Chapter 3: Dire need to change(2)
The moment of shock was brief, yet no words of dissent were spoken.
Following a devastating defeat at the hands of a 'Genin' & the subsequent disappearance of Jūzō along with one of the seven legendary swords, the group found themselves unable to reassemble. The true potency of the swords, after all, could only be unleashed when united.
Now, with all seven swords in their possession, it would be remiss not to reinstate them once more.
"We will make this announcement public after this meeting," the young Hōzuki assured, noting his clan's ancestral ties to the swords and the exclusive responsibility it entailed.
The room soon buzzed with idle chatter, prompting Mei to silently wish for silence, overwhelmed by the pointless noise.
'Seriously, can't they just be quiet?' Mei thought, fatigued by the banal conversations.
Ao remained indifferent, accustomed to such environments, while Yagura pondered the altered course of the future, now irrevocably changed.
This new path, though divergent from the past, promised to be a departure from the shadow of shame and sorrow that Yagura had endured for so long.
A future that promised to deviate from the path of shame and regret he had known for so long.
***
The announcement's aftermath was a blend of shock and relief.
The revelation of the slave-nin system sent shivers down the spines of many, lamenting the loss of their more 'humane system'. The term "slave-nin" spoke volumes, likening their condition to that of actual slaves.
However, others found solace in the fact that at least their loved ones enrolled in the Academy would remain alive.
The shinobi elite, meanwhile, were enticed by the prestige of joining the ranks of the seven swordsmen, a position revered in Kirigakure.
Amidst these speculations, Ao hastened to the building's summit.
"The Fourth Lord has decreed the village gates be sealed!" he announced breathlessly, while his Byakugan is activated.
Caught off guard, the Hōzuki announcer momentarily forgot their hierarchical difference, questioning Ao directly, only to quickly apologize for the breach in protocol.
Ao, unbothered by the slip, was prepared to share the news once he regained his breath.
"An hour ago, the Fouryh Lord and I sought the Anbu commander, Fuguki Suikazan, at his residence, only to find him unresponsive to the ambush news."
"Upon entering his home, we uncovered the reason for his silence."
"He had been assassinated before the news of the ambush could even reach him…"
This grim discovery sent shockwaves through Ao and the rest, especially since Fuguki Suikazan, wielder of Samehada, was renowned for his resilience among the seven swordmen, capable of enduring and outlasting countless foes and previously survived a 'Genin's' onslaught thanks to his formidable blade.
'It seems I was too optimistic to hope today would bring good tidings.'
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
DaoistcaqwL5
DaoistcaqwL5 Took me many months to figure out the direction of the story
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