Chapter 30: Speculator

The explosion's firelight dissipated.

A trace of disappointment flashed through Ryosuke's eyes.

At the same time, the ground cracked open, and a hand stretched out.

Momochi Zabuza wasn't dead.

Although he was extensively burned over his whole body, had a few ribs broken in the explosion, and his internal organs were leaking blood, this tough guy who in the original work dared to take a Tailed Beast Bomb head-on... was still alive.

At the last moment, he had performed Earth Release, Hiding Like a Mole Technique, targeting himself, hiding underground.

Zabuza's life was too hard to take.

However, the battlefield and the workplace are the same kind of bird, things never go according to plan. Ryosuke had long understood this, so his disappointment vanished in an instant.

He once again lifted the Ruin Greatsword with one hand.

But this time, the situation had subtly changed.

When Ryosuke took a step, the group of enemies all stepped back.

When Ryosuke ran, Zabuza's group also ran.

Magistrate Senmura, who was slower, didn't care about appearances anymore and rode the ninja beast summoned by Fuguchi, slapping its rear with one hand as he followed the main group in fleeing.

The scene before them was extremely eerie, and absurd.

The county town's residents peeked through cracks in windows and doors. Seeing this scene, they thought they hadn't woken up yet and were still dreaming, subconsciously giving themselves a big slap across the face.

For a time, the sound of slaps echoed throughout the county.

"Ryosuke! This is your greatest weakness!"

Kurosuki Raiga shouted in a low voice, "As long as we keep distance from you, you lose all your methods!"

As he spoke, he waved both long blades in his hands, clanging as he deflected the continuous bullets fired by Aviation Smith.

Aviation Smith's direct combat ability was barely decent enough to bully ordinary genin and chunin.

But trying to break through the defenses of a powerhouse on the level of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, when the opponent is aware, was an impossible task.

Ryosuke knew that what the other said wasn't wrong.

This was exactly why Ryosuke had ridden a horse in the first place, to launch a rapid assault and catch the enemy off guard.

Raiga kept releasing bursts of lightning, maintaining a distance of more than ten meters between them. No matter how Ryosuke tried to break through, he couldn't close the gap.

Ryosuke's brows furrowed slightly.

Compared to Raiga, who was releasing lightning, Zabuza, who was being carried on Fuguchi's shoulder and constantly forming hand seals with both hands, gave Ryosuke a far greater sense of danger.

'I can't let him finish his ninjutsu.'

Ryosuke made the judgment and switched to Hermit Purple, coiling it around the Ruin Greatsword.

He grabbed the vine, swung his arm, and the Ruin Greatsword instantly spun in the air, emitting a terrifying buzzing whistle.

Everyone knew how horrifying this strike would be. The samurai and ninjas avoided Ryosuke's gaze like elementary schoolers avoiding eye contact with the teacher during questioning, all shifting their eyes away, afraid to become Ryosuke's target.

Only Zabuza didn't look away. His intuition told him,

He was the target of Ryosuke's strike.

Ryosuke swung his arm. The Ruin Greatsword flew straight toward Zabuza.

"F*ck! I knew it!"

Zabuza cursed and hastened the speed of his hand seals.

But how could he be faster than a hurled blade?

Three to five samurai trailing behind tried to block it with their swords.

At the moment of contact, the samurai blades shattered with a boom, the shards stabbing into their faces. They screamed in pain, fell to the ground, and thrashed in agony.

The Ruin Greatsword did not slow down and continued crashing toward Zabuza.

Kurosuki Raiga's twin blades appeared again.

Clang!

The Ruin Greatsword clashed with the Thunder Blade, Fang for the fifth time.

Raiga used all his strength, even to the point of straining.

But Thunder Blade, Fang wasn't like Samehada or the Kubikiribōchō, tough and durable types. It was built for speed and lightness.

After repeatedly clashing head-on to save Zabuza, nicks had appeared on the blade. Heart aching, Raiga clenched his molars.

"Get... lost!"

Raiga knocked the Ruin Greatsword away.

Zabuza shouted, "Nice one!"

His ninjutsu was about to be completed. Once that jutsu was unleashed...

Ryosuke would definitely die.

"Silver Ripple Overdrive!"

Ryosuke took a deep breath. A silver-white Ripple spread along Hermit Purple, coating the black Ruin Greatsword in a layer of silver light. Jets of silver-white airflow erupted from the hollow at the back of the blade.

Sssshhh!

The sound was piercing, shaking the soul.

The air distorted, and the knocked-away Ruin Greatsword returned, faster than before, slicing through the air.

Magistrate Senmura cried out in shock, "A m-miracle!"

It wasn't just his thought. The samurai beside him and the residents watching through windows and door cracks had the same thought.

To wield such a massive sword with one hand was already unbelievable.

Now Ryosuke could control it mid-air, and wherever he walked, the snow melted. The legendary Seven Ninja Swordsmen were being chased by him like dogs...

Other than a "miracle," what else could it be?

Zabuza didn't know anything about any damned miracle.

He only knew, if that blade landed, he was definitely dead.

"Help me!" Zabuza shouted.

He wasn't afraid of death.

The ninjutsu to turn the tide was about to be unleashed. Dying on the brink of victory, Zabuza couldn't rest in peace.

But Ryosuke's methods were too fast, too ruthless.

Raiga had deflected the first strike of the Ruin Greatsword, but his body was off balance, he simply couldn't help again in time.

"I'll do it!"

Someone charged out from the crowd.

It was Fuguchi, Magistrate Senmura's number one enforcer.

A flash of extreme excitement appeared in his eyes.

'The opportunity had arrived!'

Fuguchi was an outstanding speculator.

He belonged to a very small ninja village.

In his youth, while others were choosing C or B-rank missions, he carefully selected A-rank missions that suited him.

Of course, the price was that all his teammates died.

So-called teammates were a dime a dozen.

Thus, he became an elite jonin at a young age.

As an adult, Fuguchi participated in a coup in his village, but not to become the leader. Even if he succeeded, what would that amount to? Just the head of a tiny village. Even if offered, he wouldn't take it.

On the night of the coup, Fuguchi swept through two organizational warehouses, took all the valuables, and became a rogue ninja.

Later, Fuguchi became a subordinate of Magistrate Senmura.

That, too, was a perfect investment. Now, Magistrate Senmura was just one step from promotion. Before long, Fuguchi would transform from a small village rogue ninja to a true man of power.

And now, Zabuza's jutsu was nearly complete.

Fuguchi was about to make the most important investment of his life, save one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, become the key to turning the tide, and slay the traitor Ryosuke.

At the moment everyone else was avoiding it, Fuguchi charged forward without hesitation. He raised his ninja blade high, shouting in his heart, "Come! Ryosuke!"

"Bring me the wealth, power, and fame I desire!"

Fuguchi didn't believe it, he was a proud elite jonin. Could he not even block one strike?

The Ruin Greatsword came down.

At the moment it collided with Fuguchi's blade, within a tenth of a second, the silver Ripple condensed at the edge of Ryosuke's blade. A faint cracking sound followed.

Fuguchi's sword broke.

The Ruin Greatsword sliced down cleanly, cutting Fuguchi in two.

Thud!

Fuguchi's corpse fell to the ground, still wearing a smile that hadn't yet faded.

A speculator who pursued gains all his life, died in an investment he gambled his life on.

But thanks to his interception, Zabuza, hiding behind him, didn't die.

Zabuza was stunned for half a second, then his eyes welled up with tears, "Thanks, brother! I didn't expect that in this tiny county town, there'd be such a passionate man like you. I'll personally give you a grand funeral. On holidays, I'll honor your grave."

Zabuza stood up, completed the final hand seal, and looked at Ryosuke, "Now, are you ready to die?"

"Water Release, Super Exploding Water Shockwave!"

Zabuza spewed an endless stream of water from his mouth, instantly forming a massive water sphere hundreds of meters wide, trapping Ryosuke inside.

"Raiga!" Zabuza roared.

Kurosuki Raiga raised both blades high, summoning bolts of lightning that fell into the water sphere, launching an all-directional bombardment on Ryosuke.

"I want you dead!"

Zabuza glanced at Fuguchi's corpse on the ground and said coldly, "I want you to repay this brave and loyal man, "

"With blood for blood!"

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