As the kunai thrust directly toward him, Seimei's thoughts shifted, and his Three Tomoe Sharingan instantly transformed into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Immediately, the ability of "Amatsu no Mitama" activated. Seimei's figure abruptly vanished, leaving the two Root ninjas stabbing at nothing but air.
However, his disappearance caused the recently unleashed Wind Release: Wind Devourer to stop due to the interruption of chakra flow.
The two Root Jōnin exhaled in relief, but Seimei's figure suddenly reappeared behind one of them.
The other ninja noticed and his pupils contracted sharply as he urgently shouted a warning, "Watch out!"
Hearing this, the ninja Seimei had approached sensed something was amiss. He attempted to dodge with a quick movement.
Unfortunately, the earlier effects of the Wind Release: Wind Devourer had taken a toll, significantly slowing his reaction time.
With a swift slash, Seimei decapitated him.
The remaining Root Jōnin had intended to seize the opportunity to attack, but Seimei vanished again the moment his strike landed.
When he reappeared, he was already in the opponent's blind spot.
Whoosh
The long blade swung, gleaming in the dim light. The second Root Jōnin followed in his companion's footsteps, meeting the same grim fate.
Now, all four Root Jōnin had been slain.
The only Root ninjas left were the four maintaining the barrier on the periphery and one more—Danzo.
As his thoughts turned to Danzo, Seimei turned, his Mangekyō Sharingan blazing like a pair of black suns, locking eyes with the man.
From the start of the battle, Danzo had barely intervened, observing silently as Seimei fought and systematically eliminated the Root ninjas. He had been quietly gathering intelligence on Seimei's abilities.
Now, with only Danzo remaining, what could he possibly be thinking?
When Seimei glanced at him, Danzo's expression revealed no sorrow for the loss of his subordinates. Neither was there any fear, as Seimei had anticipated. Instead, his gaze burned with undisguised greed.
Staring at Seimei's eyes, which resembled black suns, Danzo finally spoke for the first time since their encounter:
"You've indeed awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. When did it happen?"
Seimei remained silent in response.
Unbothered, Danzo continued, "That disappearing act of yours is one of your Mangekyō techniques, isn't it? No wonder you've killed so many of my men so effortlessly. What about the other eye's power?"
This time, Seimei's brow furrowed slightly.
He hadn't expected Danzo to know so much about the Mangekyō Sharingan, even understanding that it awakened two distinct abilities.
Then again, it made sense. Once suspicion arose, targeted investigation would eventually uncover some truths.
Though rare, the Mangekyō Sharingan wasn't unheard of.
And the Shimura clan wasn't some upstart family of recent decades. While not as illustrious as the Uchiha or Senju clans during the Warring States period, they had certainly held a place of prominence.
Considering Root's intelligence-gathering capabilities, it wasn't surprising they had acquired information about the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Yet, as long as Danzo dared remain here, it indicated that his understanding of the Mangekyō Sharingan's true power was still shallow.
Otherwise, upon seeing Seimei casually using his Mangekyō Sharingan, Danzo should have fled immediately.
After all, without a sufficient level of mastery, wielding the Mangekyō Sharingan was nearly impossible.
With that thought, Seimei's mind settled.
Wasting no words, he activated "Amatsu no Mitama" once again. Disappearing without a trace, he charged directly at Danzo.
Danzo's reflexes were sharp. Almost as soon as Seimei vanished, he formed a seal and unleashed Wind Release: Vacuum Wave.
A sharp, slicing current shot from Danzo's mouth, cutting through the surrounding 360-degree radius like a relentless sickle.
Danzo paid particular attention to his rear, focusing his attacks there.
Still, Seimei didn't reveal himself.
Unlike when he first awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, Seimei's "Amatsu no Mitama" now lasted far longer. Initially limited to just ten seconds, he could now maintain it for over forty.
Delaying a few seconds to strike was hardly an issue.
As Danzo's ninjutsu subsided and Seimei remained unseen, his expression soured.
Without hesitation, Danzo leapt backward.
Before he could take more than two steps, Seimei appeared right behind him.
Whoosh
The long blade struck again.
Seimei slashed straight down, aiming for Danzo's nape with his blade.
However, the strike hit nothing but air.
Danzo had been well-prepared for such an attack.
The moment he sensed Seimei's presence behind him, he lunged forward, dodging the blow.
But it didn't end there!
Without any hesitation, Danzo twisted his body mid-motion and flung several shurikens backward, targeting Seimei's vital points.
Yet, Seimei dismissed the attack as inconsequential.
With a single thought, he activated the power of "Heaven's Dominion" once more and vanished from Danzo's sight.
When he reappeared, he was already at Danzo's right side, his blade slicing downward, aiming for Danzo's carotid artery.
But Danzo only let out a cold laugh in response to the ambush.
In the next instant, black, ribbon-like markings emerged on Seimei's body, immobilizing him.
"The Curse Seal of Binding?" Seimei recognized the technique immediately.
Hearing his words, the cold smile on Danzo's face faltered slightly, as if puzzled by how Seimei knew of this technique.
However, Danzo was not one to linger on unnecessary questions.
Seeing that Seimei was unable to move, he swiftly drew a short sword from his waist and thrust it toward Seimei's throat.
As expected, there was no banter or hesitation from Danzo.
Seimei silently cursed his luck but immediately activated the power of "Heaven's Dominion" again, breaking free from the Curse Seal of Binding and disappearing before Danzo's eyes.
Initially, Seimei had hoped that Danzo might waste a moment or two questioning how he knew of the technique. That brief delay could have allowed Seimei to break free through sheer willpower and take the opportunity to strike.
Unfortunately, Danzo refrained from asking such questions.
This left Seimei somewhat disappointed.
But then again, it made sense. An experienced veteran like Danzo wasn't likely to make such a novice mistake.
He wasn't some naïve "Second Brother"!
Moreover, this version of Danzo didn't have ten Sharingan to burn through recklessly. Every second counted for him.
"What a pity."
Sighing quietly, Seimei reappeared not far away.
This time, he decided against using "Heaven's Dominion" for his next offensive.
Admittedly, the technique was incredibly effective, rendering Danzo completely defensive. But Seimei's Sharingan was still a Mangekyo Sharingan, not the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, which meant the risk of blindness remained.
Repeated use of ocular powers placed an immense strain on his eyes.
If his opponent were just an ordinary ninja, he wouldn't hesitate to use the ability continuously to secure a swift kill. But Danzo was different.
From the earlier exchanges, Seimei had already confirmed that while Danzo's current strength didn't match the peak level he had displayed against Sasuke in Seimei's memories, it was still formidable—at least above that of a typical Jonin.
Especially in terms of combat experience, Danzo was leagues ahead of most ninjas.
Using "Heaven's Dominion" for offense would be too extravagant in such a scenario.
Still, even without relying on that power, Seimei was confident in his ability to eliminate Danzo.
With that in mind, Seimei employed the "Shun Sword Technique", his entire figure transforming into a blur as he charged toward his opponent.