After that day of "no fight, no friendship," Rimururu's attitude toward Cloud had done a complete one-eighty.
She no longer called him "demon" or "bad guy." Instead, she'd become his "little shadow" and "question machine."
"Cloud... brother-in-law," she would occasionally slip up shyly, "why did you say ice is essentially a macroscopic manifestation of entropy reduction?"
"And that... Schrödinger's cat thing—what kind of cat is it? Is it strong? Stronger than Mamahaha?"
"Oh, oh, and that purple fire of yours—can you teach it to me? I want to use it to grill fish. Would it give the fish a special flavor?"
Faced with Rimururu's endless stream of questions, Cloud fully leveraged his advantage as a transmigrator's knowledge reserve, using all sorts of half-true "scientific theories" to bamboozle this innocent ice priestess into a state of perpetual amazement. He successfully established himself as an "all-knowing sage" in her mind.
Nakoruru watched from the sidelines, torn between exasperation and amusement. She felt like her little sister was being led astray by Cloud.
In the midst of this peaceful, leisurely atmosphere, a villager suddenly came running in frantically.
"Lady Nakoruru! The ninja leader Hattori Hanzo says he has urgent business with... Lord Cloud!"
"Hattori Hanzo?"
Cloud raised an eyebrow. Another legendary name. The head of the Iga ninja clan in the Samurai Shodown series—a loyal and powerful character.
"Interesting. Business coming to find me on its own." Cloud stood up and addressed Nakoruru and Rimururu. "Come on, let's go meet this greatest of ninjas."
At the village entrance stood a man wrapped entirely in black ninja garb, only his sharp eyes visible. He waited motionless in the snow.
His form blended almost perfectly with the surrounding environment—if you weren't looking specifically for him, you'd never notice his presence.
This was the current generation's Hattori Hanzo.
Seeing Cloud emerge, Hanzo gave a slight bow in greeting.
"Lord Cloud." His voice was hoarse and low, like sandpaper grinding together.
"What brings you here?" Cloud asked directly.
"I have come to request your assistance in joining us to subjugate Amakusa Shiro Tokisada." Hanzo stated his purpose plainly.
"Oh?" Cloud feigned surprise. "How did you find your way here?"
Hanzo raised his head, a flash of reverence in his eyes. "Your reputation, my lord, has already spread among the strong. One who can catch Haohmaru's Tenha Fuujin Zan barehanded, who can cure Ukyo's terminal illness... such godlike abilities are unmatched in this world. I believe only you, my lord, could possibly defeat Amakusa, who has now transformed into a true demon."
Cloud understood immediately. So Haohmaru and Ukyo, those two big mouths, had been spreading word about him. This "celebrity effect" couldn't have come at a better time.
"Why should I help you?" Cloud deliberately adopted an air of unfathomable mystery. "What's in it for me if I help subjugate Amakusa?"
Hanzo seemed to have anticipated this question. He produced a scroll from within his robes and presented it with both hands.
"This is a secret decree from the Tokugawa Shogunate. Should you agree to assist us, upon success, the Shogunate is willing to reward you with the position of a ten-thousand-koku daimyo. Gold, women, territory—whatever you desire."
"Ten-thousand-koku daimyo? Gold and women?" Cloud scoffed dismissively.
He walked up to Hanzo, patted him on the shoulder, and spoke in a tone that said "young man, you're thinking too small":
"Brother Hanzo, do I look like someone who lacks these things?"
He gestured toward Nakoruru and Rimururu beside him—one a priestess like a nature spirit, the other a princess from an ice-and-snow fairy tale.
"Beauty? I've got that."
He thought about the mountain of treasures and items piled up in his system space.
"Wealth? Got that too."
Finally, the aura emanating from him—faint yet powerful enough to make even a top-tier ninja like Hanzo feel suffocated—said everything.
"Strength? I've definitely got that."
Cloud grinned at the dumbfounded Hanzo. "So don't come to me with these mundane offerings. The reason I want to deal with Amakusa is simple..."
He paused, then spoke in a tone as if stating universal truth:
"Because he's in my way. I find him annoying. That's all."
This domineering, direct, almost unreasonable rationale sent a jolt through Hanzo's entire body!
In Cloud's eyes, he saw absolute confidence and overwhelming power! A transcendence that viewed all the world's strongest as nothing, that regarded demon kings as mere insects!
This was the bearing of a true master!
Hanzo said nothing more. He dropped to one knee before Cloud, performing the highest ritual of respect a ninja could offer.
"I understand." His voice was solemn. "The Iga ninja are willing to follow your command!"
"Excellent." Cloud nodded with satisfaction.
Ninjas—specialists in infiltration, assassination, and intelligence gathering—were exactly the special forces he needed for the upcoming assault on Amakusa Castle.
Hanzo's arrival had completed the final piece of his puzzle.
"Well then, Brother Hanzo." A calculating gleam appeared in Cloud's eyes. "Go back and tell your master: pleasure doing business. And while you're at it, deliver a declaration of war to Amakusa Castle in Shimabara for me. Tell them..."
"In three days, I, Cloud, will personally arrive at the castle gates to take Amakusa's dog head."
"Tell him to wash his neck clean and wait for me."
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