Facing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen head-on would have been absolutely foolish, so I concealed my presence nearby and quietly observed them, searching for an opening.
"Look at these Konoha brats. They look like they've pissed themselves from fear, hahaha!"
"Which one should we tear apart first?"
"That green-skinned frog. His face pisses me off. I'm gonna skin him and burn his hide!"
Faced with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's taunts, Might Guy and the others did not dare move. They merely lowered their heads, not even daring to meet their eyes.
"What do we do... Can we get away?" Genma Shiranui asked.
Ebisu, standing beside him, shook his head.
"They're the Hidden Mist's Seven Ninja Swordsmen. At this distance, they could easily take our lives. We'd better not act rashly... Damn it, is this where my fate ends?"
After a long silence, Might Guy swallowed, then suddenly raised his head, his gaze turning sharp.
"I'll stay behind. You guys go back and get reinforcements."
"That's impossible, Guy. Forget about the fact that we'd be abandoning you and running away ourselves—even if you really stayed behind, we still couldn't escape."
"Yeah. If that's the case, we might as well die here together and leave behind an image of bravery. You two, are you in?"
"Yeah—then let's do it! We'll give it everything we've got!"
What admirable resolve. But there was no need for them to die here. All three of them were characters who would make names for themselves later on, and Guy's reputation would become especially resounding.
Just as the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were about to make their move, Guy and the others had also steeled themselves to fight to the death.
Suddenly, a glowing green figure descended from the sky and blocked the way in front of Guy and the others.
"I finally made it!"
When he looked up and saw the figure before him clearly, Might Guy's face filled with surprise.
"Father?"
Hearing that, Genma Shiranui and Ebisu exchanged glances. Then, as though they had thought of something, their expressions became troubled again.
"Why would your father, a Genin, come here?"
"Don't worry about that right now. Run! I'll buy you some time!"
"Run... Father, they're all Jonin, and they're the Seven Ninja Swordsmen! You can't beat them by yourself!"
"I have the Eight Gates Formation's Gate of Death."
At those words, sweat dripped down Guy's face, his features twisting together.
"But the price of that technique..."
"Self-restraint."
After speaking the words that had defined Might Duy's entire life, Guy froze. In that instant, he probably truly understood the deeper meaning his father had wanted him to know.
Might Duy turned back with his eyes closed and a smile on his face. He raised his left thumb, then prepared to open the Gate of Death.
What the hell was I still watching for? If I didn't step in now, wouldn't I have come here for nothing?!
Once I came to my senses, I immediately put the battle plan I had just devised into action. I would use my fruit power to unleash my strongest slash and kill one of them first!
That strange long sword looked troublesome, so he was the one. If I remembered right, his name was... Kushimaru Kuriarare. What a tongue-twister.
Once I was ready to strike, I took several smoke bombs from my pocket and threw them out. Then I transformed into Fenrir, the Mythical Zoan form of the Wolf-Wolf Fruit.
After taking wolf form, I felt the muscles throughout my body tear apart and reform, and my strength was massively enhanced.
Now, I could use the Sword God Style secret technique—Light Blade!
The instant the smoke bombs flew out, my transformation was complete. The moment the smoke spread, I kicked off the ground and burst forward, the blade of my ninja sword aimed directly at Kushimaru Kuriarare.
Thanks to the enhancement of the Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, my physical abilities had undergone a qualitative leap. Then I erupted with chakra to strengthen my Dragon Saint Battle Aura in one go, successfully using this sword technique that could not be defended against.
Light Blade activated. There were no unnecessary tricks—only adjusting my body's coordination and swinging my blade with all my strength at the fastest possible speed.
It was an ultimate technique reduced to its simplest form, a charging slash that pursued only absolute speed. Thus, it was also known as an undefendable slash.
Where did this green-skinned frog jump out from? Konoha really did have a lot of talent!
For a hot-blooded fool like this who was willing to sacrifice himself for others, killing his companions right in front of him would feel absolutely incredible!
"Bang—"
Smoke bombs? Were these Konoha's new reinforcements?
Damn it, it was all because of that green-skinned frog who suddenly ran out. Was this a diversion?
Huh? Why couldn't I move? Where were my legs? Why couldn't I feel my body anymore?
Wait, why was my vision spinning nonstop? Everything in front of me was swaying, but why didn't I feel dizzy at all?
"Kushimaru, from today onward, you are a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. This long sword, Nuibari, will be entrusted to you as well. Remember, you must never lose this sword. As long as the man lives, the sword lives!"
That was... the Fourth Mizukage's voice. Why was I seeing the Mizukage now?
"Kushimaru, congratulations on becoming a ninja!"
That was my childhood sweetheart, who had died long ago...
"Kushimaru, as a ninja of the Hidden Mist, you must completely erase your emotions. You exist only to kill enemies."
That was my teacher. Why were these scenes from the past appearing in my mind one after another?
Wasn't I about to kill Konoha's ninjas? What exactly had happened?
Wait, was that... my body? I was holding Nuibari, so that had to be my body. Why was I seeing my own body from this angle?
Why did my body have no head, and why was blood spraying from it?
I see. I was dead... I died without even seeing my enemy clearly, without even knowing what had happened...
After Light Blade killed Kushimaru Kuriarare, I immediately released my Fenrir form to keep my trump card from being exposed.
I casually snatched Nuibari from Kushimaru Kuriarare's corpse, then flung it out, piercing the head I had sent flying with my slash. After that, I pulled the steel wire and reeled it back in.
When I landed, the smoke had already been dispersed by the sword pressure from the enemy's ninja blades.
"Such boring tricks. Is this all Konoha is capable of..."
Halfway through his words, Juzo Biwa, who held the Kubikiribōchō, seemed to catch sight of Kushimaru Kuriarare's flying head out of the corner of his eye. His terrifying face instantly filled with panic.
"Hey, Kushimaru!"
"Stop calling him. His head's flown off—he's definitely dead."
I truly could not remember the name of the owner of that comparatively calm voice, but the ninja sword in his hand should have been the twin blades, Hiramekarei.
After arriving in front of Guy and the others, I casually tossed Nuibari and the head aside. After adjusting my breathing, I looked once more at the remaining six.
"Yo, Guy, and Big Brother Duy! What a coincidence running into you here. Though you're really unlucky to have encountered the Hidden Mist's Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
It seemed they had yet to recover from their shock, because no one responded to me.
That was understandable. From the moment the smoke bombs were thrown and exploded until the head hit the ground, not even a second had passed.
"Stop spacing out. You go first—I'll buy time here. Guy, move!"
Before you continue