In the distance, the Mist Ninja troops were cautiously advancing when suddenly they noticed a black dot rapidly approaching them.
At first, it was just a speck on the horizon, but within moments, they could make out that it was a person—someone they immediately recognized.
The realization struck them like a thunderbolt, and their expressions turned grim.
Before they could react, Seimei was already upon them. Traveling at a staggering 200 meters per second, his approach left no room for delay.
To avoid alarming the enemy prematurely, Seimei didn't focus on the suspected Aburame Clan ninja but instead scanned the entire group below.
Roughly two squads were present—over thirty ninjas.
Although their numbers were relatively small, their average strength far surpassed that of the Mist Ninjas lying in ambush deeper in the forest. Not a single member of this group was below the rank of Chūnin.
Remarkably, there were five Jōnin among them. While only one of them was a full-fledged Jōnin, the other four were special Jōnin with expertise in specific techniques, making this unit a formidable force.
Unfortunately for them, their opponent was Seimei—a foe far beyond their league.
The hostility between the two sides left no room for dialogue. The moment they encountered each other, the fight began.
---
**Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—**
Dozens of kunai were hurled toward Seimei, aimed with deadly precision.
Seimei didn't bother dodging. Raising his hand, he unleashed the Wind Style: Great Breakthrough.
His past battles had taught him that against this kind of assault, the high-powered Great Breakthrough was the most effective counter.
Sure enough, as a gust of wind erupted from his mouth, it not only blew the kunai back at their throwers but also forced the Mist Ninjas to scatter to avoid the turbulent winds.
Seizing the moment, Seimei's eyes narrowed. He stopped channeling the jutsu, flapped his wings, and shot forward like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of a Mist Chūnin.
"Ah!"
The Mist Chūnin was startled by Seimei's sudden appearance and let out a scream, hastily preparing to counterattack.
But it was too late.
In an instant, Seimei activated Genjutsu: Sharingan, trapping his opponent in an illusion.
Then, with his hand imbued with Chakra, he swiped across the Chūnin's neck.
A faint glow of Chakra coated Seimei's palm, severing the ninja's carotid artery in one swift motion.
This wasn't just any random technique. It was the Chakra Scalpel, a medical ninjutsu Seimei had mastered to such a degree that he no longer needed hand signs to execute it.
In close-quarters combat, the Chakra Scalpel was both stealthy and lethal, as demonstrated here. The Mist Chūnin barely realized what had happened before his life was snuffed out.
---
**Whoosh—**
The scream drew the attention of a nearby special Jōnin, who immediately hurled a kunai at Seimei.
A quick glance revealed that the kunai was wrapped in Wind Chakra, clearly a precious Chakra-conducting weapon. The added wind element greatly increased its piercing power.
But against Seimei, it was futile.
Instead of dodging, Seimei activated Earth Style: Hardening Technique.
Previously, this technique would make his fair skin dark and rough. Now, after perfecting it, the color only deepened slightly, but its defensive power had significantly improved.
**Clang!**
The kunai struck Seimei's body but failed to penetrate his defense.
The sight caused Koji Ohara, one of the Mist Ninjas, to frown slightly.
Seimei took advantage of the moment, dashing through the enemy ranks. With swift and precise movements, his Chakra Scalpel slashed through the throats of three more Mist Chūnin.
Frankly, these Mist Chūnin weren't weak. By ninja world standards, they were mid-tier.
But against Seimei, they were as helpless as chickens before a butcher.
---
**Whizz, whizz, whizz—**
More projectiles flew toward Seimei. Unfazed, he soared into the sky, using the Hardening Technique to tank the attacks.
Once at a safe distance, he turned mid-air, quickly forming hand seals, and unleashed Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu.
**Boom—**
A massive stream of fire shot from his mouth, splitting into three colossal dragons that roared toward the Mist Ninjas from three different directions.
"Water Style: Water Wall!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Two Jōnin acted swiftly, countering two of the fire dragons with water-based techniques.
However, the third fire dragon plowed through the Mist Ninja formation. Fortunately, it was only one dragon, and they had enough room to evade.
But Seimei wasn't done yet.
**Crackle!**
With a flick of his wrists, lightning surged from Seimei's palms, forming two serpentine bolts of electricity.
The lightning streaked across a dozen meters, striking two Mist Chūnin.
"Ahhh!"
Their screams echoed briefly before fading. Their charred bodies collapsed, emitting a faint aroma of roasted flesh.
The power of Seimei's Lightning Style: Thunder Strike was evident.
---
Seimei flapped his wings, retreating swiftly to avoid retaliation. Suspended in the air, he looked down at the Mist Ninjas with a cold, calculating gaze.
The Mist Ninjas, now wary of his abilities, didn't dare act rashly. Instead, they stood on guard, tense and cautious.
Seimei's earlier display had left a deep impression on them. He wielded a variety of ninjutsu effortlessly, combining them with the Sharingan and his flight capabilities to slaughter them as easily as cutting through butter. The sheer disparity in strength was chilling.
Surveying the group, Seimei's eyes paused on one figure. Though the Mist Ninjas all appeared frightened, his Sharingan revealed that the fear on this individual's face was merely a façade.
This further confirmed Seimei's suspicion—this ninja, likely from the Aburame Clan, was sent by Danzo.
After all, only Danzo's subordinates, trained to suppress their individuality and act as tools, could remain so composed in the face of death.
Since that was the case, Seimei decided there was no need to waste time on the others.
His gaze briefly swept over the Mist Ninjas surrounding the Aburame ninja, then at the five Jōnin ready to strike. Without hesitation, he flapped his wings and descended toward the Mist Ninja formation once more.
*(End of Chapter)*