Ino couldn't help but smile as she watched the Mizukage dressed in his traditional uniform step forward towards a young man with hair as bright as the sun.
For once, Kiri was not shrouded in mist or fog but the sunlight now graced the mysterious land bringing with it hopes for a new future.
She could hear the cries of the entire village that had gathered around the Kage tower.
History was being written right in front of her eyes, one for which she and her husband had fought so long for.
Already the other great swordsmen had been given their honors and now it was time for the newest and last member of their group to receive his own.
She was quite surprised when the Mizukage presented a stark white colored haori to Naruto. The former Anbu officer was still wearing his facemask but his eyes betrayed his own curiosity at the gift. His new greatsword rested inside the scabbard hanging from his hip whereas a smaller tanto like version of the same blade rested perfectly on Naruto's back.
Originally, Muramasa was supposed to be twin greatswords but the blacksmiths had recommended against it. Many believed that the blacksmiths wanted that greatsword to be unique and not be compared against another weapon of the same make, on the other hand they couldn't directly disobey their Kage's wishes so instead they compromised by developing a shorter tanto like version of Muramasa made from the same metal and mysterious jutsu that made these blades so powerful.
In a way that worked out better for Naruto as he now had one greatsword to wield in open combat and another shorter weapon of the same caliber to help him in close quarter combat in tight spaces.
She was brought out of her thoughts as her husband started to look at the gift given to him by their supreme leader.
Unlike in the past where he was always dressed in Anbu gear, this time the blonde officer had finally changed his appearance as an acceptance of his new way of life and responsibilities.
He was wearing a plain full sleeved black shirt covered by blue pants and a pair of combat boots. On top of them, he was wearing a grey-colored flak jacket commonly worn by almost every Kiri shinobi. On his forehead was a similar grey-colored headband that proudly displayed their village's symbol. The only difference between him and one of the thousands of shinobi currently standing in the streets watching the ceremony was his facemask and combat boots.
But it all changed when Naruto allowed the haori to fall to its full length before passing his right arm through the shoulder opening. Many in the crowd gasped in surprise and curiosity when they saw two distinct things on the haori's back.
The first part was the coloring at the lower edge of the haori being filled with the same color as the flag of the Anbu blackops. To top it off, even a minor symbol of the special ops unit was engraved among those colors, a special tribute from the Mizukage towards the unit who had always protected the village from the shadows.
Ino didn't miss the subtle change in the body language of the Anbu squads guarding the ceremony from various rooftops. For just a moment, their shoulders swelled with pride before they went back into the shadows to carry out their duty as they always had.
Ino couldn't help but acknowledge Gengetsu Hozuki's smart decision. With such a subtle gesture, he had managed to reaffirm the complete loyalty of the Anbu Blackops to himself.
A powerful gust of wind blew across the village making her raise a hand to shield her eyes and it was then that she noticed the other noticeable thing on the back of the haori now fully worn by her husband.
The Seventh.
Those words were clearly engraved in dark red kanji visible for even the weakest civilians to see.
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The Seventh Swordsman
Fanfiction"My sword is yours in victory and defeat", Naruto remembered pledging those words to the Second Mizukage as he became one of the feared Seven. He swore to defend Kiri, to protect its people and serve its Kage until his dying breath. But he also made...
