Chapter 22: Reinforcements
From behind, a middle-aged man rushed to the scene, standing protectively in front of Might Guy and his two companions.
His appearance bore a striking resemblance to a younger Might Guy, and like him, he wore a tight green jumpsuit.
Upon reaching the battlefield, the man let out a long sigh of relief.
"I made it just in time…"
He muttered.
Behind him, Might Guy's expression was a mix of excitement and concern as he stared at the man's back.
"F-Father…"
The man who had arrived just in time was none other than Konoha's "Eternal Genin" — Might Duy.
Standing atop a tree, overlooking the battlefield, Uchiha Dali's lips curled into a knowing smile.
He hadn't expected to witness this legendary moment firsthand.
If nothing went wrong, Might Duy was about to unleash the power of the Eight Gates Formation, single-handedly taking on the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and eliminating four of them.
On the other side, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist paid little heed to the strange-looking Konoha shinobi dressed in dark green.
Some of them even grinned, their expressions relaxed.
"What a ridiculous-looking guy…"
Jinin Akebino sneered.
"That makes four Genin now. Your strength doesn't interest us, but perhaps you'll provide some entertainment."
Kurosuki Raiga grinned maliciously.
"Let's just finish them off quickly and not waste time."
Munashi Jinpachi reminded them in a deep voice.
At that moment, Might Duy made his decision—he ordered Might Guy and the other two to retreat while he stayed behind to face the seven formidable enemies alone.
"You're courting death!"
Seeing that Might Duy intended to stand alone against them, Kurosuki Raiga lost his patience.
He charged straight at Might Duy, planning to eliminate all four Konoha shinobi before they could escape.
But just as he was about to strike, he abruptly skidded to a halt.
Because another figure had suddenly appeared in front of the four Konoha shinobi.
Kurosuki Raiga narrowed his eyes, his pupils contracting slightly as he recognized the man.
"It's you again?"
"That Uchiha!!"
Jinin Akebino immediately spoke up.
A flash of hatred flickered in his eyes.
This was the Uchiha who had wounded him with a kunai!
Even now, the scar from that humiliation still throbbed faintly.
The rest of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen also glared coldly at Uchiha Dali, their eyes filled with malice.
Compared to the Konoha brats, it was clear that this man was their true concern.
"To think all seven of us once let our guard down and were caught off guard by this brat… A disgrace we'll never forget."
Kushimaru Kuriarare muttered darkly.
"So, we definitely can't let him escape this time. Let's kill all four of them together! It's a shame there aren't enough of them for each of us, but aside from that brat, the rest are yours."
Biwa Jūzō fixed his gaze on Uchiha Dali, having already chosen his opponent.
Meanwhile, Might Duy and the others were still in shock at the sudden appearance of Uchiha Dali, who had stepped in to protect them.
"You're from the Uchiha clan, aren't you? I recognize the crest on your back."
"But, young man, you should leave with Guy and the others. This youthful passion—shouldn't it be mine to burn?"
Might Duy said gravely.
"You've developed such a powerful Taijutsu technique, and you're willing to let it vanish without ever truly shining?"
Uchiha Dali suddenly chuckled.
Might Duy's expression froze.
A trace of confusion flickered in his eyes.
He clearly understood the meaning behind Uchiha Dali's words, but he was also puzzled as to how this man knew about that technique.
Might Guy was equally astonished.
After all, the secret of the Eight Gates Formation was something only he and his father knew.
The young Might Guy stared at the man in front of him, eyes filled with curiosity.
"Hey, are you all done chatting?"
"Hah! You're completely ignoring us—are you asking to die?!"
Biwa Jūzō roared in irritation before swinging his massive Executioner's Blade and charging straight at Uchiha Dali.
"I'll start with you! I'll use this blade to take your head—it won't hurt, I promise. It'll be over in an instant!"
As he spoke, he accelerated once more, closing the forty to fifty meters between them in the blink of an eye.
But when his blade slashed through the air—
It hit nothing.
Uchiha Dali had vanished.
Everyone was stunned.
Biwa Jūzō himself was in disbelief.
"Looking for me?"
A voice called out from the right, high up in a tree.
"When?!"
Biwa Jūzō's pupils contracted sharply as he snapped his gaze upward.
At that very moment—
A massive fireball came hurtling toward him.
Even before it landed, the searing heat of the flames was already burning his skin.
Biwa Jūzō's expression darkened.
Reacting swiftly, he leaped backward to dodge.
Seeing Uchiha Dali's display of power, Might Duy and Might Guy finally felt a bit of relief.
"This young man is stronger than I expected. Step back, Guy!"
Might Duy realized that Uchiha Dali was no weaker than their opponents.
He quickly instructed the others to retreat farther away while keeping a close eye on the battle, preparing to activate the Eight Gates Formation at any moment.
On the other side, about a hundred meters away, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had all shifted their focus onto Uchiha Dali.
"This brat really isn't simple… It seems getting injured by him last time wasn't just bad luck."
Jinin Akebino's expression grew serious for the first time.
The rest of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen also eyed Uchiha Dali warily.
Then—
The fireball struck the ground with a deafening explosion, blasting a crater over thirty meters wide into the earth.
The blast sent scorching waves of heat rippling outward, instantly igniting the surrounding foliage.
But that wasn't the end.
Uchiha Dali simultaneously hurled five kunai—three of which struck Biwa Jūzō squarely.
The remaining two were barely deflected by his Executioner's Blade.
"We have to attack together!"
Biwa Jūzō's face twisted as he realized the severity of the situation.
"Everyone, kill him!"
Kushimaru Kuriarare barked out the order.
Without hesitation, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen launched a coordinated assault, surrounding Uchiha Dali.