In the main command tent at the Leaf forward camp in the Land of Fire, Hyuga elder wore a bright, smug grin. Every major war was their clan's time to shine. No matter the battlefield or the conflict, Konoha always needed the Byakugan. The Uchiha could never match that kind of utility.
He glanced across at Uchiha Fugaku's calm face and sneered inwardly. Keep playing it cool. Let's see how long that lasts.
Tsunade spoke from the head of the table. "Scouting units will be handled as discussed. Wood Falcon, Uchiha Fugaku—you two reorganize the reinforcements and the existing camp forces into new squads. Get everyone familiar with their teammates fast. I want detailed lists later."
"Yes, Lady Tsunade!"
Both men accepted without hesitation. Across from them, the Hyuga elder looked like he'd swallowed something rotten.
"Anything else to report?"
Tsunade swept her gaze over the jonin below. They shifted and shook their heads. Her voice cracked like a whip. "Then move. What the hell are you still standing around for?"
Chairs scraped. The tent emptied in seconds. That was Tsunade's presence. Plenty of these shinobi had fought under her in the Second War. Some owed her their lives. Hiruzen had put her in command for a reason—she was an anchor. No one in Konoha dared step out of line while she sat there.
"Tsunade-sensei really doesn't pull punches," Taiichi said as he stepped forward, flashing a thumbs-up. "Those clan reps looked ready to piss themselves."
"Save the flattery. Those Seven Ninja Swordsmen need to be dealt with. Seven jonin running wild in our rear is a serious threat to the front."
Tsunade's face stayed serious. She'd sounded confident in the meeting, but the worry was real. Mist hadn't thrown together an elite unit like that for show.
"Relax, Tsunade-sensei. Just wait for the good news."
Taiichi was confident. Finding the Seven was only a matter of time. Once he had them located, taking them down wouldn't be an issue.
"Fine. Get moving."
Outside the tent, Taiichi headed straight for Intelligence and pulled every report on the Seven's movements. He checked Guy's status while he was at it.
Guy and his team were still on a mission at the front camp, but their sector was nowhere near where the Seven had been sighted. Taiichi let it go. If they somehow crossed paths anyway, that was just bad luck.
He left camp, launched into the sky on golden wings, and flew hard. By midday he reached the last reported location.
The area was a wreck—burned trees, lightning-scorched ground, craters everywhere. A clear trail of footprints led deeper into the forest. Intel said the Seven liked to leave one survivor as bait, both to draw in rescue teams and to have that survivor lead them to more Leaf shinobi.
Taiichi followed the trail, chakra sensing wide open. Traces faded fast, so he kept expanding the search radius every time the path went cold. It worked, but it burned time and chakra.
He searched through the night and into the next morning without a single solid lead. When he finally checked his position against the map, his face darkened. He'd flown from the northern sector all the way to the southern one without realizing it.
The Seven had looped around the entire front. They were heading straight toward Guy's area.
Taiichi poured on speed, racing south.
Time rewound to the moment Guy's team walked straight into the trap.
In the trees ahead, rustling gave way to a green-clad figure with a watermelon haircut—Guy. Behind him came Genma with a senbon in his mouth and Ebisu with his headband. They stepped into a clearing and froze.
Seven figures stood waiting. At their feet lay a Leaf ninja with all four limbs hacked off and a blade through his chest. The corpse was still warm.
Guy, Genma, and Ebisu recognized the killers instantly. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen stared back with the cold, hungry eyes of predators who had just found fresh prey.
"Guy, Genma… what do we do?" Ebisu's voice shook. The killing intent rolling off the Seven was crushing. Even one jonin's intent could paralyze a genin. Seven of them together was suffocating.
Black Hoe Raiga tapped his lightning blades, sparks dancing. "We were just wondering what to do with the last little mouse. Looks like three more showed up. The heavens really do love us."
He started forward. Kuriarare Kushimaru licked his lips and moved with him, needle sword already in hand.
The River Puffer Ghost slammed his massive cleaver into the dirt between them, stopping both men cold.
"We have a mission," he said flatly. "If either of you loses control and screws it up, I'll kill you myself before we head back. Don't test me."
Kuriarare backed off with a curse, but the tension stayed thick.
Guy's team edged backward, trying to slip away while the Seven argued. They made it ten steps into the trees before lightning cracked down from above. Guy shoved Ebisu aside. The bolt missed them both and left a smoking crater.
The Seven were already moving in.
Black Hoe Raiga grinned at the three genin. "Pretty sharp, kid. Dodging my lightning like that. Shame you're still dying here today."
Guy forced himself upright and planted himself in front of his teammates, dropping into a fighting stance. His body screamed from exhaustion, but he refused to back down.
Kuriarare twirled his needle sword. "Brat's got guts. Trying to protect his friends even now. Makes me want to put extra holes in all of you."
Ebisu stood on shaky legs. "Guy… we're dead. We should've run when we had the chance."
"Shut up," Genma snapped. "We fight. At least we go down swinging."
Guy's blood was boiling. "This is what youth demands. I can feel it. Burn, my youth!"
He charged first. Genma and Ebisu followed without hesitation, forming a desperate triangle.
Kuriarare met them head-on. Guy's punch connected, but the Mist jonin barely flinched. A counterpunch sent Guy staggering. Genma and Ebisu flanked from the sides—good tactics, terrible execution. Kuriarare knocked them both flying with casual backhands.
Guy recovered fast and launched a Leaf Great Whirlwind. Kuriarare blocked the kicks, grabbed Guy's leg mid-spin, and suplexed him into the dirt hard enough to make bones creak. Before Guy could move, the needle sword punched through his right shoulder and lifted him off the ground like a skewer.
Genma and Ebisu scrambled up just in time to see their leader dangling. The other six Swordsmen still hadn't lifted a finger.
Kuriarare flicked the blade and sent Guy tumbling toward his teammates. Guy hit the ground coughing blood.
"You three put up a decent show," Kuriarare said, grinning. "I'll give you a chance. I'll count to three. Run in different directions. Fastest one might live."
He started counting. The three genin didn't move.
When he reached one, they still stood their ground.
Kuriarare's face twisted. "Ungrateful little shits. Fine—die together."
He blurred forward, needle sword aimed at Guy's heart.
The blade never landed.
A green blur slammed into Kuriarare's face with a spinning kick that stopped his charge cold. A follow-up back kick sent the Mist jonin flipping through the air like a broken doll.
The clearing went dead silent.