14 Chapter 14: Who Says Ninjato are Useless?

In the sight of Uehara Soma, the lottery machine spun rapidly.

Once, twice, thrice...

[Physique +1!]

[Spirit +1!]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Blue Rose Sword BlueprintX1.]

[Physique +1!]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Thug Recruitment Token.]

...

"One Blueprint, two Thug Recruitment Tokens, seven random attribute points, not bad!"

Uehara Soma felt a joy in his heart, sensing the changes in his body brought by the random attribute points. It felt like a warm current appeared out of nowhere in his body, slowly spreading throughout.

Uehara Soma felt as if his body had been slightly strengthened, and his spirit had also become a bit stronger.

Then his gaze turned to the higher-level prizes.

Two Thug Recruitment Tokens.

This meant that Uehara Soma had a means to "recruit" Biwa Juzo to fight for him.

A blueprint for the Blue Rose Sword.

Uehara Soma recalled.

The Blue Rose Sword, from the world of Sword Art Online.

An Ice Block standing at the top of the northernmost peak, where the temperature was severe, even in summer, it remained icy cold.

One spring.

A seed of the Blue Rose was blown near the Ice Block.

Two existing destinies slowly intertwined.

The Ice Block melted itself, watering the Blue Rose.

In order to accompany the Ice Block, the Blue Rose allowed itself to be frozen before withering.

Gradually, the Ice Block melted into the shape of a sword.

And within the blade, a Blue Rose remained perpetually frozen.

Possessing the power of ice.

Uehara Soma calmly shifted his gaze back to Biwa Juzo.

"Juzo-senpai, have you ever seen the Great Blacksmith from back then?"

Biwa Juzo seemed to be recalling.

"I saw him from afar when I was young."

Uehara Soma's eyebrows twitched slightly.

It seemed that Biwa Juzo's knowledge of the Great Blacksmith from back then wasn't much.

In other words, he could use the same arguments he used on Hoshigaki Kisame with Biwa Juzo.

"Juzo-senpai, do you know why, after the death of that Great Blacksmith back then, no one has been able to forge Ninjato of the same level?"

"Why?"

That was also what piqued Biwa Juzo's curiosity.

As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

Biwa Juzo had wielded the Executioner's Blade for a long time, and had plenty of interactions with the other seven swordsmen.

Compared to the other Ninjato forged on the Forging Island, the ones from the Hidden Mist Seven Ninja Swords were much stronger.

And they also had special abilities.

Biwa Juzo felt that this should not only be a difference in forging techniques, otherwise, the Hidden Mist Seven Ninja Swords shouldn't have such different styles and special abilities.

"Before my sensei passed away, he told me a secret."

"To forge Ninjato of the Hidden Mist Seven Ninja Swords level, besides having extremely strong forging skills, one must also possess a special physique, just like the Kekkei Genkai of ordinary ninjas."

"Only forging masters with special physiques can go to the Forging Master Spiritual Land, where they can obtain the materials needed to forge special Ninjato."

Biwa Juzo showed a sudden realization.

"So that's why..."

Uehara Soma's explanation coincided perfectly with Biwa Juzo's previous speculation.

Biwa Juzo looked at Uehara Soma.

"The Unhealable Blade that Mizukage-sama mentioned, Kiriichimonji, is the one you forged by obtaining materials from the Forging Master Spiritual Land, isn't it, Uehara Soma?"

"That's correct."

Suddenly, Biwa Juzo's gaze towards Uehara Soma became somewhat complicated.

"Soma, this information, you shouldn't have told me."

"Even though I am a ninja of the Hidden Mist Village, but after all, you and I have just met for the first time. I am here only on Mizukage-sama's orders to serve as a guard for the Forging Island."

"Such precious information should not have been disclosed by you."

Unconsciously, Biwa Juzo's address to Uehara Soma had changed.

Uehara Soma shook his head.

"I don't know why that Great Blacksmith hid the information back then. Only my sensei discovered this secret in the records, but I don't think it's something worth hiding."

"Juzo-senpai, you are my Senpai, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, who has made great contributions to the village and is now responsible for my safety. I believe you are trustworthy."

"And, I also need your help."

Uehara Soma said, "To journey to the Forging Master Spiritual Land to obtain materials is not an easy task."

"I cannot independently go to the Forging Master Spiritual Land; it is different from other Summoning Sanctuaries."

"I need to receive a commission to do so."

"It's like a mission for a ninja."

"If a commission appears, and if I choose to accept it, then I can go to the Forging Master Spiritual Land."

"However, commissions are difficult and often dangerous."

"With my strength alone, it's not enough."

"So I need your help, Juzo-senpai."

Biwa Juzo quickly understood.

"Soma, you need me to be your teammate, to accompany you to the Forging Master Spiritual Land and complete the commission?"

"Yes."

"No problem."

Without hesitation, Biwa Juzo agreed.

Not only was there no problem, but Biwa Juzo's interest was also strong.

Since the disastrous defeat against Might Duy, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had suffered a huge blow. Besides the four ninjas who died on the spot, the remaining three were also plunged into despair.

Biwa Juzo doubted himself.

Kurosuki Raiga secluded himself.

Suikazan Fuguki had strange thoughts.

Although the three of them luckily survived, they were unable to return to the battlefield for the time being.

Therefore, the Third Mizukage assigned Biwa Juzo to go to the Forging Island and serve as Uehara Soma's guard.

Unable to go to the battlefield, but after all, the strength of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist still remained here.

Serving as guards for Forging Island was completely fine.

After arriving at the Mizukage's Building, Biwa Juzo heard the news about Kiriichimonji from the Third Mizukage, which sparked some interest in him, but not too much.

After the rumors about the uselessness of the Ninjato erupted, Biwa Juzo couldn't help but have similar thoughts.

Biwa Juzo began to doubt the Executioner's Blade.

He started to doubt himself.

Upon hearing about Kiriichimonji, Biwa Juzo did not doubt the Third Mizukage, nor did he doubt Uehara Soma.

However, in the situation where all the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist suffered disastrous defeats, how much could a new Ninjato truly perform?

Would it surpass the previous Hidden Mist Seven Ninja Swords?

Would Hoshigaki Kisame, who possessed Kiriichimonji, be stronger than the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?

The appearance of a new Ninjato of the Hidden Mist Seven Ninja Sword level was something to be pleased about.

But Biwa Juzo didn't think it would provide any substantial help to the war effort of the Hidden Mist Village.

However, after hearing the information from Uehara Soma, Biwa Juzo's thoughts changed.

Because according to what Uehara Soma revealed, in the future, the Ninjato forged by Uehara Soma would definitely not be just two or three, and it might even surpass the Great Blacksmith of the past.

A squad of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist was no match for Might Duy.

But what about two?

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