Chapter 52 - Kazane of the Hatake Clan Arrives

Chapter 52 - Kazane of the Hatake Clan Arrives

Might Duy's heart pounded, his body trembling from the overwhelming surge of chakra condensing within his very core. The Eighth Gate—the Gate of Death—was on the verge of opening.

His muscles strained, his veins bulged, and the air around him distorted under the sheer force of his unleashed power.

Then—

BOOM!

A massive wave of sword energy cleaved through the battlefield.

The sheer force of the slash tore a deep trench between Might Duy and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, causing the ground to rupture and sending shockwaves through the air.

The oppressive heat from Duy's body was instantly drowned out by the raw cutting force of the incoming strike.

The impact forced everyone back—even the infamous Mist swordsmen found themselves involuntarily stepping away from the force of the attack.

"W-what… was that?"

Jinpachi Munashi, wielder of the Blasting Blade: Shibuki, narrowed his eyes, staring at the deep scar left on the battlefield. The energy radiating from the cut sent a rare shiver of fear down his spine.

A sword strike that could split the earth so cleanly—this wasn't the work of an ordinary shinobi.

And then—

"It seems I arrived just in time."

A calm, unwavering voice rang through the battlefield.

From the direction of the attack, a solitary figure emerged from the dense mist.

Hatake Kazane.

"Kazane…!"

Ebisu, his face pale with terror, felt an unexpected surge of hope upon seeing the white-haired swordsman. His voice quivered, barely able to believe what he was witnessing.

"Kazane… you mean… Hatake Kazane, the Demon Blade of Konoha?"

Juzo Biwa's smirk disappeared.

He tightened his grip on the Executioner's Blade, his muscles coiling with tension.

Hatake Kazane.

A name that had spread like wildfire across the ninja world.

Juzo had studied every notable warrior, memorized their strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. And among those names, Hatake Kazane stood out for a single, terrifying reason—

This "brat" had single-handedly slain Kitsuchi of Iwagakure, an S-rank battlefield commander.

He had cleaved through entire legions, carving a path of destruction that rivaled the likes of Namikaze Minato.

"If the reports are true…" Juzo muttered, his gaze locked onto Kazane's calm, unshaken stance.

"Then this brat… isn't someone to take lightly."

For the first time in years, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist felt something other than arrogance. They felt hesitation.

"Duy-sensei, leave these guys to me. Take the others and find a safe place to wait. Once I'm done here, I'll escort you all back to Konoha."

Kazane's tone was casual, almost as if he was stating the inevitable.

But there was no doubt in his voice.

No hesitation.

No fear.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on now."

Juzo forced a smirk back onto his face, but his body remained tense.

"Hah! These brats are really getting cocky these days," Jinpachi Munashi scoffed. "Looks like we'll have to put you in your place."

Before he could take a step forward—

"We're done here. Let's move."

The voice came from Fuguki Suikazan, wielder of Samehada. His expression was unreadable, but his tone left no room for argument.

Juzo and the others immediately hesitated.

"But, Fuguki—!"

"Enough. We didn't come here to fight an dangerous swordsman. Our mission has already failed. We leave. Now."

There was a long pause.

Then, one by one, the other swordsmen reluctantly agreed.

Even the most bloodthirsty among them understood the situation.

Engaging Hatake Kazane—a known Demon Blade—was not worth the risk.

"Hey, Kazane, listen—there's no need for unnecessary bloodshed."

Juzo took a cautious step back.

"We'll just be leaving now, alright?"

He turned slightly, preparing to walk away.

But before he could—

"Who said you could leave?"

The temperature plummeted.

The very air around them seemed to shrink, suffocated by an overwhelming pressure.

"Tch… You really wanna go at it, huh?" Munashi Jinpachi stepped forward, his usual twisted grin replaced by frustration. His grip on the Blasting Blade: Shibuki tightened. "You think you can handle all seven of us by yourself?"

Kazane answered without hesitation.

"The fish may die, but the net will never break."

He drew his blade, the motion smooth and deliberate, as if the mere act of unsheathing his sword was a declaration of death. The chilling aura that surrounded him intensified as he shifted into his stance, gripping Wado Ichimonji in his right hand, Yukizeme in his left, and holding the Kusanagi Blade between his teeth.

Three-Sword Style.

Fuguki Suikazan, the largest of the swordsmen, narrowed his eyes. "This bastard… he's serious."

Without another word, the swordsmen instinctively moved, forming a loose semi-circle around Kazane, each one gripping their legendary weapons. They had fought side by side for years, cutting down entire armies with their combined strength. Yet now, the prey before them showed no intention of running—only the cold readiness to kill.

Munashi Jinpachi, unable to suppress his rage, was the first to act. "Blasting Blade Art: Explosive Rain!" He swung Shibuki with full force, triggering a cascade of explosive tags embedded within the blade. A massive ring of exploding kunai flew out, encircling Kazane completely before detonating in a blinding chain of fire.

BOOM!

Flames roared, debris scattered, and the shockwave sent tremors through the battlefield.

"Heh… That should've done the trick." Munashi grinned as the smoke engulfed their target.

But as the dust settled, his expression twisted into horror.

Kazane stood there, completely unharmed. His figure was shrouded in a faint black sheen—Armament Haki.

"You… didn't even dodge?!" Jinpachi took a step back.

"Didn't need to."

Kazane took a single step forward. His blackened blades vibrated with raw power, radiating an ominous energy. The swordsmen, despite their reputations, could feel it—this wasn't normal chakra. It was something else entirely.

In the blink of an eye, Kazane moved.

"Three-Sword Style: Tiger Hunt."

By the time they registered his movement, it was already too late.

A deafening shing echoed as Kazane appeared behind Munashi Jinpachi. A sharp breeze carried the scent of blood.

Then, in a grotesque display, Jinpachi's body split into deep, ragged claw-like wounds. Blood sprayed in arcs as his corpse fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

"One down."

Silence.

For the first time in their lives, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist felt fear.

Juzo Biwa clenched his teeth, eyes flickering with disbelief. "This is insane… He killed him in a single strike?!"

"This is bad." Fuguki Suikazan, the most level-headed of the group, had already assessed the situation. They weren't facing a normal shinobi—this was a monster. If they stayed, they would die.

Without another word, the six remaining swordsmen turned and ran.

Their survival instincts overrode any loyalty they had to each other. There was no shame in fleeing from death itself.

But as their figures blurred into the mist, Kazane merely exhaled, his blades still dripping with blood.

"Did I say you could run?"

His eyes locked onto the retreating figures.

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