Jiraiya and the five young ninjas had already left the Hidden Leaf.
As they traveled, they were also making contact with the Stone Shinobi through special means.
Orochimaru's Secret Base was located near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain, yet still positioned in the southwest of the Land of Fire.
The Hidden Leaf Village itself lay in the western region of the Land of Fire, so the distance wasn't particularly far.
Jiraiya and his companions moved at considerable speed. According to intel, they were about to reach the spot marked by the Stone Shinobi.
The Stone Shinobi Squad stationed there kept a sharp watch, eyes locked on the concealed entrance.
"Captain, movement!"
The shinobi observing through a telescope alerted his superior.
"Let me see!"
The captain grabbed the telescope and stared toward the distant cliff, his expression tense.
To avoid detection by their enemies, they'd been hanging back at quite a distance—after all, their foes were rogue ninjas famous throughout the Shinobi World.
Putting his eye to the telescope lens, the shinobi extended the telescope barrel and adjusted the magnification for better clarity.
After fine-tuning the focus, he quickly zeroed in on the expected entry point.
Very soon, he found the previously identified targets.
On that protruding rock stood the [Akatsuki] member and the Konoha rogue ninja Orochimaru, both standing motionless.
"This is..."
The Stone ninja felt confused—the two enemies hadn't moved; they looked like they were deep in conversation.
Increasing the zoom further, he centered his view on the [Akatsuki] ninja.
His face looked youthful, with sharp features unlike typical rogue ninjas.
This enemy didn't look threatening at all—like a regular ninja with a gentle personality.
As his gaze lingered on this enemy's face, the shinobi started to shift his attention toward the Konoha renegade when suddenly—
Before he could move, the sight before him sent cold sweat down his spine.
Saitama faced another mountainside far away, covered in thick foliage as if nothing unusual existed.
Yet slowly, he revealed a smile, as though having seen something amusing.
"Have we been noticed...?"
The enemy visible through the telescope continued gazing directly toward his direction, wearing an ambiguous smile.
Unease surged within the Stone ninja—the enemy seemed to be locked in direct "eye contact" with him.
"How come, Saitama?"
Orochimaru didn't sense anything amiss; his sensory abilities weren't nearly as strong as Saitama's.
Besides, the enemy's gaze wasn't directed at him specifically, so it was natural he remained unaware.
"I noticed something interesting. Must be those Stone shinobi from earlier."
Saitama shrugged and turned his gaze away, a flash of golden light dancing in his pupils.
[Snake Sage Art] training had really sharpened his vision.
His ability to track movement and see from far away had improved dramatically.
Even from such a vast distance just now, he managed to make out details clearly—as though he possessed built-in telescopic vision.
"Then let's deal with them along the way. There's always been a tail trailing behind..."
Orochimaru followed Saitama's earlier gaze but noticed nothing unusual.
Still, he trusted Saitama's intuition. He pushed off from the ground and dashed in that direction.
"Hehehe..."
Saitama didn't hesitate for a moment. His speed surpassed even Orochimaru's, his entire body crackling with faint white electric currents.
"Damn it! Retreat quickly!"
The Stone Shinobi naturally sensed the enemy movements. His face paled instantly as he abruptly rose from his hiding spot.
"Never mind—it's already too late to retreat now! Send up a signal first. Konoha reinforcements should be arriving soon; give them a specific location!"
"Prepare for battle! The Jonin and I will hold off Orochimaru. The rest of you, try your best to stop the enemy from the Akatsuki organization [a powerful criminal group known for hunting tailed beasts]."
The squad leader had initially intended to withdraw but changed his mind after a moment's thought.
Rather than being chased down and forced into hasty combat, it was better to set up formation and buy some time.
Although the enemy's strength far exceeded theirs, according to their last communication, Konoha reinforcements were drawing near.
As long as they could stall effectively, they still had a chance!
In this moment, even Orochimaru, one of the Sannin (the legendary three), and an Akatsuki member no longer seemed so terrifying in his eyes.
"Yes sir!"
The other Stone Shinobi immediately understood their captain's intent. They exchanged glances before rising together.
Ziiiii! A flare shot upward from one ninja's hand and soared skyward.
The crimson symbol of Iwagakure bloomed across the sky moments later.
"Prepare for battle, everyone!"
The captain said gravely, his voice firm. He needed no telescope—the enemy figures were already within sight.
Orochimaru and Saitama leapt continuously between rocky cliffs, moving not only fast, but also nimbly and effortlessly.
Dealing with those trailing Stone Shinobi was child's play to them.
With a bang, the signal flare exploded midair.
Jiraiya looked up and saw the emergency distress signal from Iwagakure.
Red meant extreme urgency—life or death.
"Everyone, pick up the pace! The Stone Shinobi seem to have already engaged the enemy!"
Frowning deeply, Jiraiya called out to those behind him.
He then quickened his pace. The closer he got, the more nervous he felt inside.
"Understood!"
Guy shouted loudly. While others bounded swiftly from tree branch to tree branch, he alone sprinted fiercely on the ground—for physical training purposes.
Because the terrain on the ground was more complex, it offered better training for his reflexes.
Konoha's team increased their speed. The Iwagakure signal flared not far ahead. They hoped the Stone Shinobi could hold out just a bit longer.
Dap! Saitama stepped onto a rock, used his momentum midair to leap farther, and landed directly in front of the Stone Shinobi.
His expression stayed calm, unbothered by their numbers.
His eyes scanned forward before locking onto three shinobi at the forefront of the formation.
"Stone Shinobi…"
A faint smile appeared on Saitama's lips—one laced with mystery.
"Sure enough, it really is the Stone Shinobi!"
Orochimaru closely followed Saitama and landed beside him shortly after.
He crossed his arms over his chest, clearly not giving a damn about these Stone Shinobi.
"Orochimaru!"
One of the Stone Shinobi called out Orochimaru's name, drawing his attention.
"What a shame!"
Orochimaru shook his head slightly, extending his tongue out to lick around the edges of his lips.
"I'm going in. I'll end this quickly and then return to rest."
Saitama narrowed his eyes. His mission here was already accomplished; there was no point wasting more time outside.
"Hmm."
Orochimaru nodded, still keeping his arms crossed, showing no intention of joining the fight.
"Hmph..."
Saitama slowly started walking forward. Taking down these ninjas alone wasn't going to be difficult.
The moment he took his first step, Saitama accelerated instantly, leaning forward as sparks of electricity crackled across his body.
"Hmph, you really think you can take all of us on by yourself?"
The Stone Shinobi squad leader glanced with heavy eyes. The enemy dared to come alone, which meant their strength was truly formidable.
Even if they were strong, being alone would buy them more time to stall.
The enemy didn't know reinforcements were on the way, so this solo approach played right into their hands.
With a "clap," leaving behind a pitch-black footprint, Saitama instantly vanished from sight like teleporting.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly as he shifted his gaze toward another location.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>