Chapter 54

Chōjūrō's statement certainly meant that Ranmaru could henceforth be called one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.

After that, the boy returned to the image of a sweet boy who wouldn't hurt a fly, and with a happy smile he dragged Shibuki to five chairs nearby, intended for the Swordsmen of the Mist.

Numerous onlookers could hardly restrain their laughter as they watched this simultaneously ridiculous and funny scene, but no one laughed. Shinobi are judged by their strength, not their appearance!

"Here, please, take a special scroll, you can store the Explosive Sword in it, you'll just take it out when necessary," Chuunin Hozuki said respectfully, hastily approaching Ranmaru.

Did you contact him on YOU?

Hearing this, the face of the newly minted Swordsman of the Mist turned red like a tomato. It seemed that steam was about to come out of his ears, because until now no one had ever addressed him so respectfully in his life!

The Chuunin didn't say anything else, sensing Ranmaru's tension.

In fact, his attitude was quite appropriate. Because Ranmaru's status in Kirigakure was turned upside down the moment he was recognized as one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. After all, after all, they are a symbol of not only strength, but also status for all residents of Kirigakure.

The Chuunin then slowly performed a series of hand seals and handed the scroll to Ranmaru, and then repeated it again so that he would remember exactly, and only then hurriedly left.

Taking the scroll from the hands of the Hozuki Clan shinobi, Ranmaru first nodded in understanding, and then carefully placed it on his sword and carefully repeated the series of hand seals he had just seen.

Pooh!

After which, the Explosive Sword disappeared in a flash of thick white smoke, and the character "Sword" appeared on the scroll.

Then Ranmaru opened his mouth in surprise and grabbed the scroll in his arms, as if he was afraid that it would be taken away.

From what he saw, drops of cold sweat appeared on Chōjūrō's forehead.

This child lacks basic common sense! This issue needs to be addressed urgently...

- Come on, boy! I couldn't even imagine that you had so many powers!! – the excited Ameyuri immediately attacked the child.

This is why Ranmaru involuntarily moved closer to Chōjūrō. He was still a little afraid of that strong little sister who finished off Raiga!

Afterwards, the selection continued as usual, but apart from Ameyuri and Ranmaru, no one else managed to become the new Swordsman of the Mist.

Members of the Hozuki Clan eventually tracked down Suigetsu, but he flatly refused to participate, saying that he would never agree to the Kabutowari Dull Sword unless he lost to Zabuza.

The Jounin from the Hozuki Clan lamented this for a long time, but at the same time every now and then cast joyful glances at the stand with two ownerless Swords of the Mist.

The Hozuki clan was purple about Kiba's Thunder Sword and Shibuki's Explosive Sword, which were inconsistent and even conflicted with their traditional Water Release predisposition, in contrast to Nuibari's Long Sword and Kabutowari's Dull Sword.

The Hozuki clan would have one way or another taken their place among the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist if the First Mizukage had not personally returned Suigetsu.

If Suigetsu had now followed the will of the Clan Head, and based on the selection results, only one Sword of Mist would have remained free...

***

Mizukage's office.

By then, Yudao and Mei had also finished their business.

"Well, since everything has been decided, I guess I'll take my leave, with your permission, Mizukage-sama, Yudao-sama..." getting up from his seat, the Elder of the Kinoshita Clan bowed politely and walked towards the exit with a sigh.

And as soon as he left, Mei, who was sitting, gently clapped her hands.

After which two Anbu led Yoshiro inside.

"You heard our conversation, are there any more doubts?" – Mei carefreely addressed the Head of the Kinoshita Clan.

In response, he only nodded gloomily.

Even at the moment of his defeat, he realized that he would die, the only question remaining was when and how exactly.

"Now you have only two paths, and both of them lead to death, but there is a significant difference between them, you yourself understand what," the Fifth Mizukage calmly continued, while Yudao, who was sitting on the sidelines, watched Yoshiro with genuine interest.

The First Mizukage was curious about the latest choice of the Head of the Kinoshita Clan. He could have died either as an apostate or as a hero. But the second option is not guaranteed, and if he fails, he will still die as an apostate!

Success or failure will depend on the abilities of Clan Head Kinoshita...

Yoshiro was silent.

The choice between the death of a traitor and a hero is obvious to any person, but only in a normal situation.

Now the point is that if choosing the first path and dying as a renegade will affect his clan, but within reasonable limits.

Then choosing the second path and the slightest mistake in passing it can put an end to the future of the entire Kinoshita Clan.

But! If he succeeds...

Thinking about this, Yoshiro glanced at Yudao out of the corner of his eye.

The Kinoshita clan will become the dominant clan of Kirigakure!

After a long silence, Yoshiro finally slowly raised his head with the firm and determined gaze of a true Clan Head.

– From the very beginning there was only one path for me! – he grinned in the face of the Fifth Mizukage opposite.

"So it was not for nothing that you were the head of the clan," Mei shook her head and threw the scroll, after which she continued, "destroy it immediately after reading it, I give you ten minutes to prepare."

Yoshiro caught and immediately opened the scroll.

As he read it, surprise flashed in his eyes, but his facial expression remained the same.

A few minutes later, he ostentatiously destroyed the scroll in front of Yudao and Mei.

"The Land of Waves means..." he whispered under his breath and jumped out the window right in front of the two Mizukage.

In another ten minutes.

Clap! Clap!

Mei, now serious, clapped her hands loudly twice.

Phew! Phew! Phew!

And with the sound of air being cut, ten Anbu appeared inside.

"I order that an international reward be immediately announced for the missing Head of the Kinoshita Clan. Any information about Yoshiro Kinoshita will be paid for as a renegade of Rank-S..." - an unusually gloomy voice rang out in the Mizukage's Office!

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