*Clang clang clang~*
*Boom~*
*Bang~*
*Ah~*
The intense sounds of battle continued to echo.
At first, facing four opponents, Seimei felt a bit pressured.
However, as time went on, he gradually grasped the behavior patterns of two of them, significantly reducing the pressure.
As a result, his counterattacks became more frequent, and the force behind them grew stronger.
Like now—Seimei swung his blade, precisely deflecting the attacks of Yoshida Eiyuu and another Kirigakure jonin, landing a strike on the group's sole special jonin.
The blade, infused with Wind Release chakra, was exceptionally sharp. With just a graze, it left a deep, bone-revealing wound on the opponent's forearm.
If not for the timely intervention of another Kirigakure jonin, the attack might have gutted the target.
Even so, the special jonin was rendered combat-ineffective. His abdomen had already been slashed by the extended wind blade from Seimei's sword, leaving a wound that could rupture with just a slight effort. Combined with his severely injured right forearm, he was clearly no longer fit to fight.
In other words, one less Kirigakure ninja was left to besiege him.
Yet, before Seimei could celebrate, a voice from his shadow clone rang in his mind:
"East side—third wave of Kirigakure reinforcements has arrived."
Hearing this, Seimei quickly widened the gap between himself and Yoshida Eiyuu's group, turning his gaze eastward.
With the Sharingan's powerful insight, he spotted a mass of Kirigakure ninjas rapidly approaching.
Though still far off, he couldn't yet gauge their strength.
He immediately issued an order to his shadow clone via the "Mind Transmission Technique":
"Split off two of you to intercept them."
"Understood," the clone replied. After a quick exchange with the other clones, two broke off and flew towards the incoming reinforcements.
Before long, the two sides clashed.
Initially, the two clones used their aerial advantage to hold back the enemies. However, once the Kirigakure ninjas discerned their purpose, they began relentlessly pushing forward.
The presence of several jonin in the group made it difficult for the clones to launch unrestricted attacks, and the reinforcements continued to advance steadily.
Realizing they couldn't stop the advance from the air, the clones exchanged a glance, then decisively abandoned their aerial advantage, landing to engage directly.
Like knights on a death charge, they plunged into the Kirigakure formation.
Indeed, the inherent fragility of shadow clones was a disadvantage, especially against such a large group. However, with their Sharingan, they could last a little while longer by being cautious—and a little time was all they needed.
Seconds ticked by.
As the two shadow clones were destroyed and the reinforcements broke into Yujin Port, news of mission success finally came from Namikaze Minato's side.
The head of the Yamanaka clan, Yamanaka Inoichi, used the "Mind Transmission Technique" to relay Minato's latest order to all surviving Konoha ninjas, including Seimei on the outskirts: Execute the third retreat plan!
The so-called third plan accounted for enemy reinforcements arriving but in manageable numbers. Everyone was to regroup quickly and break out in one coordinated charge.
Each retreat plan catered to a different scenario, but none of the others mattered now.
The choice of the third plan meant that everyone had to converge as quickly as possible; otherwise, they risked being abandoned.
Although Seimei could fly and was confident in his escape, he still needed to contribute to the retreat effort.
With this in mind, he found an opportunity, slashed twice in quick succession, and deflected the attacks of Yoshida Eiyuu and another Kirigakure jonin. Taking advantage of the opening, he distanced himself from the trio.
With one last glance at the approaching reinforcements, he turned and bolted toward the rear, where the Kirigakure command center lay.
Yoshida Eiyuu and his group froze momentarily, puzzled at Seimei's sudden retreat after his desperate resistance.
Realizing something was amiss, they quickly pursued him without hesitation, intent on stopping him.
Just then, two shadow clones arrived, unleashing an unrestrained barrage of ninjutsu to hinder Yoshida Eiyuu's group and the reinforcements behind them.
Here, the advantage of versatility became apparent. The clones tailored their jutsu to maximize their disruptive effect on the enemy.
Coupled with their ample chakra, they managed to hold back the Kirigakure forces for a while.
With this cover, Seimei could regroup more freely. Along the way, he rescued several Konoha ninjas who were temporarily pinned down, joining forces with them as they headed toward the designated meeting point announced by Yamanaka Inoichi.
Soon, they arrived and saw Namikaze Minato's group along with many Konoha ninjas who had been fighting on the outskirts.
Scanning the group, Seimei noted the heavy losses. Roughly a third of the attackers were gone, with every clan suffering casualties.
Even among the survivors, many bore injuries so severe that they were effectively incapacitated.
This underscored the brutal difficulty of the battle.
After a rough count, Seimei estimated that they had lost nearly 40% of their forces.
"Surely, even half surviving after the breakout would be considered fortunate," he thought grimly.
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