Tsunade felt a deep unease.
Her woman's intuition told her that Heiyan was about to walk into mortal danger.
At this moment, she suddenly recalled something she had just given him—her heart sank with guilt and regret.
The crystal necklace.
She had once gifted it to her younger brother Nawaki as a birthday present, but in the blink of an eye, Nawaki had died right before her eyes.
And now, history threatened to repeat itself.
Tsunade abruptly realized—perhaps because it had accompanied Hashirama Senju through countless battles over the years—the necklace had become tainted with ill omen, bringing death and misfortune to whoever possessed it.
The more she thought, the more helpless and overwhelmed she felt, like a child lost in the dark.
"Tsunade-sama, I've got an idea."
At this moment, Sage Slug spoke joyfully. "As long as Heiyan-sama summons my clone on the battlefield, I can use our contract bond to perform Reverse Summoning Jutsu and summon you again from Shikkotsu Forest."
"…I guess we have no choice but to do that then."
Hearing this, Tsunade felt slightly reassured. After all, there was still a good chance that Heiyan would summon Sage Slug using Summoning Jutsu during the battle.
Meanwhile, at the outskirts of Uzugakure.
Under a dark sky, thousands of ninja clashed violently, their cries of battle, clashing weapons, and explosions mixing together, rising up to the heavens.
Where once stood a lively village, only ruins remained now—bloodstained earth and bodies strewn across the ground.
The two battling sides—one was the army of three thousand shinobi led by the Seven Swords of the Bloody Mist, whose overwhelming numbers had completely surrounded the village.
The other side consisted of only three hundred Uzumaki shinobi led by Ashina Uzumaki and Six-Tails Jinchuriki Genichiro Uzumaki. With their naturally superior chakra reserves, as well as sealing barriers and battlefield traps, they fought desperately against an enemy tenfold their size.
The fierce battle gradually entered its most intense stage.
Suddenly, looking down from the sky, three figures approached rapidly from a distance, nearing the battlefield.
Heiyan's Trio had arrived.
"Go."
With a low command from Heiyan, Fugaku and Hiashi immediately understood his intent. Taking advantage of the Mist shinobi's unawareness, the three launched a surprise attack from behind enemy lines.
[Byakugan... Open!]
Veins bulged around Hiashi Hyuga's eyes as he smoothly drew his bow, aiming at the left wing of the Mist forces—specifically targeting the densely packed cluster of enemies several hundred meters away.
Crash!
As Hiashi released his grip, an arrow shot through the air swiftly reaching above the battlefield, whereupon he detonated it telekinetically.
Yes, the arrow exploded, unleashing countless waves of chakra energy.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In an instant, these shockwaves rained down like a storm, completely engulfing over a hundred Mist ninjas below.
[Ninjutsu: Skyward Arrow Barrage]
This technique was an evolution of the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, developed by Hiashi. By using explosive arrows to create a rain of chakra-infused energy overhead, it covered a large area and struck a wide range of enemies simultaneously.
Compared to the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, Skyward Arrow Barrage reduced the intensity and density of the chakra shockwaves but multiplied their quantity by hundreds. Moreover, these waves retained a hidden trait—completely invisible to the naked eye.
A bizarre scene followed.
On the battlefield, Mist ninja began crying out in pain one after another, collapsing like wheat cut by a scythe.
Though none were killed instantly by the impact, most suffered severe internal injuries and damage to their meridians, leaving them unable to fight any further.
Meanwhile,
[Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction!]
Fugaku Uchiha quickly formed hand seals and unleashed his signature technique once more, spewing a vast ocean of flames toward the right flank of the Mist forces.
Thanks to the combined enhancements from his Mangekyou Sharingan, Hashirama cells, and living armor, Fugaku's chakra reserves had vastly improved.
Therefore, the power this jutsu displayed under his control surpassed previous limits—even if Madara Uchiha himself had performed this technique, it wouldn't have been any stronger.
Swept up in the raging inferno, countless Mist shinobi screamed as they burned to death or sustained serious injuries.
At the same time,
The last member of the trio—Heiyan—charged straight into the heart of the Mist army.
His hands moved simultaneously through seals—one ending with the Boar seal, the other with the Monkey seal—intense chakra fluctuations radiating from within him.
Then Heiyan released two techniques at once.
[Water Release: Exploding Water Shockwave.]
[Lightning Release: Thunderbolt.]
Whoosh!
He spat forward, gushing a lake-sized wave of water from his mouth, forming towering surges that engulfed hundreds of Mist shinobi.
Zzzzt!
His hands weren't idle either—he gathered a surge of Lightning Release chakra and forcefully slammed it downward, sending electric currents racing through the water created by the Exploding Water Shockwave.
As a result, many Mist shinobi were dazed by the sudden flood and then shocked by the lightning, suffering heavy casualties.
In the world of shinobi, those ranked at Kage-level possess enough strength to wipe out an entire nation alone.
Within Heiyan's team, whether his Shadow Clone, Fugaku Uchiha, or Hiashi Hyuga, all clearly belonged to this elite tier of power.
Therefore, the moment the three launched their attack, hundreds fell, dealing a major blow to the Mist forces.
The arrival of the trio instantly turned the tide of battle.
"Heiyan is here!"
Ashina Uzumaki and the rest of the Uzumaki clan saw the reinforcements arrive and immediately felt their spirits lift.
Meanwhile, panic spread among the Mist shinobi, who retreated in fear, completely overwhelmed by terror.
Except for the Seven Swordsman of the Mist.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Seven fierce figures shot forth from the Mist ranks, charging to the frontlines to face off against Heiyan and his group head-on.
There's an old saying—when bitter enemies meet, their hatred flares like wildfire.
To the Hidden Mist, Heiyan's team wasn't just foes—they were sworn rivals with blood on their hands.
One year ago, Heiyan and his companions infiltrated the Land of Water, creating chaos at the Mist Island Golden Exchange, eventually destroying the Gato Corporation and rescuing Tashigi—the Six-Tails Jinchuriki.
After that incident, they were placed under a high-profile bounty by Kirigakure, with their combined reward reaching an astonishing 250 million ryō.
Over the past year, one of The First Generation of the Seven Swords had been tasked with assassinating Heiyan and his two companions, bringing their corpses back to the Mist. However, the trio either vanished without a trace or remained holed up within their respective clans, never stepping outside the gates of Konoha.
As a result, the Seven Swords had yet to find an opportunity.
Until now.
The seven didn't immediately attack. Instead, they exchanged glances before Fuguki Suikazan stepped forward and called out toward the three.
"You're the reinforcements Leaf sent? How come there are only three of you?"
"We three versus your three thousand—each of us takes on a thousand. Seems perfectly fair, doesn't it?" said Hiashi.
Hiashi Hyuga took a step forward, responding without holding back with unyielding words.
"This kid's got guts—and arrogance? Even better. Right up my alley."
Among the group was Jinin Sarutobi—known for his sadism—a man wearing vertical braids and a long beard, along with a black eye patch over his left eye. He looked at Hiashi with obvious interest, like a hyena locking onto prey.
"Such a defiant enemy—if we pierce through his limbs and stitch him down to a tree for slow torture, just imagining his screams gives me chills."
Beside him stood another man, tall and thin, covered in spiky yellow hair and wearing a mask. In a creepy, eerie voice, he echoed the sentiment with chilling cruelty.
These two were respectively the bearers of the [Explosive Blade] (Hozugiri) and the [Long Needle Blade]: Jinin Sarutobi and Kushimaru Kuriarare. In the original timeline, they returned through the [Impure World Reincarnation] technique, participating in the Fourth Great Ninja War until finally defeated by Kakashi and Might Duy.
Given their cruel nature, these two were undoubtedly scumbags—earning them the nickname "The Merciless Duo" from Might Guy.
As the Merciless Duo set their sights on Hiashi Hyuga—
"Hey, don't you think that guy Heiyan wears armor we've seen somewhere before?"
Biwa Juzo, who bore a cleaver sword across his scarred face shaped like a cross, turned to Raiga Kurosuki, the green-haired swordsman carrying dual blades slung on his back.
"You mean... Lord Takemikazuchi from Akagakure?!"
Upon hearing this, Raiga fixed his gaze on Heiyan, recalling the unpleasant experience of being struck by lightning not long ago at the [Kasuga Shrine].
Heiyan's white [Shanwenjia armor] looked almost identical to the armor worn by Lord Takemikazuchi, making it hard not to suspect something.
"Once the battle starts, let's team up and put him to the test together. Then we'll know for sure. If that brat really is Takemikazuchi, killing him and reporting it to the Third Raikage would surely earn us a fat bounty."
Fuguki Suikazan, a towering figure standing over eight feet tall with orange hair, said while removing Samehada—the massive sharkskin blade strapped across his back.
"That works."
After hearing this, both Biwa Juzo and Raiga Kurosuki lit up with excitement, targeting Heiyan as their victim.
In the original timeline, it was precisely this trio who barely escaped death when Might Duy opened all Eight Gates. That's what ensured the Seven Swords wouldn't be completely wiped out.
From this alone, it's clear that among The First Generation of the Seven Swords, these three possessed relatively strong power or survival abilities.
Yan felt the cold eyes—and murderous intent—of Fuguki Suikazan, Biwa Juzo, and Raiga Kurosuki lock onto him.
He also realized that his identity as Lord Takemikazuchi had likely been exposed.
At this moment, Fugaku and Hiashi began arguing again, both eager to take on multiple opponents and telling the other not to steal their target.
After a brief pause, Heiyan advised them,
"Don't forget, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist are only the enemy's vanguard. The truly formidable foes are still coming, so we must conserve our strength. Here's an idea: each of you face two opponents while I take on three. Whoever finishes first will go assist the other two."
"Fine!"
Fugaku and Hiashi both found Heiyan's words reasonable and quickly nodded in agreement.
Then, after exchanging glances, the trio sprang into action with a *whoosh*, leaping off in separate directions to establish individual battlegrounds.
"Do you remember me?"
Heiyan called out with a smirk directly at Fuguki Suikazan and his two companions, asking, "How about getting zapped by lightning again?"
"It's him indeed!"
Upon hearing that, the three instantly flew into a rage and charged toward Heiyan together.
Hiashi Hyuga shot skyward with a whoosh, stopping dozens of meters above the ground. With his silver longbow in hand, he took aim at the Heartless Pair.
He had noticed these two earlier; one was a one-eyed man while the other had spiky yellow hair, staring at him with ill intentions.
"This brat's got the same idea."
Jinin Sarutobi and Kushimaru Kuriarare exchanged glances before drawing their respective weapons, preparing to initiate a spectacular hunt against Hiashi Hyuga.
"If that's the case, then I'll just have to settle for the remaining two."
Fugaku Uchiha muttered to himself while looking toward the final pair left among the seven: Jinin Akebino, who had a warrior hairstyle and a large nose, and the unknown Hozuki ninja with a mohawk, named Shigame.
[The Blunt Cleaver Kabutowari] and [Twin Blades Paddlefish].
At this moment, the two fixed their killing gaze on Fugaku Uchiha.
The Konoha Three Greatest Prodigies faced off against the Mist's Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
An earth-shaking battle was about to begin.
On the battlefield, the Uzumaki and Hidden Mist ninja had simultaneously stopped fighting because both sides realized the outcome between the Trio and the Seven would directly decide the war's direction.
In fact,
those witnessing this massive battle weren't just the thousands present at the scene but also Madara Uchiha, miles away, and countless beings dwelling at Mount Myoboku.
In the hidden room beneath the Mizukage building in Mist:
"Heh...heh..."
Madara Uchiha gasped with difficulty, widening his single eye as he stared intensely at Heiyan's image within the crystal ball.
From the Shanwenjia armor Heiyan wore, Madara had already identified him as the legendary Lord Takemikazuchi. And further—
Since Heiyan was the same Takemikazuchi who previously appeared at Cloud, could it be that the mysterious catgirl appearing in Mist was him too?
Finally realizing everything, Madara understood that all along, Heiyan had been covertly interfering and sabotaging—single-handedly tying down forces from both Cloud and Mist, even forcing Madara himself into publicly revealing his power and depleting his strength during that confrontation.
Good, very good indeed.
Truly worthy of being my rival for life.
Gnashing his teeth, Madara longed to leap up and rush to the battlefield to eliminate Heiyan publicly, yet he knew very well that with his current frail body nearly burnt out (oil running dry, lamp fading), such thoughts were nothing more than wishful thinking...
At the temple located atop Mount Myoboku:
"Oh my, the best part is finally about to begin."
Gamamaru woke up from his nap and retrieved a bag of snacks from somewhere unknown. He stuffed them into his mouth while lazily watching the spectacle unfold.
He always believed in the visions of the future he experienced in dreams. The Great Toad Sage enjoyed one activity above all—waiting patiently for the appointed time. That was when he would witness prophecies come true with his own eyes.
That feeling was simply wonderful.
As for Gamabunta and his two younger brothers, they sat cross-legged with serious expressions, their eyes fixed on the image within the crystal ball.
After an entire year had passed, they were eager to know just how much power Heiyan had gained and what level he had reached.
Meanwhile, Elder Fukasaku and Lady Shima wore faces full of worry and regret.
They prayed that Heiyan could survive this crisis.
While they dared not question the Great Toad Sage's prophecy, out of affection and respect for Heiyan, they both secretly hoped he would create a miracle and live through this ordeal.
Turning back to the battlefield.
Swish!
Red chakra erupted from Heiyan's legs as he instantly activated [Heavenly Release (Qian): Chidori Shunshin], becoming a streak of red lightning that shot straight toward his enemy.
His objective was simple—to eliminate one opponent first and ease the battle strain. After all, he was merely a Shadow Clone facing three members of the Seven Swordsmen simultaneously, which was still quite challenging.
He targeted Biwa Juzo. His instincts and memories told him this man was by far the weakest among the current enemies.
"Hmm?"
When Biwa Juzo saw Heiyan charging toward him, he didn't realize the seriousness of the situation. Instead, a cruel smile surfaced on his face. He immediately leapt upward, raising his Cleaver Sword high before swinging downward toward Heiyan.
His weapon could absorb iron from an enemy's blood during battle, allowing it to heal itself. Therefore, it was revered for its legendary indestructibility.
Over many years, Biwa Juzo had wielded this cleaver sword relentlessly, coating battlefields in blood and gaining renown across the nations.
Looking down from midair, the two combatants were like needles meeting wheat awns, about to collide head-on.
Just at this moment—
Shooo!
With a flick of his hand, Heiyan suddenly shot out a chain made of glowing red chakra from his left palm. At lightning speed, it lashed out viciously at the edge of the Cleaver Sword.
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