To be honest, Haruto Saito had no idea. The original story never mentioned the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist from this era. In fact, it never even stated when they first appeared.
The earliest generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist referenced in the original work existed during the Third Great Ninja War. Their most glorious battle record was fighting Might Duy head-on, where both sides suffered heavy losses. Might Duy perished in that battle, and most of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen also died.
Might Duy, the father of Might Guy, was recorded in the original work as the first taijutsu ninja to master the Eight Gates Release Formation. He was known as the "Eternal Genin," having trained tirelessly for two or three decades without ever advancing beyond Genin—at least, when not using the Eight Gates.
Each time a gate was opened, the user's power would increase exponentially. Opening all eight gates would grant power dozens of times greater than an average Kage!
A truly terrifying force!
However, in the original story, it was Might Guy who, in the Eight Gates state, possessed power dozens of times greater than a Kage. Might Guy with all Eight Gates opened had Six Paths-level combat power, strong enough to clash head-on with Six Paths Madara!
This is why he earned the title Emperor Guy!
As for Might Duy, Haruto Saito always believed that he wasn't as strong as his son in the Eight Gates state. The fundamental gap between them was too significant. Might Guy was already a Jonin without using the Eight Gates, whereas Might Duy, without them, was just a Genin!
That said, this was only relative. Even if Might Duy couldn't reach Six Paths level, his Eight Gates state would still place him at the pinnacle of the Super Kage tier.
And if the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist during the Third Great Ninja War were strong enough to fight Eight Gates Might Duy head-on, then each of them—if not all Kage-level—had at least a few members at Kage level, with the rest being close to that tier!
Every generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist was a force to be feared. Any one of them alone would be classified as an S-rank assassination target. Even more terrifying, they operated as a team. Their combined combat power was not just an addition of individual strengths; their synergy amplified their strength exponentially.
For example, the Legendary Sannin—Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru—each possessed immense strength. But if they fought independently, they would only be as strong as their individual abilities allowed. However, if they coordinated, their combat effectiveness would increase several times over!
If this was true for three people, how much stronger would a coordinated group of seven be?
Unfortunately, Haruto Saito knew nothing about the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist from the Second Great Ninja War. The original work never mentioned them at all.
He remained uncertain about their overall strength.
He didn't even have time to observe them properly. The only thing he knew was that the current leader of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Momochi Chigen, had a reputation score exceeding 25,000, making him a Kage-level figure. Given this, it was reasonable to assume that the power gap between the seven members wasn't too large. Tsunade's team of three would struggle against them!
After leaving their camp, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist moved swiftly westward. It was unclear what mission they were on.
Haruto Saito, Tsunade, and the others were about two kilometers west of the enemy. While the distance was relatively safe, they chose to sprint another kilometer before changing course southwest to further widen the gap between them.
Tsunade grabbed Haruto Saito's shoulder and pulled him along as they sprinted.
Haruto Saito's speed was noticeably slower than the other three, so to maintain their overall pace, Tsunade—despite still being angry with him—had no choice but to ensure he wasn't left behind in this dangerous situation.
Outside the Mist Ninja Vanguard Camp, an endless expanse of grassland stretched as far as the eye could see. The gentle breeze rustled the waist-high grass, blending hues of yellow and green in an ever-shifting dance.
Silence.
As if nothing had ever happened.
Approximately 100 kilometers southwest of the Mist Ninja Vanguard Camp lay a bustling fishing village named Ryusui Village.
It was morning, and the village was lively and bustling with people. The scent of seafood filled the air as vendors sold their goods on street corners. Ryusui Village was considered a mid-sized fishing village in the Land of Whirlpools. Though its permanent population was only a few thousand, it saw a high influx of traders who came to buy and sell dried seafood.
As the saying goes, "Live by the mountain, eat from the mountain; live by the sea, eat from the sea." The people of the Land of Whirlpools mostly made a living through fishing. In fact, the country was the largest seafood processing and distribution hub in the ninja world. Due to its advantageous geographical location, its seafood industry was even more developed than that of the Land of Water!
This was precisely why Kirigakure coveted the Land of Whirlpools.
War was always fought over resources.
Previously, Kirigakure had orchestrated the destruction of Uzushio Village to seize control of the Uzumaki Clan's wealth in the Land of Whirlpools!
Now, with the country in a state of fragmentation, no single authority could enforce unified taxation. As a result, the Land of Whirlpools had become a goldmine—whoever controlled it would gain an endless stream of revenue from taxes.
On the bustling central street, within a tavern called "Taste of the Sea", Haruto Saito lay slouched over a third-floor window, looking bored.
He was dressed in casual clothing, disguised as a young samurai, with sunglasses perched on his nose. His eyes darted over the street below, observing merchants pushing wooden carts, fishmongers selling their goods, travelers passing through, and even wandering samurai.
Here in Ryusui Village, there was no sign of war.
There were no scars of battle, no bloodshed, no tension.
This was the civilian world. Unless a full-scale war erupted, ninja conflicts rarely affected commoners. Even the most brutal battles among ninja occurred away from populated areas.
Haruto Saito had arrived in Ryusui Village two nights ago. He entered alone, disguised, and boldly checked into an inn.
Tsunade and the others only sneaked into his room after he had booked it, remaining in hiding. Orochimaru, however, had already left to gather intelligence. The appearance of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen suggested that Kirigakure had deployed its elite ANBU forces to the Land of Whirlpools.
Given the circumstances, the team had to establish contact with their undercover operatives and obtain more intelligence to complete their mission effectively.
Orochimaru had been gone for two days.
During this time, the three remaining members had stayed hidden in the village, waiting.
Inside the room, Tsunade and Jiraiya were playing cards to pass the time. Haruto Saito had wanted to join, but Tsunade wouldn't let him—because he was too good at gambling.
Suddenly—
Whoosh!
A shadowy figure materialized in the room, sending a chill through the air.
Orochimaru had returned!
"How did it go?"
"Did you make contact?"
Tsunade and Jiraiya immediately stood up.
"Kaguya Rakuba will arrive in Ryusui Village this afternoon." Orochimaru's voice was cold. He glanced at Haruto Saito. "This is the perfect chance to kill him."
Haruto Saito turned to look at Orochimaru, momentarily stunned.
This intelligence… was far too precise.