"Mr. Butsuma seems to have known I'd come," Ye Liang spoke first. He took a sip of the water that Butsuma Jiro had poured, then smiled as he looked at him.
"Mr. Ye Liang, what courage you have! Aren't you afraid I might have poisoned it?"
"Would you have?"
"Hahaha!" Butsuma Jiro suddenly burst into loud laughter. Sitting across from Ye Liang, he took another sip from his own cup and said, "Of course not!"
Ye Liang studied him again. This man was deeply calculating—nothing like the cautious demeanor he'd initially displayed. Instead, he now seemed even more brazen, bordering on arrogance.
"Since Mr. Butsuma waited here for me, there must be many things you want to tell me."
"Haha, Mr. Ye Liang is indeed accurate!" Butsuma Jiro sipped his tea slightly before continuing, "Actually, I've long made a deal with the Akatsuki organization. They help me get Princess Shaw, and in return, I help them obtain the Kinjutsu of our Kasumi Country. A completely fair exchange."
"I just didn't expect Mr. Ye Liang to interfere and mess up my plans!" added Butsuma Jiro.
"Is that so?"
Ye Liang fixed Butsuma Jiro with a piercing stare. These details were all things he had already guessed—none of this came as a surprise—nothing new here.
"I'd like to ask Mr. Butsuma—can you tell me what it is I want to know?"
"How could I possibly understand what you're thinking?" Butsuma Jiro asked.
"No! You should know!" Ye Liang heard some movement behind him—faint footsteps, like someone approaching. He figured they must be surrounded.
"I'd advise you not to do anything foolish, Mr. Butsuma!" He had barely finished speaking when a kunai attached with an explosive tag flew through the air and pinned itself onto the small table right in front of him!
"Peng!"
The explosive tag detonated instantly!
Ye Liang quickly retreated backward—the Butsuma Jiro sitting before him turned into a cloud of smoke!
A Shadow Clone!
"You actually know ninja techniques too?"
Ye Liang was taken aback. Moments later, he realized he was surrounded by countless samurai—they were elite imperial guards, each wielding sharp katana blades.
Ye Liang glanced over them casually before directing his attention toward the rooftop.
These samurai weren't particularly concerning; the real danger lay in the ninja stationed above.
"[Just some Kasumi ninja!]"
He sensed a faint Chakra presence.
Although Kasumi Country was a small nation, it certainly possessed ninja. The Kasumi ninja had appeared during Boruto's story as well—but unfortunately, Ye Liang hadn't survived until those times and therefore knew little about their actual strength.
"Mr. Ye Liang, now tell me—who's the one acting recklessly?" A ninja spoke from atop the building's roof. Under the pale moonlight, his eyes gleamed—and it turned out to be Butsuma Jiro himself.
With a cruel gleam in his eyes, Butsuma Jiro appeared utterly confident, as though he had finally cornered Ye Liang.
Was this guy seriously looking for death?
Ye Liang felt somewhat helpless. Originally, he never intended to oppose Butsuma Jiro. However, after such provocations, he couldn't really hold back anymore!
"Die!" Ye Liang swiftly darted among the enemy. Although these men were imperial guards, having encountered samurai before, Ye Liang wasn't afraid of their threats at all!
In fact, his swordsmanship surpassed theirs!
Blades clashed again and again—enemy soldiers fell one after another. Yet no one saw him clearly—one moment there, the next gone, his form flickering like golden lightning weaving effortlessly through the battlefield!
Even leaving afterimages behind!
"Lord Butsuma! This guy's speed is too fast, we can't even track him!" the attacked martial artists shouted.
Unfortunately, until their very last moment of death, no one could find Ye Liang.
"Do you actually think these punks could ambush me?"
Butsuma Jiro's face darkened. He never expected that his carefully laid trap could be dismantled so easily by Ye Liang!
Tch!
Good thing those guys from Akatsuki warned me beforehand, or I really would've crashed and burned!
Butsuma Jiro's expression turned grim—clearly, he still had another trick up his sleeve.
He immediately lit the candle attached to his waist. This candle was completely white. At first glance, it seemed somewhat familiar, but upon closer inspection, its identity became clear.
It was actually a hakubon candle—an offering made for the dead!
"What the hell is this old bastard doing?" Ye Liang muttered in confusion as he watched Butsuma Jiro light the white candle and form some strange hand seal.
Could this be [Kasumi Ninjutsu]?
Kasumi Country was known for all sorts of forbidden techniques—this wasn't considered ordinary ninja arts!
Ye Liang didn't recognize it at all!
However, just as he tried to interrupt Butsuma Jiro's sealing, he noticed a huge dark shadow already materializing behind Butsuma Jiro!
[Kasumi Ninjutsu - Floating Mortal Stage Three!]
Boom!
Suddenly, a deafening sound echoed through the space. That massive dark shadow instantly tore through the spatial dimension and appeared behind Butsuma Jiro. Ten meters tall, pale-faced, wielding only a blade, yet exuding terrifying aura!
"This is the Shinigami summoned by the Dead Demon Consuming Seal!"
Ye Liang immediately recognized the identity of this shadow! A creature from the underworld—the presence of this Shinigami had fully manifested in the real world.
How was this possible?
Why had the Shinigami appeared in the physical realm?
Wasn't this supposed to be a summoning jutsu?
Ye Liang immediately tried to counterattack with a ninjutsu, but the Shinigami's attack was already coming!
A completely shining dagger!
Most likely the one previously held in the Shinigami's mouth. Besides being extremely fast, it even carried some of the Shinigami's saliva.
Ye Liang instantly drew the cursed blade Onikiri—the Demon Blade—from his System Space!
"Bang!"
The two weapons collided. The cursed blade Onikiri miraculously emitted a sharp scream! Just like when it was sacrificed by Fake Ye Liang, this blade had been damaged again!
"Tch!" Ye Liang gritted his teeth as he finally forced the Shinigami's dagger away, but he discovered a crack forming on his beloved Onikiri!
"How is this possible!"
The Shinigami attacked again. They clashed blades once more. The Shinigami was pushed back while Ye Liang was sent flying backward by the impact straight into a wall.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
He smashed through three walls before finally coming to a stop.
Ye Liang struggled to get back up. He felt as if every bone in his body was shattered—except for his skull, there wasn't a single part left undamaged.
What terrifying strength!
The Yin Seal activated instantly! The power of Creation Rebirth surged through him—his body fully healed in seconds.
"This is truly bizarre!"
"There's no way a summoned beast could damage a cursed blade like that! Could he actually be the Shinigami?" He eyed the supposed death god warily, but the figure didn't move at all.
It stood as still as a statue.
"No way! It's still just a summoned beast—albeit one that's somehow been touched by a hint of divine power!"
Butsuma Jiro watched from the rooftop. "What's wrong, Mr. Ye Liang? Can't you handle something this simple?" He sneered, his voice dripping with mockery, eyes locked on Ye Liang the entire time.
Under no circumstances could Ye Liang be allowed to escape!
In truth, Ye Liang had no idea that such a terrifying jutsu came at such a huge cost—draining all his chakra and requiring the opponent's life as a sacrifice!
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