Seimei glanced around, confirming no one was nearby, then immersed himself in the insight brought by his new knowledge. The perfected "Flash Sword Technique" had indeed transformed his abilities.
To start with, the interval between his use of the technique had drastically shortened. Before advancing to level 7, even his fastest moves had a slight pause between them. But now? The pause was practically negligible. This is precisely why he had managed to catch Murakami Yu off-guard, closing in from the front to his side in an instant and severing his arm. If not for this, even with a wounded right arm, Murakami wouldn't have given him an opening so easily.
His mastery over "Flash Sword Technique" at level 7 had also played a significant role in his swift defeat of the other Kirigakure Jōnin. Seimei could foresee that the nickname "Demon Sword" would undoubtedly become even more fitting.
Time passed by in silence.
After a while, Seimei opened his eyes. Without further delay, he chose a direction and set off. He was eager to test the refined "Flash Sword Technique" and absorb more chakra along the way. Although he had spent more than two hours relying on his swordsmanship in combat, frequent use of the technique drained a considerable amount of chakra. To ensure he could continue developing his other skills, he had to gather more.
Besides...
"This battle has gone on long enough; it's time to end it," he thought as he increased his speed.
---
The southern front of the Black Stone stronghold.
In a clearing, Uchiha Shisui parried an incoming attack with his kunai, facing a young Kirigakure Jōnin. This opponent had long, jet-black hair and pale skin, and their gender was... ambiguous. With delicate features that leaned towards androgyny, it was hard to determine if they were male or female.
The attacks, in the form of thin needles made of ice crystals, clearly demonstrated the ability of the Ice Release technique. With the opponent's Kirigakure affiliation, it wasn't hard to guess that they were a member of the Yuki Clan. The young members of this clan tended to have a more androgynous appearance, especially those who had awakened their Kekkei Genkai.
Seimei appeared silently, momentarily taken aback by the sight of the Kirigakure ninja. However, upon noticing the ice needles they conjured, he immediately launched an attack.
With a flick of his wrist, several kunai were thrown, predicting the movements of the Kirigakure ninja and targeting their vital spots. Sensing danger, Yuki Fubuki glanced at Seimei and promptly abandoned his assault on Shisui, sidestepping Seimei's kunai with ease. Because Seimei was unfamiliar with Fubuki's tendencies, his predictions weren't as precise. The distance also gave Fubuki ample time to react, allowing him to dodge the attack with little effort.
However, his face showed no signs of relief. Facing Shisui alone was already challenging; now, with Uchiha Seimei added to the mix, he was genuinely uncertain of his chances. Just as he was debating whether to retreat, Seimei threw another set of kunai—this time, two were fitted with explosive tags.
At first, Fubuki didn't notice anything unusual, but as the kunai drew closer, an overwhelming sense of danger arose. Without hesitation, he dodged to one side.
This was precisely the opening Seimei had been waiting for. A faint green light enveloped him, and in the blink of an eye, he and his sword appeared at Fubuki's side.
"What?" Fubuki hadn't expected Seimei to close in so suddenly and cried out in surprise. Quick to react, he instinctively summoned his Kekkei Genkai, forming a shield of ice in front of him. Seimei's blade struck the ice shield, embedding itself within with a sharp hiss as ice shards scattered. The long blade cut a deep groove in the shield but got lodged without reaching Fubuki.
Taking advantage of this moment, Fubuki exhaled a blast of chilling mist directly at Seimei's face. Feeling the bone-chilling cold, Seimei frowned slightly. With a thought, he channeled Fire Release chakra into his blade, instantly melting the ice creeping along its edge. Sensing the blade loosen, he quickly retrieved it and leapt back, avoiding the freezing mist.
Their clash had been so quick that only now did Shisui realize Seimei was there.
With a "Body Flicker Technique," Shisui appeared beside him. "Seimei, how did things go on your end?" he asked, eyeing Fubuki.
Still focused on Fubuki, Seimei replied, "It's handled."
Shisui only nodded, as if he'd expected nothing less, but Fubuki's face betrayed his growing anxiety. He knew about Daiza Yoshiki's plan, aware that Seimei had been left to the charge of two fellow Jōnin. If Seimei claimed the battle on his side was over, that meant those two were likely dead. They weren't just regular Special Jōnin but fully ranked Jōnin, and their absence would have a significant impact on their high-level forces.
This realization deepened Fubuki's unease.
In his moment of distraction, Seimei and Shisui moved in. Seimei flashed to his side, striking with his long blade, while Shisui hurled kunai to keep Fubuki on the defensive. Despite his quick reaction, Fubuki could only dodge the fatal blow in a flustered manner.
Seimei seized the opportunity and pressed on, unleashing his newly perfected "Flash Sword Technique" at level 7, moving like a shadow, visible one moment, gone the next. With no room to counter, Fubuki was forced into a defensive stance.
Just then, a large firework exploded in the sky. Fubuki's face lit up upon seeing it; although Seimei and Shisui didn't know its meaning, he did. It was the signal to retreat.
In other words, he was free to leave!
*(End of Chapter)*