*Chapter 1: A Moonless Night*

"Yoru, this is a top-secret mission personally assigned by the Mizukage. You are to lead the team."

In the underground base of Kirigakure in the Land of Water, an Anbu member with a yellow, spiky mop of hair walked in, wearing the typical Anbu mask.

As he spoke, he pulled a pitch-black scroll from his cloak and tossed it over.

These specially crafted mission scrolls were engraved with sealing runes. If not opened the right way, the scroll would self-destruct upon opening, preventing any leaks.

The young man named Yoru caught the scroll in one swift motion. Using the unique Anbu technique, he opened it, his brows furrowing beneath the mask.

*[Order for First Anbu Captain, Yoru of the Hozuki Clan: Infiltrate Konoha's camp to create chaos—destroy their supplies and armory, divert the attention of their main forces, and assist the Seven Ninja Swordsmen in their assassination mission. Signed: Third Mizukage. Mission Level: Top Secret.]*

This mission was incredibly dangerous, practically a suicide mission.

Yoru’s task was to infiltrate the enemy’s main camp and create chaos. Even if successful, the furious Konoha shinobi would surely tear apart anyone involved.

"I understand," Yoru calmly nodded, showing no reaction to the difficulty of the mission.

"Your abilities make you perfect for this mission. That's why the Third Mizukage chose you to lead it."

The Anbu with the spiky blonde hair spoke evenly, "I believe in you. Once this war is over, you should be ready to take over my position."

"Your sword doesn’t suit me, Kurosawa Kushimaru."

That's right.

The man in front of Yoru, with his masked face and neck wrapped in bandages, sporting a wild, explosive hairstyle, was none other than Kushimaru Kuriarare, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, wielder of the Longsword: Nuibari!

He was also Yoru's superior, the Anbu Vice-Captain.

Several members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen held positions within the Anbu, like Fuguki Suikazan, the wielder of the Greatsword: Samehada, who served as one of the other Vice-Captains in charge of intelligence, while Kushimaru led the assassination unit.

"You brat, just because you’re taking my position doesn’t mean you’ll be taking Nuibari with it!"

Kushimaru's mouth twitched under his mask, his gaze briefly resting on the long sword at Yoru’s waist. "That sword of yours... is it the legendary demon blade said to be your only companion?"

"Just an ordinary weapon," Yoru replied indifferently, drawing the sword at his side. "Does Lord Kushimaru wish to spar with me?"

"You’re nothing like the other Hozuki. You remind me more of those Kaguya freaks."

Kushimaru curled his lips. Anyone who sparred with this kid was an idiot.

Though Yoru had yet to awaken the bloodline of the Yuki clan, he had mastered a bizarre secret technique that made anyone who had faced him once never want to fight him again.

"Yagura’s offensive on the frontlines isn’t going well. So this assassination mission must succeed. Failure is not an option."

"The operation begins in three days. You will move ahead, depart immediately, and create confusion at the frontlines."

With that, Kushimaru vanished with a flicker, leaving Yoru alone in the dim, damp room.

Staring at the mission scroll in his hand, Yoru's expression beneath his white mask was complicated.

"What must come, will come."

This was Yoru’s fourteenth year since transmigrating to this world, and it was now the 49th year of Konoha.

The Third Great Ninja War, ignited by the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, was nearing its end.

Although Sunagakure of the Land of Wind lost their Kazekage early on, under the leadership of the newly appointed Fourth Kazekage Rasa, they managed to fend off Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning.

But after suffering a crushing defeat at Konoha’s hands during the Battle of Kikyo Pass, Sunagakure's economy collapsed, its military forces depleted. They had no will, nor the capability, to continue fighting.

On the other side...

Kumogakure, the instigator of the war, had been met with resistance from the start. Not only had they lost their Third Raikage, but their top combatants—future Fourth Raikage A and Killer B, the jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails—had gained no ground against Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash. Now, they had retreated to their borders, demoralized.

The Third Great Ninja War, which had swept across the entire shinobi world, had now boiled down to just Konoha and Iwagakure still locked in battle.

While Iwagakure initially made gains by outnumbering and killing the Third Raikage of Kumogakure, they had since suffered repeated setbacks in their clashes with Konoha, especially after their supply lines were cut in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, causing them heavy losses.

Although the current battlefront between Konoha and Iwagakure appeared to be at a stalemate, everyone knew it wouldn’t last long. Peace talks were inevitable, just a matter of time.

There was no doubt that after years of war, the Four Great Nations had all suffered immense losses. The war had turned into a meat grinder, claiming countless lives.

In this war, no one was a true winner.

No—there was one winner yet to make its move.

And that was Kirigakure.

While the other nations had been fighting fiercely, Kirigakure, one of the Five Great Nations, had conserved its strength, watching and waiting for the perfect moment to step in and claim victory.

And now, that moment had come.

Sunagakure’s forces were decimated.

Kumogakure had retreated to its borders, demoralized.

Iwagakure's supply lines were severed, leaving them exhausted.

Konoha, though nearing victory, was weary from the constant fighting, its resources stretched thin, and its forces fatigued.

Now was the ideal time for Kirigakure to step in and seize the spoils of war!

After half a year of skirmishing along the Land of Fire’s long borders, the Third Mizukage finally made his move, sending his army to the frontlines for a large-scale invasion. Before that, he sent the Seven Ninja Swordsmen on a mission to assassinate Konoha’s top commander, Jiraiya.

If Jiraiya, the highest-ranking force and commander on the Fire Country battlefield, could be killed before he could reposition from the Earth Country front, the Konoha frontlines would descend into chaos, allowing the Mist ninja to drive deep into the heart of the Land of Fire.

This was the strategy devised by the Third Mizukage and the upper echelons of Kirigakure.

Unfortunately, while the plan was solid, the outcome was doomed to fail.

An assassination attempt on Jiraiya by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen would’ve been one of the most notable events of the Third Great Ninja War. Yet, there was no mention of it in the original story, not even a record of the battle.

Clearly, the assassination mission failed, likely without even being executed.

"Wait... it never happened?"

Yoru paused.

It was impossible for the mission not to have been attempted. The Mizukage's orders had been given. Even if it was a suicide mission, they would have had to go. Besides, from top to bottom, Kirigakure was confident of their success.

And then Yoru recalled the fate of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen in the original series...

"Could it be that during the mission to assassinate Jiraiya, they ran into Might Guy’s squad instead and were obliterated by Might Duy?"

Yoru's mouth twitched.

If that were true, then the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and Kirigakure's luck was simply terrible.

They were poised to enter the war and claim victory, only for their best fighters to be wiped out before the battle even started. How could they continue after that?

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*(End of Chapter)*