"Thanks to you people… I was an orphan in my previous life.
And after coming to this world, I'm still an orphan."
Yuya looked down at the Kusanagi Sword in his hand and spoke softly, a complicated expression crossing his face.
In the end, he suppressed those emotions and turned his gaze toward Senjin.
"The Kusanagi Sword was never yours to begin with.
It belongs to me."
"And I'll reclaim them—one by one."
"Do you know where the other Kusanagi Swords are?"
Hearing Yuya's words, Senjin didn't answer.
At this moment, his expression was beyond description—pure disbelief. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth as he staggered backward.
Yuya being a member of the Kusanagi Clan alone was enough to make Senjin's mind explode like rolling thunder.
In truth, he had always been afraid of wielding the Kusanagi Sword.
Afraid that one day, a surviving member of the Kusanagi Clan would reclaim it.
After all, almost all of his strength depended on the sword.
But after the Kusanagi Clan had been wiped out, and after so many years had passed, he had gradually put his fears to rest.
Yet now—
Another Kusanagi clansman stood before him.
His heart could no longer remain calm.
Panic.
Fear.
And at that very moment—
Two figures slowly emerged in the distance, looking toward the battlefield.
It was Konan and Yahiko, who had rushed over after sensing the disturbance.
At a glance, they saw the shattered ground—cracks everywhere, mud and water splattered about, the land utterly ruined.
Yahiko's eyes widened in shock.
In the past, before training, he hadn't been a shinobi and couldn't truly gauge Yuya's strength.
But after cultivating under Yuya—
He now clearly understood the gap between heaven and earth.
And the scene before him only deepened that realization.
Konan wore the same stunned expression. Her eyes shimmered as she spotted Yuya at the center of the battlefield.
"Teacher Yuya!"
She couldn't help calling out.
That single call made Senjin suddenly turn his head.
His eyes narrowed sharply.
Yuya?
No… he should be called Kusanagi Yoru.
Wait—
Those two are his students?!
That's perfect.
If he could seize them, he might still have a chance to escape.
At this point, Senjin no longer harbored any illusions about reclaiming the Kusanagi Sword.
Taking it back from a Kusanagi clansman was impossible.
All he wanted now—
Was to survive.
Konan and Yahiko's appearance was a ray of hope.
Without hesitation, Senjin forcibly suppressed his injuries and lunged toward them.
Even wounded, his speed was terrifying—
So fast that Konan and Yahiko could only see a blur.
"This is bad!!"
Yahiko cried out inwardly, fear flashing in his eyes.
Konan's pupils shrank as well. Gritting her teeth, she prepared to use her still-incomplete ninjutsu to try to block Senjin.
But no matter how one looked at it—
There was no chance of stopping him.
However, Senjin's plan to take them hostage was nothing more than a delusion.
Just as he was about to reach Konan and Yahiko—
His body suddenly froze in place.
A thin line of blood appeared on his head—
Then extended straight downward.
In the distance, Yuya calmly looked on, then casually sheathed the Kusanagi Sword.
He had only just obtained it—
A simple test slash, launched from afar.
The Kusanagi Sword almost perfectly carried the power of Shockwave Slash, even allowing the震波 to be released outward—
Forming something akin to invisible sword energy.
And it was unbelievably fast.
Already injured, Senjin didn't even have time to react before the shockwave slash tore through him.
Despair and unwillingness filled Senjin's face.
His body split apart and collapsed to the ground, blood splattering everywhere.
Having long been accustomed to war, Konan and Yahiko didn't show fear at Senjin's death.
Instead, both of them let out a breath of relief.
Then they looked gratefully toward Yuya.
"Teacher Yuya… are you alright?"
Konan ignored Senjin's corpse and walked up to Yuya, concern evident in her expression.
Yahiko followed close behind.
Yuya shook his head.
He casually tossed aside the broken tachi, then bit his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the Kusanagi Sword.
Using that blood, he drew a pattern that surfaced naturally in his mind—
Somewhat similar to a Summoning Jutsu formula.
He then drew a similar mark on his own palm.
Reaching out, he grasped lightly.
Pshk—!
The Kusanagi Sword turned into smoke and vanished.
It had been sealed within Yuya's palm.
Whenever he needed it, he only had to reach out and grasp—
And it would appear in his hand.
This was far more convenient than Orochimaru, who had swallowed the Kusanagi Sword into his body.
As a member of the Kusanagi Clan, Yuya's control over the blade was naturally far more refined.
Seeing this, Konan and Yahiko were slightly surprised, but neither asked questions.
Their attention shifted instead to Senjin's corpse.
Noticing their confusion, Yuya spoke casually.
"Just an enemy who was targeting me. He's dead now—no need to worry."
"But it looks like we can't stay here anymore. We'll have to move again."
With that, Yuya turned and walked away.
Konan and Yahiko nodded and followed after him.
After briefly packing up their belongings, Yuya led them away from the area, traveled further through the Land of Rain, and found a new place to settle.
He continued guiding Konan and Yahiko's training—
While also studying the Kusanagi Sword.
From the moment he obtained it, a vague thought had been forming in Yuya's mind.
His intention to reclaim all the Kusanagi Swords was not an empty promise.
He truly meant to do it.
There was a hazy idea in his mind—
One that aligned perfectly with the intelligence scroll Konohagakure had provided regarding the Kusanagi Sword.
If all the Kusanagi Swords were gathered together, something would change.
And it would certainly be a good change.
Otherwise, Orochimaru wouldn't have gone to such lengths to search for them everywhere.
One sword alone was already enough for him—yet he still sought more.
Yuya didn't know whether gathering all the Kusanagi Swords would summon a dragon—
But as a member of the Kusanagi Clan, he could never allow their sacred blades to remain scattered.
Compared to the ninja blade he had previously obtained from Uchiha Yue, the Kusanagi Sword was vastly superior.
Even Shockwave Slash couldn't leave the slightest mark on it.
It could extend, retract, and transform.
And even ignoring all that—
Just the fact that it could project Shockwave Slash outward as invisible sword energy already left Yuya extremely satisfied.
Combined with its summoning-style storage, allowing instant retrieval—
Its convenience far surpassed his former weapon.
With the Kusanagi Sword in hand, Yuya's strength hadn't leapt an entire tier—
But the increase was still significant.
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