It was a magnificent blade, but it certainly wasn't cheap. After a brief negotiation, Saiki secured it for 43 million Ryo.
In hindsight, Saiki realized he had shown his hand too early by revealing his budget, letting the blacksmith know exactly how much he was willing to spend.
Don't let the rough, soot-stained exterior fool you; a blacksmith still needs to make a living. After running a successful shop for years, even the most honest-looking man develops a shrewd sense for business.
Saiki's wallet ached, but given 'Thunderstorm's' incredible handling, razor-sharp edge, durability, and flawless chakra conductivity, he knew it was worth every penny.
Just as Saiki was paying and preparing to leave, a group of samurai—clad in full armor with swords at their hips—strode into the shop.
"Old Liu! How's my sword coming along? Is it finished?" the leading samurai asked with a warm, friendly tone.
The blacksmith, Old Liu, hurried over. "Lord Mifune! Perfect timing. I just finished it this morning. If you'd come any earlier, it would still be in the furnace."
"Haha! After all these years, you still know my schedule perfectly. The timing is always impeccable," Mifune laughed, clapping Old Liu on the shoulder.
His gaze swept over Saiki and Tsume, stopping on the sword in Saiki's hand. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes. "And who might this be?"
Old Liu quickly introduced them. "This is Lord Saiki. He just purchased 'Thunderstorm'."
Hearing this, Mifune looked slightly taken aback. He scrutinized Saiki with a sharp, calculating gaze and smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Tell me, young friend, did you buy that blade for yourself, or is it a gift for someone else? That sword is notoriously difficult to master."
"Oh? Is there something wrong with it?" The question puzzled Saiki. He lifted the blade and inspected it again, but couldn't spot any hidden flaws.
Seeing his confusion, Mifune offered a kind warning. "'Thunderstorm' is indeed a masterpiece, but it requires the user to channel both Lightning and Water-natured chakra simultaneously to unlock its true power. If the wielder doesn't possess both affinities, they will find it incredibly unwieldy. Furthermore, because its chakra conductivity is so absolute, if your chakra control isn't flawless, it will drain your reserves at a terrifying rate. That is why it has remained unsold for so long."
Hearing this, Saiki shot a look at the blacksmith. The honest-looking, middle-aged man offered an apologetic, awkward smile.
Having the sword's "quirks" exposed by Mifune didn't anger Old Liu. He explained, "Lord Saiki, to tell you the truth, the blade's properties are indeed highly specific, and I was worried you wouldn't be able to handle it. But seeing how effortlessly you wielded it during your test swings, I decided not to mention it. If you find it unsuitable, I will gladly issue a full refund."
Seeing the owner's sincere apology, Saiki didn't hold it against him. What Mifune described might be fatal flaws to an average swordsman, but to Saiki, Lightning and Water were exactly his primary affinities. It only reinforced his feeling that the blade was custom-made for him.
Saiki's chakra reserves and microscopic control were lightyears beyond the norm. In his hands, 'Thunderstorm' would move like a swimming dragon, its lethality multiplied exponentially.
He offered the owner a reassuring smile. "No apologies necessary. This blade is actually perfect for me."
He then turned to Mifune and nodded. "Thank you for the warning, my lord. I hadn't actually realized the depth of the blade's design. Lightning and Water complement each other perfectly; it's exactly what I need."
While expressing his gratitude, Saiki didn't immediately recognize Mifune's identity. However, he could clearly sense the man's razor-sharp aura—an intensity that was only marginally weaker than Jiraiya's. This man was undoubtedly a top-tier powerhouse.
Saiki had only ever skimmed through the Naruto manga in his past life.
He had a vague recollection of a character named Mifune—the leader of the Land of Iron, the man who had survived a clash with Hanzo of the Salamander, and who would later lead the Samurai division of the Allied Shinobi Forces to finally defeat Hanzo in the Fourth Great Ninja War. But that was the extent of his knowledge!
Mifune wasn't exactly a main character.
Furthermore, the Mifune standing before him was still relatively young, lacking the aged, weathered appearance he would have twenty years in the future. Expecting Saiki to instantly recognize him was a tall order.
Most importantly, Mifune was just some old guy; Saiki had no reason to dedicate precious brain space to remembering his face.
Seeing Saiki dismiss his warning and confidently claim 'Thunderstorm', Mifune was genuinely surprised. He studied Saiki more closely and suddenly realized, to his shock, that he couldn't gauge the boy's true depth.
On the surface, Saiki looked like nothing more than a handsome, innocent child. He radiated no overt hostility; he looked entirely normal. But no "normal" child buys a sword worth tens of millions of Ryo.
Due to the specialized metallic alloys, while 'Thunderstorm' shared the profile of a standard katana, it weighed over thirty pounds. An average adult would struggle to swing it properly, yet Saiki held it effortlessly, with no visible strain in his posture, neck, or facial muscles.
Moreover, the woman standing beside him, Tsume, radiated an aura approaching that of a Jonin. Whether she was his companion or his bodyguard, her presence alone proved the boy was anything but ordinary.
"Tell me, young friend... are you also a samurai? No, wait... are you a swordsman?" Mifune asked.
"A swordsman? I suppose you could say that," Saiki replied with a faint smile.
Facing Mifune, Saiki was neither arrogant nor subservient. He simply didn't care. However, in the strictly hierarchical samurai culture of the Land of Iron, Saiki's casual indifference deeply offended Mifune's bodyguards.
One of the guards frowned fiercely, his eyes filled with disdain. He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and issued a sharp warning, "Boy, watch your tone! You are addressing Lord Mifune. Show some respect!"
Whether it was a delayed reaction or a deliberate pause, only after the guard finished speaking did Mifune step in to scold him. "Stand down! Do not be so insolent! This young man and I are strangers; it is not your place to judge his manners. Step back!"
Mifune's sharp gaze swept over his men. "Forgive us, Lord Mifune!" The guards clearly disagreed, but they obediently stepped back.
Watching the drama unfold, Tsume frowned but didn't intervene. She knew Saiki was vastly more powerful than she was, and she trusted him to handle the situation perfectly.
Saiki glanced at the reprimanded guard, a smirk playing on his lips, and replied calmly, "Respect isn't something you can demand with words. If you want respect, raw strength is the only proof that matters."
As the words left his mouth, 'Thunderstorm' vibrated softly in his grip, emitting a faint, low hum of thunder. In an instant, an invisible, crushing pressure flooded the room. The guards' faces paled, and they instinctively took a step back.
Normally, faced with such provocation, Saiki would choose the path of least resistance and walk away. But the guard's repeated emphasis on "Lord Mifune" had finally jogged his memory regarding the man's identity. Feeling the razor-sharp, cutting aura radiating from Mifune—an aura that belonged to one of the world's most renowned swordmasters—Saiki felt a rare surge of genuine excitement. He wanted to test himself against a true Kenjutsu grandmaster.
The sheer weight of Saiki's sudden aura made Mifune's heart sink. He marveled internally; This boy is truly extraordinary.
"Well said, young friend. Strength is indeed the ultimate truth." As if sensing the battle-lust rolling off Saiki in waves, Mifune's own eyes lit up with a warrior's fire, though his tone remained perfectly polite. "Since that is the case... would you care to spar?"
"I would love nothing more!" Saiki's eyes flashed, and he nodded in agreement.
The sudden escalation left everyone else in the room completely bewildered. How had a polite conversation escalated into a duel?
Tsume was thoroughly confused. She knew Saiki wasn't impulsive. Why was he doing this?
The samurai guards were even more baffled. They were annoyed by Saiki's lack of deference, but he was clearly just a child. Mifune was the undisputed leader of the samurai, a Kenjutsu grandmaster. For him to formally challenge a boy to a duel was simply unthinkable.
Outside Furuki Town, on an open training ground frequently used by the local samurai.
The massive tornado Saiki had generated earlier that morning had caused a brief panic, but it had also successfully blown away the heavy, stagnant storm clouds that had been trapped above Furuki Town by the surrounding mountains.
The long-absent winter sun bathed the training ground in a patchwork of bright light and crisp shadows.
In the center of the field, Saiki and Mifune stood facing each other, while the crowd kept a respectful, wide distance.
In a town this small, news traveled fast. Word of the duel spread like wildfire, and townspeople quickly gathered to watch, a low buzz of excited murmurs filling the air.
The squad of samurai who had investigated the mountain earlier that morning also arrived after hearing the news. Seeing Saiki standing opposite Mifune, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.
"Why is it that kid?! Lord Mifune just got back; how did he end up fighting him?" Urakaku muttered in total confusion.
Okisuke was equally stunned. When he had encountered Saiki that morning, the terrifying aura the boy emitted had warned him that Saiki was a monster, but he never expected the kid to have the audacity to challenge Lord Mifune directly.
"Good grief, what a crazy kid!" The tavern owner, who had received an education in Saiki's appetite earlier, was receiving another lesson now. Not only was the boy's stomach bottomless, but his courage was seemingly boundless as well.
Every single spectator believed Saiki was signing his own death warrant, assuming Mifune had only accepted the challenge out of a rigid sense of samurai courtesy.
Only Tsume Inuzuka knew that Saiki wasn't biting off more than he could chew. She knew exactly what he was capable of, though a trace of genuine worry still flickered in her eyes.
The murmurs from the crowd grew louder, filled with confusion as to why they had gathered so quickly. But Saiki and Mifune seemed entirely deaf to the noise, their eyes locked onto each other with absolute, unyielding focus as the tension in the air slowly reached a boiling point.