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In the guild master's room at Tanto-sai, the flickering shadows of the lantern cast the figures of three men onto the wall.
Shin'ya continued, "When we were pursuing Oikawa Genzō, very few people knew about the action plan. Aside from those directly involved, the only one who knew was Yukino."
He looked up at the ceiling, gazing at the bright light, "I'll be honest with you, I even suspected my own daughter."
"So…" Tetsuya, who had been silent until now, spoke up, his voice hoarse, "Using your daughter for an arranged marriage was just a test?"
Shin'ya met his gaze, "Exactly."
"What's the point of that? Are you really willing to sacrifice Yukino's happiness?" Tetsuya's eyes were bloodshot.
"Of course there's a point. Isn't it… to lure you out?"
!!!
Tetsuya's breath hitched.
Shin'ya clasped his hands behind his back, "Since I announced this, Yukino hasn't reacted with the hysteria I expected. Instead, she calmly accepted it, only crying in secret at night. She's always been a sensible child."
"But you, my disciple, your reaction truly surprised me."
"Not only did you repeatedly come to me to retract my decision, but you also incited the guild leaders to undermine my authority. And those little schemes you've been pulling with the nobles in the shadows—did you really think I wouldn't notice?"
"Clue after clue… sign after sign…" Shin'ya sighed with a sense of melancholy, "And with the reminder from our esteemed guest, it finally dawned on me. The one who's been closest to Yukino all along… is you, Tetsuya."
Tetsuya frowned, "Master, you suspect me?"
Shin'ya stared into his eyes, "That day, it was you who learned the route from Yukino. Aside from you, I can't think of anyone else who would betray us."
"And… how did you know about my late-night discussion with Kamihane?"
Shin'ya took a step forward, "Or should I say… have you been following Yukino all along!?"
"So… everything you just said was to draw me out…?" Tetsuya suddenly understood, his voice filled with resentment, "Tanba Shin'ya! For the sake of the guild, you'll stop at nothing!"
"Tetsuya! What are you saying!" Ryūnosuke grabbed Tetsuya's pant leg, whispering harshly, "How dare you speak to Master like that!"
"Kneel, kneel now!"
He glared at his junior brother, but Tetsuya remained unmoved.
"Tetsuya, you—"
At that moment, Tetsuya suddenly kicked out, sending Ryūnosuke flying into the sword rack, shattering it.
Tetsuya's eyes turned fierce as he drew a tanto from his sleeve, its sharp blade thrusting forward.
Shin'ya stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his back completely exposed to Tetsuya, and closed his eyes in disappointment.
"Clang!!"
Tetsuya's wrist throbbed in pain as the blade shattered. A massive black skeletal hand appeared behind Shin'ya, like an abyss separating them.
A young man stepped out from beside Shin'ya. No one had noticed when he arrived, but the enormous black ribs and the massive, shadowy hand looming between them left Tetsuya utterly stunned.
Kamihane extended a hand from a distance, clenching it in the air. Tetsuya immediately felt suffocated, an overwhelming pressure gripping his entire body, making even the slightest movement impossible.
"What… is this!" He strained to open his eyes, but his lips couldn't move. A deep fear ignited in his gaze.
"My instincts were right…" Kamihane slightly turned his palm, and Tetsuya's body stiffly followed, "There's something wrong with your body…"
Suddenly, Kamihane raised a finger, and in response, a bulge formed on Tetsuya's right arm, rippling like water as it spread across his entire body, creating eerie, liquid-like waves.
"Scatter!" Kamihane commanded softly.
With a splat, Tetsuya's entire right arm burst open, liquid splattering across the wall, even splashing onto Ryūnosuke's face.
Ryūnosuke frantically wiped his face, only to realize it wasn't blood but something transparent… water!
Kamihane casually withdrew his hand, and Tetsuya's body instantly lost support, collapsing to the ground with a thud.
An invisible stream of water emerged from the severed arm, writhing and reforming into a new right arm, completely restored.
This scene left Ryūnosuke dumbfounded and shocked Tanba Shin'ya as well.
"Wasn't I right? Your second disciple isn't simple," Kamihane said with a mocking smile. "He's not even from the Land of Iron."
Amid the swirling black mist, Shin'ya slowly turned around, a single tear tracing down his weathered cheek.
"What a pity, Tetsuya. Of my three disciples, you were the one I valued the most."
"Kill him?" Kamihane tilted his head and asked.
"Yes," Shin'ya nodded calmly, his eyes as steady as an executioner holding a blade. "Please leave him with an intact body."
"Understood."
Kamihane deactivated the Susanoo, and the black mist dissipated. However, a pure and ethereal spirit shot out, instantly piercing Tetsuya's forehead.
In the next moment, the spirit entered and then returned.
Kamihane's expression suddenly became complex as he stared at Tetsuya, now devoid of any life. With a flick of his black robe, he turned and left.
Before destroying Tetsuya's soul, Kamihane had, as usual, interrogated him for information.
Tetsuya Hōzuki, a native of the Land of Water, had infiltrated the Tanba family as a child with the sole purpose of stealing the Land of Iron's exceptional sword-forging techniques. Collaborating with nobles corrupted by the Land of Water's wealth, he had gradually eroded the "Three Great Traditions of Iron."
Three months ago, under the guise of assistance, he tampered with the Oikawa family's forge and replaced the "Hyakute-den" sword manual, causing the three thousand swords commissioned by the daimyo to fail and shatter upon delivery. The daimyo's fury led to the collapse of Tanto-sai.
He secretly arranged for Kirigakure to shelter the desperate Oikawa family and dispatched ninja to ambush the Land of Iron's pursuers…
He urged the Tanba family to marry off the Sugawara family's only daughter and had already bribed the nobles to rig the competition's outcome…
Until… Tanba Shin'ya replaced the bride with his beloved daughter, Yukino.
This threw Tetsuya into disarray.
He announced his participation in the martial arts competition…
Planned to assassinate Sugawara Shoko…
Despite his careful cover, the shrewd Shin'ya had noticed something amiss.
If he hadn't been discovered, he would have revealed his identity at the upcoming martial arts tournament, overpowered the competition to win the championship, and, with the help of the bribed nobles, taken over the guild. He would then have assassinated Tanba Shin'ya, dismantling the "Three Great Traditions of Iron" and bringing them under the Land of Water's control.
Most importantly… he would have been able to marry Tanba Yukino legitimately.
…
Kamihane returned to his room, sprawling on the bed, staring blankly at the night sky outside the window.
"So many thoughts…"
"The plan was flawless, but because of his emotions, it all fell apart…"
He rolled over, facing the cold moonlight, his eyes glowing red as intricate patterns shifted within them, the Mangekyō Sharingan activating.
He reached out, his slender fingers gently touching his eye sockets. "Tetsuya Hōzuki, your schemes were deep, your ambitions vast. But no matter how cunning or ruthless your plans, they couldn't hide from these eyes…"
"In the coming chaos, strength reigns supreme… In the face of absolute power, all schemes seem so laughable…"
Kamihane stared at his palm, murmuring to himself, "Is this what it feels like to control someone's fate?"
That night, he tossed and turned, unable to find peace.
"Compared to Madara-sama, who has the world in his heart… I still have a long way to go."
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