Watching his father rush up in front of him, Might Guy was utterly confused.
"Why? Dad, you're only a Genin. Why would you charge in here?"
Ebisu and Shiranui Genma were even more stunned. Might Guy's father wasn't a strong fighter, and the enemies before them were all skilled Kirigakure shinobi. They had no chance of winning.
"Another Konoha ninja?"
"Looks like the watermelon-head's father. How tragic—to die together with your son. I'll be merciful and send you both out of this world without pain. With my Kubikiribōchō!"
Biwa Juzo's expression turned cruel. The Kubikiribōchō in his hands seemed eager for blood. Might Duy, who had been silent for a long time, wore his ever-present smile.
"Is there any other reason? Protecting what you cherish—that's the youth and spirit of a real man. You have to live a good life, Guy."
"Now is the time for youth to burn! Eight Inner Gates—open!"
His energy surged skyward, and his vigorous life force burned without end. The emerald flames and the terrifying chakra that condensed into a solid form blazed with an unprecedented radiance.
"Run, Guy! Your dad will hold them off here!"
"Dad!"
"That's impressive chakra, but you don't actually think you can beat us, do you? Lightning Style: Fang of Lightning!"
Lightning crashed down from the sky. The thick, shifting mist obscured their vision as terrifying bolts flashed with countless silver sparks, striking straight toward the four of them.
The next moment, a no-holds-barred Taijutsu assault came charging in. A single kick scattered the lightning that would have been fatal to an ordinary shinobi.
"I won't—I won't let you hurt a sprout that hasn't yet had the chance to grow! I won't let you lay a hand on Guy! This is everything I have, fueled by my life! Prepare yourselves!"
Bang!
Rumble after rumble, bolts of lightning flashed. A light drizzle fell, sliding down the Demon Fox Mask.
"An autumn rain? What rare weather."
Walking through the rain, he casually flicked his Kunai. Tiny beads of blood mingled with the raindrops, washing away the thick stench of blood.
The cold, merciless figure disappeared, leaving behind a field of severed limbs and corpses.
A moment later, a squad of battle-scarred Kirigakure shinobi hurried over, their faces full of sorrow.
"Damn it, that guy again. How could a place like Konoha produce a monster like him? No one's even seen his real face. His Body Flicker Technique is better than the Yellow Flash's."
"Flash Illusion Moon. In just two months, he's killed hundreds of shinobi from various villages and never made a single mistake. I heard he's from the Uchiha Clan, but no one's actually seen his face. Who knows if that's even true?"
The Kirigakure shinobi wore grim expressions, gritting their teeth. Someone who excelled at the Body Flicker Technique was the natural enemy of aimless strike teams like theirs, which roamed around looking for easy targets.
"Forget it if we couldn't find him. Didn't we get something good this time?"
The gray-blue-haired man in the lead spoke indifferently. Inside the transparent test tube in his hand, a pale yellow solution held an eye with a pure white pupil.
"We went to a lot of trouble, and in the end, we only managed to steal this Byakugan thanks to luck. The Hyuga Clan was even willing to split into the Main Family and Branch Family to protect it."
"Now, the Byakugan, hailed as one of the Three Great Dōjutsu, belongs to Kirigakure."
A strange light gleamed in the one eye he had left. Ao, a Kirigakure jonin, turned to the others.
"Notify the Seven Ninja Swordsmen immediately. Have them escort us back to Kirigakure Village. This is an important Kekkei Genkai. We absolutely can't let those two Konoha Body Flicker shinobi get their eyes on it!"
"Yes!"
Ao disappeared, then turned and barked, "We'll set out first. Even if it costs us our lives, we have to get the Byakugan back to Kirigakure. Move out!"
Near the border of the Land of Fire, at the designated rendezvous point, Uchiha Hanazuki's eyes narrowed as he asked coldly, "Has Duy still not returned?"
"That's right. I just saw Duy's son, Might Guy, heading off, but he's been gone a long time and still hasn't come back. There seems to be a thick fog over there."
Kosuke's explanation left Hanazuki silent for a moment. His eyes flickered before he finally gave his orders in a low voice.
"Prepare medical supplies. Duy may be in trouble. I'll be back soon."
After Hanazuki left, the creases in Kosuke's old face deepened. Had his ominous premonition come true? All he could do was put his hopes in the squad leader.
"Don't you dare die, Duy. Don't you want to see your child become a jonin?"
Meanwhile, on the battlefield between the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and Might Duy,
the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were panting. Several of them, caught off guard, were covered in wounds.
"Damn you and that jumpsuit! You're badly injured from just one kick? Visible chakra, simple movements with incredible power—who the hell are you? Your name isn't in the ninja handbook!"
Kushimaru Kuriarare's voice held no emotion. He was as cold and merciless as the Anbu mask he wore.
"A Taijutsu expert from Konoha. You've earned the right to have us remember your name. Who are you?"
Munashi Jinpachi, wielder of the Exploding Blade Shibuki and one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, shouted the question. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen, standing amid the clouds of dust, were all on guard.
"Konoha's eternal Genin, the hot-blooded man whose youth will never end—Might Duy!"
"Might Duy, is it? We'll remember that. Now, die here once and for all. To show you respect, we won't hold back. Lightning Style: Lightning Dragon Tornado!"
"Longsword Ninja Art: Spider Thread Stitch!"
"Blast Art: Hair-Breaking Binding Death!"
"Devour his chakra, Samehada!"
"Live a good life, and protect the treasure you cherish most, Guy..."
Just as Might Duy was about to set everything ablaze and pour the last of his chakra into his death points, a touch of icy chakra precisely sealed the other seven gates of the Eight Inner Gates. A familiar, indifferent voice sounded behind him.
"Didn't I tell you to focus on buying time? If you burn through the last of your chakra, you won't have any chance of surviving, Duy."
"C-Captain, you finally made it..."
The tremendous strain the Eight Inner Gates had put on Might Duy's body had brought him to the brink of collapse, but there was still a way to help him.
Kurama, I'm counting on you. I never thought I'd get to use the technique I came up with here.
His abundant life force gathered into golden markings, much like a Cursed Seal. After temporarily binding Might Duy's body, three figures hurried over.
"Dad! Dad!"
"He's not going to die just yet. Let him rest over there for now. I have a few things to discuss with these guys. What did you do to my teammate, you bastards?"
Ebisu recognized the voice at once. He looked up in a daze and saw the Uchiha family crest on the back of the black cloak. Only then did he realize who it was.
"Hanazuki, they're the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure! They're all elite jonin. We can't beat them, so we'd better run!"
"Body Flicker Technique? You bastard, you're Flash Illusion Moon? And you're just a kid? Were those idiots who died at your hands blind?"
Before you continue