In the icy wilderness, the Three Wolf Mountains rose majestically—three towering wolf heads howling fiercely at the heavens, standing awe-inspiring on the vast snow-covered plain.
However, the mountains were now shrouded in a thick green mist that had descended from the sky, spreading an aura of mystery and danger.
Within the mountains, the samurai clan of the Land of Iron, split into two factions, fell into varying degrees of chaos when faced with this sudden eerie fog.
Both sides instinctively believed the green mist was some kind of lethal weapon deployed by their enemies.
Visibility inside the fog was extremely low; beyond two or three meters, nothing could be seen. Worse still, anyone who inhaled the Scale Powder drifting in the fog soon felt their limbs go weak and their heads spin violently.
"The Mist is poisoned! Everyone, put on your anti-poison masks!"
While keeping a watchful eye on the enemy ahead, Mifune shouted loudly to his companions behind him.
Surprisingly, though, the enemy warriors didn't seize the opportunity to launch an attack. Instead, they dealt with the poison mist in panic just like Mifune's side.
Suddenly—
"Ahh… ahhh!"
From the enemy camp came a series of screams, as if they had suffered an unknown attack.
What happened?
Eyes widened, Mifune vaguely saw a figure flapping a pair of enormous wings, weaving through the enemy ranks like a shadow.
The warriors roared in fury, trying desperately to fight back, yet completely helpless against defense. That mysterious figure was like a Shinigami wielding a scythe, cutting lives down like wheat before the blade.
So—
After waves of screams echoed across the battlefield, enemies dropped one after another. As panic and despair spread among the enemy troops, the remaining soldiers discarded armor and weapons, fleeing in disarray.
Drip.
A drop of cold sweat slid down Mifune's cheek, landing silently on the ground.
[Heavenly Ruyi Sword] in hand, he kept his eyes locked forward, intensely focused, ready to throw himself into battle at any moment.
Yet strangely, this death god who appeared on the battlefield never attacked Mifune's side, as if they weren't even there.
Upon realizing this, Mifune first felt shock and uncertainty, but quickly regained his composure. He immediately ordered all his men to stay put and under no circumstances make rash moves.
In the thick fog, the sounds of intense weapon clashes, enemy screams, and bodies collapsing continued for a full quarter hour.
Once the last enemy had fallen, silence blanketed the battlefield for a long, heavy moment.
Woo woo woo…
At that moment, another gust blew through, dispersing the green mist lingering over the Three Wolf Mountains as if it had never existed.
Mifune's throat moved slightly as he swallowed hard, staring in horror at the scene revealed after the fog lifted.
Before his eyes lay the snow-covered field littered with corpses of warriors, each dying the same way—pierced straight through their armor by a sharp blade, killed instantly with a single decisive strike.
Clean and precise.
And the one responsible for all this now stood directly opposite Mifune.
It was a tall man clad entirely in steel armor, with a pair of wings sprouting from his back.
Beside him, a sharp blade hovered in midair, dripping blood from its tip.
The moment Mifune laid eyes on the sword, his pupils shrank sharply—he recognized it immediately. It was the Murakumo Sword.
"Who are you?!"
Shock flashed across his face as he glared at the figure and demanded.
The Murakumo Sword—after Uzumaki Heiyan's death, it had clearly been sent to the Fire Daimyo's Mansion as tribute. How could it appear here now?
Mifune didn't yet know—the Fire Daimyo was already dead.
Heiyan gave no reply to Mifune's question. Without uttering a word, he shot forward like lightning and rushed straight toward Mifune.
Bad.
Mifune's face changed dramatically; instinctively trying to resist, he raised his sword, only for his vision to blur suddenly. The next moment, he found himself disarmed without knowing how, then grabbed bodily by the other person and lifted straight into the air.
"Lord Mifune!"
Amid the cries of shock from the surrounding warriors, Mifune flew off like a helpless chicken clutched in someone's hand.
Hua.
Heiyan carried Mifune outside the Three Wolf Mountains to a remote, deserted corner, then threw him onto the ground.
Then, under Mifune's terrified gaze, he removed his face guard and revealed his true face.
"He…Heiyan, you're alive?!"
Mifune stood frozen like he'd been struck by lightning.
Heiyan still said nothing, merely crossing his arms and silently watching Mifune.
Mifune finally snapped out of it.
With a loud thud,
his expression showing realization, he instantly dropped to one knee and sincerely pleaded guilty before Heiyan: "The Land of Iron violated the principle of neutrality by attacking Konoha—an unforgivable act. Now, as the highest leader of the Land of Iron, I represent all our warriors to beg forgiveness from Lord Heiyan. Please do with my life as you please."
As soon as he finished speaking, Mifune raised the Heavenly Ruyi Sword high above his head with both hands. He surrendered his weapon to Heiyan.
Heiyan made no move to accept the sword, remaining with arms crossed—seemingly indifferent to Mifune's plea.
Time passed.
Sweat beaded across Mifune's forehead, yet he dared not breathe too loudly, desperately maintaining his kneeling posture with both hands raised overhead.
At this moment, all he could do was pray. He dared not hope for forgiveness. All he could silently beg was that the surviving warriors would not be mercilessly wiped out.
As for himself, to appease Heiyan's wrath and vengeance, he'd already prepared to commit seppuku before Him and pay with his life.
To Mifune's utter shock—
"The daimyos of the Five Great Countries are all dead—I killed them."
Heiyan finally spoke, calmly telling Mifune the shocking news.
What?!
Upon hearing those words, Mifune's eyes popped wide open like copper bells, his entire body shaking violently. He couldn't utter a single word for a long time.
Though Heiyan's tone remained flat and emotionless, as if he had merely stepped on five ants along the roadside, in reality, this earth-shattering revelation should have been enough to send anyone into a faint.
"The world of shinobi will soon fall into chaos."
Heiyan gave a bird's-eye view of Mifune kneeling on the ground and spoke calmly, "From the moment the Land of Iron violated the principle of neutrality, it was destined to no longer remain aloof. It would inevitably be dragged into the conflicts of the shinobi world and face massive invasions from neighboring countries. The warrior faction will eventually perish—it doesn't need my punishment for that."
"..."
Hearing these words, Mifune felt his heart sinking to the bottom of his chest, his expression growing increasingly bitter.
At this point, where should the confused warriors turn?
Heiyan could see the despair and confusion in Mifune's eyes. Based on the man's previous actions and words, he had confirmed that Mifune's apology and remorse were genuine.
Therefore, after a moment's pause, he stated his position plainly:
"However, in my opinion, the Land of Iron has already paid a sufficient price. Therefore, I will not kill you or your companions. On the contrary, I am willing to offer you all a chance to start anew."
"R-really?"
Mifune murmured in disbelief, unable to trust his ears. When he regained his senses, he bowed deeply before Heiyan in excitement. "Please, Lord Heiyan, guide us!"
"Take this."
Heiyan, well-prepared, pulled out a map and handed it to Mifune, giving further instructions:
"Take your people and follow this map to a coastal pier in the southern Land of Fire. Once there, someone will make contact with you. Remember, your movements must be covert—you cannot reveal your location. Let me tell you this much: beyond the ocean lies a beautiful new home."
Setting the [Heavenly Ruyi Sword] aside, Mifune carefully took the map as if it were an invaluable treasure.
"Any questions?"
After giving his orders, Heiyan asked Mifune.
"Lord Heiyan."
Upon hearing this, Mifune took a deep breath, fixed his gaze firmly on Heiyan, and courageously voiced his question:
"With respect, after what the Land of Iron did to you, why have you chosen to spare us and even be willing to shelter us—a group of fallen warriors?"
"Because you and your comrades have never betrayed your original aspirations. You've always fought for the honor of the warriors."
Heiyan smiled slightly and added, "Also, you are someone I recognize. Is that reason enough?"
In the original timeline, Mifune's character had already demonstrated his integrity—one absolutely worthy of trust. After meeting him personally, Heiyan had confirmed this once again.
He had no desire to see the warrior faction perish completely, so he decided to let them join the Penglai Ninja Village family, preserving the flame of the warriors and allowing them to continue shining brightly in the future.
Mifune trembled involuntarily, tears unknowingly brimming in his eyes.
For him, receiving the recognition of Uzumaki Heiyan was the greatest honor of his life.
A warrior gives his life for those who recognize his worth.
"Warrior Mifune swears undying loyalty to Lord Heiyan!"
On the snowy ground, Mifune bowed deeply once more to Heiyan, his eyes burning with passion.
"It's getting late. You should move out soon."
Heiyan nodded, glancing at the [Heavenly Ruyi Sword] lying beside them, then said to Mifune,
"You shall keep that sword for now. I hope you use it to protect your companions until you reach your destination safely. Do you understand?"
"Yes!"
"I will definitely complete the mission!" Mifune vowed firmly.
"Good."
With just two words—"Good." Then Heiyan flapped his wings and soared into the sky, leaving Three Wolf Mountains behind.
A few minutes later.
Whoosh.
Heiyan returned to the ruined house he had used before and landed beside the well.
He closed his eyes and activated the Parasitic Spores thousands of miles away. Connecting to the senses of the four Tailed Beasts and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, he gathered intelligence from inside the Four Great Ninja Villages.
Now that the Daimyos and Kages of various countries had mostly died, the world of shinobi was bound to fall into extreme chaos.
Therefore, Heiyan needed to keep up-to-date with the latest intelligence at all times.
Hmm?
At this moment, he slightly frowned.
Because Heiyan had just learned some bad news—his old friend Pakura of Sunagakure was in trouble.
It turned out that after the news of the Third Kazekage's death spread, the people of Sunagakure were not only overwhelmed with grief but also filled with intense hatred toward Uzumaki Heiyan, the one who had killed the Kazekage.
Overnight, Heiyan had become the top enemy of every ninja in Sunagakure.
Coincidentally, in Sunagakure, the fact that Pakura had always been close to Heiyan was widely known.
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