Chapter 55: The Last Survivor!

“Miyuki, are we really going back to Konoha?”

As he ran, Guy could not bear to accept it.

Ahead, Hyuga Miyuki stopped dead in her tracks. “Guy is right—we shouldn’t return to Konoha. We should head to the front lines.”

“We’re already close to the front. Let’s go there and seek help from Jiraiya.”

Ebisu quickly agreed. “I think we should split into two teams.”

“Guy, Itachi’re the fastest—go to Jiraiya for help. Myself and Miyuki will cover Genma.”

“Understood!”

Guy immediately nodded, though he desperately wanted to stay.

But.

At that moment, a figure descended from the sky.

Guy looked up and froze. “Father?”

The newcomer was none other than Might Dai, now enveloped in green chakra.

“Finally made it!”

Might Dai gasped for breath, then turned around.

“Father, why are Itachi here?”

Guy asked urgently.

“Not long after Itachi left, intelligence came in from the front: Mist ninja breached our lines.”

Might Dai explained, then noticed someone missing. “Where’s Genma?”

He had trained with Fujinaka Genma often—he couldn’t possibly not know him.

“Genma stayed behind to cover our retreat…”

SLAP!

Before Guy could finish, Might Dai struck him across the face. “How could Itachi abandon your comrade and run away?”

“Even in the face of death, Itachi must never do that!”

Guy hung his head in shame.

Hyuga Miyuki and Ebisu both felt their cheeks burn, though Might Dai hadn’t struck them.

“Itachi two immediately detour around the battlefield and head to the front. I’ll rescue Genma.”

Might Dai barked.

Guy snapped his head up, incredulous. “Father, Itachi’re just a genin—Itachi can’t fight them! Those are the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist!”

“I have the Dead Gate: Eight Gates Formation. I can save Genma.”

Might Dai turned away.

Guy’s heart trembled. “But that technique…”

“Self-discipline!”

“Self-worth!”

Might Dai looked back. “Guy, this is when your father must prove his self-worth.”

“Decades of training were for moments like this!”

Guy froze, remembering the words his father had spoken when he first learned the Eight Gates.

“Training isn’t to defeat strong enemies—it’s to protect those who need protecting!”

“Go!”

Might Dai gave one final instruction, then vanished from the spot.

Guy’s tears spilled over, but he wiped them away at once. “Come on,” he told the stunned Hyuga Miyuki and Ebisu. “To the front!”

…

On the battlefield, Fujinaka Genma was about to strike again when Might Dai descended from above.

“Uncle Dai!”

Genma was slightly surprised.

The situation had changed from the original timeline—yet he still came.

“Genma, I’ll hold them off. Itachi go join Guy and the others—head to the front.”

Might Dai glanced around and noticed two severed corpses on the ground. His heart leapt, then eased. “No wonder they call Itachi the White Flash of Konoha. Guy is lucky to have a friend like Itachi!”

“Run?”

“No, Uncle Dai. With Itachi here, I’m even more confident we can kill them.”

Genma smiled. “Uncle Dai, Itachi only need to open the seventh gate.”

“Itachi distract them, create an opening—I’ll deliver the killing blow.”

Might Dai stared, dumbfounded, but assumed Guy had told Genma all about the Eight Gates. He nodded solemnly, then glared at the five Mist ninja. “Understood!”

“Execute your plan fully—let your youth blaze!”

“Seventh Gate—OPEN!”

With a beast-like roar, Might Dai’s green chakra was replaced by blue steam.

To the eyes of Kiri no Kiri, Hachirō, and the others, this was not steam—it was terrifying chakra.

ATTACK!

The Seven Swordsmen moved in perfect sync—no words, just action.

Kiri no Kiri, wielding the twin swords Hachirō, struck first. The blades split apart, chakra blades extending, sweeping toward Might Dai and Fujinaka Genma.

But in the next instant, their targets vanished.

Genma leapt into the air, mid-flight, and fired a barrage of senbon toward Kurogiri Raiga atop the boulder.

Simultaneously, his left hand completed hand seals.

Multiple Shadow Clone: Thousand Needles Technique!

In an instant.

Thousands of senbon, each coated in white light like lasers, hissed through the air like a torrential downpour, converging on Kurogiri Raiga.

Meanwhile, Might Dai’s speed surpassed Genma’s.

Using his terrifying velocity, he dodged the twin blades and lunged straight into the Mist ninja.

THUD!

The unfortunate Hakujo was kicked flying once more.

This kick was far worse than Genma’s—his arms shattered, the Executioner’s Blade crushed his ribs, then his spine snapped with a crack, the blade splitting into two pieces with a clatter.

Cough! Cough!

Embedded in the tree trunk, Hakujo spat blood, staring at his broken Executioner’s Blade. “Damn… freaks!”

But then he felt relief.

For he saw Kurogiri Raiga, who had barely blocked the storm of senbon with his Lightning Release, suddenly seized by golden chains erupting from the ground—and then Genma severed his head in one slash.

Broken ribs were better than a severed head!

He turned his head again.

Kiri no Kiri was punched into the air. Before he could even land, the brat Fujinaka Genma appeared beside him.

Another slash—head severed from body!

“These two freaks…”

Hakujo spat blood, struggling to rise.

In the center of the battlefield,

with Might Dai’s aid, Genma swiftly killed Mushi and Kiri no Kiri. When he turned to finish off the gravely wounded Hakujo, he found the man gone—only a broken blade remained.

“I’ll chase him!”

Might Dai panted, his blue steam beginning to flicker.

Genma quickly stopped him. “Uncle Dai, no need. He’s badly wounded—he’ll likely be killed by our own forces.”

“Understood.”

Might Dai didn’t insist. He released the Eight Gates and collapsed onto the ground.

Agonizing pain drenched him in sweat, but he gritted his teeth and made no sound.

Genma admired him deeply. He left a clone to watch over Might Dai, gave him a high-concentration ration pill from his own supply, then began clearing the battlefield.

Collect the senbon and kunai.

And the six great swords—seal each one with a contract seal.

He knew the Mist Village might have ways to directly summon unclaimed swords via Summoning Jutsu.

Finally, the six corpses were all packed into sealing scrolls.

Handling corpses was a basic ninja skill—he was already proficient.

Together, the two had left no escape for anyone except Hakujo—this was unquestionably a great victory.

He glanced at the Battle System screen, where a glaring 20,000 battle points shone.

Genma nearly split his mouth grinning.

“After this battle, Itachi’ve gained significant improvement.”

“Level increased.”

“Random equipment enhanced.”

Suddenly, a system notification sounded.

Fujinaka Genma’s smile widened further.