"That's you, not me. Don't use your views to represent us. A ninja only needs to survive and complete his mission."
The ninja in front of Muramasa showed no emotion, his eyes were cold, and his attacks grew more ferocious.
Muramasa's entire body was almost dyed red with blood. His arms, chest, and legs were covered in fresh cuts.
"Is the so-called regaining of your soul, as you put it, to die here? That's pathetic."
The ninja walked towards Muramasa, blade in hand.
Muramasa knelt on the ground, and if it weren't for the blade in his hand supporting his body with difficulty, he might have collapsed long ago.
"The truly pathetic one is you. I die for my own choices, for my own ideals, what about you? ou die for others' commands."
A faint smile appeared on Muramasa's pale face. There was no fear of death on his face. He was content.
Behind Muramasa, the refugees were constantly retreating. They looked at Muramasa's back, their pupils filled with disbelief.
These ninjas, were they actually protecting them with their lives?
Haruki's earlier speech content involuntarily surfaced in their minds.
From the moment they announced their joining, there was no distinction between ninja, samurai, and refugees here. They were all comrades. Comrades with shared ideals, fighting side by side.
An old man held his grandson tightly in his arms, he whispered to his grandson, "Don't look, close your eyes, don't be afraid."
But the little boy in his arms opened his eyes wide, watching the ninja approach Muramasa, the ninja raised his blade high. Red blood dripped from the blade.
Muramasa's back fell into the little boy's eyes.
It's like dad. Dad also stood in front of him like this before he died.
Suddenly, the little boy broke free from his grandpa's embrace and ran towards Muramasa without hesitation.
"Don't kill my dad!"
"Don't…"
The little boy stretched out his hands, standing in front of Muramasa just as his dad protected him.
Muramasa's pupils suddenly constricted, and fear appeared on his face, a face that had shown no fear in the face of death.
No!
Muramasa reached out towards the little boy.
The long blade fell.
Just then, the air suddenly became heavy and viscous. A suffocating sense of oppression surged from all directions.
Time seemed to slow down.
Even the ninja's movements showed a momentary hesitation. The long blade stopped an inch from the little boy's neck.
The wind in the square suddenly stopped. Unease enveloped everyone's hearts. The sky suddenly darkened.
Everyone in the square involuntarily looked up. Black mist gathered above their heads, obscuring the sky and covering the sun. Like dark clouds, it enveloped the earth.
A huge claw suddenly stretched out from within the black mist. That hand was large enough to easily crush a person into a pulp, its nails sharp, longer than the sharp katana in the ninja's hands.
A massive figure emerged from the black mist.
Rika let out a deafening roar at the attacking ninja, revealing her jagged fangs.
The refugees were so terrified they couldn't even scream. Even the ninjas were stunned by the monster before them.
Everything before their eyes exceeded their scope of understanding.
How could such a monster exist in the world?
This monster was hundreds of times more terrifying than the intel suggested.
Their bodies seemed to be freezing.
Haruki, standing on the high platform in the square, had a stern look in his eyes as he said, "I said, we are comrades. We are friends with shared ideals. I will protect every single one of you."
The attacking ninjas involuntarily retreated slowly, and at the same time, they quickly reacted, throwing shuriken and kunai at Rika but these attacks were like tickling Rika.
Rika waved her giant hand, immediately knocking down all the shuriken and kunai flying through the air.
Rika's temper was not very good to begin with. Such provocation infuriated her.
Her massive body, moving with elusive speed, appeared above the ninjas.
A huge arm swung out violently. A strong gust of wind immediately swept across the square.
Seeing the giant claw coming towards them, the ninjas retreated in horror, trying to dodge, but Rika was too close to them. Rika was too fast, their brains reacted, but their bodies couldn't keep up with their brains' reactions. It was too late.
Rika's giant hand swept across. The ninjas were struck flying like swatted flies, crashing into the building walls around the square, emitting bone-chilling sounds of breaking bones, then sliding limply to the ground, no longer moving.
The little boy stood frozen in place, watching the ninja being blown away. He slowly raised his head, looking at Rika in front of him.
It was she who had saved him and his dad.
The little boy's eyes sparkled with admiration.
The remaining ninjas began to attack Rika together. They attacked simultaneously from different directions.
Kunai with explosive tags were thrown at Rika. Rika waved her large hand, sweeping the kunai away. The explosive tags exploded violently by her hand. The explosion was deafening, and smoke filled the air.
When the smoke cleared, an unharmed giant claw reached out towards the ninjas.
"What's going on?"
"How could it not be injured by the explosion?"
"Even if it's huge, the explosive tags just now should have been enough to blow off its arm."
Haruki looked at the attacking ninjas who were in self-doubt, and let out a cold laugh.
How could Rika be defeated so easily?
Rika is a Cursed Spirit, only wounds made by Cursed Energy can harm her.
Rika's arm swung out again, accurately grabbing the remaining ninjas.
"No!"
"Don't kill us!"
"…"
Rika grabbed the ninjas, who were like toys in her hand. They watched helplessly as Rika's gaping maw drew closer and closer.
Cold sweat drenched their clothes like heavy rain. Their faces were impossibly pale, their teeth chattered, and their constricted pupils were filled with fear.
Rika held the ninjas. Without Haruki's command, she dared not crush the ninjas into a bloody mist on her own.
The ninjas, held in her hand, suffered mental attacks that were almost driving them insane.
As the immediate crisis was resolved, a strange silence fell over the square.
Haruki walked down from the high platform, and the refugees automatically made way for him.
He knelt down in front of Muramasa, placing his hands on Muramasa's chest, his hands glowing green, and the wounds on Muramasa's body healed rapidly at a visible rate.
Haruki smiled and sincerely said, "Muramasa, you have proven with your actions that our ideals will ultimately be realized."
Tears sparkled in Muramasa's eyes. He looked at the clear blue sky, tears streaming down his face.
The feeling of fighting side by side with comrades, it was still so wonderful. This was the life he truly wanted.
For a time, no one among the refugees spoke, no one moved. They looked at Haruki and the ninja and samurai before them. Their eyes were filled with gratitude and emotion.
(End of Chapter)
New Book
Naruto: Reborn With a Template System
Satoshi transmigrated to the world of Naruto and became an ordinary Uchiha.
Facing the night of genocide three years later, he had a headache.
Thankfully, at the critical moment, he successfully activated the Template System, acquiring Tobirama's Template at the start.
Flying Thunder God, Master of Forbidden Techniques, Ninja World Scientist, and even Sage Arts, all of them were mastered.
[Tobirama has become the head of the Uchiha clan.]
[Reward: No side effects when using Mangekyo Sharingan]
From then on, Satoshi bore the surname of Uchiha, but became the splitting image of the Second Hokage.
Until one day, when Orochimaru used Edo Tensei...
Tobirama was stunned when he saw the white-haired, red-eyed Uchiha kid who was skilled in all kinds of forbidden techniques.
"How come this naturally evil Uchiha brat looks exactly like me when I was young?!"