Grind is My Ninja Way

Seeing Seimei charging straight toward him, Kuroki Izumi didn't hesitate for a moment. After signaling to his teammates, he stepped forward to meet the attack.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of intense combat echoed through the air.

Seimei wielded his long blade with ghostly precision, launching relentless attacks.

Kuroki Izumi, armed with a kunai, demonstrated agile footwork and accurately blocked each assault.

As expected of a true Jonin, his abilities were exceptionally well-rounded, far surpassing those of the three Special Jonin Seimei had previously defeated.

However, if this were all there was to him, Seimei was confident he could take him down after a period of combat, even without revealing his full strength.

The real issue lay in the fact that Kuroki Izumi wasn't fighting alone. Positioned nearby were three other Special Jonin providing support.

This significantly complicated Seimei's ability to swiftly defeat him.

Still, Seimei wasn't particularly anxious.

As he had anticipated, after a portion of their forces were deployed to attack the Konoha camp, the Mist Ninja's manpower within Yujin Harbor had become severely strained. High-level combatants, in particular, were in critically short supply.

Having already killed three opponents, Seimei felt he had fulfilled his duty. There was no need to exhaust himself taking down these four.

All he needed to do now was stall them.

After all, this was a war, not his personal battle. He couldn't be expected to handle everything while others merely reaped the benefits.

To achieve victory in war, everyone must contribute. Seimei had no intention of sacrificing himself for Konoha.

With that thought, his movements softened, shifting from relentless offense to a more defensive approach.

Noticing his change in tactics, Kuroki Izumi and the three other Special Jonin were unsure of his intentions but seized the opportunity to launch a more aggressive attack.

Seimei, fully alert to his surroundings, meticulously analyzed their attack patterns and angles, blocking with precision.

Through this process, he unexpectedly made an important discovery.

He had been overly focused on offense for a long time.

Thanks to his extraordinary physical capabilities and the powerful insight of his Sharingan, he had always seized the initiative, regardless of how many enemies he faced.

However, this single-minded focus on offense had left him with limited experience in defense compared to ordinary ninja.

For someone who pursued perfection, this was an undeniable weakness.

While this deficiency hadn't been evident before, the shift in his fighting style brought it to light.

Though he could handle the four before him, there was no guarantee future opponents would be as manageable.

Thus, even as a precaution, he needed to build up his defensive skills.

Resolving himself, Seimei directed his full attention to the battle. He reduced his offensive frequency further, focusing solely on defense.

Gradually, he became immersed in the fight, instinctively filtering out irrelevant external distractions.

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

As Seimei and Kuroki Izumi's group continued to clash, a massive explosion suddenly erupted nearby.

Startled, Seimei snapped out of his focused state and glanced toward the source of the sound.

In an instant, he spotted several familiar figures.

They were none other than the Konoha Jonin who had joined him in the assault on Yujin Harbor, including their elderly, temporary captain.

Trailing behind them were numerous Chunin and Genin from Konoha.

It was evident that, after prolonged combat, they had broken through the Mist Ninja defenses and entered Yujin Harbor itself.

Kuroki Izumi and the others attacking Seimei noticed this as well.

Immediately, they attempted to retreat to the second defensive line.

However, Seimei wasn't about to let such an opportunity slip away.

The moment he sensed their intent, he activated his Flash Blade Technique and closed in on one of the Special Jonin who was weak in close combat.

Swish!

The blade gleamed as Seimei struck directly at the opponent's face.

Caught off guard, the Special Jonin hastily raised his kunai to block.

Clang!

A heavy metallic clash resounded as Seimei's strike sent both the kunai and its wielder flying.

But he wasn't done yet.

Dodging the kunai and shuriken thrown by Kuroki Izumi and another Special Jonin, Seimei instantly pursued the airborne opponent.

Sensing Seimei's killing intent, the Mist Ninja threw his kunai to disrupt the attack while propelling himself backward with a powerful leap.

Seeing this, Seimei's eyes narrowed slightly.

In the next moment, he formed hand seals and used the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Poof!

With a puff of chakra smoke, a shadow clone appeared.

Seimei instructed the clone to fend off Kuroki Izumi and the others while he continued his pursuit.

The Mist Ninja's physical capabilities were average. Though he had gained some distance thanks to Seimei's earlier strike, he was quickly overtaken.

Having observed the enemy's combat patterns during the previous fight, Seimei exploited his Sharingan's insight to find an opening, leaving a gash on the opponent's body.

The pain disrupted the Mist Ninja's movements.

Taking advantage of this, Seimei accelerated further, launching a relentless series of attacks.

Countless blade shadows filled the Mist Ninja's vision, overwhelming him.

At one point, Seimei suddenly sheathed his blade and closed the distance.

Amid the Mist Ninja's terrified gaze, Seimei extended his left hand.

A high-density chakra sphere rapidly formed in his palm, which he slammed into the opponent's chest.

Agonizing pain twisted the Mist Ninja's face as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Looking down at Seimei's hand pressed against his chest, the Mist Ninja opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out.

Seimei stared at him briefly before his ears twitched, sensing something.

In a flash, he moved away.

A kunai streaked through the air, embedding itself where Seimei had just stood.

Moments later, a sizzling sound rang out.

The kunai's tail was tied to an exploding tag, now burning fiercely.

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