As the kunai darted straight toward him, Qingming's thought shifted, and his Three Tomoe Sharingan instantly transformed into the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Immediately after, the ability of "Heavenly Sovereign" activated, and his figure abruptly vanished, leaving the two Root ninja striking at empty air.
However, his disappearance caused the ongoing Wind Release: Wind Devour jutsu to halt due to the interrupted chakra supply.
The two Root Jonin finally let out a brief sigh of relief, but Qingming's figure suddenly materialized behind one of them.
The other ninja's pupils dilated in shock, and he quickly shouted a warning:
"Watch out!"
Hearing the alert, the ninja being targeted sensed the danger and tried to sidestep.
Unfortunately, the earlier Wind Devour had inflicted significant damage, slowing his reflexes.
With a single stroke, Qingming's blade cleaved through his neck, severing his head.
The remaining Root Jonin initially considered exploiting the opportunity to counterattack, but Qingming disappeared once again after the fatal strike.
When he reappeared, he was already in the ninja's blind spot.
Whoosh!
The sword slashed through the air with a sharp gleam, and the final Root Jonin met the same fate as his comrade, his life extinguished in an instant.
Now, all four Root Jonin lay defeated.
The only remaining enemies on the battlefield were the four Root ninja maintaining the barrier on the perimeter and Danzo himself.
Turning to Danzo, Qingming's Mangekyo Sharingan locked onto the man's gaze.
From the beginning of the fight, Danzo had refrained from direct action, instead observing Qingming's battle with his subordinates and silently gathering information about his abilities.
Now that the Root forces had been decimated, Qingming couldn't help but wonder about Danzo's state of mind.
But as their eyes met, there was no sign of grief for his fallen subordinates, nor was there the slightest trace of fear. Instead, his gaze was filled with a greed that was impossible to disguise.
Fixating on Qingming's Mangekyo Sharingan—those eyes like black suns—Danzo finally spoke for the first time since they had met:
"As I thought, you've awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan! When did it happen?"
Qingming remained silent, offering no response.
Danzo, unconcerned by the lack of an answer, continued:
"The ability to vanish and reappear—that must be one of your Mangekyo abilities. No wonder you've managed to kill so many of my men. What about the other one?"
Hearing this, Qingming's brows furrowed slightly.
He hadn't expected Danzo to have such an in-depth understanding of the Mangekyo Sharingan, even knowing that it grants two distinct ocular abilities.
But upon further thought, it wasn't entirely surprising.
Once Danzo suspected him of possessing such eyes, a thorough investigation would surely yield results. While Mangekyo Sharingan users were rare, they were not entirely unheard of.
Furthermore, the Shimura clan didn't just rise to prominence in recent decades; they had been a known force even during the Warring States Period. Although they couldn't rival the Uchiha or Senju clans in fame, they were still a notable family.
Coupled with the Root Organization's extensive intelligence-gathering capabilities, uncovering such information wouldn't have been too difficult.
Still, as long as Danzo remained on the battlefield, it meant he didn't fully grasp the Mangekyo's true power.
If he truly understood the risks, the moment he saw Qingming using his Mangekyo abilities so freely, he would have fled without hesitation.
Reassured by this realization, Qingming dismissed any lingering doubts.
Without further delay, he activated "Heavenly Sovereign" again, erasing his presence as he charged directly toward Danzo.
However, Danzo's reactions were exceptionally swift. The instant Qingming vanished, he formed hand seals and unleashed Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves.
A sharp, slicing wind erupted from his mouth, cutting across a full 360-degree radius, much like a demonic scythe slashing at the surrounding space.
The areas directly behind him received the most concentrated attention.
Yet, Qingming never reappeared.
Unlike when he had first awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, where "Heavenly Sovereign" could only last for ten seconds, his mastery now extended its duration beyond forty seconds.
For Qingming, waiting a few extra moments before acting was trivial.
As Danzo's jutsu dissipated, his expression darkened slightly.
Without hesitation, he leaped backward, retreating from his current position.
But before he could take a second step, Qingming materialized directly behind him.
Whoosh!
The blade struck toward the back of Danzo's neck.
Yet the attack struck only air.
Danzo had anticipated such a move.
The instant he sensed Qingming's presence, he dove forward, narrowly avoiding the strike.
Not stopping there, Danzo twisted mid-motion, flinging several shuriken toward Qingming with pinpoint precision, aiming for his vital points.
This attack, however, held no threat to Qingming.
With a thought, he reactivated "Heavenly Sovereign," vanishing once more from Danzo's sight.
This time, Qingming reappeared on Danzo's right flank, his blade slicing toward the man's carotid artery.
But Danzo responded with a cold smirk.
In an instant, black binding seals appeared across Qingming's body like a constricting net, immobilizing him completely.
"Self-Curse Binding Seal?"
Qingming recognized the technique immediately.
Hearing his words, Danzo's expression briefly faltered, as if puzzled by Qingming's knowledge of the jutsu.
But he was not the type to waste time probing further.
Seeing Qingming frozen, Danzo drew the short sword at his waist and stabbed toward his throat without hesitation.
Contrary to his expectations, Qingming didn't waste time talking either.
"Heavenly Sovereign" activated once more, shattering the seal's restraints. His figure vanished again before Danzo's strike could land.
Had Danzo tried to interrogate or gloat, Qingming could have leveraged that opening to free himself naturally. A counterattack might have ended things decisively.
But Danzo wasn't the kind of man to make such a rookie mistake.
He was no Sasuke Uchiha.
Besides, without the ten Sharingan he wielded during the later battle with Sasuke, every second counted for Danzo in this confrontation.
"What a shame," Qingming thought to himself.
Reappearing at a safer distance, Qingming resolved to stop relying on "Heavenly Sovereign" for offensive moves.
Though the jutsu's effectiveness was undeniable, the strain on his Mangekyo Sharingan—especially given its susceptibility to blindness—made its excessive use too costly.
Against ordinary foes, he could justify burning through his abilities to ensure swift victory, but Danzo was no ordinary ninja.
Through their earlier exchanges, Qingming confirmed that while Danzo's power fell short of his strength during the battle with Sasuke, it was still formidable—well above an average Jonin.
Moreover, his wealth of battle experience set him apart entirely.
Relying solely on "Heavenly Sovereign" to attack such an opponent would be overindulgent.
Still, even without his Mangekyo's abilities, Qingming was confident he could win.
As this thought solidified, Qingming activated "Sword Art: Instant Blade."
In a flash, his figure blurred into a streak of motion, charging directly at Danzo.
plz support me if you can.
patreon.com/Mano99
all the fanfic is 30 chapter a had and you will get 1 chapter everyday.