"Alright, we've arrived. This is Bian City Post Station, and over there is Black Wind Fortress. My mission is now complete. I wish you all success in your endeavor."
Hidan pointed at a green spot in the distance and gave a slight bow to the samurai, preparing to leave.
"Wait!"
Senku Hyoue blocked Hidan's path with his scabbard.
"What is it?"
Hidan frowned.
He knew clearly that these samurai were walking into a death trap. The arrogance ingrained in samurai had completely doomed them. Even their leader Senku Hyoue was only slightly stronger than the others. Though Hidan was immortal, there was no reason to accompany these samurai and get slashed alongside them—that would be painful.
"Ninja, you should see your mission through to the end," Senku Hyoue said with a smile.
"What do you mean? Wasn't it agreed that I don't have to participate in the battle?" Hidan replied.
"You don't have to fight, but someone needs to guide us back after the battle is over."
Hah! After the battle is over? There won't be any of you left. Still dreaming, aren't you? Even now, these samurai still don't take these desert bandits seriously, thinking this will be an easy victory.
But he couldn't say that aloud. Hidan's eyes darted around as he replied, "I see your point, Lord Senku. However, in battle, swords don't have eyes. I'm physically weak, and if I get hurt, wouldn't that be a great loss?"
"Hmph! Coward!"
"Weakling!"
"That's how ninjas are—spineless rats."
Hidan's words provoked mockery from the samurai.
Hidan didn't mind at all. As his master said, there's no point arguing with the soon-to-be dead.
"How about this? Lord Senku, how many days will it take to eliminate these bandits?"
"Ten days at most, five at least," Senku Hyoue answered.
"Excellent! You are truly formidable," Hidan gave a thumbs up.
"I'll rest at a nearby sand dune for ten days. By then, you will have conquered the bandit stronghold, and I'll come to Black Wind Fortress to escort you all back to Dragonfly City."
"No, if you don't come after ten days, we'll be stuck waiting at Black Wind Fortress," a samurai complained.
"You misunderstand. By then, all the bandits will be dead by your swords. I'll be in no danger, so why wouldn't I come? I'll still need to collect my reward from you all."
Hidan lowered his posture, flattering the samurai who seemed pleased.
"Fine, since you're afraid of death, go hide. Come back after the battle is over. Just guide us properly, and you'll get your reward. Someone, give the ninja a water pouch!"
Soon, a samurai threw a full water pouch at Hidan's feet.
Hidan didn't refuse. He picked up the water pouch and ran off, disappearing quickly.
"Hmph! Ninja!" Senku Hyoue said with disdain.
"Put the water cart in the post station, clean up the houses, leave a few people on guard duty, and the rest go rest. Tomorrow morning, we'll attack Black Wind Fortress. The sooner we finish, the sooner we return to the city."
The samurai acknowledged and went to prepare. The sun had already set, and they needed to rest well for tomorrow's battle.
No one noticed a small sand dune slowly moving not far away. Soon it moved to a shadowy area and suddenly flipped open, revealing a person with white cloth covering his mouth and nose. He quickly moved, taking advantage of the night to rush toward the oasis.
"Are these samurai idiots? They dare to station at Bian City Post? Don't they know it's a direct path to the underworld? Hahaha!"
Kawashima Tsuini, sitting on a tiger-skin chair, laughed so hard he almost fell off.
The bandits in the fortress all burst into laughter.
At this moment, the fortress strategist and second-in-command, Master Kuang, bowed to Kawashima Tsuini and said,
"Boss, these two thousand samurai have traveled a long way and must be exhausted. We should mobilize our forces and attack tonight. We'll surely leave none alive!"
"Good!"
Kawashima Tsuini was greatly excited and was about to raise his command token when he was stopped by the third-in-command, A Zhao.
"Wait, Boss."
Kawashima Tsuini paused.
Though he came from a bandit background, he was no fool. The second-in-command had been a retainer, skilled in strategy and accounting, mainly responsible for the fortress's logistics and strategic planning, like a "grain officer" among bandits, but actual combat was his weakness.
The third-in-command, A Zhao, was a former ninja from Kirigakure - Hidden Mist Village, with superior ninja techniques and expertise in tactics, undefeated in battle. Regarding specific battle tactics, he valued the third-in-command's opinion.
"These samurai, though not very bright, are skilled with swords, especially their leader Senku Hyoue, known as the Land of Wind's first-class samurai. His strength is formidable. Even with a night attack, with preparation against the unprepared, we would still lose many brothers."
"Third Brother, why are you boosting their morale and dampening ours? Can't our Boss, skilled in both martial arts and ninja techniques, handle someone like Senku Hyoue?" Master Kuang quickly objected when he saw A Zhao opposing his idea.
"Hehe, that's not what I meant," A Zhao smiled.
"Second Brother, don't interrupt. Let Third Brother finish," Kawashima Tsuini said.
"They are samurai, very particular about how they fight. We're desert bandits without such formalities. My plan is to modify the Second Brother's tactics like this..."
...
The next day, the sun shone brightly without a cloud in the sky.
Senku Hyoue led two thousand samurai in formation before Black Wind Fortress.
The fortress gate was tightly closed, with caltrops placed in front, and numerous bandits holding weapons, ready for battle. Seeing this, Senku Hyoue couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
He had been worried the bandits might launch a night attack and had arranged two hundred samurai to ambush outside Bian City Post. All samurai slept fully clothed with swords at their sides, but the night passed peacefully. It seemed these bandits were nothing special.
Such gate and caltrop defenses were merely a sword stroke away for him. These rabble dared to oppose the elite samurai under the Land of Wind's daimyo—like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!
Just as he was about to draw his sword to break open the gate, a loud voice came from among the bandits.
"Who goes there!"
Oh! These bandits even dare to challenge us!
By samurai rules, a challenge must be answered.
"First-class samurai under the Land of Wind's daimyo—Senku Hyoue! And who might you be?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Senku Hyoue regretted them. Why am I exchanging words with a desert bandit? Wouldn't this demean my samurai status?
When samurai fight samurai, unlike ninjas who attack immediately, the older generation of samurai had a set of fixed etiquette, including announcing names, challenging, showing off skills, and so on. First, they had to announce their names, explain why they were fighting, how the opponent deserved to be fought, then demonstrate their sword skills, like cutting a fly or mosquito in front of the opponent, showing their superior swordsmanship to intimidate the enemy. The actual fight would start much later. (This is not made up; Japanese samurai before the Warring States period actually fought this way, quite troublesome.)
"Listen well, samurai! I am the third-generation leader of Black Wind Fortress, special-class samurai—Kawashima Tsuini. Spineless rats, do you dare to fight me?"
Special-class samurai? Nonsense! He's clearly mocking me.
But since the challenge had been issued, not responding would lower morale.
"Iaido Slash!"
Senku Hyoue drew his sword and with one slash, shattered the fortress gate. The samurai behind him cheered and applauded.
Hmph! Just showing off my skills.
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