Sasuke and Obito successfully encountered Naruto, Killer Bee, and the others. For Kabuto, this was a rare stroke of luck.
After all, who could endure such a situation? For years, Kabuto had been digging up graves and reincarnating powerful dead shinobi using the Impure World Reincarnation technique. Yet, in their very first appearance, Kakuzu, Sasori, and even Gen were defeated, and Deidara was captured. If Kabuto hadn't acted quickly and forced the Kirigakure squad to retreat, the entire strike team would've been annihilated.
What made things worse was the loss of some of his rarest pawns—Zabuza Momochi, Haku, Pakura of the Scorch Release, Gari of the Explosion Release—all taken out instantly by Naruto. All that effort spent collecting them, now wasted. Kabuto grit his teeth. How was he supposed to fight like this?
He had no choice. If things continued this way, his hand would be forced. Thus, he ordered Obito and Sasuke to launch an assault.
Now, things were finally getting interesting.
Elsewhere, Kabuto used his Impure World Reincarnation to deploy another unit. Nakayoshi, a reanimated shinobi under Kabuto's control, stealthily maneuvered near Kakashi Hatake's advancing unit.
After the failed assault led by Kankuro's surprise attack force, Kabuto had Nakayoshi retreat and spy on Kakashi's formation. Narrowing his eyes, Kabuto dropped six black chess pieces onto his board.
Nakayoshi formed the hand seals: "Summoning Technique!"
Boom!Boom!Boom!
Six coffins erupted from the ground with a crash, and the lids fell away with a creak. Six figures stepped out.
Ringo Ameyuri, wielder of the Thunder Sword: Kiba.
Jinpachi Munashi, wielder of the Blast Sword: Shibuki.
Kushimaru Kuriarare, wielder of the Longsword: Nuibari.
Jinin Akebino, wielder of the Blunt Sword: Kabutowari.
Fuguki Suikazan, former wielder of Samehada.
Mangetsu Hozuki, a prodigy who could wield all seven swords.
Kabuto controlled Nakayoshi, seeing everything through his eyes. A cold smile played on his lips. These were powerful pawns—worth all the dirty work he'd done to collect them.
But when Kabuto realized Zabuza was missing, the smile instantly faded. That damned Naruto had sealed him.
Kabuto suppressed his frustration. If Zabuza was sealed, he'd simply retrieve him and unseal him again later.
Nakayoshi gestured, and from behind stepped Suigetsu Hozuki. Suigetsu performed hand signs and summoned a scroll. Opening it revealed inscriptions for the Seven Swords:
"Shatter, Heavy, Long, Blast, Thunder, Twin."
With a series of bang!bang!bang!, four of the swords—Nuibari, Kabutowari, Shibuki, and Kiba—were released.
On the battlefield, in the Kakashi unit—
Suddenly, intense chakra signatures were detected. The Kirigakure sensory ninja raised the alarm.
"Something abnormal up ahead!"
Kakashi halted immediately.
Guy, Sakura, Lee, and Sai flanked him protectively.
The sensory ninja focused his chakra, brows furrowed. "Seven signatures. The chakra is strong, and some of it feels... familiar."
Kakashi asked sharply, "Familiar how?"
Two more Kirigakure ninjas rushed to the front and focused their sensing abilities.
"Captain Kakashi," one said, "those ahead have the chakra of Kirigakure shinobi. One in particular—we know him."
Guy frowned. "Another Impure World Reincarnation?"
The three Kirigakure sensors exchanged glances and nodded grimly. "Most likely. That chakra belongs to Fuguki Suikazan, Samehada's former wielder. He was killed by Kisame Hoshigaki. His chakra shouldn't be here."
Kakashi glanced at Maki behind him. "The sealed coffins?"
Maki confirmed, "Still intact. All four sealed shinobi are secured."
Kakashi narrowed his eyes. If the enemy ahead were all from Kirigakure and there were seven of them, the implication was obvious.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
But if Zabuza was with them in the coffins, who were these seven?
Fog began to roll in, and Kakashi's expression turned serious. "Everyone, form the manji formation! Stay alert!"
A Kirigakure ninja's face turned pale. "It's the Hidden Mist Jutsu! Someone's using it to sneak in!"
Guy scoffed. "This cowardly technique again. Kakashi, I really hate this kind of sneaky stuff. If you're strong, face us directly and burn with the flames of youth!"
Lee agreed enthusiastically.
Sakura, however, looked uneasy. "Something feels... off."
Lee offered her a warm smile. "Don't worry, Sakura. I'll protect you."
Sai quickly began drawing. With quick strokes, he summoned four giant ink birds to circle overhead, flapping their wings to disperse the fog.
He leapt onto one bird and took aerial position.
Kakashi nodded in approval. "Well done, Sai. Maintain vigilance from above."
Guy leapt up beside him. "I'll guard from the skies too. Once I find the enemy, I'll strike with full force!"
As Sai hovered, he summoned several Super Beast Imitating Drawings—lions this time—to guard the unit.
Startled, a few allied shinobi nearly attacked the ink lions before Konoha ninjas stopped them.
"It's okay! They're ours. That's Sai's technique."
"Ah, sorry! I thought it was an enemy summon."
Meanwhile, Kabuto smirked as he observed everything through Nakayoshi.
"A few birds to scatter the fog? How naive."
All six reanimated swordsmen activated the Hidden Mist Technique at once.
The fog thickened rapidly.
Back on the battlefield—
Kirigakure sensory ninja shouted, "This isn't normal! Only someone like Mizukage-sama can make a fog this dense!"
Another added, "Unless several elite Mist shinobi are casting it together, this should be impossible!"
Other shinobi began to panic. "I can barely see my comrade in front of me!"
"Same here!"
Kakashi's instincts screamed danger. Having fought Zabuza before, he knew exactly how deadly this fog could be.
Just as he prepared to flare his chakra and clear the mist—
A loud crash!
"What happened?!"
Sai fell from the sky, landing hard.
"Three o'clock! Be careful!" he shouted.
His ink bird had been struck—reduced to a splatter of ink.
The battle against the Six Reanimated Swordsmen had begun.
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