It was late at night, three days after the Wolf departed.
"Second Brother, I don't get it," said Fifth Brother, frowning. "If we want to win that guy over, why did we have to raid Luoxue Village and capture everyone?"
Logan had protected Luoxue Village before. Touching the villagers now was like invading a beast's den.
It was an open act of provocation.
The Second Brother sneered. "So what if he finds out? There are only three outcomes when he returns."
He held up three fingers.
"First—if he's humiliated and doesn't show up, we kill him."
"Second—if he's too scared to fight and runs away, we let him. No loss to us."
"Third—if he accepts our invitation and joins us, then he's no longer a 'beast,' and territory won't matter anymore."
He spread his hands, confident. "No matter what happens, he won't be able to protect that village again."
Fifth Brother's eyes lit up with realization.
He was the youngest and least experienced, but he hadn't expected so many layers to such a plan.
"Second Brother, you're brilliant! I really need to learn from you—"
Before he could finish the sentence, a thunderous boom roared from the distance.
A sudden gust of wind swept through, and Second Brother instinctively narrowed his eyes.
When he came to his senses, Fifth Brother was gone.
Choke!
Second Brother whirled around, drawing his sword. His gaze locked onto Logan, who had appeared like a phantom.
The other two subordinates rushed in, just in time to see Logan holding Fifth Brother's limp body.
Fifth Brother's neck was twisted at a grotesque angle. He dangled in Logan's grasp like a boiled goose from a market stall.
It wasn't even a proper fight. In a blink, the Chūnin-level Fifth Brother had been crushed like an insect.
Plop.
Logan dropped the body without ceremony. He flicked the blood from his hands and looked coldly at the remaining three.
Shock flickered in Second Brother's eyes… then slowly faded. He chuckled bitterly.
He was laughing at himself.
They had once been desperate criminals, bound by shared crimes. After joining Magistrate Morimura's ranks, they had called each other brothers. For a while, maybe they really believed it.
"So? Feel any better after killing him?" Second Brother asked.
Logan said nothing. His gaze swept across the group—calm, focused, unshaken.
Second Brother recognized that look.
It was the gaze of a hunter selecting his next prey.
He knew Logan was angry. He could guess why.
The state of Luoxue Village had stirred something in him. A simple, quiet fury.
"Let's not be hasty," Second Brother said. "We're Magistrate Morimura's men. We came here to invite you—to join your army, actually. That's how sincere we are."
He kicked open a nearby box, revealing glittering gold, silver, and jewels. Then he pulled a door open. Two frightened young women sat inside, eyes wide and lips trembling.
"This is just a taste of what's to come. Join us, and you'll have more—much more."
They had planned to test Logan before inviting him. But with Fifth Brother already dead, there was no need.
Logan inhaled deeply. Three days had passed, but the faint, metallic stench of blood still lingered in the air.
That night... must have been a horror show.
Second Brother finished his pitch and waited.
"Was that your final statement?" Logan asked quietly.
The smile slid off Second Brother's face. He glared.
"I remember giving you a chance."
Fourth Brother stepped forward, pulling out a kunai. His temper flared.
"Second Brother, why are you wasting time with this guy?!"
He barked at Logan, "What's with the attitude? Who do you think you are—one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen? You killed one of us, so now you're gonna kill the rest too?"
Logan turned to him.
"Was that your final statement?"
Boom!
With a puff of smoke, Fourth Brother created two Shadow Clones. They approached in a V-formation, kunai glinting in the moonlight.
At the same time, Second and Third Brother began forming hand signs.
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Wind Style: Vacuum Sphere!"
A huge flaming dragon emerged, roaring as it twisted in the air. Wind bullets spiraled around it like armor plates, growing the fire beast to twice its size. Heat surged through the snowfield, melting everything in its wake.
Composite Technique: Wind Demon Flame Dragon.
ROAR—
The massive beast flew toward Logan with terrifying speed.
Third Brother controlled the dragon from above. Second Brother, having completed his Wind Technique, circled behind Logan with a ninja sword in hand.
In front: Fourth Brother and two clones. Above: the fire beast. Behind: Second Brother's blade.
Logan was surrounded.
"If Fifth Brother and the Boss were here, we'd never dare touch you—not even if you were a Seven Ninja Swordsman," Fourth Brother thought as he rushed in.
"But just the three of us? That's all we need!"
They were so close now, even Kakashi—known for his legendary hand speed—wouldn't have time to react.
This boy was done for.
Die—
But just as the thought crossed his mind, Fourth Brother's world flipped.
He was airborne.
Smashed through a house. Crushed beneath debris.
Blood leaked from between the stones.
"Old Four!"
Third Brother cried out in disbelief.
He hadn't even seen Logan move. No hand signs, no charge-up.
The next moment, his fire dragon lunged at Logan.
Logan exhaled. Ripples surged through his body. A flash of green lightning sparked beneath his feet.
The melted snow around him rose, reshaped by Ripple energy into a hardened wall of water.
The Wind Demon Flame Dragon slammed into it, hissing as mist exploded upward.
Third Brother's vision blurred.
"...Huh?"
Then bang—bang—bang—
A dozen Ripple-infused bullets tore through his body.
He crumpled, lifeless, into the bloodied snow.
With his death, the Wind Demon Flame Dragon let out one last roar before vanishing in a burst of steam and sparks.
Only Second Brother remained.
He approached Logan—but froze three steps away.
His sword hand trembled. Sweat soaked his grip. The air was cold, but his palm felt sticky with dread.
He dared not move.
He knew who Logan was.
This was the man who had defeated the Watermelon Mountain Pufferfish Demon. Who exposed the human trafficking ring. Who had slaughtered bounty hunters like they were nothing. Who had become the most wanted man in the Land of Water.
"Logan…"
Second Brother's fighting spirit drained away, replaced by something worse.
Fear.
Desperate, he activated his chakra vision, hoping to find an opening.
Instead, he saw a ghost.
Behind Logan stood a shining platinum figure—the Platinum Star, eyes cold and unforgiving.
The moment their gazes met, Second Brother knew.
Run.
There was no winning this fight. Stay, and he'd die.
He turned to flee.
But his legs wouldn't move.
Streams of water coiled around his feet like snakes, anchoring him to the ground.
"Damn it!"
He gritted his teeth and formed hand signs.
"Wind Style: Fierce Wind Palm!"
The gust broke the water's grip, launching him skyward.
BOOM!
Thunder again.
A hand—coated in golden lightning—punched through the wind and shot forward.
Logan's index and middle fingers formed a deadly spear.
Second Brother panicked, scrambling in the air.
"Wait! Don't kill me!" he screamed. "Two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen are coming. They'll find you soon!"
Behind Logan, Terumi Mei, Sasuke, and Momo had just arrived and overheard the plea.
"If you want to live, your only chance is to join the Magistrate. With his status, he can protect you! Don't be stupid!"
Second Brother shouted at the top of his lungs.
All eyes were on Logan.
Terumi Mei stared. Sasuke and Momo held their breath.
This was a choice.
Power. Money. Women. Life.
Wasn't that all people ever wanted?
Why make life harder than it had to be?
Logan lowered his arm slightly.
Second Brother breathed out, relieved.
"You made the right—"
CRACK!
Logan's hand didn't retract. It changed—from a point to a fist.
And that fist slammed into Second Brother's chest.
WHAM!
Time seemed to freeze.
Snowflakes hung motionless in the air.
Second Brother gasped, blood and spit spraying from his mouth. He clutched Logan's arm in shock.
"You think… killing us solves anything?" he croaked.
Even as death approached, he grinned through the pain.
"You'll join me in hell soon!"
"Logan… I'll be waiting!"
Logan exhaled and shook his head.
"You got two things wrong."
"First—I think if I die, I'll probably go to heaven."
"Second—"
He pushed forward.
Second Brother stumbled, crashing into the snow.
Logan's voice followed, cold and final:
"—It wasn't the Seven Ninja Swordsmen coming to find me."
"...I went and killed them."
pàtreøn (Gk31)