The name 'Terumi Mei' held an undeniable value in Kirigakure—no, across the entire land of water.
Out of Kiri's leading figures, there was no one other than her, and... Karatsuchi Yagura of the long past, who spoke of changing the bloody state of the Mist.
Many civilians resonated with her, and so did many ninjas who grew tired of the endless feuds.
In a way, it was she who brought her family, the Terumi clan, into the civil war.
She represented hope. She was the sole figure, after the deaths of many, who had the potential to go against Yagura...
...Or so did everyone think, until Yagura revealed his strength during the first full-on crash between two factions of Kiri.
That day, Mei witnessed the strength that surpassed that of the deceased third Mizukage. She learned that in terms of power, Yagura had the potential to sweep them out, that if she doesn't do anything, they would lose.
That's why she decided to gamble. With Ao, the previous hunter nin of Kiri, and Zabuza, one who shared similar thoughts with her, she set out seeking to recruit a person whose strength may be, at least, equivalent to Yagura.
It was an unrealistic and naive goal. Yet, like a miracle, she managed to locate the most prominent figure, 'Red Blade' Akashi, and brought him to Kiri.
There was one more step to go. The problem is... that she was stopped during the final step.
Now, locked behind the cells, there was nothing that she could do but wait.
Just like that, 6 days passed. Less than a day remained until her public execution.
Time was flying.
Many were getting nervous. The day of Mei's execution would be the day that their will crumble.
It was the day of a new beginning for Yagura, though.
"What an embarrassment you are... Kushimaru."
It was deep into the night.
One of the Seven Swordsmen, Kushimaru, stood in front of Yagura, having retreated from the land of whirlpools upon losing the ninjas assigned under him.
"You let a mere chunin get tens of Kiri's elite ninjas, and still call yourself one of Hidden Mist's Seven Swordsmen?"
"M-Mizukage-sama! If I knew that the kid was going to commit suicide like that, I wouldn't have—"
Yagura held his hand up, silencing Kushimaru.
Stepping up, Yagura leaned forward, such that his lips were near Kushimaru's left ear.
"I will give you one more chance, jonin Kushimaru. Should you fail again..."
Yagura frighteningly wrinkled his young-looking face.
"I will personally end your life. Understood?"
Kushimaru froze. The killing intent emitted by Yagura wasn't something even the jonin of his caliber could handle easily.
Yagura then backed, not looking for Kushimaru to answer him.
Though the ninjas were lost, Yagura wasn't necessarily in a foul mood.
How could he be? When Kiri will—in every way possible—finally fall under his hands tomorrow?
Without speaking anymore, Yagura retreated, leaving Kushimaru by himself.
"Hah, look who it is!"
Someone else then found Kushimaru and walked toward him.
"...Juzo."
Kushimaru, recognizing the voice, growled.
Biwa Juzo. A fellow member of the Seven Swordsmen, the owner of Kubikiribocho, and the man of many scars.
"What did I tell you about not letting your guard down?"
"Fuck off."
"My my, I understand that you are a lost cause, but please, can you at least try to be civil? Like a proper human being?"
Filled with humiliation and anger, Kushimaru turned his body toward Juzo.
"Are you asking for a fight?"
"Hah! Once again, here you are, resorting to violence!"
Juzo grinned as he saw Kushimaru unsheathing his sword, Nuibari.
He revealed his gigantic blade, Kubikiribocho.
"But who am I to refuse?"
The tension rose. Two of them seemed as if they were going to clash against one another.
"Stop."
However, they didn't get to start, as others entered the scene.
"Now is not the time to fight among ourselves. Shouldn't you know that?"
"...Jinin."
The first was the man with a huge nose. With his muscular stature and dangerous-looking glance, anyone could tell that he wasn't someone to be messed with.
He was Akebino Jinin, the third member of the Seven Swordsmen and the owner of Kabutowari.
"Execution awaits. Yet here you are, looking at a tree instead of the forest."
Behind Jinin, there was an enormous man who had a sword just as gigantic as him on his back.
He had jaggy teeth, long orange hair that was tied up in a way that resembled two buns on the left and right corners of his head.
The sword that this man carried was a bizarre-looking sword, Samehada, and his name was Suikazan Fuguki, the fourth member of the Seven Swordsmen.
"Let them be! It's not like their absence would affect us much anyway!"
By the side, a man was leisurely walking with his hands behind his head. He had long, brown hair, as well as a long beard that was tied with beads.
He was Munashi Jinpachi, the owner of the blastsword, Shibuki. He was the fifth and currently, the last member of the Seven Swordsmen.
Clicking his tongue, Kushimaru sheathed Nuibari. Snorting Juzo also took away his Kubikiribocho.
The tension died down, and the previously silent area became crowded.
"So?"
Kushimaru then asked with annoyance.
"What are you folks doing here?"
"To relay the message from Terumi Seiji."
"...That weakling, why must we follow him?"
Jinin spoke and Juzo growled.
"It's Mizukage-sama's order. Until the execution is over, we are to listen to him whether we like it or not."
Crossing his arms, Fuguki stated calmly.
"Hahah! It won't be long until he'll join his clanspeople anyway. Why not just let him enjoy for now?"
Jinpachi commented, and seeing that they are quickly getting off the topic, Jinin spoke up.
"He warned us that there would definitely be a revolt beforehand. We must be prepared—"
Boom.
"...Well, there is the call."
In the dark night, five pairs of eyes flashed in the lust for blood.
__________
Boom.
"So it has begun."
Gozu and Meizu, guarding the cell that contained Zabuza, Ao, and Gai, muttered to themselves.
"The remaining rebellion has come out of hiding."
"It is a desperate struggle at best. They know that once Terumi Mei is executed, no hope remains for them. She is akin to a symbol to them; it will be impossible to hold the group together without her as the leading figure."
"Gozu! Meizu!"
Zabuza, holding onto the bars, shouted.
"Let us out! Can't you tell as well?! The day of Mei's death is the day Kiri's inevitable downfall happens!"
"...As we said,"
Gozu replied emotionlessly,
"We'd simply leave this village."
Turning, he glanced at Gai briefly before locking his eyes on Zabuza.
"You are the special cause, Zabuza. You aren't from a noble heritage like Mei. Kiri has provided no kindness for you, so what is it that attaches you to this worthless village?"
"I..."
Zabuza's past ran through his mind.
The moment when he killed all the graduates in an attempt to prove that he is extraordinary, that he is worthy of becoming a member of the Seven Swordsmen.
The village manipulated him into thinking that killing was the only way to prove his worthiness. Upon meeting Mei and others, he realized that such a thought was wrong, and wanted to atone for his wrongdoings in the past.
But Zabuza couldn't afford to say this out loud.
Seeing that Zabuza couldn't answer, Gozu snorted.
"Exactly. Nothing. There is nothing that keeps us from staying here."
"Considering our friendship, we won't harm you or use you for our benefit. However, expect no help either."
Meizu followed, and the two of them turned away from Zabuza.
"Damn... it..."
Zabuza, still holding onto the bars, gritted his teeth out of helplessness. His head dropped; there was nothing that Ao and he could do.
Just then, Zabuza, Ao, Gozu, and Meizu tensed, sensing other ninjas' presence nearby.
Five were approaching the cell.
Furrowing brows, Gozu stepped up.
"It is forbidden to enter this area without Mizukage-sama's approval. Show us the permit, or we will have to deem you as enemies—"
With a blur, the five Kiri ninjas landed in front of Gozu and Meizu. All of them were wearing the masks of the hunter nin.
"What are the hunter nins doing here?"
Gozu and Meizu's eyes widened, surprised. Their shock was understandable, for the primary role of the hunter nins was to kill the betrayers of the village.
"Chunin Gozu. Chunin Meizu."
One in the center, one with the mask of a bird, then spoke coldly.
"We hereby sentence you to death for betraying the village."
"What betrayal?!"
"Did you truly think that we wouldn't find out? That you are planning to desert?"
Gozu and Meizu grimaced. They instantly took out the kunais, knowing that a fight was no longer inevitable.
...Problem was that their chance of victory was slim. After all, they were chunins at best, and unlike them, who are regular ninjas, their opponents were the feared hunter nins. In addition to that, they were outnumbered.
"...I will say this for the last time."
In this state, Zabuza spoke.
Meizu turned and saw Zabuza's predatory eyes.
'The Demon of the Hidden Mist, and,'
He looked at Ao, who remained seated without any emotion written on his face.
'The wielder of Byakugan.'
"Free us."
Really, there was only one choice that they could make.
__________
Many ninjas flew across the dark sky of Kiri.
With the civilians hiding in their homes in fear, the silent warfare between the ninjas has already begun.
"Report."
Dashing across the empty street, Terumi Seiji asked a member of his division.
"The missing members of the rebellion have revealed themselves from the outskirts of the village and opened a guerrilla warfare. They have been identified to consist primarily of the remaining clanspeople of Yuki, Hozuki, and Terumi. Number reaches up to fifty or so."
"How is the situation?"
"We have been getting pushed back so far, but the Seven Swordsmen should soon be there to subdue them."
"Not bad. However..."
Seiji himself was a member of Terumi. He knew the danger that bloodline limits posed. Not having viewed the strengths of the Swordsmen astutely in the past, he couldn't tell how the events would unfold.
Therefore, he himself was heading to the place; he was a strategist, after all.
To prevent the situation where he receives a sneak attack and ends up losing his hold over the imprisoning orb, Seiji left the device in his office.
A small degree of worry entered his mind, but he waved it off, knowing that the security was tight.
'Under any circumstance, the execution cannot be postponed.'
His hatred—no matter how unreasonable it may be—ran deep.
__________
Hiding behind a wall, the kunoichi who excels in gathering intel and spying, Nana, observed the tight security of ninjas laid out all over the office of Terumi Seiji.
'The blue-colored orb. I need to find that.'
She swallowed her saliva and wiped her sweat.
'Alright. Let's do this.'
Now was the only chance she had.