Before long, shocking news reached Konoha—Kirigakure had been struck by divine retribution, with nearly half the village reduced to rubble.
The Hōzuki clan's territory was completely obliterated, scorched into a wasteland, leaving almost no survivors. Only Hōzuki Arashi, who had mastered the Hydrification Technique, managed to escape death by transforming into water at the last moment.
Originally, Kirigakure had been preparing for the next great shinobi war, but now, crippled by this disaster, they could only lick their wounds in silence. Before the war even began, they had effectively been knocked out of th game.
In just a short time, Kirigakure had suffered one calamity after another:
After the death of the Hagoromo clan head, Hagoromo Hyakusen was forced to take the blame for the Mist's military failures, leading to his clan being ostracized. The Hōzuki clan was nearly wiped out due to a failed summoning experiment, throwing Kirigakure's power balance into chaos. With the two strongest clans in ruins, the Yuki clan finally rose to the top, becoming Kirigakure's new leading clan.
The influence of Kekkei Genkai clans in Kirigakure plummeted to an all-time low, and public opinion shifted entirely in favor of the Third Mizukage's faction.
Seizing the opportunity, the Mizukage pushed forward the infamous "Bloody Mist" policy, claiming it was to train elite shinobi and cut costs—but in truth, it was a power grab.
On the surface, the policy seemed beneficial to Kekkei Genkai clans, but these were old, politically savvy families (except for the brutish Hagoromo). They saw through the Mizukage's scheme and resisted fiercely to protect their privileges.
Kirigakure's internal strife was far worse than Konoha's.
The Mizukage's faction clashed with the Kekkei Genkai clans. The clans themselves were constantly at odds. The Daimyo of the Land of Water further sowed discord, keeping the village locked in endless infighting.
With the Seven Ninja Swordsmen gone, the Yuki clan saw a chance to seize power. To strengthen their position, they sent envoys to Konoha with three demands:
Compensation for the destruction of Kirigakure. The return of their stolen swords (particularly Hiramekarei and others). The release of Yuki Yukino and other prisoners.
Negotiations in the Hokage's Office
"Lord Hokage, this is pure slander! I've been in Konoha the whole time—everyone can vouch for me. How could I possibly have blown up Kirigakure?"
Umino Yoru flatly denied any involvement in the incident.
"White Blood Demon, you set up that summoning trap! How dare you lie?!"
"Slander! This is slander! You blew yourselves up with your own experiments—don't pin this on me!"
Umino Yoru stuck to his alibi, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, knowing admitting guilt would trigger a diplomatic crisis, played along with the charade.
"Then at least return our swords!"
"What 'your swords'? I took those from pirates—they're my rightful spoils of war!"
"Pirates?! Those were clearly—!"
Yuki Kiyoshi cut himself off mid-sentence, realizing he couldn't admit the "pirates" were actually Kirigakure operatives.
Instead, he turned to Hiruzen, threatening all-out war if the swords weren't returned.
Seeing Hiruzen waver, Umino Yoru quickly interjected:
"Lord Hokage, my combat strength relies on my puppet armor, and the Kubikiribōchō (Executioner's Blade) is a perfect fit for it!"
"The Kubikiribōchō is non-negotiable!" Yuki Kiyoshi snapped. "At most, we'll let you keep Samehada."
(Seeing how Samehada had already bonded with Umino Yoru, he knew reclaiming it was hopeless.)
"Lord Hokage, these swords are my livelihood! I need them to complete S-rank missions and support my 300 clan members! If I give them up for free, how will my people survive?"
Realizing the swords would be returned regardless, Umino Yoru shifted tactics—demanding compensation.
The Truth About the Swords
Kubikiribōchō: Its blood-absorbing regeneration had been drained dry from overuse. Exploding Blade (Bakutō Kiba): A large chunk of its Yin Release chakra metal had been extracted, but most of the blade remained intact. Hiramekarei: Its chakra-amplifying seals had been copied—potentially allowing Konoha's puppets to rival Suna's Five-Colored Scroll Puppets. Thunder Blade (Raikiri): Surprisingly, it yielded no useful insights, proving less effective than electric eels for lightning training.
The Deal
Hiruzen, sympathetic to the Umino clan's struggles, proposed a compromise:
Yuki Kiyoshi would pay 120 million ryō to reclaim three swords. In exchange, Umino Yoru would receive "The Sword of the Thunder God" (Raijin no Ken)—Tobirama Senju's legendary lightning blade—to maintain his combat strength.
"White Blood Demon, what did you do to the Bakutō Kiba?! It's missing half its blade!"
"I used it too hard. It blew up on its own."
Yuki Kiyoshi actually believed him, further convinced Umino Yoru was responsible for Kirigakure's destruction.
(Unbeknownst to him, this was half-true—Umino Yoru had overused the blade's explosive properties.)
"If you don't want the swords back, we can cancel the deal?"
Umino Yoru pretended to reach for the Bakutō Kiba, but Yuki Kiyoshi refused. For him, this was about political influence—as long as the swords were functional, minor damage didn't matter.
In the end, Umino Yoru walked out of the Hokage's office feigning reluctance, carrying 120 million ryō and the Sword of the Thunder God.
The Power of the Thunder God's Blade
Back at home, Umino Yoru tested the new sword—and was stunned by its power.
"This… is far stronger than I expected!"