Chapter 35 – Meeting Mei Terumi Again
"Please… teach me the Way of the Sword!"
Mifune dropped to his knees, his voice earnest and sincere.
"Stand up. I won't be teaching you," Yusuke replied calmly.
He hadn't won the duel with Mifune solely through technique—it was thanks to the System's support. Even if he wanted to guide someone, he simply didn't have the time to properly train another swordsman.
Just as he turned to leave, Yusuke paused mid-step.
"A swordsman who can't even cut a single sheet of paper… can still slice through steel and stone, once they reach a certain understanding. When you grasp that feeling, you'll be able to cut anything."
His words seemed to be directed at Mifune, but also felt like a quiet reflection meant for himself.
Yusuke had just passed on a deep insight into the Breath of All Things—a heightened state of awareness and mastery in swordsmanship. Whether Mifune realized it or not, that was Yusuke's way of acknowledging his worth.
If Mifune could combine his ability to cut steel with chakra control, it wasn't impossible for him to reach a level comparable to Dracule Mihawk.
(Within the One Piece universe, overall power levels tended to surpass those in the Naruto world—except perhaps for anomalies like Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. Even so-called "god-tier" techniques like Susano'o couldn't outmatch the raw physical might of some of One Piece's monsters. Luffy, even in his early Grand Line days, could already challenge top-tier shinobi. Not to mention Whitebeard, who had the strength to destroy the world. Sea Kings were colossal compared to even the largest summoning beasts of the Three Great Sage Realms.)
"Thank you for your guidance," Mifune said, bowing his head slightly. Others might not understand Yusuke's words, but Mifune felt deeply enlightened.
Yusuke said nothing more. He quietly walked off, and the surrounding crowd instinctively parted to give him way.
Back at the inn, Yusuke found that Minato and the others weren't there. He was about to step out to find something to eat when they returned.
"I can't believe you managed to duel the Iron Country's Supreme Commander while we were gone," Minato said, half in disbelief.
"I just gave him a few pointers," Yusuke replied nonchalantly.
From Minato's reaction, Yusuke could tell they had seen the entire fight.
"Only you could say something like that," Dan Katō chuckled.
He was well aware of Yusuke's strength, but never imagined that the young swordsman could take down the Iron Country's top general using nothing but swordsmanship.
Across the Shinobi World, only Sakumo Hatake had ever surpassed Mifune—and now, another Hatake had risen.
"Let's go eat," Yusuke said casually.
They found a quiet restaurant and had dinner. During the meal, they agreed to depart for Konoha the next morning.
"Yusuke… you can use the Flying Thunder God Technique, can't you?" Minato asked between bites.
He had noticed from the beginning that Yusuke's movements often resembled teleportation.
"I don't think so. It's probably just raw speed," Dan interjected.
He recalled vividly how Yusuke moved faster than the eye could follow. During battle, Yusuke struck multiple enemies at once—there were no signs of clones or space-time ninjutsu.
(The speed in question wasn't just about movement. It encompassed reaction time, perception, and total execution. Yusuke's speed allowed him to reach his target at nearly the same instant Minato would use Flying Thunder God—maybe even faster. To Yusuke, moving at the speed of light, the world slowed to a crawl. What felt like an instant to others became an eternity to him.)
Dan concluded that Yusuke truly had "Absolute Speed." Especially since he once said, "Speed is weight." True power, after all, came from overwhelming velocity.
"Correct. My speed is light-speed. It's Absolute Speed—not space-time ninjutsu," Yusuke clarified.
To him, space-time ninjutsu was too limited. It could be sealed, restricted, or disrupted—especially by powers like the Gura Gura no Mi, which could shatter space itself.
"Light-speed?"
"You said… light-speed?" Minato and Dan gasped at the same time.
"Think of it this way: by the time you finish blinking, I've already arrived," Yusuke said, struggling to explain in simple terms.
After all, the units of measurement in this world weren't the same as meters or seconds from his original one.
'Then… doesn't that still count as teleportation?' both Minato and Dan thought.
Even so, they were shaken. Absolute speed that exceeded human perception—even faster than the Flying Thunder God.
"You really are a monster…" they muttered almost in unison.
After dinner, the group visited Lord Kafu. As a key diplomatic figure, Kafu was always surrounded by attendants and guards. Despite appearances, Yusuke and the others remained vigilant.
The shinobi world was full of deceptive techniques that could fool even the keenest sensory ninja.
— — —
The next morning.
"Greetings. We are shinobi from Konohagakure. We're here to escort Lord Kafu on his diplomatic mission," one of them said politely.
This was, after all, an official escort mission.
"Lord Kafu, please follow me. The elder has been expecting you. As for the shinobi from Konoha, we've prepared accommodations for your rest," said a liaison from the Mist.
"We'll rest for a day before heading back to the village," Dan Katō nodded.
Their journey had been long and filled with skirmishes. Now, at last, they had time to relax. Even Yusuke looked exhausted. The moment they entered their rooms, everyone collapsed into deep sleep.
Later that evening, a servant knocked and delivered dinner to their quarters.
Once he finished eating, Yusuke decided to stroll through Kirigakure. He was curious about the local culture and everyday life in the Village Hidden in the Mist.
He wandered aimlessly through the bustling streets. As he passed by a jewelry store, something caught his eye, and he stepped inside—thinking to pick out a gift for Tsunade and Kurenai.
"Welcome, sir. Looking for anything in particular? We have the finest pieces on this street," the shop owner greeted, noticing Yusuke's shinobi attire.
"Just browsing," Yusuke replied, casually examining the glass displays.
A pair of earrings drew his attention—delicately crafted and elegant. Perfect for Kurenai. He asked the shopkeeper to wrap them up.
After a bit more searching, he finally found a beautiful necklace that seemed ideal for Tsunade.
"I'd like this necklace as well," he said.
But just as the words left his mouth, a woman's voice spoke beside him.
"This necklace is lovely. How much is it? I want to buy it," the woman said almost at the same time.
"I saw it first. Please wrap it up for me," Yusuke said flatly, not bothering to turn. It was clear who spoke first.
"Why should it go to you?" the woman's voice came again—this time annoyed.
Something about the voice felt familiar. Yusuke turned to look, and just as he expected...
"You?!"
"You?!" the woman replied at the exact same time.
"What are you doing in Kirigakure? What's your real objective?" Mei Terumi asked, her eyes sharp with suspicion.
She looked graceful and stunning, but Yusuke wasn't in the mood for drama.
"My purpose? That's none of your business," he replied calmly and looked away.
"How much for this necklace?" he asked the shopkeeper.
"That will be five thousand ryo, sir," the owner replied as he began wrapping the items.
"Hmph! Do you have another necklace with this same design?" Mei asked, clearly displeased.
"I'm sorry, miss. All our pieces are one-of-a-kind. We don't carry duplicates," the owner said with a polite bow.
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