Chapter 101: Yagura: Are You Freaking a Traitor?

Boom! The explosive blade of Munashi Jinpachi detonated repeatedly, providing cover for Kushimaru Kuriarare’s retreat, while Jinpachi himself was about to flee as well. However, at the moment of the explosion, his scroll shifted slightly off course. Then… Boom! He ended up blasting himself. What the hell? Sёarch* The ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Munashi Jinpachi looked utterly bewildered. He had wielded the explosive blade for years, and it had never gone out of control like this. How is this possible?! Of course, it wasn’t a random accident. Dance of the Shikigami! Though it hadn’t been refined with his own chakra for precise control, altering its trajectory by just a fraction was still within reach. And that tiny shift was enough to change the entire battlefield. The next moment… Twin blades flashed like a swallow spreading its wings. A gleam of steel flickered, and fresh wounds appeared on both Jinpachi's leg and the arm wielding his sword. Kushimaru Kuriarare hadn't expected his longtime comrade to fall so quickly. And… It all happened within just two seconds. The entire battle had flipped in an instant. Hoshigaki Kisame was dead. Munashi Jinpachi's fate was unknown. As for the remaining four… Shit! They all ran? Cursing in his mind, Kushimaru tossed a paper bomb to cover his retreat and disappeared with the Body Flicker Technique. But Kyoichi, still in his Earth Spear state, was completely unfazed by explosions. He charged straight through the blast, instantly pursuing Kushimaru. The latter had no choice but to block with his Sewing Needle. However… One sword blocked—what about the other? And more importantly… Kyoichi’s fingers twitched, utilizing the dim flash of the explosion to successfully unleash a genjutsu. The next moment… Bang! With a monstrous strength-enhanced kick, Kyoichi sent Kushimaru flying backward. Straight toward where Yamanaka Inoichi and the others were waiting. They were going berserk! Yamanaka Inoichi was utterly stunned. He knew Kyoichi was strong. But… He never imagined that even the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist would be scattered within just a few exchanges against Kyoichi, Might Duy, and Hayama Shirakumo. No! To be precise, it was just Kyoichi and Might Duy. Even though Hayama Shirakumo was using the Breath-Activation Technique, he was barely able to hold off two of them. Meanwhile, Kyoichi and Might Duy were each fighting four or five at a time. They were absolute monsters! —— Near the coast, Uchiha Yashiro and the others had formed teams of three or four, working together to hold off Yagura. At first, Yashiro thought he could handle it alone. But reality proved otherwise! Not only did he fail to stop him, but he was nearly killed by Yagura’s blind rage. If it weren’t for Katsuyu’s healing, he would’ve lost his life. “Damn it! All of you, just die already!” Yagura was consumed with fury. These pathetic insects kept getting in his way. If he arrived too late, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen might be wiped out entirely. Four or five squads charged at him. He stretched out his hand, forming a Water Mirror. Then… Multiple identical figures emerged, but that wasn’t the real kill move— In a flash, the hook at the end of his staff lashed out toward someone’s neck. Yagura had gone completely berserk. Because… He sensed four people fleeing toward this direction. Four! Among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and Ao, only four remained alive! A group of Konoha shinobi intercepted them, cutting off their escape route. Yagura was strong, but even he dared not provoke so many enemies at once. A deep sense of despair crept into his heart— These reckless fools… how dare they charge in alone like this?! At best… Only one of them might escape. And Yagura was right. The remaining Seven Ninja Swordsmen were being ruthlessly hunted down. Kyoichi and Might Duy were relentlessly pursuing from behind, while Konoha’s forces closed in from the front. In just moments… Biwa Jūzō was dead. He had already been partially hit by Morning Peacock. Severely injured, it was a miracle he even made it this far. But in the end, Might Duy caught up and finished him off. But by now… Might Duy was running on fumes. If not for Kyoichi using Katsuyu’s healing techniques at the base, he wouldn’t have lasted this long. Meanwhile, Jenin akebino fell to Kyoichi’s blade. Hōzuki Mangetsu was in despair. He glanced behind him, then ahead, and made a quick decision— He jumped into the river, liquefying his body. Instead of immediately escaping, he seeped into the underground water veins. He was far more decisive than Hōzuki Chikage. He knew when to cut his losses. His maneuver left Raiga dumbfounded, and even Kyoichi was briefly stunned— He hadn’t expected Hōzuki Mangetsu to be this slippery, even taking the trouble to dive underground before escaping. Was he actually trying to avoid being caught? Smart move. There was no catching him now. However… Kyoichi quickly realized why. The Hōzuki Clan had a summoning contract linked to the Seven Swords. Even if Mangetsu didn’t make it back, the Hōzuki Clan could likely summon the six swords home. Unless… He did something about it. Kyoichi pondered for a moment but didn’t waste time chasing Mangetsu. Instead, he dispelled Earth Spear and turned his full focus on Raiga Kurosuki. Raiga wasn’t weak. In the anime, he was one of the few who survived Might Duy’s Eight Gates Release massacre. But now… With Mangetsu having fled, Raiga was left alone. He brandished the Thunder Swords, crackling with lightning. Lightning Feast! But this time, Kyoichi didn’t even need to intervene— Hayama Shirakumo rushed in, slicing through the attack with a Vacuum Blade. The next moment… Kyoichi spat out Wind Blades. With both swords empowered by Vacuum Blades, his sword style shifted to Flying Swallow. Meanwhile, the Konoha shinobi closed in, exhausting Raiga with relentless jutsu attacks. The Hyuga clan had also activated their Byakugan, preparing to strike with Gentle Fist. A flicker of despair crossed Raiga’s eyes. He raised both swords to the sky. Blazing thunder gathered above. Then— A bolt of lightning struck down from the heavens. Kyoichi, unable to judge its path, swiftly formed seals and raised a Mud Wall to block the currents. But the lightning wasn’t aimed at him. Instead, it struck Raiga himself. Lightning Release: Thunder Burial! The descending lightning consumed everything. Raiga held his own grand funeral. Apart from his two swords, nothing remained. The residual lightning obliterated everything nearby. If not for Kyoichi’s Mud Wall, even he would’ve been caught in the blast. A moment ago… Had he stepped even a bit closer, he might’ve had to rely on a Shadow Clone to save himself. Even with his Senju physique, there was no way he could’ve withstood that thunderous onslaught. In the distance… Yagura saw the dazzling display of Thunder Burial and sensed three life signatures vanish. He immediately knew what had happened— The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were gone! At that moment, despair consumed Yagura. Kirigakure didn't have many elite fighters to begin with. Over the years, only a handful had risen to prominence—himself, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and a select few others. While there were still jōnin and elite chūnin, none were capable of shouldering such a heavy responsibility. And now… they were all gone. Sure, one had survived—Hozuki Mangetsu. But honestly? Yagura would have preferred if he had died, too. If it weren’t for this idiot, none of this would’ve happened! And just like that… As if the heavens themselves wanted to mock him, Hozuki Mangetsu emerged from the sea. "Move! Now!" Whether from exhaustion or sheer guilt, his voice lacked all confidence. Yagura wanted nothing more than to rip him apart, but now wasn’t the time for rage. He had to stay rational. While retreating, he quickly weaved hand seals. In an instant, the sea roared to life, sending massive waves crashing onto the battlefield. Hozuki Mangetsu didn’t bother attacking—he was too focused on running. Yagura shot him a sharp glare but used the Exploding Water Shock Wave to cover their escape. --- "Yashiro-sama..." "Let him go," Uchiha Yashiro sighed bitterly. "That one’s too strong. Even if we caught up, we wouldn’t stand a chance." Yagura was a monster. His chakra reserves were vast, and his mastery of Water Release was unparalleled. He was simply beyond their level. Yashiro couldn't even begin to imagine— How the hell had Kyoichi managed to run rampant in Kirigakure with only three people?! It wasn't long before he found his answer. As they moved inland, Yashiro saw the aftermath of the battle. The devastation was undeniable. Among the fallen lay the charred remains of Raiga Kurosuki and Hoshigaki Kisame. Meanwhile, four other members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had been captured alive. Three names stood out: Jinpachi Munashi, Kushimaru Kuriarare, and Jinin Akebino—all subdued. But the most shocking part? The entire operation had been carried out by just three men. What kind of ridiculous battle record was this?! Yashiro could hardly believe it, but the evidence was right before his eyes. At that moment, he saw Kyoichi gathering up six of the legendary swords. Kyoichi turned to him and asked casually, "Yashiro-san, did you manage to intercept Hozuki Mangetsu?" "I… I failed. I couldn’t stop him or Yagura." Yashiro hung his head in shame. Kyoichi had actually fulfilled his promise—three men against seven, and they had wiped out the infamous Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Meanwhile, even with multiple Konoha squads at his back, Yashiro hadn’t been able to deal with just two people. The difference in their performances… was painfully obvious. "You couldn’t stop them?" Kyoichi smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "No worries. Yagura is rumored to be a candidate for the next Mizukage. He’s absurdly powerful. It’s normal that you wouldn’t be able to beat him." "...Thank you, Kyoichi-sama, for your generosity." He called it reassurance. But to an Uchiha, those words cut deeper than any blade. Yashiro felt as if he'd been utterly humiliated. "Kyoichi-sama, what’s our next move?" Nearby, Shirakumo Hayama was busy collecting the fallen ninja swords. Kyoichi tapped his chin. "First, let’s seal all six swords. We don’t want Kirigakure summoning them back. These are our spoils of war. Where’s the sealing unit?" "We’re here!" "Alright, use every sealing technique you’ve got." Kyoichi personally placed multiple seals on each sword. Once the sealing unit was finished, he wrapped them in a massive scroll and applied additional layers of sealing techniques. Then— He summoned Katsuyu and had her transport the swords to Shikkotsu Forest for safekeeping. He did not send them back to Konoha. If these blades made it to Konoha, they'd likely be swallowed by the system, never to be seen again. Kyoichi had his own plans— He intended to melt some of these blades down to forge a weapon tailored to himself. As for the Kusanagi Sword… What kind of swordsman could resist the allure of a legendary blade? He wanted all of it. --- Elsewhere – A Kirigakure Outpost After a long, grueling retreat, Yagura and Hozuki Mangetsu finally reached a temporary safe haven. Mangetsu kept his gaze down, unable to meet Yagura’s eyes. Taking a deep breath, Yagura asked, "Are they all dead?" "There were three enemies. One of them used some kind of forbidden technique, a technique that didn’t rely on chakra. Kisame tried to block it with Samehada, but… he failed." "...And?" Mangetsu's eyes were vacant as he continued speaking. Yagura’s patience snapped. He slammed his fist down, veins bulging in fury. "I DON’T WANT THE DETAILS! JUST TELL ME—ARE THEY DEAD OR NOT?!" "I… I don’t know." Mangetsu lowered his head further. Yagura took another deep breath, trying to suppress his rage. "...Where are the swords?" "I—I couldn’t retrieve them!" Mangetsu's voice shook. He could feel the killing intent radiating from Yagura. "I was under the impression that your clan could summon the seven swords back." "They—they’re in the clan’s possession." Yagura’s patience snapped. "You’re USELESS. Why the hell did you even come back alive?" At this point, even Yagura's usual self-control couldn't stop him from erupting. Each word was dripping with contempt. This bastard… I chased them down with everything I had—and still failed to catch them! Yet Mangetsu leads the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to their deaths and somehow manages to crawl back alone?! If not for the fact that the Hōzuki Clan was utterly loyal to Kirigakure, Yagura would have sworn that Mangetsu was a traitor. "Listen! Let me explain—!" Before Mangega could finish, Yagura raised his hand. A sealing jutsu flared to life, instantly binding Mangetsu in place. At the same time, Yagura confiscated his blade—the twinsword Hiramekarei. "Return to the village and explain it to the higher-ups!"