Ninja tools were still just ninja tools.
If the group he sensed really was the Four Celestial Symbols Men, then—
things were actually simpler.
Souma didn't need to beat them outright.
As long as he knew who they probably were, he could use preparation, traps, and information to turn the tables.
That was the shinobi advantage: intel.
Take Asuma's death in the original timeline, for example.
It wasn't that he was weaker than Hidan.
Hidan was immortal, yes—
but he had no self-repair, no regeneration.
As long as you didn't let him take your blood, defeating him wasn't impossible at all.
Information decided life and death.
Now too—
If he could more or less confirm the enemies ahead, Souma believed he could make even the Four Celestial Symbols Men suffer.
And speaking of which…
He'd just been studying absorption barriers, sealing arrays, and trap-type formations.
Perfect test subjects.
He couldn't help but click his tongue.
If they're really the Four Celestial Symbols Men…
then theoretically, Souma would have a window to "temporarily" confiscate four legendary ninja tools.
Of course, Iwagakure and the Crafting Ninja Village would definitely want them back.
Unless… something "unexpected" happened and the tools mysteriously vanished.
For example—
A disgraced sannin who loves stealing forbidden research material suddenly appears…
Or perhaps Konoha's benevolent scapegoat—
the great Pot Shadow—
was willing to take the blame.
If Konoha could hold onto those four tools, then both he and Tenten would gain priceless study material.
From there, reverse-engineering the forging techniques wouldn't be impossible.
The tools weren't even in his hands yet—
but Souma was already thinking about how to study them.
The Four Celestial Symbols Men…
a headache and a windfall rolled into one.
"But facing them alone is still too much."
Souma shifted his gaze to another direction.
There were several more warriors positioned there—likely members of the Kiyota clan.
Could Kakashi handle them?
He hesitated.
With traps and stalling, I can buy time for Sensei.
As for the suspicious ninja group… better not provoke them yet.
He had an even riskier idea:
intentionally stepping into their detection perimeter and circling behind the Kiyota warriors to observe reactions.
But if the Four Celestial Symbols Men and the Kiyota clan happened to be working together…
Then he'd be surrounded.
And even with the Bodhi Seed's power, Souma didn't believe he could escape such a pincer.
He had too much future potential to gamble recklessly.
And besides—
There was also an ANBU squad trailing behind them.
No need to take unnecessary risks.
Souma quietly reached the midpoint of the semicircle formation and marked eight trees with sealing tags—
his modified Binding Array and Absorption Barrier.
Then he carefully approached Yuichi's location.
From a tree branch, he could finally see—
Kakashi-sensei clashed with him.
"Yuichi, was it? Surrender."
Kakashi spoke calmly.
"You're Leaf shinobi, right? Why interfere with Iron Country business!? You're violating the treaty!"
Yuichi snarled, his face twisted, a fresh scar still visible.
"Oh? Setting aside the fact that I'm acting under a commission—
you, a supposed 'traitor,' think you can invoke the neutrality treaty to keep me away?"
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed.
Yuichi froze for half a second, then roared:
"I am NOT a traitor! You—!"
"No more talking," Kakashi cut him off.
"You are a samurai.
So I'll kill you in a samurai's way."
He unfurled a scroll.
With a puff—
a sword appeared.
Kasa's eyes lit up behind Kakashi.
An ANBU blade… Is Senpai going to show his swordsmanship?
Tenten, however, wasn't looking at Kakashi at all.
Her attention stayed glued to Kiyota Shin.
And rightfully so—
when Kakashi confronted Yuichi, this man's expression was far too panicked.
She tightened her grip on her scroll.
Yuichi gritted his teeth, hand tightening on his katana—
but the moment Kakashi lunged forward…
He turned and bolted north.
Toward the Land of Iron.
Kakashi exhaled through his nose.
A traitor would never flee toward his homeland.
Unless—
He wasn't a traitor.
"Mr. Kiyota, he rejected a duel.
In that case, we don't owe him honor.
Come with me."
"Y-yes!"
Kiyota Shin let out a subtle sigh of relief and sprinted after them.
Once Kakashi confirmed Souma's location and pulled the suspect away from his teammates, he accelerated.
He caught up quickly—
Only to be greeted by a flash of silver.
A blade stroke sharp enough to split a breath in half.
Iaido.
But—
CLANG—!
Kakashi blocked it effortlessly with his scabbard.
And asked, cold as steel:
"What is happening with the Kiyota clan?"
"What…?"
Yuichi faltered.
"You aren't a traitor.
Did they betray the Land of Iron?"
Kakashi drew and slashed.
Yuichi's pupils contracted—
This man wasn't attacking him as a bounty.
He was attacking him as someone who already understood the situation.
They were on the same side.
Steel clashed in a flurry of lightning-fast exchanges—
clang, clang, clang—
sparks sprayed through the forest.
Kiyota Shin watched from behind, heart trembling.
Thank goodness I tricked Kakashi into chasing him.
Otherwise, with Yuichi's real strength, I wouldn't stand a chance.
Yuichi wasn't a "jōnin-level" warrior.
He was the Kiyota clan's strongest outsider samurai—
a swordsman on par with elite Leaf jonin.
"Tenten, let's help!"
Tenten sprinted forward, shouting loudly.
"Agreed!"
Kiyota Shin answered instantly—
but instead of attacking, he kept running, distancing himself from her.
Souma, hidden among the canopy, saw everything—
But his attention wasn't entirely on the ambush.
His mind was replaying Yuichi's first strike.
That impossibly swift, razor-sharp iaido.
It was—
Faster than anything Kasa taught him.
Flawless, seamless, powerful.
Yes.
If you wanted to learn pure swordsmanship, the Land of Iron was the place.
Souma inhaled deeply.
He replayed Yuichi's stance, breath, muscle tension, and the state of his body the instant before the draw.
A few seconds passed.
His eyes lit.
"Oh… I see.
In that one instant, he brings his entire state into perfect alignment—
blade position, posture, intent—
everything converges into a single perfect slash."
Souma smiled faintly.
"I've learned it."
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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