"Hello, I'm the commander of this battle, the leader of the Konoha Jonin squad, Nara Shikaku. May I ask who you are?"
Shikaku didn't respond to Seimei's question, instead cutting straight to the point.
At his words, the surrounding Konoha ninjas snapped to attention, their gazes sharpening as they scrutinized Seimei.
His shady getup practically screamed "suspicious."
This instantly washed away any guilt they might've felt from his earlier questioning. Instead, their hearts burned with a unified sense of defiance.
Being stared down by dozens—maybe hundreds—of skilled ninjas would make most people uneasy, even if they weren't scared.
But Seimei? He didn't give a damn about the lot of them.
So, he didn't bother answering.
Shikaku seized the moment, pressing on, "If you truly want to help Konoha, we'll treat you with respect. However…"
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle before continuing, "Before that, shouldn't you return the Nine-Tails? It belongs to Konoha and cannot be lost."
At this, Seimei hadn't even reacted yet when the surrounding ninjas subtly raised their kunai, ready to strike if things went south.
Seimei's gaze swept over them, then flicked discreetly to a few corners in the distance. Suddenly, he lifted his right foot and stomped hard on the ground.
In an instant, countless vines erupted from the earth, slithering like venomous snakes toward the Konoha ninjas on the perimeter.
As the saying goes, one good trick can take you far.
With Wood Release, Seimei didn't need flashy moves or complex ninjutsu. The raw power of Wood Release, amplified by sage chakra, was enough to handle most situations.
Just like now—in a split second, a ton of ninjas were caught off guard, bound tightly by the vibrant green vines.
But not everyone was unprepared.
The moment Seimei made his move, Yamanaka Inoichi sprang into action.
He swiftly formed the hand signs: Tiger, Ox, Dog, Snake, Monkey.
Then, placing his hands before his chest, palms slightly apart, fingers curled inward, he aimed at Seimei and unleashed the Yamanaka clan's secret technique—Mind Clone Switch Technique!
Unlike the Mind Body Switch Technique, this jutsu didn't fully transfer the user's spirit, so control was slightly weaker, but it kept the user's body safe.
Plus, the projected spirit could move within a certain range without fear of missing its mark.
In that instant, Inoichi had already calculated the possible outcomes.
But unfortunately for him, Seimei didn't even try to dodge.
It wasn't arrogance or slow reflexes—it was simply unnecessary.
With his 30-point mental stat fueling an overwhelming spiritual strength, no ordinary ninja could shake him.
Sure, Inoichi's training in the Yamanaka clan's secret arts gave him a mental edge over most Jonin, but it was still within human limits.
Seimei? He was far beyond that.
So, there was no need to dodge.
That said, he did need to be a bit cautious of Shikaku's control.
With that in mind, Seimei surged his chakra again, manipulating the nearby vines to upheave the ground, forming walls that artificially stretched the distance between him and the shadows creeping toward him.
Seeing this, Shikaku's pupils narrowed.
In one move, he could tell this mysterious figure knew the Nara clan's secret techniques inside and out, fully aware of the Shadow Imitation Technique's weaknesses.
This only deepened Shikaku's suspicion about Seimei's identity.
As he pondered, Inoichi let out a muffled groan nearby, his body swaying slightly.
Shikaku quickly asked, "Inoichi, you okay?"
"I'm fine. His mental strength is insanely strong—I got hit with some backlash," Inoichi replied concisely, already highlighting Seimei's strength.
At the same time, Akimichi Choza bulked up, swinging his staff with fierce precision to fend off the incoming vines for both of them.
Besides these three, a few other Konoha ninjas reacted quickly, dodging the vines and launching attacks at Seimei.
But, as before, Seimei didn't take them seriously.
After the first wave of clashes, he stowed the metal orb in his hand, glanced at a few spots on the battlefield's edge, and used the Body Flicker Technique. Under the cover of the vines, he broke through the encirclement.
Behind him, the Konoha ninjas gave chase.
But they couldn't match his speed and were left trailing in the dust.
Thus, the chase shifted the battlefield toward the village's outskirts.
Along the way, Konoha squads popped up ahead, trying to block his path, but Seimei brushed them off with ease.
Finally, after several minutes of high-intensity Body Flicker, Seimei reached the village's perimeter.
For the moment, no one was on his tail.
This showcased the gap between his 28-point stamina stat and ordinary ninjas. In terms of endurance alone, he left them in the dust.
With sage chakra boosting him, forget fighting—he could outrun them to death.
That said, it wasn't like no one could keep up.
In the forest, Seimei came to a stop and looked up at a tree branch ahead.
There stood a tall figure, dressed in a red coat, wooden clogs, red eyeliner on his face, and a headband with the character for "oil."
It was none other than one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya.
Seimei had met him a few times but wasn't sure when Jiraiya had returned to Konoha.
It couldn't have been long, though, since Seimei had already sealed the Nine-Tails by the time Jiraiya showed up.
That meant Jiraiya had been watching from the sidelines without stepping in.
Still, Seimei had sensed his presence.
That's why he didn't bother tangling with Shikaku and the others, opting to bolt at the first chance.
Unfortunately, without using Flying Thunder God, he couldn't shake Jiraiya.
And it wasn't just Jiraiya—two others had kept up, too.
Well, this works. A big brawl sounds fun.
With that thought, Seimei turned to two spots in the forest and called out, "Since you're both here, come on out!"
Jiraiya, still perched on the branch, didn't react with surprise.
Clearly, he'd already noticed the hidden figures.
The forest went quiet for a few seconds.
Then, a figure stepped out from behind a nearby tree.
He wore a standard Konoha flak jacket, his face plain, but his mannerisms reminded Seimei of someone else.
"Orochimaru, so you did show up!"
Before Seimei could say anything, Jiraiya identified the figure.
That's right—it was none other than Orochimaru, the Sannin who symbolized immortality.
As for Jiraiya's comment, Seimei figured Orochimaru's presence was likely why Jiraiya had returned a bit late.
"Heh heh heh~"
Orochimaru let out a creepy chuckle at Jiraiya's words.
Then, he ripped off the face he'd stolen with the Vanishing Facial Copy Technique, revealing his true appearance.
Looking at Jiraiya, he said, "Heh, Jiraiya, you're still so easy to fool."
With that, he ignored Jiraiya and turned his gaze to Seimei.
But Seimei didn't return the probing look. Instead, he glanced toward another spot in the forest to his right.
That was where the third person was hiding.
Realizing they couldn't stay hidden, the figure finally stepped forward.
He carried a short sword on his back, wore a Konoha flak jacket, and bore the Uchiha clan's emblem. His eyes glowed with a three-tomoe Sharingan.
No mistake—it was Seimei's old acquaintance, Uchiha Shisui.