The Seven Ninja Swordsmen froze for a moment. Shadow Twelve, the newest member among them, holding Hiramekarei, asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Kakashi narrowed his eyes and said, "In another story, you were standing just like this, facing another Leaf ninja."
"Oh, right. That Leaf ninja was just a genin."
"And after that, only three of you were left alive."
The seven were instantly enraged. The hot-tempered Munashi Jinpachi was the first to lose his composure. He raised his Blastsword, Shibuki, the one wrapped with rows of explosive tags, and shouted, "So what you mean is, the seven of us together aren't even as good as a single genin from your Leaf Village? You people from Konoha sure are arrogant."
Kakashi squinted his eyes, "I'm just telling the truth. If you don't believe it, that's not my problem."
Munashi Jinpachi gripped his sword tightly, "In that case, let's see if the so-called commander of the Anbu from Konoha can survive the taste of an explosion. I hope, when you're blown to ashes, you'll still be able to talk like that."
Kakashi's entire body tensed, ready for battle. Then, he turned his head slightly toward Terumi Mei and asked, "Does this count as… me contributing to your cause?"
Terumi Mei nodded, "It counts. Of course it counts. If we really succeed in this and the Land of Water starts living better days, the people will all have to thank you."
"Though, I won't get the chance to meet Elder Chojuro again. Otherwise, I'd have him build you a monument."
Kakashi replied, "That's not funny at all."
Terumi Mei spoke earnestly, "At least in the end, I get to die together with you, Kakashi. I have to say, not only do you break your promises, but you're also a complete idiot."
Kakashi said, "I'm a big idiot, and you're a little idiot. We're both idiots. So we'll die together."
At the side, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, seeing the two of them exchanging such words affectionately, seemed to be provoked by it. None of them intended to give the two any more time.
Munashi Jinpachi said, "Let's all go together. Since they want to die together, let's fulfill their wish."
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly swung his sword toward Kakashi.
The countless explosive tags wrapped around the blade flew out, sweeping toward Kakashi and Terumi Mei, closing the distance in an instant.
And then—
BOOM!
A massive explosion swallowed the entire forest. Thick black smoke rose up, shrouding everyone's vision.
The straightforward Juzo Biwa slowly lowered his Executioner's Blade and muttered, "Dead?"
Kuriarare Kushimaru lowered his Needle Sword in disappointment, "Tch! I thought I'd get the chance to cut them into tiny pieces myself. Explosions just don't give the same pleasure as slicing flesh apart."
But Shadow Twelve didn't lower his Hiramekarei. He said calmly, "You don't understand Commander Shadow. For Kakashi to have defeated him, there's no way he'd die that easily."
That remark made the other six perk up slightly.
Except for Shadow Twelve, who had also once served in the Shadow Guard, the others actually didn't know much about Commander Kage.
But still, as the leader of the Hidden Mist's Anbu, his strength was rumored to be on par with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen themselves.
Since he'd fallen to Kakashi, they had to be cautious.
Just then, a gust of wind blew through the forest.
The thick smoke from the explosion began to slowly dissipate.
By now, the seven no longer held any real hope that Kakashi and Terumi Mei had been killed in a single blast.
They all prepared themselves for a fight.
However, what appeared before them was not the scene they had expected, of two small silhouettes slowly emerging from the smoke.
Because as the smoke cleared, there were indeed shadows, but seven of them.
And they were all the size of adults, not like two ten-year-old kids.
Jinpachi Munashi widened his eyes, "What the hell is this? Why does this scene look so familiar?"
Kushimaru said, "Idiot, didn't we just appear like this in front of Kakashi and Terumi Mei a minute ago?"
"The real question is, where did these seven come from? I didn't sense a thing! Don't tell me Kakashi knows some kind of sensory-blocking jutsu too?"
Shadow Twelve analyzed calmly, "Maybe the newcomers themselves have a sensory-blocking technique. Kakashi's already impressive enough to have defeated Commander Kage at such a young age, I really doubt he's that all-rounded."
Juzo Biwa said coldly, "So what if there are seven of them? Do you really think our seven can't handle another seven?"
Everyone nodded. They were the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, each one a top-tier jonin-level powerhouse.
When united, even a hundred or a thousand enemies couldn't make them flinch.
Kushimaru chuckled, "Perfect then, seven versus seven. Let's each take one and see who finishes first."
His laughter was contagious. Soon, the others were laughing too.
They didn't take the new arrivals seriously at all. After all, they were the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
At that moment, as the wind continued to blow, the last of the smoke cleared away.
Seven figures slowly appeared before them.
Each one wore a black cloak patterned with red clouds, their garments swaying in the breeze.
Among them, a masked man stepped forward and said, "Seven versus seven, huh? That really does sound like fun."
Hoshigaki Kisame's brow furrowed, "You're… Akatsuki! When did your organization sneak into the Hidden Mist Village?"
"Don't tell me… you're in league with Yagura?"
Tobi spread his hands, his tone open and casual, "You guessed right! The rebellion in the Hidden Mist? That was my idea, I convinced Yagura to start it. Don't like it? Then come and kill me."
Kisame truly felt the urge to kill this smug, irritating masked man.
The tone in his voice was so grating, so punchable.
Even the usually composed Juzo Biwa's face darkened at those words.
He shouted angrily, "I thought Elder Genji was a man of principle. I didn't expect he'd actually collude with outsiders. Such behavior is unforgivable!"
Tobi suddenly looked left, then right, and finally turned his gaze toward Juzo.
"Outsiders? Where? I don't see any."
"By the way, Juzo, how's life in the Mist Village lately? If it's not too comfortable, how about coming back to Akatsuki? Akatsuki is your true home, after all."
Juzo roared in anger, planting his Executioner's Blade in the ground, "Since when the hell was I ever one of you Akatsuki freaks?"
Tobi suddenly changed his tone, speaking seriously now, "You always have been."
"Juzo, if you don't believe me, I can tell you all about your daily life in Akatsuki."
Then, speaking at a shocking speed, Tobi described Juzo's supposed life in Akatsuki, everything from his clothing habits, his personal preferences, to his routines and mannerisms, all in startling detail.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen didn't believe a single word at first.
But by the time Tobi finished, they all looked a little uncertain.
They turned to Juzo, eyes full of suspicion.
Juzo protested, "Why are you all staring at me like that? Do I look like the type who'd betray the Hidden Mist?"
But some of the details Tobi mentioned were too accurate, so accurate that only Juzo himself should've known them.
He raised a hand, scratching his head uncertainly, "Could it be… I really was part of Akatsuki before, and just lost my memory?"