Peaceful times were like the morning dew of the Hidden Mist—brief and fleeting.
In the blink of an eye, three months had passed since Asuka rotated back from the front lines, and the Third Great Ninja War had officially entered its third year.
During this time, Asuka chose not to roam the Ninja World again. Instead, he remained in the Hidden Mist Village, enjoying a rare period of tranquility.
His daily life was simple, yet fulfilling.
Before dawn each day, he would appear at the training grounds outside the village to personally guide Utakata's training. Occasionally, he would take Utakata along on low-risk border patrol missions, allowing him to gain real combat experience.
In his spare time, Asuka would often invite members of the Fourth Squad—such as Hozuki Mangetsu—to share meals together.
But peace never lasted long.
---
One torrential afternoon, everything changed.
Rapid knocking struck the door, accompanied by the urgent voice of a messenger Ninja:
"Lord Asuka! Emergency mobilization order from the Third Mizukage!"
Asuka opened the door, and rain immediately soaked the hem of his clothes.
The messenger knelt on one knee, holding a sealed scroll high with both hands.
"The front line is in critical condition! Lord Third orders you to reinforce immediately!"
Asuka took the scroll, his fingers tracing the sealing pattern before opening it.
The contents were clear—and grim.
---
The Hidden Mist front line had suffered a devastating blow.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—already reduced to six—had now been nearly wiped out. Only three survivors remained, barely clinging to life. Calling them the "Lucky Three" would be generous.
The root of this disaster traced back to the Konoha–Sunagakure battlefield.
Months earlier, Konoha exploited a weakness in Sunagakure's defenses and launched a lightning-fast counterattack, reclaiming the strategic stronghold in a single strike. From there, their momentum became unstoppable, pushing deep into the Land of Wind.
Unable to hold out any longer, Sunagakure was forced to request peace talks.
---
However, this negotiation differed greatly from their deal with the Hidden Mist.
Konoha, though victorious, was fighting on multiple fronts—against Iwagakure, Hidden Mist, and Kumogakure simultaneously. Their forces were stretched thin.
Instead of demanding heavy reparations, they only required Sunagakure to withdraw from the war and cede some border territory.
Sunagakure lost face—but preserved its strength.
---
With that front resolved, Konoha immediately redeployed its forces.
Jiraiya returned to the Iwagakure battlefield.
Orochimaru, who had been commanding against the Hidden Mist, was reassigned to fight Kumogakure.
And most importantly—
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, personally moved to the Hidden Mist front, bringing Minato Namikaze with him.
---
Although still powerful, Hiruzen was no longer in his prime. Continuous high-intensity command had begun to wear him down.
In contrast, Minato possessed extraordinary talent—exceptional speed, intelligence, and battlefield awareness.
More importantly, in Konoha's eyes, the Hidden Mist posed a threat equal to Kumogakure.
And at the center of that threat… was Asuka.
A young, peak Kage-level Ninja with the Kaguya Clan's abilities and terrifying combat record, he had already become one of Konoha's highest-priority targets.
To counter him, Konoha needed its strongest lineup.
---
Ironically, the downfall of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had little to do with Hiruzen or Minato.
It was their own doing.
After hearing of Asuka's overwhelming success against Sunagakure, the six remaining swordsmen grew restless. They wanted to prove they were just as capable.
So they devised a bold plan.
While the main Hidden Mist force launched a frontal assault, they would slip behind enemy lines and assassinate Konoha's command.
If successful, it could completely reverse the battlefield.
---
At first, everything went perfectly.
They bypassed defenses, evaded patrols, and penetrated deep into the Land of Fire.
But then—
They made a fatal mistake.
They encountered several newly graduated Genin squads.
Instead of eliminating them immediately, they toyed with them—chasing them like prey toward Konoha's headquarters.
That arrogance sealed their fate.
---
Among those Genin… was Might Guy.
At the time, he was nothing special—exhausted, out of Chakra, barely able to run.
Just as he was about to be killed—
His father arrived.
Might Duy.
---
What followed was exactly as history would remember.
Might Duy opened the Eighth Gate of Death.
And in a single, devastating act—
He shattered the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Reducing them to the so-called "Lucky Three."
Even Raiga Kurosuki, one of the survivors, was left on the brink of death.
---
Upon receiving this intelligence, the Third Mizukage immediately issued an emergency order for Asuka to reinforce the front.
There was no time to waste.
---
Asuka gathered the elite members of the Fourth Squad and brought Pakura along, heading straight for the battlefield at top speed.
Within days, they arrived.
---
What they saw was worse than expected.
The Hidden Mist defensive line had collapsed to its limits.
Konoha's forces surged forward like an unstoppable tide, threatening to drive them completely out of the Land of Fire.
With the Swordsmen gone, morale had shattered.
Exhausted Hidden Mist Ninjas retreated step by step, their faces filled with despair. Many had already lost the will to fight.
---
Then—
Asuka arrived.
---
At headquarters, injured and resting Ninjas began shouting his name.
"Asuka!"
"Lord Asuka has returned!"
Cheers erupted across the battlefield, spreading like wildfire.
His presence alone was enough to steady the collapsing line.
Like a shot of adrenaline—
He brought hope back to the Hidden Mist.
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