Three days later.
The number of Konoha ninjas gathered outside Flying Fish Town had grown significantly, and the Mist Ninjas stationed inside the town were starting to feel the pressure.
That evening.
Seimei ascended into the sky for his routine reconnaissance of Flying Fish Town.
Suddenly, he noticed a faint layer of mist blanketing the town, obscuring visibility even to his Sharingan.
"Hidden Mist Jutsu?"
He quickly identified the technique.
After a brief hesitation, he released the Guardian Seal on his forehead, focused his chakra, and activated the Byakugan.
Although several Hyuga Clan members were present in the Konoha camp below, Seimei didn't sense any surveillance at the moment. This allowed him to take the risk of using his Byakugan.
Instantly, everything within a kilometer radius came into view.
Without delay, Seimei directed his attention toward Flying Fish Town. Through the thin mist, he observed the situation inside: the Mist Ninjas had already regrouped, splitting into three groups, each moving toward the town's outskirts.
The timing of their movements indicated meticulous planning, exploiting a gap between Seimei's reconnaissance routines. Fortunately, his frequent scouting intervals had not given them enough time to catch the Konoha forces completely off guard.
Quickly, Seimei deactivated his Byakugan, reapplied the Guardian Seal, and immediately used the Mind Link Jutsu to contact Sanosuke Nobuhisa, the commanding officer of the operation.
The moment their link was established, Sanosuke's voice resonated in Seimei's mind.
"Jōnin Seimei?"
"Yes," Seimei replied concisely, wasting no time as he relayed his observations and warned that the Mist Ninjas appeared to be preparing a counterattack.
Hearing this, Sanosuke sprang into action. He instructed Seimei to continue monitoring the Mist Ninjas' movements while he organized a defensive response.
From his vantage point in the sky, Seimei could see the situation clearly. Mere seconds after he delivered his report, Konoha forces stationed to the west, south, and north of Flying Fish Town began mobilizing.
It was evident that Konoha had remained vigilant all along, as their swift reaction proved. This significantly reduced the effectiveness of the Mist Ninjas' planned surprise attack.
However, the Mist Ninjas had already committed to their assault.
Even upon realizing Konoha's readiness, the Mist Ninjas pressed forward with their offensive.
The battle quickly escalated, spanning a two-kilometer radius. Explosions, battle cries, and the clashing of ninja tools filled the battlefield, creating a hellish cacophony.
Thanks to Seimei's warning, Konoha avoided being caught off guard, but they still faced a disadvantage early on. The Mist Ninjas were well-coordinated and targeted Konoha's weaker points with precision, causing Konoha to struggle initially.
Over time, however, the Konoha forces began to regain their footing, leveraging their numerical advantage to gradually turn the tide of battle.
The fight continued to intensify, with Seimei seizing opportunities to absorb chakra from the battlefield. He even created two Shadow Clones to help refine the energy he collected.
The next morning.
After a night of relentless fighting, the Mist Ninjas in Flying Fish Town finally succumbed to exhaustion and retreated.
Given the small battlefield and Seimei's aerial surveillance, the Konoha forces pursued without fear of ambush, driving the Mist Ninjas back into the town. The chase lasted until the Mist Ninjas were fully pushed back, at which point Konoha halted their pursuit.
This pause, however, was only temporary.
Sanosuke soon issued a new order: "Rest for three hours. After noon, we launch a full-scale attack."
He could not afford to wait for reinforcements. The Mist Ninjas had just failed in their counterattack, leaving their morale at its lowest.
This was the perfect opportunity, and Sanosuke was determined to seize it.
Three hours later.
The sun hung high in the sky.
Outside Flying Fish Town, the Konoha ninjas, having rested, regrouped under the leadership of their respective jōnin and advanced toward the town.
They employed a "three-sided siege," deliberately leaving one side open to minimize resistance from the Mist Ninjas.
Unfortunately, the Mist Ninjas did not take the bait.
They had already stationed themselves along the town's outer walls and rooftops, waiting silently for the Konoha forces to approach.
From above, Seimei observed this scene and immediately understood that the Mist Ninjas intended to fight to the bitter end.
He was not surprised, having already learned through clan channels that Konoha's higher-ups were engaged in secret negotiations with the Mist Village leadership. Both sides sought to use the battlefield to strengthen their bargaining positions.
Thus, the Mist Village was unlikely to abandon its remaining strongholds unless absolutely necessary.
Knowing this, Seimei wasn't shocked by the Mist Ninjas' determination to defend Flying Fish Town.
With a sharp battle cry, the conflict reignited.
Both sides began with a volley of ninja tools.
However, Konoha's forces had prepared extensively for this assault.
In addition to conventional methods, several squads at the rear activated large-scale offensive sealing techniques. These attack formations utilized pre-prepared scrolls inscribed with high-power ninjutsu, unleashed collectively by multiple shinobi. Properly deployed, they could devastate enemy defenses.
Now, massive fireballs—each two meters in diameter—materialized in the sky above Flying Fish Town, descending like meteors onto the Mist Ninjas below.
Initially, the Mist Ninjas had planned to engage in close combat following the ninja tool exchange. The unexpected bombardment caught them off guard.
Fortunately, they were not entirely unprepared.
Four elite Mist jōnin exchanged glances, quickly forming hand seals to unleash a large-scale water barrier.
A translucent dome of water appeared silently, shielding the Mist Ninjas from the fiery onslaught. The fireballs struck the barrier, rippling its surface but failing to penetrate.
Witnessing this, Seimei narrowed his eyes.
For some reason, he had a nagging suspicion that this technique was meant to counter him specifically.
Just moments ago, he had considered using Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu to disrupt the Mist Ninjas' formation. However, before he could act, Konoha's other squads had preempted him.
In hindsight, their actions had effectively revealed the Mist Ninjas' trump card.