That Iaijutsu slash was so fast that Ning Feng almost failed to react.
Of course—
Up to this point, he had only used about twenty to thirty percent of his full strength.
Compared to close-combat samurai with razor-sharp reflexes and blade techniques, Ning Feng's true strength lay in ninjutsu.
But with his Sharingan activated, he could clearly see every movement Mifune made.
Even though he was a step behind, he responded with an Uchiha sword technique of his own!
The katana and the Sword of the Thunder God collided fiercely!
Ning Feng lashed out with a kick, slamming into Mifune's layered armor, while lightning chakra surged into the blade in his hand!
Crackle! Snap!
The lightning on the Sword of the Thunder God grew even more intense, arcs of electricity spilling out and making one's heart tremble!
Mifune remained calm, enduring the kick head-on, and slashed down diagonally!
Ning Feng hurriedly withdrew his blade to defend—
But the seasoned Mifune already knew that if he followed through, Ning Feng would block it.
So this strike—
Was a feint!
The moment Ning Feng shifted into defense, Mifune's slow blade suddenly accelerated—
A lightning-fast slash aimed directly at Ning Feng's face!
"This is—!"
The technique was one Ning Feng knew all too well—
Flash (Issen)!
A strike that pierced the enemy with extreme speed!
Under such a razor-sharp and swift blade, one wouldn't even have time to form hand seals before being split in two!
Fortunately, Ning Feng had already activated his three-tomoe Sharingan.
Though not as powerful as the Mangekyō, it still greatly enhanced his perception.
He saw the strike—
But his body nearly couldn't keep up.
Whoosh!
The blade grazed past his face, slashing downward!
The ground split open under the force of Mifune's swing, along with several strands of Ning Feng's hair.
Ning Feng could perform Issen as well.
His speed could match Mifune's.
But whenever he used it, opponents often managed to block it—
Failing to unleash its true lethality.
Now, he understood.
Issen required a feint first—
To break the opponent's guard and create an opening.
Only then would the follow-up strike become deadly.
After the blade once again grazed his left shoulder—
Ning Feng finally countered, thrusting his sword toward the opening at Mifune's left ribs!
At the same time, his left hand quietly completed a one-handed seal!
"Raikiri!"
"Chidori Blade!"
Since Mifune's close-combat speed was already overwhelming—
Ning Feng changed tactics and went head-on!
A ruthless, life-for-life approach stunned Mifune.
He hadn't expected Ning Feng's swordsmanship to be so relentless—
Advancing without retreat!
In the hands of a master, such reckless techniques—though lacking structure—were often the most effective.
A drop of sweat slid down Mifune's forehead.
Whether it was the Raikiri in the left hand or the lightning-infused Sword of the Thunder God in the right—
He couldn't take either head-on.
With a subtle step, he retreated—
Barely avoiding the fatal strike.
Ning Feng missed and looked at Mifune in surprise.
It was hard to imagine—
With lightning chakra enhancing his body, his speed had already surpassed the Raikage.
He could even be called the fastest in the ninja world.
Yet—
A samurai without chakra had seen through it and dodged?
"Lord Amekage, that was the inherited Shunpo of the samurai clans."
Mifune smiled, sheathing his blade.
Though ninjas now dominated the world—
Samurai still had their own strengths.
That single step—
From a ninja's perspective, was sometimes even more practical than the Body Flicker Technique.
In real combat, it could even rival the Flying Thunder God.
And yet—
This was merely a basic technique passed down in samurai lineages.
"Interesting… To refine Shunpo to this level, you must have trained immensely, Lord Mifune."
Ning Feng nodded, showing genuine respect.
Though he stood at the peak of the ninja world—
His understanding of samurai was still shallow.
Only through this duel did he begin to uncover their depth.
Such techniques…
Were truly remarkable.
"Too kind."
Mifune exhaled deeply.
Receiving praise from the Amekage was a great honor.
"Shall we continue?"
"Lord Amekage, you may strike first."
Mifune shrugged.
From their exchange, he had already identified Ning Feng's weaknesses.
Though Ning Feng's techniques were sharp—
He lacked timing.
And his repertoire was limited.
"Is that so? Then I won't hold back."
Ning Feng nodded.
Mifune felt a hint of pride—
To suppress the famed Amekage in close combat was no small feat.
But in the next moment—
His expression froze.
Ning Feng slowly sheathed the Sword of the Thunder God…
His hand resting on the hilt—
Exactly like Mifune's earlier stance.
"This… impossible!"
Mifune stared in disbelief.
Through that brief exchange—
Ning Feng had already adapted to his rhythm.
And even learned from him.
"Iaijutsu."
Ning Feng calmed his mind, channeling chakra to the blade—
Then struck!
A flawless Iaijutsu slash!
Mifune hurriedly drew his blade to respond—
But caught off guard—
How could he match a fully prepared strike from the Sword of the Thunder God?
A flash of white lightning streaked past.
The two stood back-to-back.
Both frozen in their draw stance.
Mifune held the finishing posture of Issen.
Ning Feng mirrored the Iaijutsu stance he had just copied.
The Daimyō, watching from afar, was utterly confused.
It was like a duel from the Warring States era—
The two stood motionless.
Time passed.
Only when the fallen leaves, stirred earlier by their clash, drifted back down—
Did Mifune finally speak.
"…Lord Amekage… I never imagined you would master my swordsmanship so quickly…"
His voice carried bitterness.
And unwillingness.
"I… have lost."
With those words—
Mifune's body seemed to lose all support.
Still in his stance—
He collapsed.
Ning Feng slowly opened his eyes.
A flash of crimson flickered within.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed.
Claim early access on Patreon: patreon.com/c/LuneWriter
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:
💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter
🔷 200 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.