Night sounds filled the air.
Chakra inside Yoru surged like a flood, rapidly consumed to maintain the formation of this Kido spell.
A heavy, oppressive pressure spread out, as if thousands of pounds were pressing down, freezing the very air around them.
In the next moment,
Biwa Jūzō's eyes snapped tight with shock as he stared ahead.
Before him, a deep, chilling blackness rose up, instantly wrapping Might Guy in its grasp.
From afar, it looked like a black coffin.
The suffocating aura forced Biwa to swallow hard. He couldn't believe such a terrifying technique was unleashed by Yoru.
The Mist's rising star, Elder Genjō's top disciple, a prodigy rivaling Yagura— the Anbu's Blood Mist Blade.
Though he hadn't awakened the Yuki clan's kekkei genkai yet, Yoru's genius was well-known among Mist's leadership. Biwa treated Yoru as an equal, with no hint of disrespect.
Everyone knew if Yoru kept growing, he'd soon reach or even surpass the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
But that was the future — a prediction of the grown Yoru.
Right now…
"This move's power is at least forbidden-level. This kid..."
"A true genius."
Biwa's shock and respect were clear. Yoru didn't know, but he felt it in Biwa's eyes.
It was gratifying to be regarded like a Seven Ninja Swordsman, but Yoru's attention was mostly on Might Duy, trapped inside that black coffin.
Releasing Kido above level 90 was extremely difficult. Even Yoru couldn't do it without full chanting.
Exactly.
Like Aizen and the others chant to boost their Kido power, Yoru chanted only to make sure the spell worked.
That's the difference in chakra and Kido mastery!
"Should be fine…"
Feeling empty inside, Yoru's expression grew serious.
This Black Coffin had nearly drained all of his chakra, but he believed he had seized a moment of weakness from Might Duy.
If even this couldn't kill him, then Yoru truly had no other way.
A torrent of suffocating pressure raged inside the coffin—but then, Yoru's expression suddenly changed, and Jūzō's eyes widened in shock.
"What the hell?!"
Crack… CRACK—!
The black coffin held only a few breaths before some terrifying force shook it. Cracks spiderwebbed across its surface.
Suddenly, a blood-red flame exploded upward, shattering the coffin and revealing its occupant.
A blood-colored beast.
Might Duy's body was riddled with wounds, but no blood flowed.
The terrifying chakra had evaporated his blood into crimson vapor, shrouding him.
Eight Gates Formation!
"Mist Hidden…"
The blood beast fixed its white, furious eyes on Yoru and roared, charging with brutal force.
Almost instantly, it reached him.
With all Eight Gates opened, Might Duy's aura burst past limits, reaching its peak — so overwhelming that Jūzō, Samehada-wielder Fuguki Suikazan, and the remaining swordsmen felt as if their lives were suffocating under the pressure.
Yoru stood perfectly still, showing no defensive move.
Might Duy's momentum was fierce. Just as his fist was about to hit Yoru, his expression shifted.
His energy froze. The charge stopped.
He had burned out.
After fighting the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and breaking the black coffin with the Eight Gates, this beast had expended all its power.
With one strike,
Ding! Mission "Might Duy" stages two and three complete. Reward: 150,000 points.
Ding! Special-type Genin defeated. Reward: 2,500 points.
At the system's sound, Might Duy's head separated from his body.
No blood spilled; the moment the blood flame died out, his body was carbonized — brittle like charcoal.
This was the power of the Eight Gates.
Breaking the Death Gate in the heart, releasing all chakra to gain incredible strength — like a dazzling but fleeting night firework.
Biwa was stunned.
Luck or calculation, he didn't know.
But no matter what, the monster who nearly destroyed the Mist's Seven Ninja Swordsmen was truly cut down by Yoru.
One clean strike.
After sealing Might Duy's head and body in a scroll, Yoru began healing Jūzō Biwa and the others.
"Ribs shattered across your abdomen, some bones piercing organs, broken leg bones, and a crushed left arm. Jūzō-sama, I can't fully heal these injuries.
"Same for Fuguki-sama and Raiga-sama. I can only stabilize your conditions. But with Military ration pills (Hyōrōgan) , you should all be able to move again."
They still hadn't fully recovered from the fight. The black coffin and the Eight Gates' power were too overwhelming.
Once Yoru finished healing, they finally came back to their senses.
Biwa smiled bitterly, shaking his head.
"Never thought you'd reach this level already. After this fight… no, once we return to camp, you should take Kurisarashi Kumamaru's place — maybe even higher."
Fuguki and Raiga nodded in agreement. With what had just occurred, Yoru now had the strength and qualifications to match their rank.
"Whether vice-captain or squad leader makes little difference," Yoru said, shaking his head. "Right now, it's more important to think about how we're going to report this to Lord Yagura and the Mizukage."
"Also, we must get this news back as soon as possible. Lord Third and Elder Genshiro need to update the battle plan to prevent this mission's failure from escalating further."
Silence fell over the three men. Especially Fuguki, whose expression was grim.
Not only was he one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, he also served as one of Kirigakure's intelligence officers. This entire mission had passed through his hands.
And because of a major intelligence failure, not only had all their plans crumbled—four of the Seven Ninja Swords had been lost.
Even with their ranks, this outcome would be hard to atone for.
"…At least we took down a monster," Fuguki muttered. "Let's get out of here. That last clash made too much noise—and a squad of Konoha ninja escaped earlier. If reinforcements arrive, we won't be able to get away easily."
"Right."
The four swiftly departed, vanishing into the forest.
Moments later—
More than a dozen Konoha shinobi arrived at the ravaged clearing, stunned by the devastation and battlefield scars before them.
In the crowd, a young Genin named Might Guy collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
Today, he lost his father.
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