Chapter 85: The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist
Uchiha Kazuki stood alone on the now-calm sea.
His right hand gripped Murasaki Genji's neck in an iron hold.
Not long ago, Murasaki had been arrogant and domineering, but now he hung limp and lifeless like a fish out of water.
"I... I remember now... the Mizukage mentioned it..." Overwhelmed by suffocation, Murasaki Genji's face contorted as veins bulged from severe oxygen deprivation. His eyes nearly rolled back in his head as he managed to squeeze out words through clenched teeth: "Is this... the Mangekyō Sharingan of the Uchiha clan?"
Perhaps it was the approach of death—standing at the threshold of the afterlife—that brought buried memories flashing through his mind like scenes from his life replaying.
Yes, he finally remembered. He had once heard the Third Mizukage mention that the Uchiha clan's Sharingan, beyond the three-tomoe stage, possessed an even more terrifying power—the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan once awakened by Uchiha Madara himself.
"Congratulations, you guessed correctly."
Uchiha Kazuki looked down at him with a slight smile playing across his lips: "You should feel honored—you're the first person to witness it."
"Don't... get so arrogant..." Murasaki Genji's face suddenly flashed with fierce determination. Blood gushed from his mouth as he grinned through crimson-stained teeth, his eyes filled with resolve. He spoke word by word: "We are Kirigakure shinobi! Even if we die... we must create value before death!"
With this unwavering conviction—as one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—he had to relay this critical information back to the village!
With lightning speed, Murasaki Genji unfurled a small storage scroll from his vest.
The summoning technique sealed within transformed into a messenger fish, its streamlined body leaping into the turbulent sea. In the blink of an eye, it vanished underwater like a torpedo, leaving trails of disturbed waves in its wake.
"Uchiha Kazuki, just you wait! You'll face the relentless pursuit of the entire Hidden Mist Village—a fight to the death!" Murasaki Genji grinned maliciously, showing absolutely no fear even in his final moments.
Crack!
Uchiha Kazuki tightened his grip with casual ease, effortlessly crushing Murasaki Genji's throat.
The light faded from Murasaki's eyes as he breathed his last, then was carelessly discarded into the sea like worthless garbage.
"Lord Kazuki, I don't quite understand why you used Susanoo to deal with such a small fry?" White Zetsu surfaced from the water, looking at him with a genuinely puzzled expression. "Although you possess the First Hokage's cells which can counteract the Mangekyō Sharingan's deterioration side effects, wouldn't using it so openly actually reveal your location?"
"When did I ever say I wanted to hide my location?" Uchiha Kazuki countered simply.
"Hmm, it seems you didn't mention that~" White Zetsu questioned himself, looking completely bewildered. "But Lord Kazuki, are you absolutely sure you don't need me to intercept that messenger fish? The intelligence it carries will reveal that you've awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"White Zetsu, are you referring to this intelligence report?"
At that moment, Uchiha Kazuki smiled mischievously, somehow now holding an identical scroll in his hand—the very same one.
Seeing this, White Zetsu suddenly understood everything: "I see! You switched his scroll long ago using genjutsu. No wonder you didn't bother stopping it. Hehehe, as expected of Lord Kazuki—your illusion techniques are truly magnificent."
"It's time to move, White Zetsu."
Uchiha Kazuki began walking across the sea's surface, shading his eyes with one hand as he gazed into the distance: "I believe that merchant ship from earlier was heading in this direction, wasn't it?"
It was entirely Murasaki Genji's fault—if that guy hadn't destroyed the merchant vessel, he wouldn't need to navigate by memory now.
"Lord Kazuki, this is rightfully your spoils of war!" White Zetsu, acting like an eager servant, meticulously retrieved Shibuki from where it had fallen into the sea. He presented it fawningly: "This is one of the Seven Legendary Blades considered sacred heirlooms by Kirigakure—Shibuki the Explosive Blade! You almost forgot to claim it."
"No need. Just throw it away."
Uchiha Kazuki glanced at the weapon with complete disinterest.
"Huh? But this is Shibuki! Lord Kazuki!" White Zetsu blinked in surprise, seemingly reluctant to discard it: "This sword's destructive power is quite formidable!"
"If you want it, keep it for yourself."
Uchiha Kazuki waved his hand dismissively: "I have no use for such trash-tier weaponry."
If it were Samehada or Hiramekarei, he might have been interested in adding them to his collection.
But Shibuki? Pure garbage.
Using it to actually cut people was pointless—the wide, heavy blade was cumbersome, unwieldy, and inefficient for close combat.
Its only real function was summoning explosive tags, then using the thick blade as a shield against the resulting explosions. Ironically, Shibuki's theoretically strongest attack would be the complete destruction of the blade itself along with the death of its wielder.
However, since it hadn't been destroyed by the end of the original timeline, its true maximum power remained unknown speculation.
In conclusion, it was a complete waste of effort—you might as well just throw explosive kunai directly at enemies.
He genuinely couldn't fathom what twisted logic the original creator possessed to forge such an impractical legendary weapon.
"Thank you, Lord Kazuki!"
White Zetsu was completely unconcerned—the side effects and drawbacks of Shibuki were practically nonexistent for his unique physiology.
The strange creature looked absolutely overjoyed, like a child receiving a beloved toy. He clutched it tightly while saying happily: "Hehehe, the other White Zetsu will be so envious when they see me with this!"
"By the way, Lord Kazuki, I have another question."
White Zetsu, still hugging Shibuki possessively, looked at him with genuine curiosity: "Wasn't your mission to secretly infiltrate Kirigakure and covertly investigate the truth behind the war being planned by the two great shinobi villages? Making such a massive commotion—won't that only arouse their suspicion and make everything harder?"
"You misheard me, White Zetsu."
Hearing this, Uchiha Kazuki stopped walking, his gaze fixed on the distant landmass faintly visible through the thick fog. He adjusted his glasses with his index finger, his eyes gleaming with hidden intent. A slight smile appeared on his lips as his tone remained gentle and warm: "The Hokage's actual order was for me to cause a great disturbance!"
As if responding to his declaration of intent, faint text materialized before his eyes.
[Side Quest: Go and Cause a Great Disturbance!]
[A qualified director will guide the tides of history itself. Now it's your turn. Go create chaos according to your own script, and let this war proceed exactly as you desire.]
[Reward: Brain of an Adult Mind Dragon ×1, Blood of an Adult Mind Dragon 500ml]
On the turbulent sea, several figures suddenly appeared in formation.
"Murasaki Genji's final traces end here." One of them crouched down low, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air. His voice was sharp and grating like shattering glass, his piercing gaze fixed on the distant horizon: "Whoever killed him was definitely at least Jōnin level. The residual chakra concentration is extremely high and potent. They departed approximately ten minutes ago."
"What about Shibuki?" asked the tall man with a distinctive ponytail.
"Hehehe, do you even need to ask? It was obviously stolen."
A man with withered, yellowish hair and a body as thin as a bamboo pole sneered mockingly.
Another considerably obese man frowned deeply and scoffed: "Tsk, I knew we shouldn't have let that replacement join us. What complete trash—taken out so easily."
"After all, Murasaki was merely a substitute member."
The man with bandages wrapped extensively around his body and face spoke sinisterly: "Regardless of circumstances, we absolutely must retrieve Shibuki. We cannot allow one of the Seven Legendary Blades to fall into enemy hands."
"I can smell our prey!"
The seemingly youngest member—his distinctive blue hair standing on end like shark fins—grinned with cold anticipation: "We need to show this intruder the true power of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!"
[End of Chapter 85]