Grind is My Ninja Way

In the forest. 

A Root ninja was sprinting desperately to escape. 

Suddenly, a few shuriken came shooting toward him at high speed. 

The ninja's ears twitched slightly, and with a swift lateral dodge, he avoided the attack. 

Without pausing, he attempted to continue his escape. 

But in the next moment, a figure descended from above, blocking his path. 

Instantly, the Root ninja came to a halt. 

"Uchiha Seimei?" 

Seeing the figure before him, Hebi's expression first turned to shock. But upon noticing Seimei's eyes, he muttered, "No, you're not the original." 

With that, he quickly formed hand seals and activated a jutsu—**Shadow Clone Jutsu!** 

*Boom!* 

A puff of chakra smoke spread out. 

The Root ninja split into four identical figures in an instant. 

Without hesitation, one of the clones charged directly at "Seimei," while the other three scattered into different directions, disappearing into the depths of the forest. 

Seeing the reaction of the Root ninja, "Seimei" shook his head silently and moved to engage the charging clone. 

As for the other three, he showed no urgency in pursuing them. 

This shadow clone of Seimei was just a support unit. The real work would be handled by his original body, sparing the clone from excessive effort. 

---

**Fifteen minutes later.** 

Somewhere in the dense forest. 

Hebi was still running at full speed. 

Suddenly, he seemed to sense something and abruptly stopped. 

Looking up, he saw a figure standing silently on the branch of a large tree ahead. 

The figure's eyes, resembling black suns, made Hebi realize that the real Seimei had arrived. 

Recalling the intel he had on the Mangekyō Sharingan, Hebi immediately braced himself for battle. 

*Whoosh!* 

Seimei leapt lightly from the tree branch and landed on the ground. 

He looked at Hebi and said calmly, "Your turn." 

Seimei's tone was casual, as though he were merely greeting an acquaintance. 

Yet Hebi felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were on the brink of a fatal encounter. His instincts screamed for him to turn and flee. 

It wasn't that Seimei's words were particularly threatening, nor did they carry any hidden techniques. 

Seimei had indeed attempted to replicate a soundwave-based jutsu used by another Root ninja before, but even with the Mangekyō Sharingan, he failed. 

As Seimei expected, the Sharingan's ability to copy jutsu had its limits. Beyond the basic chakra nature transformations—Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Lightning—other types of jutsu often couldn't be replicated. 

Soundwave jutsu, clearly falling into this special category, was one of those exceptions. 

Though unsuccessful in copying the technique, Seimei gained other benefits during this time. 

He had delayed pursuing Hebi partly because the latter was elusive, but mainly because he spent time extracting jutsu from another Wind-style Root ninja. 

From that ninja, Seimei learned several practical jutsu, such as the **Wind Style: Vacuum Bullets**, a B-rank technique capable of launching high-speed vacuum projectiles. 

He also picked up **Wind Style: Vacuum Blade**, which could imbue weapons with a sharp, cutting wind. While Seimei had previously used Wind Chakra to enhance his blade's sharpness, this jutsu allowed for a more refined and focused application. 

One particularly intriguing jutsu was an unnamed Wind Style technique Seimei had never seen before. Based on its destructive potential, he estimated it to be B-rank. 

This technique generated a tornado to trap an enemy, shredding them with countless wind blades within the vortex. Seimei named it **Wind Style: Wind Devourer**. 

Unfortunately, the ninja who used it perished in a suicidal attempt to take Seimei down, leaving behind no remains. 

With these gains, Seimei finally tracked down Hebi. 

---

As Seimei landed, Hebi's sense of impending doom reached its peak. 

He knew turning his back to Seimei or remaining passive would be fatal. Hebi had to seize the initiative. 

Without hesitation, he charged toward Seimei. 

*Clang! Clang! Clang!* 

The clash of metal echoed through the forest. 

In a matter of seconds, the two had exchanged over ten blows. 

Hebi wasn't overwhelmed, but his unease only grew. 

Despite avoiding direct eye contact with Seimei and relying on instinct and environmental awareness, Hebi's sense of crisis intensified with every moment. 

But in the face of absolute strength, instincts and skill were futile. 

*Whoosh!* 

Seimei's figure vanished mid-battle. 

Before Hebi could react, a cold flash of steel appeared behind him, aiming for his right arm. 

"What?!" 

Hebi was shocked and tried to evade, but he couldn't avoid Seimei's strike entirely. 

*Slash!* 

The sound of a blade slicing through flesh echoed. 

A large chunk of flesh was carved off Hebi's right arm, exposing the bone beneath. His kunai clattered to the ground. 

Grimacing in pain, Hebi quickly retrieved another kunai with his left hand and stabbed backward at Seimei's neck. 

His aim was precise, targeting Seimei's carotid artery. 

But his attack hit empty air—Seimei had vanished again. 

Hebi's expression changed under his mask. He pulled back his kunai to defend, but it was too late. 

*Whoosh!* 

Seimei reappeared silently in front of him, and Hebi found himself staring directly into the Mangekyō Sharingan. 

"Not good!" 

Hebi instinctively tried to shut his eyes, but Seimei was faster. 

In an instant, Seimei cast **Genjutsu: Sharingan**. 

Even as a Root Jōnin, Hebi couldn't resist the overwhelming power of the Mangekyō Sharingan. 

Within moments, his consciousness was trapped in an illusion, leaving him motionless. 

---

Seimei exhaled softly, gazing at the immobilized Hebi. 

"Finally caught you." 

If killing Hebi were his goal, Seimei could have done so with far less effort. 

But he needed Hebi alive. 

There was a mole in his team, and unless that traitor was dealt with, Seimei would never have peace of mind. 

With the other two Root ninjas eliminated, Hebi was the only remaining lead. 

Looking at his captive, Seimei muttered, "Don't disappoint me." 

With that, he began manipulating the genjutsu to extract the information he sought.