Seven Ninja Swordsmen

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

"Yes, Lord Kazekage." Tsunade wiped the sweat from her forehead as she answered.

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

The young Hidan and an equally young Mike Kai ran down the road like madmen, apparently racing each other. Behind them, the bearded Might Duy laughed and scolded them heartily, seemingly warning the two 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 people remained. At the farewell, the Hokage said that since the two sides had become friendly, it could not be Sunagakure alone coming to learn. Hidden Leaf Village would also send people over to provide guidance. Jing Hang 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 in their respective fields. They would serve as the first batch of professionals from Hidden Leaf Village to support Sunagakure's various efforts. Naturally, Jing Hang had no reason to refuse. He wished there were even more people like them. Then the Hokage pulled him aside and whispered something in his ear. The information startled him greatly. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist had actually set their sights on him. Those lunatics... Jing Hang looked at Tsunade and the others again and instantly understood the Hokage's goodwill. They were being sent along as his guards.

However, Jing Hang eventually suggested adding one more person to the list: Hidden Leaf Village's eternal Genin—Mike Dai. He claimed that the man was highly skilled in taijutsu and hoped he could serve as Sunagakure's taijutsu instructor. The Hokage naturally did not refuse such a minor request. With a wave of his hand, he added Mike Dai to the teaching roster. Mike Dai had no objection to teaching, but he hoped to bring his son along. His reason was simple: there was no one to look after him at home. Jing Hang burst out laughing and added Kai's name as well. Then he pulled over his disciple Hidan, pointed at the watermelon-headed boy, and said, "Go play with him!" After spending this time with Jing Hang and the others, Hidan had long accepted this master who cared for him so meticulously. He gradually forgot the bloody, cruel scenes of the Cult of Jashin. After all, he was still a child, at the age when he loved to play. One moment, he was competing in wrestling; the next, in tree climbing. Before long, the two had become friends.

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

"Stay alert and prepare for battle! Hidan! Kai! Don't run around. Wait outside the village!" Jing Hang already had Iron Sand in hand, his gaze razor-sharp.

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

The Land of Fields was a small nation without a ninja village. There were only a few scattered little villages within its borders. Since it bordered Hidden Leaf Village, 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 bizarre swords massacred people throughout the village. There was no reason, no logic. In less than two hours, this once tranquil little village had been completely swallowed by slaughter and flames.

Jūzō Biwa was the most bloodthirsty of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. When Fuguki Suikazan said this village could serve as an ambush site, he howled 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 completely awakened, and they all joined the slaughter. Fuguki Suikazan made no effort to stop them. Wiping out a small village was as insignificant to them as eating or drinking.

Clang!

"Hm?"

Jūzō Biwa was somewhat surprised. In such a small village, there was actually someone bold enough to block his blade. Looking closely, he found that Kubikiribōchō had been stopped by a section of translucent purple crystal! The person holding the crystal was dressed like an ordinary farmer. His hands trembled violently, saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were filled with terror. It seemed that his fear had reached its limit and turned into rage.

"There's actually someone with a bloodline limit in such a tiny village?" Jinpachi Munashi said in surprise, carrying the Explosion Blade: Splash.

"But it looks like they don't even know it themselves. They aren't ninja at all. Hehe, you can't even take down a farmer! Jūzō, how embarrassing!" Raiga Kurosuki teased, holding the Thunder Blades: Kiba.

Jūzō Biwa kicked the farmer flying, then was about to step forward and finish him with a slash when a massive yellow crystal wall suddenly rose before him!

"Oh, there's more than one!" Bintarō Hōki, wielding Hiramekarei, felt as though he had stumbled upon something amusing. He patted the crystal wall and clicked his tongue in wonder.

Behind the crystal wall, five or six farmer-like men supported it with their hands. It appeared that they had created the wall themselves. Behind them, seven or eight women and children huddled together, trembling in fear. They seemed to be one family. The village houses crackled as they burned, and billowing smoke rose into the sky, spreading wantonly through the air as if telling the world that this village was finished.

Akebino Jinin was a plainspoken man of action. He raised his hammer and blunt blade and struck the crystal wall. Thud! The crystal wall let out a dull sound, yet not even a white mark was left behind. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were instantly shocked. The Blunt Blade: Kabutowari was practically the strongest armor-piercing weapon among the seven swords, yet it had almost no effect on this wall.

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

Fuguki Suikazan looked expressionlessly at the crystal wall and pondered for a while. Then he pulled Kuriarare Kushimaru aside and whispered a few words to him. Kuriarare Kushimaru nodded.

"Three, two, one!"

"Water Release: Water Pistol Technique!" "Wind Release: Blade of Wind!"

The two ninjutsu merged together, forming a powerful high-pressure jet of water. When it struck the crystal wall, it emitted a piercing vibration. As the frequency climbed higher and higher, the sound grew sharper and sharper, as though it would rupture people's eardrums. Finally, when it reached a frequency beyond human hearing, the entire wall shattered into powder.

"HAHAHAHA! Brother Fuguki really has a way!"

"Insignificant ants dare block my blade!"

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

"Stop! How dare you slaughter innocent civilians in broad daylight for no reason!"

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

"Wow, your master is so cool!" Mike Kai exclaimed from where he had climbed a tree to watch the excitement, his eyes sparkling with stars.

"Of course! Whose master do you think he is?" Hidan said smugly.

"Bastard." Jūzō Biwa raised Kubikiribōchō and slashed at Jing Hang.

"Ataa!" Another blue figure flashed out with a shrill cry, leaving an afterimage behind. With an incomparably stylish movement, he neatly snatched Kubikiribōchō away from Jūzō Biwa. Blue flames seemed to blaze across his entire body. He looked imposing, like a god descending to earth.

"Wow, your dad is cool too!" Hidan stared at Mike Dai's figure in envy.

"Of course! Whose dad do you think he is?" Mike Kai gave Hidan a thumbs-up, his exposed front teeth gleaming exceptionally bright.