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The Broken Blade: Kubikiribocho, the sword Zabuza would wield in the original timeline.
Yagura promised him that exact blade without hesitation.
Never mind that it currently sat in Juzo Biwa’s hands.
Zabuza hadn’t expected this turn at all.
Moments ago, he’d found Yagura laughable for speaking of dreams in the Hidden Mist Village.
But the instant he heard the name Kubikiribocho, his heart jolted.
His gaze shifted from mockery and disdain to disbelief, then hope.
Claim Kubikiribocho.
Become one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
That would make him one of the strongest in the Mist, second only to the Mizukage himself.
Zabuza raised his head and looked at Yagura seriously.
His tone came out grim, amused: “Heh. If you’re trying to buy me, you’ve succeeded. What do you want me to do.”
Yagura spread his hands.
“Simple. Same as Mangetsu and A-Kaede — be one of my Seven Ninja Swordsmen and do what shinobi do. Right, A-Kaede?”
A-Kaede…
That was awfully familiar.
Mangetsu shot a curious glance at Kaede Onime beside him.
He hadn’t paid much attention before, but now that Yagura had used that nickname a second time, it was worth wondering about.
What had happened between these two while he was away, for Yagura to be calling him A-Kaede already?
He and Kaede Onime had known each other since childhood, and he just called him by name.
Next time, he’d use it too.
With three people suddenly staring at him, Kaede Onime wordlessly pulled up his high collar to cover the lower half of his face.
He looked down at the ants crawling on the ground.
Nothing much had happened, really.
About the same as the conversation between Yagura and Zabuza just now.
The difference was, the blade Yagura had promised him was the Long Sword: Nuibari.
And then, out of nowhere, Yagura had switched to calling him by that name.
Way too chummy.
He couldn’t handle it.
Seeing Kaede Onime nod (hey!), Yagura smiled with satisfaction and began counting on his fingers.
“Mangetsu gets the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei, A-Kaede gets the Long Sword: Nuibari, Zabuza you get the Broken Blade: Kubikiribocho. Mm-hmm.”
His future Seven Ninja Swordsmen were almost halfway assembled.
If Suigetsu Hozuki’s small goal was to collect all seven swords, then his, Yagura’s, small goal was to gather all seven swordsmen.
Four more to go.
Yagura hooked a finger under his chin and asked the three: “Ameyuri Ringo and Kisame Hoshigaki — have you heard of these two names?”
Who?
Mangetsu and Kaede Onime exchanged glances, confirmed that neither of them had heard those names, and shook their heads together.
Zabuza frowned.
“Never heard of them. Those two aren’t on my challenge list.”
Yagura scratched his head, disappointed.
“Hmm… never heard of them, huh. That’s a problem. The Mist Village is huge. I’ll have to go looking.”
People this guy actually remembers and wants to seek out…
Zabuza’s gaze darkened.
“Are they strong?”
Yagura answered: “Ameyuri Ringo is the wielder of the Lightning Blades: Kiba. Kisame Hoshigaki is the wielder of the Great Sword: Samehada. Stronger than you.”
Taking in Zabuza’s expression, Yagura added that last bit with a sly edge.
The fighting spirit in Zabuza’s eyes flared brighter.
“Heh. Now I’m really looking forward to it.”
Off to the side, Mangetsu quietly walked over to Kaede Onime and murmured in his ear: “I’m getting this weird feeling. Yagura just took a liking to us, and in the blink of an eye he’s taken a liking to this Zabuza. And now, not two seconds after Zabuza’s been reeled in, this guy’s already thinking about someone else.”
A total scumbag!
You can’t go for a man like that!
Hearing Mangetsu say this, Kaede Onime, not quite sure how to express himself, felt that Mangetsu had said exactly what he was thinking.
He concurred, and added one correction: “No, he’s thinking about two other people.”
Could Yagura be a scumbag?
How could he be?!
He’d just suddenly remembered and asked.
If they didn’t know them, then forget it.
Maybe someday they’d come to him on their own, like Zabuza did!
“Then it’s settled!”
Yagura cheerfully extended a team invitation to Zabuza.
“Brother, want to go eat ramen? Mangetsu’s treating.”
Mangetsu looked up, his face full of question marks.
“Why am I treating.”
“Didn’t you just say yourself, next time we eat ramen, you’d treat.”
“Oh for crying out — treating you guys is one thing, but why does this guy get included too?”
Seeing that he could make Mangetsu suffer and get a full meal out of it, why wouldn’t Zabuza go along?
“Sounds good.”
Yagura grinned.
“Nice! Let’s move out!”
“Wait! When did I agree to this!”
Mangetsu’s outstretched hand toward Yagura’s retreating back was brutally ignored.
Kaede Onime patted Mangetsu’s little shoulder.
“Don’t mind.”
………
The cloth curtain of the ramen shop was pushed aside.
Though, given their height as a bunch of little brats, they didn’t actually need to push it aside to enter.
On the way, Yagura had asked Zabuza about his taste.
Sitting down on a chair, he raised two fingers toward the owner and called out: “Boss! Two bowls of miso ramen!”
The owner was a square-jawed middle-aged man with a scar on his face.
Seeing they were just two brats, his expression was less than friendly.
“Kids. Got money? This shop doesn’t allow tabs.”
Kaede Onime followed right behind.
“One soy sauce. The one at the back is paying.”
Mangetsu sat down last, looking depressed.
“I’ll have the clear broth.”
A hydration-based body can’t handle overly heavy-flavored food.
Don’t ask for the details.
That would be way too heavy.
The owner saw Mangetsu, got up, and went to put the noodles on.
“Four guests, please wait a moment.”
Noticing the obvious shift in the owner’s attitude before and after, Yagura propped his chin on his hand and looked at Mangetsu, who was sitting furthest away on the other side, teasing him: “The young master of the Hozuki clan sure has some impressive pull.” Get faster updates on novelping.com.
Mangetsu raised an eyebrow proudly.
“Of course! Just afraid some people don’t recognize quality!”
The Hozuki clan was, after all, the undisputed number one great clan of the Mist!
As if utterly oblivious to the fact that he himself was one of those “some people,” Yagura let a faint smile pass and watched the owner drop four portions of noodles into the pot.
Turning to look at Zabuza, Yagura noticed that this guy was also staring at the steam rising from the noodle pot.
“Zabuza, you’re a student at the ninja academy right now too, aren’t you.”
Zabuza quickly snapped back to attention, moved his hand away from his stomach, and answered the question.
“Yeah, second year.”
I see, so he’s one year older than me.
Then it’s normal for him to be taller than me.
Yagura looked Zabuza up and down.
“What were you thinking, picking a fight with Mangetsu.”
Zabuza curled a smile.
“I’d long heard that this generation’s young master of the Hozuki clan is a genius. Today he enrolled. Of course I had to go test just how much of a genius this genius really is.”
“You know Lightning Release?”
“No.”
“No Lightning Release, then what the hell are you so confident about.”
Yagura rolled his eyes, then smirked.
“But not knowing Lightning Release isn’t a problem either. I’ll teach you. Next time you challenge him, remember to bring a big battery and electrify your blade. After that, you just need to land one hit and you win.”
Zabuza’s face was stunned.
It could be done like that?!
Of course it could.
Yagura nodded in confirmation.
In the future, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, the Allied Shinobi Forces dealt with Deidara, who was similarly weak to Lightning, in exactly that way.
Zabuza was dazed for a moment.
Kaede Onime let out a long “Ohhh…”
Mangetsu’s scalp exploded, his whole body exploded, he exploded into a jumping fit.
“Holy shit, Yagura Karatachi, you’re a demon! Right?! Right?! And A-Kaede, what the hell is with that ‘lesson learned’ look on your face!”
Kaede Onime withdrew his expression.
“Nothing. Your imagination.”
With Yagura chatting between both sides, roasting one and then roasting the other, the four of them waited for their noodles in an exceedingly harmonious atmosphere.
“Ramen’s ready! Two miso, one soy sauce, one clear!”
The owner brought the steaming bowls of ramen, each to their own taste, before each of them.
CLACK!
CLACK!
CLACK!
CLACK!
All four snapped their chopsticks apart in perfect unison.
“Alright! Let’s eat!”
Yagura stirred his noodles with his chopsticks and slurped down a bundle.
Tasted decent.
He wondered how it compared to Ichiraku Ramen in the Leaf.
He’d have to go check in there sometime, if he ever got the chance.
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