"Yuzuki, attack with me!"
The moment Seiji shouted his command, the atmosphere on the battlefield shifted.
Yuzuki—the male Jonin who had been standing beside Seiji from the beginning—moved instantly. Like Seiji, he was a rogue ninja who had defected from Kirigakure, and among this group of outlaws, his strength was second only to Seiji himself.
The two had defected together, survived countless battles together, and slaughtered enemies side by side. Their coordination was flawless, forged through years of bloodshed.
Without exchanging another word, the two Jonin split apart and charged toward Mikoto's main body, launching a perfectly synchronized ambush.
Their goal was simple.
Kill the Uchiha first.
If Mikoto fell, the rest of the Konoha team would collapse soon after.
However, they had gravely underestimated her.
Mikoto's Sharingan spun violently as her shock vanished in an instant, replaced by cold focus.
She flicked her wrist.
Two shuriken shot forward like streaks of silver light.
Uchiha shurikenjutsu was never simple throwing—it was calculation, trajectory, and killing intent refined to perfection.
The shuriken forced Seiji and Yuzuki to adjust their advance, creating the briefest opening.
That was all Mikoto needed.
Her hands blurred through seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive sphere of blazing flame erupted from her mouth, expanding instantly into a roaring inferno that surged toward the two rogue Jonin.
The temperature alone warped the rain-filled air.
Steam exploded outward as rain evaporated on contact.
Even in the Land of Rain, an environment that heavily suppressed Fire Style techniques, the power of Mikoto's jutsu was terrifying.
Seiji and Yuzuki felt a chill run down their spines.
This is a Jonin-level Fire Style… in the rain?!
If they had encountered her anywhere else, this single technique might have decided the battle.
They dodged desperately, leaping aside as the fireball smashed into the muddy ground behind them, detonating in a violent explosion of flame, steam, and shattered earth.
Seiji landed hard, his expression dark.
The Uchiha really are monsters…
Fortunately, the battlefield favored them.
The Land of Rain provided endless water.
And Kirigakure shinobi lived for this kind of terrain.
Seiji slammed his palms together, chakra surging violently.
"Water Style: Water Needle Senbon Jutsu!"
The falling rain froze mid-air.
Countless droplets condensed, sharpened, and transformed into thousands of gleaming senbon.
In the next instant, they launched forward like a storm of death, screaming through the air toward Mikoto.
Each needle carried terrifying penetrating power—enough to pierce flesh, muscle, and bone with ease.
At the same time, Yuzuki completed his own seals.
Though a Mist ninja, he was not limited to Water Style.
"Earth Style: Earth Pillar Spear!"
The ground beneath Mikoto's feet exploded upward.
A jagged stone pillar burst from the earth, launching her body into the air before she could stabilize herself.
No footing.
No leverage.
No way to dodge.
The two Jonin moved in perfect coordination—one controlling the terrain, the other unleashing a killing storm.
Seiji's lips curled into a cruel grin.
"Die—"
But before he could finish the word—
The rain of senbon pierced straight through Mikoto's body.
Ayame Sasaki, watching from a distance, felt her blood freeze.
"Sensei Mikoto—!"
Her cry was filled with terror.
The shock shattered her concentration.
In that moment of panic, she failed to react in time.
A rogue ninja slipped past Mikoto's shadow clones and slashed across Ayame's arm.
Blood splattered instantly.
"Ah—!"
Ayame staggered backward, her vision blurring.
The battlefield descended into chaos.
Mikoto's shadow clones fought desperately, blocking enemy advances from all directions, but there were simply too many foes.
Some broke through.
Ayame, already injured and far weaker than the others, was knocked to the ground by a brutal kick.
Her weapon flew from her hand.
The rogue ninja looming over her raised his blade, eyes filled with bloodlust.
Yuki Mukai rushed to help, but another enemy intercepted him.
Though stronger than Ayame, Yuki was still only a Genin. Against a Chunin-level opponent, he struggled to hold his ground.
"Ayame!"
His distraction cost him.
A blade tore across his side, drawing blood.
The rogue ninja laughed coldly.
"So this is Konoha? I thought the great Leaf Village was invincible."
His eyes gleamed with hatred.
"We've been crushed and humiliated by the Five Great Villages our whole lives. Today, we take it back—starting with you."
The blade fell.
Despair filled Ayame's eyes.
At the same moment—
The rogue ninja's head flew into the air.
Blood sprayed across the rain-soaked ground.
The body collapsed lifelessly.
Everything froze.
Ayame and Yuki stared blankly.
They hadn't even seen the attack.
"Don't move," a calm voice said behind them.
"You're injured. I'll treat you once the battlefield is secure."
The voice belonged to Seishui.
He stood there with his ninja blade lowered, blood dripping from its edge.
The realization hit them both at once.
He saved us.
Four enemies had attacked Seishui earlier.
Now—
All four lay dead.
Cleanly.
Efficiently.
Without unnecessary movement.
Yuki Mukai's mouth opened slightly.
"…Big Brother Seishui… is this strong?"
Ayame shared the same stunned expression.
A medical ninja.
A profession synonymous with support and vulnerability.
Yet Seishui had just slaughtered multiple Chunin-level enemies with terrifying efficiency.
It felt unreal.
But there was no time to dwell on it.
Seishui turned sharply, already moving.
Minato was still engaged, fighting three opponents alone.
Minato was strong—exceptionally so—but numbers mattered.
Seishui stepped in without hesitation.
His blade flashed.
Two enemies fell before they could even react.
The third tried to retreat.
Too slow.
Seishui closed the distance and drove his blade cleanly through the rogue ninja's chest.
The body collapsed.
Minato exhaled sharply, sweat dripping down his face.
"…Thank you, Big Brother Seishui."
There was fear in his voice—fear he tried desperately to hide.
He had already lost comrades once.
He couldn't bear to lose them again.
Seishui placed a firm hand on Minato's shoulder.
"You did well."
His gaze swept across the battlefield.
Mikoto's shadow clones were still locked in combat, holding off multiple enemies.
"Minato," Seishui said calmly,
"Protect Yuki and Ayame. I'll support Mikoto."
"Yes!"
Minato moved instantly, positioning himself between his injured teammates and the remaining enemies.
Ayame lowered her head, guilt flooding her expression.
"I'm sorry… I panicked…"
Minato shook his head.
"You're alive. That's what matters. Trust Sensei Mikoto—and Big Brother Seishui."
Without another word, Seishui sprinted forward.
---
High above, Mikoto's body dissolved into smoke.
It had been a shadow clone all along.
The real Mikoto landed silently behind Seiji.
Seiji's blood ran cold.
Genjutsu…?!
Before he could react, Seishui arrived beside her, blade gleaming with green chakra light.
Two Jonin.
Side by side.
The battlefield tilted.
For the rogue ninjas—
Despair finally set in.