Third-Person POV

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!!" Iroko said, performing the hand seal. On either side of him appeared four clones.

From the pouch by her side, Asami pulled out a scroll and released a giant shuriken.

"Don't worry, Princess!" Iroko said, smiling back at her, "Asami and I will protect you."

Hotaru's eyes teared up and she looked as though she was about to break down. But then she held up a determined expression and stood beside Iroko, rather than behind him.

Ryuun raised an eyebrow.

Iroko was confused. "Princess, what're you--?"

"My entire life, I've always been protected by other people. That's why they always came and left because I didn't have what it took to protect them." Hotaru clenched her fists. "I'm not making that same mistake again. It may not look like it, but, I, too have a few tricks up my sleeve. Iroko, I will fight alongside you!"

Iroko stared at Hotaru in amazement. He flashed a wide grin and returned to face Ryuun. "Sounds good to me! The more, the merrier!"

Ryuun looked around him. "Three against one, eh? Alright, I'll bite!! C'mon, then: let's see what you're made of!!"

Asami was the first strike. She flung her shuriken at him with pinpoint accuracy. Ryuun deflected it with the edge of his blade, diverging its landing point. However, Asami pulled on a string it was attached to and the shuriken broke into several smaller ones, coming back at Ryuun.

The man smiled eagerly and then began to spin around violently, turning himself into a bladed frenzy of a tornado. Needless to say, every shuriken that came his way was sliced apart and as he slowed down, with frightening speed, he flung his blade straight at Asami.

The girl evaded it just by the lick of her hair. He just so casually threw that blade which was his main source of weaponry, she thought, dazed, by the near-death experience and Ryuun's seemingly brash behaviour. As far as I can tell, there's no string attached to it like my shuriken. Does he have another weapon, somewhere or...?

It was Iroko's turn, the blue-streaked boy sprinting up ahead with his eight clones. He ran in between them randomly, so as to hide the real him, and boosted up their speed with his Flash jutsu.

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The clones advanced upon Ryuun from every which direction, but Ryuun was soon revealed to be above average in the taijutsu department, holding his own effectively against Iroko.

Even though with all those many clones, he was starting to get overwhelming by their numbers and Iroko nearly had him had he not stretched out his right hand called out: "RETURN, ZANKO!!!"

Out from the mist, Ryuun's sword came flying back towards him.

Shit, so that's why?! "Iroko, look out!!!" Asami shouted.

Iroko's eyes widened at the sight of the incoming blade. His clones tried to dodge it but Ryuun was skilful with his blade and sliced half of the clones from existence.

"I wonder, which one's the real you?" Ryuun asked. "Guess we're about to find out!!"

With a single great sweep of his blade, Ryuun took out all the rest of the clones and was about to strike at the real Iroko but his attack never landed.

To his surprise, Iroko found a water barrier in the way of the blade. He turned to see Hotaru having just finished a set of hand seals. She smiled and nodded at Iroko who returned it.

Ryuun gritted his teeth. "Damn bi--, what the hell?"

Ryuun looked down to see a series of wooden vines tangled around his right arm, restricting his use of his blade.

This guy... she wondered. His kenjutsu, those teeth. Is he...?

"Atta girl, Asami!" Iroko complimented.

"Shut up," she replied, running over to Ryuun. "Just take him out now."

Not good! Ryuun thought restlessly as the two of them approached him. Looks like I may have underestimated them a teeny bit too much!

However, before Iroko and Asami could attack, they all heard a deafening explosion in the distance. Iroko thought he could see two figures in combat in the distance.

That's where Yuura is!! he thought. Is he okay?!

"GUYS LOOK OUT!!!" Hotaru screamed.

Iroko and Asami turned back to Ryuun whose blade, for some reason, had started to glow an iridescent purple.

"Heh! Too late!!" Ryuun exclaimed, forming a single hand seal with his left hand. "Release: ZANKO!!!"

The sword exploded in a ray of purple light, so bright that Iroko and Asami had to step back and cover their eyes.

"Damn, what's happening?" Iroko cried. "What'd he do?!"

As the bright purple light dimmed down, Iroko, Asami and Hotaru stood face to face with something completely different as from before.

What was once a simple clothed blade in Ryuun's hand was now an incredibly complex looking sword. Along the incredibly long blade was the kanji '斬鋼', it had a stylishly adorned guard and the cloth that was once wrapped around it was flailing about, partly wrapped around Ryuun's right arm and the lower end of the equally-as-long-as -the-blade handle. Overall, the sword resembled something of a nagamaki with a purple aura oozing out of it.

Iroko gaped in horror. "What the hell just happened to his blade?"

"Iroko," Asami bit her nail, "I think this guy is related to the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist."

Once again, Ryuun grinned and made a Heh laugh, flashing his razor-sharp teeth.