The leader of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Hozuki Fuguki, a strong figure who held quite a reputation in the shinobi world, had just died so easily.
And the cause of death? Perhaps it was simply because he had a loose tongue.
Fuma picked up the Samehada from the ground, only to feel a slight itch.
A row of sharp, thick barbs emerged from the handle of the Samehada, seemingly resisting this new supposed owner.
Unfortunately for the sword, these barbs were incapable of piercing Fuma's skin. Even the Rasengan from Minato could only leave faint white marks on his skin.
"A living weapon? Quite an interesting existence."
Fuma examined the Samehada with curiosity. A living weapon like this was unique in the world of "Naruto".
In his previous life, Fuma had heard many things about this sword, like how Samehada was supposedly the companion of the Three-Tails.
However, the Samehada's performance far exceeded anything a Three-Tails companion would be expected to show.
Combined with Kisame, the Samehada could easily overpower Killer Bee, the perfect Jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails, performing far better than Sasuke even after he had unlocked his Mangekyo Sharingan.
If Kisame hadn't encountered someone like Guy, who excelled in taijutsu, Konoha in the original timeline might have needed Naruto himself to deal with Kisame.
Fuma looked at the restless Samehada with a smirk. His muscular arm bulged slightly as he gripped the spiked sword tightly, increasing the force gradually.
"Grrr!!"
Under Fuma's immense strength, Samehada struggled wildly like a fish out of water, desperate for freedom.
Fuma snorted coldly. In his mind, the Samehada didn't have the best reputation.
Because it coveted Killer Bee's chakra, it had once considered betraying Kisame, even though the two could fuse and reach a perfect unity between man and blade.
A sword lacking loyalty could only be subdued through a harsh beating.
As Fuma applied more strength, the barbs on the Samehada began to break one by one. Unrelenting, Fuma's iron-like hand reached deeper into the sword's interior.
This sword, apart from its hilt, was more like a living fish. Would its flesh be as tender as it seemed? Fuma wondered, a hint of malice creeping into his thoughts as he considered if it would make a fresh, tasty sashimi dish.
Samehada shuddered violently, sensing the malicious intent. Being a living creature, it had a natural instinct for detecting danger, and it could tell that something terrible was about to happen.
Chakra started flowing frantically from the sword handle into Fuma's body. Samehada stopped struggling, its howls turning into soft whimpers, as if begging for mercy.
Fuma chuckled, accepting Samehada's submission and eased his grip.
Among the Seven Ninja Swords, the power disparity between them was vast. For instance, the difference between the Executioner's Blade and the Samehada was like night and day.
Of the seven swords, Fuma was only interested in the Samehada he now held. The remaining six were nothing more than scraps of metal in his eyes.
The Samehada not only devoured chakra but also had the ability to fuse and transform. It was almost like a miniature tailed beast.
If used properly, it could easily create a shinobi with Kage-level strength.
In the distance, Kurosuki Raiga and Munashi Jinpachi watched Fuma with fear, exchanging disbelieving glances.
"Did Hozuki Fuguki really just die like that?"
"Who is this guy?"
At this moment, Kirigakure was in a state of isolation, with very limited information reaching its borders.
While Sunagakure, Amegakure, and Konoha were embroiled in war, the other three great villages were observing the situation, waiting for the right moment.
But in Kirigakure, the Third Mizukage, who had just mastered the power of the tailed beasts, was busy conducting a ruthless purge, locked in a brutal internal conflict with the clans possessing kekkei genkai. There was no time to pay attention to the events on the continent.
This left the Kirigakure ninjas largely uninformed about what was happening elsewhere. They were only familiar with the legendary figures like Chiyo, the Third Hokage, and Hanzo.
As for new rising stars like Fuma, the ninjas of Kirigakure had only heard rumors, without any concrete information.
Fuma glanced at the duo in the distance and shook his head, sighing inwardly:
"What's up with these Kirigakure ninjas? They all look so strange. If they're not sporting sharp teeth, they have weird body shapes, like half-beasts."
"These so-called Seven Ninja Swordsmen, if they've made it all the way to Kusagakure, they must have the full trust of the Third Mizukage. It's probably better to kill them."
Fuma's guess wasn't wrong. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure were indeed directly under the Mizukage's command, serving as the most trusted members of his elite forces.
And in the original timeline, most of these swordsmen would end up becoming rogue ninjas, showing just how much Obito had ruined Kirigakure, nearly severing the village's future.
One of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, reduced to having Chojuro as its Mizukage—how absurd could it get?
*BOOOM!*
The ground exploded with cracks, sending dust flying as Fuma launched himself like a cannonball toward the remaining two swordsmen from Kirigakure.
Munashi Jinpachi suppressed his growing fear, gritting his teeth as he plunged his long "Sewing Needle" sword into the ground and swiftly formed hand seals.
"Needle Ninjutsu: Earth Spider Stitch!"
Thin, worm-like wires snaked beneath the ground, vanishing in an instant.
A cruel smile spread across Jinpachi's face as he saw Fuma charging at him in a straight line.
"Dare to underestimate me? Good, I'll tear your limbs off soon!"
This technique hid the "Sewing Needle's" wires underground. Once the enemy stepped into the attack range, the wires would shoot up, slicing the target into countless pieces.
However, what happened next left him in shock. Fuma barreled straight toward him, the wires sparking off his body with no effect other than producing a few sparks.
Fuma raised the Samehada, which bristled with excitement, and slashed it from Jinpachi's chest down to his thigh!
*Whoosh!*
Jinpachi's thin body was torn apart, exposing his white ribs and flesh-colored intestines to the open air.
Fuma patted Samehada, which extended its barbs to wrap around Jinpachi's mangled body, absorbing his chakra.
The barbs that Fuma had previously broken off now grew back under the stimulation of chakra. Samehada opened its gaping maw, hungry for the nearby Kurosuki Raiga.
Raiga's eyes widened in fury and despair. Jinpachi was his closest companion, now dead before his eyes.
The two of them, infamous as the "Ruthless Duo," were known for torturing captive ninjas.
Jinpachi had killed his own brother and mentor, and Raiga was no better. The two were partners in crime, supporting each other in every way.
Now that Jinpachi was dead, Raiga's will to live had also died. His eyes turned bloodshot as he charged at Fuma, swinging his explosive blade, Shibuki.
"Blast Ninjutsu: Burst Slice!"
*Boom!*
Raiga forcefully unfurled the Shibuki, summoning numerous explosive tags that encircled both himself and Fuma, unleashing a barrage of explosions.
When the smoke cleared, Fuma stood unharmed before Raiga, towering over him.
"Don't get cocky!!"
Raiga roared in agony, gripping Shibuki tightly as he seemed to prepare for a final move.
Unfortunately, in the next second, his head was severed by the Samehada, leaving only his body trembling in place.
Fuma picked up the explosive sword, squinting as he examined it, thinking to himself, "The Shibuki isn't even a sword. It's basically a giant scroll of explosive tags."
In Fuma's memory, this sword was said to possess a technique capable of killing an immortal being.
Looking at it now, it wasn't much different from any other technique involving explosive tags—just a matter of summoning enough tags to cause significant damage.
In fact, any ninjutsu involving explosive tags was a luxury reserved for the wealthy, relying on sheer volume to achieve the desired effect.
Fuma sealed the two swords into a scroll, nodding in satisfaction.
"Didn't expect that coming to Kusagakure would yield not only the Box of Ultimate Bliss but also these spoils from Kirigakure."
After all, when traveling abroad, one must bring gifts for the children back home.
"This explosive sword, Shibuki, will make a nice toy for Konan. It should work well as a self-defense weapon too."
Fuma wondered what kind of reaction Obito would have when he saw the woman he admired wielding such a massive sword. Would he love her even more?
Fuma also collected the three corpses, sealing them up meticulously.
Though these three weren't exactly top-tier figures in the shinobi world, they could still fetch a decent amount at the bounty station.
"You never know the cost of living until you run a household!"
As the newly appointed head of the Uchiha clan, Fuma sighed sincerely.
Watching Fuma methodically clean up the enemies' corpses, the remaining ninjas present all felt a chill run down their spines.
They exchanged glances with each other, as if considering forming a temporary alliance.
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