escaped Kamihane's radar-like perception.
When it came to sensing, he could be called the foremost in the entire shinobi world.
With soul detection, high-frequency chakra waves, and super vision that automatically adjusted focus, everything within a ten-kilometer radius was crystal clear to him—he could even tell the gender of a mosquito.
"What kind of act is this..." Kamihane scratched his chin. "Should I quietly take care of these guys?"
He was torn.
On one hand, he didn't want these bothersome individuals to delay his journey. But on the other hand, this might be a good opportunity to observe a samurai duel.
Madara had once explained that the principle of Iron Country's sword techniques was to apply chakra in the form of shape transformation to the blade, releasing a materialized slash. It was fast, wide-ranging, and devastating. Those with high cultivation could even split the earth with a single strike.
Kamihane was deeply fascinated by this and had always yearned for it. After all, who doesn't have a swordsman's dream?
Sword energy materialized, unstoppable. With a single stroke, it could shatter all techniques!
Unfortunately, he had never had the chance to witness it firsthand. Although he and his companions had traveled across almost the entire shinobi world, they had somehow missed Iron Country.
As fellow possessors of chakra, the samurai discarded the nature transformation of chakra and instead specialized in shape transformation. Therefore, for those with a natural talent for precise chakra control, practicing swordsmanship might be a better choice.
Ordinary shinobi required specific chakra-conductive metals to perform attacks similar to swordsmanship, such as Sarutobi Asuma's knuckle knives or the chakra blades used against puppeteers. They were more adept at applying shape transformation on top of nature transformation.
For example, transforming Fire Release chakra into fireballs or fire dragons, or Lightning Release chakra into thunder spears or thunder pillars—these are the principles of ninjutsu.
Ninjutsu based purely on shape transformation is extremely rare, let alone incorporating nature transformation into shape transformation.
In the original timeline, almost only Naruto could achieve this. His diverse yet immensely powerful Rasengan variations were the best proof.
However, Kamihane's "Dew on Autumn Leaves" was also a shape transformation attack of chakra. When released, it surged like flowing water, endlessly regenerating and granting immense cutting power. Although he could freely manipulate its form, he had never been able to project the slash outward.
Thus, the samurai's methods had always left him itching to try them.
"Forget it, I've waited so many days; a little longer won't hurt," Kamihane said, opening his palm and gazing at the small blade of light emerging from it. A flicker of excitement passed through his eyes. "Maybe… it'll take me to the next level."
With this thought, Kamihane resisted the urge to act.
Soon, as the caravan passed the foot of the mountain, bandits emerged from all directions, their shouts shaking the heavens. The leading samurai was startled and immediately drew his sword to engage.
"Clang! Clang!"
The crisp sound of clashing blades rang out continuously.
"Oh no, bandits!" The middle-aged man woke up in a panic, peeking through the carriage curtain, utterly flustered.
"Why panic? There are still samurai," Kamihane said calmly, pulling open the curtain to look outside.
He saw the samurai wielding dual swords, pale blue chakra wrapping around the blades, gleaming under the snow's reflection. From time to time, sharp sword energy would slash out, cutting distant bandits in two.
"Interesting," Kamihane smiled faintly.
Through his perception, he noticed that the samurai at the rear of the caravan had also encountered bandits. These guys were clearly prepared, striking when the middle of the caravan entered the mountain's base, leaving the two samurai surrounded.
The samurai at the rear was clearly less skilled than the one at the front, likely on his first mission. His sword techniques were slightly messy, and his chakra couldn't stably envelop the blade. After just a few exchanges, he was already bleeding and on the verge of collapse.
To Kamihane's surprise, when a few bandits swung their blades at the civilians in the middle of the caravan, a graceful figure leaped out from a carriage and swiftly dealt with them.
"Huh?" Kamihane said in astonishment. "There's another expert?"
The middle-aged man cautiously poked his head out, quickly glancing behind him, and whispered, "It's Lady Shōko. She's made her move."
"Shōko? Who is she? A samurai?"
Ignoring Kamihane's eager and inquisitive gaze, the man patted his chest, muttering in a panicked tone, "What should we do now…"
"Tch."
Suddenly, Kamihane spoke firmly, "Look at me!"
The man's gaze instinctively turned toward him. A flash of red light later, he instantly calmed down and obediently said, "Lady Shōko is the leader of this caravan, the person in charge of this delivery mission. She practices the Sugawara Ryūryū swordsmanship, a family tradition, and is also the sole heir to the Ryūryū Forging Style."
"Sugawara Shōko, huh?" Kamihane recalled the "Three Traditions of Iron" he had heard about earlier. It seemed the Sugawara family presided over the Ryūryū Tradition.
But… he just said she's the sole heir…
Could something have happened to the Sugawara family?
"Never mind, now's not the time to worry about that." Kamihane shook his head. What he was more interested in now was the swordsmanship of this girl named Shōko.
Her blade was swift, her techniques bold and unrestrained, yet they never lost their agility and grace. Her movements were like a true dragon soaring through the clouds, accompanied by splashes of blood as she cut through her enemies as if they were nothing.
Just as Kamihane was getting into it, the girl suddenly found herself in danger.
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!" Three bandits simultaneously pressed their hands to the ground, and the snow began to churn. The girl, caught off guard, stepped right into it.
"Gulp."
The once-solid snow had turned into a swamp-like mire, swallowing the girl's entire leg.
"Not good! Is this… ninjutsu!?" The girl was startled. The sudden ninjutsu attack threw her off balance.
In close combat, footwork is the most important. It's often said that a warrior's eyes are in their feet, and this holds true for swordsmanship as well.
With her movement restricted, the girl took a heavy hammer blow, and her sword techniques instantly became chaotic.
Two bandits simultaneously seized the opportunity to attack, closing in from the left and right. With a "clang," they knocked her long sword out of her hands.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
The girl suddenly looked up, her crystal-clear eyes reflecting a massive water dragon that tore through the air, appearing out of nowhere!
This was a combined attack from the three of them, and its power was not to be underestimated. The enormous dragon head let out a roar, and in an instant, it lunged toward the girl. Her hair fluttered wildly, and even before the water dragon reached her, the moist mist of water vapor rushed toward her face!
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