"What do you mean by 'loser'?"
Yagura Karatachi cast a glance at the young girl beside him and said in a deep voice,
"When two tigers fight, one is bound to lose. But even the defeated tiger is still a tiger—far stronger than any jackal or wolf. For example, if Kyoichi were to challenge Mangetsu right now for the Hiramekarei, one of them would inevitably lose. But does that make the loser weak? Does that mean he's unqualified to wield another of the Seven Ninja Swords?"
"...Of course not," Mei Terumī answered softly.
This time, she finally and fully understood the brilliance behind the Fourth Mizukage's design of this Seven Ninja Swordsmen selection battle.
On the surface, it seemed almost ruleless, unbounded by restrictions—but that was precisely what made it so ruthless and efficient. In the shortest possible time, it tested every jonin's intellect, reflexes, judgment, and combat prowess all at once.
If one possessed overwhelming power, then naturally there was no need for scheming—just seize one's first-choice blade directly.
But if one failed to secure their first choice, there was still the option to aim for a second or even third.
That, however, required thinking—strategizing, weighing one's chakra reserves, current condition, the number and strength of rivals—all to make careful, deliberate choices.
This wasn't just a battle of strength.
It was a battle that drained both body and mind.
"So until every sword has found its master," Yagura said quietly as he watched the fierce clashes unfolding on the training field, "there are no true losers. For now… Fushō Tōya and the others have merely suffered a temporary setback."
After Fushō Tōya was defeated, someone immediately stepped forward to challenge Hōzuki Mangetsu.
Like Fushō Tōya, this jonin was proficient in Water Release and Lightning Release. But unlike him, this one was known for mastering both arts to perfection. He didn't attempt any tricky surprises like Fushō Tōya did—he fought a stable, methodical battle instead.
That made it difficult for Mangetsu to win as swiftly as before.
Fushō Tōya had tried to achieve victory through unpredictability, but the cost was leaving himself open. His gambit failed, and Mangetsu seized that opening in seconds.
Had Fushō Tōya fought steadily from the start, he wouldn't have lost in under half a minute.
"Elder Genji, I'll go take a look over there," Mei said, bowing slightly to the old man seated on the bench.
"Go ahead," the elder replied, then added,
"But make sure you explain that you're not participating in this selection. You don't want to cause any misunderstandings."
"Yes, I understand."
With a nod, Mei turned to Yagura. "Mizukage-sama, you and Genji-sama enjoy the show—I'll go wander around a bit."
Before Yagura could even respond, she was already gone in a flash.
A moment later, her figure appeared beside Kyoichi and his brother Yūsuke.
"Genji… that girl Mei and Kyoichi—what's going on there?" Yagura asked, glancing at the pair before shifting his eyes toward the old man beside him.
"Let young people handle their own affairs," Genji said unhurriedly. "An old man like me has no business meddling in everything. And even if someone had to worry about them, it wouldn't be me. There are plenty in the Terumī and Kirigumo clans who already do."
"…That's true enough," Yagura admitted.
He withdrew his gaze, taking one last glance at the two youths in the distance before turning back to the ongoing battle. The clash between Hōzuki Mangetsu and his second challenger was nearing its end.
Soon, that second opponent, having exhausted every trick he knew without managing to corner Mangetsu, chose to yield.
He was skilled in both Water and Lightning Release—so even without the Hiramekarei, he could still compete for other swords, such as the Kiba.
He wasn't about to waste his strength in a futile war of attrition.
Dragging the fight out would only make him a stepping stone for someone else.
"Kyoichi."
"Hm? Mei, you're not staying with Elder Genji?"
When Kyoichi turned toward her, the girl's bright smile was the first thing he saw.
"No need! Genshī-sama's in great health—he doesn't need me hovering around. And if he were unwell, they'd have medical-nin keeping constant watch anyway," Mei said, her tone light and playful.
"That's true," Kyoichi nodded in agreement.
"By the way," Mei continued, "you're not interested in the Hiramekarei? Among the seven, it's arguably the strongest."
"Not really," Kyoichi replied, shaking his head. "It's powerful, yes—but according to the intel you gave me, mastering it fully isn't easy. And as I've said before, I'm not trying to join the Seven Swordsmen for any particular sword. I'm after the status and connections that come with the title."
"So I don't plan to spend too much effort mastering a complex weapon. I just need something straightforward and reliable."
"Then by your logic," Mei analyzed, "you should rule out the Kiba and the Nuibari. The first has mismatched chakra affinity, the second requires too much finesse to wield properly. Which leaves… Shibuki or Kabutowari, right?"
"More or less."
Kyoichi nodded.
Yūsuke, however, shot his brother a sidelong glance.
He's eyeing the same two as me...
If Yūsuke chose Shibuki, Kyoichi probably wouldn't contest it—meaning his brother would likely go for Kabutowari instead.
Then again, maybe not.
Depending on how the matches unfolded, if Yūsuke managed to seize Nuibari first, then Kyoichi would still have both Shibuki and Kabutowari to choose from.
Everything depended on timing.
"Those two—Shibuki and Kabutowari—are simple and have no real conditions," Mei murmured, scanning the crowd of jonin. "But because of that, competition for them will probably be fierce at the end."
"Isn't that perfect?" Kyoichi grinned, eyes gleaming as he watched the battles ahead.
"Fierce competition's just how I like it.
If it isn't intense… where's the fun in that?"