"Detected raw materials for Bloodline Gene Agents containing Boil Release and Lava Release. The host can activate them by consuming 30,000 units of Life Energy. The production cycle is 100 days. An additional input of 200 units of Life Energy can shorten the production time by one day."
Kimimaro did not absorb the Life Energy needed for activation from Mei Terumī.
For now, she remained unaware of the potential uses of her bloodline, and it was better to keep it that way. Discretion was key.
"Boil Release, Lava Release... still no Lightning-nature kekkei genkai," Kimimaro muttered to himself. "Does that mean I'll have to make a trip to the Hidden Cloud?"
The more Bloodline Gene Agents he used, the more he sensed that something greater lay ahead if he gathered all elemental kekkei genkai. A transformation, perhaps—one not yet understood.
But traveling to Kumogakure wouldn't guarantee success. Lightning Release-based kekkei genkai were rare even there. The only clearly identified one in his memory was Storm Release—a known fusion of Water and Lightning. There was also Swift Release, featured in The Will of Fire movie, which might contain Lightning-nature properties, but its canon legitimacy was questionable.
Ideally, he'd extract both from Hiruko, that rogue shinobi who appeared later in the timeline. Unfortunately, there were no traces of him yet—his emergence was still years away, likely during the buildup to the Fourth Great Ninja War.
After parting ways with Mei Terumī, Kimimaro reunited with Suigetsu Hōzuki at the outskirts of the Hidden Mist Village.
"Kimimaro! I got three of the Seven Ninja Swords!" Suigetsu's grin stretched wide. "Quick, give me Hiramekarei—I want to seal them all together. You wouldn't believe how Ranmaru performed! With his Magnet Release and the Thunder Sword: Kiba, he was unstoppable!"
Kimimaro shrugged. "I gave Hiramekarei to someone else."
Suigetsu froze. "You're kidding, right? That's Hiramekarei! One of the best among the Seven! Who'd you give it to?!"
"You're forming a new generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, aren't you? There's no need for you to hoard all the swords. Better they're wielded by someone worthy."
"Still, they should be approved by me!"
"Don't worry—it's someone approved by the future Mizukage."
"…Future Mizukage? Wait, what do you mean?"
Kimimaro laid out the situation to Suigetsu, who listened intently.
Suigetsu scratched his chin. "So you've allied with Mei Terumī now? That's not a bad move. I've heard the clan elders say she's ambitious and strong, but up to now, we've had no real connection with her."
"Well, now you do. She's agreed to help form the new Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and she's even willing to train you to become Mizukage. Suigetsu, someday, I'll need you to hold real power in the Land of Water. You haven't forgotten our long-term objective, have you?"
"Of course not. I've always preferred fighting over politics—but since it's for the plan, I'll do whatever you need." Suigetsu suddenly narrowed his eyes, smirking. "Wait... 'Older Sister Mei'? Don't tell me you and her… Hah! Man, you're really something!"
"Let's not talk about that," Kimimaro said flatly. "You need to return to the Hōzuki Clan and convince the clan head to back Mei Terumī—quietly."
"Consider it done. The old man's in a great mood with me lately. Ever since I awakened Ice Release, he treats me like I'm some kind of reincarnated ancestor. He even wanted me to build ties with Mei, and now he's hinting that I should aim for the Mizukage position someday."
"Then our interests align."
Kimimaro gestured to the scroll Suigetsu was carrying.
"Let me see those three swords."
With a flick of his wrist, Suigetsu unsealed the scroll, revealing the Longsword: Nuibari, the Blunt Sword: Kabutowari, and the Blast Sword: Shibuki—three of the Seven legendary blades, now reunited.
After Kimimaro carefully examined the three swords, his expression turned skeptical.
"Are you sure these three swords aren't just some kind of filler?"
In his previous life, when he had read the manga, the most information available was about the Executioner's Blade (Kubikiribōchō), Samehada, and Hiramekarei. The others had sparse appearances or were expanded upon more in supplementary materials like the databooks or anime. He hadn't studied them in much detail.
The Longsword: Nuibari was essentially a giant needle with a reel of steel wire. Its ability to pierce multiple enemies and stitch them together was undeniably unique and gave it solid crowd-control potential. Still, Kimimaro frowned.
"This is a giant sewing needle... how is this considered a sword?"
He remembered how he once mocked The Thunder Swords: Kiba, saying they looked like oversized forks. Now, he almost felt like apologizing to Kiba for the comparison.
Then there was The Blunt Sword: Kabutowari—an axe and hammer pair meant to crush any defense.
"Calling this a sword is just wrong," Kimimaro muttered. "You're supposed to cut, not play blacksmith mid-battle. Hit with the axe, then slam the hammer to 'break through armor'? That's not swordsmanship. That's overkill."
Of the three, The Blast Sword: Shibuki looked the most sword-like. One side of its blade was normal, but the other was covered in exploding tags that continuously regenerated from the scroll embedded in its hilt. It was designed for large-scale area attacks.
"Alright, that one's not bad," Kimimaro admitted. "But if all it does is explode… well, Konan had six hundred billion explosive tags. She didn't need a sword for it."
He sighed. His interest in the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist plummeted.
Compared to these weapons, the Executioner's Blade—notorious for its self-healing ability by absorbing iron from its victims' blood—actually seemed the most practical.
Hiramekarei, though strangely shaped, was undeniably versatile, able to change form based on the wielder's chakra.
Samehada wasn't even a proper sword anymore—it was a sentient weapon that devoured chakra and could even reject wielders it didn't like.
"Only the Executioner's Blade looks like an actual sword that's just been upgraded with special effects," Kimimaro muttered.
At this point, he fully supported Suigetsu Hozuki's decision to just stick with the Executioner's Blade.
"The others are... just too awkward to use."
Sure, its offensive ability was relatively simple, but its ability to regenerate and restore stamina made it very suitable for drawn-out battles.
"Have you decided who to give these three swords to?" Kimimaro asked.
"I haven't found the right people yet," Suigetsu replied. "But that subordinate of yours—Yomaru—he's promising. Once he hits Jonin level, I think Nuibari would suit him."
Kimimaro raised an eyebrow.
"Don't try to push too much of this onto me. Yomaru's fine, and Ranmaru already has the Thunder Swords: Kiba. But we can't just fill the group with guys from the Land of Vegetables. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist still represent Kirigakure to the outside world, at least for now. A few should come from the Land of Water."
"Alright, I'll keep searching. Worst case, I'll seal the swords away for now. When we're ready to reveal ourselves on the bigger stage, the Seven Swordsmen can act as our vanguard."
"You're not concerned the title doesn't belong to the Hidden Mist anymore?"
"Why would I care?" Suigetsu scoffed.
Indeed, Suigetsu Hozuki had never shown a strong attachment to Kirigakure. Though he hailed from the prestigious Hozuki Clan and was descended from the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hozuki, he had always preferred to roam free. In the original timeline, he never even wore a Hidden Mist forehead protector after leaving Orochimaru's lab.
Following Kimimaro's suggestion, Suigetsu returned to his clan in secret and held a private conversation with the clan head.
Not long after, rumors began circulating: the genius of the Hozuki Clan, Suigetsu Hozuki, was seeking successors for three of the Seven Ninja Swords. The goal? Reassemble the legendary group.
This new generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, it was said, would serve and support the next Mizukage.
As for who that candidate might be, the Hozuki Clan kept their stance vague.
Still, the news was enough. Sword-loving ninja in Kirigakure began to stir, each one trying to track down Suigetsu Hozuki to prove themselves worthy.
Kimimaro may have dismissed these three swords, but to others, they still carried the legacy—and the power—of the Bloody Mist.
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