[Konoha · Training Ground]
"AAAAHHHH—"
Naruto's scream echoed across the entire training ground, startling a flock of birds into flight.
"That arrogant looking jerk! That guy in white… he who looks just like Sasuke!"
He pointed at the Sky Screen, his face looking as if he'd seen a ghost.
Sakura stood beside him, her hands covering her face, her whole body trembling.
"So handsome… so handsome, aaaah… future Sasuke-kun… grown-up Sasuke-kun… is simply… simply… TOO HANDSOME!!"
Her voice grew increasingly high-pitched, finally dissolving into a string of unintelligible whimpers.
Sasuke stood behind the two of them, hands in his pockets, his expression as aloof as ever. But the flicker in his eyes betrayed him. His dark pupils were fixed on the figure that flashed across the Sky Screen—white kimono, Kusanagi sword, purple cord, and a face almost identical to his own.
That was his future self.
The corners of Sasuke's mouth lifted slightly.
'Hmph, not bad.'
The white kimono looked good, the Kusanagi sword was cool, and that look… was indeed quite tasteful. He decided to start dressing like that from tomorrow.
Sakura was still screaming. Naruto was still jumping up and down.
But Sasuke's gaze drifted past the figure on the Sky Screen, looking further beyond.
'Team Hebi?'
Besides himself, there were three other people, but he didn't recognize any of them.
Who were they?
Why were they with him?
A flicker of confusion crossed Sasuke's mind, but he quickly suppressed it.
The future was so far away; why think so much about it.
He continued staring at his own figure on the Sky Screen and began mentally designing the style of clothes he would wear tomorrow.
Only Kakashi, standing behind the three of them, said nothing.
His visible right eye was locked onto the image of Team Hebi on the Sky Screen.
That young man in the white kimono was indeed Sasuke.
But the three people beside him—not a single one was a Konoha Shinobi.
Why wasn't Sasuke's future self accompanied by Naruto and Sakura?
Why were there three strangers?
Kakashi's heart sank suddenly as a terrible thought flooded his mind.
'Defection!'
The future Sasuke had defected from Konoha.
He remembered the Uchiha clan massacre that the Sky Screen had mentioned earlier. If the Uchiha massacre was connected to Konoha… what would Sasuke do?
Kakashi asked himself, and without a doubt, Sasuke would seek revenge.
And if he sought revenge against Konoha…
Kakashi closed his eyes, unwilling to think further.
On the training ground, Naruto was still yelling, Sakura was still screaming, and Sasuke was still envisioning his future image. Only Kakashi stood in the shadows, feeling dread for the future.
On the Sky Screen, four groups flashed by quickly, and more information began to emerge.
The images, accompanied by text, revealed seven figures wielding strangely shaped swords: Kubikiribocho, Samehada, Nuibari, Kabutowari, Shibuki, Kiba, and Hiramekarei. The seven stood side-by-side with the symbol of the Hidden Mist village behind them, their presence imposing.
Throughout the Shinobi World, countless people held their breath.
Capable of rivaling a Village!
What an incredibly high evaluation.
The shinobis of Kirigakure straightened their backs, their faces full of pride. People from other villages, however, wore grim expressions, silently committing the name of this group to memory.
Then, the Sky Screen's tone shifted abruptly:
[However, their actual combat record was extremely pathetic. Might Duy single-handedly killed four of them, crippled three, and turned them into the 'Lucky Three Combo.']
The scene suddenly switched.
In a forest, the seven figures wielding their ninja swords were in pursuit, when suddenly, a green figure descended from the sky, landing directly in front of them.
A man in a green jumpsuit with a strange bowl-cut hairstyle appeared, and strange, blood-red steam began to emanate from his body.
He moved so fast that the naked eye could not track him.
With the first kick—the wielder of the Nuibari collapsed with a crushed chest, sent flying backward.
With the second kick—the wielder of the Bashōsen had his head twisted and died instantly.
The third kick, the fourth kick, the fifth kick…
Blood-colored afterimages darted through the forest, each kick causing the air to explode. Four figures fell one after another, while the other three collapsed with heavy injuries, staring in terror at the man covered in blood.
He was still standing.
The screen froze on the man's face; he was a middle-aged man who couldn't be more ordinary, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, looking as honest as a farmer. But in his eyes burned a light that made everyone's blood run cold.
At the edge of the training ground, the cheers of the young Might Guy and Might Duy came to an abrupt halt.
The father and son stared blankly at the Sky Screen, watching that "Might Duy" who had opened the Gate of Death and ultimately sacrificed himself.
Guy's lips were trembling; he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
"Eight Gates… the Gate of Death…"
"So… this really is the price."
Guy suddenly grabbed his father's hand.
"Tou-san! Let's not learn the Eight Gates anymore! We won't learn it!"
Duy looked at his son and suddenly smiled.
"Guy, listen to me."
His voice was very calm.
"If that day truly comes in the future—if there really is an enemy that wants to harm Konoha, to harm you… then even knowing I would die, your father would make the same choice."
"Protecting the people important to you, protecting the places important to you, protecting the dreams important to you… that is the meaning of being a Shinobi. Guy, remember this: true strength is not about never dying—it's about choosing to move forward even when you know you will die."
Guy sobbed heartbreakingly in his father's arms.
And the Konoha civilians around them, who were originally just watching the spectacle, all fell silent.
---
[Kirigakure · Mizukage's Office]
The Third Mizukage sat in his chair, watching the four members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist being kicked to death on the Sky Screen.
The atmosphere in the office had dropped to freezing point.
Behind him, the hands of the recorders holding their pens trembled—unsure whether to continue recording or pretend they hadn't seen anything.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist…"
The Mizukage's voice squeezed through clenched teeth.
"Capable of rivaling a Village?"
He suddenly stood up and turned to look behind him, where several shinobis wielding the very swords stood—the current members of the Seven Swordsmen.
Biwa Jūzō carried the kubikiribocho on his shoulder, the smile on his face having completely vanished.
He looked at the "Jūzō" on the Sky Screen being sent flying by a kick, his mouth twitching.
"Um… Mizukage-sama, th-this was probably an accident…"
"An accident?"
The Mizukage stared at him.
"Seven people. Four killed by a single Konoha Genin. You call that an accident?"
Jūzō shut his mouth.
Suikazan Fuguki held the Samehada, standing at the very edge of the group, his face as pale as paper and his palms drenched in cold sweat.
That scene on the Sky Screen was a certain point in the future where that Konoha Genin named Might Duy would one day stand before the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and then…
Kick four of them to death.
Fuguki looked down at Samehada in his arms, an indescribable fear welling up in his heart.
He remembered those prophecies about the "Third Great Ninja War" and the information mentioned earlier by the Sky Screen.
If they really were to encounter that man in the future…
"Issue an order."
The Mizukage's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"From this day forth, increase surveillance on Konoha. Especially that Genin named Might Duy—the moment he leaves the village, report it immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
"Damn it…"
The Mizukage cursed under his breath.
"Just how many monsters is Konoha hiding?"