Chapter 170: Chapter 170: You Go First
By the time the dense fog rolled in, Kitahara Kaede already had his kunai gripped firmly in his hand.
Guy stood pressed to his left.
Genma stood to his right, biting down hard on the toothpick in his mouth.
The fog was oppressive. Even two meters away, the silhouettes of the trees were blurred and indistinct.
*Clang.*
The sound of metal colliding echoed from the depths of the mist. It sounded like someone was slowly tapping two pieces of iron together—a sharp, grating noise that set the nerves on edge.
Genma’s expression shifted. He lowered his voice. "Captain, what’s the plan?"
Kaede didn’t answer immediately. He scanned the perimeter, his ears straining to pinpoint the source of the sound.
In the next instant, several thuds resonated simultaneously from the canopy above. A coarse, rasping laugh drifted through the fog.
"More Konoha ninja, hehe."
Kaede’s gaze shifted. He recognized that voice.
Fuguki Suikazan.
Another voice followed—sharp, cold, and piercing. "But why do they seem so weak this time? Not even a single Jonin. How disappointing."
Someone else chuckled low in their throat. "Is Konoha really that short on shinobi now? Maybe we should just march straight to the village gates this time."
The laughter spread through the mist.
Guy tensed his shoulders, and Genma’s face darkened. The three of them quickly shifted into a back-to-back triangular formation, establishing a defensive perimeter.
Genma dropped into a fighting stance. "Captain."
Kaede remained silent. This was becoming problematic. His original plan had been to confirm their positions first and then find an opportunity to pick them off one by one. Instead, the enemy had already locked onto them. Since they were bold enough to reveal themselves, the encirclement was likely complete.
Kaede kept his voice barely above a whisper. "Listen. In a moment, I’ll make a move to draw them off and tear an opening in their line."
"When you see the chance, get out of here."
Guy’s eyes widened. "I can’t!"
Though he kept his voice low, there was no hint of hesitation. "I cannot abandon my comrades and run away! That would be a betrayal of the very essence of youth!"
Kaede glanced at him, his gaze turning cold. "Did you forget the rules I just set?"
Guy stiffened.
Kaede stared him down. "The first priority is retreat. The second is delivering the intelligence back to Konoha. Did you forget?"
Guy opened his mouth to argue. "But..."
Genma placed a hand on Guy’s shoulder, cutting him off. "Listen to the captain."
Guy whipped his head toward him. Genma looked grim, but his voice was steady. "No matter what, we have to make sure any sacrifice is meaningful."
Guy grit his teeth, staring intensely into the fog. After a few breaths, he forced the words through his clenched jaw. "Fine."
Kaede nodded, then looked at Genma. "You take Guy and go."
Genma looked at him. "And what about you?"
"I can handle the escape."
Genma fell silent. He knew that was unlikely.
"Kaede..." Guy whispered.
"There’s nothing left to say," Kaede replied calmly. "Getting that intelligence back is your only job."
As soon as the words left his lips, the dense fog parted. Seven figures appeared, perched upon the surrounding tree trunks. They varied in height and build, but each one held a strange, menacing blade.
Genma’s eyes widened. "Seven of them?"
His gaze drifted to the weapons, his voice tightening. "More than we estimated... and those blades..."
Kaede spoke slowly. "The Hidden Mist Village... the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
Guy’s breath hitched. Genma’s expression turned pale.
This was the most vicious assassination unit in Kirigakure—the highest combat power beneath the Mizukage.
Juzo Biwa, resting the Executioner’s Blade on his shoulder, looked down at the trio. A cross-shaped scar marred the right side of his face, and a sharp fang poked from his lip.
"Oh? The brat actually knows who we are." He licked his lips. "As a reward, I’ll make sure to chop you into very small pieces."
Fuguki Suikazan stood on a higher branch, the bandage-wrapped greatsword in his hand twitching slightly. "Juzo, don’t be in such a rush. Konoha brats coming this far are likely scouting for intel. Chop off their limbs first; we’ll kill them after the interrogation."
Kushimaru Kuriarare let out a thin, whistling laugh. "Chopping them is such a waste. It’s much more interesting to sew them up and hang them from the trees for the next batch of Konoha ninja to find."
Cold sweat beaded on Genma’s forehead. In the eyes of these monsters, the three of them were already corpses.
Kaede ignored Juzo’s provocations. His eyes swept across the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, calculating. If a full-scale fight broke out, it would be nearly impossible to keep his trump cards hidden. He had to be fast. He needed to eliminate one of them immediately.
Raiga Kurosuki.
The Lightning Blade was too fast. If he wasn’t dealt with first, Guy and Genma would never make it out. After that, he would target Fuguki Suikazan; Samehada’s ability to absorb chakra was the most irritating factor in a prolonged fight. As for the others, he could use Water Style to pin them down and manipulate their positions.
As long as he could tear a gap in the perimeter, Guy and Genma would have their chance.
Kaede slowly lowered his hand. Juzo noticed the movement and sneered. "Brat, you still think you can resist?"
Raiga Kurosuki gripped his twin blades, sparks of electricity dancing along the edges. "Let me do it. I love hearing how children scream when they’re hit by lightning."
Guy grit his teeth but didn’t rush out. Kaede continued calculating the distance. The moment Raiga took one step closer, he would strike.
Kushimaru Kuriarare flicked his wrist. Nuibari shot forward, the steel wires slicing through the branches with a sharp hiss.
"The killing game begins."
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen moved simultaneously.
*Now.*
Suddenly, a familiar roar echoed from above.
"LEAF HURRICANE!!"
Kaede’s eyelid twitched. Guy snapped his head upward.
A blur of green crashed down from the canopy, descending with terrifying speed.
*BOOM!*
The kick slammed directly into the center of the battlefield. The ground exploded, sending shards of rock and debris flying in every direction.
The onslaught of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen was forced to a halt. Kushimaru’s wires were knocked off course, pinning themselves into a nearby trunk. The branch beneath Raiga’s feet snapped, sending him flipping backward a considerable distance.
Genma was pushed back half a step by the shockwave, his eyes wide with shock. "Who is that?"
As the dust cleared, a man in a green skin-tight jumpsuit stood before the three of them, bandages wrapped around his hands. His back wasn’t impossibly wide, yet he seemed to block every blade and killing intent from reaching those behind him.
Guy froze. "Dad?"
Might Duy didn’t look back. He simply raised his hand and gave Guy a thumbs-up.
"Guy."
"Youth cannot stop here!"
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