Chapter 53 - The Pursuit
"Kazane, take care of them. I'll find a safe place to hide. Deal with them and return soon."
Might Duy's voice was firm, yet there was an undeniable weight to his words—one of trust and urgency.
Kazane simply nodded. Without hesitation, he propelled himself forward, his form vanishing into the dense forest like a shadow swallowed by the night. His speed was astonishing—almost unnatural—leaving behind nothing but a sharp gust of wind and the rustling of disturbed leaves.
Kurosuki Raiga had been the first to sense his approach. If Raiga wasn't a speed-type ninja, then he had to be a sensory-type. Either way, neutralizing him first was the best course of action.
A sharp whoosh cut through the night air as Kazane accelerated, leaving Might Duy and the others behind.
"Let's move," Duy instructed, his voice grave but unwavering.
For once, even the usually outspoken Shiranui Genma held his tongue. Supporting a weakened Ebisu, he followed closely behind Duy, disappearing into the trees without protest. Their priority now was survival.
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Deep within the vast forest, Kurosuki Raiga sprinted desperately, weaving between the towering tree trunks, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, but the fear gripping his chest was far worse than his fatigue.
"Hah… hah… He's not chasing me, right?" Raiga muttered under his breath, trying to reassure himself. He dared not look back. "Damn it, that was too close! If I hadn't reacted fast enough, those bastards would've left me behind as a sacrifice while they ran for their lives."
He grit his teeth. He knew what kind of people his allies were—opportunists, willing to cut their losses if it meant their survival. He would have done the same.
But it didn't matter now. What mattered was—
A sharp slicing sound tore through the air.
Raiga's instincts screamed. He twisted his body just in time to see a streak of pitch-black sword energy carve through the space beside him, slicing through the bark of a thick tree. The trunk groaned before splitting in two, crashing to the ground in an explosion of splinters.
His blood ran cold.
It was him.
Emerging from the shadows of the trees, Kazane stepped forward with unhurried ease, his movements exuding a quiet, suffocating confidence. There was no sense of urgency—only the certainty of a predator closing in on its prey.
In his left arm, he cradled a small yet sharp-eyed ninja hound—Pakkun, his trusted tracking partner. In his right hand, he gripped the hilt of his sword.
"Did you really think you could escape from me?" Kazane's voice was calm, almost amused, yet the underlying finality in his tone sent shivers down Raiga's spine. "You do realize that every Hatake clan member has a contract with tracking ninja hounds, right?"
Raiga's breath hitched.
"Damn it! Of all the people, why did you have to come after me?!" His voice cracked, raw with frustration and fear.
Kazane tilted his head slightly, his gaze unwavering. "Because you were the first to spot me," he answered matter-of-factly. His sword lifted ever so slightly. "Don't worry—the others will be joining you soon enough."
Raiga's pulse pounded against his temples. He could feel it—this wasn't a battle he could win. I have to run—I have to—
No.
There was no escaping this.
If he was going to die, he'd rather go down fighting.
"Bastard!" Raiga roared, channeling every last ounce of his desperation into his next move. With reckless fury, he brandished his long sword—Thunderswords—and lunged at Kazane, aiming to pierce through his chest.
But his attack never landed.
Before he could even register what had happened, an excruciating pain exploded in his chest.
Kazane's sword, had already pierced through his heart.
Raiga's eyes widened, his breath hitching in a silent gasp. His hands trembled as he reached toward his wound, as if trying to grasp the life slipping away from him.
He staggered, his vision darkening at the edges. "Make sure… they come down here… to join me…" he rasped, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kazane's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. "Of course."
With a swift, effortless motion, he withdrew his blade. Raiga's body collapsed to the forest floor with a dull, lifeless thud. The dim light of the forest flickered against the blood-stained blade, a silent testament to yet another fallen warrior.
Kneeling down, Kazane reached for the fallen Thunderswords, lifting it with a thoughtful gaze.
"Where to next?" he asked, his voice casual as if he had merely completed a mundane chore.
Pakkun sniffed the air, his small nose twitching before he lifted his snout in a new direction.
Kazane chuckled softly. "Got it."
Without hesitation, he launched forward, vanishing into the shadows once more.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen's legendary weapons would fetch a fine price back at the village. The Hatake clan had been running low on funds lately—it was about time they replenished their resources.
And if he had to cut down every last one of them to do it, then so be it.
Here's the polished and expanded version of the chapter, enhancing readability, flow, and descriptive depth while keeping the original meaning intact.
Elsewhere, Jinin Akebino, wielder of the Blunt Sword: Helm Splitter, was also fleeing through the vast forest. Unlike the others, he wasn't built for speed—his combat style relied on sheer endurance and raw power. However, after running for so long while carrying his colossal weapon, fatigue was beginning to creep in. His breathing was ragged, his powerful legs growing heavier with every step.
"Hah… hah…" He panted, leaping onto the thick branch of a towering tree. His massive frame barely caused it to shake. "I'll rest here for a bit… that guy isn't chasing me… right?"
He cast a wary glance over his shoulder, scanning the moonlit foliage.
No signs of pursuit.
His mind, clouded by exhaustion, whispered false reassurances. He's not coming. I got away.
But safety was an illusion.
A voice—calm, amused, and unmistakably familiar—echoed from below.
"You're certainly taking it easy. Out of all of you, you seem to be the most relaxed."
Jinin Akebino froze.
His breath hitched as his gaze snapped downward.
Standing at the base of the tree, bathed in the eerie silver glow of the moon, was Chihaya.
His heart plummeted.
"Why me…?" he muttered in disbelief, forcing himself to his feet despite the fatigue weighing him down. His voice rose into a furious roar. "Out of all of us, why the hell did you come after me?!"
Kazane tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. This reaction… it was amusing. Every single one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen he had hunted down so far had asked the exact same question.
But this time, Jinin Akebino didn't wait for an answer.
A guttural roar erupted from his throat as he launched himself off the branch, gripping his colossal axe-hammer hybrid weapon—Helm Splitter—in both hands. Muscles flexed, veins bulged.
He swung down with earth-shattering force, aiming to crush Kazane where he stood.
His strength was monstrous.
He had absolute confidence that no one—no one—could match his raw power.
BOOM!
The impact sent a violent tremor through the forest. Leaves rustled, smaller branches snapped from the sheer force of his attack. A crater formed beneath the hammer's landing point.
But…
Akebino's eyes widened in shock.
His weapon—his greatest weapon—wasn't embedded in Chihaya's skull.
Instead, the moment the axe descended, Kazane met force with force, swinging his sword upward in a rising slash.
A deafening clang of steel echoed as the two weapons clashed.
Despite his larger size and brute strength, it was Jinin Akebino who was sent hurtling backward—blasted through the air like a ragdoll, completely overpowered.
Gravity took hold, and before he could even land—
A streak of blackened sword energy flashed through the air.
Jinin Akebino never touched the ground.
Instead, his body split in two, severed cleanly in midair.
For a moment, there was silence.
Even in death, his lips trembled, his last breath escaping in a bewildered, desperate whisper:
"Why me…? Why me…?"
Kazane stepped forward, brushing past the bisected corpse without even sparing it a second glance.
His voice was quiet, almost indifferent.
"Don't worry. They'll all be joining you soon."
With practiced ease, he knelt down and picked up Helm Splitter, sealing it into a storage scroll before slinging it over his shoulder.
Then, he turned to Pakkun, the small ninja hound sitting patiently beside him.
"Next target?"
The pug sniffed the air, then pointed his nose in a new direction.
Without hesitation, Kazane sprinted forward, vanishing into the night.
Meanwhile, Hoshigaki Fuguki, wielder of Samehada, had finally broken free from the forest's endless sea of trees. Before him stretched a winding river, its waters glistening under the moonlight.
A surge of hope flickered in his shark-like eyes.
Water.
This was his domain.
Unlike the others, he had grown up in the Land of Water, where he had spent more time in the sea than on land. Here, he wasn't just another fleeing shinobi. Here, he was a hunter.
If he could make it out of the Fire Country's border via the river, he would have a far greater chance of survival.
Without hesitation, he plunged into the water, his massive form disappearing beneath the surface.
Moments later, Kazane arrived at the riverbank.
He exhaled slowly, surveying the scene with narrowed eyes.
Pakkun sniffed at the shore, his small nose twitching as he tried to catch a scent. After a few moments, he shook his head.
"The trail ends here... He must've escaped via the water."
Kazane remained silent, staring at the footprints leading into the river.
"Looks like he got away," he murmured.
For a moment, he simply watched the rippling current. Then, a low chuckle escaped his lips.
This situation… was oddly familiar.
In the original timeline, Might Duy had slain Kurosuki Raiga, Jinin Akebino, and the first wielder of the Twin Blades: Hiramekarei, while Hoshigaki Fuguki, Biwa Jūzō, and Kurokawa Raiga had escaped.
And now—
Even though Kazane had replaced Duy in this hunt, history had somehow repeated itself.
He frowned.
Did fate possess some form of self-correction?
Would Kakashi still lose his eye? Would Obito still descend into darkness? Would Minato still become Hokage? Would Kurenai still end up with Asuma?
What did all of this mean?
Kazane shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside.
It didn't matter.
He wasn't going to let this world remain the same.
With newfound determination, he sealed the four swords he had acquired, dismissed Pakkun, and turned back toward Might Duy and the others.
It was time to regroup.