With the escort party's return, word of what they had seen in Kirigakure soon spread throughout Konoha.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?"
Ninja discussed them in streets and alleys across the village.
"That's right! The seven strongest ninja in Kirigakure!"
"There are seven of them? Just how strong are they?"
"They say any one of them could conquer and slaughter a small country. If all seven showed up, even the Five Great Villages would struggle to stop them."
"You're joking. How is that possible?"
"Why wouldn't it be? Remember that person from a while back?"
"Who?"
"The Ghost Princess!"
The ninja who had asked grew solemn. The incident was taboo in the village. The Ghost Princess had humiliated Konoha so badly that discussing either her or what had happened was forbidden. But that did nothing to stop rumors from spreading among the ninja.
People loved gossip.
Lowering his voice, the ninja asked, "What about her?"
"She's Yura, the Mist Demon Princess, captain of Team Seven's Ninjutsu and Ninja Tool Development Unit. She commands three Jinchuriki, wields the Nuibari, and may well become the next Second Mizukage."
Tobirama had deliberately allowed his subordinates to spread this information through the village. He wanted Konoha's arrogant ninja to learn a little humility.
"And she fought Lord Hokage. She survived and walked away unharmed."
"Hiss..." The Konoha Ninja gathered outside the tavern drew sharp breaths.
"You probably haven't heard this," another ninja added. "Rumor has it that the Ghost Princess ranked first in the Anbu's Assassination Handbook. They paid dearly for going after her. An elite squad of four Jonin was wiped out when they encountered her. The only one left, a cripple from the Hyuga Clan, was thrown back into the village as a provocation."
"And after that, the Ghost Princess