Chapter 49: A Law-Abiding Good Citizen
Boom!
A massive sound filled the small room.
The powerful shockwave from the explosion carried a large number of small Four-pointed caltrops, enveloping the two in mid-air like scattering flower petals!
Uzui Tengen's pupils constricted; these were ninja Four-pointed caltrops,
used to stop pursuers and pierce their feet.
They were often coated in deadly poison, but to think they'd be buried underground with explosives to create such a trap... How un-flamboyant!
"Sound Breathing, Fifth Form: String Performance!"
With his terrifying dynamic vision, Uzui Tengen rapidly spun his twin blades, accurately parrying every single caltrop that came flying at them!
Ryuji watched the sparks flying and thought to himself, Truly impressive.
That dynamic vision, to be able to see those things clearly in the dark... and his use of rhythm and Breathing Techniques—he truly lives up to his title as the Sound Hashira who could go toe-to-toe with Upper Rank Six.
His strength is no joke either.
"Ryuji! There's poison on them, don't try to tank it!"
Uzui Tengen frowned as he looked at Ryuji, who seemed intent on taking the hits head-on. If Ryuji got poisoned, he'd have to retreat with him first, teach him a few things, and then come back... though Ryuji probably wouldn't be hit that easily.
Uzui Tengen easily blocked the Four-pointed caltrops, even finding the leisure to glance at Ryuji.
That glance was enough to nearly give him a fright.
He saw Ryuji dancing like a butterfly through a sea of flowers; the flying Four-pointed caltrops grazed past the edges of his clothes every time.
His movements were graceful, and a faint smile played on his lips. In that moment, he was incredibly flamboyant!
Thud, thud, thud!
The sound of metal sinking into the walls and floor rang out.
"Brother Uzui, don't worry. I'm not stupid. I wouldn't believe it for a second if you told me these gutter-rat ninjas weren't using poison."
Ryuji replied with a smile, glancing at the Four-pointed caltrops on the ground.
Actually, tanking these things wouldn't have been a big deal.
Once he activated Armament Haki hardening, he wouldn't even dodge Zephyr's fists, let alone these things!
These little hidden weapons were nothing to him.
However, he wasn't some meathead who had trained Iron Body into his brain; why would he take them head-on?
Wasn't it better to save his Armament Haki?
Uzui Tengen looked at the unscathed Ryuji, whose clothes weren't even soiled, and the surprise in his eyes was almost palpable.
"That technique is truly flamboyant! Can you teach me?"
Uzui Tengen spun his nichirin blade to deflect a Kunai from a sneak attack, then said to Ryuji with total sincerity, "I'll trade you my secret explosive formula for it."
"Sure, those Bombs are indeed quite useful!"
Ryuji delivered a flying kick, sending a projected Kunai back. The sound of metal piercing flesh followed.
Thud. The sound of a heavy object hitting the ground followed.
Then, there was dead silence, as if the battle just now had been an illusion.
"There are still fifteen more hiding in the shadows. It's an inescapable net..."
Standing back-to-back with Uzui Tengen, Ryuji whispered, "Brother Uzui, your hometown folks are quite hospitable... They even knew to give us a welcoming ceremony the moment we stepped in."
Uzui Tengen's rose-red eyes burned with intensity as he stared at a corner, a flamboyant smile on his face.
"Ah, it's only right for them to welcome guests. So, as guests, shouldn't we also show our appreciation flamboyantly?"
With that, he nudged Ryuji's back with his right shoulder and whispered, "Force them out..."
Before his voice could fade, he had already charged out with a loud laugh:
"Sound Breathing, Fourth Form: Constant Resounding Slashes!"
While swinging his nichirin blade, he threw several small Bombs!
Boom!
As the sound of the explosion died down, a charred hand fell in front of Ryuji, the cut as smooth as a mirror. He raised an eyebrow. "These ninjas really know how to endure; they didn't even make a sound. Impressive."
Since Uzui Tengen had moved, he couldn't lag behind. He stomped his foot, and the ground cracked instantly.
His whole body burst forward, launching like a projectile!
He charged directly into the group he had locked onto with Observation Haki. These rats hiding in the shadows only knew how to sneak attack using the darkness—it wasn't satisfying at all. Come out and face me head-on!
I promise I won't hit your heads.
Thinking this, he quickly appeared beside a ninja hiding behind a pillar and said with a beaming smile, "Hi, hello."
He was answered by three sounds of blades cutting through the air!
Clang, clang, clang!
The sounds of three blades snapping followed by bones breaking rang out. Looking at the three black-clad ninjas lying on the ground after their failed sneak attack, Ryuji smirked. He stepped forward and kicked each of them, knocking all three unconscious.
He couldn't let them self-destruct.
Ryuji stood by them to prevent other ninjas from approaching. He wasn't worried about them being rescued, because these ninjas wouldn't save anyone.
They would only kill them all!
After casually crushing two ninjas who tried to come over and self-destruct while also killing the three captives, Ryuji reached this conclusion.
He shook his head. "These are real ninjas. What kind of stuff were they in Konoha Village..."
"It seems you have some misunderstandings about ninjas. Is it because of that story?"
Uzui Tengen spoke softly, a human'swine'—someone with their jaw dislocated—tucked under his left arm. "I'm quite curious about what kind of flamboyant story it could be. Tell me later; we'll treat it as a break during training."
Ryuji looked at the bleeding'swine,' his mouth twitching. He hadn't expected Uzui Tengen to be so ruthless.
As expected, the 'dark ninja' side of Uzui Tengen had come out.
Tossing aside his random thoughts, Ryuji pointed at the'swine' and said:
"The story is fine, but that'swine' in your hand is about to die. Aren't you going to treat him? How are you going to interrogate him later..."
Uzui Tengen was stunned for a moment by Ryuji's words, then shook his head and laughed. "I didn't plan to ask them anything, and I wouldn't be able to get anything out of them anyway..."
His eyes were full of gloom as he looked at the three unconscious ninjas beside Ryuji and said:
"You'll know once you open their mouths."
Hearing this, Ryuji's expression also turned grim.
"Surely it's not that bad..."
Although he already had an idea, his subconscious still felt it couldn't be like that.
Ryuji forced open the mouth of one of the ninja captives. Seeing the sharpened teeth, his mouth twitched—they really were armed to the teeth... He then cleanly snapped all three of their necks; there was no point in keeping them.
Because they didn't have tongues at all!
"That really is... dark enough."
Ryuji said helplessly, looking at Uzui Tengen. "You're the one who survived such a Family?"
"Yeah, I am. I even killed several of my own brothers with my own hands..."
Uzui Tengen tossed aside the'swine' that had almost bled out. "But this also let me know that this is indeed my Family's business. I didn't expect that Father still hasn't given up!"
Ryuji silently followed Uzui Tengen out of the stronghold and asked softly, "What now? Go from one stronghold to the next?"
"Yeah. These are all the lowest-level ninjas, and they've all been given'secrecy treatment.' But the officers won't be..."
"Got it. Then let's keep going. I hope our luck is a bit better..."
Ryuji spread his hands, watching Uzui Tengen set the old stronghold on fire. He rolled his eyes; why did it feel like they were underworld thugs? Killing and arson—they were doing it all... Truly ridiculous.
"Hey, Brother Uzui,'set fire to a mountain, and you'll rot in prison'! Even The Master wouldn't be able to get you out!"
Ryuji spoke softly as he looked at Uzui Tengen, who was extinguishing a match.
The firelight illuminated Uzui Tengen's somewhat heavy expression. He tilted his head slightly. "I flamboyantly dug a firebreak, and..."
He paused, then regained his usual flamboyant smile:
"Besides, as long as I don't get caught, it's fine. Plus, it's just you and me here. If I get caught, it must have been you who snitched."
He gave Ryuji a 'you know what I mean' look.
"I'm a law-abiding good citizen... don't do it again."
"Is that so? Then that's truly flamboyant! Hahaha!"
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