Evening Elephant... Six Steps

The dawn sun rose over the distant mountaintops, and many Konoha ninja looked up at it.

January 1st, Konoha Year 49, should have been a festive day.

Yet the 2,000 Konoha ninja who had arrived at White Bird City could not smile at all.

Uchiha Fugaku leaped onto a large tree and took in the miserable state of this city of death.

Holding the personnel roster, Uchiha Sanpo paused briefly when he saw Nohara Rin's name among the captured medical team.

His voice was cold as ice. "Reporting to Clan Head Fugaku: intelligence collection on the personnel inside the stronghold has been completed. We have confirmed 817 dead, 24 medical personnel captured, 20 missing, and 139 survivors, including 34 seriously wounded."

Uchiha Fugaku did not answer. His gaze fell upon a small corpse. The child had clutched a Konoha Headband tightly until death, his fingers already too stiff to pry apart.

The bloody claw marks on the city wall showed that they had futilely tried to climb over the high wall to escape.

Uchiha Sanpo sighed. "Sigh... It looks like these were civilian students who had graduated early. They had not even learned how to use chakra to climb walls."

Suddenly, Uchiha Ryuka appeared with a Body Flicker. "Reporting to the clan head! Hyuga Hiyori's body has been found... It appears that she chose suicide after her defeat."

Although Hyuga Hiyori was said to be the overall commander of the Kirigakure front, she was more of a joke. She commanded more than 3,000 Konoha ninja, 2,450 of whom were children under the age of twelve.

It could be said that she played a tragic role in this war, leading 3,000 child soldiers into battle against the bloodstained butchers of Kirigakure.

The Kirigakure battlefield was Uchiha Shisui's peak period. At eight years old, he awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and excelled at the Phantom Body Flicker Technique, earning himself the title of "Body Flicker Shisui." In terms of Dojutsu talent, he was an even more gifted man than Uchiha Itachi. Of course, that was only the public information. The truth was that Shisui might have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan at the age of nine.

(Uchiha Obito had gone to kill Itachi's teammates when Itachi was eight, forcibly driving him to awaken the Sharingan. It was very likely because Shisui had already awakened either the Three-Tomoe Sharingan or the Mangekyō Sharingan at eight or nine! Uchiha Shisui died at fourteen, so he must have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan sometime between the ages of eight and fourteen!)

Thinking of that mysterious child, Uchiha Sanpo calmly asked, "Any news of Shisui?"

"Some survivors said that he transferred to defend Nansha City a few days ago," Uchiha Ryuka replied.

A commotion suddenly erupted outside the tent. A Chunin whose face was covered in blood rushed in, carrying an unconscious little girl in his arms. "Please! She's still breathing!"

Hyuga Ikki beside him activated his Byakugan. His gaze swept over the kunai wound that had pierced through the girl's chest, then glanced at the scarce medical supplies remaining before he slowly closed his eyes.

"With a wound like this, she can't be saved unless Princess Tsunade is here."

Uchiha Fugaku was accustomed to death. He sighed softly. "Proceed according to the original plan. Ryuka, take 1,700 men and escort these survivors and bodies back to Konoha. The rest of us will take 300 men to Nansha City and pursue those Kirigakure ninja."

Uchiha Ryuka dropped to one knee, his headband gleaming coldly in the morning light. "Understood, Clan Head."

On Kirigakure's side, seven ninja swords of different shapes were stuck upside down between cracks in the rocks, their blades reflecting a dim blue firelight.

Jinin Akebino slammed a fist into the rock wall, sending gravel showering down.

He gritted his teeth. "I never expected attacking White Bird City to cost us more than 700 men!"

Biwa Juzo wrapped bandages around the Kubikiribōchō. "I heard Konoha has signed a peace treaty with Kumogakure. These men withdrew from the Kumogakure battlefield. Their main force consists of clans like the Ino-Shika-Cho and the Inuzuka Clan, so it's only natural that they're stronger."

Suikazan Fuguki's fat face twisted. "The Land of Fire really is rich. A few days ago, we looted more than thirty billion ryo from Bear City. But we only got a little over ten billion from White Bird City, and we lost more than 700 men. This war feels like a losing deal."

Munashi Jinpachi said solemnly, "If we had not captured twenty-four Konoha medical ninja in White Bird City, the Fourth Mizukage would definitely blame us for losing more than 700 ninja."

Suikazan Fuguki's small eyes shifted as he said, "I heard Uchiha Fugaku defeated Iwagakure. The war should end soon. Once it does, we may never get another chance to loot. I suggest we raid Nansha City before the war ends. What do you think? We can conservatively take more than twenty billion ryo!"

Raiga Kurosuki gave a sinister smile. "We can raid Nansha City, but we need a good battle plan."

Kushimaru Kuriarare stroked his chin. "I have a proposal. Seal the Three-Tails inside one of the Konoha medical ninja, then release them near Nansha City. With the village's sealing techniques, the Three-Tails will break free on its own within half a day. Konoha's ninja will have to fight the Three-Tails, while we take the chance to loot. Our casualties will definitely be much lower."

Jinin Akebino considered it briefly. "I agree with Kushimaru Kuriarare's plan. If we submit it to the Fourth Mizukage, he should agree as well!"

Raiga Kurosuki looked over the Ninja World map. "Sealing the Three-Tails and transporting it near Nansha City will take around twelve hours. Why don't we go deep into the Land of Fire and stir up some trouble to draw Konoha's attention? That way, when our main force attacks Nansha City, we'll face much less resistance."

Suikazan Fuguki, who loved money, immediately shouted, "I agree!"

The older Jinin Akebino made the decision decisively. "Good. In one hour, we'll go deep into the Land of Fire and cause chaos, dispersing Konoha's forces. We can also kill some Konoha ninja along the way and weaken Konoha's strength."

If you can't find the book by searching its title, try searching for the author instead. It may have simply been renamed!

Within the Land of Fire, thirteen-year-old Might Guy, Shiranui Genma, and Ebisu watched their breaths condense into white frost in the cold air.

"Damn it... How did we run into... the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist... these monsters..." Ebisu's hand holding his kunai trembled uncontrollably.

Seven dark figures slowly emerged from the mist.

Jinin Akebino raised the Kabutowari. "Konoha brats, your blood will be the offering for my blade."

At that moment, a green figure crashed into the center of the battlefield like a meteor, cracking the ground beneath his feet.

Might Guy's eyes widened as he stared at that familiar back clad in a green jumpsuit.

"Father, you're only a Genin. Why did you come here?!"

Might Duy did not turn around, but he gave him a thumbs-up. His expression was more serious than ever. "Guy! Take your companions and retreat immediately!"

Ebisu clenched the toothpick in his mouth. "Uncle Duy, they're the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist! We can't beat them, so run!"

"Ebisu, never underestimate a father's determination to protect his child. Now, let me show you the true power of a father!"

(During the Fourth Ninja World War, Might Guy was only thirty-one when he opened the Gate of Death in the Eight Inner Gates. Might Duy was now around thirty-five, having trained in the Eight Inner Gates for over four more years than Might Guy. His true combat strength was formidable. However, he only knew taijutsu and could not use ninjutsu, which was why he had been judged a perpetual Genin.)

(It was precisely because Might Duy had fought to the death and reduced the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist to the Lucky Trio that Konoha later opened a path to Jonin for specialists like Might Guy, who only excelled at taijutsu. Otherwise, Might Guy could only have remained a Genin for his entire life. It could be said that Might Duy used his life to pave Might Guy's path to becoming a Jonin!)

Might Duy clenched both fists, his gaze as firm as iron, and charged at the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist with the determination to die.

Eight Inner Gates Formation... Eighth Gate: Gate of Death, open!

Eight Inner Gates Formation: Gate of Death, open!

Blood-red steam erupted into the sky. Might Duy's skin began to crack as Kushimaru Kuriarare's Nuibari struck first.

Evening Elephant... One Step!

Might Duy's fist punched through the air, creating a vacuum shockwave. The Nuibari was knocked aside the instant it touched the shockwave, which then struck Kushimaru Kuriarare and crushed his chest inward.

Might Guy was dragged backward by Genma, but he could not stop himself from looking back.

He saw his father's figure weaving through the encirclement of seven legendary ninja swords, every punch carrying the force to split mountains and shatter rocks.

Tears blurred Might Guy's vision. "Dad's techniques... were actually this powerful... He isn't the... useless Genin everyone said he was..."

Evening Elephant... Two Steps!

Another shockwave struck Kushimaru Kuriarare, instantly crushing him into a pile of mangled flesh.

Evening Elephant... Three Steps!

Seeing that things were going badly, Suikazan Fuguki immediately controlled his hair to protect himself. Even so, the shockwave sent him flying far away.

Evening Elephant... Four Steps!

Munashi Jinpachi had wanted to save him, but before the Blastsword could even explode, he was blasted away. He crashed through seven large trees before stopping, spat out a mouthful of blood, and collapsed to the ground without moving.

Seeing that things were going badly, Biwa Juzo and Raiga Kurosuki immediately used Water Body Flicker to flee.

Jinin Akebino was the slowest of the seven. He knew he could not escape.

So he charged in the opposite direction and shouted, "Kirigakure has real men who are not afraid of death too!"

"I respect your courage... but this is... my youth... Evening Elephant... Five Steps... Six Steps..."

Might Duy looked toward the direction Might Guy was fleeing, and their gazes seemed to meet across the distance.

"Guy, your father's life is coming to an end. You'll have to walk the road ahead on your own... Guy, you will always be your father's pride..."

Might Duy raised his clenched right hand across the distance... just as he always did... and gave a thumbs-up!

Tears streamed down Might Guy's face... He returned his father's gesture... and raised his own thumb!

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