Mei Terumī was quite curious about what Kyoichi meant by "the harsh trials awaiting everyone." Unfortunately, no matter how much she tried to pry, she couldn't get him to explain. Since she couldn't get an answer out of Kyoichi, she could only rely on her own guesses—interpreting those "harsh trials" as the various difficulties one might encounter later in life.
However—
Rather than waste time dwelling on such vague words, she found herself far more interested in something else now:
the Seven Ninja Swordsmen Selection Battle.
To be honest, she hadn't been particularly interested in the selection before. She had no plans to participate, nor even to spectate—it was a matter that concerned the Fourth Mizukage's direct subordinates, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and had nothing to do with her.
But now that Kyoichi suddenly showed interest in joining them, Mei's curiosity was instantly piqued.
Ordinarily, obtaining permission to watch such a selection would be nearly impossible for anyone else—
because this kind of event was strictly confidential.
The Chūnin Exams could be held publicly because the battles between genin were harmless to expose; ordinary or unremarkable genin weren't worth any particular secrecy, and even the prodigies were still growing rapidly—changing day by day—so no one feared that the enemy might discover exploitable weaknesses.
But the Jōnin Exams were an entirely different matter. At that level, a shinobi's combat style, habits, and preferred techniques were already set. Any exposure of such information could prove fatal if seen by the wrong eyes.
And the Seven Ninja Swordsmen Selection Battle was even more classified.
After all—
anyone qualified to compete for a legendary sword was already among the elite of the elite.
Their information was the most guarded of secrets.
Thus, these selection battles were never open to the public.
Aside from the competitors themselves, only the upper echelons of Kirigakure were allowed to watch.
But for Mei Terumī, that was no problem at all.
She had two paths to entry:
She could join as a participant—as a jōnin, she was technically eligible to compete for a sword after passing the test of the current member, Jūzō Biwa.
However, for her, that step was entirely unnecessary.
After all, the Mizukage himself had personally invited her to join.
If she wanted to participate, she wouldn't need any test or recommendation—she could simply enter.
Alternatively, she could accompany Elder Genji as part of the village's senior leadership to spectate the battle.
And she had already decided to do the latter.
"Elder Genji, let's go watch the Seven Ninja Swordsmen selection together!"
Mei leaned toward the old man beside her, smiling brightly.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen selection, hm... Mei, weren't you just saying you weren't interested in that? What made you change your mind so suddenly?"
The old man turned his sharp, blade-like gaze toward the girl at his side—as if he wanted to see right through her thoughts.
"Because Kyoichi said he's going to participate,"
Mei admitted honestly, not bothering to invent an excuse.
"I don't think this selection will force him to go all-out, but at the very least, we'll get to see a glimpse of what he can really do. Besides... I'm curious to see which sword he'll choose."
"...That boy is entering the selection?"
Genji's eyes narrowed slightly.
That was news to him.
Like the Fourth Mizukage, he had assumed that Kyoichi's refusal to join any department meant he didn't want to be tied down—nor did he wish to be entangled in the ongoing political struggle between himself and the Mizukage.
But now... it seemed their assumptions had been a bit off.
"Mei, do you know why he wants to join the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"
The old man didn't waste time guessing—he simply asked directly.
He was far too old and wise to indulge in needless speculation when the answer was sitting right beside him.
"Because the Seven Ninja Swordsmen are sent on the most difficult missions,"
Mei answered softly.
"...A battle maniac, then?"
Her response caught Elder Genji a little off guard—but not enough to surprise him.
After all, he had lived through the chaos of the Warring States period and the early struggles of the Five Great Nations.
He had seen countless exceptional people in his lifetime—
including the Second Mizukage, Hōzuki Gengetsu,
a notorious battle maniac who reveled in combat and would hurl himself into battle without a thought for his own safety once his blood began to boil.
It was likely that very temperament which led to his mutual destruction with the Second Tsuchikage.
And perhaps because of Gengetsu's lingering influence,
Kirigakure had, throughout the years, continued to produce battle maniacs like him—though most only inherited his fervor for battle, not his talent.
Those poor souls often died before they could even make their names known.
If what Mei said was true,
then Kyoichi might well be another of that rare breed—
a battle maniac like Hōzuki Gengetsu,
possessing not only unbridled fighting spirit but also the talent to sustain it.
If that were the case,
then his desire to join the Seven Ninja Swordsmen made perfect sense.
Ordinary shinobi avoided high-risk missions whenever they could—treating them like deadly vipers to be fled from.
Given the choice, almost no one would willingly take on a mission that was little more than dancing on a knife's edge.
But battle maniacs were anything but ordinary.
They sought out danger.
They enjoyed that intoxicating thrill of walking the razor's edge.
For those gifted few—
to dance hand-in-hand with death was not a punishment, nor a curse...
It was a blessing.
The highest form of joy.
"When is the selection battle scheduled?"
"Two days from now, in the afternoon."
"And the location?"
"In the underground training hall directly beneath the Mizukage's tower."
"Good," Elder Genji nodded decisively. "Come find me then. We'll go watch this Seven Ninja Swordsmen selection together."
It was the perfect opportunity—
a chance to see, with his own eyes,
just how capable that young man truly was.
Whether he really possessed the same extraordinary potential once shown by Hōzuki Gengetsu.
Though Elder Genji's health remained sound, his age meant it had been years since he last took on a mission—nearly a decade, in fact, since he'd even left Kirigakure.
These days, he could only learn about rising talents through secondhand reports.
Rarely did he get the chance to see one in action himself.
And this time,
such a chance had arrived.
"Understood, Elder Genji. I'll come find you when the time comes."
Mei Terumī nodded obediently, her tone respectful yet tinged with a quiet excitement.
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