Chapter 452: Fierce Battle in the Valley

On the other side...

Nagase Ichirō had just barely dodged an attack from Seimei. His feet had yet to stabilize when suddenly, a figure appeared right in front of him.

Who else could it be but Seimei?

In an instant, a strong sense of danger surged in his heart.

As soon as Seimei appeared in Nagase Ichirō's sight, he swung his sword towards him without hesitation. The entire motion was incredibly smooth, without any delay.

Clearly, Seimei had become more adept at using his "Instant Sword Technique."

In fact, that was exactly the case.

After the fierce battle the day before yesterday, plus two days of practice, his proficiency in the "Instant Sword Technique" had already increased from Lv6 (5500/10000) to Lv6 (8100/10000). He was not far from reaching Lv7.

And Lv7 was about the limit of the "Instant Sword Technique."

In other words, his mastery of the technique was approaching perfection.

With such skill, executing it felt even more natural.

This was precisely why he was able to push Nagase Ichirō into such a dire situation in such a short time.

However, if Seimei wanted to kill him, he would need to use some additional methods.

With a single thought, as their gazes crossed for a brief moment, Seimei activated the "Genjutsu: Sharingan."

In that instant, a surge of chakra, carrying mental energy, rushed through his eyes and into Nagase Ichirō's mind.

Seimei intended to use this to disrupt his opponent's senses and kill him.

However, Nagase Ichirō was a particularly skilled Jonin, especially in perception, and his reaction was swift. Almost immediately upon sensing something wrong, he closed his eyes without hesitation.

Not only that, but his defensive motions did not stop. Relying purely on instinct and his previous observations, he threw out a kunai.

*Clang!*

The sound of metal clashing rang out as Seimei's sword collided with the kunai.

The strike was blocked.

Nagase Ichirō knew he couldn't win in close combat, and fearing the effects of the Sharingan's genjutsu, he hadn't used much strength in his block.

As a result, the force of Seimei's sword passed through the kunai and pushed him backward, allowing Nagase Ichirō to retreat in an attempt to create some distance.

But his plan was futile. Seimei wasn't about to let him escape.

Seeing his opponent's eyes shut, Seimei swiftly loosened his grip on the sword, reducing the force, and took a step forward to close the gap.

At that moment, he extended his left hand and pressed a pale blue chakra orb, which had somehow formed unnoticed, against Nagase Ichirō's body.

In an instant, excruciating pain surged through Nagase Ichirō's body. Unable to hold it in, he opened his eyes and spat out a mouthful of blood, his energy rapidly draining away.

This move wasn't new — it was the unmarked ninjutsu: Rasengan!

To say the least, at Lv7, Seimei's mastery of the Rasengan had become nearly perfect in its stealthiness.

More importantly, the technique's power was formidable, often serving as a decisive move.

Seimei had already used this trick to ambush countless enemies, and very few had managed to guard against it.

Nagase Ichirō, evidently, was no exception.

As his opponent's eyes widened, Seimei slightly tilted his head to avoid the blood and, without missing a beat, activated the "Genjutsu: Sharingan" once more.

This time, Nagase Ichirō couldn't evade.

In a flash, his vision was overwhelmed by the sight of the blood-red Sharingan.

By the time he realized something was wrong and tried to break free, it was already too late.

*Whoosh!*

Seimei slashed his sword, precisely cutting through Nagase Ichirō's throat.

A powerful sense of suffocation pulled him out of the illusion.

But by the time he regained awareness, he was already barely breathing.

"Ugh... ugh..." 

A series of strained sounds escaped his throat as Nagase Ichirō stared unwillingly at Seimei, unable to do anything.

He stumbled back a few steps before collapsing to the ground, powerless.

*Thud!*

The dull sound echoed as Seimei took one last glance at his opponent's lifeless body. Without lingering, he scanned the area and locked onto the Mist Jonin who had earlier collaborated with Nagase Ichirō to fight a Leaf Jonin.

*Whoosh!*

A flash of blue light appeared as Seimei once again used his "Instant Sword Technique," darting swiftly toward the Mist Jonin.

Not far away, ever since Seimei had started fighting Nagase Ichirō, Itou Shouhei had kept part of his attention on Seimei's actions.

Seeing him kill Nagase Ichirō so swiftly, a sense of unease rose in his heart.

When Seimei then turned his attention toward him, his nervousness intensified.

Thus, he tried to create some distance from the Leaf Jonin he was fighting, intending to reassess his plan.

But the Leaf Jonin wasn't about to let such an opportunity slip away.

He immediately ramped up his attacks, forcing Itou Shouhei into a difficult spot, even resorting to a risky, mutual-damage strategy.

This left Itou Shouhei truly stuck in a tough situation.

If he stayed, he risked being surrounded by both Seimei and the Leaf Jonin. If he tried to leave, he would undoubtedly suffer some injuries.

And on the battlefield, getting injured was never an ideal choice.

After some inner conflict, he decided to stay.

Seimei's threat hadn't arrived just yet, but the Leaf Jonin's fierce assault was very real, and he needed to deal with it first.

However, the brief delay allowed Seimei to arrive on the scene.

At this point, it was too late to create any distance.

Without pause, Seimei joined the battle alongside the Leaf Jonin, launching a combined assault on Itou Shouhei.

Already, Itou Shouhei was struggling to handle just the Leaf Jonin, let alone facing both at once.

The outcome was predictable.

In just two or three minutes, Itou Shouhei started to falter.

Seimei seized an opening and delivered a slash to his right arm, leaving a shallow wound.

Although the injury was minor, it was only the beginning.

From then on, Itou Shouhei was completely on the defensive, with no chance to counterattack.

Wounds continued to pile up on his body, suffocating him under the relentless pressure.

Just as he was about to collapse, reinforcements finally arrived. Whether due to Yasuda Akikiku's preparations or simply noticing the situation, two Mist Jonin were sent to support him.

Yet, Seimei didn't care in the least about two mere Jonin.

Seeing them approach, he immediately handed off Itou Shouhei to the Leaf Jonin and turned to face the incoming Mist Jonin.

Without exchanging a single word, the battle erupted the moment they made contact.

The sharp clashing of blades and kunai filled the air, sparks flying with each strike.

Seimei didn't even use ninjutsu — he relied solely on his superior swordsmanship and the power of his Sharingan to completely overwhelm the two opponents.

Under his relentless blade, the two were forced onto the defensive, with little chance to retaliate.

And the rule that constant defense eventually fails applied here as well.

Seimei's stamina, boosted by his 19-point "Constitution" attribute, far exceeded that of ordinary people.

After a period of intense fighting, he could clearly feel his opponents beginning to tire.

Seizing the opportunity, he went all out, first using the "Genjutsu: Sharingan" to push one back.

Then, taking a hit to the shoulder in exchange, he delivered a devastating blow to the other Mist Jonin.

(End of Chapter)