The Seven Ninja Swordsmen

"Senior Toda, take Pakura and the others and retreat first!"

"Kirigakure sent too many elites this time—continuing to fight will only cause needless casualties. I'll cover you!" Souya said, helping Pakura down from the Gold Cloud as he addressed the middle-aged ninja.

"My Magnet Release is all wide-area jutsu. If you stay here, you'll just get caught in the crossfire." Seeing Toda's hesitant expression, Souya added.

Pakura looked at Souya—his nose was straight, his eyes bright and dark, his handsome face carrying a resolute air, and under the sunlight, a youthful vitality radiated from him.

A faint blush crept onto Pakura's face, but as a veteran tempered by war, she quickly composed herself.

She spoke: "We'll wait for you at the defensive fortifications behind. Don't push yourself too hard—if things get tough, retreat first. We'll fight as we fall back, and reinforcements are already on the way!"

Souya nodded, clearly agreeing with Pakura's words.

Seeing this, Toda made a snap decision. He reached into the ninja tool pouch on his back and pulled out a bamboo tube, palm-sized, its surface a dull yellow, looking like it had been soaked in oil for a long time.

After injecting chakra into it, a spark shot from the tube's tail, launching into the sky.

Then with a bang, it burst open, scattering red powder mist in all directions.

The Sunagakure ninjas on the battlefield saw the signal and stopped fighting to the death, pulling back from the engagement.

This intention, of course, did not escape the notice of the Kirigakure ninjas.

Suikazan Fuguki roared: "These Suna bastards are trying to run—tie them down!"

His hands flipped rapidly, forming one seal after another.

"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"

Spiraling currents of water condensed and swirled around Suikazan Fuguki, and in an instant, a torrent of water surged forth.

Like a river bursting its banks, a wave over ten meters high crashed down with a rumbling roar, bearing down on Souya and the others.

"Earth Style: Earth Style Wall!"

Souya slammed his hands onto the ground, and a massive earthen wall rose up, lifting the three of them onto its crest.

Boom!

The water slammed violently into the earth wall, but fortunately, the wall's hardness was reliable enough that it didn't collapse in an embarrassing scene.

But other Sunagakure ninjas weren't so lucky. Without strong Earth Style jutsu to defend themselves, they were instantly swallowed by the current, their bodies tumbling in the raging flow.

Since the terrain was open, the wave carried over a dozen Suna ninjas hundreds of meters before gradually dispersing.

All that remained on the washed ground were layers of muddy puddles and the unconscious Suna ninjas.

Souya dispersed the chakra in the earth wall, and the towering structure crumbled, the three of them jumping back to the ground.

Toda and Pakura hurried to the side and rear to check if the unconscious Suna ninjas could still be saved.

Souya stayed where he was, facing Suikazan Fuguki and Kushimaru Kuriarare.

Suikazan Fuguki sneered: "What's this? Not running with them? Staying behind to die?"

Kushimaru Kuriarare said nothing, only letting out a strange cry before his figure vanished from the spot.

Souya didn't hesitate. He slammed his hands onto the ground again.

The gold rod behind him had long been thrust into the earth, and after unsealing, it had been steadily absorbing and converting large amounts of gold sand. The quantity of gold sand directly determined the power of Souya's jutsu.

"Gold Dust Prison Flow!"

The large area in front of Souya suddenly sank, forming a massive sand vortex!

As the sand vortex churned, vast amounts of gold sand surged forth. Kushimaru Kuriarare's figure reappeared from where he had vanished—he had already closed in to within three meters of Souya.

But now his feet were tightly bound by two streams of gold sand, restraining his movement and dragging him slowly downward.

The same scene played out on Suikazan Fuguki's side, but his face showed no panic, only some surprise.

He pulled out the massive sword from his back and slashed downward with force.

With a tearing sound, gold sand flew into the air.

The sword, wrapped in bandages, revealed its ferocious form.

A deep blue blade, covered in barbs, with a large mouth full of sharp teeth splitting open at the tip.

The solid gold sand seemed to turn to clay before it, and the sand binding Suikazan Fuguki was easily swept aside by Samehada.

Souya naturally knew Samehada's peculiarities. His eyes remained calm as his hand seals shifted.

Just as Kushimaru Kuriarare used Nuibari to sever the gold sand, Souya's jutsu was ready. He clapped his hands together sharply.

"Sand Burial!"

A deep fissure suddenly split open beneath where Kushimaru Kuriarare and Suikazan Fuguki stood.

The two dropped into the chasm instantly, but as seasoned combatants, they reacted quickly—jamming their swords into the earthen walls beside them to brace themselves.

But Souya's methods didn't end there. He clenched his right fist, and the earthen walls where the two had lodged their swords shattered, and from the breach, a flood of gold sand poured out, cascading into the deep crevice, intent on washing them down into the depths and burying them completely!

Kushimaru Kuriarare and Suikazan Fuguki felt as if they had all their strength but nowhere to use it, forced to let themselves fall into the chasm.

After all, this was their first encounter with Souya, and they were unfamiliar with his tactics—a moment of carelessness had plunged them into danger.

"Gold Waterfall Great Burial!"

The massive amounts of gold sand pouring from both sides of the fissure rapidly buried the two men. Souya formed hand seals, then crouched and slapped the ground.

Boom!

The ground shook violently!

But through the gold sand, Souya couldn't sense the two being crushed into pulp, so they were most likely still alive.

Just as Souya prepared to take further measures, a silver lightning bolt suddenly crashed down from above him.

"Hahaha!"

"Those two wastes actually got taken out by some no-name Sunagakure ninja!"

"How ridiculous!"

The gold sand beneath Souya's feet abruptly shot upward, forming a gleaming golden umbrella above his head that deflected the lightning bolt.

Souya narrowed his eyes. To his right front, another Kirigakure ninja had appeared.

This ninja had long green hair, thick eyebrows, and sharp teeth. His upper body was wrapped in bandages, covered by a black vest.

The newcomer was another member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen: Raiga Kurosuki!

He held a short sword with two prongs in each hand, the blades crackling with silver electric currents.

Though Raiga let out a wild laugh, his face was full of caution.

The two Thunder Blades clashed together, sending out two silver Lightning Balls the size of heads, streaking toward Souya like arcs of silver light.