Chapter 294 - Final Appearance

After the lightning dissipated, Qing Ming returned to the scorched ground. Soon, he saw Black Hoe Thunder Fang's body, charred black like coal and in an even worse state than the captain he'd previously killed.

Seeing this, Qing Ming muttered to himself, "Guess I avenged him in a way."

Shaking his head, he dismissed the body and turned to find Zabuza Momochi. By then, Zabuza had also died. Judging by his position, it seemed he'd managed to struggle and drag himself some distance before succumbing.

Thinking back on how he'd severed Zabuza's carotid artery, Qing Ming couldn't help but respect his tenacity. But alas, sheer will couldn't make up for insufficient strength.

"Hmm?" Qing Ming suddenly sensed something was amiss. "Where are the two swords?"

Indeed, the "Thunder Sword: Fang" once wielded by Black Hoe Thunder Fang and Zabuza's "Executioner's Blade" had disappeared. Qing Ming looked around, but couldn't find a single fragment of them.

Originally, Qing Ming thought he could use these blades as substitutes until he acquired the Kusanagi Sword, especially "Thunder Sword: Fang," which could at least temporarily serve his purposes. He hadn't expected the weapons to just vanish.

Recalling his memories from his past life about these Seven Ninja Swords, he suddenly remembered that in the Second Generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the wielder of the Twin Swords, Hōzuki Mangetsu, supposedly had a scroll that allowed him to summon all seven swords.

As the only genius who could wield all seven swords with proficiency, Qing Ming had once thought this scroll was something Mangetsu created later on. But now, it seemed that this summoning scroll must have been around for a long time, possibly created alongside the swords and later passed down to him.

It made sense—if the scroll was made afterward, then when Might Duy opened the Eight Gates and decimated the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, four swords would have been lost for good, and there wouldn't have been a Second Generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Mangetsu wouldn't have had any chance to master all seven swords.

As for the idea that the survivors of the original group retrieved the swords, that was laughable! They were so traumatized by Might Duy that they fled in terror without a thought for retrieving any swords.

So, the truth was that these swords were bound to some conditions: upon their wielders' death, the swords would return to the summoning scroll. Either that or someone actively used the scroll to retrieve them after sensing something amiss.

Just like now—the moment Black Hoe Thunder Fang and Zabuza died, their swords vanished.

Thinking of how, in the future, the Executioner's Blade didn't return after Zabuza was killed by Kakashi, Qing Ming suspected that Hōzuki Mangetsu had taken the scroll with him upon his death. That's why the Mist Village could no longer recall the swords.

"What a pity…"

Realizing this, Qing Ming sighed inwardly. Just then, a figure appeared beside him—it was none other than the shadow clone that had lured the enemies deeper into the forest.

Qing Ming didn't immediately dispel the shadow clone but instead instructed it to continue playing his role and search the battlefield. Meanwhile, he concealed his presence and hid again.

He hadn't distanced himself from the main battlefield just to use "Tengu's Grace" and finish off Black Hoe Thunder Fang and Zabuza faster. He also wanted to lure out the hidden enemy.

Given that the opponent's target was likely him and Uchiha Shisui, Qing Ming believed they wouldn't just let him out of their sight. They would probably follow him, which gave him a golden opportunity.

...

Time ticked by. About a minute later, a swarm of sesame-sized insects buzzed in. They didn't venture too close, so the shadow clone hadn't noticed anything unusual. But just because the clone didn't notice didn't mean Qing Ming hadn't.

Hidden in the shadows, he was on high alert for any movement. The arrival of these small insects caught his eye, as insects typically react to danger very sensitively. After the powerful display of Black Hoe Thunder Fang's "Thunder Burial," they should have fled or stayed far away.

His curiosity piqued, Qing Ming extended his mental energy to examine the bugs more closely. He quickly realized they weren't ordinary insects. These tiny creatures had unusual resilience and faint traces of chakra within them.

That alone ruled out them being ordinary bugs. Insects… Qing Ming's mind immediately went to the Aburame Clan of Konoha and their use of parasitic insects.

"If I recall correctly, at this point in time, Danzo's Root division had an Aburame ninja among its ranks."

"Aburame Ryoma, is it you?" Qing Ming wondered to himself.

Although he had some suspicions, he didn't act immediately. He'd only seen a few bugs so far; his target was the person behind them. Qing Ming suppressed his presence further.

After finishing its inspection, the shadow clone surveyed the area one last time, finding nothing unusual. It then resumed its role and headed back to the main battlefield, while the bugs followed it from afar.

As both the clone and insects left, Qing Ming remained behind, hidden. He was certain that if his hidden opponent was indeed from the Root, they wouldn't miss this chance to gather intelligence.

To these professionals, examining the bodies of fallen shinobi could reveal a wealth of information. They may have been reluctant to expose themselves on the battlefield, but here, there were no such concerns.

With this in mind, Qing Ming continued to wait. He didn't have to wait long. Within two or three minutes, five figures in black cloaks and masks appeared in the area.

Seeing these people, Qing Ming could no longer suppress a smile. But to others, that smile looked rather chilling.

"Who's there?" One of the five suddenly yelled, throwing a kunai towards Qing Ming's hiding spot.

Clink! The sound of metal striking metal rang out. A kunai flew from behind the tree, deflecting the incoming weapon.

Then, a short figure stepped out from the shadows, revealing himself.

"Uchiha Qing Ming?!"

Indeed, it was none other than Qing Ming himself. Smiling, he addressed the five in front of him, "So, you're the ones spying on me all this time, huh? Who are you, skulking in the shadows?"

The five figures exchanged looks and said nothing. Without a word, they split up and encircled him.

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