Then there's only one possibility.
"Lord Liuyun!"
Not only were the others taken aback, but even Might Duy himself looked stunned.
No one expected that Aoyama Liuyun would actually take a liking to a man who had been a genin for decades.
"I can't do it, Lord Liuyun, I'm just a low-ranking ninja! I…"
Might Duy's panic was completely within Aoyama Liuyun's expectations.
After all, he had been called an "eternal genin" by the villagers for so many years.
It would be strange if Might Duy wasn't flustered after being suddenly placed in such an important position.
"So, are you really content with this? Are you prepared to be a low-level ninja for the rest of your life?"
"I…"
Might Duy fell silent. Content? How could he possibly be?
Even someone as straightforward and hot-blooded as him couldn't be satisfied with remaining a genin for the rest of his life.
Moreover, Might Duy knew that although his son Might Guy had never said anything,
Guy had always felt inferior because his father was a perpetual genin.
Guy even questioned whether pure taijutsu really had a future in the shinobi world.
For myself… and for my son… I must become stronger.
With that thought, Might Duy straightened his back and looked directly at Liuyun.
"Lord Liuyun, I've made up my mind!"
"Good."
That resolute expression made Aoyama Liuyun smile and nod.
Without hesitation, he issued the order directly inside the command tent.
"From this moment, I appoint Might Duy as a Konoha jōnin."
As the commander of the frontline, Aoyama Liuyun indeed held the authority to make battlefield promotions.
"I'm… a jōnin!"
The shock was overwhelming.
To remain a genin for decades and suddenly become a jōnin—it felt like a dream to Might Duy.
"It's only temporary. If you fail to perform as a jōnin during the upcoming war, you will return to being a genin. Understood?"
"Yes!"
Although Might Duy was hot-blooded, he could understand something this simple.
He immediately responded with seriousness.
"Good. You may go now."
"Yes!"
Might Duy left with a cheerful, almost disbelieving smile.
As for the remaining two—Hyūga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku—they still wore complicated expressions.
A battlefield promotion wasn't what confused them.
What puzzled them was why Aoyama Liuyun would value a so-called "eternal genin."
"Don't you understand?"
"…No."
Both of them shook their heads. They simply couldn't grasp why someone who relied solely on taijutsu would matter.
"You'll understand once the war begins."
Aoyama Liuyun didn't elaborate further and simply smiled.
They didn't know why he chose Might Duy—
Because they had never seen the true potential of the Eight Gates.
Once the war came, they would understand.
"…Very well."
What else could they say? Since Liuyun had spoken, they could only accept it.
After discussing a few more matters, everyone dispersed.
"Shisui, have you figured anything out?"
Back home, Fugaku still couldn't make sense of it, so he asked Uchiha Shisui, who stood nearby.
Fugaku knew that even though Shisui was young, his judgment and observation were already exceptional.
"I can't figure it out either… but it's obvious that Might Duy must be extremely strong."
Even Shisui couldn't understand Liuyun's reasoning.
But Shisui didn't dwell on it.
"We'll see the truth once the war begins."
"…Yes."
Fugaku nodded.
Indeed, whatever was special about Might Duy… the war would reveal it.
…
"Dad… are you serious? You're a jōnin now?"
Inside one of the tents in the camp—now assigned to him as a jōnin—Might Guy stood frozen in disbelief.
This father of his, who spent his entire life as a genin, was now a jōnin.
If Guy didn't know his father's personality, he would've assumed it was some bizarre joke.
"Of course! Lord Liuyun is a wonderful person. My youth has been acknowledged!"
As he spoke, Might Duy burst into tears.
After so many years as a genin, the frustration, shame, and pressure… it all erupted.
At last… at last, he had broken through.
"This is youth!"
"Dad!"
"Kai!"
"Dad!"
For no real reason at all, father and son clung to each other and wept again.
Fortunately, this happened inside the camp.
If it had been in public, the embarrassment would have been legendary.
"Kai… Lord Liuyun is a good man. No matter what happens in the future, always respect him."
"Yes, Dad!"
Guy nodded firmly.
He genuinely respected anyone who acknowledged his father.
Clearly, Aoyama Liuyun's plan worked flawlessly.
…
"So, you're the only one left among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"
Inside Kirigakure's meeting room, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi—his youthful face belying his authority—sat in the main seat.
With a dark expression, he stared at the battered Fuguki Suikazan.
Yagura never imagined that—
Of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, the village's elite,
only one had returned alive.
(And to clarify: Suigetsu Hōzuki was not one of the Seven Swordsmen during this era. Fuguki Suikazan is canonically correct here.)
Madara Uchiha's genjutsu remained so insidious that even after being freed, Yagura had no awareness of ever being controlled.
"Mi–Mizukage-sama…"
Facing Yagura's fury, even Fuguki Suikazan felt dread rising in his chest.
"Bang!"
Yagura slammed the table, rising to his feet in anger.
"Then why did you return?! Why didn't you die there with the others?!"
"I–I…"
They were monsters—real monsters.
Just remembering Aoyama Liuyun…
Fuguki Suikazan felt fear crawl up his spine.
He didn't even dare imagine fighting him again.
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