Late at night.
The Land of Water.
Northwest region.
Above a port city.
Under the cover of darkness, Seimei moved like a ghost, silently gliding through the sky to reach this place.
After circling a few times above, he gazed down at the quiet city below, mentally comparing it to the map in his head. After a few checks, he confirmed he hadn't taken a wrong turn.
Wasting no time, he released the seal on his forehead, activating his Byakugan.
In an instant, everything within a one-kilometer radius came into view.
Of course, this alone wasn't enough to see the entire city in one go, but who said he lacked mobility?
Seimei flew a few laps around the city's center, taking in all its hidden secrets.
And with that, he successfully located his target.
He could see them leading a small team, stationed on the eastern side of the city, guarding a noble's mansion.
Immediately, Seimei recalled the details of their mission.
According to intel from a Mist Village ANBU, their task was to protect a key figure.
Rumor had it that this city had recently built a new port, sparking a fierce conflict between two nobles vying for control.
One side, driven by profit, had issued an assassination contract on the black market.
With no other choice, the other side had posted a protection mission through the Mist Village.
The ninja from the Yuki clan, whom Seimei had his sights on, had taken this mission and come here to ensure the safety of the noble and their family.
This meant the target and their team would be on high alert, making a sneak attack tricky.
Plus, any small disturbance in the city could alert the bounty ninjas hiding in the shadows, who'd taken the assassination contract.
Sure, in a straight-up fight, Seimei wasn't afraid of them. Even if their numbers doubled, he'd have no fear.
But who knew what tricks they might have up their sleeves? If they managed to leak any information, he could end up in a messy situation.
Even if he took them all out before they could send word, there was no guarantee some civilian wouldn't see something and spill details during later investigations.
He couldn't exactly silence every witness, could he?
Sure, for the sake of his training, he'd take on other ninjas, but that was ninja business. He wasn't deranged enough to go after ordinary people.
So, his only option was to lure the target out.
After some thought, Seimei came up with a plan.
Silently, he descended to a secluded corner of the city.
Then, he used the Transformation Technique, disguising himself as an ordinary ninja.
After mentally reviewing his quickly crafted plan, he stepped out from the alley, heading straight for the noble's mansion.
Thanks to his earlier Byakugan scan, he knew the layout of the city's buildings, the streets, and the hidden positions of every ninja—both in the open and in the shadows—like the back of his hand.
So, he easily slipped past everyone, reaching his destination in no time.
Spotting the regular guards at the mansion's gate and along the walls, Seimei cast a subtle genjutsu to cloud their senses, then strolled right into the courtyard.
Unlike his modest home in the Leaf Village, this noble's estate was sprawling, with multiple sections and ornate pavilions, practically a small manor.
In such a place, most ninjas would get disoriented without prior scouting.
But not Seimei. From the sky, his Byakugan had already mapped out the layout and pinpointed where the noble was resting.
It didn't take long for him to find his target.
Deep within the estate.
Seimei eyed a building ahead, ready to move forward.
But just then, a voice cut through the silence near his ear: "If I were you, I wouldn't take another step."
The voice was icy, like winter snow, sending an involuntary shiver down his spine.
Hiss~
A cold sensation grazed his neck.
Glancing back, Seimei first saw a kunai made of ice, glimmering faintly under the moonlight, radiating a chilling aura.
His gaze shifted further, landing on a somewhat familiar face.
"Speak. What's your target?"
Yukikaze stood behind Seimei, pressing the ice kunai closer to his neck, his voice cold and sharp.
That's right—this was none other than Yukikaze, a Mist Village jōnin Seimei had clashed with multiple times during the Third Great Ninja War!
Back then, Seimei had been on a mission and couldn't reveal his full strength, plus Yukikaze had backup, so he'd slipped away.
Now, over a year later, they'd crossed paths again.
And Yukikaze was the very target of this mission.
No way around it—Yukikaze, a ninja of the Yuki clan with whom Seimei had history, left the deepest impression on him.
So, if he had to pick a target, Yukikaze was the obvious choice.
It also helped clear his mind of overthinking.
As these thoughts flashed through his head, Yukikaze grew impatient with Seimei's silence and moved to subdue the intruder.
But in that split second, Seimei ducked, dodging the kunai's strike.
With a flicker, he put distance between himself and Yukikaze.
Caught off guard, Yukikaze hesitated briefly before lunging to pursue.
Before he could close the gap, several kunai flew toward him, perfectly blocking his path and forcing him to retreat.
And that wasn't all.
As more Mist ninjas emerged from the shadows, Seimei flung a flurry of shuriken with a swift swish-swish-swish.
A chorus of clinks and clangs followed.
Not only did Seimei's shuriken intercept every projectile aimed at him, but they also forced the other ninjas back.
Seeing this, Yukikaze's expression hardened.
As the saying goes, an expert's skill is obvious from a single move.
Just based on Seimei's pinpoint shuriken-throwing technique, Yukikaze knew this guy's strength and identity were far from ordinary.
Instantly, he dropped any underestimation and shouted to his three subordinates: "Plan C!"
At his command, the Mist ninjas, who'd been ready to charge, halted. They fell back, positioning themselves in front of the noble's room to protect their charge.
Meanwhile, Yukikaze used the Body Flicker Technique, closing in on Seimei at full speed, aiming to take him down solo.
Seeing this, Seimei's lips curled into a slight smirk, thinking to himself, Nice, he took the bait.
With that, he flashed backward, retreating toward where he'd come from, as if pulling the classic "miss your shot, flee a thousand miles" move.
Yukikaze hesitated for just a moment before giving chase.
This wasn't just about figuring out Seimei's identity—it was a decision rootedTPP
System: rooted in his confidence in his own strength.
As a ninja who had awakened his clan's Kekkei Genkai, Yukikaze was extremely confident in his abilities.
He firmly believed that among jōnin, there weren't many who could defeat him.
Indeed, Seimei's performance just now had caught his attention, but it wasn't enough to make him wary, let alone back down.
(End of Chapter)