The Snake Eyes clan's bloodline carried Okami characteristics. Combined with prolonged guarding here, their bodies had undergone mutations. They wrapped themselves in bandages constantly. They weren't undying, but their vitality exceeded normal humans.
Unlike bioweapons, their resilience came from supernatural sources.
"I'll handle these people. Wolf, cover me." The self-proclaimed "Sword Saint" Bella melted into shadow. Invisibility combined with Assassin Brotherhood techniques—even Wolf the shinobi couldn't see how she vanished.
He roughly understood what "cover" meant.
He leaped from cover, throwing shuriken at the Snake Eyes riflemen to draw their attention.
Bella crept forward, still not using her blade. Instead, she punched each one in the neck.
Some fell with one punch, others required two or three. Including dodging, stealth, and observation, defeating thirteen Snake Eyes clan members took nine minutes.
Finally, she faced their leader, Snake Eyes Shirahagi.
The figure appeared to be female. She was far more alert than the ordinary soldiers, sensing something behind her and swinging her heavy rifle like a club.
The thing was solid iron, heavy as a staff, whistling through the air.
Bella parried two blows and realized killing her wouldn't be hard, but capturing her alive would be challenging.
"Wolf! Help me!"
She and Wolf double-teamed Shirahagi. Both used extremely fast techniques, but their blades only cut through bandages. The skin beneath was incredibly tough, like tree bark—dark brown, rough to the extreme.
"We could lure her over there," Wolf said quietly during a parrying exchange.
To prevent the Snake Eyes clan from leaving the cave and harming Ashina civilians, Ashina warriors had dug what could only be called a poison swamp outside the cave.
It was filled with toxic green water. The Snake Eyes clan's skin was vulnerable to poison—extremely vulnerable. The poison swamp blocked their path, preventing easy escape.
Wolf meant to lure her there for an easy kill.
Bella shook her head. "This one's useful to me. Help me capture her."
Wolf had been ordered to follow Bella's lead. If she said capture, he'd capture. Orders mattered more than anything.
With great effort, Bella kicked Shirahagi's rifle away while Wolf slashed her legs twice. They subdued her with difficulty.
Fourteen Snake Eyes clan members stood in a row. Bella's left hand glowed with spiritual light, letting her psychic energy briefly enter the dream space to quickly communicate with the tattoo on her right wrist. The distance was considerable, but through the tattoo, she contacted the Flying Dutchman.
"They're all yours!" she told the ghost ship mentally.
The ghost ship was clearly more interested in Wolf, but Bella refused. Only these fourteen.
The Flying Dutchman was somewhat displeased. Pouting, threatening, begging—nothing worked. Bella suppressed it all with her superior control.
Fourteen black threads emerged from the tattoo, penetrating the Snake Eyes clan members' bodies. Each surrendered a portion of their life force essence, and the ghost ship would provide them protection in return.
"I... what is this? What happened?" Snake Eyes Shirahagi was the first to wake. She tore the bandage from her arm. The skin wasn't exactly pale, but it had returned to normal. Large amounts of dead skin fell away with her movements, and limbs that had moved like a zombie's became flexible again.
Their problem was simply having eaten too much! Excess life force stagnated in their bodies with no normal conversion pathway, eventually making them zombie-like with bark-skin. Now the ghost ship had absorbed the excess life force, naturally restoring them.
"The Snake Eyes clan serves me from today forward. Understood?" Bella raised her right hand, showing them the tattoo on her wrist.
No need for explanations or threats. With life itself as the contract, they couldn't resist such commands.
One small rifleman knelt in submission, then two, three. Finally even their leader, Snake Eyes Shirahagi, knelt.
"Excellent. Through this cave, we should find those bandits, yes? Do you know their exact location?" Bella asked.
Regarding their neighbors, the Snake Eyes clan knew everything.
We got caught, so you're not getting away either.
Shirahagi sold out the bandits without hesitation. Completely.
She also shared extensive information about the depths of the Hidden Forest and a place called Mibu Village.
Bella already knew most of it, but she listened carefully anyway.
"Understood. I'll find those bandits. You should have more than just these clan members—there are others elsewhere, right? Find them. Tell them what happened here. I won't force anyone. If they're willing to pledge loyalty, I can solve their problems too."
She vaguely recalled the Snake Eyes clan had another boss. Might as well collect them all while she was at it.
These people had exceptional eyesight. Due to body stiffness, they could only use rifles, and now each had become a crack shot. Give them modern weapons in the future, put them on the Flying Dutchman, and they'd make excellent crew.
"Let's go. We're short on time." Bella led the way. Wolf followed two steps behind.
The porters carrying chests were left with only terror. They trembled as they passed through the Snake Eyes formation, nearly wetting themselves.
Leaving the Snake Eyes cave, the view opened dramatically. They reached a dense forest—the area locals called the Hidden Forest. Legend said demons hid deep within.
"Move!" Bella suddenly kicked Kyujiro down. The next second, a gleaming blade swept past his nose.
A group of monkeys had surrounded them...
Not a nickname like Toyotomi Hideyoshi's—actual monkeys. Monkeys wielding katanas!
These creatures had hidden in the forest. Neither Bella nor Wolf noticed them. Walking along, they were suddenly ambushed.
Wolf gripped his blade Kusabimaru, parrying. The opposing monkeys not only used weapons but knew swordsmanship!
He alone blocked three monkeys, though mostly parrying with few attacks.
Bella's situation was more troublesome. She faced fewer enemies—only two monkeys—but these two were incredibly strong!
Both had white fur and wielded two katanas apiece, with elusive movements and excellent swordsmanship. They circled her in a flurry of slashes.
These monkeys weren't just agile—their swordsmanship could only be described as bizarre. They performed many techniques impossible for humans, often leaping to deliver two quick slashes. Just as Bella blocked those, they followed with a sweeping strike.