A dazzling blue-white flash of lightning exploded across the arena platform!
Mifune and Rokkaku's eyes widened almost simultaneously as they abruptly stood up.
Not only the two of them, but also the row of direct subordinates behind them and the massive crowd filling the stands all rose to their feet at the same moment and looked toward the source of the disturbance!
They saw that Isshin's opponent had already been blasted out of the arena and fallen onto his back outside the platform. His body was still twitching slightly, and every strand of his hair stood upright.
Clearly, he still had no idea what had just happened.
In the arena, only the young man holding a katana and carrying a halberd remained.
He looked completely bored, and even his stance was exactly the same as it had been before the match began.
The only difference was that dazzling blue-white lightning now surged around his body.
Countless tiny arcs of electricity danced like silver serpents, intertwining and leaping through the air, forming a majestic suit of lightning armor that made him appear like a war god descending from the thunder itself.
Most of the spectators stood up because they had been utterly shocked by the scene.
The referee had only just announced the start, but in less than a second, the battle was already over.
They had not even seen how the sword was drawn and had barely caught a glimpse of a flash of lightning before the other party was sent flying.
As for Mifune, Rokkaku, and the few exceptionally knowledgeable swordsmen in the audience, the real reason for their dramatic change in expression was the Lightning Style Nintaijutsu!
The secret art of the Village Hidden in the Cloud.
The signature Ninjutsu of the Yotsuki Clan!
How could this swordsman called Isshin use Lightning Style Nintaijutsu?!
Could he be a member of the Yotsuki Clan?
Mifune and Rokkaku exchanged glances and saw the same shock and doubt in each other's eyes.
"Referee."
Inside the arena, Isshin yawned.
With a turn of his wrist, he sheathed his katana and looked toward the referee, who still seemed frozen in place as though he had yet to recover from the shock.
In a lazy tone, he said, "Can you announce the result now?"
"Ah? Oh!"
The referee finally snapped back to reality.
His expression complicated, he glanced at Isshin before taking a deep breath and loudly announcing: "The winner is Isshin of Ashina Style!"
Hearing this, Isshin rested the halberd on his shoulder and turned to leave the arena.
"Master Isshin, please wait a moment."
At that moment, a steady voice came from the elevated platform.
The speaker was none other than the current General of the Land of Iron, Mifune!
Isshin paused and turned his head slightly toward the platform.
"General, what guidance do you have for me?"
As soon as those words were spoken, quite a few people present frowned in secret.
Below the stands, Soichiro Yagyu, who had been nervously watching the arena, nearly jumped up in anxiety.
This damn kid! Why is he still like this!? That's General Mifune up there! Couldn't you at least be a little more polite?!
Mifune, however, did not mind and asked in a deep voice:
"Master Isshin, before coming to the Land of Iron, were you perhaps from the Land of Lightning? And where did you learn this Lightning Style Nintaijutsu?"
"General, I have absolutely no relationship with the Yotsuki Clan."
After hearing the question, Isshin slightly raised an eyebrow and directly exposed the implication behind Mifune's words.
Then he continued: "As for Lightning Style Nintaijutsu? A Yotsuki of the Village Hidden in the Cloud can use it, but I can't? Shinichi Higashino could create Fire Style Nintaijutsu, but I, Isshin, can't create Lightning Style Nintaijutsu?"
As he spoke, he slowly swept his gaze across the entire arena.
His eyes passed over the spectators with their various expressions, over the solemn-faced samurai standing at the edge of the field, and finally returned to Mifune.
His eyes shone brightly as he grinned.
"General, what I want to say is…"
"In my entire life, I'm inferior to no one!"
What a declaration of being inferior to no one!
Mifune's gaze sharpened slightly.
Within the young man's eyes, he saw an undisguised fighting spirit and eagerness to test himself.
It was as though none of the swordsmen participating in this tournament were worthy of his attention.
The one he truly wished to challenge was Mifune himself, the current General of the Land of Iron.
"This kid... Actually wants to challenge me?"
"So the rumors about his love of battle really aren't exaggerated!"
Not only was Mifune not angered in the slightest, but he actually felt completely relieved.
The inexplicable fondness he felt for the youth grew even stronger.
After thinking it over carefully, he also felt that Isshin probably had nothing to do with the Yotsuki Clan.
After all, every member of the Yotsuki Clan was a large, muscular man with dark skin.
The young man before him, however, had fair and delicate skin, regular features, and a tall yet well-proportioned physique.
His appearance was vastly different from the Yotsuki Clan's typical physical characteristics.
Moreover, when Isshin had just mentioned the inherited name A used by successive Raikage, there had not been the slightest trace of respect in his tone.
Clearly, he was not a member of the Yotsuki Clan.
Just as Isshin himself had said, if Shinichi Higashino could create Fire Style Nintaijutsu, why couldn't Isshin create Lightning Style Nintaijutsu?
In last year's battle at the Konoha's arena, aside from their clash of weapons, wasn't it also a confrontation between fire and lightning?
These thoughts flashed through Mifune's mind in an instant.
A smile appeared on his face as he said, "Of course, you can create it! We, samurai, should possess exactly this kind of determination to never fall behind others. Master Isshin, go and rest well. Over the next few days, I look forward to your performance."
Isshin cupped his hands in salute.
His posture remained as casual as ever.
Then, under the gaze of countless eyes throughout the arena, he carried the halberd on his shoulder and slowly walked down from the platform.
However, the commotion he had caused did not subside with his departure.
That very afternoon, the news spread like wildfire, driven by a raging wind, rapidly expanding from the capital of the Land of Iron throughout the entire Shinobi World.
"Samurai Isshin of the Land of Iron creates Lightning Style Nintaijutsu!"
"Several months after the battle at Konoha's arena, Isshin displays Lightning Style again and instantly defeats his opponent!"
"Creator of Lightning Style Nintaijutsu appears in the Land of Iron! It is Ashina Style Isshin, the man who fought Shinichi Higashino to a draw!"
"Are they truly fated rivals? Fire and lightning, who will ultimately become the strongest in the future Shinobi World?"
After receiving this news, the intelligence departments of every major ninja village were shaken.
And among the Five Great Ninja Villages, the one that reacted most intensely was undoubtedly the Village Hidden in the Cloud of the Land of Lightning!