Showdown with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!

"Let's go. Retreat farther away. If we get caught up in this, we could lose our lives..." Tobi said to Yūhi Uzuki with rare seriousness.

"Isn't he your companion? Aren't you going to help him? Surrounded by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, even a Hokage could lose his life." Yūhi Uzuki asked in confusion, then quickly added, "Don't misunderstand. I just don't get it. It's not like I'm worried about him."

"Unless he wants to die himself, I can't imagine anyone being able to take him down..." Tobi said meaningfully.

Yūhi Uzuki gave Riu a deep look, then retreated farther away with Tobi to watch the battle.

"Kisame, you aren't strong enough yet. Keep an eye on those two in the distance. The three of us will be enough to handle him," Fuguki Suikazan said to Hoshigaki Kisame behind him.

"Understood, Mr. Suikazan." Hoshigaki Kisame answered respectfully and retreated outside the battlefield as well.

Then Fuguki Suikazan walked over to Ringo Ameyuri and drew Greatsword: Samehada. "Newcomer, if you get in the way, my Samehada won't show you any mercy..."

As a veteran of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Fuguki Suikazan spoke with undeniable arrogance.

"Trash who barely escaped with his life from a Konoha Genin shouldn't be pointing fingers here!" Ringo Ameyuri snapped back without mercy. Crossing her hands, she drew Lightning Blade: Kiba from behind her and held the twin blades at her side.

Crackle! Golden arcs of lightning coiled around the blades...

She was known as the Hidden Mist Village's genius Lightning Release kunoichi. In her hands, the power of Lightning Blade: Kiba had been brought to its absolute peak, far surpassing that of its previous owner!

"Bastard! You..." Fuguki Suikazan was just about to lose his temper.

"You two had better shut up, unless you want me to take back your ninja swords..." Hōzuki Mangetsu appeared between them and unfurled a scroll with a swish.

At this distance, Hōzuki Mangetsu could freely summon and store the ninja swords at will, even if he was not their owner!

Thus, Fuguki Suikazan and Ringo Ameyuri could only shut their mouths obediently!

There were seven sealing formations on Mangetsu's scroll, labeled "Sever," "Great," "Long," "Blunt," "Explode," "Thunder," and "Twin," corresponding to the codenames of the seven ninja swords!

Among them, the formations marked "Long," "Blunt," "Explode," and "Twin" were lit, indicating that ninja swords were stored within them.

Hōzuki Mangetsu laid the scroll on the ground, bit his finger, and dripped a drop of blood onto the formation marked "Sever." Then he formed hand seals, and the formation began to glow.

Mangetsu's sharp gaze fell on Riu in the distance. "Return the blade!"

Buzz! Buzz! Riu felt the Executioner's Blade in his hand tremble violently, as though it were about to fly from his grasp...

"There's no reason to return something once it's in my hands."

Whoosh!

Riu used Kamui with his right eye to absorb the Executioner's Blade.

The glow on the scroll's formation vanished. Hōzuki Mangetsu frowned. The connection between the scroll and the ninja sword had been severed. As expected, his ocular technique could transfer anything he touched into another space. And earlier, Jūzō's attack had passed straight through him, proving that physical attacks were ineffective against him. Then what about ninjutsu attacks?

Hōzuki Mangetsu formed a gun shape with his fingers, aimed at Riu from afar, and used the Hōzuki Clan's secret Water Gun Technique!

Biu! Biu!

High-density water compressed into high-pressure bullets shot from between his fingers. After passing through Riu's body, they pierced several large trees behind him in the blink of an eye, ultimately leaving deep holes in a massive rock...

Yūhi Uzuki stared in shock at the hole right beside her.

Tobi said, "Looks like this place isn't safe either. Let's move farther away..."

Hōzuki Mangetsu lowered his hand, his expression growing even more solemn. "Even ninjutsu attacks don't work? Then the only opening is that he needs to become tangible when he attacks..."

"Not a bad analysis, but..."

Riu formed the Tiger hand seal, and dense Fire Release Chakra gathered in his throat.

Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame!!

Roar! Roar! Roar!!

A raging sea of flames rolled across the ground and swept toward the three of them, instantly drying even the standing water along its path!

Such an exaggerated Fire Release... Even the three of them, who were exceptionally skilled in Water Release, did not dare lower their guard in the slightest!

The three formed hand seals at the same time.

Water Release: Water Dragon Triple Bullet!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three water dragons rose from the ground and collided with the Fire Release. Hiss! Hiss! Hiss! Steam filled the air.

Hoshigaki Kisame covered his face with one hand and sighed in amazement. "Is this the Fire Release the Uchiha Clan takes such pride in? It took three Water Release masters using Water Dragon Bullets at once just to block it. The elemental advantage means absolutely nothing. Truly terrifying..."

Riu formed hand seals with both hands and used the powerful Wind Release ninjutsu he had copied with his Sharingan during last night's battle against Danzo.

Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!!

A vacuum wave swept through the area, tearing apart the steam...

"Hah!!" Fuguki Suikazan swung Samehada with Monster Strength and smashed the Wind Release apart with a boom.

Crackle! Lightning flashed as Ringo Ameyuri used the Body Flicker Technique to close in on Riu. Her twin blades, wreathed in golden lightning, crossed as they slashed down.

Clang!

Riu drew the Uchiha Gunbai from behind his back and blocked the lightning strike.

"This fan can actually absorb my Lightning Release Chakra..." Ringo Ameyuri said in shock while still airborne.

Riu praised her, "You concentrated Lightning Release Chakra in your feet, used the Body Flicker Technique, and attacked at the moment I became tangible to cast a technique. You truly are a genius Lightning Release kunoichi, but..."

Uchiha Rebound!

Crackle!!

The absorbed lightning strike exploded from the surface of the fan...

"Aah!!"

Ringo Ameyuri was blasted away. Her feet dragged across the ground as she retreated to her two comrades, blood flowing continuously from both shoulders. Gritting her teeth, she said, "His fan not only blocked my lightning strike, it even reflected it back at me!"

That Gunbai had been Madara's divine artifact in life. During the Fourth Shinobi World War, Madara used Uchiha Rebound with it to even send Naruto's Mini Tailed Beast Bomb flying back!

"I'll lure him into close combat. Ringo, prepare your long-range attack!" Hōzuki Mangetsu said as he summoned Twin Blades: Hiramekarei into his hands.

"Understood!" Ringo Ameyuri rose to her feet.

Lightning Release: Natural Lightning!

She swung Lightning Blade: Kiba fiercely at the sky. Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Natural lightning split the heavens...

Whoosh! Hōzuki Mangetsu charged across the water toward Riu with Hiramekarei in hand.

Water Release: Great Water Arm Technique!

As he ran, his forearms transformed into massive, powerful arms.

Hiramekarei: Release!!

As Chakra poured into it, Hiramekarei grew incomparably huge, crashing down like a gigantic hammer.

Boom!!!

Hiramekarei passed through Riu's body and smashed into the ground, blasting open an enormous crater...

Whoosh! Riu turned and reached for Hōzuki Mangetsu's shoulder!

"Now! Hit me too!" Hōzuki Mangetsu shouted.

Whoosh! Yet Riu's palm passed straight through Hōzuki Mangetsu's body.

Mangetsu was greatly alarmed. This guy only pretended to attack, then used our own strategy against us. He had already seen through Riu's technique!!

Thunder Sword Technique: Thunder Gate!!

In the distance, Ringo Ameyuri violently plunged both blades into the ground...

Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!!

The natural lightning she had previously summoned, guided by the lightning blades, descended as a wide-range barrage of lightning strikes.

"Aah!!!" But the only one struck by the lightning and screaming was Hōzuki Mangetsu.