'So… is this where Might Duy encountered the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?'
Kiyohara thought to himself.
No matter what, this was undoubtedly one of the highest-level battles in scale and intensity of the entire Third Great Ninja War.
The final gate of the Eight Gates Formation, the Gate of Death — was enough to amplify the user's abilities by dozens of times!
"What's happening over there?"
Even with the black mask covering his face, Kakashi's expression was visibly grave.
Such an enormous amount of chakra… could it be one of those monsters known as "weapons of war"?
Kakashi immediately thought of the tailed beasts. During this war, Kumogakure's "war weapons" had been extremely active.
"It's probably some kind of battle."
Kiyohara shook his head.
Then he looked at Kakashi with a slightly strange expression.
If he remembered correctly, Might Guy regarded Kakashi as the rival he would challenge for his entire life.
There was even a rather abstract saying that Might Guy's ultimate kick had been "prepared for Kakashi"—
"What's wrong?"
Kakashi touched his black mask in confusion, thinking there might be something stuck on it.
Kiyohara's look made him feel inexplicably uneasy.
"It's nothing. That kind of battle isn't something we can take part in."
Kiyohara shook his head and refocused on following the escort unit that was withdrawing with the Hyūga main family.
BOOOM!
At that very moment, a violent shockwave suddenly surged in from the distance.
Wherever it passed, massive trees that took several people to embrace, solid rocks, and even the rugged ground itself were all pulverized in an instant, leaving behind a gigantic trench several meters deep!
A violent airwave mixed with gravel and wood chips blasted toward them, whipping their clothes violently and making it almost impossible to keep their eyes open!
Kiyohara's eyelids twitched.
This is bad.
It's not coming this way, is it?
Sure enough, the next instant, Kiyohara saw a blue figure flying toward them.
"Not good! The battle is spreading over here! Scatter! Find cover!"
The Hyūga shinobi immediately began evacuating.
With their Byakugan, they had detected the danger even before Kiyohara saw the enemy.
Unfortunately, the warning still came too late.
Or rather—before absolute speed, any warning seemed pale and meaningless.
A figure wrapped in blue steam was blasted out from the center of the battlefield like a meteor, smashing toward their retreating unit at terrifying speed!
The figure adjusted its posture midair, the blue steam around the body violently rubbing against the air, producing a piercing, shrill howl!
It was Might Duy!
He was chasing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist by himself!
And he had just happened to force them toward the area where Kiyohara's group was!
"Damn it! That Konoha bastard is still chasing us!"
Jūzō Biwa cursed under his breath.
Earlier, they had encountered three kids and originally planned to interrogate them properly to find out the Hyūga member's location.
But before they could even start the interrogation, a bearded middle-aged man in a green jumpsuit suddenly appeared.
He was talking about "self-restraint," about how now was the time to burn one's youth and protect what truly mattered—
And green steam suddenly erupted from his body.
As the fight went on, the green steam turned into blue steam.
His speed and strength grew more and more terrifying, like a one-time detonating monster.
"Morning Peacock!"
Might Duy's fists swung faster and faster, friction with the air igniting flames.
Countless fireballs bloomed in front of him, spreading out like the feathers of a peacock's tail in full display.
There was no sound at first—
Until the fireballs struck a figure ahead.
Then the explosion and shockwave followed like a shadow.
This meant that the previous strike had exceeded the speed of sound!
"That's Guy's father… Might—Duy."
Kakashi recognized him.
On the ground, a man wielding a needle-like weapon fell heavily.
His body had been blasted with a massive crater by the fireballs, his internal organs literally scorched and cooked.
The wielder of Longsword: Nuibari (Stitching Needle), Kushimaru Kuriarare, died right before their eyes.
"Is that you Kiyohara and Kakashi?"
Might Duy spotted them and briefly halted his assault, not immediately attacking the remaining six members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
He recognized both of them because they were classmates of his son, Might Guy—and also among the rare shinobi who never mocked Guy.
"Take care of Guy for me. Don't come near this place. Retreat immediately."
Might Duy was currently in the state of the Gate of Shock. Enduring the pain ravaging his body, he spoke to Kiyohara and the others.
He felt deeply apologetic.
And so, he no longer intended to drag this out.
He planned to settle everything in one go.
Leaving these enemies alive would only turn them into future threats to Konoha.
Including his own son, Konoha's shinobi would continue to be hunted down.
"I'll help you, Senior Duy!"
Kakashi tried to rush forward to support him.
"Don't go. That's not a battle we can participate in."
Kiyohara pressed a hand down on Kakashi's shoulder.
What were you thinking?
Is this something we can interfere in?
Kiyohara could see it clearly—although Might Duy was single-handedly fighting all the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, he still had strength to spare.
If they rashly joined in, not only would they be unable to help, they would become burdens instead, forcing Might Duy to hold back in order to protect them.
"Senior Duy, we'll take care of Guy."
Kiyohara nodded.
He scanned the area and didn't see Might Guy anywhere—most likely he was taking a different route with Ebisu and the others.
Having received that promise, Might Duy finally turned around, completely entrusting his back to the young shinobi retreating into the distance.
Kiyohara pulled Kakashi and Kurenai back rapidly, only to find that the original escort team had already scattered more than a hundred meters away.
The members of the Hyūga main family were crouched behind massive boulders under shinobi protection, while several branch-family youths trembled as they used their Byakugan to observe the battle, terror written all over their faces.
How did this eternal genin become so terrifyingly powerful?
But before anyone could say anything, Might Duy's presence surged once more.
"Let Konoha's lotus bloom once again! The Eighth Gate—!"
The chakra within his body erupted completely, the blue steam instantly transforming into a blood-red vapor, as vivid and tragic as flowing blood—steam that burned life itself!
"The Gate of Death—OPEN!"
BOOOOM!!!
An even more horrifying chakra storm exploded outward!
His chakra had already exceeded the limits that his meridian system, flesh, and blood could withstand, causing the surface of his body to rapidly carbonize, as if it might scatter into ash in the next second.
"Daytime Tiger—!!!"
Without the slightest hesitation, facing the charging Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Might Duy formed a strange hand seal.
In an instant, the blood-red steam began compressing together with the surrounding air.
Gradually, it took shape—
Forming a gigantic phantom tiger head dozens of meters in size!
Then, carrying the momentum to crush everything—
It detonated!
"What?!"
"Dodge—!"
The six remaining members of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen were horrified, desperately trying to flee.
But the pursuing Daytime Tiger had already caught up to them.
Unlike the normal Daytime Tiger used in the Seventh Gate (Gate of Shock) state, the one unleashed by Might Duy was several times larger—
And blood-red!
BOOM!!!
Three of them were struck as if hit head-on by a high-speed aircraft, blood spraying from their mouths as they were sent flying like broken kites, smashing violently into a distant cliff face—flesh and blood mangled beyond recognition!
Their shinobi tools were embedded into the rock wall along with them.
The other three survivors had reacted faster, using their weapons to block the attack, reducing most of the damage.
Jūzō Biwa's Executioner's Blade shattered at the edge, fragments blasting outward. The handle nearly flew out of his grip.
After coughing up a mouthful of blood, he fled without even turning his head, escaping together with the remaining two.
What the hell kind of genin does Konoha have?!
How can a single punch shatter the famed Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?!
Isn't there something seriously wrong with this situation?!
(End of Chapter)