Chapter 023: Look, the Executioner's Blade Just Broke, Didn't It? (Seeking Data)
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure copied Konoha's ANBU.
In other words, the Second Mizukage was probably a fan of Konoha's Second Hokage.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure were quite interesting, each wielding a unique blade with different abilities.
Of course, apart from the living sword Samehada, the rest were basically junk.
Samehada was a small fish that had always lived alongside the Three-Tails, clinging to its body and absorbing its chakra over time.
As a result, it had become somewhat like a tailed beast itself.
The greatest advantage of wielding Samehada was its ability to absorb others' chakra.
It could replenish its wielder's chakra reserves.
Wasn't that just like a portable charger? For its user, it was an invaluable treasure.
It even saved them the trouble of constantly consuming soldier pills.
And because it was alive, it could also cooperate with its wielder to perform jutsu.
That was why it deserved to be the leader of the seven blades.
Kitahara Kaede, listening to their discussion about the seven swords, decided to chime in with some additional details.
He noticed that these two chunin didn't seem to know much.
"Oh…"
"So that's how it is…"
"But…" one of the Kirigakure chunin asked, "How do you know so much?"
"..."
"Second floor of the Konoha Library. Third shelf, fourth book in the 'J' section of the Humanities and History aisle."
"'The Culture of Kirigakure.'"
"It's written in that book," Kitahara explained.
"Oh, that one…" Sasuke recalled.
He had been to the library before and had glimpsed it once.
"Nani nani?"
As for Naruto, whose knowledge was severely lacking, he had never even been to the library, let alone borrowed a book.
"..."
Kakashi adjusted his forehead protector with one hand.
He suddenly realized something important.
Kitahara Kaede's vast knowledge wasn't just due to his sharp mind — he was also incredibly well-read.
Perhaps…
While the Hokage and others believed that Kitahara had gained the Sharingan and even the Rinnegan because his ninja rabbit bit him — or, from another perspective, that his bloodline had regressed to the era of the Sage of Six Paths…
But…
Was there another possibility?
What if…
Even if the ninja rabbit hadn't bitten him, Kitahara already possessed the potential to break through his bloodline and return to its primordial state?
So…
After biting Kitahara, the ninja rabbit had been so shocked.
"Heh—"
As Kakashi pondered this, he found the idea utterly fascinating.
Could it… really be possible?
Meanwhile.
Konoha, a small apartment.
By the window of Kitahara Kaede's apartment, a pure white ninja rabbit with crimson-red paws stood gazing into the distance.
Its eyes, also completely white, looked upward — toward the moon.
Since it was daytime, the moon wasn't clearly visible.
But the rabbit seemed deep in thought.
It, too, wanted to ask—
Could this… really be possible?
All it had done was bite Kitahara once, yet he had awakened the Rinnegan.
Meanwhile, the Hyūga girl had merely split into a more talented personality.
But…
Why had Kitahara's bloodline directly regressed to that of the Sage of Six Paths?
This, it did not understand.
Land of Waves.
Sitting on a motorboat, Kitahara and his team would reach their final destination in about 20 minutes.
As old man Tazuna had explained, the Land of Waves had been blockaded by Gato.
In the past, the country had no bridge and relied on waterways for trade with other villages.
But after Gato's arrival, he had sealed off the coast, forcibly bought seafood from the villagers at low prices, and sold daily necessities back to them at exorbitant rates.
The people of the Land of Waves were trapped in a cycle — work and barely survive, or refuse and starve.
Tazuna's goal was to build a bridge under these circumstances, reconnecting the Land of Waves to the outside world.
Naturally, Gato opposed this. Many had been captured, and Tazuna's son-in-law had been executed as a result.
Tazuna himself had also been placed on Gato's hit list.
"So that's how it is…"
"That Gato guy is way too much!"
True to his naive nature, Naruto quickly grew furious.
"..."
Sasuke, meanwhile, looked around warily.
"Hey, are those two chunin really reliable?"
"Aren't they Zabuza's subordinates? If they're betraying him now…"
"What if Zabuza kills them?" Sasuke asked.
"If Zabuza disposes of those two chunin, then we'll just have Zabuza carry out the mission himself," Kitahara said.
"..."
Sasuke.
"Typical of you…"
Sasuke was impressed.
"However, the actual outcome might be something else entirely."
Kitahara suddenly spoke up, his gaze shifting to a certain direction.
"Huh?" Sasuke blinked.
Then, his instincts kicked in.
"Everyone, be careful!"
Kakashi, who had been listening to Kitahara, immediately followed his line of sight.
His years of mission experience sharpened his reflexes.
In an instant, Kakashi appeared at the front of the boat, a kunai already in hand.
Amidst the sound of wind and waves—
A harsh metallic clang rang out.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
But Kakashi's hand was now enveloped in a surge of purple chakra.
Only then did Sasuke and the others realize — Kakashi had already left the boat and was standing on the water's surface.
The kunai in his hand had fallen, but his palm now crackled with a concentrated mass of lightning chakra.
"Chidori!" Kakashi shouted.
The Chidori slammed into the Executioner's Blade—
CRACK!
And the massive sword shattered instantly.
[Descendant Chat Group (^_-) ]
[Tobirama Senju]: Mizukage, is this the famed Executioner's Blade of Kirigakure?
[Future Mizukage - Terumi Mei]: Uh… yes…
[Minato Namikaze]: Just as my son said — it breaks pretty easily.
[Future Mizukage - Terumi Mei]: …
At this moment, the future Mizukage could only feel… utterly humiliated.