Hozuki Clan territory.
This was the Inner Circle, the core of the Hozuki Clan territory, where many elders and the Clan Head resided. Patrol teams operated day and night, ensuring absolute security.
At this moment, in a wooden house within the Inner Circle, two white-haired elders were kneeling on mats, with a table in front of them and hot tea still steaming.
The younger elder clenched his fist, his face grim, and said in a deep voice.
"News from the front line: the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist's plan failed, and four Ninja Swords were lost again. We need to summon them."
"Don't worry."
The older-looking elder raised his teacup and offered it to the other, saying unhurriedly.
"No matter what, the summoning scroll for the Ninja Swords is still in our Hozuki Clan's hands. I heard four people died this time, so those four Ninja Swords can just be recovered and given to that child, Mangetsu, first."
"...That's true."
Hearing the Great Elder say this, the Second Elder's expression softened slightly. After taking a sip of tea, he was about to say something when a sudden roar from outside interrupted their conversation.
"Hm?!"
Both their expressions changed immediately. They simultaneously stood up and walked outside, seeing smoke rising from the Hidden Mist Village. Moreover, roars and thick smoke continued to erupt from other places.
Seeing this, the two became serious. After exchanging glances, they walked out.
With the Mizukage and the heads of various clans absent, it was up to them, the elders, to guard the rear and ensure the Village's safety.
Just after they left the Hozuki Clan territory, they didn't notice that all the major Hidden Mist clan strongholds and landmark buildings had been attacked, while their own Hōzuki stronghold remained normal...
Soon after they left, the Hōzuki stronghold behind them also experienced an anomaly, but they were no longer aware of it...
"Uh..."
At this moment, in the Inner Circle, a three-person patrol team passed by an alley. Two of them instantly fell, and the last one had his neck sliced by a sudden burst of sharp spikes, collapsing without even a sound.
"Good. The two strongest people here have left. Let's hurry."
Ren swung the Samehada in his hand twice and nodded to the two beside him.
Those two people should be the elders of the Hozuki Clan. From the looks of it, they were attracted by the commotion outside.
This was an unexpected surprise. Without those two, their operation could proceed much more smoothly.
"Mm. X2"
Pakura and Ryufeng, behind him, put away their swords and continued to advance with Ren.
They didn't bother to deal with the bodies behind them, so they were quickly discovered. Shouts of "Enemy attack!" instantly echoed throughout the Hōzuki stronghold.
But now the entire Hidden Mist Village was in temporary chaos. The Hidden Mist Anbu were almost driven mad, with no time to pay attention to them. After receiving the news, the Anbu commander only sent two Anbu squads to help, as they were the strongest clan in the Hidden Mist Village, and face still had to be given.
At this moment, the three had completely exposed their whereabouts. At every intersection, they encountered Hōzuki Clan members trying to encircle and intercept them, but their strength was truly abysmal.
Most were led by Chunin, and occasionally a Jonin would be met. Under the combined attack of the three, they couldn't last more than a few breaths. Not long after, they stopped in front of a large wooden house.
"Quite a few people."
Looking at the dozens of Hōzuki Clan members standing in front of the wooden house, Ren raised an eyebrow, looked at the Samehada in his hand, and asked.
"Is it in here, Samehada?"
The hilt of Samehada bent again, swaying up and down twice. Ren immediately understood its meaning and turned to the two beside him, speaking quickly.
"I'll clear the way, you two cover me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Ren instantly charged out. Pakura and Ryufeng followed from both sides, two steps behind him. Looking from above, they formed a triangle, with Ren at the core, charging forward!
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
Ren put Samehada behind his back and began to form hand signs. Then, with a puff and release of his cheeks, a high-pressure stream of water shot out, sweeping horizontally towards the Hōzuki Clan members in front.
"Hmph."
Seeing this, all the Hōzuki Clan members showed a hint of mockery and disdain on their faces. They stood their ground without dodging, watching as Ren's high-pressure water stream cut them in half at the waist, separating their upper and lower bodies.
"The Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Jutsu, how interesting."
Ren stopped his Water Release, looking at the Hōzuki people whose lower halves had turned into puddles in the distance, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"You three dare to invade our Hozuki Clan? You're truly overestimating yourselves."
A Hōzuki Jonin propped himself up with his hands, mocking their ignorance while beginning to gather the water on the ground to restore his body.
Suddenly, he saw Ren in the distance pull out two familiar-looking long swords from his cloak, then thrust them into the ground, revealing a slight smile towards them.
"Those are..."
After a brief silence, a sharp-eyed Hōzuki Clan member quickly recognized the two swords and exclaimed in surprise.
"Lightning Blade Kiba!"
At these words, all the Hōzuki Clan members' expressions instantly changed dramatically, and they began scrambling to gather water and restore their forms.
Their bodies were immune to physical attacks, but they were uniquely vulnerable to Lightning Release Ninjutsu. What the opponent intended to do by taking out this Ninja Sword was already self-evident.
Although they gathered quickly, they were still a step slower than the prepared Ren. As lightning flashed on the Lightning Blade, Chakra surged wildly into Ren's body. He slightly parted his lips and softly shouted.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Gate!"
Powerful electricity spread out, and the ground around the Lightning Blade instantly shattered. The electricity, empowered by Chakra, shot into the sky and entered the thick clouds, transforming into lightning and striking down again in a blink of an eye.
The Hōzuki people on the ground hadn't reacted yet when they felt their entire bodies instantly paralyzed. Powerful lightning coursed around them through the still-not-fully-condensed water on the ground. All their consciousness instantly dissipated, unable to even let out a scream, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
When the attack ended, all the Hōzuki Clan members below had fallen to the ground, most with their eyes tightly closed, unconscious. A small number of stronger ones still retained a sliver of consciousness, but they had also lost the power to resist, only able to watch as Ren and the two others stepped over them and entered the wooden house.
As soon as they entered, two figures darted out from the doorway, attacking the three. Pakura and Ryufeng, who were by his side, immediately drew their swords to meet them. Ren didn't pay attention to this but instead focused his gaze on the high platform in the center of the wooden house, where a scroll the size of a palm lay quietly.
"A barrier?"
Ren felt that familiar fluctuation as soon as he entered the house, but a Sealing Jutsu of this level wouldn't last long.
Ren quickly approached the barrier, then rapidly formed hand signs. After a few seals, Ren's right hand was enveloped in a blue Chakra glow and pressed onto the barrier.
"Break!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the barrier in front of him immediately trembled, then shattered like fragile glass.
This kind of barrier also belonged to the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu, and coincidentally, Ren also knew it.