"Ahem, please wait a moment, sir. I'll inform them right away." Senju Yura spoke calmly. As if to show sincerity, he sheathed his weapons and cautiously asked, "Acceptable?"
Sure enough, when someone acted like a hooligan, you had to calmly discuss physics with them.
Having grown accustomed to being a hero in the One-Punch Man world, Jordan had dealt mostly with bizarre monsters or ruthless bounty hunters. Those types required little conversation. One punch and done.
This experience was genuinely novel.
The power of discourse in action.
Seeing the Senju guard wouldn't continue thuggish behavior but instead try reasoning, Jordan had no objection. He nodded in agreement.
Senju Yura immediately gathered chakra and used Body Flicker Technique to retreat into camp. The withdrawal was faster than lightning, definitely Kage-level speed.
Feet hitting ground, Senju Yura gasped for breath. As his mind relaxed, sudden exhaustion surged. He nearly collapsed.
Seeing Yura's pale face, a group of Senju ninjas rushed forward to support him, questions overlapping.
"Yura, are you alright?"
"What happened?"
"Who's that person outside?"
Flowing chakra soothed his physical discomfort. Senju Yura quickly pushed through the crowd. "Don't worry about me. Everyone move aside—I have something important to report to the clan leader!"
In a flash, his figure vanished.
The group of Senju ninjas looked at each other, whispering about whether they should investigate outside the camp themselves.
Several veterans began arguing about this. Eventually, an older elite veteran stepped forward and overruled the others. "Didn't Yura say he'd report to the clan leader? Veteran teams maintain vigilance in all directions. Let the clan leader decide the rest!"
Clan chief's tent.
Senju Butsuma tapped rhythmically on his chair's armrest, listening to his cousin—whom he'd personally promoted—report on previous events.
The two Senju elders stood on either side. After listening to Yura's report, they exchanged glances.
"The stranger said he has important information?"
That simple?
"Elders, what do you think?"
"Yura, you may leave." Senju Shin pondered a moment before speaking. "Clan Chief, judging from Yura's description, since that person possesses such strength, he probably wouldn't make a special trip just to toy with our Senju clan. Why not meet him?"
"Clan Chief, Elder Shin." Elder Senju Teru, slightly younger but already over forty, frowned. "We cannot confirm the newcomer's identity. The information he speaks of is unverified. If he's using tricks from those Uchiha bastards..."
The two held differing opinions.
The young Senju Butsuma made his decision.
"Enough. No matter what, the other party is just one person." Senju Butsuma sneered. "Since he has courage to appear at our camp alone, does our Senju clan lack the courage to match him? Elder Shin, have Yura bring him over!"
"I'd like to see what important intelligence he can deliver!"
Senju Shin accepted the order and left.
Senju Butsuma and Uchiha Tajima were mortal enemies. They'd fought each other on battlefields when young. When they grew up, each assumed their clan leadership. Their hostile relationship remained unchanged.
If they had anything in common, it was definitely arrogance.
At young ages, they already ranked first in their respective clans in strength. Their clans were the only two top-tier forces in the ninja world. Their backgrounds and growth paths were comparable to male protagonists in fantasy novels. Naturally, they possessed arrogance commensurate with their status.
Following Elder Shin's instructions, Senju Yura immediately teleported outside the camp.
He felt today was the fastest he'd ever run in his life. He'd never moved this quickly even when ambushed by Uchiha during previous missions.
Arriving at the location, the tall, handsome stranger stood with hands in pockets, leisurely enjoying the surrounding scenery. Senju Yura breathed a sigh of relief and stopped at a safe distance. "Sir, please follow me. The clan chief has agreed to meet with you."
He'd originally intended to say: "According to rules, please surrender your weapons for safekeeping."
But remembering the horrifying scene witnessed earlier, and seeing no way the man could carry dangerous metal weapons like ninja swords or shuriken, he swallowed the words.
Why risk his life?
It was all work-related. Nothing to be ashamed of.
Senju Yura led the way. Jordan Evans nodded and followed.
Upon entering the Senju camp, pairs of eyes secretly watched Jordan before quickly shifting away.
Despite great curiosity about events outside camp, the Senju ninjas displayed disciplined nature and quickly redirected attention.
The strong deserved respect.
Besides, this person was specifically requested by the clan chief. Offending him and ruining important plans might bring serious trouble.
There were no fools among descendants of great ninja clans. These ninjas were all shrewd.
Senju Yura: Cough, what about me?
"Your Excellency, the chieftain's tent is just ahead. I'll stop here."
After the guard finished speaking, Jordan looked up at the central command tent, clearly taller than surrounding structures.
Two middle-aged ninjas in military uniforms stood on either side of the entrance. One had a kind face and nodded slightly to Jordan. The other wore a serious expression, full of vigilance and alertness.
Both exuded chakra reactions far exceeding ordinary ninjas, indicating their status and strength were incomparable to the young ninja who'd led the way. They must be high-ranking figures in the current Senju generation, geniuses of the clan in their youth.
Senju Shin, whose attitude was slightly more lenient, stepped aside and raised his hand in invitation. "Please enter, Your Excellency. The clan leader awaits."
Jordan nodded in return. "Thank you for your trouble."
He naturally reciprocated politeness.
Following the two Senju elders into the tent, Jordan saw a long-haired man who looked remarkably like Hashirama Senju sitting in the center seat.
Regular features, cold and stern expression, chakra heavy as a mountain. He sat upright with legs spread wide, exuding a chilling aura of war.
Senju Butsuma's presence directed at Jordan was undoubtedly meant as warning.
However, Jordan—locked onto by this pressure—wasn't bothered at all. His biomagnetic field casually neutralized the opponent's probing aura.
As for counterattacking...
Jordan was too preoccupied with Senju Butsuma's appearance and the family resemblance to his future son. For the moment, he wasn't particularly aggressive.
Like father, like son indeed.
Senju Butsuma: ???