Chapter 99: The Watermelon Rind of Legend
More than half a year had passed since the outbreak of the Third Great Ninja War.
Outside Konohagakure, several figures flashed through the trees, moving with urgent haste towards the village gates.
"Ninja? I'm already a chūnin!"
The complaint came from a muscular boy in a tight green jumpsuit, who skidded to an abrupt halt, his expression one of deep frustration.
A teammate beside him stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't think like that, Kai. Chūnin, genin… it's not important. What's important is that he's your father, and our comrade."
For decades, that man had been a "genin." He couldn't master ninjutsu or genjutsu. Even the taijutsu he always championed seemed, to others, little more than enthusiastic slogans.
"Kai, quiet!" A man with spiky black hair and dark sunglasses—Ebisu—snapped, his expression turning serious as he stared into the dense forest ahead. "I smell blood. Be on guard."
"The smell of blood?"
Might Gai took a few cautious steps forward, his demeanor shifting to full alertness. They were not far from Konoha. Since the war began, Konoha's perimeter security, including Uchiha patrols, had been heightened. If there was bloodshed here now, it could mean only one thing…
Swish!
Before Gai could finish the thought, a slender, needle-like blade shot from the trees, slicing a thin line of blood across his cheek.
"Ambush! Enemy contact!" Ebisu shouted.
Gai's team was tasked with relaying intelligence between the frontlines and the Land of Rain. Seeing the nearly invisible wire attached to the retreating blade, Gai swiftly stepped back, his hand subtly tightening on the mission scroll secured at his waist.
"Just a squad of chūnin." A heavy, disdainful voice drifted from the forest depths as the strange sword retracted.
"I'll take care of them."
"No, I will."
"I still want to."
...
The unseen enemies bickered casually, treating Gai's team like a choice cut of meat on a butcher's block.
With a series of soft thuds, seven distinct figures materialized around a large boulder not far away. They varied in height and build, but each bore the slashed Kirigakure forehead protector and gripped a uniquely shaped, menacing blade.
"Oh no… it's them!" Ebisu breathed, his face paling.
"Who?!" Gai demanded, eyes locked on the newcomers.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!"
Hearing the name, Gai's heart sank. The title was infamous across the ninja world. Each wielder was a jōnin-level combatant, their unique blades granting them deadly, esoteric abilities. They were renowned for their cruelty, their eccentricity, and their flawless teamwork.
But why were they here? How had they bypassed all of Konoha's outer defenses and surveillance?
Gai had no time to puzzle it out. He carried vital intelligence for the village. Facing seven enemy jōnin, his four-man chūnin squad stood no chance.
"Gai!" Ebisu whispered urgently from behind him. "We'll hold them off. You take the intel and run for the village!"
"How can I? If you stay, you'll all—"
"Enough! The mission comes first! Gai, don't forget—you are a shinobi of Konoha!"
Gai's spirit quivered. He could find no argument against the cold, tactical logic. If the scroll was captured, Konoha's entire strategy in the Land of Rain could be compromised. Yet, the thought of abandoning his comrades to certain death was a physical pain in his chest.
Torn, wracked with guilt and fury at his own perceived weakness, Gai bowed his head.
"Gai!"
Just as his team prepared for a desperate, suicidal stand, a familiar, booming voice echoed from the woods behind them.
Fwoosh! A blur of green and orange landed squarely in front of Gai.
"Da… Dad?! What are you doing here?!"
According to Konoha's wartime deployment, active-duty genin were not assigned to front-line battles. So why…?
"Gai! Your team retreats to the village! I will handle things here!" Might Dai declared, giving a brilliant, thumb's-up smile over his shoulder.
"Handle it?! They're the Seven Ninja Swordsmen! You're just a genin! How can you stop them?!" Gai screamed, his voice cracking with fear for his father.
"GAI!" Might Dai's voice shifted, losing all its usual cheerful levity, becoming deathly serious. "Calm. Down."
He turned fully to face the seven infamous foes. "The Seven Ninja Swordsmen, hm? Worthy opponents, at last. This means… I can finally use that technique."
As he spoke, he brought his hands together in a seal at his chest. A terrifying, palpable energy began to radiate from his core.
"Hachimon Tonkō! (Eight Gates Released Formation)"
"Shōmon… Kaimon… Kyūmon… Seimon… Daimon… Kyomon… Keimon…"
With each gate named, a visible shockwave of chakra erupted from his body, stripping leaves from nearby trees.
"TOMON! (Death Gate) OPEN!"
BOOM!
A cataclysmic roar of pure energy blasted outward. The very air turned red and searing around him. The grassy clearing was scoured bare in an instant.
Might Gai stared, paralyzed. His father… was enveloped in a raging crimson aura. His veins stood out like burning cords, his skin flushed dark red. Blood evaporated from his pores, forming a thick, scarlet mist. His eyes were utterly pale, the pupils gone, burning with nothing but incandescent will.
"Gai…" Dai's voice was a guttural roar, yet calm. "Remember what I always told you?"
Gai could only stare, tears beginning to stream down his face.
"Remember… when we are determined to protect what we hold most precious… that is when our youth burns brightest. That is when it has true meaning."
Dai turned his blazing gaze upon the Seven Swordsmen, who now watched with a mixture of shock and dawning horror.
"And for me… that time… is NOW!"
He barked an order without looking back. "You three! Get Gai to the village! NOW!"
Ebisu and the other two chūnin, shaken from their stupor by the sheer, suicidal authority in that command, acted. They grabbed Gai's arms, bodily hauling him away towards Konoha.
"DAD!!" Gai's scream tore from his throat, echoing through the forest as he was dragged further and further away.
A final, serene smile touched Might Dai's blood-streaked face. Gai… after I'm gone… you must grow up strong.
...
"Konoha Senpū! (Leaf Hurricane)"
"Konoha Gōriki Senpū! (Leaf Great Whirlwind)"
CRACK! BOOM! THUD!
The forest became a blizzard of red and green. The air itself screamed.
When the dust settled…
Of the seven famed swordsmen, only three remained standing amidst the wreckage.
...
Loquat Jūzō, one of the survivors, stared at the fading crimson aura around the fallen Konoha genin. He suddenly remembered the chilling, parting words of that man before they left Kiri. Seeing the monstrous power this "failed shinobi" had unleashed, a premonition of utter doom gripped his heart.
"RUN! GET BACK!" Jūzō roared, his voice raw with terror.
The other two survivors, still reeling, didn't have time to question him.
For in the center of the devastation, the broken but still breathing form of Might Dai slowly, agonizingly, pushed himself up onto his elbows. He brought his hands together one last time, crossing his index fingers.
"Sekizo." (Evening Elephant)
A single word, whispered with the last of his breath.
The air in front of him warped.
(End of Chapter)
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