Chapter 49: The Appearance of Ringo Ameyuri
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were not merely symbols of Kirigakure's top combat power—they represented a rare and noble honor.
Those who became members of the Seven generally came from two categories. The first were heirs of legacy—those born into clans that had previously held the title, possessing inherited knowledge of the sword's unique training methods.
The most well-known of such clans was the Hozuki Clan, who retained techniques for wielding all seven blades.
That was why, throughout history, the Hozuki had always had at least one member among the Seven Swordsmen.
The second type were pure prodigies—shinobi with an innate affinity for a particular sword.
Each of the seven swords had its own personality, distinctive traits, and combat style. Only those born with a natural resonance could truly master them.
Though this selection was declared open to all, the first two criteria alone had already disqualified more than half the hopefuls before the trials even began.
Those remaining were all capable ninjas in their own right, with well-developed combat techniques.
For such shinobi, taking up an unfamiliar weapon and reshaping their entire fighting style was a risk, even a potential weakness.
Thus, the Seven Swordsmen selection was ultimately seeking only a very small number of exceptional individuals.
At the center of the vast training grounds stood four of the legendary blades—Explosion Blade: Shibuki, Blunt Blade: Kabutowari, Long Blade: Stitch, and Lightning Blade: Kiba—each displayed on a special rack.
Several Hozuki Clan shinobi stood beside the rack, assigned to oversee the preliminary testing.
Behind them, five ornate seats had been placed in a row.
The center seat was already occupied—by Chojuro, the wielder of the Twin Swords Hiramekarei.
Feeling the weight of countless gazes fixed on him, the naturally timid Chojuro shifted awkwardly, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks.
"The rules have already been explained," one of the supervising Hozuki jonin announced in a cold, steady tone. "Each of you may choose only one sword to test with. If you fail, you lose your chance—there will be no second attempt."
"All instructions have been made clear. Begin!"
The moment his voice fell, four figures shot out from the crowd.
They exchanged brief glances before each selected one of the displayed swords.
Once all four had chosen, the Hozuki jonin clapped his hands softly.
In the blink of an eye, four Hozuki shinobi appeared before the challengers, each facing one opponent.
"Begin," the jonin ordered coolly.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Four clashes erupted simultaneously, sharp bursts of sound echoing across the training field as steel struck steel.
Kirigakure had always been a place where strength decided everything. If one wished to claim a sword, they had to prove they were worthy of it.
The Hozuki challengers were not overwhelmingly powerful—each was only at the level of an elite chūnin—but their deep understanding of the swords' nature gave them a decisive edge.
The matches served not only to gauge strength but to reveal whether a participant was truly compatible with the chosen blade—or possessed the instinct and talent to master it.
As for cheating—such a thing was nearly impossible. The battles were fought under the eyes of hundreds of watching shinobi. None would tolerate deceit here.
The fights were short. Within moments, the clattering sound of fallen weapons echoed across the arena.
Almost simultaneously, four crisp voices rang out: "Unqualified!"
The Hozuki jonin showed no surprise. He nodded faintly and turned toward the crowd. "Next!"
Following the early failures, the once lively atmosphere of the crowd began to cool.
It was becoming clear to everyone that this selection was far from as simple as it had seemed.
Right after picking up a sword, they were thrown into combat—without a moment to adapt. Most of the participants couldn't even adjust to the weapon before being defeated.
As time passed, the words "Unqualified!" echoed repeatedly across the training field. Occasionally, a rare "Qualified!" broke the monotony, but such moments were few and fleeting.
So far, only five candidates had passed the initial test, yet all were later defeated by Chojuro himself.
Without the approval of the Twin Swords Hiramekarei's wielder, none could earn a place among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
It wasn't that Chojuro's test was impossibly difficult—rather, the competitors simply weren't strong enough.
Even among the onlookers, expressions grew grim.
Had the strength of Kirigakure fallen this low?
One shinobi, from the family of the previous wielder of the Long Blade: Stitch, had nearly injured himself on the sword's steel wire during his match.
If even a descendant of a former swordsman could not control the blade, how could Chojuro possibly approve him?
And that case wasn't unique—several others had performed just as poorly.
Among the crowd, in a less noticeable corner, a young girl tugged lightly at Ringo Ameyuri's sleeve and whispered, "Sister, I think you're much stronger than any of them. Why don't you go up there?"
Ringo Ameyuri smiled faintly and stroked the girl's head. She only had one chance—there would be no second attempt. That was why she had been observing Chojuro carefully since the beginning, studying his movements and timing.
Now, she had seen enough.
"Haruna, just wait and watch. Soon your sister's name will echo through all of Kirigakure!"
Ringo laughed and patted Haruna's head. Despite Haruna's pout, she turned on her heel and leapt gracefully onto the training field.
One of the Hozuki jonin glanced at her briefly, then looked away, unimpressed.
Ringo paid it no mind. She walked straight to the weapon rack and took up the Lightning Blade: Kiba. Holding one sword in each hand, she clashed them together—sparks of lightning arcing between the twin blades.
Her appearance caused a stir among the crowd. Ringo Ameyuri was well-known throughout the village—a true prodigy of the Mist.
Naturally, her presence drew nearly every gaze in the arena.
A Hozuki chūnin stepped forward to face her and gave a small nod.
"Forgive me," he said politely.
Ringo crouched slightly, her stance fluid and focused—then she shot forward like a streak of lightning.
As the twin blades collided, currents of pure electricity coursed through them, wrapping her in a veil of thunder.
The Hozuki's expression shifted instantly—her movements were too refined, too familiar with the Kiba blades. He barely dodged and drew a kunai, preparing to counter.
The injuries Ringo had once suffered in her duel with Kurosuki Raiga had not been in vain. Through that battle, she had learned everything about the Lightning Blade's properties and combat rhythm.
Clenching both hands tightly, she guided the lightning from the swords into her own body. In the next instant, her speed spiked sharply—within a heartbeat, she was standing right before her opponent.
The tip of Kiba's blade hovered just centimeters from his throat.
Cold sweat ran down the Hozuki chūnin's forehead as he stammered, "Q–Qualified!"
The crowd erupted. For the first time that day, a challenger had ended the fight in an instant.
"She's amazing! No wonder Lord Kurosuki Raiga lost to that big sister!"
The exclamation came from beside Haruna. She turned her head—and saw that, at some point, a boy half a head shorter than her had appeared at her side, staring wide-eyed at the arena.
(End of Chapter)
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