ROAR!
WHOOSH!
Shisui's movements were fluid yet distinct—his right hand slashed downward, unleashing a brilliant blade of flame that cut through the air, while his left hand swept outward, conjuring a miniature hurricane of chakra-infused wind.
The two elemental attacks surged forward, converging just before they reached the enemy.
BOOM!
Wind and fire collided in spectacular fashion, intertwining and multiplying in power as they transformed into a chaotic firestorm. The air itself seemed to ignite, burning with unnatural intensity.
Shisui continued the assault without pause, his dual blades weaving complex patterns as he unleashed attack after attack. Within moments, dozens of raging firestorms hurtled toward the wielder of Hiramekarei.
"You can use two different sword techniques simultaneously? And create sword beams of different chakra natures?" The Swordsman's eyes widened in disbelief. Being one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, he possessed extraordinary swordsmanship himself, which made his shock at Shisui's skill all the more significant.
So the famous Shunshin no Shisui possesses more than just legendary speed!
Gripping Hiramekarei with both hands, the swordsman let out a guttural roar. As he channeled more chakra into the weapon, the already massive blade expanded further, its distinctive shape morphing to meet his needs.
"BOOM!"
He swung the empowered Hiramekarei forward, meeting Shisui's attacks head-on. The firestorms detonated upon impact, flames erupting skyward and engulfing the swordsman in a blazing inferno.
"Go!" Shisui shouted, having no intention of prolonging the fight. He turned to his companion, only to discover the Konoha ANBU had become entangled with several Kirigakure operatives, clearly overwhelmed by their coordinated assault.
SWISH!
In an instant, Shisui became a blur of motion, surging into the heart of the battle. His blades flashed in all directions, parrying and deflecting the attacks of the Kirigakure ANBU with precision.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Sparks flew as metal struck metal. Shisui dispatched one of the ANBU with a decisive strike, creating an opening for his companion to break free. The two exchanged a knowing glance before rushing onward.
The sensor-type ninja extended his awareness once more. "Almost all of Kirigakure's forces have concentrated in one location," he reported, breathing heavily. "But I'm detecting two extremely powerful chakra signatures approaching from different directions."
"Two more of the Seven Swordsmen?" Shisui's brow furrowed. He had managed to hold back one of the legendary swordsmen with his Thunder Attack technique, but hadn't been able to defeat him outright. The confrontation had depleted a significant portion of his chakra. If they encountered another swordsman and couldn't dispatch them quickly, they would inevitably become surrounded.
The safest approach would be to burst through where the Kirigakure forces were most concentrated—if Shisui were alone. He cast a concerned glance at his injured companion.
"We should break through in the direction of the nearest powerful chakra signature," Shisui decided, adjusting their course. "It's our best chance."
They surged forward, pushing their bodies to the limit. It wasn't long before they encountered another of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—this time, a woman.
She wasn't unattractive, but her features were hardened by years of bloodshed, her eyes glinting with practiced cruelty as she brandished twin blades.
"Kiba, the Thunder Fangs," Shisui murmured in recognition. "You must be Ringo Ameyuri."
Having operated against Kirigakure for so long, Shisui was intimately familiar with the current roster of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. The twin fangs in Ringo Ameyuri's hands—along with the Kabutowari, Kubikiribōchō, and Shibuki—had all been captured by Konoha during the Third Shinobi World War when Uchiha Yoruki had defeated several of the Seven Swordsmen in succession.
Later, however, during a surprise attack on Konoha's forces, these legendary weapons had been reclaimed by Kirigakure. They appeared to have been repaired and redistributed to form a new generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
"Shunshin no Shisui?" Ringo Ameyuri's expression was solemn as she assessed her opponent. From the direction Shisui had approached, she knew he had already encountered one Swordsman and at least ten Kirigakure ANBU. The fact that he had made it this far with his companion was testament to his fearsome reputation.
SWISH!
Without wasting words, Shisui launched himself forward, both swords at the ready.
"Looking to finish me quickly and escape?" Ameyuri understood his strategy immediately. Under these circumstances, she had no need to engage him directly—only to delay him until reinforcements arrived.
CRACK!
She swung her twin Kiba blades with practiced precision, releasing arcs of lightning that spread outward like thin, electric pythons. The air crackled with charged energy as the lightning sought its target.
Such an attack, while formidable, posed little challenge to someone of Shisui's caliber. With several precise slashes, he dispersed the lightning, never breaking stride.
Recognizing the futility of a direct confrontation, Ameyuri suddenly pivoted away, using her exceptional speed—the greatest among the current Seven Swordsmen—to evade. Even as she retreated, she continued unleashing lightning attacks to disrupt Shisui and his companion's advance.
SWISH!
Just as she was congratulating herself on her strategy, a shadow materialized before her—Shisui, both swords poised to strike.
"Impossible!" Ameyuri gasped. They stood mere feet apart, and she realized with dawning horror that it was already too late to react.
FLASH!
The three tomoe in Shisui's Sharingan eyes seemed to freeze in place as they locked with Ameyuri's gaze. Her pupils contracted sharply as the genjutsu took hold.
Though Ameyuri prided herself on her speed, she was hopelessly outmatched by Shisui's legendary Body Flicker Technique. Before she could even process what had happened, she was ensnared in his illusion.
Having subdued Ringo Ameyuri with his ultimate speed, Shisui's expression grew somber. He raised his blade to finish her, knowing that mercy was a luxury they couldn't afford.
Just then, a shadowy figure emerged from the thickening mist.
Shisui could only exhale softly in resignation. With a quick glance at his companion, he abandoned the kill and pushed forward at full speed once more.
The two shinobi finally broke free from the interior of the island, reaching the shoreline at last.
"Now!" Shisui commanded without hesitation, and both men stepped out onto the water's surface, channeling chakra to their feet.
"Wait!" Shisui suddenly tensed, his instincts screaming warning. He quickly withdrew his foot from the water's surface, but his companion had already committed to the step.
"SPLASH!"
The previously calm sea surface erupted, water gathering and coalescing into a massive hand that clamped around the ankle of the Konoha ANBU.
"A Water Transformation Technique—the Hōzuki clan!" Shisui exclaimed, caught off-guard by the ambush. He hadn't anticipated enemies lurking beneath the water's surface.
Reacting instantly, he plunged the blade in his right hand into the water. Arcs of lightning chakra coursed down the metal and spread through the water.
Shisui wasn't particularly skilled with Lightning Release techniques, but he could channel basic Lightning chakra through his blade effectively enough.
"ARGH!" The Konoha ninja's scream pierced the air.
In the instant before Shisui's lightning reached its target, the Hōzuki clan member had viciously twisted the ANBU's ankle, snapping it with a sickening crack.
As lightning spread through the conductive water, the liquefied body of the Hōzuki clan member partially solidified, the electricity forcing a partial transformation. The water ninja's form wavered, caught between states as the lightning disrupted their technique.
Seizing the opportunity, Shisui dragged his injured companion back onto the shore.
"Damn it!" Shisui cursed through gritted teeth as Kirigakure ninjas began to converge on their position once more.
"Go," the wounded ANBU urged, his voice strained as he fought through the pain of his shattered ankle. "Leave me. They won't catch you if you're alone."
He understood all too well that if not for him, Shisui would have escaped long ago.
Shisui's eyes flickered with emotion, his expression hardening with resolve. "I will never abandon my companions!"
Memories of Obito's sacrifice flashed through his mind. Back then, Obito had been too weak to save Rin, forced to retreat with tears in his Sharingan eyes as Kirigakure forces closed in. Shisui had vowed never to let such a tragedy repeat itself.
Yet even as his determination burned bright, cold reality set in. Under their current circumstances, even if he stayed to fight, he might not be able to protect his teammate. The odds were simply too overwhelming.
With deliberate movements, Shisui reached into his arm guard and withdrew a specially-crafted kunai. Distinctive markings were engraved into its handle, glowing with a soft jade light.
This was the talisman Minato had given Shisui before the mission—a failsafe for dire emergencies. By channeling chakra into it, he could alert Minato, who would sense it even from as far away as Konoha and arrive in an instant using his Flying Thunder God Technique.
However, given the clandestine nature of their mission, if word spread that the Hokage himself had intervened in foreign territory, it would provide ammunition for those with political agendas to create diplomatic incidents. The Land of Fire could suffer tremendous political fallout and potentially even trigger another war.
But if he didn't use it, the comrade who had fought beside him for years would surely die here.
The choice that Shisui now faced was agonizingly difficult.
As the Kirigakure forces closed in from all sides, the weight of command pressed down upon him like a physical burden. Every second that passed brought them closer to capture or death.
Shisui tightened his grip on the marked kunai, the jade glow reflecting in his crimson Sharingan eyes.