Chapter 52: The Ninja Swords
"Today's matter is classified as the Hidden Mist's top secret. A gag order is hereby issued to all participants. Absolutely no information is allowed to leak! All for the sake of the Hidden Mist!!!" Ice's tone was very serious, revealing a hint of killing intent.
"Yes! For the Hidden Mist!!!" The crowd responded thunderously.
"Oh, right!" Ice suddenly thought of something and spoke again, "The previous Mizukage have each left behind several extremely powerful ninja swords, which greatly amplify the fighting power of ninjas compatible with them. In addition, after my years of collecting and forging, we currently have a total of seven ninja swords."
Ice then took out a scroll slightly larger than a normal scroll from his ninja pouch. With a pull of both hands, he slowly opened it. On the scroll were engraved seven large characters: "Sever," "Great," "Long," "Dull," "Explode," "Thunder," and "Twin."
Ice channeled Chakra into the scroll, and the seven large characters lit up simultaneously. The seal was released, and a puff of white smoke appeared. Seven ninja swords with different shapes appeared before everyone's eyes.
Seeing that everyone had looked at them, Ice continued, "Currently, every major ninja village, besides the Kage, has dozens of ninjas who are somewhat famous throughout the ninja world. Only our Hidden Mist has a handful! Therefore, I have decided to publicly select seven people from the entire village to wield these seven ninja swords, and these seven people will become members of my Shadow Guards. My intention is to create an elite special ninja force belonging to our Hidden Mist that will be renowned throughout the ninja world and can undertake a series of war missions such as battlefield raids, commander decapitation, and assassinations, playing the role of a sharp blade!"
"The announcement will be issued to the entire village later. Everyone can go back and prepare. The selection of personnel will be held in early next year!" After saying this, Ice ignored the crowd's discussions and turned around with Torune Aburame, leaving the conference room.
Seeing that there was nothing else, Kiyoshi and the other Anbu members also left the conference room and returned to the Anbu headquarters together. They had to convey the situation of the war outbreak to their respective subordinates.
No sooner had Kiyoshi stepped into the First Training Ground than the Third Mizukage's guard, Torune Aburame, arrived.
"Bone! Mizukage-sama wants to see you!" Torune Aburame brought the Third Mizukage Ice's order.
Kiyoshi, completely bewildered, had no choice but to follow Torune Aburame back to the Mizukage Tower.
Inside the Mizukage's office, Ice stood solemnly by the huge French window, gazing at the village he deeply loved.
"Mizukage-sama! Anbu Squad Leader Bone has been brought!" Torune Aburame respectfully announced.
"Hmm!" Ice turned around, gesturing for Torune Aburame to leave, and then slowly told Kiyoshi the reason for summoning him: "Little Kiyoshi! I hope you will participate in the ninja sword selection. I am very confident in your strength. But if you have an excellent ninja sword, then you will be able to rival Kage-level ninjas even at the Elite Jōnin stage!"
"Elder Seiji once told me that he hopes to cultivate you into a qualified Mizukage, and I also agree with this. Your strength, your wisdom, your capacity, you completely possess the potential to become a Mizukage, but you still need more experience." Ice's aged voice echoed in Kiyoshi's ears, "Becoming a member of the Shadow Guards, and even becoming the captain of the Shadow Guards like your father did back then, is a necessary path to becoming Mizukage."
"Yes! Mizukage-sama!" Kiyoshi did not refuse Ice's kindness and agreed after a brief thought.
"Hehe, go then!" Ice smiled at Kiyoshi, his eyes filled with anticipation for this junior whom he and Elder Seiji both highly regarded.
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The perspective returns to the Hidden Leaf Village.
Hidden Mist Year 34, September 25th, a week had passed since the start of the war.
The Hidden Leaf's advance forces (Root + Anbu), led by the "Iron Pot Shadow" Shimura Danzo, had engaged the Rain ninjas led by Hanzo, temporarily halting Hanzo's continued advance.
Hidden Leaf Village, on the rooftop of the Hokage Tower, the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, wearing his Hokage hat and the Hokage ceremonial robe, was giving a speech to the people gathered below.
"People of the Hidden Leaf! Just a week ago, the Hidden Leaf suffered the most grievous losses since the founding of our village! At this moment, your relatives and friends are fighting on the front lines to protect your peaceful lives! And all of this is caused by the war of aggression launched by the Hidden Rain Village! Perhaps we can forgive family members who have made mistakes, but we can never forgive those who attempt to destroy the Hidden Leaf, those enemies who have killed our loved ones! We will never forgive such enemies!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's impassioned voice, amplified by Chakra, traveled very far.
"The flames of war have been ignited. This is not what we wanted to see, nor is it something we could decide. However, we can decide one thing, and that is who will persevere to the end! For more than thirty years since the founding of our village, we have experienced many wars. In the last Great Ninja War, we faced the siege of the other four major ninja villages, but we have never been defeated by any opponent, never bowed our heads to any enemy! It was so in the past, it is so now, and I firmly believe it will be so in the future! Everyone in the Hidden Leaf, peace has left us, so we must use our actions to tell any enemy who dares to provoke the Hidden Leaf that those who play with fire will get burned! We must use our actions to tell any enemy that the Hidden Leaf will once again persevere to the end, the Hidden Leaf will be invincible, and we will surely achieve the final victory, the greatest victory!"
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