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Chapter 242: The Curtain Call for the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!
🕑 Added 2025-10-09 11:47:56 +0000 UTCChapter 242: The Curtain Call for the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!
Standing atop the Five-Tails' head, Nara Keisuke surveyed the battlefield. With its implicit alliance with Kumogakure and its geographical advantages, Kirigakure only had to face a single opponent in this war: Konoha. And so, aside from a token force left in the Land of Waves to harass and distract, they had thrown almost all of their available power into the Land of Hot Water.
The Anbu chief, Hōzuki Mangetsu; the Three-Tails Jinchuriki; and the infamous Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. This was the hand Kiri had dealt. And in the shadows, there were still the masterminds: the masked Uchiha, Tobi, and Old Man Madara.
With a single glance, Keisuke grasped the entire situation. Kagami was holding off the Three-Tails and Suikazan Fuguki, so they were no immediate threat. And the rank-and-file Kiri forces were no match for the prepared Konoha ninja. The biggest headache right now... was the other six members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
As Kokuō drew closer, the details of the battle became clearer.
Uchiha Shisui was using his Mirage Body Flicker Technique to single-handedly fight two of them: Kuriarare Kushimaru with the longsword Nuibari, and Munashi Jinpachi with the blastsword Shibuki.
An Akimichi clan member, Akimichi Dōtō, was using his massive strength to fight Akebino Jinin, wielder of the bluntsword Kabutowari.
Hatake Kakashi, with his family's chakra blade, was locked in a high-speed duel with Kurosuki Raiga and his lightning swords, Kiba.
Inuzuka Ago and his ninken, Kōmaru, were using their clan's secret arts to fight the wielder of the twin sword, Hiramekarei.
And Momochi Jūzō, with his Executioner's Blade, was fighting a Jonin from the Sarutobi clan.
The arrival of Keisuke and Kokuō instantly drew the attention of the entire battlefield. The Konoha ninja all knew of the relationship between the "Shadow of Darkness" and the Five-Tails; they knew the beast that once belonged to Iwa was now their own. Seeing it arrive, they were not afraid, but ecstatic. If the Five-Tails is here, can the Shadow of Darkness be far behind? Their morale soared.
In contrast, the Kiri ninja began to panic. They had never seen the Five-Tails before, but from the five tails waving behind the great white beast, they could guess its identity—a Tailed Beast. Suikazan Fuguki, the acting commander, was especially shocked. 'The Five-Tails? How is that possible?! Lord Mizukage said Iwagakure was handling it! And... the figure on its head... that can't be Konoha's Shadow of Darkness, can it? Where is Lord Mangetsu?!'
He was completely unprepared for this development. Kagami was also surprised, but since it was an ally who had arrived—and not just any ally—he had nothing to complain about. Hold off the Three-Tails and wait for support!
As Keisuke and Kokuō drew closer, the Kiri forces began to fall into disarray. Even the Seven Swordsmen, locked in their duels, felt a jolt of fear. They were powerful, but at the end of the day, they were still just "Jonin." Trying to fight a Tailed Beast... even Jūzō, whose sword could repair itself, wouldn't dare. But they couldn't just disengage; their Konoha opponents, sensing the arrival of their leader, redoubled their efforts, their only goal now to hold them in place.
Keisuke immediately focused his attack on the Seven Swordsmen. He raised his hands, and balls of Yin Release chakra formed at his fingertips. They transformed into shadow bullets and shot out at supersonic speed, aimed at each of the swordsmen scattered across the battlefield.
Spiraling Shadow Imitation Bullet!
The projectiles streaked across the field. The closest, the "little green-haired" wielder of Hiramekarei, was the first target. The bullet exploded in mid-air, and Keisuke's form appeared. A shadow tentacle shot out, and before the swordsman could even react, it had locked him in place. The Shadow Doppelganger then raised its hand and, with perfect smoothness, fired a single, black projectile at point-blank range.
Spiraling Shadow Piercing Bullet!
Thwip!
The swordsman, who had just been about to channel chakra into his blade, had the bullet pierce his forehead. One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist was dead. The clone casually used a shadow tendril to retrieve the strange, twin-bladed sword.
The entire exchange was over in an instant.
The other projectiles were only just arriving at their targets. Another clone appeared beside Shisui, instantly binding the "Heartless Duo," Kushimaru and Jinpachi. Jinpachi managed to use his blastsword to blow the clone away, but in that instant, Shisui's sword had already slit Kushimaru's throat. Two down.
The clones that appeared next to Jinin and Jūzō did the same, and their Konoha opponents seized the opportunity to land the killing blows. Four down.
The only one to escape was Kurosuki Raiga. His lightning-enhanced speed allowed him to outrun the clone's attack range.
But Jinpachi, who had survived the first clone, was not so lucky. He turned to face the new threat, and his eyes met a pair of deep, pitch-black pupils.
Genjutsu: Lacquer Eye!
The clone's spiritual energy shot through the visual link, and Jinpachi was instantly frozen. The clone raised its hand and fired.
Five of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, dead in an instant. Their legendary reign had come to a close.
