Red-Eyed Ranmaru

What was going on?

Raiga Kurosuki was stunned.

At his level of strength, ordinary Illusionary Techniques no longer had any effect on him. Only advanced ones could.

Could it be...

He suddenly remembered a technique—the Second Hokage's Mirage. That was an advanced Illusionary Technique.

"Lord Raiga, watch out behind you!"

Ranmaru cried out.

He had sensed Hozuki Mangetsu's Chakra.

Too late!

Hōzuki Mangetsu sneered. He had already reached the mountaintop.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

It was one of Kirigakure's signature techniques, a high-level Water Release jutsu that most jonin with a water affinity could use.

Crash!

A huge wave surged toward Raiga Kurosuki.

Hōzuki Mangetsu had already claimed the high ground. The water plunged down from the summit, instantly swallowing Raiga Kurosuki and the others.

Was it over?

Looking down at the vast sea below, Hōzuki Mangetsu strained his eyes and spotted Raiga Kurosuki floating on the surface.

The Great Waterfall Technique was an A-rank jutsu. Hit head-on, even one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen would need quite some time to recover.

As Hōzuki Mangetsu reached out to turn Raiga Kurosuki over, a crackling sound suddenly came from his body.

Lightning Clone Technique!

Hōzuki Mangetsu was startled. Just as he was about to retreat, a thunderous boom rang out, and thick smoke blanketed the area.

Hahaha!

Raiga Kurosuki suddenly appeared on the other side.

As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, he had used the Lightning Clone Technique just as the flood hit, attaching several Explosive Tags to the clone to catch his powerful foe off guard.

"Lord Raiga, he's still alive!"

Ranmaru cried out again.

The water rippled, and a human figure slowly rose from its surface, gradually taking Hōzuki Mangetsu's shape.

Hydrification Technique!

Raiga Kurosuki muttered in frustration.

Physical attacks were useless against the Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique.

But Lightning Release still worked.

Raiga Kurosuki snorted, raised the Thunder Blades Kiba in both hands, and charged.

Summoning Technique!

A strange weapon appeared in Hōzuki Mangetsu's hands: a blade in his left hand, a hammer in his right, and an iron chain connecting them.

Kabutowari!

A sharp blade capable of piercing any physical defense.

Raiga Kurosuki immediately recognized the weapon.

It was one of the Seven Ninja Swords.

The last time Raiga Kurosuki had seen Kabutowari was more than ten years ago, when the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were hunting three Konoha Genin and encountered a strange man.

That strange man had opened the Eight Inner Gates, a Taijutsu secret technique, and in one battle had reduced the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to just three.

So this sword had also ended up in Hozuki Mangetsu's hands.

Raiga Kurosuki immediately abandoned any thought of fighting Hozuki Mangetsu at close range.

In close combat, the Thunder Blades Kiba were no match for Kabutowari.

"Ninja Art: Thunder Blade Tornado!"

Raiga Kurosuki began to spin.

This was another of his powerful techniques. The two blades summoned lightning as he spun, creating a tornado that attacked his enemy.

"Ninja Art: Thunder Blade Tornado!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu began to spin too.

He was also skilled in using the Thunder Blades, and he was an expert in Lightning Release.

Crackle!

After a whirlwind of lightning, the two sides leapt apart.

Raiga Kurosuki panted heavily.

Only then did he remember that Hozuki Mangetsu was also an expert in Lightning Release, skilled in using all Seven Ninja Swords, and wielding the hardest blade of all, Kabutowari.

Raiga Kurosuki had fallen into a disadvantage.

"Raiga Kurosuki!"

Seeing that the time was right, Hōzuki Mangetsu said, "Hand over the Thunder Blades and the child behind you, and I'll spare your life!"

He hadn't come here to kill anyone.

Hahahaha!

Raiga Kurosuki suddenly threw his head back and laughed. He clashed his blades together and said, "The Thunder Blades and Ranmaru are the reason I'm alive. Now you're taking both from me. What reason do I have to keep living? We'll die together!"

He roared, raised both blades high, and linked them to the lightning in the sky.

This is bad!

Hōzuki Mangetsu's expression suddenly changed.

He recognized Raiga Kurosuki's strongest technique: Heaven-Splitting Lightning Snake.

First, hundreds of tiny snakes wrapped in lightning raced toward the enemy at incredible speed, delivering hundreds of shocks with a high chance of killing them. After electrocuting their target, the snakes transformed into hundreds of slender lightning swords, stabbing from every direction to ensure the enemy wouldn't survive the initial lightning strike.

More importantly, the technique could be used to replenish energy.

Although Hōzuki Mangetsu knew the technique too, he needed the Thunder Blades to use it.

"Summoning Technique!"

Hiramekarei!

Hōzuki Mangetsu immediately brought out his signature weapon, the twin-bladed Hiramekarei, a Ninja Sword with tremendous explosive power.

Ninja Art: Hiramekarei Release!

Hōzuki Mangetsu shouted as a huge sphere of Chakra shot out from the hollow in Hiramekarei.

It was an exceptionally powerful weapon. Chojuro had once used it to knock Sasuke's Susanoo flying.

The Chakra sphere struck Raiga Kurosuki as he gathered power, separating him from Ranmaru on his back.

Ranmaru!

Raiga Kurosuki cried out in despair, powerless to help.

Using Heaven-Splitting Lightning Snake had left him nearly drained. He had meant to replenish his energy with the technique, but Hōzuki Mangetsu's Hiramekarei had ruined his plan.

What is the meaning of my life?

He murmured as he watched lightning flash through the dark clouds.

Perhaps a funeral would suit me better!

With that thought, Raiga Kurosuki suddenly summoned all his remaining strength and called down the lightning.

Countless bolts were drawn to his body by the Thunder Blades, and one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen fell just like that.

In his final moments, he had held a funeral for himself in the lightning. At least he hadn't brought shame to his name.

So it still ended this way!

Hōzuki Mangetsu put away the Thunder Blades and shook his head slightly.

In the original anime, Raiga Kurosuki had been a tragic figure. He had lost himself in killing and carrying out missions, unable to understand why he existed, and in the end died as he believed he should.

Hōzuki Mangetsu had gotten here first, but he still hadn't managed to change that outcome.

Thinking it over, perhaps this was Raiga Kurosuki's way of freeing himself. For a killing machine raised during the Bloody Mist Era, death was his only escape.

After putting away the three Ninja Swords, Hōzuki Mangetsu looked toward a bundle nearby.

Ranmaru!

The boy seemed to have only passed out.

As long as Granny Sansho could successfully develop the Curry of Life, Ranmaru would recover.

Red Eye!

Thinking of this incredible kekkei genkai, Hōzuki Mangetsu felt a surge of excitement.

These eyes combined the Byakugan's perception with the Sharingan's hypnotic abilities, and they also came with an Illusionary Technique of their own.

More importantly, these eyes could counter the Byakugan's and Sharingan's perceptive abilities. With them, Hōzuki Mangetsu would be able to face the Sharingan and Byakugan with ease.