"You have slain the second, third, fourth, and fifth members of the Wolf Squad. A total of 270 soul fragments obtained."
"Current Soul Fragments: 580."
Logan stepped over Second Brother's lifeless body, untied the reins of a nearby carriage, led out a horse, and mounted it with practiced ease. He turned to Sasuke and Xiao Tao.
"You two stay here. I'm heading to the county town."
Before he could ride off, Terumi Mei grabbed his reins.
"You heard what he said just now—two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen are coming!" she warned.
"I know."
"Not just them! There are samurai, ninjas, guards—are you planning to attack a town by yourself?!"
"I know."
"You know nothing!" she snapped. "Who do you think you are? The legendary Senju Hashirama? If you go there now, you'll die!"
"You don't want me to die?"
"Of course not!"
"Why?"
"Because—"
Terumi Mei stopped. She didn't know how to continue. Less than a month ago, she had been tasked with assassinating Logan. She had chased him across the Land of Water.
Seeing her hesitate, Logan gave her a small, knowing smile.
"Because you see me as a friend."
"Logan!"
Dao Ye's voice rang out as he sprinted over, carrying a massive sword taller than himself. Time had been short, so he hadn't made a scabbard. Instead, he wrapped it in bandages, imitating Samehada's appearance.
"Here."
With a mighty heave, Dao Ye tossed the sword. Logan reached out and caught it single-handedly. It was heavy and cold in his grip.
It suited him perfectly.
"Doctor Logan."
The village chief came hobbling over, followed by a group of elderly villagers and children. He handed Logan a thick cloak and a bundle full of food.
His lips trembled as though he wanted to say something—but no words came out.
What could he say?
The village chief had lived through too many winters and seen the depths of human nature. Logan wasn't from Luoxue Village. He had no bond here—this had just been a chance encounter. Even if he were a villager, it wasn't his responsibility to risk his life for others.
Terumi Mei had been right. That was the reality.
But reality wasn't everything. In desperate times, people still wished for miracles—for a hero to descend from the sky.
Logan took the package and tied it to the saddle. He pulled the cloak around his shoulders and gently patted Terumi Mei's hand that still held the reins.
"I have to go."
She looked at him with confusion. "Why? Why must you go?"
None of the kidnapped people were related to Logan. The root cause of the suffering was the tyranny of Magistrate Morimura. Logan bore no personal responsibility. It wasn't his burden.
Logan looked at her for a long moment, then spoke quietly.
"There is grief and blood everywhere… but I just want to save the people. I want to go and see."
A simple statement—but few present could understand it.
Terumi Mei was one of the few who did. She stared at him, stunned, forgetting even to let go of the reins.
She thought of the massacre of the "Blood Mist Village," of Yagura's increasingly deranged policies. An urge welled up in her heart—the desire to follow this man, to fight at his side.
But she stopped herself.
She couldn't go.
The enemy wasn't just a rogue ninja—it was the county magistrate, an official appointed directly by the Daimyo. It was the leadership of Kirigakure. It was the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Going with Logan would mean betraying her country and her village.
Logan reached out and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't make it hard on yourself. Take care of them for me."
He looked around at everyone, nodded, then flicked the reins.
His horse neighed and, with a powerful leap, took off into the snowy night. Within moments, both man and steed vanished into the darkness.
Terumi Mei stood in place, her hand hovering over the shoulder Logan had touched. The warmth faded slowly, leaving only a lingering ache.
"This world... gives us no choice," Sasuke said. "Don't blame yourself, Teacher Zhao."
Terumi Mei blinked and snapped out of it. She turned away stubbornly.
"Who said I blame myself? Didn't Logan tell you? I was originally sent by another organization to spy on him."
She crossed her arms. "But Logan... he's not afraid. What if I kidnapped you? Used you to threaten him?"
Sasuke smirked.
"No, Teacher Zhao. You're not that kind of person. When you observe others, you're also being observed. Brother Logan said it best—'When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you.' Ow!"
Terumi Mei flicked his forehead.
"Always quoting things. I should be the one calling you teacher."
---
Tap—tap—tap.
The sound of hooves echoed through the quiet forest as Logan rode hard through the snowy path. The trees on both sides blurred past. He tightened his grip on the reins, transferring Ripple energy into the horse to rejuvenate its stamina.
The horse neighed as if rejuvenated. Logan lowered his body to reduce wind resistance and pushed harder.
He rode through the night into the morning, and into night again. Without pause. Without food. Without rest.
It had taken the Wolf Squad five days to travel from the county town to Luoxue Village.
The Evil Wolf's return trip with the captured villagers had taken three days.
Logan did it in less than twenty-four hours.
By sunset, Logan reached the cliff's edge. The county town came into view below, the last rays of sunlight casting it in a bloody hue.
As the sun vanished behind the mountains, the land plunged into momentary darkness.
Then, the lights of the town flickered on.
But only one place was illuminated.
At the heart of the town stood a massive estate—the magistrate's mansion—bathed in light, laughter, and music.
The rest of the town was deathly silent, not a single candle flickering in the homes of the common folk.
Logan's eyes narrowed.
He had found his target.
---
Inside the mansion, a grand banquet was underway.
Four men sat at the high table.
On the left were Magistrate Morimura and Evil Wolf.
On the right sat two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, brought in to investigate Logan.
Biwa Juzo, wielder of the Executioner's Blade.
He had short black hair, no eyebrows, sharp teeth, and a large cross-shaped scar on his cheek. His ears and neck were wrapped in bandages, and red markings adorned his face.
Raiga Kurosuki, owner of the Thunder Twin Blades.
He had long green hair, thick brows, and similarly sharp teeth. His upper body was wrapped tightly in bandages.
Both men sat cross-legged with their weapons at arm's reach, drinking and watching dancers twirl in front of them.
Biwa Juzo, though known for being ruthless, rarely smiled.
Yagura's rule had become increasingly oppressive in recent years. Many shinobi had turned rogue. Biwa Juzo had even considered defecting—rumors of an organization called Akatsuki had piqued his interest.
But recently, after spending time with Magistrate Morimura, he had started to reconsider.
Why go rogue?
Why not bypass the Hidden Mist Village altogether and work directly under the Daimyo?
Magistrate Morimura, ever the cunning politician, had sensed Biwa Juzo's hesitations and used every opportunity to flatter and wine him.
Between drinks and the wolf's praises, Biwa Juzo's face turned red. He suddenly grabbed Morimura's hand.
"I've wandered half my life. My only regret is never meeting a wise lord. If Magistrate Morimura is willing to accept me, I'll pledge myself when the time is right!"
Who said Biwa Juzo was cold and heartless? When it came to personal gain, who wasn't?
Of course, "when the time is right" meant once Morimura gained real influence with the Daimyo.
Strong people didn't bet on underdogs. They waited until the prize was clear and then moved in for the reward.
Everyone at the table understood this unspoken truth. They smiled knowingly.
After the dancers finished, they approached the table. One on each side nestled into Biwa Juzo's arms. He grinned and groped them openly, eyes half-lidded in pleasure.
Raiga, however, had no such company.
Magistrate Morimura leaned over, speaking softly. "Are none of these ladies to your liking, Lord Raiga? Shall I bring another batch?"
Biwa Juzo chuckled.
"My brother... has more refined tastes."
The room froze.
Morimura blinked. The Evil Wolf blinked. Even the dancers stopped.
Pfft—
One of them giggled under her breath.
The next second, silence.
Evil Wolf grabbed the dancer and snapped her neck without hesitation.
He dropped the corpse to the ground and bowed.
"My apologies for disturbing your mood, Lord Raiga."
Raiga waved him off with a bored expression.
No one spoke of the girl again. Her body was dragged out by the servants without a second glance.
"But speaking of refined tastes…"
The Evil Wolf suddenly recalled, "Among the villagers I captured from Luoxue Village, there's a boy named Bai—fair-skinned and handsome. Perhaps he might interest you."
Raiga's eyes twitched with mild curiosity.
Sensing a reaction, Magistrate Morimura smiled.
"In that case, why not bring him out for a look?"
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