The ten-year-old raised his blade and slashed at him, but Fuguki blocked it with Samehada. Fuguki had no intention of fighting him to the death and said calmly, "There was no way out just now. Since he's still alive, let's go capture the Nine-Seed Lotus together. The three children can't have gotten far during the battle. If they run into Konoha reinforcements, three people have a better chance than one. Juzo!"
"Damn it! Fine, once you get the Nine-Seed Lotus back, I'll come settle things with you, you bastard! Hurry up!"
For the village's interests, Juzo decided to temporarily give up on dealing with Suikazan Fuguki. It was not because Juzo loved his village so much, but because the higher-ups lurking behind the Blood Mist had issued a death order: if the Nine-Seed Lotus could not be recovered, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist would disappear.
So, faced with life and death, Juzo still chose to fight for a while longer.
Akai, Genma, and the others fled desperately. Though they could constantly hear the sounds of a massive battle behind them, they understood that Akai's father was buying time for them with his life. Their hearts ached, but they could not stop and abandon their escape.
Might Guy's eyes filled with tears. As Akai shouted at his father, he ran away. "Dad... please come back alive, Dad..."
"Ah! Look ahead, there's a huge jumping toad! Could it be an enemy?" Ebisu asked anxiously.
Genma looked up and saw that a giant toad really was hopping toward them at incredible speed. He narrowed his eyes cautiously, then suddenly cried out in delight, "It's not an enemy! It's Lord Mirai! That giant jumping toad must be a summon! Guy, Uncle Duy might still be saved! Let's join Lord Mirai quickly!"
"Ah!