Naruto: Paws and Whiskers

"I'm going to skewer him and roast some cat meat."

Kushimaru Kuriarare's mask concealed his face, but the venom in his voice made his intent clear. While Juzo Biwa was still in his usual 'talk tough first' phase, Kushimaru had already drawn his sword and charged, with Jinin Akebino right behind him.

Kushimaru wielded the long, needle-like Nuibari, while Jinin brandished the explosive blade, Shibuki.

Both swords were formidable in their own right, each with its own devastating specialty.

Kirigakure had spared no effort in forging the Seven Swords, but their prized weapons had seen better days. The blunt Blade Kabutowari had already been taken by Takeshi and Kakashi, while half of the Lightning Blade Kiba had been pried from its owner's hands by Minato Namikaze after an intense close-quarters fight.

At this point, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were down to five and a half.

Nuibari was particularly deadly, not just because of its piercing power but also because of its razor-sharp ninja steel wire that could easily sever limbs with a flick of the wrist.

Takeshi was already halfway into his charge when he spotted Kushimaru and Jinin rushing in. He immediately switched tactics.

His original plan was simple: brute force in the Tsunade style—charge in and beat them all into the ground. But considering his opponents, that approach wouldn't cut it. He needed ninjutsu suppression.

Without hesitation, he opted for a simple yet effective response-water.

Gathering chakra, he opened his mouth and unleashed a powerful jet of water. The surrounding mist thickened, but the Kirigakure ninja were more than accustomed to fighting in fog, the change barely affected them.

As the water shot forward, Kushimaru and Jinin instinctively split apart, circling from both sides to flank him.

But just as they thought they had maneuvered past the attack, the water jet abruptly scattered, transforming into a barrage of Ice Spikes that rained down in all directions.

**Boom! **

Kushimaru, caught too close, took the first hit, while Jinin managed to deflect some of the spikes with his blade.

"Ice Release?"

Jinin's eyes widened. His first thought-had Yuki Clan betrayed them?

Then realization struck. The only ones present were Minato and… the black cat. 

That didn't add up. Minato was a lot of things-fast, deadly, and an absolute menace in battle-but an Ice Release user? No way.

That left only one possible explanation.

The cat.

...A cat?!

"Watch out!" Kushimaru's warning cut through his thoughts.

'Watch out for what?' Jinin sharpened his senses, his training in the Mist's assassination techniques kicking in.

That's when he noticed-*Crystal Ice Mirrors*.

A dozen shimmering mirrors had risen, forming a large-scale encirclement that trapped all six of them.

Did that mangy cat seriously think it could wipe out the Seven Ninja Swordsmen in one go? Even the leader of the Yuki Clan wouldn't dare to pull something like this against them.

Jinin let out an incredulous laugh—one part anger, two parts amusement. This was ridiculous. Enraged, he lunged forward, blade at the ready.

Shibuki specialized in massive explosions.

With the force of his weapon, those Ice Mirrors wouldn't stand a chance. And as for the black cat's attack?

"Heh." He almost wanted the cat to make a move-that would just make it easier for Kushimaru to set a trap and carve it up.

But what he forgot that Takeshi wasn't alone.

The moment the *Crystal Ice Mirrors* rose, Takeshi repositioned himself, strategically placing Flying Thunder God marks in multiple directions. While Minato hadn't fully mastered Takeshi's method of marking with a single slap, he had spent enough time studying it to sense their placement with ease.

Flying Thunder God.

Takeshi threw four kunai, each targeting Jinin, who was now the focus of the attack.

Juzo reacted fast, blocking one of the kunai with his massive blade. But the other three?

They sailed right through.

In the next instant...

*Rasengan!* In a flash of Flying Thunder God, Minato's Rasengan came crashing down. Juzo tried to block, but with three kunai constantly shifting directions, it was impossible. Fortunately, Jinin reacted in time, using Shibuki to create an explosion that disrupted the attack. Seeing his strike had failed, Minato swiftly teleported away, redirecting his focus toward the Ice Crystals.

Meanwhile, the black cat didn't stop moving.

They had assumed Takeshi was limited to a few simple tricks, but his combat ability far exceeded their expectations.

As they moved to either rescue Jinin or attack Minato, Takeshi unleashed a devastating assault-exhaling a blast infused with hurricane winds, Vacuum Spheres, and a storm of Ice Needles and Ice Spikes.

Then, capitalizing on the kunai deflected by Juzo...

Takeshi teleported, his body suddenly expanding in size using *Expansion Jutsu*. A massive chakra sphere formed at his claws.

"*Big Ball Rasengan!* Heh, got you!"

With a single swing of Kubikiribocho, Juzo drained his chakra in defense. But before he could counter, he felt a deadly presence behind him-Takeshi's tail.

A cat's tail is supposed to be a weak spot.

Unfortunately for Juzo, that wasn't the case here. In fact, it was one of Takeshi's greatest weapons.

And what about Fuguki?

What about Samehada?

Takeshi's fur bristled into hardened spikes, his entire body turning into a living weapon. At that moment, opened his *Gate of Opening*. Before Juzo's sword could even make contact, Takeshi's tail lashed out, striking him with tremendous force.

This was Super Strength in action. It wasn't just raw physical might-it was enhanced by a powerful chakra flow. Blocking the tail itself wouldn't negate the overwhelming force behind the blow.

"AH! SAVE ME-!" Juzo's scream echoed.

The impact sent him flying, crashing into an Ice Mirror with bone-rattling force.

"Useless!" Fuguki spat in frustration. Using Juzo being attacked as an opening, he swung Samehada at Takeshi.

The battle shifted too quickly for anyone to react. Juzo was beyond saving at this point-his allies could only watch as he was mercilessly hurled away. And then, just as suddenly, the cat vanished into the Ice Crystals once again.

Too fast. Too slippery.

Cold sweat formed on Fuguki's brow. This wasn't just Flying Thunder God, Ice Release, or Rasengan alone-it was all of them together, wielded by two fighters with overwhelming speed and precision.

Two Flying Thunder Gods.

They weren't going to win this fight.

If they delayed any longer, reinforcements would arrive, and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist would be completely wiped out.

No, they had to retreat.

"Fall back! Now!" Fuguki ordered in a hushed but urgent tone.

"But what about Kubikiribocho?!"

"Are you all idiots? Use Summoning Jutsu!" Fuguki growled.

The wielder of Hiramekarei, a member of the Hozuki Clan, had the ability to summon the seven swords. While two were currently sealed away, Kubikiribocho wasn't. Even if the enemy took it, they wouldn't be able to seal it immediately.

If they timed their escape right, they could simply summon the sword back later.

Hozuki Senjin hesitated, but the logic was sound.

The decision was made-Juzo Biwa would be left behind.

However, none of them anticipated that Takeshi had another trick up his sleeve i.e. Item Space.

Juzo had barely survived the Super Strength-enhanced punch into the Ice Crystals. Before he could even process what happened, Takeshi struck him again with a vicious claw attack, leaving him barely clinging to life. And in the dense mist, unseen by the retreating swordsmen, Takeshi quietly sent Kubikiribocho into Item Space.

The blade was gone.

"Help me!"

On the other side, Raiga shouted his familiar plea.

Save me!

But the one coming for him wasn't Takeshi-it was Minato.

Of course, Minato didn't actually want his life. What he wanted was the sword in his hands. Last time, Raiga had managed to snatch one Lightning Blade Kiba back. Now that they had crossed paths again, Minato wasn't going to let this opportunity slip.

"Meow~ Raiga, didn't you say you were going to kill me? Why are you running away! Don't be a coward butterfingers!"

As long as a single Flying Thunder God mark landed, Takeshi and Minato could work together seamlessly. Raiga realized with horror that in the next second, he wouldn't just be facing one enemy-he'd be dealing with both of them at the same time as they kept teleporting around him.

And the worst part? That damn black cat's paws were coated in ice, making him immune to blades and completely unfazed by lightning.

Raiga was no fool. He knew exactly what they were after. When he saw that his teammates couldn't reach him in time, he made a split-second decision. With all his might, he hurled his Lightning Blade Kiba forward in a single, devastating strike.

Even though there was only one, its power was immense. Infused with Raiga's chakra, the blade tore through the ice crystals, shattering them completely.

Taking advantage of the opening, Raiga used *Shunshin Jutsu* to escape. He darted out from the collapsing ice and sprinted away at full speed. What he didn't realize, however, was that a mark had already been placed on him...

"Meow~"

At the sound of that playful chime, Raiga felt his blood run cold.

No way… not again…

'How is this possible?!'

A long Ice Spike shot through his chest, impaling him. The jagged tip protruded from his back, gleaming with fragments of his own shattered heart.

Meanwhile, Fuguki and the remaining swordsmen managed to escape the range of the Ice Mirrors. As soon as they were clear, they had Senjin Hozuki use Summoning Jutsu to call back the two missing swords.

At such close range, in such a short time, even if Minato was proficient Fuinjutsu, there was no way he could have applied an effective seal that fast.

Yet, after several attempts… nothing happened.

The swords were gone.

"What's going on?!" Senjin's voice cracked as panic gripped him.

If they lost another blade-if they lost half of the Seven Ninja Swords-how were they supposed to explain this when they returned?

The Mizukage wouldn't just punish them. He'd have them torn apart and likely publicly execute them.

Fuguki swallowed hard, forcing down his rising dread. "This... let's run first."

-------------------

Dear Readers and Fans,

For those eager to dive into next chapters earlier before others, I invite you to join us on Patreon. By becoming our Patron, you not only gain access to exclusive advanced chapters but also help us continue this endeavour and expand it further. 

https://www.pat reon.com/8Ashes8

(no space)

You can read upto 7 Chapters in advance.