Below, the battle had already entered an intense phase from the very start. Although Seimei had drawn some of the Mist Ninjas' attention and stalled them, the numbers were still overwhelmingly against Konoha.
This made their situation extremely difficult.
From time to time, some Konoha ninjas glanced toward Seimei, hoping he would take action.
However, after a while, all Seimei did was occasionally approach the rear of the Mist Ninja team to harass them, without making any major moves.
This left many of the Konoha ninjas deeply disappointed.
As the situation worsened and their struggles became even more intense, the disappointment gradually turned into resentment, and eventually, anger.
Seimei sensed this faintly but chose to ignore it.
In fact, he could understand them.
In the face of life-and-death situations, only a few can remain calm and rational. Even though these ninjas had far stronger wills compared to ordinary people, they were still human.
It's natural to blame their misfortune on the indifference of the stronger individual.
But in Seimei's view, whether it was these Konoha ninjas or any other, they were merely small waves in the vast journey of his life.
Helping them when he had extra energy, like he did before, was no problem.
But to expect him to go all out, risking his own interests and, more importantly, his life for them—that was nothing but wishful thinking.
In the end, their survival would depend on their own strength and whether reinforcements would arrive in time.
Fortunately for them, it seemed luck was on their side.
Just as some of them were about to reach their limit, a figure quietly appeared on the battlefield.
He was young, with a boyish face, a round nose, and, like Seimei, possessed the Uchiha clan's distinct Sharingan eyes.
The moment he arrived, he scanned the entire scene.
Then, without hesitation, he formed hand signs at lightning speed, and his figure multiplied into dozens, appearing before the Mist Ninjas.
Yes, the newcomer was none other than Uchiha Shisui.
And the technique he used to create so many shadow clones was his signature move, the reason for his moniker "Shisui of the Body Flicker"—the **Phantom Teleportation Technique**!
Seimei hadn't expected Sano Nobuhisa to send Shisui.
From his vantage point, Seimei watched with interest.
He saw Shisui's many clones evading or countering the attacks from the Mist Ninjas. They moved so seamlessly that it was impossible to distinguish them from the real Shisui, leaving everyone in awe.
Although the actions seemed to happen simultaneously, Seimei's Sharingan enabled him to notice some subtle details and gain insight into the mechanics behind Shisui's Phantom Teleportation Technique.
The technique was relatively simple, actually—a combination of Sharingan genjutsu, the Shadow Clone Technique, and the Body Flicker Technique.
First, Shisui enhanced the Shadow Clone Technique with his Sharingan genjutsu, making the afterimages he created appear incredibly lifelike, making it nearly impossible for enemies to tell the difference between real and fake.
Next, the Sharingan's powerful perception helped him assess the battlefield situation.
Finally, using the high-speed Body Flicker Technique, Shisui would instantly teleport to the most advantageous position, creating the illusion that all the phantoms were real and wouldn't vanish even if attacked.
But it was all just an illusion.
Of course, if you assumed the phantoms were fake and ignored them, you'd be making a grave mistake.
At any moment, Shisui could teleport into what you thought was an illusion and deliver a fatal blow.
Regarding this, Seimei could only say that while people in the ninja world might misname techniques, they certainly don't give misleading nicknames.
"Shisui of the Body Flicker"—the key lies in the word **"Body Flicker."**
Clearly, out of the three components of Shisui's Phantom Teleportation Technique, the most important and fundamental was the unbelievably fast **Body Flicker Technique**.
Without such a fast Body Flicker Technique, no matter how many vivid phantoms he could create, it would be meaningless.
From this, it was clear that while many knew the secret behind Shisui's technique, none could replicate or break it.
Even Seimei, who could use the Sharingan's genjutsu to create dozens or hundreds of realistic phantoms at once, lacked Shisui's speed.
Thus, it would be futile.
If even Seimei couldn't do it, how could anyone else?
Not only would they need a Body Flicker Technique as fast as Shisui's, but also a perfectly mastered Sharingan.
Such a feat was simply unrealistic!
Additionally, this technique had another hidden requirement: the user needed exceptional battlefield awareness, allowing them to make the most precise decisions at the perfect time.
Only then could they appear at the most advantageous position.
In short, all three elements were indispensable.
At this point in the ninja world, it was likely that only Shisui himself met these three criteria.
Anyone else hoping to mimic him would be dreaming.
These thoughts flashed through Seimei's mind as he glanced down again, seeing that Shisui had already joined the fray, battling alongside the Mist Ninjas.
With his arrival, the pressure on the Konoha ninjas lessened significantly, and the mood in their ranks noticeably lifted.
Seimei observed Shisui. Through his sharp vision, he could tell that Shisui still had plenty of chakra left, which would allow him to fight for a while longer.
So, Seimei turned his attention toward the approaching reinforcements.
Since they were close, he could see clearly that it was a battalion of a hundred men.
As he suspected, the forces Sano Nobuhisa had sent were limited, no match for the Mist Ninjas.
Moreover, compared to the fresh soldiers led by Ao, these troops, who had just retreated from the front lines, were in much worse condition.
Even if they joined the battle, they probably wouldn't stand a chance against the Mist Ninjas.
That was likely why Sano Nobuhisa had been willing to send Shisui, his ace in the hole. Otherwise, Shisui would still be fighting on the front lines.
With a final glance, Seimei turned his attention away and focused on Ao in the Mist Ninja ranks, specifically on Ao's right eye, hidden behind a black eye patch.
Now that Konoha's reinforcements were about to arrive, and with Shisui in the fight, they wouldn't lose to the Mist Ninjas anytime soon.
So...
It was time for Seimei to secure something for himself.
As if sensing Seimei's gaze, Ao looked up at him.
Facing Seimei's cold, indifferent stare, Ao involuntarily shuddered, his body breaking out in goosebumps.
"What's going on? Why do I feel so uneasy?" Ao muttered to himself, trying to steady his nerves and keep his gaze locked with Seimei's.
However, no matter what, he could never have guessed that Seimei's true target was his eye.
(End of Chapter)