Wind blew past Saitama Uchiha's ears, lifting his short hair slightly.
The sharp eyes reflected the surrounding scenery.
Below the cliffside was a rocky beach and a small river.
The water remained fairly clear—there wasn't much pollution in this shinobi world.
Though its technology had evolved in unexpected ways, heavy industry still hadn't emerged.
The beach was littered with stones of various sizes.
Saitama Uchiha and Orochimaru kept leaping from one rock to another.
They weren't going fast, but they weren't in a hurry either.
No one was chasing them, so there was no need to rush.
Their destination was the Rice Country, where it served as Orochimaru's main base.
Orochimaru planned to follow the border of the Land of Fire heading north, avoiding crossing directly through the country whenever possible.
After all, during these special times, fewer troubles meant fewer troubles.
Of course, this didn't mean they were afraid—it simply meant they didn't want unnecessary entanglements.
"Saitama Uchiha, time sure flies!"
Without turning his head, Orochimaru spoke directly to Saitama Uchiha mid-stride.
The momentary battle he'd just witnessed reminded him of his days back in Konoha.
Back then, as commander of the Sunagakure Front, he led every ninja from Konoha.
And Saitama Uchiha? Back then, he was just one unusual Uchiha ninja among many.
Interesting enough to catch his attention, but not someone worth taking too seriously.
Many events later, that young Uchiha slowly stepped into Orochimaru's focus, leaving a deep impression behind.
Since then, their partnership had grown increasingly close.
Orochimaru didn't even try to explain why—he found working with Saitama Uchiha amusing, not boring, and refreshingly free from schemes or plotting.
Truth be told, he'd never really liked intrigue or underhanded dealings. At heart, he was merely a shinobi eager to uncover the ultimate truths of this world.
If not forced by circumstances, why would he go out of his way researching such bizarre things?
His arms swung naturally at his sides with every stride.
"Wait, something's up!"
Although they were following a route designed to avoid crossing through the Land of Fire, they still needed to pass along its edge.
Therefore, their direction of travel remained toward the Land of Fire—just skirting the border.
Konoha Village itself lay farther west, deeper within the Land of Fire.
"There's movement ahead. Probably Konoha ninjas!"
Saitama Uchiha narrowed his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing within those slits.
For a while now, he had sensed chakra approaching from the direction of Konoha.
However, due to distance, his sensing ability had not provided accurate information.
Now, though, the gap seemed to have narrowed again, giving him a much clearer awareness.
"Hmm, I feel it too. And I think I know who it is—but how lucky, there are several younglings from Konoha as well!"
Reminded by Saitama Uchiha, Orochimaru also turned his gaze toward Konoha's direction.
A faintly amused glint flickered in his yellow eyes as he suddenly froze mid-step, standing perfectly still.
He had always been unusually attuned to a particular person's aura — it was practically like a sixth sense.
Whenever that person got close enough, he would feel a strange pull deep within himself.
It was strange even to Orochimaru himself — he didn't fully understand how it worked either.
Maybe this was what Sarutobi-sensei used to talk about when we were kids...
That thing he called... "bonds"?
...
On the other side, Jiraiya abruptly lifted his head, his pupils rapidly constricting.
His long white hair whipped back in the wind, fanning out dramatically behind him.
If he wasn't mistaken, Orochimaru was definitely ahead!
If anyone knew Orochimaru better than anyone else, it was Jiraiya.
They'd grown up side by side, trained and grown stronger together — until they finally went their separate ways.
Feeling that familiar presence once again, Jiraiya pushed himself even faster!
"There's no mistake — it's you, Orochimaru!"
He couldn't wait to see that pale face mocking him again, and that cold, indifferent smile.
After chasing Orochimaru for years, aside from a brief glimpse of his shadow and that earlier fight outside Konoha Village,
This was definitely the closest he'd ever gotten!
This time, he wouldn't let him slip away!
Slowly focusing deeper, Jiraiya not only sensed Orochimaru but also detected beside him a very subtle yet incredibly powerful presence — one that felt oddly familiar.
Could it be that Akatsuki member mentioned in the intel?
Or rather, Saitama Uchiha — the one he'd come to believe in while traveling here?
As for the Iwa ninja, Jiraiya had already braced himself for their destruction the moment he saw that emergency flare earlier.
If his senses hadn't deceived him, that group of Iwa ninja really was gone.
"Speed up! The enemy is right ahead!"
Jiraiya shouted, stomping hard on a tree trunk and launching himself over the final stretch of forest, landing at the edge of a cliff.
It wasn't high — below lay a dry riverbed scattered with rocks, with a narrow stream trickling through.
Scanning the area, Jiraiya spotted two figures nearly a hundred meters away, walking along the riverbank.
At the exact moment he burst from the trees and landed on the cliff's edge, those two figures looked up — directly at him.
Their gazes locked.
The expressions in Saitama Uchiha's and Orochimaru's eyes were eerily similar — cold, piercing, and laced with something terrifying.
Like two serpents walking upright?
"Wait for me, Kakashi!"
Behind Jiraiya, five more figures swiftly emerged — arriving in two groups, landing respectively on his left and right.
On the left were Shisui Uchiha and Itachi; on the right were Kakashi, Guy, and finally Obito Uchiha.
As soon as they landed in formation, everyone caught sight of the two figures standing down below.
No explanation was needed. The tension in the air thickened instantly.
"Long time no see, everyone!"
Saitama stood on Orochimaru's left side, looking up as he spoke.
His eyes moved across the five figures standing next to Jiraiya.
If these individuals were all at their peak, they would almost form the ultimate dream team of future Shinobi World's top combat forces.
There was Shisui Uchiha, who possessed the "Shunshin no Shisui" title and had perfected the ultimate genjutsu [Kotoamatsukami]!
Then there was the so-called "Godly Itachi", an Uchiha prodigy capable of taking on seven opponents at once.
Next came Kakashi Hatake, inheritor of the Hatake sword techniques and holder of the legendary "White Fang" title throughout the Shinobi World.
Beside Kakashi stood a green-clad figure—Might Guy, Konoha's Legendary Beast of Youth, who mastered the [Eight Gates] technique, pushing human limits beyond their breaking point—one kick could end any battle.
Finally came what should have been the original ultimate boss of the Shinobi World—Obito Uchiha—whose position Saitama had now taken over.
Although due to Saitama's appearance, Obito hadn't managed to unlock Mangekyou and thus lacked the nearly invincible [Kamui], he remained formidable with his exceptional mastery of Fire Release techniques that ranked highly even within Konoha.
At this point though, aside from Shisui and Kakashi, the others might not have yet reached their peak fighting strength. Nevertheless, they still formed a force that could not be underestimated.
"Nah, Saitama, long time no see!"
"And you too, Orochimaru, you bastard! This time, I finally got you..."
Jiraiya looked down at the two figures standing on the rocky beach below—the two targets of this operation—and smiled slightly.
It felt just like winning the jackpot after buying lottery tickets for years.
That overwhelming rush of excitement and satisfaction!
Shisui and Itachi narrowed their eyes toward Saitama without uttering a word.
Having recently encountered Saitama, they weren't surprised about meeting him again.
Last time, Saitama had already said: the next time they met, it might be as enemies. He hoped both would forget any old bonds between them.
Because he—Saitama Uchiha—wouldn't care who stood in the way of his path forward!
Under Kakashi's mask, his mouth opened slightly but ultimately failed to utter a single word.
As Might Guy looked at Saitama, memories of a meal shared years ago surfaced, strengthening his gaze with determination.
The most indifferent among them was undeniably Obito, standing tense and alert, fully prepared for the battle to come.
<><><><><><><><>
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
<><><><><><><><>