Naruto: From Scratch With a Template System

Chapter 184 184

Although the Kaguya Clan had a respectable reputation in Kirigakure, that was all it was.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were far more famous than they were.

Of course, that was the original Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

As for the current generation, there were always whispers that they were nowhere near the level of the originals—a rumor none of them could stand.

Because of that, all of them were eager to prove themselves.

And...

"Does Kirigakure really need to hire outside help?" Hikari snorted, his voice cold. "Mei Terumī, you're disgracing the name of our village."

A hidden village was the one others came to hire.

What kind of joke was it for Kirigakure to hire someone else?

To him, that was nothing short of shameful.

"It's just insurance," Mei Terumī replied evenly. "The three of you may not care, but I know my own limits. Having an extra hand isn't a bad thing."

She still had no idea why Shiki had shown up here.

But there was no way she could tell them the truth.

If a monster like him really decided to cause trouble here, could the current Kirigakure stop him?

So she could only play the coward—make it sound like she had invited someone along because she was afraid.

"Insurance?" Mero glanced at Shiki, then let out a low scoff.

Mei Terumī was already an elite jōnin, and even among elite jōnin, she stood at the top.

She might not be on their level, but she was far from weak.

If someone wanted to "help" her, then at the very least, they'd need to be a top-tier elite jōnin themselves.

"You're certain he can help?" Mero asked.

"I'm certain," Mei Terumī said.

That is, if someone like him is even willing to listen to orders... she added inwardly.

Mero's gaze darkened.

"I think the mission's secrecy matters more than anything else," he said slowly. "If his strength isn't anything special, and he can't really contribute, then bringing him along is just asking for trouble."

He lifted his chin slightly, killing intent flickering in his eyes.

"In my opinion... it'd be better to leave him here."

The meaning behind those words was obvious.

"Leave him here" meant make sure he never left at all.

Mei Terumī's expression didn't change.

"Then what kind of strength would satisfy you?"

"At the very least..." Mero grinned, baring his teeth, "he should be able to beat the weakest person here."

He clapped his hands once, then tilted his head slightly.

"Wouldn't you agree?"

At his side, Zabuza frowned faintly, but his expression remained calm as he stepped forward.

He looked to be around sixteen or seventeen.

He was tall, and almost his entire body was wrapped in bandages, even his face, making it hard to make out his features.

Strapped to his back was a massive blade nearly as tall as he was.

Its shape was unmistakable.

The Kubikiribōchō.

At a glance, everyone present recognized it.

"This is the weakest among us," Mero said with a grin. "If your helper can beat him, then fine—I'll let him tag along. Sounds fair, doesn't it?"

Mei Terumī, Hikari, and the others all narrowed their eyes.

They were all from Kirigakure. Naturally, they knew the shinobi of their own village well.

Zabuza might still be young, but his strength was already more than enough to make people wary.

"Zabuza Momochi..." Mei Terumī said, her tone turning solemn.

Zabuza glanced at her, and a faint chuckle slipped out from behind the bandages.

"I didn't expect to be handed such a nice stage."

"I'm honored."

That was what he said, but there was a trace of casual arrogance in his tone, like none of this really mattered to him.

Mei Terumī's eyes narrowed slightly.

Zabuza was a genuine prodigy of Kirigakure.

He was the one who had slaughtered every other examinee in his graduation year by himself, forcing the Bloody Mist to change the academy's graduation exam system.

"For the sake of fairness," Mero said with a laugh, "I'll let him fight this one."

Zabuza heard that and didn't react at all.

He didn't seem the least bit bothered by being called the weakest over and over again.

Mei Terumī, Hikari, and the others lowered their eyes slightly.

So that was Mero's real aim.

He wanted to use this chance to let the "weakest" among them make a name for himself.

If Zabuza won, then the rest of them—those supposedly above him—would naturally seem even more impressive.

What an idiot, Mei Terumī thought coldly.

The whole plan was flawed from the start.

And more importantly...

Things were definitely not going to unfold the way he imagined.

No wonder they call you the inferior product. Serves you right.

"How about it, Mei Terumī?" Mero laughed loudly. "Don't tell me the person you found to protect you can't even beat Zabuza?"

Mei Terumī fell silent for a moment.

Then she glanced at Shiki from the corner of her eye.

Seeing that he showed no sign of annoyance—if anything, he looked mildly interested—she finally spoke.

"If you want to test him, then fine."

"Good!" Mero laughed. "That's more like it. Straight to the point, just like the Fourth Mizukage's right-hand woman."

"Then it's settled."

He swept a glance across the room.

"As for the battlefield..." he said casually, "right here should be enough. What do you think, Zabuza?"

"It's enough," Zabuza replied calmly.

The meeting hall was spacious by ordinary standards.

But for a battle between shinobi, it was still far too cramped.

And yet both of them were willing to fight right here, inside the hall itself.

That confidence alone said enough.

Shiki smiled faintly.

He handed the fruit platter in his hand to Rin Nohara, then turned his gaze toward Zabuza with clear interest.

He knew Zabuza quite well.

After all, he was one of the first villains in Naruto who left a lasting impression on fans, especially with the backstory about him killing his own classmates.

"Zabuza, make it quick," Mero said with a light chuckle.

"Of course," Zabuza replied with a small nod.

Then he stepped forward and stopped in front of Shiki.

A sharp confidence flickered in his eyes.

He might only look sixteen or seventeen, but his strength had already surpassed that of an ordinary jōnin by a wide margin.

The reason Mero was so eager to let him step up wasn't just to test Shiki.

Part of it was clearly to give Zabuza a chance to shine—to help him secure one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen positions.

After all, being one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen didn't mean your place was permanent.

If someone more talented, more ruthless, and more dangerous appeared, they could take your place.

And at this moment, the Kubikiribōchō in Zabuza's hand seemed to tremble with anticipation.

Like it was thirsty for blood.

Everyone else stepped back, leaving enough space for the two of them.

Zabuza pulled the Kubikiribōchō from his back and held it in one hand.

"I was told to win cleanly, so..."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"I won't hold back. Try not to die too fast."

The next instant, he stepped forward.

His massive blade came crashing down in a fierce arc.

The sword tore through the air with a shrill whistle, kicking up a violent gust as it fell.

A grin spread across Mero's face.

This brat really was talented with a blade.

That was exactly why Mero had been willing to give him a chance to show off here. If Zabuza could make a proper name for himself, then sooner or later, securing one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen positions would be even easier.

Hikari and the others narrowed their eyes as well, a trace of seriousness flashing across their faces.

As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Zabuza's strength was beyond question.

He still hadn't reached his true peak, but he had already left ordinary jōnin far behind and even earned himself a name.

The Demon of the Hidden Mist—Zabuza Momochi.

And the people here were all shinobi who understood the blade.

Just one exchange was enough for them to see how refined Zabuza's swordsmanship really was.

His current strength still wasn't on the same level as theirs.

But...

Give him a few more years, and he might really catch up to us... maybe even surpass some of us.

At that thought, the others immediately understood Mero's real intention.

No wonder he had been so eager to stir things up.

They also disliked Mei Terumī bringing outsiders into this mission, but unlike Mero, they had only spoken against it instead of forcing the issue.

Why?

Because there was no real gain in it.

They were shinobi. No matter how bloodthirsty Kirigakure's reputation was...

Who would willingly pick a fight with no benefit?

Still...

It looked like Mei Terumī was about to be embarrassed this time.

Zabuza's swordsmanship was no joke. If he dragged the fight into his own pace, he could easily bring out strength comparable to an elite jōnin.

As for these two outsiders...

None of them recognized them.

Which probably meant they were nobodies.

As Zabuza's blade drew closer and closer, Mero's grin widened.

It was over.

And then—

Shiki stepped forward.

He raised one finger and casually flicked it out.

Bang!

His finger struck the flat of the Kubikiribōchō.

The massive blade shattered on the spot.

The force didn't stop there. It slammed straight into Zabuza's chest and sent him flying like he weighed nothing.

Zabuza crashed into the wall of the meeting hall with a deafening impact, smashing a huge crater into it before dropping heavily to the ground.

A thin line of blood ran from the corner of his mouth.

Then he went completely still.

He had passed out instantly.

For a moment, the entire meeting hall fell silent.

Mero's smile froze where it was.

He looked like he'd been turned to stone.

Shiki lowered his hand and asked in the same calm tone as before,

"Was that clean enough?"

The corner of Mero's mouth twitched, but he said nothing.

He quickly walked over to Zabuza and crouched down to check his condition. After a careful inspection, he finally let out a long breath.

Zabuza was fine.

He'd only been knocked unconscious.

That alone made Mero's expression turn even more complicated.

It wasn't just him.

Hikari and the others were staring at Shiki too, their eyes filled with shock, caution... and even a trace of fear.

Zabuza was already stronger than an ordinary jōnin by a wide margin.

And yet in Shiki's hands, he hadn't even lasted a single move.

Worse, Shiki had clearly held back.

Otherwise, there was no way he could have shattered the sword, blown Zabuza away, and stopped at the exact point where he only knocked him out without causing any fatal damage.

That kind of control only made the difference in strength even more terrifying.

The gap between them was enormous.

Mero's face turned grave.

Truthfully, even he wasn't sure he could have done the same.

A Kage-level shinobi... he thought, his heart sinking slightly. And not an ordinary one, either.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were all powerful, but that reputation sounded grander than the reality.

Most of them hovered around the quasi-Kage level at best, relying heavily on the power of their blades to reach that threshold.

Very few among them could truly be called Kage-level through and through.

And now, one was standing right in front of him.

Mero slowly rose to his feet and looked straight at Shiki.

"What's your name?"

Shiki's expression didn't change.

"Monkey D. Luffy," he said calmly. "Please take care of me from here on."

"Monkey D. Luffy..."

Mero repeated the name under his breath, frowning as he searched his memory.

After a long moment, he shook his head.

He had never heard that name before.

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