Meanwhile, in a covert team of Mist Ninja, a discussion was taking place.
"Why are we making such a fuss over a small village like the Grass Village?" Raiga Kurosuki, a ninja with long green hair, thick eyebrows, and two swords on his back, flashed a sinister smile, revealing his sharp teeth. "We should just assassinate the leader of the Grass Village directly. The Third Mizukage is being overly cautious!"
"Shut up!" Jūzō Biwa, who carried a large cleaver, shot a dark look at Raiga, and his face turned gloomy. "Have you forgotten our failed assassination mission in Konoha? If we fail again, it would be a disgrace!"
Recalling the terrifying figure that had single-handedly defeated them in a moment, even the formidable Seven Swordsmen of the Mist couldn't help but shiver. It was hard to believe that the individual who had reduced them to just three members had been classified as a Genin ninja in Konoha.
"We'll become a laughing stock if we fail again," Jūzō Biwa muttered with a frown.
"Remember, that guy from Konoha is dead now," Raiga reminded. "Our target is the Grass Village leader!"
"That Grass Village leader is also no pushover," Jūzō frowned slightly and hesitated, "Being able to deceive the five major ninja villages until now and getting the leader of the Rain Village, Demi-God Hanzo to agree to join forces with him, it's not something ordinary people can do."
"Scared, are you? We're the Seven Swordsmen! We don't back down from a small village leader!" Raiga scoffed.
Jūzō sighed, "I'm just tired of failure, that's all."
"I told you, there's no way we'll fail this time!" Raiga insisted.
"That's what we thought last time as well," Jūzō retorted as he remembered their overconfidence when they infiltrated Konoha.
"Enough, you two. Stop bickering!" A portly man with long orange hair admonished, his brow furrowing. "Remember our mission."
Jūzō shot a more serious glance at him and fell silent. On the other hand, Raiga raised his twin swords, 'Kiba,' high into the air, revealing his sharp teeth with a chilling grin. "I'll give him a grand funeral. Let the entire Land of Grass come to celebrate his demise!"
Just as Raiga's words reverberated in the thunderstorm-filled skies, synchronized with his 'Kiba' blades, a voice filled with sarcasm suddenly sounded right next to them, "A grand funeral, you say? Well, I appreciate the sentiment!"
Instantly, the faces of all the Mist Ninjas turned pale, and Fuguki Suikazan, the temporary commander, swiftly grasped the situation and shouted, "Ambush!"
With a quick turn, he unleashed his ninjutsu, "Hair Needle Senbon!" His hair strands stiffened, turning into a storm of needles that rained down upon the enemy.
In unison, Raiga's triumphant laughter came to an abrupt halt, and he hastily retreated while invoking, "Lightning Burial: Banquet of Lightning!" he cried out.
Jūzō acted with equal swiftness. "Hiding in Mist Technique!" He released a dense mist, aiming to employ it as a shroud to obstruct the enemy's line of sight.
In this critical moment, they realized that their plan, which had been coordinated with Konoha to use the Land of Fire as a shortcut for ambushing the Land of Grass, had been exposed. Now, it was their turn to face an ambush.
To regain control of the situation, the quick response from these three warriors couldn't help but make the Grass Ninjas in the vicinity sigh. Despite being the target of ridicule in the ninja world after their previous failed attack on Konoha, no one dared to underestimate the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. After all, these renowned swordsmen had the reputation of being able to conquer a small nation in a single night.
However, it was too late. Amidst the thick fog, pairs of crimson eyes locked onto the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. The mist didn't obscure the vision of the Grass Ninjas.
Indeed, Akihiko hadn't come alone this time. He had brought his new intelligence officer, White Zetsu, and a small team of Chinoike Clan guards. Though their numbers appeared smaller than the massive Mist force on the other side, the Grass Ninjas showed no signs of fear.
"What the heck is this?!" Additionally, the three of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen stared in horror as a colossal dragon made of paper emerged from the fog, instead of encountering the Grass Village leader. This unexpected sight left them dumbfounded.
While the Grass Village leader was engaged in a fierce battle with the Rain Village leader, the Mist Village had gathered intelligence about the Grass Village leader. They had learned that he was a formidable figure, comparable to a Demi-God in the ninja world, and he possessed remarkable paper-based jutsu.
However, what they hadn't foreseen was the creation of something as monstrous as this paper dragon, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the legendary Wood Dragon Technique of the First Hokage.
"Even if it's a giant dragon made of paper, it's nothing but paper!" Raiga declared, holding his 'Kiba' high once more. "He might think he's a god in the ninja world with this show, but it won't save him from the grand funeral I've planned!"
Raiga's confidence was evident as he sent forth a bolt of lightning. Simultaneously, Jūzō and Fuguki lunged forward, ready to sever the dragon's head. For a brief moment, they believed they had the situation under control. The Wood Dragon-like jutsu had almost frightened them, but it turned out to be nothing more than a mere display of technique.
However, as they closed in, they noticed familiar patterns on the dragon's surface. Panic overcame them as they yelled, "Exploding Tags!"
But it was too late. "Boom!" An earsplitting explosion shook the forest, casting it in a searing blaze. The sheer number of exploding tags used to create this inferno was beyond anyone's estimate.
White Zetsu, watching the immense explosion from his concealed location, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Inwardly, he mused, 'This guy truly surpassed my expectations.'
Akihiko sighed and commented, "Honestly, it's not as many tags as you might think. Most of them were originally meant to be sold to Danzo. Unfortunately, he caught on, and we had to use them all here."
Hearing Akihiko's explanation, White Zetsu's mouth twitched with disbelief. He couldn't help but recall the Konoha ninja who had been duped and subsequently captured while attempting to flee. It seemed like he had fallen victim to a grand deception by the Grass and Rain Villages.
Moreover, 'Sold? You say' It was all a scam. While others handed over their money, you just shifted it from one hand to the other. This... is an absurd money pit.
But White Zetsu kept these thoughts to himself. As the dust settled after the explosion, a massive crater lay in the dragon's wake.
The Mist Ninjas had sustained substantial casualties, but not all of them had been wiped out. While the three swordsmen appeared battered, they still stood, and the surviving Mist Ninjas bore their fair share of injuries. Among the survivors, those who had endured the massive explosion were evidently the elite among the Mist Ninjas.
The three swordsmen eyed the Grass Ninjas before them warily, particularly a black-haired youth who was instantly recognized by everyone. He was none other than Akihiko Kusano, the Grass Ninja leader who had been toying with the five major ninja villages.
"Reorganize the team!" Fuguki quickly shifted his focus and issued a stern command. "The dragon is gone. Let's deal with this Grass Ninja leader together!"
"Hahaha~ Your dragon may be gone, but I'll still arrange a grand funeral for you!" Raiga laughed manically, his eerie grin fixed on Akihiko. "I'm really looking forward to it, Another funeral for a village leader..."
However, just as Raiga was about to continue his taunts, his and his companions' expressions shifted abruptly. They watched in disbelief as an enormous dragon reappeared before them, gazing down, and Akihiko's voice, carrying a smile, pierced the silence: "What were you saying?"
Their eyes widened as they couldn't believe what they were witnessing. Raiga's words caught in his throat. Could it be that this village leader possessed abilities on par with demi-gods of the ninja world? Could it be that this guy had reached Shadow-level abilities? Their initial assumptions that it was just a ruse during the Rain-Grass Village fake battle were shattered. This was something far more significant.
As the commanding officer, Fuguki quickly assessed the dire circumstances. "Retreat!" he ordered, recognizing that they were in grave danger.
However, it seemed that they were too late. The cries of agony surrounded them, and the three swordsmen couldn't help but recall the day they were overpowered by a green-clad figure's dominance. Were they going to have to flee once again?
Just as they were on the brink of despair, a deep voice rang out, commanding, "Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!" The voice belonged to a man with long hair and closed eyes.
The Mist Ninjas watched in awe as the figure created a water prison to capture the dragon, rescuing them from the immediate threat. "Mizukage-sama!"
Akihiko couldn't hide his grin as he gazed at the figure. "So, you've finally decided to join the battle."
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