This was a battalion of over one hundred and twenty samurai. Leading them at the front was a warrior around fifty years old—tall and lean, with dual swords at his waist, a master of the dual-sword style.
This man was no ordinary figure; he was hailed as the greatest samurai of the Land of Rain. His name was Haruto Saito.
According to the current power structure of the Land of Rain, there were three major factions along with the Rain Ninja Village, as well as a dozen or so smaller but notable forces.
First and foremost was the Rain Ninja Village.
The other three major factions were the strongest entities within the Land of Rain, second only to the Rain Ninja Village. They included Rain Grass Village in the west, Rain Earth Village in the north, and Rain Twin Village in the east. Rain Grass Village and Rain Earth Village were predominantly ninja villages, with only a small number of samurai among them.
However, Rain Twin Village, located in the eastern region, was a pure samurai stronghold.
Haruto Saito was the leader of Rain Twin Village, and his title as the greatest samurai of the Land of Rain was no exaggeration—it was the truth! Though the number of samurai in the Land of Rain was far fewer than that of ninjas, if one were to compare warriors alone, Haruto Saito was undoubtedly the strongest.
While the Land of Rain was a chaotic and mixed nation, unlike the Iron Country, which was entirely dedicated to the samurai tradition, Haruto Saito's reputation as the greatest samurai still commanded immense respect. Even the general of the Iron Country had once personally traveled to the Land of Rain to invite Haruto Saito and his warriors to join them, but Haruto Saito refused.
A few days ago, news spread from the Rain Ninja Village that the Black Samurai had appeared. He was now on the run alongside Tsunade and Jiraiya of the Leaf Village, and a massive bounty had been placed on his capture.
The moment Haruto Saito heard the news, he gathered his forces and departed from Rain Twin Village, personally leading the search.
Rain Twin Village had over a thousand samurai and also commanded a force of thirty thousand ordinary soldiers, making it a formidable power. For this mission, however, Haruto Saito only brought along a little over a hundred elite warriors—those who ranked among the strongest in Rain Twin Village.
His strategy was extreme. He mobilized all his top warriors and ordered Rain Twin Village to temporarily go into lockdown, entering its highest level of defense.
His purpose? The Black Samurai!
Unlike other factions searching for him, Haruto Saito was not interested in collecting the Rain Ninja Village's bounty. What he wanted was the Black Samurai Armor! As a samurai—especially a top-tier one—he deeply understood the significance of that armor. With his current strength and resources, acquiring the Black Samurai Armor could make the dream of rebuilding the Black Samurai Nation a reality.
...
"Tsunade! Jiraiya! Hahaha! It's them!" Haruto Saito spotted the two figures on a distant grassy slope and burst into laughter. He suddenly waved his hand and commanded, "Brothers, with me!"
Boom!
The moment Haruto Saito spoke, his body shot forward like a cannonball. Though his hundred-plus samurai followed closely behind, their speed paled in comparison. In no time, Haruto Saito had left them behind as he charged straight toward Tsunade and Jiraiya.
...
Standing on the grassy slope, Tsunade and Jiraiya had initially considered taking the fight directly to the incoming samurai. At this point, they were no longer too concerned about exposure—they were close to finding Orochimaru, and after all, how strong could a hundred samurai really be?
But the speed Haruto Saito displayed left them both stunned!
He was even faster than Tsunade at her peak!
He closed the distance at an alarming rate, covering a hundred meters in a single breath. And there were only four to five hundred meters between them to begin with.
"Retreat!" Tsunade commanded in a low voice.
Both turned and bolted!
Tsunade and Jiraiya were fast—but Haruto Saito was faster. The gap between them continued to shrink.
Thirty seconds later.
Haruto Saito caught up! And he saw that the Black Samurai was slung over Tsunade's back. His eyes lit up with a feverish intensity.
"Dual Blade Style: Wave-Cleaving Slash!"
The instant Haruto Saito closed in, he unleashed his attack. One of the defining traits of a samurai was their ability to project sword energy, and the force of his attack was terrifying—two intersecting sword lights slashed forward, extending over ten meters.
"Earth Style: Rock Wall Barrier!"
Jiraiya reacted instantly, forming hand seals the moment he turned. The ground in front of him erupted as a massive stone wall surged up to block the attack.
Boom!
The devastating sword energy cleaved through the rock wall, sending debris flying in all directions.
Jiraiya leaped high into the air, soaring dozens of meters as his hands moved in a blur, forming another set of seals.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Barrage!"
At the same time, Tsunade, still carrying the unconscious warrior, leaped through the smoke and hurled over a dozen kunai. The sound of their flight was sharp and piercing, as if slicing through the air itself.
A coordinated attack against Haruto Saito!
The fiery barrage covered a vast area, but the kunai were even faster, reaching Haruto Saito almost instantly.
But his body flickered—without seeming to move, he left behind a mirage. The kunai passed through empty space, dodged with inhuman speed. Haruto Saito then slammed his sword into the ground.
"Earth-Splitting Slash!"
Boom!
The ground exploded beneath him, sending a tidal wave of dirt and rock surging up to form a massive barrier. Jiraiya's Dragon Flame Barrage struck it, but the defense held firm.
This was Haruto Saito's mastery of combat. His understanding of the way of the samurai had reached such a profound level that he could adapt his defense against ninja techniques in creative ways.
Whoosh!
As the collision of fire and earth settled, Haruto Saito disappeared into a blur.
High-speed movement—flickering approach—slash!
Tsunade was still midair when Haruto Saito appeared below her, launching upward with a sword strike like a bolt of lightning! Her eyes widened, and she clenched her fist, channeling an immense surge of chakra into it before striking forward!
Boom!
Tsunade's punch shattered the incoming sword energy, sending a shockwave toward Haruto Saito.
Jiraiya materialized behind him, forming seals before unleashing a massive bolt of fire, shaped like a giant crossbow bolt, aimed straight at Haruto Saito!
A chaotic battle—two against one!
Tsunade and Jiraiya fought together without disadvantage, but the real problem was the approaching one hundred samurai, with some already dangerously close.
They were about to be surrounded.
"Screech!"
A sharp cry suddenly rang out in the sky. A rain falcon soared from the horizon, its cold eyes locked onto the battlefield below.
Darkness… A ghostly mask… A blood-covered woman… Agonizing screams…
"Ah!" Haruto Saito awoke with a start, gasping and drenched in cold sweat.
A nightmare. Another nightmare.
In the depths of a vast cavern, a fire burned brightly. The newly awakened Haruto Saito stared wide-eyed, slowly turning his gaze around.
"You're awake." Tsunade's weak voice came from nearby.
"How long was I asleep?" Haruto Saito turned to look at her—only to be startled by what he saw.