Many people were initially dissatisfied with Aoyama Ryūun's promotion of Might Guy, a perennial genin, to jōnin.
But now they understood.
Might Guy was absolutely qualified to become a jōnin.
His taijutsu was completely beyond their comprehension.
"Is this really taijutsu?"
"That's too strong!"
"Is that still the same guy who stayed a genin for years?"
"If I'd ever bullied him in the past, I'd be dead if that punch had landed on me!"
"..."
Some of the shinobi who used to mock Might Guy began to panic on the spot.
Damn it! This "eternal genin" was this strong? Completely outrageous.
"Bang!"
The nearly lifeless body of the Watermelon Pufferfish Demon hit the ground hard.
As for Samehada, it had already escaped the instant Might Guy's fist landed on Suikazan Fuguki.
Samehada was intelligent—of course it fled.
At the same time, Matt Dai landed heavily on the ground.
"Phew—!"
After adjusting his breathing slightly, he closed the Sixth Gate of the Eight Gates Formation, then let the residual flames of Morning Peacock fade.
Even Matt Dai felt pain from the strain, but he could endure it.
"You…"
With tremendous effort, Hōzuki Suigetsu raised his head to look at Might Guy one last time.
It was as if he wanted to carve Dai's image into his bones.
But in the end, Hōzuki Suigetsu collapsed completely.
With that, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were annihilated.
They had won.
"YEAH!"
After a moment of stunned silence, cheers exploded from Konoha's side.
In contrast, Kirigakure fell deathly quiet.
The brutal death of Suikazan Fuguki—and the total defeat of the Swordsmen—hit their morale harder than any jutsu ever could.
"This is youth!"
On the battlefield, Might Guy couldn't hold himself back and shouted proudly.
Years of frustration, doubt, and humiliation—finally wiped away.
But the more jubilant the moment, the more grateful Matt Dai felt toward Aoyama Ryūun.
Not only had he saved Guy in the past, but now he had given him the chance to prove his youth.
"Lord Ryūun!"
Tears welled up as Matt Dai turned toward Aoyama Ryūun.
Without a doubt, Dai was seconds away from bursting into sobs.
"Alright! Stop crying. The war isn't over yet."
Aoyama Ryūun clearly didn't want to hear Dai bawling in the middle of the battlefield.
Besides, they had only defeated Hōzuki Suigetsu. Kirigakure itself had not yet fallen.
"Yes!"
Guy immediately wiped his eyes, turned, and faced the Mist forces once again.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it all!"
Yagura's glare was filled with venom.
Suikazan Fuguki dying like the other Swordsmen—fine.
But being thrashed like this in front of the entire army?
Unforgivable.
"Everyone!"
Morale was already low. If they hesitated any longer, the war might collapse before it even truly began.
Thinking this through, Yagura raised his hand sharply.
As the Fourth Mizukage stepped forward, every Mist-nin's expression darkened at once.
"Attack!"
At his command, thousands of Mist Ninja roared and charged toward the Konoha line.
Aoyama Ryūun had anticipated this.
The hands behind his back shifted, settling naturally onto the hilts of Withered Tree and Sakura Ju.
"Everyone! Defeat them!"
Even if he could fight alone, this was war. His subordinates deserved orders.
"Charge!"
"Defeat them!"
"For Konoha!"
Thousands of Mist and Leaf shinobi clashed instantly, turning the once-still field into a raging slaughter.
Matt Dai was the first to rush in.
The Eight Gates' recoil had not yet become severe enough to immobilize him.
At the same moment, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, appeared before Aoyama Ryūun.
"Aoyama Ryūun!"
Yagura's eyes were dark and murderous as he glared at him.
Even under the pressure, Ryūun remained composed.
In fact, he couldn't resist a laugh.
"You must be the Fourth Mizukage, right? Honestly, if you hadn't said anything, I would've thought you were the Fourth Mizukage's son."
"You bastard!"
Of course Yagura snapped. Still the same baby-face insult.
Water Release: Exploding Water Wave!
"BOOM!"
Kirigakure territory had water everywhere—water-style ninjutsu used here were far stronger.
"Hey, aren't you going to give other people a chance to talk?"
Ryūun smirked.
As the massive wave surged forward like a tsunami, he drew Withered Tree.
With a single backhand slash, a brilliant golden sword aura exploded forward, tearing into the Water Release head-on.
"BOOM!"
The sword aura split the jutsu cleanly in half.
"Ninjutsu—Coral Palm!"
At the same moment, Yagura had already appeared at Ryūun's flank, striking toward him.
"Bang!"
Ryūun's arms, already wrapped in Armament Haki, blocked the strike effortlessly.
He countered instantly—one palm strike sent Yagura skidding backward several meters.
Yagura looked up with a twisted, triumphant grin.
"You're dead after being hit by my Coral Palm!"
Coral Palm was an A-rank ninjutsu, created by Yagura himself.
Those struck by it would have coral rapidly grow on their bodies.
The weak were assimilated into coral outright.
"Yeah?"
Ryūun laughed, completely unfazed.
He raised his arm. Coral had already begun to grow along it.
But Ryūun simply dispersed it in an instant.
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