In less than ten minutes, two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had already fallen, leaving only five remaining.
The survivors were visibly shaken. Their will to fight had all but vanished, and their only thought was escape.
"Use the mist! Hide in the fog!" one of them shouted desperately.
But no matter how thick the Hidden Mist, it couldn't conceal them from hundreds of Shadow Clones.
The moment they broke through the haze, they froze in horror—dozens upon dozens of clones were waiting, forming an impenetrable wall.
Cold sweat dripped down the foreheads of the five swordsmen.
"Damn it… how can anyone summon so many Shadow Clones?"
"And every one of them is this strong?"
"When did Konoha produce such a terrifying young shinobi…?"
Jūzō Biwa clenched his sword tightly, his voice heavy.
"Konoha ninja, what's your name?"
Ryoma's expression remained calm.
"If you're captured, you'll naturally find out."
Without further words, he moved.
The wall of clones advanced in unison, their presence suffocating.
"Fight!" one of the swordsmen roared.
"Water Style: Water Bullet!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Water Style: Water Severing Wave!"
But before they could complete their jutsu, thick roots and vines erupted from the ground—Tree World!
The wooden tendrils coiled around them like snakes, binding and crushing in an instant.
"Ugh!"
One after another, they were subdued and immobilized, dangling helplessly like prey caught in a web.
When Ryoma returned, dragging five bound enemies like rice dumplings, the Konoha shinobi could only stare in stunned silence.
Especially Uchiha Mikoto—her heartbeat quickened as she looked at him. The moment Ryoma unleashed the Tree World, he had looked impossibly cool…
"Do you want to handle the interrogation?" Ryoma asked.
Mikoto shook her head, while Mebuki Haruno stepped forward hesitantly.
"Um… I can try."
Ryoma nodded.
"Good. Ask them why they came here. If they know where Terumi is, they might earn a chance to live. If they refuse to speak… their end will be far from painless."
"Yes, my lord!" Mebuki replied quickly.
She was already completely convinced of Ryoma's overwhelming strength. In the face of such absolute power, everything else became secondary.
Before Mebuki could approach, one of the bound men broke first.
"Sir! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"
Ryoma raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Fuguki Suikazan…"
He released the bindings around the massive swordsman, studying him with interest.
Immediately, another swordsman shouted furiously, "Fuguki, you traitor! You'll die for this!"
"Noisy."
Ryoma's gaze turned cold. The bindings tightened around the speaker with a sickening crack.
"Ugh!"
The man's scream was cut short—lifeless in moments.
Fuguki Suikazan shivered, terrified, and quickly continued.
"We came because we found traces of Terumi… but we couldn't pinpoint her exact location."
"Is that so? Then who can determine it?" Ryoma asked evenly.
"We can't give you the exact spot… but we know the general area. If you search there, you'll definitely find her!"
Ryoma nodded.
"Very well. You and Jūzō Biwa will guide us. Do that, and you'll live."
"Really? You're not lying to us?" Fuguki asked cautiously.
"Do I need to lie to you?" Ryoma replied flatly.
The other two bound swordsmen panicked.
"I'll guide you too!"
"Me as well!"
Ryoma's gaze sharpened.
"Too late. Your resolve came too late."
The vines constricted. Their muffled cries ended quickly, leaving behind silence.
Nearby, Guy and the other freshly graduated students paled at the sight. Under Mebuki's guidance, neither Kakashi nor Obito had been forced to kill yet—this was their first time witnessing death up close.
Their stomachs turned. They ran to the side, retching.
Even Mikoto frowned slightly. Ryoma's decisiveness bordered on ruthless.
But Mebuki quickly defended him.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen are infamous for their cruelty. In Kirigakure, children tremble at their name, and countless lives have already fallen to their blades. Perhaps even people you know. Do not measure such monsters with your own kindness. That would be foolish."
Her words silenced the students.
The freed Jūzō Biwa and Fuguki Suikazan exchanged nervous glances, shivering at the reminder.
Ryoma's voice remained calm.
"The two of you have struck a bargain. Lead us to Terumi, and I will keep my word."
"Alright… I believe in the honor of Konoha ninja," Jūzō said, though his voice trembled.
Ryoma smiled faintly.
"Do you really have a choice not to believe me?"
Just then, voices rang from the edge of the basin.
"Sensei! Where are you?"
Kakashi and Obito had finally arrived, panting after the battle.
"Over here," Ryoma replied.
Obito froze when he reached the edge of the basin. The cliffs were tens of meters high, and the sheer drop made him stumble back in fright.
Kakashi frowned, uneasy.
"How are we supposed to get down from here…?"
"Wait. I'll take care of it."
Ryoma stepped forward. With a flick of his hand, Wood Style surged to life. Towering wooden pillars rose from the ground, forming a ramp and platform. He ushered the others up first before leaping up himself with ease.
As for Jūzō Biwa and Fuguki Suikazan, they climbed on their own, silent but clearly resentful.
When Kakashi and Obito laid eyes on the two giant Mist shinobi, their jaws nearly dropped.
"They're with us," Ryoma explained casually. "Think of them as… tour guides."
Both swordsmen twitched in frustration, their faces dark. Tour guides?
They were the fearsome Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—now reduced to being treated like glorified escorts. With only two left standing, the title "seven" felt like mockery.
The bitterness in their hearts was unbearable.
Just then, a golden flash tore through the air.
"Huh? Did I arrive too late?"
The Yellow Flash of Konoha—Minato Namikaze—landed gracefully, scanning the aftermath.
Ryoma nodded.
"Late indeed, Minato. You said you were going to intercept Kirigakure's elite, yet somehow the Seven Ninja Swordsmen all showed up here."
Minato winced.
"Sorry… it seems we were misled."
"Forget it. More importantly, hurry and take Might Duy back to Konoha for treatment."
"Me? Personally?" Minato blinked, momentarily caught off guard. To act as a courier for an injured genin felt unusual, even beneath his station.
But then his gaze fell on the unconscious figure—Might Duy. A special case indeed.
Minato's expression hardened. He glanced at Jūzō and Fuguki before asking, "And what about them?"
"They're guiding us to Terumi. They know her whereabouts."
Minato leaned closer, lowering his voice to Ryoma.
"There's turmoil within Kirigakure. Find her quickly, and return as soon as possible."
"Understood."
"Then I'll go." With a single motion, Minato lifted Duy and vanished in a streak of golden light.
About a thousand meters away, Kisame Hoshigaki's broken body dragged itself across the earth. His lower half had been completely shattered by the recoil of Eight Gates: Evening Elephant.
His hands clawed desperately at the dirt, sweat pouring down his face.
"I… won't die… I can't die here!"
Ryoma hadn't expected Kisame's vitality to be this monstrous. Even after enduring a direct blow from the Eight Gates, the young shinobi had somehow survived—half-dead, but still crawling back toward the Mist.
...
Kirigakure – Mizukage's Office
The Third Mizukage sat in silence. His long black hair fell over his shoulders, his headdress gleamed faintly, and his eyes remained closed as though in constant meditation.
It had been he—not Yagura—who first enforced the brutal "Blood Mist" policy that plunged Kirigakure into darkness. Many in later generations would mistakenly believe it began under the Fourth Mizukage, but the truth stretched back further.
When Obito Uchiha was first saved by Madara, the Blood Mist had already become the law of the Hidden Mist.
Now, the Third Mizukage's calm expression faltered as he listened to the latest report.
"What did you say? The Seven Ninja Swordsmen have been destroyed?"
"Yes, Lord Mizukage," the kneeling ANBU confirmed.
"Was it the Sannin? Or Konoha's White Fang?"
"Neither, my lord. The culprit was a young shinobi with no recorded history… he wields the Wood Style of the First Hokage."
The Mizukage's lips pressed into a thin line.
"…Leave me."
"Yes, Lord Mizukage!"
The ANBU retreated, leaving the Mizukage alone.
That was when the floor rippled, and a figure emerged from the earth—half black, half white.
"Lord Mizukage," Zetsu's distorted voice slithered through the room.
"Have you given thought to our proposal? Align yourself with us, and not only will you earn the favor of the great Uchiha Madara… you will gain Isobu, the Three-Tails, as well."
"And," Zetsu added with a grin, "we'll lend you our power."
The Mizukage didn't move, his voice calm.
"Just you?"
Zetsu chuckled.
"Not just me…"
The walls and floors quivered. From every surface, pale figures emerged—hundreds of White Zetsu, crawling out like an endless tide.
...
TN:
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