"Hmm?"
Seimei, engrossed in honing his 'Swordsmanship,' suddenly sensed something amiss.
His Sharingan's three tomoe spun rapidly, instantly discerning Toyama Daito's intentions.
"Trying to take me down with you? Naive."
Muttering to himself, Seimei shifted his grip and forcefully retracted his short sword before it could approach Toyama Daito.
With a swift flash, he dodged Toyama Daito's desperate attack effortlessly.
"Damn it!"
Toyama Daito's heart sank as his attack missed its mark.
Before he could recover, the sharp sound of air being pierced reached his ears.
"Danger!"
His instincts screamed at him, and he attempted to evade, but it was too late.
*Slash!*
Seimei's short sword grazed his chest, carving a deep wound that exposed bone.
"Ugh!"
The searing pain elicited a muffled groan as Toyama Daito instinctively clutched at the wound. Blood streamed from the gash, and his vision dimmed.
He knew he would die from blood loss unless he acted quickly, but—
Scanning his surroundings, he found no sign of Seimei. Treating his injury wasn't an option with an enemy lurking nearby.
Not that it mattered for long.
In the next instant, a short sword pierced his back, puncturing his heart and emerging from his chest.
*Pfft!*
A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips.
Toyama Daito looked down at the bloodied tip of the blade jutting through his clothes.
"Is this... the end?"
As his strength ebbed, his mind wandered to his family. A fleeting thought crossed him: *If only there were no war...*
*Tsss!*
Seimei withdrew the blade, extinguishing the last traces of life in Toyama Daito.
He had felt the surge of emotion in his opponent's final moments but gave it no further thought.
After all, they were enemies, and Seimei had no time to entertain sympathy.
Sheathing his sword, he surveyed the battlefield.
The skirmish was nearing its end. Only a few scattered Iwa-nin continued to resist. Judging by the distant sounds of combat, the other battlefronts were also winding down.
Rather than seeking new targets, Seimei chose to assist the team's medical ninja in treating the wounded.
This decision wasn't entirely altruistic; his 'Healing Technique' needed practice to improve, and his injured comrades provided the perfect opportunity.
To the other Konoha ninjas, however, Seimei's actions reflected the ideals of a model ninja—taking on the riskiest enemies in battle and immediately supporting his comrades afterward.
If this wasn't exemplary, then what was?
Admiration gleamed in their gazes as they looked at him.
Though Seimei cared little for reputation, he understood its utility. A good reputation could serve as a shield, and he saw no reason to discourage their whispers of praise.
---
Time passed swiftly.
Half an hour later, the battle was over.
Konoha's forces had annihilated 105 enemies while sustaining 75 casualties. Despite medical intervention, 22 were confirmed dead.
The casualty ratio—nearly 5 to 1—was staggering.
This disparity wasn't because Iwa-nin were weaker than Konoha. Rather, it stemmed from the imbalance in numbers.
Konoha had deployed nearly 500 ninjas, the majority being Chunin and Jonin, with only a few Genin among their ranks.
Iwa-nin, on the other hand, fielded just over 100 combatants, most of whom were Genin.
With an average of four or five Konoha ninjas ganging up on each Iwa-nin, it was no surprise the results were so lopsided.
Had the Iwa-nin not fought desperately before succumbing, Konoha's losses would have been even lower.
Of course, not every Iwa-nin was captured or killed.
Without an initial encirclement, it was inevitable some would escape. Even if surrounded, ninja techniques made it impossible to catch everyone.
With the battle concluded, the information leak was unavoidable.
The next phase would depend on preparedness and seizing opportunities.
---
After an hour of rest, Seimei's team resumed their mission.
Following the plan, they advanced to attack a second-line Iwagakure camp.
Like Konoha, Iwagakure's defenses were layered, and their task was to push forward relentlessly, dismantling each layer to force reinforcements from other Iwagakure bases.
This would allow Konoha's feint-attack forces to launch a real offensive, pressuring Iwagakure's front line.
The plan was straightforward.
In a world dominated by extraordinary powers, complex tactics often played second fiddle to raw strength.
Orochimaru, therefore, prioritized securing a strong first strike and leaving the rest to execution.
---
An hour and a half later, Seimei's group arrived at their destination.
As expected, news of their assault had already reached the Iwa-nin, who stood on high alert.
It didn't help.
Reinforcements had no time to arrive, and the 100 or so ninjas stationed there were woefully outnumbered.
The battle ended in just over 30 minutes.
Seimei only managed to kill one Tokubetsu Jonin this time—not due to a lack of effort but a shortage of high-ranking targets.
Even then, he had been lucky. As part of the combat team tasked with handling high-risk enemies, he was able to claim one. Otherwise, he might not have gotten any.
The Jonin seemed prepared to retreat, leading their subordinates to safety as soon as the tide turned against them.
Though they didn't take many people, their actions—and the selection of who they saved—revealed Iwagakure's intent to preserve its elite forces.
It was clear that a larger confrontation loomed on the horizon, and these conserved combatants would play a pivotal role.
Seimei resolved to kill as many enemies as possible in the upcoming battles.
Keeping this determination in mind, he once again assisted the medical ninja in treating the wounded.
As for the issue of depleted chakra?
Seimei wasn't concerned.
His lv5 'Chakra Absorption Technique' allowed him to drain 1,000 chakra points per second, with a 90% conversion rate into his own chakra.
All he needed was to touch an enemy for a few seconds before their death to fully replenish his reserves.
With that assurance, Seimei prepared for the battles yet to come.
(End of Chapter)