Nine pairs of eyes locked onto the new arrival in the clearing—a green-clad ninja with a watermelon haircut, thick eyebrows, and that unmistakable look.
"Guy, this uncle…?" Ebisu whispered.
"Father! What are you doing here? It's dangerous!" Guy shouted.
The truth hit everyone at once. Father and son. Same mold, different ages. No question.
Might Dai turned, flashing a bright smile and a thumbs-up. "I pulled a patrol mission. Never thought I'd run into my own son in trouble. Worth every step!"
His teeth practically glowed. Even the Seven Ninja Swordsmen tightened up. That kick had landed hard—Kuriarare Kushimaru was still on the ground. This guy had to be a jonin working solo. No jonin was ever simple.
"Guy, your dad's strong! We're saved!" Ebisu's face lit up with relief. Nobody wanted to die, especially not a bunch of teenagers.
Guy hated to crush the hope, but reality didn't care. "My father's only a genin."
The words hit like lightning. Genma and Ebisu froze. They were dead today.
The Seven heard it too. Their tension eased. Just a genin after all.
"Damn it… that hurt. A mere genin acting so cocky." Kuriarare Kushimaru finally pushed himself up. His mask cracked and fell away, revealing a blood-streaked face.
"Guy, run. I've got this," Might Dai said without looking back.
"Father, you're just a genin—"
"Guy, go. Your father's giving you one last lesson today. A man only unleashes his true power when he's ready to die protecting what matters most."
He roared, "Eight Gates—Gate of View, open!"
A shockwave blasted outward from Dai. Green chakra flames roared around him. The pressure was nothing like an ordinary jonin.
"Run!"
Guy wiped the tears from his eyes, grabbed Genma and Ebisu, and sprinted toward camp.
"Want to run? Dream on. You're all dying here today!" Kuriarare Kushimaru blurred after them.
He never made it far. A green blur intercepted him mid-charge. One spinning kick to the face stopped him cold. A follow-up back kick sent him flipping through the air like a rag doll. He crashed into a tree, blood spraying from his mouth.
"If you want to kill my son, you go through me first."
Dai stood ready, one hand extended in challenge. For a moment he looked every bit the master.
The remaining six Swordsmen got serious. That speed and power were way beyond normal jonin. Those Leaf brats had lied—called him a genin to make them drop their guard.
"All at once!" the River Puffer Ghost barked.
Biwa Juzo flashed through seals. "Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
Thick fog rolled in.
Dai met the River Puffer Ghost's cleaver head-on with punches and kicks full of explosive force. Samehada's spikes raked his left arm during a block, drawing blood.
Lightning crashed from above. Dai punched rapid-fire, compressed air turning into flaming fists that shattered the bolt.
Then the blunt sword and hammer came in together. Dai blocked the axe with a kunai, but the hammer's impact drove the kunai into his body.
Even with the Gate of View open, Dai was struggling after barely a minute. He couldn't hold back anymore.
"Eight Gates—Gate of Shock, open!"
Blue steam erupted from his body. Violent chakra sent shockwaves rippling outward, clearing the mist.
The Seven stared in shock. Was this the same unremarkable Leaf ninja? That secret technique was insane.
With the Gate of Shock active, Dai didn't waste words. His body couldn't hold this state long.
He blurred and reappeared beside Biwa Juzo. A spinning kick smashed into the man's side, snapping the Executioner's Blade in half and sending Juzo tumbling. Even if he lived, one kidney was probably gone.
"Don't fight him head-on—use ninjutsu!" the River Puffer Ghost shouted.
Dai charged him.
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Wave! Water Dragon Bullet!"
The leader's water style was strong. Raging currents slowed Dai while a massive dragon slammed into him.
Caught in the flow, Dai panicked for a split second, then powered through with raw force. Flaming fists—actually highly compressed air—flew out. Stronger than ever in this state, they shredded the dragon and rocketed toward the River Puffer Ghost.
The leader thought it was chakra fire and raised Samehada to absorb it. Too late. The compressed air smashed into him and the blade. Samehada shrieked. The leader flew backward, blood spraying, and crashed into the water.
At the same time, attacks came from both sides.
Black Hoe Raiga's lightning conducted through the water and paralyzed Dai where he stood.
Explosive tags from the blast blade detonated in a chain that lasted over ten seconds.
The five remaining Swordsmen watched the smoke. That kind of blast should've finished him.
Smoke cleared. Dai was still standing—barely. His body was wrecked, but somehow he'd survived.
He looked at the Mist ninjas surrounding him and gave a bitter smile. His training hadn't been enough. It was time for the final step.
He clenched his fists. Might Dai prepared to open the Gate of Death.
The five saw the telltale stance and their faces went pale.
"Shit—he's doing it again! Stop him!"
At that exact moment, a spinning ring of water rose from the ground in a five-meter radius around Dai.
The two charging Swordsmen slammed into the wall and bounced back. Lightning and fireballs splashed harmlessly against it.
"Water Formation Wall! Alert—he's got backup!" the River Puffer Ghost shouted.
Inside the barrier, Taiichi wiped sweat from his brow. Close. He'd made it just before the Gate of Death opened.
"Dai uncle, I've got this. Rest."
Dai saw who it was and relaxed. "Taiichi… you made it. I can still hold on a little longer. Those guys are tough."
"Dai uncle, drop the gates. Those outside are my mission target. And you don't want to never be a ninja again, right?"
Dai let the Gate of View close. His body gave out immediately. He couldn't stand. Every muscle trembled from the damage.
Taiichi created two shadow clones—one to guard, one to stabilize Dai with emergency medical ninjutsu.
The Water Formation Wall began to fade.
Outside, the five Swordsmen saw the scene and let out a collective breath of relief. Good. The green ninja hadn't kept powering up. Another burst and they would've been finished.
Now he was collapsed on the ground—backlash from his technique. He was out of the fight.
They turned to the newcomer: young, short black hair, familiar face, short blade on his back.
"You're… Matsushita Taiichi."
One of the names every village watched. The one who'd made Sand, Rock, and Cloud think twice. His reputation alone was enough to make them wary.
Worse, their side was already broken. The green ninja had taken two of them down. Two more were still on the ground, status unknown.
Taiichi drew his short blade. One shadow clone lifted Dai and carried him away fast.
"Seven Ninja Swordsmen. You made me work to find you. Now let's play."
The River Puffer Ghost didn't try to stop the clone. They knew who Taiichi was. Even all five together might not win—especially not in their current shape.
"Matsushita Taiichi… how about we call it here? Your friend still needs real treatment. Your clone probably can't handle that."
Taiichi smiled coldly. "Oh, that won't work. You're all my mission targets."
He body-flickered straight in.
Phoenix Sage Fire orbs bloomed around him and rained down on the five.
The sudden assault snapped their fear into rage.
"Damn it—he's looking down on us! All together—kill him!"
Tongcao Yebito swung his giant hammer, smashing fireballs aside, and charged.
The others dodged the barrage in their own ways. Black Hoe Raiga crossed his blades and called lightning down from the sky.
Taiichi didn't even look up. He swung his short blade at the charging River Puffer Ghost while raising both hands. A water wall shot up above him.
Lightning hit the wall and conducted outward, missing Taiichi but slamming into the two charging men. They froze in place, paralyzed.
The ground beneath them was soaked—Taiichi's doing. His own spot stayed dry.
Perfect opening.
Taiichi threw shuriken and body-flickered to Tongcao Yebito. His short blade slid into the man's heart without resistance.
He didn't pull it free. He instantly teleported to the River Puffer Ghost with a Rasengan already formed and slammed it forward.
Samehada flipped up to block. Taiichi felt the blade trying to drain the chakra.
He smiled. "Let's see how fast you can absorb this."
He poured more power in. The Rasengan blazed brighter. Before Samehada could finish draining it, Taiichi drove it straight into the blade.
The impact sent Samehada and the River Puffer Ghost flying. The blade had taken most of the force, so the leader was hurt but still breathing.
In one exchange Taiichi had killed one and taken the leader out of the fight. The remaining three looked ready to break.
Taiichi didn't give them time to think. He flickered toward the closest—無梨甚八—and threw four marked kunai around him.
The man panicked. "Bastard! Help me!"
The other two looked at each other.
Then they turned and ran without a word.
"Animals! You won't die well!"