Shinnosuke stood among the fallen ANBU shinobi, a weight pressing down on his chest. For a moment—
He couldn't find his voice.
The situation had spiralled out of his control.
This was supposed to be a routine mission—simple, manageable. But facing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?
That was never part of his expectations.
Tomiko caught his gaze, urgency etched on her features. "Captain… we are not their opponents," she urged, her voice steady despite the chaos. "We need to send an emergency signal."
Shinnosuke's expression tightened, irritation flaring. "I can't do that!" he snapped, his voice low but sharp as a blade. "This mission was supposed to be easy. If it fails… my position as ANBU captain will be at risk."
Tomiko's eyes hardened, a fire igniting within them. "If we do nothing…" she replied, her words slicing through the tension.
"…we will die."
Her statement hung in the air, heavy with the weight of truth. Shinnosuke looked around, surveying the bodies scattered across the ground, silent witnesses to their impending doom. Only a few stood—shadows of their former selves.
And there, in stark contrast—
Stood Might Duy.
He hadn't fallen.
That alone felt strange, an anomaly amidst the carnage. His presence was different now—stronger, heavier, like a storm brewing on the horizon.
Tomiko's gaze remained fixed on him. "Genin… Might Duy," she said, uncertainty lacing her voice, but resolve cutting through. "Can you hold them?"
"We'll move from behind and attack together."
Duy heard her, and without hesitation, he stepped forward, confidence radiating from him. "Don't worry," he said, a small smile breaking across his face. "My youth is still burning. I will face them head-on. You all… attack from behind."
He moved forward, unafraid.
Shinnosuke watched, his face a mask of frustration and confusion. The man he had once dismissed as a clown was now the only one still standing while elite ANBU lay dead around them. He couldn't understand it, but he didn't have time to ponder.
His gaze shifted back to Tomiko as he signalled her to come closer. She moved, hesitation in her steps. "What is it?" she asked, confusion etched across her features.
Shinnosuke spoke in a low voice, keeping his eyes on the battlefield, the tension thick in the air. "We are no match for them. Not in any condition. I don't see any way for us to win."
Tomiko froze, her breath catching in her throat. "…What are you saying?"
Shinnosuke pressed on, urgency sharpening his tone. "While they are distracted… we should leave."
Silence fell between them, a heavy shroud. Tomiko stared at him, shock and disbelief flickering in her eyes. How can you think of something like this…?
Though she didn't voice her thoughts, her expression spoke volumes.
Shinnosuke noticed, frustration boiling over. "Don't look at me like that!" he snapped, his tone colder now, ice creeping in. "Do you really think we can handle them? We don't have any other option."
Just as he spoke—
Shinnosuke suddenly sensed something was wrong.
An eerie silence enveloped the area.
No more clashes.
No more screams.
He looked ahead, eyes widening at the sight before him.
Bodies.
Everywhere.
Fallen ANBU, lifeless on the ground.
Only three remained standing: Might Duy and two others.
Tomiko scanned the battlefield, her expression shifting as realisation dawned. It was all too clear now—there was no chance of winning.
In front of them—
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen stood, unharmed, watching like predators sizing up prey.
Mangetsu Hozuki stepped forward slightly, his calm gaze fixed on Duy.
"You are only a genin…" he said, his voice slow and deliberate.
"Hard to believe."
His eyes narrowed slightly, studying the young shinobi.
"You are stronger than anyone here."
A small pause lingered in the air.
"Pity…" he continued, tilting his head slightly.
"Konoha doesn't value you."
"Why not join us?"
Silence fell like a heavy blanket.
Duy met his gaze, unwavering, no hint of hesitation.
"Youth…" he replied, voice steady and firm.
"...does not know the word betrayal."
Shinnosuke watched him closely, and for a moment—something shifted in his expression.
"That's right…" he said, stepping closer, a newfound pride radiating from him.
"That is how a Konoha shinobi should be."
"We don't have words like betrayal."
"The Will of Fire teaches us sacrifice…" he added, gesturing around them.
"…something you don't understand."
He stopped beside Duy, his tone shifting to one of sincerity.
"My father was right…" he admitted.
"You are Konoha's hidden trump card."
A small breath escaped him.
"…Might Duy."
"I was wrong about you."
"You are not just an eternal genin…"
"You are one of Konoha's strongest."
Duy turned toward him, excitement lighting up his face.
"Don't worry!" he exclaimed, enthusiasm bubbling over.
"You can believe in me!"
"I will give everything I have—"
"We will win this fight!"
Then—
Something changed.
Duy's body tightened, his stance shifting as chakra surged within him.
The gates opened.
One.
Two.
Three—
Until—
Seven.
The air around him shook with palpable energy, the ground cracking slightly beneath his feet. His presence exploded, heavy and electric.
The swordsmen stopped smiling, their eyes narrowing as they regarded him. They were watching him properly now—with caution, with interest.
Shinnosuke locked eyes with Duy, a fierce determination igniting within him. Then—
His gaze shifted to the remaining ANBU, a small signal passed between them—quiet, hidden.
Retreat.
They understood without hesitation.
"Yes… Duy," Shinnosuke said, his voice steady.
"Give everything you have."
Duy didn't look back. He stepped forward—
And in the next instant—
He disappeared.
A blur of speed, a flash of emerald.
His fist drove toward Mangetsu, fueled by the power of his youth.
The fight had begun.
Behind him—
Shinnosuke and the others moved, fast and silent, executing their retreat with precision.
They left only one man—
To face seven.
at this moment—some distance away, within the dense forest bordering the mist—
Toyama Uchiha moved swiftly, leading Uchiha Raizen, Uchiha Suki, and Uchiha Genzo through the underbrush. Each step was deliberate, each breath measured, as if the very air crackled with anticipation.
"We need to hurry," Genzo urged, his voice low but edged with urgency. "They're planning to destroy the supply line. If we don't intercept them now, it could mean disaster for us."
Raizen, tall and broad-shouldered, frowned, glancing at Toyama. "Are you sure about this? We're outnumbered. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen are no joke."
He recalled the chilling rumours surrounding the swordsmen from the Mist—together, their strength and bizarre sword abilities were enough to trouble any Kage.
Toyama cast a determined glance back at him, his crimson Sharingan gleaming under the moonlight.
"I've studied their record. They rely too heavily on their swords. Without them, their strength is merely on par with jōnin, not elite."
Suki, her brow furrowed with concern, spoke up. "And what about Might Duy? He and Guy are supposed to be in the area. If they get involved—"
"Don't underestimate Might Duy," Toyama interrupted, his tone firm.
"He's one of the few in Konoha who could create significant trouble for us if we're forced to face him."
Suki felt a jolt of surprise at Toyama's words, her eyes widening.
Genzo, still processing Toyama's confidence, looked over at him. "But wasn't he called the eternal genin in Konoha?"
A smirk crept onto Toyama's face.
"This isn't just about Duy. It's about his technique. Even if it were given to me or anyone else, I doubt anyone could master it or even begin to harness its true potential."
Every member of the group felt a flicker of desire ignite within them—a yearning to witness such a figure rise.
They pressed on through the shadows, the forest hush enveloping them like a cloak. With each step, Toyama's mind raced, strategising their approach.
Suddenly, they broke through the treeline. The flickering smoke illuminates the night sky.
"Look," Toyama whispered, pointing ahead. "There they are."
Toyama and his team halted, their eyes fixed on the darkening sky where smoke billowed upward—a desperate emergency signal.
"Speed up, everyone!" Toyama commanded, urgency lacing his voice as they quickened their pace toward the ominous plume.
As Toyama and his group moved toward the smoke, a sudden chill gripped the air around them.
Presence.
Raizen's eyes sharpened, instinct kicking in. He raised his hand slightly, signalling his companions.
"Someone is coming," he warned in a low voice.
"Hide… we'll ambush if needed."
Without wasting a moment, they melded into the shadows, becoming one with the forest, silent and hidden.
After a few tense moments—
Figures emerged.
Four of them.
Clad in masks, their movements precise and disciplined.
Raizen narrowed his eyes.
"…ANBU," he whispered, a sense of unease creeping into his gut.
Toyama studied them carefully from the darkness, his body tense, instincts flaring. He didn't move; he didn't step out. Something felt off.
At that moment, Shinnosuke halted, Tomiko and the other two ANBU coming to an abrupt stop beside him.
Tomiko frowned, confusion washing over her features.
"What happened?"
"Why did we stop?"
Shinnosuke didn't answer immediately. His gaze shifted, scanning the surroundings as if sensing a disturbance in the air.
Then, he spoke a single word, heavy with meaning.
"Flame."
The ANBU called Flame reacted in a heartbeat, instincts honed by years of training. No hesitation. He pulled out a kunai—
In one swift, brutal movement—
He drove it into the throat of the other ANBU.
Blood spilled.
The body crumpled to the ground.
Tomiko froze, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Why…?" she stammered, voice shaking.
"Why did you kill him?"
Shinnosuke's expression remained calm, icy.
"He wasn't from our clan," he replied, the words cutting through the air like a blade.
"If we return to the village…"
"…he could report what happened here."
His gaze hardened, a fierce determination gleaming in his eyes.
"I won't face the same fate as the White Fang."
The weight of his words settled heavily around them, suffocating. Tomiko's heart tightened at the brutal reality of the situation. The ANBU who had come to support them, who had fought alongside them, was now gone.
"What about Might Duy…?" she asked quietly, fear creeping into her voice.
"What if he survives… and returns to Konoha?"
Shinnosuke looked at her, the conflict evident in his eyes for just a moment before he steeled himself.
"Do you really think…"
"…he will come out alive from that fight?"
Silence followed, heavy and charged.
Hidden in the shadows, Toyama and his group listened intently, the chilling exchange solidifying the reality of their situation.
And now—
The stakes had changed.
Clap, clap, clap.
Toyama stepped forward, a mocking smile on his face as he applauded, his eyes gleaming with mischief. He turned his gaze to the group of ANBU, amusement evident in his expression.
Shinnosuke and the others, taken aback by the sudden appearance of Toyama and the Uchiha, exchanged shocked glances.
"Well, well, look here—the Konoha's most elite squad," Toyama said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Or should I say… a bunch of backstabbers?"
He turned his gaze toward Raizen, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Don't you think, Uncle Raizen?"
Raizen, Suki, and Genzo wore humour-infused smiles, their confidence evident as they sized up Shinnosuke and his group.
"There's no doubt these bastards belong to one of those village hypocrite clans," Suki remarked, her eyes flicking between the ANBU and the fallen body on the ground.
"Now the question is," she continued, tilting her head slightly, "which one should they belong to?"
The grip on the weapons of the three ANBU tightened, knuckles whitening as they glared at the Uchiha before them.
The tension in the air thickened, a palpable energy crackling between the two groups.
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Hello everyone, hear_tteeth here
This chapter was a turning point for me while writing. I wanted to show not just strength, but the difference between people — those who stand, and those who step back.
Duy's part is very important for the story, and this is just the beginning of what he represents.
You might also notice the shift in tone with anbuThe and uchiha — things are not as simple as they look on the surface.
next chapter will move fully into the clash, so things will get intense from here.
Thank you for reading and staying with the story. Your support and comments really help me improve.
See you in the next chapter.