Without making some noise, who would even know that Shigure was planning to rebuild the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist? Without showing strength, who among the shinobi of Kirigakure would truly believe in him?
Tonight, Shigure had only made one move.
But at that critical moment—when no one expected it—he directly received the devastating strike of the Blue Beast of Konoha. That single image would forever remain etched in the hearts of the Mist shinobi:
A young Jinchūriki, surrounded by the raging chakra of a Tailed Beast, standing firm against a power that could level mountains.
That sight would not be forgotten easily.
It seemed Shigure's second step—establishing his prestige—had already begun.
Mei Terumī walked ahead with quiet grace, glancing toward Jiraiya and the others. "So," she said lightly, "you came all this way to the Hidden Mist… to abduct Tsunade?"
"Abduct?" Jiraiya frowned.
"She was originally a Konoha ninja! That kid Shigure forcibly took her away!"
Mei smiled faintly.
"I'm aware. But he's still just a boy—and his only goal was to save his companion. Surely Lord Jiraiya isn't so unreasonable?"
Ao stepped forward and added, "If you had informed us, Lord Jiraiya, this matter could have been handled properly. The people of the Mist are, after all, under the Mizukage's protection."
Kakashi exhaled quietly. Good cop and bad cop, he thought. Together, they had turned the entire affair into a harmless misunderstanding—a child's rash decision, not a political offense.
Even if Konoha wished to pursue it, they would have to allow the Mist to handle their own.
Jiraiya finally chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Do as you wish with your own people. I just want to take Tsunade back."
"You may take her," Mei said calmly, then turned her gaze toward Shigure.
Shigure stepped forward. "After she completes the surgery and Yuyuri is healed, I'll pay her the amount I promised—and I won't detain her. She's free to leave whenever she wishes."
At that, Jiraiya's stern expression softened.
However, his tone remained resolute.
"Once the operation's done, Tsunade must return with me immediately. Konoha is in crisis. She's needed to stabilize the situation."
Shigure looked toward the operating room, where faint light flickered beneath the door.
"The surgery is still ongoing. No one leaves until it's over."
Might Guy, standing nearby, couldn't help but glance at the boy again. The Shigure he remembered had been a brash youth—but now, his words carried quiet authority, a calm weight that reminded Guy of a future Kage.
Jiraiya already knew this argument would lead nowhere. Not even Tsunade herself would abandon a patient mid-surgery. Still, he had said it for a reason—to set the stage for what came next.
"I can wait until Tsunade finishes," Jiraiya said finally, his voice measured. "But in that case… the Hidden Mist will owe Konoha one."
Mei's eyes narrowed slightly. She could have brushed it off if Jiraiya had spoken only to Shigure—but addressing her directly as Mizukage left her no room to deflect.
"…Indeed," she admitted. "It seems the Hidden Mist owes Konoha a favor."
Jiraiya smiled faintly. "Good. Then this will be simple."
"What do you want?" Mei asked.
Jiraiya turned his gaze to Shigure. "I want him to promise me one thing."
"If it's about taking him back to Konoha, that's impossible," Mei replied flatly. "Shigure is the Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails. He belongs to the Mist now. Even if we agreed, he wouldn't."
Jiraiya shook his head. "I'm not asking him to return."
"Then what do you want?" Shigure asked, curious.
Jiraiya's lips curved into a faint smile. "I want a promise."
"A promise?"
"Yes. If one day you become Mizukage," Jiraiya said quietly, "then help me kill someone."
Shigure blinked, startled.
"Kill someone? Who?"
"You'll know when the time comes," Jiraiya said simply.
Shigure folded his arms.
"Then I can't agree. What if it's someone from the Land of Water? Or the Daimyō himself? Should I promise blindly?"
"It's no one from the Land of Water," Jiraiya replied.
"He's from Konoha—and I can guarantee he's someone you'll want to kill."
Shigure's eyes narrowed slightly at that. His gaze sharpened—perhaps he already had an idea who Jiraiya meant.
"…Alright," he said at last. "I promise."
Jiraiya nodded, satisfied.
"Then let's wait. Once Tsunade's done, we'll talk again."
Later that night, Shigure stood silently by the window outside the operating room, watching the moonlight spill across the misty streets.
He clenched his fist lightly. That earlier clash with Might Guy had taught him something—his strength, though great, still lacked a finishing strike.
He needed a technique that could truly kill in one blow.
Ninjutsu alone wasn't enough. Even with the Three-Tails' chakra, few of his techniques had the decisive, destructive force he sought.
He would have to create something new. Something that could surpass the limits of ninjutsu itself.
His thoughts drifted toward his next goal: developing Storm Release—a fusion of lightning and water chakra.
"Great Sage," he murmured, "focus all calculations on developing Storm Release. Prioritize it over everything else."
Inside his mind, the calm voice of the Great Sage responded:
"Acknowledged. Allocating resources. Estimated repair of Gluttony Module at forty percent. Progress will slow as complexity increases."
"Then continue," Shigure said quietly.
"Divert partial power for system repair, and the rest—toward Storm Release."
A new power was forming within him—one born of storm and fury.
If he could master it, the next time he faced someone like Might Guy…
one punch would be enough.
Among all the Kekkei Genkai, Shigure believed that Storm Release possessed the greatest offensive potential—perhaps only Explosion Release could come close.
Storm Release combined the raw destructive power of Lightning Release with the fluid adaptability of Water Release, creating attacks that were both wide-ranging and precise. Its sheer power was unmatched.
That was why Shigure desired to obtain Storm Release for himself.
Cloud Release was excellent in terms of control and defense, but it lacked the overwhelming offensive strength that Storm Release provided.
The fierce battle with Might Guy earlier that night had given Shigure inspiration. He realized that what he truly lacked wasn't speed, defense, or technique—but an ultimate move, a decisive strike that could end any battle.
He gently brushed his hand across the hilt of the sword at his waist—Zangetsu. The Water Breathing sword techniques he had developed were versatile and fluid, but they still lacked a technique of absolute, unmatched power.
It seemed he would have to create one himself.
For now, there were countless other tasks demanding his attention. Once Ringo recovered from her injuries, she would inherit one of the Seven Swords of the Mist—the Kiba, the Lightning Fangs. Her talent with Lightning Release was too great to waste.
However, the Kiba blades had not yet been retrieved; Shigure would have to leave the village to recover them. The Samehada also remained lost and needed to be reclaimed soon. Only then could he find new wielders for the Bluntsword Kabutowari and the Explosive Sword Shibuki.
The Hidden Mist Village was still far weaker than Konoha. But if the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist could be fully reassembled—each bearing a legendary blade—they might finally stand on equal footing.
Bloodline development, ultimate move creation, training new users, recovering lost swords… there was simply too much to do.
As Shigure's thoughts ran through the long list of priorities, the light above the operating room suddenly turned green.
The next moment, the door opened—and Tsunade, wearing a surgical mask, stepped out from within.
...
TN:
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