The Seven Ninja Swordsmen

"A year. I never expected Kirigakure's pursuit of me to be so relentless."

Uchiha Shisui muttered to himself, his tone filled with vigilance.

He wore a loose black robe that rustled as he moved, its hem like a banner of the night.

Under the moonlight, his figure flashed rapidly between the branches, each landing incredibly light, yet leaving faint afterimages on the wood – a testament to the perfect fusion of speed and power.

However, he had no time to admire his agile form at this moment.

Behind him, seven Kirigakure ninja wielding special ninja tools were in hot pursuit.

These ninja were the newly formed secret unit of Kirigakure, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

The ninja swords in their hands glinted with a cold, sharp light under the moon, like beasts craving blood.

The ninja at the forefront, with eyes as sharp as an eagle's, locked onto Uchiha Shisui's retreating back. The branches beneath his feet creaked slightly with each step, yet it didn't affect his pursuit speed.

The other six spread out in a fan formation, cooperating tacitly to block Uchiha Shisui's escape route layer by layer. Each of them was like a precision combat machine.

Uchiha Shisui weaved through the dense forest, dodging flying kunai and shuriken. The wind howled past his ears, his breathing growing more rapid, yet the footsteps of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen behind him were like shadows.

In the blink of an eye, the scene suddenly opened up. He stopped abruptly on a branch, looking at the empty cliff ahead. His heart sank, and he blurted out, "There's no way forward! Then, I can only jump!"

At this moment, a hint of determination flashed in his eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, he pushed off with his feet, leaping out of the forest like a black lightning bolt.

His robe fluttered wildly in the strong wind, and his entire body plummeted straight down towards the surging sea below.

The whistling sea breeze poured into his collar, rustling loudly. His hair was blown wildly, like an unyielding flag in the face of despair.

During his rapid descent, Uchiha Shisui used the air resistance to flip himself in mid-air, his posture as agile as a hawk in the night sky.

Simultaneously, his hands moved rapidly before his chest, his fingers nimbly forming complex hand seals. He grunted, "Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

In an instant, a powerful surge of chakra erupted from his body, rapidly condensing before him.

A massive, dragon-head-shaped fireball appeared out of thin air, its flames raging wildly around it, emitting terrifying heat that distorted the surrounding air.

The fireball, with an unstoppable momentum, roared towards the cliff like an enraged dragon.

At this moment, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had just reached the edge of the cliff. They stopped abruptly, peering down to investigate.

One of them's pupils contracted sharply, his face filled with shock. He shouted, "This guy!"

Before they could react further, the giant flaming dragon head, carrying a wave of scorching heat, slammed into the edge of the cliff with thunderous force.

A deafening roar suddenly erupted, sparks flying everywhere, and scalding debris rained down.

The intense shockwave spread outwards, causing the clothes of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to flutter wildly. They were forced to retreat a few steps to steady themselves.

Uchiha Shisui, while keeping an eye on the movements of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen above, quickly adjusted his position, twisting his body nimbly in the air like a nimble gecko.

Next, without hesitation, he pulled two kunai from his ninja pouch and threw them with all his might into the cliff face.

With two muffled thuds, the kunai embedded firmly into the cliff.

Instantly, a strong frictional force transmitted from the points of contact between the kunai and the cliff, rapidly counteracting his downward momentum.

Along with this force, Uchiha Shisui's body trembled violently, veins bulging on his arms from the immense pressure.

Fortunately, as the frictional force continued to act, his descent gradually slowed, and he finally stopped perilously close to the ground, only a few meters away.

He gasped for air, sweat dripping down his cheeks onto the ground below.

"Time to leave."

Uchiha Shisui whispered to himself. The sea breeze, carrying the salty scent of the sea, washed over him. His rustling robe seemed to urge him to escape quickly.

He took a deep breath, channeling chakra within him. The moment his feet touched the sea's surface, the chakra spread out like ripples, supporting his body.

He moved like lightning, running rapidly across the undulating sea surface. With each step, he kicked up sparkling water, leaving behind a trail of fleeting water marks.

The waves surged, trying to disrupt his rhythm, but he skillfully avoided them.

At this moment, the silhouette of a merchant ship appeared faintly at the horizon where the sea met the sky.

Uchiha Shisui's gaze sharpened, and he accelerated towards the merchant ship.

He knew that only by boarding that merchant ship could he return to the Land of Fire and escape Kirigakure's pursuit.

On the shore, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen arrived, panting, their faces filled with anger and fury.

At this moment, the vast sea shimmered, and apart from the surging waves, there was no trace of Uchiha Shisui.

"Damn it! That brat is slippery as an eel," Suikazan Fuguki cursed through gritted teeth, tightly gripping his Greatsword Samehada, his eyes filled with anger and frustration.

"Hmph, Suikazan Fuguki, if you hadn't insisted on taking a detour, we would have already caught that brat," Jinin Akebino, holding the Blunt Sword Kabutowari, said coldly, his tone openly accusatory.

"What? You bastard, do you want to die?" Suikazan Fuguki instantly exploded in rage, turning to glare at Jinin Akebino. His chakra surged uncontrollably, and Samehada let out a low growl, as if ready to engage in battle at any moment.

"Enough of this bickering. The Mizukage ordered us to capture him. He already knows too much about our Kirigakure," Raiga Kurosuki interrupted impatiently, his eyes showing a hint of anxiety.

He knew that if Uchiha Shisui returned to the Land of Fire, Kirigakure would face immense trouble. That information was vital to the village's secrets, including their own identities, and thus could not be easily leaked.

Munashi Jinpachi's brow furrowed into a tight knot. He looked out at the vast sea, his voice low but filled with undeniable determination, "Now, we can only send more people to infiltrate the Land of Fire and hunt that brat down!"

As he spoke, the air around them seemed to freeze. The other members exchanged glances, and after a moment of silence, they all nodded.

Biwa Juzo slammed Kubikiribōchō hard onto the ground and spat, "The Mizukage's order must be carried out. Forget the Land of Fire, we'd go through hell itself!"

"Exactly," Kushimaru Kuriarare chimed in. "That brat knows too many secrets. If the Leaf Village uses him, our Kirigakure might be at a disadvantage in the upcoming war. This mission must succeed, no matter what!"

Everyone's expression grew more solemn. The sea wind howled, but it couldn't blow away the gloom in their hearts. A secret infiltration and assassination mission into the Land of Fire quietly began on this coastline.