Chapter 165 - 60: The End of the Sand Bandits Era
Kawashima Tsumi, a master of both ninja and samurai arts, had distinct advantages and disadvantages. Against equally skilled ninjas, he relied on his samurai swordsmanship; against equally skilled samurai, he used ninja techniques. His ability to switch seamlessly between the two made him a formidable and unpredictable opponent.
However, the downside of mastering both disciplines was the lack of specialization in either. Reaching Kawashima's level of proficiency was already rare, but against top-tier experts, he stood no chance. (Hatake Sakumo doesn't count—his swordsmanship leans more towards ninja taijutsu and lacks the samurai's iai techniques. Yamashita Tetsu, however, could barely qualify as one.)
Jinghang'sMagnet Release was the ultimate nemesis of all samurai. No matter how skilled they were, they still relied on their swords. A samurai without a blade was like a tiger without claws—strong but powerless.
The battle's outcome was straightforward. Jinghang used the simplest technique, Iron Sand: Drizzle, to launch continuous attacks against Kawashima Tsumi. The latter could only rely on Earth Release jutsu to defend desperately, with little chance to counterattack.
The dense and rapid iron sand pelted the earth walls like bullets from a machine gun, causing chunks of the defensive structure to crumble. The iron sand seemed endless, and its relentless assault ensured that Kawashima Tsumi's defenses would eventually collapse.
"Jinghang, you're no hero! Dare to... duel me with swords!"
Originally intending to challenge Jinghang to a one-on-one fight, Kawashima Tsumi realized no one else was interfering and instead proposed a sword duel.
"What did he say?" Jinghang asked Yamashita Tetsu, who stood nearby.
Yamashita shrugged. "Not sure, but it sounded like he was cursing you."