Excited murmurs spread as hope replaced earlier doubt. Even Tsunade, who had remained expressionless, showed a slight change in her eyes. This was the first clear response 'Seven Deadly Sins' had shown.
However, Inoichi Yamanaka frowned and increased his strength, but the dagger did not respond again. The faint pink light on its surface faded away. He could only shake his head and step back.
Choza Akimichi was no different. Even using 'Partial Expansion Technique' to enlarge his hand and increase force, he could not move the blade at all. The spark of hope was quickly smothered.
"What exactly is the standard for choosing a wielder?" Shikaku Nara did not act right away. He studied the weapons and frowned. "Is it the literal meaning of their names?"
Then did Jiraiya, Kakashi Hatake, and Yunchuan Hyuga truly match 'Laziness', Jealousy, and 'Greed'? He did not know Yunchuan Hyuga well, and the first two only barely fit their names. There was no clear rule.
Jiraiya's 'Laziness' and Kakashi Hatake's Jealousy did not seem to share anything in common. If it were just surface meaning, then the Akimichi Clan would clearly suit 'Gluttony'. As he thought, Shikaku Nara read the characters carved on the Sword Case aloud with ease.
"Those with the blood of gods must end by the sword."
What did that mean? Shikaku Nara's gaze fell on 'Arrogance'. He did not pull, but gently placed his palm against the blade, trying to sense its will.
At that moment, Tsunade suddenly moved. She strode to the Sword Case, scanned the weapons, and fixed her eyes on the eight sided sword 'Arrogance'. "Hmph, playing tricks."
She reached out with her right hand and grabbed the hilt with her fingers like iron. A surge of strength followed as Chakra burst from her body. Her hair lifted, and cracks spread across the ground beneath her feet.
"Come out!" Tsunade shouted. The sword let out a loud hum, and dark light flickered wildly along its blade. Before everyone's eyes, the eight sided sword was pulled halfway free, its edge flashing cold light.
"It worked?" "Lady Tsunade!" "As expected of the Three Legendary Sannin!" The crowd cried out in shock.
In the next instant, a stronger and colder force surged back from the hilt. The recoil slammed into her hand, and with a muffled grunt, her fingers were forced open. The sword fell back into the Sword Case, and the dark light faded away.
"Damn it, just a little more." Tsunade's hand shook as she stared in anger. Her failure crushed the remaining hope in the crowd. If even one of the Three Legendary Sannin could not succeed, who could?
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado stepped forward out of curiosity. One chose 'Arrogance', the other 'Lust', but neither caused the slightest reaction. They sighed and stepped back.
Finally, Danzo Shimura approached. His single eye lingered on 'Arrogance', then passed over 'Gluttony', and settled on 'Wrath'. He reached out with his bandaged right hand and gripped the hilt.
A low hum sounded. Blue light flickered along the blade, and a hot presence spread. Danzo Shimura's eye sharpened as he pulled hard.
The blade moved an inch. In that instant, a cold golden flame erupted from the hilt and raced up his arm. "What is this?" His face changed as the Xu in his arm grew unstable. He released the hilt at once.
The sword snapped back into place, and the flames vanished. Danzo Shimura stared at the scorched marks on his hand, fear and caution in his eye, then stepped back without another attempt.
"So no one can draw them." "Are these weapons fake?" Complaints filled the air, heavy with lost Wang. Hiruzen Sarutobi watched in silence, his heart weighed down by the same concern.
Could it be that among all the Ninja of Konoha, no one could wield these four weapons? At that quiet and scattered moment, Yunchuan Hyuga, who had been standing behind Hiruzen Sarutobi as an observer, narrowed his eyes.
He seemed to understand the true meaning of the Seven Deadly Sins Essence. If his guess was right, then the value of these seven weapons went far beyond the surface.
Yunchuan Hyuga glanced at Might Guy, who had squeezed up beside Kakashi Hatake. Smiling, he asked, "Guy, you are also a Taijutsu Ninja. Even Lady Tsunade tried. Aren't you going to give it a shot?"
Might Guy had been clinging to Kakashi Hatake, bragging that he had also become a Jonin. He shouted, "Kakashi Hatake! Later let us have a youthful match in the spring of youth!"
After hearing that, he subconsciously turned to look at Yunchuan Hyuga, then glanced at the four blades. He raised a hand to scratch his head and said, "Huh? This..."
"Yunchuan, it is not that I do not want to try. I only know how to use nunchaku. Swords like these, I really do not know how to use."
"Besides, even Tsunade could not pull one out, so I will probably be worse."
"Is that so?" Yunchuan Hyuga kept the smile on his face, but his eyes swept over Kakashi Hatake with a hint of meaning. He said softly, "But Kakashi Hatake and I both pulled one out."
"Do you think you are worse than us?"
As soon as those words fell, Kakashi Hatake rolled his dead fish eyes. Such an obvious taunt, who would fall for it...
"Yeah, that does sound right." Might Guy straightened his back at once and looked at the blades they held. "If you can do it, how can I fall behind?"
After speaking, he dashed to the Sword Case in a single bound. His movement stirred a gust of wind, and the green bodysuit under the sunlight drew many curious and strange looks.
"Come on! Let me see which one deserves my burning spring of youth!" Might Guy swept his gaze across the four weapons and finally locked onto the one in the center, 'Arrogance'.
This sword looked like the most powerful of the lot.
"It is you! Arrogance, right?" Might Guy rolled up his sleeves, showing solid arms, and reached out with both hands toward the hilt of 'Arrogance'.
"Wait, Guy."
Just as Might Guy's hands were about to touch the hilt, Yunchuan Hyuga suddenly spoke. "I think you should try 'Gluttony'."
"Gluttony?"
Might Guy froze and turned to look at Yunchuan Hyuga in confusion.
Even Shikaku Nara, who had been frowning in thought, suddenly raised his head, surprise clear in his eyes. Not just him, everyone who heard those words showed the same puzzled look.
Gluttony?
Might Guy and Gluttony together?
The pairing felt completely wrong.
Facing all those looks, Yunchuan Hyuga did not explain. He only nodded to Might Guy, encouragement in his eyes.
"Well... fine then. Gluttony it is. It makes no difference anyway."
Although his head was full of questions, Might Guy had a natural trust in Yunchuan Hyuga. He scratched his head and muttered, "The spring of youth is about daring to try!"
He gave up on 'Arrogance' and walked toward the massive zhanmadao. The handle alone was longer than that of an ordinary blade, and the body was wide and thick, looking extremely heavy.
Might Guy stood before it, the rough and fierce shape clashing sharply with his green bodysuit. The contrast was almost comical.
"It is you!" Might Guy took a deep breath, his eyes turning focused and serious.
He reached out with both hands. Unlike others, he did not probe or use any trick, but gripped the handle in the most direct and simple way.
Buzz!!