Land of Demons? The shrine maiden said to foresee life and death? Why would she take the initiative to intervene in the Five Kage Summit?
Yet as a neutral land, Land of Demons was indeed more suitable than any of the Five Great Nations. As a shrine maiden who had long suppressed demons, she might even help them deal with the trouble of Xu.
Hiruzen Sarutobi walked forward without changing his expression and did not answer Miroku's words until he passed through the doors of the Hokage Building. At the instant he stepped outside, the sacred and hollow figure behind him vanished from the air without a sound, as if it had never been there at all.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's steps paused for a moment before returning to normal. He turned his head slightly and looked at the equally thoughtful Yunchuan Hyuga. "It seems the problem of the location has been solved for us."
After speaking, he looked ahead toward the plaza in front of the Hokage Building. The wide space was filled with dark rows of figures standing in neat silence, like a forest that did not move. Aside from those on urgent missions or still fighting on the front lines, every available Chunin, Jonin, and some Genin had gathered here.
They stood in orderly formations by department, squad, and Ninja Clan, and the air carried a serious calm mixed with curiosity. Even the Jonin who followed Hiruzen Sarutobi out of the building felt the same. There were simply far more people than anyone had expected.
Many of them thought only their own unit would be present, but now they saw that almost all registered Konoha Ninja had been called. Hiruzen Sarutobi could clearly feel countless gazes focused on him. He stepped onto the high platform at the front of the plaza and swept his eyes across the crowd below.
Under everyone's attention, Hiruzen Sarutobi took out a Scroll from his robes. He formed seals with both hands and said in a low voice, "Release." With a dull bang, the Scroll burst into a cloud of white smoke, and as it cleared, a Sword Case appeared before him.
The Sword Case was dark in color, its surface carved with complex and ancient patterns. It gave off an old and steady presence that drew the eye. Hiruzen Sarutobi pressed it lightly, and a crisp mechanical sound followed.
Click click! kacha.
The Sword Case opened to both sides like a gate, revealing seven slots meant to hold blades. Three of the slots were empty, while the remaining four held weapons of different shapes. In the center was an eight sided sword named 'Arrogance'.
The other three were a long sword called 'Wrath', a heavy blade named 'Gluttony', and a short dagger called 'Lust'. The four weapons rested quietly in their slots, yet even without being drawn, they gave off a faint sense of danger. Every Ninja in the plaza was immediately drawn to them.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked over the faces below, some puzzled and some curious, and his voice carried clearly across the plaza. "This set of weapons is called 'Seven Deadly Sins'. They are Ninja Tool with their own will, powerful tools that only those they accept can draw."
"Three of these Ninja Tool already have owners. They are 'Laziness', 'Jealousy', and 'Greed'. Many of you here have already seen them."
At those words, some Konoha Ninja who had returned from the battlefield in the Land of Hot Water seemed to realize something and looked toward the relaxed Jiraiya. Those who had lived through the night of the Uchiha turned their eyes to Yunchuan Hyuga and Kakashi Hatake instead.
The broad sword on Jiraiya's back stood out, as did the short blade tied to Kakashi Hatake's leg, while Yunchuan Hyuga carried his at his waist. Only Yunchuan Hyuga's 'Greed' had not yet been seen, since its ability was still kept secret.
On the battlefield, Jiraiya had driven back a member of the Espada using 'Laziness'. Kakashi Hatake had also forced back Obito Uchiha after he activated Susanoo with the blade called Jealousy. Even without knowing the details, everyone was clear about these achievements.
"The remaining four weapons are 'Arrogance', 'Gluttony', 'Wrath', and 'Lust'." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice grew heavy. "From this moment on, all Konoha Ninja, regardless of background or status, may come forward and attempt to draw them."
"Whoever earns their acceptance and draws a blade will become its wielder."
As his words fell, the plaza went silent. A moment later, a restrained stir spread through the crowd. Countless eyes burned as they fixed on the four weapons atop the platform.
They all knew how frightening the power of 'Laziness' in Jiraiya's hands was. These were weapons said to rival the Six Paths Ninja Tools, and gaining even one could greatly raise a person's strength. It was impossible not to be tempted.
Soon, the ANBU maintaining order began guiding the crowd. They lined people up by rank and formation, starting with the outermost Genin. The first few Genin stepped forward with excitement and nerves written on their faces.
They carefully approached the Sword Case and looked over the four weapons. Most chose the seemingly easier 'Wrath' or the smaller 'Lust'. The first Genin took a deep breath, gripped the hilt of 'Wrath' with both hands, and pulled hard.
It did not move at all. His face reddened as he strained, even drawing on Chakra, but the blade stayed fixed as if fused to the case. "That's enough," an ANBU member said with a shake of the head. "Next."
The Genin finally let go, scratched his head, and retreated amid his companions' laughter. "I'll try!" "Let me!" The second and third Genin stepped up in turn.
Some tried the heavy 'Gluttony' and were overwhelmed by its weight. Others chose the small 'Lust', yet it felt as heavy as stone. No matter how they tried, even straining until veins stood out, the weapons gave no response at all.
The early excitement cooled quickly. Confusion appeared on the faces of the Genin, and quiet whispers spread through the crowd. "What's going on?" "It won't move at all."
When it was the Chunin's turn, they were much calmer and more deliberate. Some used different types of Chakra, others checked the Sword Case for mechanisms, and a few even formed complex seals. One Chunin skilled in Wind Release tried to use airflow to wrap around the hilt of 'Arrogance'.
The wind dispersed the instant it touched the hilt, and the sword did not tremble even slightly. Another Chunin hardened his arm to increase strength and grabbed the handle of 'Lust'. The small dagger still did not move at all.
"Damn it." The man shook his numb arm, his face full of frustration. A sense of lost Wang settled over the plaza, and whispers turned into low complaints and sighs.
"Can these weapons really be drawn?" "Is there some special method?" In the end, even some Jonin tried, but the result did not change. The four weapons remained silent, unresponsive to any outside force.
The atmosphere grew quiet as the earlier excitement vanished. At last, only the Jonin standing behind Hiruzen Sarutobi remained. Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Choza Akimichi stepped forward one by one.
Inoichi Yamanaka tried the 'Lust' dagger, while Choza Akimichi chose the heavy 'Gluttony'. When Inoichi Yamanaka's hand touched the hilt, 'Lust' gave a faint tremor.
The movement was so small it was almost unnoticeable, but everyone watching saw it clearly. The crowd stirred at once. "It reacted!" "Lord Inoichi!" "So it really needs a strong person!"