The Demon Surrenders

Soon, Hōzuki Mangetsu and Zabuza appeared in Kirigakure.

This time, Zabuza made no attempt to hide his blade. He displayed it openly.

Compared to that useless broken blade, this long sword was far better suited to Zabuza, who excelled at the Silent Killing Technique.

The Silent Killing Technique combined with a long sword that appeared and vanished without warning was an absolute nightmare.

With the long sword at his side, the jungle would be Zabuza's domain. His strength could definitely reach the Quasi-Shadow level.

The long sword had returned to Kirigakure, and Zabuza had joined the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. The two developments sent shockwaves through the village.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen had long been a group in name only. Now, only Kareifugu and Samehada remained in the village. The return of the long sword once again stirred people's longing for the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

Of course, some people were secretly grinding their teeth over it—Suikazan Fuguki, for one.

Zabuza had obtained the long sword, which had already left Fuguki feeling displeased. Then, when he'd egged Kisame on to take it, only for Hōzuki Mangetsu to thwart them, Fuguki had grown even more unhappy.

He'd originally planned to take it back in secret, but Zabuza had now revealed the sword openly. That meant he was no longer on Fuguki's side.

"Fuguki!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu strode forward with a cold laugh. "By the rules, Zabuza has already earned my approval. As long as he also earns yours, he'll become the long sword's owner. If someone takes it from him openly, then he simply wasn't skilled enough to master it. But you ordered your subordinates to gang up on Zabuza, breaking the rules of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. What do you think should be done about that?"

He'd come here specifically to challenge Suikazan Fuguki.

Fuguki had incited Kisame and a group of subordinates to attack Zabuza. That was a violation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's rules, something Kirigakure couldn't tolerate—especially not the village's civilian ninja.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were the highest goal for these civilian ninja. They would never allow anyone to break the rules.

Fuguki's subordinates were all civilian ninja. He absolutely couldn't let this incident break their trust.

"What?"

His expression turned cold. "Kisame, how dare you break the rules of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"

Kisame Hoshigaki was taken aback. "Sir, this..."

Fuguki suddenly slapped Kisame across the face and snapped, "You've disappointed me! Get out of here before you embarrass yourself any further!"

A murderous glint flashed in Kisame's eyes.

He had indeed tried to take Zabuza's long sword on Fuguki's orders. Besides, Kisame had coveted a place among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen himself.

He and Zabuza were evenly matched, so to be safe, he'd brought along a whole squad of Anbu.

Fuguki had ordered all of it. Yet now that the truth had come out, he was the first to throw Kisame under the bus.

You bastard!

Kisame wanted nothing more than to kill him and drain Fuguki of his Chakra, but he knew the time wasn't right.

"Sorry, Lord Fuguki!"

Kisame lowered his head. The Anbu soon seized him.

Only then did Suikazan Fuguki smile.

"Mangetsu, there's been a lot going on lately. I must've gotten muddled from all the work."

He turned his gaze to Zabuza.

"Congratulations, Zabuza. Since Mangetsu trusts you so much, I'll make the best of things and give you my blessing. From now on, the long sword is yours."

Zabuza's expression didn't change. He simply said, "Thank you."

He knew Fuguki had no choice, so he felt no gratitude.

After all that was done, Suikazan Fuguki took his leave.

"Little Hozuki!"

Terumi Mei swayed over to him.

"Well done. Seeing that bastard Suikazan Fuguki get his comeuppance makes me feel so much better."

She eyed Zabuza with a smile, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

When that man had graduated, he'd killed every student in his class. Terumi Mei's younger brother had been among them.

The two sides were sworn enemies. Terumi Mei had wanted to kill Zabuza every moment since, but Fuguki had protected him, and she'd never had the chance.

Now even a fool could see that Zabuza had broken with Suikazan Fuguki. It was the perfect opportunity for her to avenge her younger brother.

"Zabuza!"

Terumi Mei licked her lips and said, enunciating every word, "Don't you think it's time we settled our old score?"

Zabuza smiled faintly and spun the long sword in his hand.

"Anytime."

He hadn't been a match for Terumi Mei before, but with the long sword now in his possession, his confidence had grown considerably.

Now that he'd joined the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, he naturally had no reason to fear a challenge.

"Good!"

Terumi Mei narrowed her eyes.

"I'll melt you down and avenge my dead younger brother."

Zabuza glared back at her, looking ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

"All right, all right!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu hurried between them. "Sister Mei, do me a favor and don't go after Zabuza just yet, okay?"

He didn't want Terumi Mei to melt Zabuza after he'd finally managed to win him over.

Terumi Mei gave a cold laugh. "Little Hozuki, it's not that I don't want to do you a favor. But Zabuza killed my younger brother. How could I, as his older sister, not avenge him? What would you do in my place?"

"Well..."

Hōzuki Mangetsu scratched his head, at a loss.

Zabuza really had gone too far, but there'd been no helping it. What ninja who'd come of age during the Bloody Mist Era hadn't spilled the blood of their comrades?

When Hozuki Mangetsu had first set out as a ninja, he'd left a trail of blood behind him. He'd been no less ruthless than Zabuza—in fact, he'd been worse.

"Sister!"

He coughed and lowered his voice. "Right now, we're at a crucial point in dealing with Fuguki. Zabuza is another asset for us. We can't fight among ourselves!"

The enemy of one's enemy was one's friend. That was a pretty persuasive argument.

Terumi Mei gave another snort, apparently weighing the pros and cons. After a long moment, she said, "Since you put it that way, I'll do you, Hōzuki Mangetsu, this favor. But keep him out of my sight for now, or I might lose my temper and melt him."

Then she shot Hōzuki Mangetsu a look. "Honestly, you. I asked you to teach a student, but you're nowhere to be seen half the time. Even the brightest student will never graduate at this rate!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu was left laughing helplessly.

At last, he understood what Terumi Mei was getting at.

She was hinting that he should hurry up and help Chojuro join the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Perhaps Zabuza's success had spurred her on.

Chojuro was both Terumi Mei's kinsman and her trusted subordinate. If he managed to join the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, he'd be a great asset to her.

"Don't worry, Sister. I'll make sure Chojuro grows into a fine young man."

Hōzuki Mangetsu smiled and gave her his final assurance.