We've Been Surrounded by Konoha's Back Mountain?!**
Bypassing the battlefield wasn't difficult.
Thanks to the Three-Tails rampaging uncontrollably, all of Konoha's forces had their attention completely diverted.
Seizing this opportunity, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist successfully slipped past the battlefield and headed straight toward Konoha Village.
Excitement.
Anticipation.
Greed.
The seven moved at high speed through the forest.
"Soon, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist will become famous in a single battle!"
"I can already imagine the fear on those villagers' faces when we appear."
"My blade has been starving for blood."
Their pace didn't slow.
Suddenly—
All seven halted at the same time.
"Hide!"
Without needing reminders, they dove beneath the trees.
"What's that?"
When they looked up, their expressions froze.
In the distant sky, a gigantic iron gate was flying.
And standing on top of it were over a hundred ninja.
"Judging by the clothing… those should be Uchiha clan ninja,"
Biwako Jūzō said.
"Is that really the point?"
Kisame Hoshigaki frowned.
"The important thing is—why is that gate flying?!"
Had Konoha's technology advanced this far while the Mist remained isolated?
"Maybe Konoha obtained this from the Sky Ninja Village,"
Kushimaru Kuriarare suddenly said.
That explanation instantly clicked.
During the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha had wiped out the Sky Ninja Village.
Given that, the scene made sense.
Once the flying Uchiha formation disappeared, the seven resumed their advance.
But the excitement from before was gone.
Caution replaced it.
"…Someone else is flying."
They stopped again and hid.
Looking into the sky, their pupils shrank.
"This is impossible…"
Two young boys were flying freely—
without stepping on anything at all.
"They aren't standing on any object!"
Biwako Jūzō said in shock.
"How do you explain this then?"
Raiga Kurosuki looked at Kushimaru.
"Why are you looking at me? How the hell would I know?"
Kushimaru snapped.
"There's only one possibility,"
Kisame muttered after thinking for a moment.
"What is it?" the others pressed.
"Particle Style."
The answer didn't convince most of them.
"Isn't Particle Style exclusive to the Tsuchikage's lineage?"
"And those are two kids. From Konoha."
"…Could they be the Tsuchikage's illegitimate children?"
Ideas spiraled wildly.
"Enough guessing,"
Jinpachi Munashi sneered.
"They've left Konoha, haven't they? That makes this the perfect chance."
"That's right!"
Their morale surged again.
With their doubts discarded, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen pushed forward.
"I see three Konoha kids ahead."
"Perfect. My blade is starving."
Meanwhile —
Might Guy was panicking.
He, Genma Shiranui, and Ebisu had just finished an escort mission and were nearly back in the village—
When they were suddenly surrounded by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
"We're done for…"
Ebisu trembled.
"Judging by their weapons, that's definitely the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
"Are they strong?"
Guy asked.
"Very."
"How strong?"
"One of them could wipe out all three of us."
"…What?!"
Guy's heart dropped.
He had been thinking of opening two Gates and forcing a breakthrough.
"You Konoha brats won't even try resisting?"
Jinpachi lifted the Explosive Blade.
"How boring. Since you're shaking so badly, I'll end your lives quickly."
But suddenly—
Rustle—
The tree beside Guy moved.
Dozens of branches whipped out, binding all three of them tightly.
Then—
WHOOSH.
The entire tree ripped itself out of the ground, roots flailing, and sprinted away.
"…?"
Jinpachi's blade froze mid-swing.
"The hell was that?"
Biwako Jūzō stared blankly.
"Did… that tree just run?"
Kisame rubbed his eyes.
"You're not seeing things,"
Raiga said grimly.
"It really ran."
At this moment, even the Seven Ninja Swordsmen felt uneasy.
First flying Uchiha.
Then kids flying through the air.
Now trees that could sprint.
If their mental fortitude were any weaker, they'd have fled already.
"This might actually be an opportunity,"
Kushimaru said excitedly.
"How so?"
"That tree hasn't gone far. If we catch it, we might uncover some secrets."
That logic convinced them.
So what if it was weird?
At worst, it was just a tree.
Did they look like pushovers?
"Move. Chase it."
The seven pursued.
The jujube tree ran fast—
but no faster than ninja.
Soon, the distance shrank to less than ten meters.
Whoosh!
The tree leapt into Konoha's back mountain, disappearing into dense woods.
"Trying to escape?"
The seven stormed in—
Then suddenly—
RUMBLE.
They stopped and looked up.
Boulders were falling directly above them.
"Dodge!"
They scattered.
"There's someone on the mountain!"
"They're throwing rocks!"
"Get up there and kill them!"
Their fury exploded.
If not for those rocks, they'd already caught the tree.
"Wait!"
Kushimaru suddenly pointed ahead.
The others looked—and froze.
The forest ahead had somehow transformed into a solid stone wall.
"Where's the path?!"
"No path behind us either!"
"…What?"
They spun around.
Stone walls.
Everywhere.
"We're completely surrounded by Konoha's back mountain!"
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