Seven Ninja Swordsmen

"Are we in the Land of Fields now?" Keiko shaded his eyes with a hand and looked over the endless rice paddies ahead.

"Yes, Lord Kazekage." Tsunade wiped the sweat from her brow.

"You don't need to use titles in informal settings. It sounds too distant," Keiko said with a smile.

A young Hidan and a similarly young Might Guy ran along the road like lunatics, clearly having a race, while a bearded Might Duy roared with laughter behind them as he cursed and scolded, seemingly telling the two boys not to fall into a ditch.

There had originally been more than thirty members in the Sunagakure delegation. Aside from Rasa and Pakura, who served as guards, most of the others were "international students" on "public funding." Some were assigned to the ninja academy, some to the Medical Department, and some to the administrative department... By the time they headed back, only five remained. At their farewell, the Hokage had said that since the two sides were on good terms, Sunagakure should not be the only one coming to learn. Konoha would also send people over to provide guidance. Keiko knew the leader of the group as well—the First Hokage's granddaughter and a key member of the Medical Department, Lady Tsunade. The other twenty ninja were all outstanding talents in their respective fields. They would be the first batch of professionals from Konoha sent to support Sunagakure's various operations. Naturally, Keiko had no reason to refuse. He wished there were even more people like them. Then the Hokage had pulled him aside and whispered something in his ear. The information had come as a huge shock: the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist had set their sights on him. Those lunatics... Keiko looked again at Tsunade and the others and immediately understood the Hokage's goodwill. They were also there to serve as his guards.

However, Keiko ultimately suggested adding one more person to the list: Konoha's eternal Genin, Might Duy. The reasoning was that the man possessed superb taijutsu, and he hoped Might Duy could serve as a visiting taijutsu instructor for Sunagakure. Of course the Hokage would not refuse such a minor request, and with a wave of his hand, he added Might Duy to the teaching list. Might Duy had no objections to the teaching gig, but simply wished to bring his son along, with the very simple reason that leaving him at home meant no one would look after him. Keiko laughed heartily and casually added Might Guy's name as well. He then pulled over his disciple Hidan, pointed at the bowl-cut boy, and said, "Go on, play with him!" Having spent this period getting along with Keiko and his group, Hidan had long since accepted this master who cared for him and looked after him in every possible way. He gradually forgot the bloody and cruel imagery of the Cult of Jashin; after all, he was just a kid, right at the age for playing. In no time they were competing at wrestling, then climbing trees, and they quickly became fast friends.

"Something's wrong. I hear fighting! And there's smoke! Someone's battling ahead!" Pakura sharply sensed that something was amiss.

"Stay alert and prepare for battle! Hidan! Guy! Don't run around. Wait outside the village!" Iron Sand was already in Keiko's hand, his gaze sharp.

"Everyone else, sneak into the village. Don't alert anyone. Wait for my signal!"

The Land of Fields was a small country without a ninja village. There were only a few scattered villages within its borders. Since it bordered Konoha, it had almost never been touched by war, and its villagers had always lived peaceful pastoral lives. But today, that life came to an end.

Seven freaks wielding strange blades slaughtered people throughout the village. There was no reason, no justification. In less than two hours, this once tranquil village had been completely swallowed by slaughter and flames.

Jūzō Biwa was the most bloodthirsty of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. When Suikazan Fuguki said this village could serve as the site for an ambush, he howled excitedly and charged into it with Kubikiribōchō. When the first villager was beheaded and the first stream of blood flowed, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's thirst for blood was fully awakened, and they all joined the slaughter. Suikazan Fuguki made no move to stop them. Wiping out a small village was as insignificant to them as eating or drinking.

Clang!

"Hm?"

Jūzō Biwa was surprised. In such a tiny village, someone actually dared to block his blade. Looking closely, he saw that Kubikiribōchō had been stopped by a translucent amethyst crystal! The person holding the crystal was dressed like an ordinary farmer. His hands shook uncontrollably, saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were filled with terror. It seemed his fear had reached its limit and turned into rage.

"A village this small actually has someone with a bloodline limit?" Munashi Jinpachi said in surprise, carrying the Explosive Blade: Flying Foam on his shoulder.

"But it seems they don't even know it themselves. They aren't ninja at all. Hehe, you can't even take down a farmer! How embarrassing, Jūzō!" Raiga Kurosuki mocked, holding the Lightning Blade: Fang.

Jūzō Biwa kicked the farmer flying, then stepped forward to finish him with one strike. Suddenly, a massive yellow crystal wall rose before him!

"Oh, there's more than one!" Bintarō Hōki, wielding Hiramekarei, seemed to have found something interesting. He patted the crystal wall and clicked his tongue in wonder.

Behind the crystal wall, five or six men dressed as farmers pressed their hands against it. It appeared they had created the wall themselves. Behind them, seven or eight women and children huddled together, trembling in terror. They seemed to be one clan. The village houses crackled as they burned. Thick smoke billowed into the sky and spread freely through the air, as though announcing to the world that the village was finished.

Jinin Akebino was a simple man of action. He raised his hammer and blunt blade and smashed them into the crystal wall. Thud! The wall did not even gain a single white mark. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were immediately shocked. Kabutowari was nearly the strongest of the seven blades at breaking armor, yet it had done almost nothing to this wall.

"Ha!" Munashi Jinpachi swung the Explosive Blade at the wall. A violent explosion rang out, but when the smoke cleared, the crystal wall still stood.

Suikazan Fuguki stared expressionlessly at the crystal wall, thought for a moment, then pulled Kushimaru Kuriarare aside and whispered a few words to him. Kushimaru Kuriarare nodded.

"Three, two, one!"

"Water Release: Water Gun Technique!" "Wind Release: Wind Blade!"

The two ninjutsu combined into a powerful high-pressure stream of water. When it struck the crystal wall, it produced a piercing vibration. As the frequency rose higher and higher, the sound became increasingly shrill, as if it would rupture their eardrums. Finally, when it reached a frequency beyond human hearing, the entire wall shattered into powder.

"Hahahaha! Brother Suikazan really has a way!"

"Insignificant ants, and you dare block my blade!"

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen laughed wildly. Jinin Akebino, impatient by nature, raised his blade to harvest their heads.

"Stop! In broad daylight, you dare slaughter civilians for no reason!"

A blue figure suddenly appeared before them. Blue currents of electricity swirled around his body, as though he wore armor woven from lightning. With a graceful flying kick, he sent Jinin Akebino and his blade flying four or five zhang away.

"Wow, your master is so cool!" Mike Kai, who had climbed up a tree to watch the commotion, exclaimed with stars in his eyes.

"Of course! Who do you think his master is?" Hidan said smugly.

"Bastard." Jūzō Biwa raised Kubikiribōchō and swung it at Keiko.

"Ah-ta!" Another blue figure flashed out in a shriek, leaving behind an afterimage. With an extraordinarily stylish movement, he smoothly snatched Kubikiribōchō away from Jūzō Biwa. Blue flames seemed to rise from his entire body. He looked majestic, like a god descending to earth.

"Wow, your dad is so cool too!" Hidan looked at Mike Dai's figure with unconcealed envy.

"That's right! Look who his dad is!" Mike Kai gave Hidan a thumbs-up, his exposed front teeth shining brilliantly.