He'd had his suspicions about Seimei for a while now. The guy clearly wasn't weak, and he was fighting on his home turf, yet he never used ninjutsu during their battles. Not even explosive tags. And that shadow clone from earlier? No matter how you looked at it, it just didn't add up.
Now, though, it was starting to click. The person chasing him had their own issues—identity issues, to be exact. It wasn't that they didn't want to use powerful ninjutsu or explosive tags; they just couldn't afford to make a big scene either.
But was that really the whole story? Not quite. The other side had oversimplified things.
The real reason Seimei hadn't unleashed ninjutsu or explosives was simpler: he was worried his opponent wouldn't hold up long enough for the three Mist squads waiting on the outskirts to close in. Even if he went easy and the guy survived, there was a good chance they'd get spooked, abandon any thought of a head-on fight, and just bolt. If that happened, timing his retreat would get tricky, and his whole plan could fall apart.
That's why, in their earlier clash, Seimei had seemed a little hesitant, almost like he was holding back.
But that was then. Now, the people he'd been waiting for were almost here, and he didn't need to hold back anymore.
With that thought, Seimei stepped right up to the Iwa Anbu ninja in front of him.
Swish!
His long blade flashed.
Seimei infused wind chakra into the sword, unleashing "Wind Release: Vacuum Blade" with a swift slash aimed straight at the Iwa Anbu's chest.
A sharp sense of danger hit the Iwa ninja, snapping him out of his thoughts. He pulled himself together, dodging Seimei's strike while thrusting his own short sword toward Seimei's heart.
This time, though, things were different. With the Sharingan's help, Seimei saw the move coming a step ahead. Before the thrust could fully extend, he twisted his wrist, pulling the long blade back and raising it in front of him.
Clang!
The short sword struck the blade, letting out a crisp metallic ring.
The Iwa Anbu's pupils shrank at the sight. He lunged forward, adjusting his grip to slide the short sword along Seimei's blade and aim for his lung. But Seimei wasn't about to give him the chance.
Chakra flowed into his right arm, stimulating the muscles and boosting the strength in his sword hand. With a flick of his wrist—clang!—he knocked the short sword aside, leaving it stabbing at nothing but air.
Not done yet, Seimei stepped in close, their bodies nearly pressed together. His left hand shot out, landing a lightning-fast strike just below the Iwa ninja's chest.
The blow left the Iwa Anbu gasping, a breath caught in his chest that he couldn't quite release. Still, he gritted his teeth through the discomfort, kicking off the ground hard and flipping backward to put some distance between them.
Seimei sensed for a moment, confirming the Flying Thunder God mark was now on his opponent, and didn't bother pursuing. He even sheathed his blade.
That's right—during that palm strike, he'd planted the Flying Thunder God mark on the guy. From now on, no matter where he went, Seimei could track him perfectly and teleport to his side with the "Flying Thunder God Technique" whenever he wanted.
This was the final step before his plan officially kicked off.
On the other side, the Iwa Anbu—still unaware his life was now in Seimei's hands—watched him suddenly put away his weapon and couldn't make heads or tails of it.
Seimei didn't care what he thought, though. Beneath his mask, he activated his Byakugan, confirming the three Mist squads were about to arrive. He raised his hands, formed seals, and unleashed a ninjutsu: "Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Nearby, the lake churned. A moment later, a water dragon surged into the sky, then dove toward the Iwa Anbu under Seimei's control.
The Iwa ninja had no idea why Seimei, who'd been so cautious just moments ago, was suddenly making such a bold move. But as the target, he reacted fast. He flew through hand signs, slapped the ground, and used an earth-style ninjutsu to raise a meter-high, dome-shaped shield around himself.
Boom!
The water dragon slammed into the dome, letting out a dull thud.
Crack, crack, crack!
Fissures spiderwebbed across the shield.
Seeing this, the Iwa Anbu quickly poured more chakra into it, patching up the cracks. A few breaths later, the water dragon dissipated, and he let out a small sigh of relief.
Seimei's shift in the last few seconds had been so drastic it nearly threw him off. Luckily, he'd made it through unscathed.
With a thought, he dropped the ninjutsu and darted away from the spot. But the follow-up attack he'd braced for never came—he'd dodged nothing but air.
He glanced back toward where Seimei had been standing.
Whoosh~
A night breeze blew through.
The spot was empty. No sign of anyone.
Even for an experienced Iwa Anbu like him, this left him baffled. He couldn't keep up with Seimei's thinking—what was this guy even after?
Inhale… exhale…
He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.
Once he'd calmed down a bit, he decided not to overthink it. He needed to get out of here. That big move just now would definitely draw the Mist ninjas' attention, and he had to be gone before they showed up.
With that in mind, he raised his hands to form seals and get out of there. But before he could finish, a dozen kunai shot out from the trees.
Catching them in his peripheral vision, his expression shifted. When he spotted the explosive tags attached to them, the face beneath his mask grew even grimmer.
No hesitation—he stopped the seals mid-motion and flashed out of the way.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions ripped through the air one after another, fireballs blooming to light up the darkness and scatter the nearby fog.
Swish, swish, swish!
Several figures appeared, fanning out in a semicircle around the Iwa Anbu who'd just dodged the attack.
He took in these black-robed, masked ninjas—dressed much like him—and the flames left by the explosive tags. No doubt about it: these were the real Mist Anbu.
And just like that, he understood why Seimei had bailed. A faint suspicion crept in—he'd been tangled up with Seimei to draw attention, hadn't he?
"Drop your weapon now, or you're dead!"
One of the Mist Anbu barked the order, voice ice-cold.
The Iwa Anbu's eyes flickered with a hint of mockery. They're being played as pawns and still acting all high and mighty? he thought. But he wasn't about to call out Seimei's identity.
As a fellow Anbu, he knew how this worked. No matter what he said right now, they wouldn't believe him. His only move was to escape, as fast and as far as possible.
Thinking of Seimei not being Mist Anbu, he felt the intel he carried was even more solid. He had to get it back.
With that, he hurled a kunai, then leaped backward into the small lake behind him.
Clang!
The lead Mist Anbu deflected a kunai aimed his way with a flick of his short sword, then spat out a single word: "Chase!"
In an instant, the group of Mist Anbu leaped onto the lake's surface, hot on the Iwa ninja's trail.