Looking at Mei sleeping on the bed with a faint smile still lingering on her face, Anya sighed and turned away. Calculating the time, the effects of the alcohol should be kicking in—he needed to act now.
As expected, exactly as anticipated, most of the ninjas scattered throughout the wedding venue had already collapsed unconscious. Master Gen, the ceremony's officiant, was slumped over the table completely passed out, letting out occasional drunken hiccups.
Anya's target was the snake-shaped wooden staff firmly clutched in Master Gen's hands. It had practically become his signature possession. More importantly, it held the power necessary to release the barrier around Kiri; there was no choice but to take it.
Even while drunk, Master Gen hadn't loosened his grip on that staff. Anya lit his scalpel with green chakra and tapped it twice lightly against the major artery in Master Gen's arm. Too easy—just like that, it was his.
The moment he seized the staff, Anya wasted no time. He grabbed the forehead protector from one of the fallen ninja nearby, slipped it onto his head, took the man's sword, and quickly sped toward Anbu headquarters.
Unknown to him, however, as soon as the snake-shaped staff had been taken, Master Gen—who had originally been fast asleep—suddenly shuddered violently. A glowing rune flickered across his forehead before his eyes shot open.
Returning to the familiar headquarters, the area still hadn't fully recovered from the recent chaos. Many Anbu were busily rushing about, casting fleeting glances at Anya. But upon noticing the snake-shaped staff in his hand, not a single soul dared approach him to ask questions. As the intelligence had stated, Master Gen's status was indeed far beyond the ordinary.
Without hesitation, Anya pressed forward deeper through the corridors unimpeded. When he finally reached a certain heavy door, he slammed the snake-shaped staff down hard onto the ground. Immediately, a barrier symbol flared up from the floor. With the glowing runes pulsing, the barrier instantly transported Anya further into the depths.
It was a space-time barrier—remarkably powerful. Anya realized just how formidable this snake-shaped staff really was. No wonder Master Gen never let go of it.
Looking around, he found himself inside an extremely wide stone chamber. In its center stood a raised platform, atop which rested a scroll surrounded by sealing techniques. Could it be...?
He could feel his heart pounding like war drums.
Just as he prepared to dash forward, a cold, eerie voice whispered beside his ear: "What ninja are you from Mist? Even carrying Master Gen's staff doesn't grant you permission to come here."
Anya didn't waste any words. His blade sliced through the air in a blur, unleashing the Phantom Sword Art.
This blade technique, capable of numbing the five senses, gave the speaker absolutely no chance to react—it was an immediate, decisive strike.
The attacker's hand remained frozen halfway toward his sword, disbelief etched across his expression before he crumpled lifelessly to the ground.
Regaining consciousness, Master Gen immediately checked his right hand—empty. Wobbling upright, he looked down at the sea of drunken Mist ninjas sprawled below him. Instantly, a terrible premonition gripped his heart.
Master Gen rushed urgently toward the newlyweds' room and called out, "Oub, hey there—you both in there?"
After shouting several times without receiving any response, all doubt vanished from Master Gen's mind. He pushed the door open without hesitation.
Inside, he saw Mei Terumi lying on the bed, caught in an illusion, still smiling idiotically. In one swift moment, Setsuna understood everything.
What a magnificent wedding it seemed to be — in reality, nothing more than a deception from start to finish. He had been utterly deceived by that man.
Looking at Terumi Mei lying on the bed, Master Gen's eyes flickered with a trace of compassion. He pondered whether he should dispel her illusion, finally sighing and saying, "Enough already, girl. You still need to know the truth eventually. Falsehood is falsehood — better to awaken sooner."
Master Gen stepped forward, channeling his chakra into a precise Tap on Terumi Mei's forehead.
Stimulated by this, Terumi Mei opened her eyes in confusion. In the illusion, she was just about to take the final step with her beloved — only to be interrupted unexpectedly. A deep sense of regret filled her heart.
"Huh? Master Gen, why are you here?" Terumi Mei's eyes finally focused as she recognized the figure before her. Looking around frantically, she suddenly became anxious: "Where's Oub?"
Master Gen sighed, "Ah, girl, you're usually not this slow. Or perhaps you've already figured it out but just don't want to admit it. Come with me. Since he took my staff, he must certainly be heading to that place."
A flicker of disbelief passed across Terumi Mei's eyes. Vaguely recalling Anya's words from before she fainted, her heart sank to rock bottom.
Having neutralized the guardian, Anya activated the Snake-shaped Wooden Staff with his chakra. The snake's eyes emitted red light. Under this light, the seal on the Raised Platform began flickering, ultimately disappearing like shattered glass.
Anya's heart leapt with joy. With a single bound, he jumped onto the platform and took the scroll stored there. Upon closer inspection, he saw White Fang's distinctive mark on the scroll. There was no doubt this was the mission White Fang had abandoned long ago. Finally, it was in his hands.
[Hiramekarei, Release!]
The ninja, who should have collapsed lifelessly only moments ago, suddenly stirred back to life. His blade transformed completely, releasing powerful jets of gas from the two circular vents of Hiramekarei. The entire weapon sparkled radiantly as massive chakra coalesced into a concentrated mass that erupted into energy spheres. These spheres unleashed powerful shockwaves that struck Anya from behind in a surprise attack, cutting off all possible escape routes.
As expected, Anya seemed prepared beforehand. Almost simultaneously, [Dance of the Blade] was unleashed. Dense flashes of sword lights attacked as if thousands of blades were striking together. Midway through the air, these energy spheres were cut apart one by one. The surging blade aura twisted directly into a spiraling energy field, retaliating against the attacker with its remaining momentum.
Without exception, the sharp blade aura predictably struck the opponent. In an instant, dozens of gashes slashed across his entire body.
Yet the man's face bore a smile. His body turned into water and immediately reassembled. Curiously, he asked, "It seems you already knew I wasn't dead. You were prepared from the start. Can you tell me why?"
Anya stared silently at the newcomer while rapidly calculating how to extricate himself. Actually, he had sensed immediately that this person wasn't dead. Having experienced war, he was most sensitive to the smell of blood. However, his objective had never been killing anyone.
Faced with Anya's silence, the man let out a loud laugh. "Fine. Since I can't get you to talk on your own, you might as well stop hiding. Come out."
Following his laughter, six figures slowly emerged from the shadows. One by one, they introduced themselves:
Dual swords Hiramekarei—Hozuki Kisaragi.
Cleaver Sword—Biwa Juzo.
Great sword Samehada—Fuguki Suikazan.
Long sword Semaken—Kushimaru Kuriarare.
Blunt sword Kabutowari—Jinin Akebino.
Exploding sword Hishaka—Jinnai Jinpachi.
Lightning Sword Raiga—Raiga Kurosuki.
The seven men stared at Anya with expressions ranging from cold indifference to amused curiosity, sharp scrutiny, and bloodthirsty hunger. In unison, they declared, "We are the Seven Swords of the Bloody Mist!"
The moment these seven appeared, Anya abandoned all hope of escape. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he'd face his master's legendary rivals tonight. Every hardship along the way had led to this moment. It was all worth it now that he'd obtained crucial intel. Now, the only thing standing between him and victory were these seven men. His eyes burned with icy killing intent, unrestrained. His grip on the blade tightened until veins bulged, and his Three-Comma Sharingan ignited with a fierce glow. Standing firm, sword raised, he let out his first battle cry of the night: "Let's settle this—no holding back!"
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
Want to read the subsequent content in advance?
Please follow my Patreon:patreon/Tansnovel
Tans Novel - The Fastest-Updating Naruto Fanfiction Account
Read 100+ chapters in advance, with at least 3 new chapters updated every day! More free chapters! 20+ Naruto fanfictions!
Just three steps:
1. Download and open the "Patreon" app
2. Search for "Tans Novel"
3. Click on the collection and enjoy to your heart's content
<><><><><><><><>