Witnessing the brutal death of a comrade in such a short time, the remaining elite Jonin from the Hidden Mist grew increasingly uneasy. They abandoned thoughts of prolonged confrontation and resolved to break through the encirclement as quickly as possible.

However, their retreat depended on whether Konoha would allow it.

Thanks to his strategic advantage in acting later, Nara Keiko's arrangements were more targeted. Though hastily prepared and somewhat imperfect, they effectively restrained the Mist Jonin.

As a result, the Hidden Mist Jonin struggled immensely. Multiple escape attempts ended in failure.

Seizing this opportunity, Seimei launched a series of surprise attacks, capitalizing on intelligence gathered earlier by himself and his shadow clones. His well-rounded abilities further bolstered his effectiveness in the skirmish.

Time passed, second by second.

When the third Hidden Mist Jonin fell, their commander finally received the grim news and immediately began organizing reinforcements.

But Nara Keiko had anticipated this.

He ordered the Konoha front-line units to press the attack relentlessly, forbidding any Mist Jonin from escaping their respective battle zones.

This left the Mist commander with no available forces for reinforcements.

The thought of all their elite Jonin falling into enemy hands sent a shiver down his spine.

After some hesitation, he decided to sacrifice the weaker ninjas to protect the stronger ones. He commanded the lower- and mid-tier Mist shinobi in nearby battlefields to converge on the central zone, hoping their lives would buy time for the besieged Jonin to survive.

Additionally, he deployed his last reserve unit to the battlefield to assist the Jonin.

On Konoha's side, though they had deployed a slightly larger number of Jonin due to their better preparation, the difference wasn't significant.

This wasn't because Nara Keiko was unwilling to send more reinforcements—it was because there weren't any more to send.

In fact, he had already committed his reserves to ensure a tactical edge over the Hidden Mist.

The stalemate endured because neither side held a decisive advantage in terms of high-level combat power.

Of course, this narrow gap existed only because Minato Namikaze and Seimei hadn't unleashed their full strength.

Had either of them done so, the Hidden Mist forces at Port would have been utterly annihilated.

However, both had their reasons for holding back and refrained from going all-out.

Even so, Konoha retained a distinct upper hand in the Jonin skirmish, thanks to the presence of these two.

The death toll among the Mist Jonin continued to rise. Initially, only some weaker Special Jonin fell. But as the battle wore on, even full-fledged Jonin began to die.

The tide finally began to turn with reinforcements.

First came the self-sacrificing lower- and mid-tier Mist shinobi. While they posed no real threat to Seimei and his allies, their sheer numbers caused enough disruption to provide the Mist Jonin with much-needed breathing room.

Then, after another delay, the Mist reserves arrived. This elite force included a mix of Jonin and capable Chunin who, despite their lower rank, could provide effective support in the high-level battlefield.

Thus, the situation shifted from one-sided slaughter to a chaotic, evenly matched melee.

As reinforcements poured in on both sides, the conflict escalated toward a climactic showdown.

Seimei's intuition proved correct.

The initial entrapment and counterattacks ultimately developed into a significant engagement—a "small decisive battle" on this battlefield.

Or rather, the prelude to a final battle.

Near Port, clashes erupted everywhere. Both Konoha and Hidden Mist shinobi fought fiercely, unwilling to retreat even as night fell.

Neither side dared to back down.

In such a scenario, any retreat would prompt ruthless pursuit by the opposing side, resulting in devastating casualties.

The retreating forces would struggle to defend themselves and evacuate their wounded. The cost in lives would be enormous.

Conversely, the victorious side would have the opportunity to save their wounded, leveraging medical ninjutsu to recover those with non-critical injuries.

This dynamic ensured neither side would consider withdrawal until both were utterly exhausted.

Only when both armies were spent would an optimal ceasefire moment arise. At that point, neither side would have the strength to pursue the other, making it possible to disengage without catastrophic losses.

For now, both Konoha and Hidden Mist forces pressed on toward this breaking point.

Hours passed.

By deep night, under a sparse, starlit sky, Nara Keiko and the Hidden Mist commander finally issued retreat orders.

Exhausted, both sides cautiously began extracting their wounded while maintaining vigilance.

Even this process was far from peaceful. Explosions and renewed skirmishes occasionally erupted on the battlefield, a testament to the chaos and lingering grudges.

It took nearly two hours before the withdrawal was complete.

In the aftermath, the battlefield reeked of blood, a nauseating stench permeating the air.

High above, Seimei stood on a tree branch, gazing pensively over the carnage below.

Time ticked by silently until a figure emerged behind him.

Without turning, Seimei heard the voice: "Jonin Seimei, Captain Nara requests your presence."

He glanced back to find a Chunin messenger from Nara Keiko's unit.

Without asking questions, Seimei nodded. Activating Wind Release: Wings of Wind, he took to the skies and flew toward the command post.

A few minutes later.

Emerging from the command post, Seimei turned and headed toward the medical area.

Nara Keiko's request was simple: he wanted Seimei to help treat the critically wounded.

Technically, Seimei's duties should have ended for the day. He had already risked his life acting as bait, thwarted the Mist Jonin's breakout attempts, and slain numerous powerful enemies during the chaotic battle.

Under normal circumstances, he deserved at least a few days' rest.

However, the unexpected scale of the day's battle had overwhelmed the camp's medical ninjas.

Left with no choice, Nara Keiko turned to Seimei for assistance.

Seimei did not refuse.

He had been looking for opportunities to hone his Chakra Scalpel and Delicate Illness Extraction Technique, and this was the perfect chance to gain practical experience.

Compared to the potential for skill improvement, a little fatigue seemed insignificant.

After all, what was some mental exhaustion in the face of growth?