Seeing their comrade gravely injured, the remaining three Root ninjas showed no emotional reaction. They immediately seized the opportunity as Seimei's injuries worsened, launching a second wave of attacks, intent on killing him.
*Swish, swish, swish!* ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel~fire~net
Several shuriken whizzed through the air.
Observing their cold-blooded response, Seimei smirked and muttered, "How heartless."
Activating his Sharingan, he instantly locked onto the shuriken's flight paths and casually flung an equal number of his own, intercepting them midair.
Then, a flash of green light streaked past as he employed the **"Instant Sword Technique"** and counterattacked.
The three Root ninjas remaining consisted of two true jonin—one specializing in lightning release and the other in water release—and a special jonin skilled in wind release.
Seimei quickly summarized their abilities in his mind, devising a strategy based on their responses and positions.
Soon, the four were locked in fierce combat. They alternated between close combat and long-range tactics, testing each other with taijutsu and ninjutsu, neither side willing to give an inch.
While the Root ninjas had advanced rapidly by pushing their limits at the cost of future potential, their strength within their tier was undeniable. Their combat experience, in particular, far exceeded that of ordinary ninjas.
Their ruthless and underhanded tactics made them truly troublesome opponents.
However, they were just that—troublesome.
Even with his chakra not at full capacity and without activating the Mangekyō Sharingan, Seimei was confident he could defeat the trio. It was only a matter of time.
Casting a discreet glance at the immobile summoning beast perched on a distant tree like a sloth, Seimei used the **"Heart Connection Technique"** to notify his shadow clone on the main battlefield to come over.
Soon, the shadow clone found an opening, disengaged from combat, and rushed to Seimei's location at top speed.
However, Seimei instructed it to stay hidden, landing silently in the forest and approaching the sloth-like creature under his guidance.
As the shadow clone got closer, it realized that the sloth was nearly indistinguishable from the tree itself—it seemed to blend seamlessly into its surroundings, making it almost impossible to spot with the naked eye.
Its faint presence further concealed it; only by locking onto it in advance and sensing carefully could one detect it.
Clearly, this was a summoning beast adept at stealth and surveillance.
*"Where did Danzo find such a creature?"*
With a murmur, the shadow clone acted decisively, using the **"Body Flicker Technique"** to appear next to the sloth in an instant.
A glint of cold steel flashed as the shadow clone slashed at the creature, aiming to cut it in half before it could react.
Yet, while the blade struck true, no blood spilled.
The sloth split into two pieces—revealing itself to be mere tree bark.
The real sloth had already vanished, leaving only a faint afterimage.
From afar, Seimei's original body witnessed the scene, perceiving even more details thanks to his Byakugan.
Initially, the sloth had failed to notice the shadow clone's approach. But the moment the clone came within a meter of it, it reacted with astonishing speed.
It performed a substitution-like technique, swapping places with a piece of bark. Taking advantage of the moment when the bark was struck, it canceled the summoning jutsu, vanishing completely.
Seimei was genuinely surprised by the summoning beast's reflexes, especially given its resemblance to the sloth from his past life's memories.
Still, he had only intended to test it out. Although he failed to kill the creature and eliminate the threat, driving it away was also a satisfactory result.
Now free to fight without restraint, Seimei turned his gaze toward the three Root ninjas.
At this moment, the water-release specialist seemed to sense something amiss and glanced back toward the sloth's previous location. Spotting Seimei's shadow clone, his expression shifted.
The other two followed his gaze, quickly realizing their backup plan had failed.
The three exchanged glances, deciding to retreat immediately.
This wasn't out of fear of death but because they didn't want to die in vain. Their prior objective had been to probe Seimei's abilities, gathering intelligence to ensure the organization's next move would be more effective.
With the summoning beast gone, staying to fight served no purpose. It was better to retreat and prepare for another opportunity.
Of course, they had also determined they couldn't take down Seimei. Otherwise, they would have fought to the death.
Unfortunately for them, their retreat depended on Seimei's permission.
Without the sloth watching from afar, Seimei was free to unleash his full power and quickly deal with the trio.
Before making his move, he cautiously used his Byakugan to scan the surroundings, ensuring no other threats were present.
Once confirmed, he activated his **Mangekyō Sharingan.**
In an instant, the three tomoe in his pupils elongated and merged with the central black dot, which expanded to occupy nearly a third of his iris.
The tomoe's tails split into six curved black lines, connecting to the central dot at precise angles, forming a pattern resembling a burning black sun—a symbol of mysterious, overwhelming power.
The lead Root jonin froze upon seeing Seimei's eyes. His pupils constricted as he exclaimed, "Mangekyō? You've awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Even with his usual composure, shock and disbelief tinged his voice.
"Oh?" Seimei responded with interest. "You recognize it?"
The Root ninja didn't answer. Instead, he averted his gaze and shouted, "Scatter and escape!"
Using the **"Body Flicker Technique,"** he bolted toward the distance.
The other two hesitated for only a moment before splitting in separate directions.
This information was too crucial. No matter what, they had to ensure it reached the organization.
But they were too naive.
Having activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, Seimei had no intention of letting them escape.
With a single step, he disappeared from sight.