Clang! Clang!
Boom!
Thud!
Screams!
The intense sounds of battle echoed relentlessly.
Initially, Qing Ming struggled slightly under the pressure of facing four opponents. However, as time went on and he gradually discerned the behavioral patterns of the other two attackers, the burden began to lighten significantly.
With this, his counterattacks grew more frequent and forceful.
At this moment, Qing Ming swung his blade, precisely deflecting the attacks of Yoshida Hideo and another Mist Village Jonin. His blade finally landed a strike on the Special Jonin among them.
Infused with Wind Release chakra, the blade was exceptionally sharp. A mere graze left a deep, bone-revealing wound on the Special Jonin's forearm.
If not for the timely intervention of the last Mist Jonin, Qing Ming might have disemboweled his opponent.
Nevertheless, the Special Jonin had already lost his combat capability.
A long gash stretched across his abdomen, threatening to rupture with the slightest movement. Combined with the severe injury to his right forearm, it was evident he could no longer fight.
In other words, the number of opponents attacking Qing Ming had now decreased by one.
Before he could take satisfaction in this small victory, a voice from one of his shadow clones echoed in his mind:
"Another batch of Mist ninjas is approaching from the east."
Hearing this, Qing Ming swiftly disengaged from Yoshida Hideo and the others, stealing a glance toward the eastern horizon.
With the enhanced vision of his Sharingan, he spotted a dense group of Mist ninjas racing toward the battlefield.
Without waiting for them to get closer or attempting to gauge their strength, he immediately issued a command to his shadow clones via the Mind Transmission Technique:
"Split off two of you and intercept them."
"Understood," a shadow clone responded.
After a brief exchange among the clones, two of them broke away and flew toward the advancing reinforcements.
Soon, the shadow clones clashed with the incoming Mist ninjas.
Initially, they leveraged their aerial advantage to stall the reinforcements. However, as the Mist ninjas caught on to their intentions, the situation changed—they began to exploit every opportunity to advance.
This batch of Mist ninjas included several Jonin-level shinobi.
As such, even with their aerial advantage, the clones couldn't launch attacks recklessly, allowing the Mist forces to maintain a steady advance.
Realizing they couldn't effectively delay the reinforcements this way, the two shadow clones exchanged a look and, without hesitation, descended to the ground.
Like knights on a final charge, they plunged into the Mist ninja formation.
Against overwhelming numbers, the inherent fragility of shadow clones was an undeniable disadvantage. Yet, with the Sharingan's exceptional perception, they managed to hold their own, buying precious time.
As seconds turned into minutes, the clones were eventually destroyed. By the time the reinforcements reached Oil Port, Minato Namikaze had finally sent word that the mission was accomplished.
Yamanaka Inoichi, the head of the Yamanaka Clan, used the Mind Transmission Technique to relay Minato's latest orders to all surviving Konoha shinobi on the outskirts, including Qing Ming:
"Execute Retreat Plan Three!"
Plan Three assumed that enemy reinforcements had arrived but were limited in number. It required all surviving Konoha ninjas to regroup quickly and break through together.
The directive left no room for hesitation or delay.
Although Qing Ming had the advantage of flight and wasn't worried about escaping himself, the subsequent retreat would require his assistance.
Thus, he began moving toward the designated rendezvous point while ensuring his companions could also withdraw safely.
Spotting an opening, Qing Ming deftly deflected two consecutive strikes from Yoshida Hideo and another Jonin. Taking advantage of the third Jonin's missed attack, he subtly widened the gap between himself and his pursuers.
With a final glance at the approaching third wave of Mist ninjas, he turned and sprinted toward the Mist Village command center.
Seeing this, Yoshida Hideo and the others were momentarily stunned. They couldn't understand why Qing Ming, who had been fighting so desperately to block their advance, had suddenly chosen to retreat.
However, they quickly deduced the reason.
Without hesitation, they gave chase, aiming to intercept him.
At this critical moment, two of Qing Ming's shadow clones arrived, unleashing a barrage of ninjutsu without regard for chakra consumption to stall Yoshida Hideo's group and the incoming reinforcements.
Here, Qing Ming's diverse skill set proved invaluable. The clones employed a variety of techniques to maximize their impact, forcing the Mist ninjas to expend considerable effort breaking through their defense.
Under this cover, Qing Ming managed to regroup with several Konoha ninjas who were temporarily unable to escape. Together, they raced toward the designated meeting point.
Soon, they arrived at the location where Minato and his team, along with many of the surviving Konoha ninjas from the outer perimeter, were waiting.
Sweeping his gaze across the group, Qing Ming noted that approximately one-third of those who had joined Minato in the assault on the Mist command center were missing. Nearly every clan had suffered casualties.
Moreover, even the survivors bore injuries, with some rendered nearly combat-incapable.
This was a testament to the intensity of the battle.
These weren't just ordinary losses; the fallen included many of Konoha's elite—at least ten Jonin-level shinobi.
Adding the casualties from the outer perimeter, the total toll was staggering.
Judging by the expressions of Minato and the clan heads, however, the mission had been a success.
As Qing Ming mulled over these thoughts, Yamanaka Inoichi, who had been sensing their surroundings with his technique, finally opened his eyes.
His first words immediately cast a pall over the group:
"There's no one left. We can begin the breakout."
Everyone's hearts sank.
It was clear that Qing Ming and his group were the last to arrive.
Perhaps some Konoha ninjas had survived beyond this point, but the Mist ninjas would have blocked their escape, and Inoichi had likely deemed them lost causes.
In any case, the group tacitly agreed that they were all accounted for.
Qing Ming counted roughly thirty shinobi present—barely over half the original number.
Further losses were inevitable during the breakout, and they would be fortunate if even half of them survived the ordeal.
"Indeed, until one reaches a certain level of strength, numbers still hold a significant threat," Qing Ming mused silently.
This battle was a stark clash between quality and quantity. While their group's average strength far surpassed that of the Mist ninjas, the overwhelming disparity in numbers had taken its toll.
The losses proved this harsh reality all too clearly.
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