Chapter 114: Demon Slaying Style Ronin · Yoriichi
On the north side of the Hidden Cloud Village, there was an open-air swordsmanship plaza.
It was perpetually crowded with a large number of Cloud Hidden Ninja, and the air was filled with the smell of sweat and the clashing sounds of metal.
The people of the Hidden Cloud Village revered strength, and this kind of direct confrontation suited their tastes perfectly.
But on this day, a unique swordsman in red arrived at the plaza.
He did not rush to find someone to spar with like the others; after arriving, he just stood to the side, closed his eyes, and did not move an inch.
"Hey, who is that guy?"
"Don't know... but he looks pretty formidable."
To onlookers, this red-clad swordsman stood with his arms crossed, his breathing long and steady, appearing almost as one with his surroundings—as if he had reached the legendary state of harmony between heaven and man. He looked incredibly imposing—
"Hey, that redhead, where are you a samurai from? State your name."
—But the one thing the Hidden Cloud Village did not lack was thick-headed muscle-brains.
A dark-skinned, muscular Cloud Hidden Ninja walked over, carrying a broadsword on his back, his face full of malice.
"I am Yoriichi, a wanderer. Not worth mentioning."
Haruko—now "Yoriichi"—glanced at the other person and immediately lost interest.
Last night, he had prepared this outfit using his avatar: a red haori, a white inner lining, hair dyed deep red and tied up, and a dark red mark painted on his forehead.
When Asuma saw him dressed like this, he was completely stunned. His face practically said: "Seriously, man? You actually dreamed about this guy?"
"Haruko... what is this?"
"Isn't this for interacting with those muscle-heads? By the way, I'm called " Yoriichi " now, a Ronin on a warrior's pilgrimage."
"Fine then..." Asuma rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Just to be clear, if you cause trouble, don't use Konoha's name."
Haruko's indifference made the Cloud Hidden Ninja's already dark face even darker.
"Hmph, putting on an act! In the Land of Lightning, blades are for cutting people, not for posing."
He took the broadsword off his back and swung it, the wind pressure blowing Haruko's hair. "Draw your sword and let me see what you're capable of!"
"Hey, that Ronin, don't be a coward!"
"Go for it, Oroi, let him see the power of a Cloud Hidden Ninja!"
"It's something that can be solved with one sword strike, don't waste time!"
"Let him see the power of Kumogakure!"
The surrounding Cloud Hidden Ninja stopped what they were doing, formed a circle, and jeered one after another.
'Geez, to get some chakra metal, I have to play along with these muscle-heads. This is so hard for me."
Haruko sighed, stood up slowly, and held the katana at his waist—the ninja sword from Hidden Mist did not suit a Ronin's identity, so he had bought one while getting his outfit.
"Please."
The dark-faced Ninja Oroi did not hold back either. With a loud shout, the floor beneath his feet shattered instantly, and he lunged over like a black bear.
The broadsword brought with it a harsh thunderous sound, smashing down toward his head.
Haruko did not dodge or evade; he drew his sword and met the attack.
"Flame Breathing, Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun."
A dazzling crimson flame suddenly erupted from the ordinary katana, transforming into a circular flame like the sun.
Oroi only felt a wave of heat rush toward him, and his broadsword let out a wail, actually being directly repelled by that terrifying explosive force.
The crowd erupted in a commotion. Although the people of the Hidden Cloud Village had muscles for brains, their judgment was not bad.
"This guy, so strong!"
"The outcome is already decided..."
Looking at Haruko again, he had already sheathed his sword, as if he had never moved at all.
'Special effects maxed out, atmosphere on point, the first performance was perfect. Now let's see if this guy plays along."
"Do you still want to fight?" Haruko asked expressionlessly.
"You guy..." Feeling insulted, Oroi swung his sword and attacked again: "Don't underestimate me!"
"Is that so..."
Haruko still had his deadpan face and once again held the katana at his waist.
The following battle was completely one-sided.
"Wind Breathing, Fourth Form: Rising Dust Storm."
"Water Breathing, Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin."
"Thunder Breathing, Second Form: Rice Spirit."
"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire."
Oroi was like a punching bag, blown up by wind blades, smashed down by water columns, then electrocuted until he was pitch black, and finally sent flying by a flame blade, unable to get up at all.
This series of combos was colorful, and the fluctuations of various elemental Chakra still lingered in the air.
"What kind of god-tier swordsmanship is this?!"
"It looks like he used a Chakra-infused sword with elemental changes, but I've never seen one like this before..."
"Is this the legendary Master Swordsman?"
The exclamations of the onlookers rose one after another.
Those gorgeous special effects, that smooth continuity, and the terrifying power contained in every move were simply art.
Just as Haruko expected, this kind of "maxed-out special effects" action was incredibly stunning in the eyes of this group of muscle-heads.
'I have to thank this guy's unyielding spirit for giving me enough opportunity to show off."
"Isn't this a bit too much?" Some people questioned.
"That guy deserved it, look." Someone pointed to Oroi's chest.
A pitch-black scorch mark extended from his shoulder to his waist.
"That is?! Could it be..."
"That's right, it actually ended with the first move. Mr. Yoriichi already held back; it was that idiot who didn't realize it himself."
"Mr. Yoriichi, which school of swordsmanship do you belong to?"
Finally waiting for the desired question, Haruko put on an inscrutable expression: "I studied the Demon Slaying Style. Just as the name implies, it is a swordsmanship used to slay 'demons'."
"Demon Slaying Style..."
"Sounds very powerful!"
"I, I want to try too!" A Cloud Hidden Ninja stood in front of Haruko, "Mr. Yoriichi, please enlighten me!"
...
For the next period of time, Haruko successively had "friendly exchanges" with other Ninjas.
Of course, they were basically just sparring matches that stopped at the right moment, and he only used basic moves—he did not want to reveal too many trump cards.
But even so, those gorgeous moves and exquisite techniques were enough to open the eyes of these Cloud Hidden Ninja.
'That's about it, too much is as bad as too little."
Haruko calculated in his heart and decided to stop while he was ahead.
"Everyone, let's stop here for today. I am indeed a bit tired."
"Mr. Yoriichi, will you come tomorrow?" Someone asked eagerly.
"Naturally. I will be staying in the Hidden Cloud Village for a while."
Looking at everyone's excited expressions, Haruko knew his plan had already half succeeded.
In a few days, the entire swordsmanship circle of Kumogakure would know there was a Demon Slaying Style swordsman named Yoriichi, and his status would naturally rise.
By then, getting chakra metal would be much easier.
Haruko stretched, and slowly left the dojo.
The enthusiastic discussions coming from behind him made the corners of his mouth lift slightly.
Want To Read More Chapters? Check Out 80+Advanced Chapters At PA Treon
patreon.com/SloppyGuy