Juzo gritted his teeth and swung his blade, smashing apart two water sharks.
But the other three had already closed in on him!
He barely twisted his body aside to avoid fatal injuries, yet his left arm, right leg, and side were still viciously torn open, three large chunks of flesh ripped directly from his body.
Blood poured out like a waterfall.
"Urghhh!"
Biwa Juzo dropped to one knee atop the water, supporting himself with the Executioner's Blade as he gasped violently for breath.
Kiyohara slowly walked closer, his left hand still pressed against the surface of the water.
After the five sharks were cut apart, they unexpectedly reformed once again under the pull of chakra and lunged forward anew!
"As long as my hand remains on the water, they will never truly disappear."
Kiyohara spoke calmly.
It could only be said that these Water Release techniques were genuinely interesting.
"Until they bite you to death."
The five sharks attacked in rotation.
Biwa Juzo was like a trapped beast surrounded by wolves, struggling desperately from all directions as more and more wounds appeared across his body, while blood flowed faster and faster.
The Executioner's Blade frantically absorbed the blood to repair itself, but its restoration speed was nowhere near enough to keep up with the damage he was taking.
A short while later, Juzo had already become a man drenched entirely in blood.
Using his sword as support, he knelt on one knee while his vision gradually blurred.
The surrounding Mist shinobi had already scattered in terror. No one dared approach this battlefield that resembled a realm of slaughter.
Mei wanted to rescue him, but Ginka, Kakashi, and Guy had already surrounded her.
Meanwhile, Rin and Kurenai were cleaning up the remaining Kirigakure fodder troops.
Kiyohara looked at the dying Biwa Juzo, and a trace of boredom flashed through his eyes.
"So this is all?"
he muttered softly.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen are weaker than I imagined."
Those words became the final straw that crushed Juzo's spirit.
Roaring furiously, he gathered every last ounce of strength and swung his blade as he charged forward.
But his movements were as slow as a snail.
Kiyohara could not even be bothered to attack personally anymore.
He released his left hand from the water's surface and watched Biwa Juzo desperately dodging in the distance, already over a hundred meters away.
The golden sand gourd on his back trembled slightly.
Five golden spindle shaped projectiles condensed in the air. Each was only about the size of a fist, but the electromagnetic glow flowing across their surfaces fully displayed the terrifying power hidden within them.
"Magnet Release: Golden Sand Bullets."
Kiyohara lightly flicked a finger.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Five streaks of golden light tore through the air, dragging long white shockwaves behind them.
Sonic booms erupted.
Juzo could not even see the trajectory of the bullets clearly. He only felt intense pain explode simultaneously through his chest, abdomen, and limbs.
He lowered his head.
Five blood holes the size of bowls had pierced straight through his body.
Blood erupted outward like fountains.
His mouth opened as though he wanted to say something, but only bloody foam spilled out.
Splash.
The Executioner's Blade slipped from his grasp and fell into the water.
Juzo collapsed backward, his empty eyes staring blankly toward the sky as the focus within them gradually disappeared.
The second one.
Another member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had fallen.
Dead silence descended.
This time, even the sound of the ocean waves seemed to vanish.
Every Mist shinobi present, including Mei Terumi, stared blankly at the scene before them.
Two.
In less than ten minutes, two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had died.
Killed by a teenage shinobi.
How was that possible?
It should not have been possible!
"W... why..."
Mei Terumi muttered absentmindedly, her emerald eyes reflecting Kiyohara's figure.
Kiyohara slowly descended and stepped onto the water, ripples spreading outward beneath his feet.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen are rather undeserving of their reputation."
Kiyohara shook his head.
Whether it was Fuguki Suikazan or Biwa Juzo, they were probably inferior to their successors, Kisame Hoshigaki and Zabuza Momochi.
Hearing Kiyohara's openly provocative words, Mei's eyes widened instantly as she rapidly formed hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
"Water Release: Water...!"
Like a madwoman, she continued weaving seals nonstop, hurling one Water Release technique after another toward Kiyohara.
But Kiyohara merely moved casually, dodging and evading at will. Occasionally he raised Samehada or used golden sand to block an attack, yet not even the corner of his clothes became wet.
The difference between them was simply too massive.
It was like a child attempting to topple a giant with pebbles.
Finally, Mei exhausted all her chakra and dropped to one knee atop the water, breathing heavily.
Kiyohara walked in front of her and looked down at her from above.
Mei raised her head, her eyes filled with flames of defiance.
"Kiyohara, you actually killed my comrades again...!"
Kiyohara suddenly raised a hand.
Mei immediately tried to kick him.
Kiyohara grabbed her white silk clad jade foot and squeezed it lightly in his hand.
"Haven't your Kirigakure people killed enough already?"
Kiyohara spoke indifferently.
Hearing this, Mei frowned tightly.
Kiyohara was right.
During war between villages, countless people from both sides had died by each other's hands.
Hatred and grudges had long since become things impossible to distinguish clearly anymore.
"They wanted to kill me, so me killing them is perfectly normal. If I had been weaker, then the one who died would have been me."
Kiyohara shook his head.
When people are killed, they die.
Weakness itself was the original sin.
If one wished to kill others, one had to be prepared to be killed in return.
To put it bluntly, the world of shinobi was simply determined by whose fist was bigger. Even shinobi villages followed this same rule.
If news spread through Konoha on the first day that Hashirama Senju had revived...
Then on the second day, the Third Shinobi World War would end on its own without Hashirama even needing to make a move.
"Everything that happens is the result of the people involved lacking enough ability."
Kiyohara continued calmly.
Mei bit down hard on her lower lip.
This pervert was actually holding her foot!
She tried to yank it free, but no matter how hard she pulled, she could not escape.
Kiyohara's strength was simply too overwhelming!
The harder she struggled, the tighter his grip became.
Kiyohara was right. This truly was the result of her own lack of ability.
Seeing this, Mei directly spat out a stream of acidic liquid.
Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!
Kiyohara did not take the attack head on. Instead, he instantly used the Body Flicker Technique to disappear, leaving behind only an afterimage where he had stood.
"Kiyohara, it looks like Kirigakure reinforcements are arriving from the distance!"
At that moment, Ginka called out.
With her Byakugan, she could see extremely far away, and at this moment she spotted a fleet approaching in the distance.
The ships were filled with shinobi, unmistakably Kirigakure reinforcements.
Although the islands in this region were scattered, each one was actually guarded by Kirigakure personnel.
"Let's leave. We've already gained enough advantages from this attack."
Kiyohara nodded.
This time, he had seized two shinobi swords.
He also needed to quickly seal them away or find some method to remove the summoning formulas placed upon them.
Otherwise, members of the Hozuki Clan might summon the blades back at any time.
"Destroy their boat quickly!"
One Mist shinobi shouted loudly.
A scar faced Mist shinobi pulled out three explosive tags from his clothes and hurled them toward the small boat Kiyohara's group had used to land on the island.
"Explode!"
Boom!
Orange red flames violently tore through the air as shattered wood and seawater blasted skyward together.
The small boat snapped into two pieces amidst the explosion, and its wreckage was quickly swallowed by the surging ocean.
"This is bad!"
Rin instinctively formed hand seals in an attempt to save it, but she was already too late.
Kurenai gritted her teeth as she looked around. The island was continuously being swallowed by seawater, while the few remaining elevated areas were already filled with Mist shinobi.
Without a boat, they would be trapped to death on this isolated island!
Although shinobi could walk on water, doing so continuously consumed chakra.
If enemies pursued them by ship, their situation would become extremely disadvantageous.
"What are you panicking for?"
Kiyohara did not even turn his head.
The boat had been paid for with village funds anyway. It was not his personal property, so if it got blown up, then so be it.
Afterward, he casually slung Samehada onto his shoulder, the blade covered in sharp scales still trembling faintly.
Then Kiyohara picked up the Executioner's Blade and stacked it together with Samehada.
"Kiyohara-kun..."
Ginka spoke softly, the veins around her Byakugan pulsing intensely.
"They're getting closer and closer, Kiyohara-kun."
She informed him of the approaching Kirigakure reinforcements.
At this point, the enemy had already drawn close enough that even Guy could clearly see them.
Kakashi and Guy had also finished their fierce battle against Kaguya Dairo and retreated to Kiyohara's side.
Guy's green training suit was torn in several places, and the wounds on his arms and side were still bleeding, yet his breathing remained steady. The burden brought by the Eight Gates had been forcibly suppressed through sheer overwhelming willpower.
Kakashi was in slightly better condition, his Sharingan constantly observing the movements of the enemy.
"Kiyohara, what do we do now?"
Kakashi asked.
"The boat's gone. We'll have to think of another way to cross the sea and return. Or..."
He glanced toward the depths of the island.
"Or we drag this out and wait for Lady Tsunade to send reinforcements, but there are simply too many enemies arriving."
"There's no need to make things so troublesome."
As Kiyohara spoke, his gaze shifted toward Mei in the distance.
The Kirigakure genius's brownish red hair clung wetly against her cheeks.
The moment Mei realized Kiyohara's group intended to leave, she hurriedly formed hand seals.
"Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!"
Whoosh!
Dense white mist rapidly spread outward, blanketing the surrounding sea within a hundred meter radius in the blink of an eye.
Visibility instantly dropped to less than three meters.
Kurenai attempted to disperse the fog using Wind Release techniques, but after blowing away one portion, the other Mist shinobi also began releasing Hidden Mist Techniques alongside Mei.
Ginka's Byakugan still functioned within the mist, but she alone retained unobstructed vision.
"Kiyohara-kun, there's a Mist shinobi approaching from the eleven o'clock direction."
"I know."
Kiyohara answered calmly.
The next second, Kiyohara vanished into the dense fog.
Soon afterward, muffled groans and the sound of heavy objects splashing into the water echoed from deep within the mist.
Mei hid herself in the densest area of the fog, maintaining her hand seals without pause.
Sustaining such a massive Hidden Mist Technique in her current condition placed a tremendous burden on her body, but she had no choice.
Only with the cover of the mist could she reorganize the remaining Mist shinobi for a counterattack, or at the very least stall until reinforcements reached the island.
"Foolish Leaf shinobi..."
she muttered softly, her emerald eyes glimmering faintly within the mist.
"With no boat, where exactly can you escape to? Once the Hozuki Clan reinforcements arrive, that will be your death..."
Before she could finish speaking—
A warm hand lightly pressed against her buttocks.
Mei's entire body froze instantly.
Not only was that hand pressing against her, it even patted her lightly twice, as though evaluating something.
Smack.
Smack.
The sounds rang especially clearly within the silent mist.
"You...!"
Mei's face instantly turned bright red, humiliation and fury exploding together.
She abruptly turned around, rapidly forming hand seals as she prepared to spit out acidic mist from her mouth.
But halfway through the motion, she froze.
Because Kiyohara was standing directly in front of her.
So close that she could clearly see the curve of his eyelashes and even feel the faint flow of air from his breathing.
Those scarlet Sharingan eyes appeared especially sinister within the mist, the three tomoe slowly spinning as though they could see through every secret she possessed.
"Your reaction speed is pretty good."
Kiyohara spoke, amusement lingering within his voice.
"But..."
He suddenly leaned closer, his lips nearly brushing against her ear.
Mei could smell the faint scent coming from his body.
"I'll spare you this once."
Kiyohara's voice was clear enough that each word felt like it was directly striking her eardrums.
"Foolish Mei Terumi."
"Continue living in ugliness."
"When the day comes that you can finally make me serious, then come seek revenge against me."
As he spoke, Kiyohara used genjutsu to restrain Mei Terumi, preventing her from continuing to release the mist.
Mei stood frozen in place, her cheeks burning hot and her heart pounding wildly.
Humiliation.
This was naked humiliation!
Not only had he touched her there, he had even spoken those kinds of words!
"Kiyohara!!"
Mei screamed inwardly.
But she could not open her mouth at all.
Because she was completely unable to move.
"Sage Art: Wind Release: Airflow Chaos!"
Violent currents erupted from Kiyohara's mouth.
The dense white mist was torn apart like a curtain ripped open by an invisible giant hand, splitting apart down the middle and revealing a massive opening.
Kiyohara returned to Rin and the others, raising his right hand horizontally.
The golden sand gourd at his waist trembled violently as streams of golden sand poured out like living creatures, gathering together and taking shape in midair.
"This is..."
Ginka widened her eyes, her Byakugan reflecting an astonishing sight.
The golden sand was gathering together.
Hull, deck, mast...
Very quickly, a ship made entirely of golden sand appeared, floating above the ocean surface.
"Get on."
Kiyohara said as he stepped aboard first.
The ship formed from golden sand did not sink at all, instead remaining steadily afloat atop the water.
Kiyohara had used the power of Magnet Release, altering the density of the golden sand and balancing it perfectly against the buoyancy of the sea.
Kakashi boarded second, his Sharingan carefully examining the structure of the vessel as astonishment flashed through his eyes.
This level of precise chakra control was simply absurd.
Guy, Rin, Kurenai, and Ginka boarded one after another.
Several Mist shinobi attempted to rush forward and stop them, only for Kiyohara to casually wave his hand. A whip formed from golden sand lashed outward and sent them flying into the sea, where they vanished without another sound.
"Hold steady."
Kiyohara walked to the stern of the ship and formed hand seals.
Cursed Seal chakra surged through his body as natural energy merged perfectly with his own chakra.
He inhaled deeply before slowly exhaling.
Boom!
The seawater behind the ship suddenly caved inward, generating an enormous propulsive force.
The golden sand vessel shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, carving a white trail across the ocean surface.
Its speed was so extreme that everyone standing on deck had to lower their center of gravity and grab the handrails Kiyohara had condensed along the sides beforehand.
"So fast!"
Rin cried out, her brown hair whipping wildly in the fierce wind.
Kurenai narrowed her eyes as she looked backward. The island was rapidly shrinking in the distance, while the Mist shinobi attempting pursuit could not even catch up to the waves stirred up by the golden sand ship.
Mei stood at the edge of the island, staring fixedly at the departing golden vessel.
Her fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned pale white, while she bit hard against her red lips.
The Executioner's Blade.
Samehada.
Two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen dead.
How was she supposed to explain such a disastrous defeat to the village?
"Kiyohara..."
After the golden sand ship departed—
Three Kirigakure warships arrived within the island's waters.
Standing at the bow of the lead ship was a woman.
She appeared to be around twenty seven or twenty eight years old. Her light blue short hair was tied neatly into a short ponytail behind her head. Her skin possessed the pale complexion of someone who rarely saw sunlight, while her features were refined yet cold.
Most eye catching of all were her eyes.
Her pupils were an unusually pale violet, and the corners of her eyes slanted slightly upward, giving her a perpetually scrutinizing gaze whenever she looked at someone.
Hozuki Katsuki.
An elite jōnin of the Hozuki Clan and the commander of this Kirigakure reinforcement force.
She leapt from the bow of the ship and landed lightly upon the water's surface, her chakra control so precise that not even the slightest ripple formed.
"Mei Terumi."
She walked in front of Mei, her voice cold.
"The situation."
Mei inhaled deeply, forcibly calming herself down.
"A Konoha squad launched an attack. The leader was Kiyohara. We... suffered devastating losses."
She paused briefly, her voice trembling faintly with suppressed emotion.
"Lord Fuguki Suikazan and Lord Biwa Juzo... have fallen in battle."
Hozuki Katsuki's pupils contracted slightly.
"Where are the bodies?"
"Over there."
Mei pointed toward the shore.
Hozuki Katsuki quickly walked over, her pale violet eyes sweeping across the two corpses.
Fuguki Suikazan had one arm severed, his neck twisted grotesquely, his death miserable beyond words.
Biwa Juzo's body was riddled with bloody holes as he lay staring at the sky with empty eyes.
"One strike kills?"
Hozuki Katsuki crouched down and inspected the wounds.
"No. Multiple attacks caused the fatal injuries. But the important point is... they barely had any chance to resist."
She raised her head and looked toward Mei.
"What techniques did Kiyohara use?"
"Fire Release, Water Release, Lightning Release..."
Mei gritted her teeth.
"His chakra reserves are enormous, like those of the Uzumaki Clan, and the power of his ninjutsu far exceeds normal standards. Lord Fuguki's Thousand Feeding Sharks was destroyed head on by Kiyohara using the exact same Water Release technique."
Hozuki Katsuki fell silent for a moment.
"What about the Executioner's Blade and Samehada?"
"Kiyohara took them."
Mei's voice lowered.
This was the gravest dereliction of duty possible. The swords of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were symbols of Kirigakure itself. They absolutely could not be allowed to fall into enemy hands.
Hozuki Katsuki stood up, her expression darkening.
"Return immediately and notify the village. Prepare the summoning ritual. Before Konoha seals those swords away, we must summon them back."
"Yes!"
A Mist shinobi accepted the order and departed at once.
Hozuki Katsuki looked out toward the ocean, but the golden sand ship had already disappeared beyond the horizon.
"Kiyohara..."
She repeated the name softly, a trace of cold light flashing through her pale violet eyes.
"Konoha's Uchiha genius... it seems your threat level needs to be reevaluated."
At the same time—
The golden sand vessel raced across the ocean at astonishing speed.
Kiyohara stood at the bow, one hand maintaining the chakra output while the other casually played with the newly obtained Samehada.
The living greatsword was unusually obedient at the moment. All its scales had retracted, while the blade itself trembled faintly and emitted noises resembling flattery.
It was enjoying the Fire natured chakra Kiyohara infused into it, like soaking inside a hot spring.
"You really are easy to bribe."
Kiyohara said calmly.
Which was normal enough. In the original story, although Samehada appeared loyal, once its owner died it would immediately pledge itself to the next master.
Kisame himself had only obtained Samehada after killing Fuguki Suikazan.
And the sword was extremely picky. It only acknowledged people it personally liked.
For example, because Samehada became fascinated with the Eight Tails' chakra, it even voluntarily grew close to Killer Bee.
Kiyohara's chakra seemed to attract Samehada in much the same way.
Kiyohara guessed that perhaps it was because his chakra possessed all seven elemental natures.
Or maybe it was due to the natural energy mixed within it.
In any case, Samehada showed no signs of discomfort whatsoever.
That also gave Kiyohara some ideas. Once he returned, he intended to study it properly.
This time, Kiyohara had no intention of handing it over.
When weak, one had to hand things over.
But if he was already strong and still handed everything over, then what was the point of becoming stronger in the first place?
After all, he was now the vice commander of a thousand shinobi.
Within this entire region, his status was second only to Tsunade herself.
(End of Chapter)