The distance of a few dozen meters wasn't far at all, and Qingming and his team quickly reached the battlefield.
At this moment, the Mist-nin here still had no intention of retreating.
Well... at least, that was the case before Qingming and his team arrived.
They had heard the sounds of fighting nearby and guessed that Konoha might have sent reinforcements beyond the two squads in front of them, but they didn't think they would lose.
After all, their side had been reinforced by two squads of Jonin this time.
Unfortunately, they miscalculated.
Konoha's reinforcements indeed only included one Jonin, but this wasn't just any Jonin—it was Qingming, an elite among elites.
In a short amount of time, the two Mist Jonin squads that had come as reinforcements were completely defeated by him.
This left the remaining Mist-nin stunned and unable to even entertain the thought of retreating.
Adding to their misfortune, Kawada Hirohiro had fled so hastily that he didn't have time to warn these Mist-nin, leaving them in the passive and hopeless position of being abandoned as pawns.
When Qingming and his team appeared, the expressions of the Mist Chūnin and Genin on the battlefield changed drastically.
The four Mist squad leaders exchanged glances. Without wasting a word, they shouted, "Retreat!" and scattered into the depths of the forest.
The other Mist-nin quickly tried to follow.
Unfortunately, they reacted a moment too late. Before they could fully escape, they were already engaged by Konoha's shinobi.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of fierce combat filled the air once more.
Standing on a tree branch, Qingming watched the battle below with an impassive expression and gave a simple command: "These people are yours to deal with."
"Yes, Captain!"
At his words, Hyūga Yamacha and the others responded in unison.
Without hesitation, they jumped down from the tree branches and rushed into the fray against the Mist-nin.
Qingming nodded in satisfaction.
His gaze then shifted in the direction where the four Mist squad leaders had fled. Picking one as his target, he formed hand seals and used the Body Flicker Technique, vanishing from his spot in an instant.
In the Forest
A Mist Chūnin was running frantically.
As he fled, he glanced back repeatedly, praying that Qingming wouldn't chase after him.
As the saying goes: a person's reputation precedes them.
Over the past few months, Qingming's nickname, the "Ghost Blade," had become infamous on this battlefield.
Some Jonin might not fear him too much, knowing they'd at least stand a chance in a fight despite his strength.
But it was a different story for Chūnin and Genin. They didn't even have the courage to face Qingming in battle.
It wasn't because they were cowards—it was because of the gruesome reputation Qingming had built over the months, with countless lives lost at his hands.
For the Mist Chūnin and Genin, Qingming was nothing short of a bloodthirsty demon.
So, when the four Mist squad leaders saw him appear, they didn't hesitate for even a second before choosing to flee in all directions.
They knew that without Jonin-level support, they had no chance against Qingming.
Staying behind would only mean certain death.
Unfortunately, they underestimated Qingming's hunger for chakra.
Indeed, with the continuous improvements in his physical and mental attributes, Qingming's daily chakra reserves had increased significantly. But even a small gain was still worth pursuing.
Difficult prey like Kawada Hirohiro might be let go, but readily available targets like these Mist Chūnin were simply too tempting to pass up.
Thus, he pursued them without hesitation.
As the fleeing Mist Chūnin glanced back again, he suddenly noticed a figure standing on a tree branch ahead.
"Uchiha Qingming?!"
Indeed, it was none other than Qingming.
He stood silently on the branch, gazing down at the Mist Chūnin below.
The Mist Chūnin's face turned pale. Without a second thought, he hurled a kunai at Qingming and immediately turned to flee in another direction, not even waiting to see if the kunai hit its mark.
But after running a short distance, he realized something was off.
As he tried to figure out what felt wrong, he suddenly felt his throat tighten, as though someone had grabbed it.
The next moment, his vision blurred. He found himself still standing in the same spot.
And Qingming, who had been on the tree branch, was now standing right next to him, one hand gripping his neck.
"Grrk… ghrk…"
The suffocating sensation overwhelmed him, and the Mist Chūnin let out a series of strangled noises.
Desperately, he reached out with both hands, trying to pry Qingming's hand off his neck.
But it was too late.
Within seconds, Qingming had drained his chakra completely.
Now, he was siphoning the man's spiritual and physical energy as well.
In this state, the Mist Chūnin's struggles were utterly futile.
Qingming ignored the man's desperate thrashing. A few moments later, the Mist Chūnin's spiritual and physical energy, along with his chakra, were completely drained.
Devoid of any life force, the man's body went limp.
Thud!
Qingming released his grip, letting the lifeless body fall to the ground.
Fire Release: Scorching Ash Technique!
With a simple hand movement, Qingming used the jutsu to reduce the body to ashes, erasing all traces.
Then, he disappeared again.
Over the next few minutes, the other three fleeing Mist Chūnin met similar fates.
Qingming had no intention of wasting time. Each time he caught up, he used the Sharingan Genjutsu to immobilize his target.
Then, he would follow up with a combination of the Chakra Absorption Technique and the Fire Release: Scorching Ash Technique, leaving nothing but ashes behind.
By the end of it, Qingming's chakra reserves were nearly full.
To ensure he could continue absorbing chakra in future battles, he created a shadow clone and sent it to a secluded spot to meditate, before returning to the battlefield.
Back on the battlefield, the fight was still ongoing.
However, the situation had shifted drastically—from being in the Mist's favor to favoring Konoha.
Qingming wasn't surprised by this.
For one, Konoha now had two additional Chūnin squads, which significantly bolstered their strength. With this reinforcement, handling the Mist-nin became much easier.
Moreover, the Mist side had lost their four squad leaders, which dealt a heavy blow to their morale and overall combat effectiveness.
Under such circumstances, it was only natural for the tide to turn.
By the time Qingming arrived, two Mist Genin had already fallen.
Without wasting any time, he joined the fray.
Given the overwhelming difference in strength, Qingming swiftly ended the battle.
To avoid unnecessary complications, he didn't bother having his team clean up the battlefield. After quickly gathering any useful tools, he led his team away.
What Qingming didn't know was that shortly after they left, several Mist Jonin squads arrived at the scene.
Confirming that Qingming was already gone, they reluctantly departed as well.
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