The Ninja Way of Youth, Persevere!

Though it was not the first time he had seen it, Tōka was still shocked by the power of the Eight Inner Gates.

Might Duy had only opened the seventh gate—the Gate of Wonder.

He had used just one move.

Just an ordinary straight punch.

Yet Sunagakure Shinobi's ace Puppet Unit, hidden in the shadows, had been completely wiped out!

Everyone stared dumbfoundedly at Might Duy, who seemed like a war god descending upon the battlefield.

Was this really the green-skinned, watermelon-headed uncle they knew, Might Duy?

That kind of strength, and he was actually a genin?

Should Chunin like them buy a block of tofu and smash their heads into it?

After instantly killing over a hundred Puppet Masters from the Puppet Unit, Might Duy did not release the Eight Inner Gates.

He slowly turned around and looked at the utterly bewildered Tōka.

"Tōka, do me a favor!"

"Help me pass a message on to Gai."

Hearing that, an ominous feeling surged up from the depths of Tōka's heart, and he snapped awake in an instant.

He stared blankly at Might Duy, opening his mouth only to find that he could not speak.

"Tell Gai..."

A buzzing filled Tōka's ears.

He did not want to hear Might Duy's voice.

He hoped Might Duy would tell Gai himself.

Yet Tōka clearly understood Might Duy's lip movements and remembered them.

As Might Duy's words fell, he raised his left hand, clenched it into a fist, and held up his thumb.

The tip of his thumb pressed against his chest, over his heart.

"The eighth gate, Gate of Death, open!!"

All the chakra in his body poured frantically into the acupoint of the Gate of Death, then flooded back through his entire body.

A faint Blood Mist seeped from the pores of Might Duy's skin, making him look like a red-skinned man clad in blood.

A tyrannical aura erupted with a bang. Even the slightest movement carried an unstoppable force!

Bang!

Might Duy tapped the ground with his toes, and the earth shook violently.

Then!

A blood-red figure shot into the sky, transforming into a streak of light that flew straight toward the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist's battlefield in the east.

Boom!!

Only after the blood-red shadow vanished did the enormous shockwave explode with terrifying force.

Centered around where Might Duy had departed, black spiderweb-like cracks spread outward, growing thicker and thicker.

Crack...

The hard ground shattered, rocks flew everywhere, and dust drifted into the air.

Rumble!!!

The ground caved in, and the rocks crumbled to powder.

A pitch-black crater dozens of meters wide and unfathomably deep appeared before everyone's eyes.

Still reeling in shock, Tōka gritted his teeth, turned, and raced after Might Duy.

"Damn it, deciding something like that all by yourself..."

Within the dense forest, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were battling more than a hundred Konoha jonin.

The earth had shattered, and the forest had been uprooted.

The ground looked as though it had been plowed over by a bulldozer, devastated beyond recognition.

Discarded ninja tools and corpses lay everywhere in the forest.

Blood gathered along the uneven ground, eventually forming pools of crimson.

Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga stood back to back, drenched in sweat as they warily watched the figures before them.

Munashi Jinpachi, who liked tying up his long beard and wore a black eyepatch, was cruel and cold-blooded. He was the wielder of Exploding Blade Shibuki.

Kushimaru Kuriarare had a lion-like mane and wore a mask that completely covered his face. He was the wielder of Nuibari.

The two were known as the Ruthless Duo. Their natures were extraordinarily brutal, and their ninja blades had been stained with countless lives.

"As expected of the Hyuga Clan!" Munashi Jinpachi grinned and praised them sincerely.

"How about we take their Byakugan?" Kushimaru Kuriarare suggested.

"Not a bad idea." Munashi Jinpachi nodded, seeming eager to try.

Hyuga Hiashi's face had turned dark. Thirty percent of it was from excessive chakra consumption, while seventy percent was from anger at their words.

Hizashi Hyuga, meanwhile, had resolved to protect Hyuga Hiashi with everything he had.

As a member of the branch family, even if Hizashi Hyuga lost, his Byakugan would not fall into the enemy's hands.

Hyuga Hiashi was different. As a member of the Main Family, his Byakugan would not be destroyed.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had made their objective obvious: the Ruthless Duo would serve as the main attackers against the Hyuga brothers, while the others assisted by holding back the Konoha jonin.

They wanted to take down the commander of the unit as quickly as possible.

Konoha's goal was equally clear: surround them and stall for time.

Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga would not fall anytime soon. With their secret Rotation technique, the two had no blind spots in their defense.

Moreover, they could cooperate with each other, so the Ruthless Duo could not defeat the Hyuga brothers quickly.

"It's about time. Tell everyone to prepare to break through." Hizashi Hyuga was not in good condition, and he made the suggestion in a low voice.

Hyuga Hiashi raised his head and looked westward. The veins around his Byakugan bulged grotesquely.

His vision extended infinitely into the distance, and he saw the retreating unit...

"Not good, the retreating unit has been ambushed!" Hyuga Hiashi's expression darkened as he spoke hoarsely.

"What? How is that possible?" Hizashi Hyuga's heart tightened, and he quickly activated his Byakugan.

"However, the battle seems to be over already."

Hyuga Hiashi suppressed the doubts in his heart and refocused on Munashi Jinpachi and Kushimaru Kuriarare.

Suddenly!

Buzz!! Even the air wailed, as if the heavens themselves were roaring in fury.

A powerful aura swept through the sky from the western horizon.

A blood-red figure suddenly descended onto the battlefield and threw a punch through the air. Its terrifying force struck the atmosphere.

The air formed a white pillar that came crashing down.

Pfft!!

Under everyone's astonished gazes, the pure-white pillar landed directly between Munashi Jinpachi and Kushimaru Kuriarare.

Like a Miracle Site.

Everything in the pillar's path was reduced to nothing.

The left half of Munashi Jinpachi's body and the right half of Kushimaru Kuriarare's body vanished in a bizarre instant.

Their remaining halves were drenched in blood as they stood there stiffly in terror.

The light faded from their eyes. They had already lost all signs of life.

"Who?" Hyuga Hiashi's face paled in shock. He had never felt such fear, not even when facing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

"Are you Might Duy?" Hizashi Hyuga had sharp eyes and recognized Might Duy at once beneath the blood-red vapor.

Might Duy mechanically twisted his neck and looked at the Hyuga brothers with his pupil-less eyes.

"There's still time..."

Whoosh!!

Might Duy stomped the ground again and launched himself away with the rebound.

His blood-red body shot forward like a meteor chasing the moon. He was so fast that everyone only saw a red shadow flash before their eyes.

Their eyes could not keep up with Might Duy's speed at all.

"Aaargh!!"

"Evening Elephant!"

Veins writhed along Might Duy's neck like worms as his blood surged madly, and then he began throwing punch after punch with savage force.

Bang bang bang!!

Five heavy punches blasted out in succession, the white pillars of air resembling high-density compressed cannons.

A terrifying shockwave swept through the entire forest!

Everyone had only just witnessed Might Duy instantly kill Munashi Jinpachi and Kushimaru Kuriarare.

Now, seeing the same move unleashed again, the remaining five of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were terrified out of their wits.

"Not good, dodge!"

Jūzō Biwa's pupils suddenly contracted as he tried to use the Body Flicker Technique to evade.

But Might Duy's attack was even faster!

Pfft pfft pfft!!

Several dull impacts rang out in succession, and all five remaining members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were struck.

Aside from Jūzō Biwa, who reacted fastest and used the Body Flicker Technique to avoid a fatal wound, and Suikazan Fuguki, who raised Samehada before himself and did not take Evening Elephant head-on—

Everyone else was instantly killed by that single move!

Bodies were blasted into mangled fragments, flesh and blood smeared everywhere in a gruesome sight.

Even the Konoha jonin, long accustomed to death, felt nausea rise in their chests at the sight.

Jūzō Biwa and Suikazan Fuguki, the two lucky survivors, had avoided fatal blows, but neither was in good shape.

One of Jūzō Biwa's arms had been torn off at the shoulder. If he had not dodged in advance, it would have been his neck that was severed.

Suikazan Fuguki, meanwhile, was sent flying while clutching Samehada. He crashed through more than ten trees before barely coming to a stop.

His pig-like obese body slammed viciously into the last tree, bending backward like a bow before he fell heavily to the ground.

"Urgh, pfft!!" Still shaken, Suikazan Fuguki opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with bits of flesh.

The piercing pain in his chest told him that at least three of his ribs had broken!

Moreover, Samehada in his hands seemed to have lost its usual vitality, becoming weak and lifeless.

Jūzō Biwa glanced at the states of the others and was instantly scared out of his wits.

"Cough..." Blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, and the urge to retreat had already appeared in his eyes.

Blood streamed over the body carrying the great blade, while the intense pain in his shoulder told Jūzō Biwa that everything that had just happened was real.

The moment the Body Flicker Technique brought him to the ground, Jūzō Biwa stepped onto a tree trunk, leaving behind a deep footprint.

Then he used the force to leap away, plunging headfirst into the nearby woods.

"Trying to run? Not that easily!" Veins bulged across Might Duy's forehead. Even moving a finger felt unbearably painful.

But he could not fall yet!

Feeling the chakra in his body rapidly running dry, Might Duy gritted his teeth and gave chase.

A red flash streaked past as he pursued with all his might.

Seeing this, Suikazan Fuguki's eyes flashed with wild delight.

In his view, Jūzō Biwa, being pursued by that red-glowing monster, was undoubtedly doomed.

But if he faced pursuit from the Konoha jonin, there might still be a sliver of hope.

The thought flashed through his mind, and Suikazan Fuguki gripped Samehada, endured the agonizing pain in his chest, turned, and plunged into the forest.

The utterly stunned Hyuga Hiashi finally came back to his senses at that moment.

Might Duy had instantly killed five members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist in succession?! And the remaining two were one severely injured and one crippled!

Was such a thing really something a human could accomplish?

The same thought arose in everyone's hearts: Might Duy was too strong!

"Hizashi, gather the corpses and the five ninja blades. I'll take people to pursue Suikazan Fuguki!"

As soon as Hyuga Hiashi finished speaking, he gave Hizashi Hyuga no time to react.

With a wave of his hand, more than ten Hyuga Clan ninja and several lightly injured Konoha ninja quickly gathered around him.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!

Several black shadows suddenly darted out, chasing after Suikazan Fuguki and vanishing into the depths of the forest.

As for Might Duy's side, Hyuga Hiashi did not send anyone to help because he was completely awestruck by the man's strength.

A powerful warrior like that did not need them interfering blindly.

Hyuga Hiashi believed that if Might Duy wanted to kill Jūzō Biwa, there was no way the man could escape!

Not long after, Tōka, who had been pursuing Might Duy, also arrived at the battlefield.

Looking at the devastated battlefield, Tōka's heart instead calmed down.

The Konoha ninja had already begun cleaning up the battlefield. Some gathered corpses, while others treated the wounded.

At that moment, Hizashi Hyuga, who had noticed Tōka long ago, walked over.

"How is the forward unit?"

Hizashi Hyuga knew that the Chunin unit had been attacked, so when he saw Tōka here, he assumed Tōka had come to deliver a report.

"There were considerable casualties, but the battle is over." Tōka answered simply.

He did not want to waste words with Hizashi Hyuga. After looking around and failing to spot Might Duy, he continued, "Where is Might Duy?"

"He went after Jūzō Biwa. Did you come here chasing after Might Duy?" Only then did Hizashi Hyuga notice that Tōka's clothes were clean, unlike someone who had gone through an intense battle.

"Which direction?" Tōka pressed.

"Over there..." Hizashi Hyuga had just raised his hand and pointed in the direction Might Duy had gone, but he did not have time to say another word.

Tōka's figure flashed past, and he leaped onto a branch to chase after him.

Hizashi Hyuga frowned slightly. He had wanted to learn the details of the Chunin unit ahead, but now he could only send someone else over.

Tōka was not slow. At full speed, he was definitely faster than a Chunin.

But Might Duy had opened the Eight Inner Gates Formation. His speed was so great that even the eye could not keep up.

Tōka could only rely on chakra sensing to search for Might Duy's direction.

Racing through the sea of trees at high speed again and again undoubtedly consumed an enormous amount of stamina, focus, and chakra.

Bzzzz!!

A violent, powerful shockwave came from the forest ahead.

Tōka's pupils suddenly contracted. "There!!"

Whoosh!!

Tōka, leaping through the air, took a deep breath. His body abruptly sank, then he landed heavily on a branch.

The arm-thick branch bent beneath his weight, then suddenly sprang back.

Tōka's body shot forward like a cannonball.

About twenty li to the northeast.

A pitch-black corpse, as though it had been burned to a crisp, lay there. Visible cracks mottled every inch of its skin.

Deep within those cracks, mangled flesh and organs could be clearly seen.

The lifeless Might Duy lay there silently, his body looking as if it had been burned to ash by raging flames again and again.

"Strong as a monster!" Jūzō Biwa was drenched in sweat, blood and perspiration mixed together.

The severed wound on his shoulder had been casually wrapped with a strip of cloth, making him look utterly miserable.

For a ninja of Jūzō Biwa's level, as long as he had not suffered a fatal wound, his vitality was more than tenacious enough.

In other words, barring any accidents, he would not die.

"Finally dead. That attack just now..." Jūzō Biwa slowly let out a breath as waves of weakness swept through his limbs.

His face was deathly pale, whether from excessive blood loss or from his taut nerves suddenly relaxing.

A low, chilling wind passed through the woods. Tree shadows swayed, and the strange trees around them seemed like ghosts watching over the ruined forest.

Without question, Jūzō Biwa had survived.

The only survivor among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Staying alive was the greatest victory.

Joining forces with the Sunagakure Shinobi to destroy Konoha's supply lines?

Jūzō Biwa spat darkly. The mission had failed; the outcome of returning was easy to imagine.

A bunch of idiots!! Konoha had someone as monstrously strong as that, and he was only a Genin?

Even if all of Kirigakure moved here, they still would not be able to destroy them!

He could not return to the village. That left only one choice.

Jūzō Biwa's gaze narrowed slightly. He had already made his decision.

Just as he picked up his forehead protector...

The branch not far away shook. A half-grown little runt suddenly appeared, then jumped down.

"A Konoha brat?" Jūzō Biwa's hand paused as he stared warily at Tōka.

He was in terrible condition and did not dare act rashly.

But it was not because he lacked the confidence to deal with a mere Genin. Jūzō Biwa needed to confirm that the other side truly was only a Genin!

"Brat, are you here to hunt me down?" Jūzō Biwa demanded coldly.

Tōka's gaze remained fixed on Might Duy's corpse, and he showed no reaction to Jūzō Biwa's shout.

An indescribable glimmer passed through his dark eyes, and no one knew what he was thinking.

It had nothing to do with whether it was worth it, or even whether it was important.

Might Duy had upheld his own ninja way. For a man who had made his resolve, any tears would be an insult to him.

Tōka's face remained expressionless, though his lips were pressed tightly together.

"I'll take it from here!"

A gust of wind swept up the dust from the ground... (To be continued)