[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-grind-is-my-ninja-way":3,"chapter-grind-is-my-ninja-way-grind-is-my-ninja-way-chapter-527":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Grind is My Ninja Way",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1481598,1929,"Chapter 527: Ambush**","grind-is-my-ninja-way-chapter-527",527,"\u003Cp>The Next Day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early Morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the break of dawn, Seimei led two large squads toward their destination—Blackstone Outpost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, when he and Uchiha Shisui traveled here, it had taken the entire morning for just the two of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with two full squads comprising over a hundred people, reaching the outpost before noon would require minimal rest along the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, they were all ninjas, able to rely on chakra to sustain themselves; otherwise, such a feat would have been impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, by the time they neared the destination, everyone was utterly exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing back at the slightly disordered formation and hearing the heavy panting of the squad members, Seimei halted the group and issued an order:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, everyone, take a fifteen-minute break.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, the Konoha ninjas immediately stopped, gathering in small groups to rest. Some of the lower-ranking ninjas began consuming chakra pills to replenish their energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a physique stat of 19 and a chakra reserve exceeding 130,000, the journey's toll was negligible for Seimei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief pause, he used the Wind Release: Wings of Wind technique to ascend high into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he failed to notice that as soon as he left the group, a Konoha ninja secretly placed a mark on a nearby tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the skies, Seimei carefully scanned the surroundings, vigilant against any potential dangers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unusual behavior of Nara Hikaru had raised his suspicions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, earlier that morning, just before their departure, Hikaru had warned him that the Mist Village might cause trouble near Blackstone Outpost and urged him to remain cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This essentially confirmed Seimei's suspicions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, he had become even more cautious, frequently flying into the sky during the journey to survey the area from above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, as they neared the outpost, the surroundings remained peaceful, making him doubt the reliability of Hikaru's information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't out of the realm of possibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the information were entirely accurate, Hikaru wouldn't have made such vague arrangements. This indicated that even he wasn't entirely sure of the intel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Seimei's mission had become an emergency precaution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if Hikaru, who received the information first-hand, couldn't verify its authenticity, Seimei, tasked only with execution, certainly couldn't either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All he could do was remain vigilant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, his true strength far exceeded what anyone could imagine. No matter what surprises lay ahead, he had confidence in his ability to handle them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time ticked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the fifteen-minute break ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seimei landed back on the ground, having found no signs of anything unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surveying the group, some sitting, others standing, he wasted no time and gave a direct order:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone, regroup immediately!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Konoha ninjas promptly followed, forming a defensive formation with practiced efficiency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Satisfied, Seimei nodded. \"Move out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He led the way toward Blackstone Outpost, with the squad following close behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The march lasted nearly another hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this time, the sun was high in the sky, and the group had reached the outskirts of the outpost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All they needed to do was pass through the forest ahead to enter Blackstone's defensive perimeter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, and by the way—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Mist Village's failed counterattack at Yuzushio Port, all Mist ninjas along the battlefront had adopted a defensive stance, including those stationed outside Blackstone Outpost from Flying Fish Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Seimei wasn't concerned about his squad being blocked from entering the outpost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Additionally, their movements had been swift and discreet. Even if Mist ninjas from nearby areas received word, they wouldn't have enough time to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling reassured, Seimei ordered the squad to advance through the forest, intending to head straight into the outpost's territory in one go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as always, surprises strike without warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shortly after entering the forest, they were ambushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seimei's expression darkened as he stared at the dense crowd of Mist ninjas ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, these enemies had been lying in wait for quite some time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they had only recently learned of his squad's movements, there wouldn't have been enough time to assemble such a large force or set up this elaborate ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that the traces were so well-hidden—even Seimei had fallen into the trap—left no doubt that this ambush had been premeditated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This could only mean one thing: their movements had been leaked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the question was, who was the real target? The Konoha squad or Seimei himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was the former, this was nothing more than a routine military operation. But if it was the latter…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold glint flashed in Seimei's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that were the case, he would make sure the enemy paid dearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And one more thing…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had their movements been leaked?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nara Hikaru?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His first suspicion fell on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he quickly dismissed the idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If even Hikaru were a spy, then Konoha might as well surrender immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Hikaru targeting him specifically?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't impossible, but highly unlikely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Uchiha and Nara clans didn't have a particularly strong bond, but they weren't adversaries either. Hikaru targeting him seemed implausible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was more likely that Hikaru had been kept in the dark as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This led Seimei to question the source of the intel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone to manipulate information so thoroughly, forcing Hikaru to comply and dragging Seimei into the situation without leaving a trace, few individuals or organizations in the ninja world could achieve this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Could it be them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden thought brought Danzo and his Root organization to Seimei's mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn't baseless speculation. Danzo had caused plenty of trouble in the past and had even targeted Seimei multiple times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the war nearing its end, missing this opportunity would make it much harder for Danzo to act against him later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given Danzo's character, eliminating an obstacle amidst the chaos of war would be entirely plausible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What's more, Seimei had recently destroyed Danzo's secret base on Oni Island. Though there was no solid evidence, Danzo might have deduced his involvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, targeting Seimei would make perfect sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danzo wasn't one to tolerate defiance, let alone from a young Uchiha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These thoughts raced through Seimei's mind but were quickly suppressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Focusing on the present, he began strategizing his next move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing was certain: a head-on clash was not an option. The enemy's numbers and strength far exceeded his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for retreating…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seimei glanced back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He doubted the path they had taken was still safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the enemy had time to set up this ambush, cutting off their retreat would have been an obvious move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, it comes to this after all?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the restless Mist ninjas ahead, Seimei murmured to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*(To Be Continued…)*\u003C\u002Fp>",1109,"2026-06-06T03:30:56.197Z",1,"novelbin.me","6eb47061c8d6fabd4440fd28953e32107e78e66cf4611ccc2e8882350d104d08","grind-is-my-ninja-way-chapter-528","grind-is-my-ninja-way-chapter-526",1097,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fgrind-is-my-ninja-way-cover.jpg"]