The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were known for their legendary seven blades.
The Lightning Blade: Kiba—now in the hands of Kitazawa and Kakashi Hatake.
The Great Sword: Samehada—wielded by Uzumaki Naruto.
The Executioner's Blade—currently held by Biwa Jūzō, the last surviving member of the first generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
The remaining four blades rested back in the Hidden Mist Village.
Originally, all seven swords were under the command of Hōzuki Mangetsu—Suigetsu's elder brother. A prodigy among prodigies, Mangetsu had mastered every one of the seven blades.
In the original timeline, he had inherited Hiramekarei, the twin flatfish sword, before dying young.
Now, those four swords were once again masterless.
In the canon history, Chōjūrō and Suigetsu would go on to become the third generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—and the only two of their era, since the Mist could no longer gather a full team of seven.
Chōjūrō would inherit Hiramekarei, and Suigetsu would take up the Executioner's Blade.
But in this timeline, that blade already belonged to Biwa Jūzō. So even if Suigetsu were to inherit one, it would have to be a different sword.
"Even if they're given the swords early, it doesn't matter," Kitazawa said casually, unfazed by the thought. "Naruto's Samehada and Sasuke's Sword of the Thunder God won't be inferior to theirs."
Tsunade nodded. "Then the rest depends on luck."
If Chōjūrō and Suigetsu were matched against Naruto, Sasuke, or Yakumo, defeat was inevitable.
If they drew Hinata or Neji, they might stand a chance—if fortune favored them.
"My luck's always been good," Kitazawa said lightly, glancing at her—though he tactfully avoided adding, "better than yours."
The last thing he wanted was for Mei Terumī and the Mist-nin to witness the Hokage publicly chasing down and beating her own Anbu commander.
By the time the clock neared 1 p.m., the Ninja Academy's training ground was already buzzing with people.
The Hidden Mist delegation had arrived early.
"Mizukage-sama," Ao said, walking up to Mei Terumī.
His Byakugan had been removed and replaced with his natural eyes, though his right eye still bore a patch as it healed.
"Are Chōjūrō and Suigetsu used to their swords?" Mei asked.
As Tsunade had suspected, the Mist had armed them with the Seven Swordsmen's blades in advance.
"They're both top-tier prodigies of our village," Ao said with pride. "They adapted quickly. When they grow up, they'll surely become part of the next generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
"Good." Mei smiled faintly. "With them, our chances of victory rise considerably."
"We'll definitely win," Ao said confidently.
"Have you found out anything about Konoha's participants?" she asked, her gaze sweeping toward the Genius Class students assembled nearby.
"I made some inquiries through the local villagers," Ao replied, a hint of awkwardness in his tone. "They mentioned two names more than any others."
As the visiting party—and the defeated one from the last encounter—they dared not use shinobi methods for intelligence gathering. If Konoha discovered it, the diplomatic backlash would be severe. Besides, every movement of theirs within the village was being monitored.
So, they had simply asked around openly.
"Which two?" Mei asked curiously.
"The first is Uzumaki Naruto—the Fourth Hokage's son," Ao said, hesitating for a moment. "They claim he can use the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu."
"Are you sure?" Mei blinked in surprise. "Even most Jonin can't use that technique."
"I suspect it's a smokescreen," Ao admitted. "Konoha must've leaked false information to throw us off."
After all, a child couldn't possibly possess the chakra reserves needed for such a jutsu.
"Quite possible," Mei murmured. She recalled Nara Shikaku from their prior negotiation—his intellect was sharp enough to pull such tricks.
"And the other?"
"The other is Uchiha Sasuke—son of Uchiha Clan Head, Uchiha Fugaku," Ao continued, his expression complicated. "Word is he's awakened a two-tomoe Sharingan."
"How old is he?" Mei Terumī asked, frowning.
"Seven."
She exhaled slowly. "A two-tomoe Sharingan at seven years old… that sounds like blatant misinformation."
Ao gave a short laugh. "It gets better. They also said that Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto once defeated a Jonin."
"…"
Even Mei was speechless.
A pair of seven-year-olds defeating a Jonin? Even as propaganda, it was ridiculous.
"Forget it," she said finally. "They're here—let's greet them."
She spotted Tsunade and Kitazawa approaching and walked forward to meet them, dismissing Ao's report from her mind entirely.
At exactly 1 p.m., two ballot boxes were brought out.
The left box held the names of the five Hidden Mist participants—to be drawn by Kitazawa.
The right box held the names of Konoha's five—to be drawn by Ao.
The Hokage, Mizukage, and several dignitaries took their seats at the front.
Among the Konoha spectators sat some of the most formidable shinobi in the village—Hiruzen Sarutobi, Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Itachi, Hyuga Hiashi, Nara Shikaku, and Akimichi Choza.
"Dad and Big Brother are both here!" Uchiha Sasuke's eyes gleamed with excitement. The thought of defeating Mist's prodigies right in front of them nearly made him giddy.
"Time's up. Let's begin the draw."
Kitazawa raised his hand. "Please."
Ao stepped forward first, drawing a slip from the right-hand box. He opened it and read aloud: "Uzumaki Naruto."
Kitazawa smiled faintly and reached into the left box. His slip unfolded easily between his fingers.
"Chōjūrō," he announced.
Both Tsunade and Mei Terumī exchanged knowing smiles.
Each was convinced that victory would belong to their own side.
Kitazawa stepped onto the elevated platform, his gaze sweeping across both sides of the field.
As host and referee, he declared loudly, his voice echoing across the training ground:
"First match of the Genin Meet—Uzumaki Naruto versus Chōjūrō!"
A murmur rippled through the audience.
Chōjūrō—the future Sixth Mizukage of the Hidden Mist.
Uzumaki Naruto—the future Seventh Hokage of Konoha.
Kitazawa couldn't help but smile inwardly. This match would be interesting... though he already had a good guess which way it would go.
"Naruto! Do your best in the opening round!"
Kiba threw an arm around Naruto's shoulder.
"That's right!" Ino cheered, pumping her fists. "Show them the spirit of Konoha!"
"If you lose," Sasuke said coolly, hands in his pockets, "you're not fit to be my teammate."
"I'll win for sure! On the power of youth!" Naruto grinned, giving a thumbs-up before slinging Samehada over his shoulder and striding toward the stage.
"Let them witness our fiery youth!" Lee shouted from behind.
"I think you should be more worried about the other guy," Shikamaru muttered, hands behind his head. "This might actually be bullying."
Shino, Choji, and Karin all nodded silently in agreement.
"The opponent's not weak either," Hyuga Neji said calmly, his eyes narrowing on Chōjūrō. "That's Hiramekarei… the Twin Sword Flatfish."
One of the Seven Ninja Swords of the Mist—Hiramekarei possessed two distinct powers.
First, like Samehada, it could absorb Chakra—but only from the enemies it killed. It couldn't drain Chakra from living opponents, making it inferior to Samehada in single combat but deadly in drawn-out battles.
Second, the sword could release that stored Chakra, channeling it through the circular vents along its blade to create devastating energy attacks.
"This is going to be fun," Shikamaru said, smirking. "A clash between two swords of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
"Naruto doesn't rely on Samehada," Shino added, adjusting his glasses. "If Chōjūrō depends on his weapon alone, he's already lost."
As Naruto stepped onto the platform, the murmurs among the Mist-nin intensified.
Many of them glared with a mix of humiliation and fury.
Samehada—the pride of the Mist—was now wielded by a Konoha brat.
It was well known that Kitazawa had taken the sword after slaying Suikazan Fuguki, one of the original Seven Swordsmen. For the Mist, it was a wound that hadn't healed.
Some clenched their fists. To think that such a legendary blade now rested in the hands of a loudmouthed kid not even out of the Academy—it was unbearable.
Still, they had given Hiramekarei to Chōjūrō. Both villages had armed their prodigies. Now it was time to see whose training bore fruit.
"Chōjūrō, teach that guy a lesson!"
A white-haired boy with sharp features shouted from the Mist side—Suigetsu Hozuki.
For a sword lover like him, seeing Samehada wielded by someone else was worse than heartbreak.
"Y-Yes, I'll try my best," Chōjūrō replied shyly, gripping his sword tighter as he faced Naruto across the platform.
"Samehada, huh…" Mei frowned slightly.
Giving Chōjūrō Hiramekarei was meant to give the Mist an advantage—but with Naruto holding Samehada, that edge was gone.
Still, she trusted Chōjūrō's skill. His Water Release and swordsmanship were exceptional. He would fight well.
"Begin!"
Kitazawa's voice cut through the air as he stepped back.
Chōjūrō inhaled deeply, then charged forward, swinging both halves of Hiramekarei in a blur of motion.
But before their blades could clash—
Clang
Naruto had thrown Samehada at him.
Chōjūrō froze, utterly confused. What was he doing?
Recovering quickly, he crossed his blades and deflected the spinning sword.
"What's wrong with him?" Suigetsu growled, veins bulging. "Does that idiot even know how to use Samehada?!"
As a member of the Hozuki Clan, who had guarded the seven blades for years, watching Naruto's casual treatment of the sword was torture.
He wanted to jump onto the stage and scream, 'That's not how you wield Samehada!'
"This is truly a waste…" Mei muttered, shaking her head. "Your village giving him Samehada was a mistake."
Tsunade crossed her arms and replied coolly, "We give our weapons to whoever we see fit."
"..."
Mei winced.
In the Hidden Mist, Samehada was revered as a sacred weapon.
In Konoha… it looked like it ranked somewhere below a pet dog.
Just then, Mei's eyes widened in disbelief.
She wasn't the only one—the entire Hidden Mist delegation froze, their expressions filled with shock.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Naruto finished his hand signs and shouted.
A burst of smoke exploded across the platform—and in an instant, countless clones filled the arena, densely packed until there was barely space to move.
Thankfully, Kitazawa had predicted Naruto might use this jutsu and had specially reinforced and expanded the dueling platform.
"How… how is this possible?"
Meiī's voice trembled slightly. Even she couldn't summon hundreds of clones at once. Could it be that this seven-year-old boy had more chakra than her?
"He really knows the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu?" Ao muttered, his face pale as though he'd seen a ghost.
This wasn't just knowing the technique—this was mastery.
Even a Jonin could barely sustain ten or twenty clones before exhausting themselves.
Naruto had created hundreds.
"???"
Chōjūrō's expression was pure confusion. For a moment, he wondered if he'd been caught in a Genjutsu.
A kid younger than him, creating an army of clones—this wasn't a normal spar anymore.
Cold sweat formed on his brow.
But Naruto didn't give him time to think.
A tide of Shadow Clones rushed toward him.
"Dynamic Entry!"
A clone leapt high into the air, delivering a fierce kick.
Chōjūrō reacted instantly, splitting Hiramekarei into two and crossing his blades—blocking the kick with one sword and countering with the other.
Bang!
The clone burst into smoke.
"Konoha Double Whirlwind!"
Two more clones spun in from opposite sides, their kicks cutting through the air.
Chōjūrō blocked left, then right—the impact numbed his arms. He grit his teeth, crossed his swords, and slashed both clones apart.
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
A gust of wind whooshed behind him. Chōjūrō dodged left—
"Leaf Hurricane: Strong Whirlwind!"
Naruto himself appeared, his right leg wrapped in a fierce chakra gale as he kicked forward.
The strike's pressure alone made Chōjūrō's heart tighten.
He lifted Hiramekarei to block—
Boom!
Even so, he was forced back several steps, the vibration traveling through his arms.
And the assault didn't stop.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
The clones swarmed again, each blow relentless.
Chōjūrō found himself trapped in a storm of fists and kicks, barely holding on.
"This kind of pain—finally, someone else gets to taste it."
Kiba smirked, watching gleefully.
Sasuke frowned, memories of his own one-sided beatings by Naruto and his clones flashing in his mind.
"Just as expected," Shikamaru muttered, shaking his head. "No one survives Naruto's group beatings."
"I don't think that Mist prodigy's all that impressive," Sakura said, arms crossed.
"In comparison, Sasuke, Hinata, and Yakumo didn't look half as bad against Naruto's clones," Tenten added, chuckling.
"This only proves he's just an ordinary genius," she said.
"Yeah," Kiba groaned. "Naruto's not human anyway."
"That's true," Sakura sighed.
While Konoha's students chatted casually, the Hidden Mist side had gone silent.
Their proud prodigy—Chōjūrō, the future Mizukage candidate—was being completely overwhelmed.
Even Mei rubbed her temples in disbelief.
No wonder that brat threw away Samehada.
She could only think: Don't tell me the intelligence reports were actually true?
If Naruto could really use the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu… then maybe Uchiha Sasuke's two-tomoe Sharingan was real too.
A cold premonition crept into her chest.
"Rasengan!"
Naruto's shout snapped her out of her thoughts.
As Chōjūrō struggled to hold off the endless clones, Naruto used their cover to form a Rasengan in his palm and charged forward.
Sensing the danger, Chōjūrō gritted his teeth and finally activated Hiramekarei's true power.
The twin blades fused together.
In the next instant, the circular vents along the sword erupted with light, spewing out chakra like a cannon blast.
BOOM!
Rasengan and chakra cannon collided in a dazzling explosion.
The shockwave rippled outward, stirring the dust and shaking the platform.
"Rasengan?" Mei Terumī's eyes widened.
Was this even real?
A child—barely seven—using Rasengan and Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu?
This wasn't a Genin meet anymore. It was a Jonin battle disguised as one.
"This kid just has too much chakra," Tsunade said lightly, hiding a small smile.
Mei Terumī fell silent.
"Everyone, scatter!"
Naruto barked the order. His clones immediately repositioned.
Chōjūrō blinked, confused. "What's he doing now?"
But his question was answered when the clones lined up neatly in two rows.
Then—
"Wind Release: Violent Wind Palm!"
The first row clapped their hands, unleashing roaring gusts of wind.
"Now!"
The second row threw countless shuriken into the storm.
The wind amplified their speed until they whistled like steel rain.
"Impossible…"
Chōjūrō's eyes widened. He crossed Hiramekarei to shield himself, but the wind struck with brutal force, hurling him backward.
Ao leapt up immediately, catching Chōjūrō midair and raising a wall of water to block the barrage.
"Naruto! Stop!" Kitazawa's voice boomed.
The storm gradually faded.
"Chōjūrō, are you alright?" Ao asked, setting him down.
"Lord Ao…" Chōjūrō shook his head, shame on his face. "I lost. I've shamed the Hidden Mist."
"..."
Ao opened his mouth, then closed it. What could he say?
Could Chōjūrō be blamed? No.
Even a Chunin would've lost the same way.
Ao swallowed hard. Maybe… the reports were true after all.
"Go rest," he said finally, his tone grave.
"Victor—Uzumaki Naruto!"
Kitazawa's voice echoed across the field.
Cheers erupted from the Konoha side.
Naruto grinned from ear to ear as he jogged back to his team.
"Dad, I did it!" he shouted into the air, though Minato wasn't there to hear it.
The older ninja smiled knowingly. Many of them had fought beside the Fourth Hokage. Seeing his son shine filled them with quiet pride.
The Mist side, however, remained deathly silent.
Suigetsu, who had earlier shouted encouragement, now clenched his fists in frustration. Even he had to admit—Chōjūrō's loss wasn't unfair.
"I won, everyone!" Naruto shouted excitedly.
"You were awesome!" Lee gave him a big thumbs-up. "That's the flame of youth!"
"Yeah, yeah, we saw it already!" Kiba groaned. "Don't get so full of yourself."
"It's not like that guy was strong," Sasuke said coolly. "I'll finish my fight faster than you."
Naruto pouted. "Tch, we'll see about that."
"Good work," Ino said with a smile.
"You guys are really getting out of hand…" Shikamaru muttered.
"The second match is starting," Neji reminded. "Kitazawa-sensei's drawing lots."
All eyes turned toward the stage.
"Yakumo Kurama," Ao read from the slip, feeling somewhat relieved. The name hadn't appeared in any of their intelligence reports—meaning she likely wasn't a threat.
Or so he thought.
"...Satsuki," Kitazawa said, glancing at his own paper.
The two girls stepped forward. Yakumo looked calm, while Satsuki's shoulders were tense. After Chōjūrō's loss, another defeat would be disastrous.
"Begin!" Kitazawa announced.
"Water Release: Water Fang Bullet!"
Satsuki moved first, forming quick hand signs. Streams of water swirled into shape—
Then her movements froze. The water lost form and splashed uselessly to the ground.
"What's going on?" Suigetsu frowned. "Why'd she cancel her own jutsu?"
"She's… under Genjutsu?" Chōjūrō guessed uncertainly.
"Impossible!" Suigetsu snapped. "That girl didn't even form hand signs!"
"..."
Chōjūrō had no answer.
"Bloodline Limit," Mei Terumī breathed.
"That's right," Tsunade said with a knowing smile. "The Kurama Clan's Genjutsu Bloodline."
Ao's eyes widened. Genjutsu Bloodline Limit?
He vaguely recalled that the Kurama Clan had once been as famous as the Uchiha for their illusions—before fading into obscurity.
Now, seeing Yakumo's effortless Genjutsu, he realized the legends hadn't lied.
She didn't need hand signs.
She didn't need a Sharingan.
Her illusions were direct, unavoidable—terrifying.
Even Ao admitted inwardly that without knowing beforehand, he might have fallen victim too.
Mei felt another pang of dread.
The Hidden Mist had once been the land of Bloodline Limits… but after years of purges, most had vanished.
And now, standing before her, Konoha had not one, but two Bloodline prodigies—and a monster named Naruto.
"The victor—Yakumo Kurama!" Kitazawa declared.
Satsuki remained trapped in illusion, unable to continue.
Kitazawa drew the next lot.
"Suigetsu Hozuki," he read.
Ao's spirits lifted. Finally, a glimmer of hope. Suigetsu was their last chance.
But when he read the opposing name, his heart sank.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
He exhaled slowly. "Do we… still have a chance?"
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