Powerful currents of air swirled around Guy, kicking up dust and small stones.
An aura is a mysterious thing.
Guy's gradually reddening eyes and the exposed bluish veins clearly revealed his current state.
"Guy…"
Kakashi watched with a serious expression as Guy opened two more gates.
Unless the enemy was overwhelmingly powerful, why would Guy push himself like this?
Shisui paused his movements and suppressed his thoughts.
Obito stood beside him, wide-eyed.
He found Guy's taijutsu unimaginably powerful, which stirred a sense of excitement in him.
Minato had said that Obito could choose one ninja technique to learn from him—as long as it existed in Konoha and wasn't some dangerous kinjutsu that might cause great harm. It was a promise Minato made to the three of them when their team was disbanded.
It was a special privilege for being directly under the Hokage, after all—Obito, Kakashi, and Rin were all Minato's students.
After witnessing Guy's might, Obito seemed to have found exactly what he wanted.
Still, Kakashi had also mentioned this:
This technique was extremely difficult to cultivate and required training from childhood.
Trying to learn it later in life, it would be hard to reach Guy's level.
Obito's expression kept shifting; while watching the battle unfold, he secretly contemplated his own plans.
"Shoo—" As soon as Guy spoke, he vanished from sight.
His taijutsu allowed him to move at speeds matching the [Shifting Body Technique].
The high-speed movement made Guy just as fast as someone using the Shifting Body Technique.
The pebbles on the ground blew away, leaving an empty patch where Guy had stood due to the force of his movement.
Saitama remained still, his light golden pupils rotating with three Tomoe circling around them.
He quickly caught sight of Guy's movement and prepared his counter.
"Crack!" A leg suddenly appeared from the right side of the space, and then Guy materialized there.
Bringing both hands up, Saitama blocked Guy's leg, letting out a low grunt.
Guy's kicking power was tremendous—his strength after opening five gates was absurdly strong.
As Saitama blocked Guy's kick, a sharp ache shot through his arms. Meeting Guy's bloodshot gaze, his heart clenched involuntarily.
"If effort alone won't let me keep up with others, then I'll pour in double the effort—until I'm walking side by side with them… or even ahead!"
Blocked mid-attack by Saitama, Guy called out urgently.
Guy's fists and legs rained down relentless strikes, each blow unleashing shockwaves of powerful air pressure.
Faced with Guy's storm-like onslaught, Saitama steadily fell back.
He waited patiently for an opportunity—an opening to strike back.
"Ahhh-dada-dada-daa!"
Guy transformed into a wild beast, relentlessly attacking Saitama while continuously making sound effects.
His movements were fluid and seamless, one strike flowing into the next without pause, leaving no opening for Saitama to counter.
[Leaf Strong Whirlwind!]
As Guy's roar reached his ears, Saitama's face darkened slightly.
No wonder he's called a taijutsu master—he hasn't left me a single moment to strike back.
"Boom!" Guy spun mid-air, his left leg sweeping through a half-circle arc toward Saitama.
This kick aimed straight at Saitama's head.
Saitama raised both arms to protect himself.
But Guy's attack flowed too seamlessly, its power immense.
The block failed to stop the blow completely. The impact struck Saitama's forearm that guarded his head.
"Whoosh!" Saitama flew sideways like a human cannonball, whistling through the air.
"It's not over yet! Not yet!"
Guy's voice rang out again. Saitama widened his eyes as he saw Guy vanish from sight.
Behind him came the sound of heavy breathing.
"Tap." Fabric behind him got seized.
Immediately afterward, Saitama felt an incredible force hurling him high into the sky.
[Konoha Demolition Uppercut!]
A deep voice sounded. Saitama turned slightly and caught sight of Guy's wide red eyes.
"Boom!" His back suffered a strike — a deadly elbow attack from Guy.
Saitama bit down hard, swallowing the blood rising in his throat.
"Cough!"
Arms spread wide, body arched backward, he shot skyward even faster than before!
Guy's relentless assault left him reeling — one hit after another, no chance to breathe.
Even for him, fighting back under such circumstances proved extremely difficult.
A surge of electric shock rippled through his entire body. Saitama stimulated his cells, pushing himself into a more excited state.
"Swish!" Saitama saw the sky drawing closer. He started twisting his body, preparing to counterattack.
Guy reappeared in his vision — now above him.
Saitama gave a bitter smile. In midair, lightning crackled around his fists as he protected his chest.
But Guy charged recklessly forward, eyes filled with bloodshot fury, lifting his right leg high!
"Haa!"
"Go back down!"
[Enhanced Konoha Diamond Hurricane!]
Blue chakra surrounded his right foot as Guy targeted Saitama's chest.
This was an enhanced version of "Konoha Diamond Hurricane," wrapping chakra around his leg to unleash devastating power!
"Boom!" Saitama's mouth opened slightly, a trickle of blood spraying from the corner of his lips.
This blow hurt badly — he could barely withstand it!
His body, propelled downward by Guy's kick, fell even faster than when he had flown upward, crashing toward the ground below.
The sonic boom, a "Hoo-hoo" sound, echoed through the air.
Finally, he smashed into the ground, creating an explosion of dust and smoke!
At this moment, Saitama momentarily lost all ability to resist!
Shisui stood frozen, mind blank — unable to fully grasp what had just occurred.
Kakashi's eyes shot wide with shock.
Guy's taijutsu was simply too powerful! Even Saitama seemed unable to resist!
On the ground lay a deep crater, countless cracks radiating outward from its center.
Dust covered Kakashi and the others' vision, obscuring their view of Saitama within.
"Thud," Guy landed beside Shisui, slowly crouching down as he began panting heavily.
Sweat had gathered on his forehead, dripping down to the ground.
That last attack had already pushed him to his absolute limit in both speed and strength.
This was probably the strongest strike he could land. Even Saitama must be hurting by now, right?
Guy took a breath while keeping his eyes fixed on Saitama.
Since mastering the Eight Gates, he hadn't fought this freely in ages.
"Guy, are you okay?"
Shisui frowned. He noticed something was off about Guy's condition.
Obviously, that sudden burst had taken a heavy toll on him.
"I'm fine!"
Guy didn't look back at Shisui. His eyes remained locked on Saitama. His lips pressed into a tight line, showing how determined he was.
"Itachi stood aside like a mere hanger-on, unsure of his own place.
Right now, he truly couldn't join such a battle.
Or rather, he wasn't suited for physical confrontations like Guy's brute-force style.
His fighting style relied heavily on strategy and was mainly based on Ninjutsu or Genjutsu—direct physical confrontations were rare.
"Is it over...?"
Kakashi muttered under his breath as Saitama showed no reaction for a long time. His heart was unsettled.
But none of them let their guard down, especially Shisui standing next to Guy.
He had witnessed Saitama's power firsthand—an opponent capable of nearly killing the Kazekage one-on-one wouldn't fall so easily!
Though Guy's strikes had been incredibly strong, powerful enough to frighten even him…
It still wasn't enough?
"That was impressive, Guy!"
From within the swirling smoke and dust came Saitama's calm voice—but beneath it lurked a trace of hidden anger.
A tense pressure in the air sent chills down Guy and Shisui's spines, instantly sharpening their alertness.
"It's as I thought…"
Kakashi watched a figure slowly emerge from the haze of smoke and dust, its silhouette becoming increasingly distinct.
Features unclear, but unmistakably Saitama!
Right now, most of Saitama's chest clothing was torn away, revealing firm muscles underneath.
However, those muscles bore a large red mark left by Guy's earlier kick.
"So, still not enough huh…"
Guy's gaze deepened, the aura generated by activating the Eight Gates slowly fading away.
Tiredness showed clearly on his face—the Eight Gates took a huge toll on his body.
Saitama stepped out of the crater slowly, halting roughly ten meters away from Guy and the others.
[Rip!]—he tore off his ruined coat, revealing a close-fitting combat suit with a big hole on the chest.
Planting his feet firmly, Saitama stared at them with icy, piercing eyes.
Both his chest and back still carried dull pain from Guy's previous attacks.
But thanks to his body's recovery ability, he would soon shrug off the discomfort!
"If that's how it is, then I won't hold anything back anymore either! Show me everything you've got! Let's see what Taijutsu is really capable of!"
Saitama looked at Guy, who had risen once again, and spoke slowly with a heavy tone, as if issuing a challenge.
Just now, after being hit by Guy, his face actually hurt. He really needed to strike back now.
Guy's combat power could be considered a hidden peak within Konoha.
If Saitama wanted to go all the way, Guy would certainly become an obstacle.
Therefore, if he could eliminate such potential danger right now, he was more than willing to do so!
This was Saitama's resolution, this was the path he had chosen! It didn't matter whether anyone understood or not!
Thus, today, he must display his true strength to deal with this battle, fight for the present, and struggle for tomorrow!
Here, Guy was a threat, and beside him, Shisui Uchiha was equally the focus of Saitama's vigilance in this fight.
From their previous encounter, Saitama already knew Shisui had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Therefore, he also needed to be prepared for the moment Shisui used his Dojutsu techniques.
He wasn't sure whether his own Dojutsu could resist Shisui's "Mind Alteration."
Could [Izanagi] and [Kotoamatsukami] clash directly and neutralize each other? Even Saitama himself had no idea.
Although one of his Dojutsu abilities was being able to use [Izanagi] without any personal damage,
The technique [Kotoamatsukami] has always been an unknown-class jutsu, the strongest genjutsu existing purely in many Naruto fans' imaginations.
Due to a lack of sufficient samples, Saitama couldn't judge the power of [Kotoamatsukami], hence needing to be extra cautious.
The overwhelming might of [Kotoamatsukami] speaks for itself; it's practically an unbeatable Dojutsu.
Perhaps only reaching Six Paths-level power could grant immunity? Or perhaps possessing stronger ocular chakra than Shisui?
Saitama glanced at Shisui and repeatedly warned himself inwardly—don't give Shisui any chance! He must eliminate any possibility of Shisui using his eye techniques on him!
"You really are strong. Not even a hit like that could hurt you!"
Guy's legs trembled, his entire body's muscles shaking. He could clearly feel it himself.
It wasn't fear toward Saitama—it was his body protesting against its owner, Guy, after having opened the Five Gates and enduring an intense battle.
With sheer willpower, he forced himself to remain steady, showing no sign of weakness.
Guy lifted his spirits, took a deep breath, seemingly making up his mind, and clenched both hands!
"Be ready to die!"
Saitama's words were cold, carrying endless chilliness. His aura began to rise, growing stronger by the second!
Closing his eyes, unknown changes started happening to his body.
A tremendous energy seemed to converge from the air toward Saitama.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed as something came to his mind.
He had seen his teacher, Minato, use Sage Art once before.
The state Saitama was displaying now was extremely similar!
"Sage Art of Ryuchi Cave... So it's Orochimaru's Snake Sage Art?"
Kakashi narrowed his eyes, tensed his body, recalling Saitama's connection with Orochimaru.
Bracing himself, he prepared to jump into the fray at any moment's notice—even if he knew he stood no real chance against Saitama!
"Guy, let's do this next!"
He knew that once Guy opened the Fifth Gate, it would start causing some physical damage to his body.
The Fifth Gate represented the maximum limit Guy's body could endure.
If he continued fighting or opening more gates, Guy's body would suffer from collapse or even necrosis.
"Kakashi...this is my fight. Please don't say anything!"
"I've said it before - those who don't even believe in themselves aren't worthy of effort!"
"Therefore, I will keep fighting until the end! Even if I die!"
Guy held himself upright. His fading aura suddenly flared up again.
It was as if his body had been infused with new strength the moment he resolved to keep fighting!
He also knew nobody else stood a chance against Saitama but him. Only through the use of secret techniques could he inflict damage on Saitama!
If the [Fifth Gate] wasn't enough, he'd open the [Sixth Gate], even the [Seventh], the [Eighth Gate]! Until Saitama was defeated!
"Very well!"
Saitama opened his eyes.
Golden eyeshadow extended from the corners of his eyes to his nostrils, while his Sharingan transformed into golden slit eyes.
His forehead was smooth, without horns appearing.
Inside those vertical pupils radiated cold and merciless intent.
At this moment, Saitama resembled a true predator - his consciousness contained only himself, while his eyes saw only food and enemies!
"This is..."
Shisui and Guy faced Saitama's sudden change in aura, their eyes showing both confusion and increased vigilance.
Not only had Saitama's pressure greatly increased, but many other unknown amplifications seemed to appear as well!
"This should be a senjutsu (sage art). Judging from his appearance, it must be the Ryuchi Cave's sage art. Don't underestimate it!!"
"He has entered [Sage Mode]. His speed, reaction time, and attack power have all improved! This shares many similarities with Guy's [Eight Gates Technique]."
"The only difference is that Sage Art doesn't hurt you like the Eight Gates do!"
Kakashi explained, as he was the only one here with relevant information.
Ninja battles are ultimately a war of information.
Those who acquire more intelligence can naturally gain victory when forces are evenly matched.
A slight smirk appeared at the corner of Saitama's mouth. Hearing Kakashi explain to others, he didn't refute anything.
"This ninja duel - from the beginning, you've already lost! Because I have battlefield awareness covering every single one of you!"
Saitama's body leaned forward, his waist and lower limbs exerting force, instantly disappearing from his original position.
His transition into [Sage Mode] was extremely fast, basically requiring no CD preparation time at all.
This was also one of his advantages - perfect Sage Mode couldn't be compared to ordinary incomplete sages!
And the moment he entered Sage Mode, Saitama took a step forward and launched an attack.
Guy only saw a blurry white figure surging toward him, slightly glowing with golden light.
Then he was already attacked by Saitama.
Just one punch!
Saitama struck Guy's right face, clearly capturing the facial distortion on Guy's face as well as his exposed teeth!
"Hmph!" — the sound of tearing air followed Guy crashing sideways into a stone wall at incredible speed, like a bullet just fired from a gun barrel - so fast it was inconceivable.
"Damn it!"
Shisui reacted instantly, his Sharingan locking onto Saitama as he swung his blade downward. The wind-infused chakra humming along its edge sent prickles across the skin.
Before the blade even got close, Saitama could already feel the power coming off it.
But to him, it was simply too slow.
With a loud "Smack!" Saitama kicked Shisui straight in the gut, sending him flying like a cannonball following Guy's path sideways through the air.
Mid-flight, Shisui stretched out his arms and legs, disbelief plastered all over his face.
Even with his abilities, he couldn't keep up with Saitama's speed. Saitama had become even stronger than when he fought against him back in Sunagakure!
At that time, Saitama hadn't even used this so-called Sage Art yet.
Saitama's [Sage Mode] wasn't fully activated either; the amplification of his strength hadn't reached its peak potential.
He lacked the ethereal cloak resembling a soul and the dragon-like horns normally surrounding him.
Even in this incomplete form, Saitama's overwhelming power remained unchanged. At this moment, none among Kakashi's group could stand against him.
Now activating [Sage Mode], Saitama moved at incredible speeds, landing successive blows on Guy and Shisui without resistance.
They couldn't even fight back!
Shifting his gaze slightly, Saitama looked toward Kakashi, a mocking smile forming on his face.
Weakness is a crime in itself!
"Zwoosh!" In an instant, he vanished, leaving only an empty stretch of sand behind.
When he reappeared, he stood directly before Kakashi.
"Zap!" The moment Guy flew away, Kakashi immediately grasped the situation.
Electricity surged through his right hand—more intense and powerful than ever before!
This was his signature [Lightning Cutter], a [Ninjutsu] said to be capable of slicing through lightning itself!
Back when Saitama was still normal, he'd effortlessly stopped Kakashi, rendering him helpless.
Now, there was no need for explanation!
Before Kakashi could fully react to Saitama's presence, only halfway extending his arm, a foot struck his chest first.
The sheer force of the thunderbolt was terrifying.
Enhanced by both Sage Chakra and electricity, Saitama's kick became even more horrifying!
With a sharp crack, Kakashi's eyes widened in shock.
His chest showed signs of depression—a clear indication of broken ribs! Whether the shattered bones damaged his internal organs was something only Kakashi himself could know!
Blood spurted from Kakashi's mouth like cheap red ink, splattering along the path he flew through.
"Kakashi!"
Obito cried out, though it did nothing to change what was happening.
Struck by Saitama, Kakashi flew backward at speeds matching Guy and Shisui before him.
Tumbling head over heels, he slammed into the ground, dragging a deep groove across the earth as he slid.
Finally, like a rag doll, he slammed into a massive boulder, half his body embedded within it before coming to a stop.
Leaning heavily against the boulder, Kakashi struggled to remain conscious, opening his eyes toward Saitama. Yet in the next moment, his pupils rolled upward—he lost consciousness entirely.
His last sight was of Saitama smiling mockingly.
A swell of bitterness surged through Kakashi as he finally lost consciousness!
In a single blow, Kakashi Hatake, known as "White Fang," was defeated by Saitama and rendered unable to continue fighting!
"Senior Kakashi!"
Itachi watched Saitama with growing dread. He helplessly saw Kakashi flying backward, crashing past him and slamming into the ground behind.
"You bastard! Die!"
At that moment, Obito's eyes turned slightly red as he charged straight at Saitama, kunai in hand.
He was already injured from earlier skirmishes, which greatly slowed his movements—in fact, his attack was full of openings!
"Hmph!" Saitama scoffed at Obito and swung his leg up for a kick.
Whoosh! His foot moved too fast to see. With a look of disdain, Saitama kicked toward Obito's chest.
This Obito really had some nerve—attacking under these conditions.
Without holding back, Saitama's leg crackled with Sage Chakra and Lightning as it shot toward him.
If this strike landed, Obito would surely share Kakashi's fate!
Boom! Obito turned into white smoke, kicked apart by Saitama and vanishing into thin air.
"Huh? This is... a Shadow Clone?"
Frowning, Saitama's Sharingan flickered with confusion.
So, Obito Uchiha wasn't quite as clueless as he originally seemed!
Bang! Suddenly, the ground beneath exploded open, revealing a person-sized crater.
From within that crater leaped another Obito Uchiha!
"Bastard! Die!"
Obito stared at Saitama, standing just inches away, launched himself upward, and aimed his right hand at him. A glowing blue technique formed there—[Rasengan]!
Crack! But halfway up, Obito caught a brutal knee strike from Saitama and was sent flying backward with tremendous force.
Spinning several hundred degrees midair, he crashed down beside Kakashi in a spiraling motion.
Guess he wasn't quite the genius he thought he was!
Saitama smirked slightly at seeing Obito roll away, then turned to face Itachi Uchiha standing not far off.
Adopting an offensive stance, Saitama locked eyes with Itachi, who simultaneously shifted into a defensive posture.
Everyone else here had already been taken down.
"So now it's my turn, huh?"
Itachi was mature beyond his years, always seeing things clearly.
In battle, he enjoyed methodically uncovering an opponent's hidden strengths and weaknesses.
Up until now, all of Saitama's techniques had leaned heavily toward taijutsu.
That was his chance, in Itachi's mind.
If he could draw Saitama into unfamiliar territory and rely on his own skill and experience, maybe—just maybe—he had a sliver of hope!
Hiss! Saitama vanished from his spot, instantly closing the distance between them until he appeared just one meter in front of Itachi.
[Magical Illusion: Gōkankyaku no Jutsu!]
The voice of Itachi echoed in Saitama's ears, stopping him in his tracks without launching another attack.
Looking down at his own body,
A sensation like being nailed in place struck him, accompanied by relentless, agonizing pain.
Saitama knew this technique himself—he simply had never used it much.
If I recall correctly, in his former life Itachi Uchiha had pinned down Orochimaru with this very jutsu, causing Orochimaru to leave the Akatsuki Organization.
"This is getting interesting!"
Saitama looked toward Itachi Uchiha, glancing briefly at the ninja seals formed by his hands before uttering two words:
[Genjutsu—Mirror Heaven and Earth Turn!]
Inside Saitama's eyes, the Sharingan Tomoe spun rapidly.
Meeting Itachi's gaze head-on, he launched his counterattack.
He just preferred slicing through opponents directly—it came more naturally to him. Resorting to genjutsu was a sign of weakness. Face it—only someone who couldn't beat their opponent head-on would turn to illusions for an edge!
As Saitama's voice rang out, Itachi's body trembled slightly. His Sharingan vision flickered momentarily.
Then, he himself experienced the same excruciating sensation of being pierced and pinned—as if struck by countless nails.
He realized instantly what was happening: the genjutsu he'd just cast on Saitama was now rebounding onto him through Saitama's counter-genjutsu and superior Sharingan power.
Itachi tried to break free from the genjutsu, but Saitama's overwhelming pressure prevented his Sharingan from functioning properly.
"How far can your Sharingan see, Itachi Uchiha?"
Stepping closer to Itachi, Saitama leaned in. The three Tomoe within his eyes rotated ceaselessly until finally transforming into an ancient, complex pattern.
This was Saitama's Mangekyo Sharingan!
"This is…"
Itachi began trembling uncontrollably. Unable to escape the returning genjutsu, he could do nothing but endure the unbearable pain it caused.
Staring into those deep crimson eyes flecked with golden highlights, Itachi opened his mouth as if to speak, but found himself unable to utter a single word—his entire body weighed down by multiple layers of oppressive force.
He saw clearly now—the vast gap between them—and felt a crushing sense of helplessness.
"People are always shackled by perception—that's the nature of reality. And these perceptions themselves are inherently ambiguous; reality might be nothing but a fleeting reflection on water—illusory and unreachable."
"Itachi Uchiha, your strength is still too weak—you're nowhere near enough to be my opponent!"
"And you hold no value for me to even bother killing you!"
Saitama's breath brushed against Itachi's cheek, extinguishing the light in his eyes one by one.
To destroy someone doesn't necessarily mean killing them—it means shattering their willpower and self-confidence!
And right now, Saitama was using exactly this method to demolish the consciousness world Itachi had constructed over the past decade.
With a soft thud, Itachi dropped to his knees, lowering his head toward the ground without speaking.
"Itachi!"
A cry rang out. Hearing this, Saitama slightly lifted his head and turned toward the sound.
Shisui Uchiha and Guy, supporting each other, stood back up and slowly walked forward.
Their clothes were tattered beyond recognition, their appearances utterly disheveled.
He ignored Itachi for now—he posed no immediate threat to Saitama.
Besides, he remained trapped inside the very genjutsu Saitama had reflected back at him, and under such severe ocular suppression, breaking free proved extremely difficult.
"It seems none of you are ready to give up quite yet."
"Especially you, Shisui Uchiha."
Taking several steps forward, Saitama fixed his gaze upon the now-standing pair.
"I know you've got some hidden tricks left, Shisui Uchiha. Show them to me! Let's see what you've got—I'm genuinely looking forward to it!"
Saitama extended his right hand toward Shisui.
Guy seemed to have completely lost his fighting spirit after that last strike.
The Five Gates on his body had completely shut down, leaving him utterly deflated in aura.
With wide eyes, Guy spotted Kakashi and Obito, as well as Itachi, who was kneeling nearby.
Gritting his teeth, he said nothing. He pulled himself away from Shisui with great effort and staggered to his feet.
Shisui's expression was unreadable. His ocular power swirled in his eyes, the tomoe spinning at an unprecedented speed.
At the same time, he caught sight of the intricate pattern within Saitama's eyes.
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