Two pairs of Sharingan locked gazes, six tomoe mirroring each other like reflections in a polished surface. The same piercing and terrifying eyes continuously clashed in the air.
Saitama stood tall, his ninja sword lowered slightly in his right hand, tip pointing forward. Shisui crouched low, gripping his blade tightly at his side, his left hand still near his mouth from just releasing a jutsu.
Shisui's reaction was indeed quick. Saitama had thought his attack would surely hit, but it was dodged nonetheless. His brows slightly furrowed, a trace of seriousness surfacing on his face.
The goal of helping Nagato block pursuers had already been achieved—he could now find a suitable chance to retreat without needing to remain here any longer.
Though confident about defeating both Shisui and Itachi, continuing the battle would prolong its duration, thus posing certain risks.
After all, Jiraiya, Minato, and others within Konoha weren't mere window dressing. Many specialized ninja were also ready to come for backup at any moment.
He noticed that Konan's Explosion had momentarily driven back powerful adversaries like Jiraiya.
But should he stay any longer, he'd soon be targeted and caught up in an overwhelming fight—an outcome he was unwilling to see.
Before mastering absolute power, he wouldn't act recklessly or overconfidently.
"It seems you're still using those old tricks. Those old tricks don't work on me like they used to."
Shisui ignored his injuries despite the pain, which currently did not hinder his combat ability.
Thus, he slowly rose, locking his eyes steadily on Saitama across from him while tauntingly speaking.
"You haven't changed either—looks like we're both playing the same game."
Saitama lightly tapped the hilt of his sword, further intensifying the [Chidori Current] coursing along its length, completely unfazed by Shisui's words, maintaining a calm and composed expression.
Had it not been for Shisui's interference, he would have ceased fighting altogether and looked for opportunities to escape anytime.
Of course, if battle proved unavoidable, he wouldn't evade it either—it'd just cost more time and energy.
As long as he didn't get entangled by Minato, he remained confident in successfully withdrawing.
Glancing sideways, he saw two figures locked in battle on another part of the field.
Although White Zetsu's combat strength had always ranked among the lowest within the Akatsuki Organization—even during Hidan's time, who was able to overpower White Zetsu.
However, in reality, possessing Wood Release and various strange abilities made him far from easy to deal with.
He wasn't as easily dealt with as he appeared!
Not only did he lack normal human emotions, but his abilities were strange and difficult to handle. With countless clones and escape techniques among the best in the Shinobi World, he rarely ever died!
Yet, facing off against Uchiha Itachi at this moment placed White Zetsu clearly on the defensive side.
Under Itachi's relentless swordsmanship assault, White Zetsu could only constantly retreat and dodge, barely resisting through unique ninjutsu and Wood Release techniques.
Moreover, due to the presence of the Sharingan, almost every one of his moves was anticipated and read, so any retaliation remained solely within his mind.
Itachi Uchiha wasn't the type to grow careless just because he had the upper hand, so the chance of him making a mistake—something White Zetsu desperately hoped for—was practically nonexistent.
"Troublesome guy! Hey Saitama, hurry up and help me out!"
White Zetsu dodged another close-range slash from Itachi and immediately shouted at Saitama.
He looked rather ridiculous right now—his left arm had transformed into a shield made of white goo mixed with Wood Release chakra, while his right arm bristled with spikes, resembling a spiked club. He used this arm to shove Itachi back whenever the latter got too close.
Pitting him alone against Itachi Uchiha? That was asking way too much.
If someone like Tobi—who actually knew how to fight—had been here instead, there might've been a slight chance of holding their own or even gaining an edge. But the one standing here was simply White Zetsu's original form, who was terrible in combat.
And if it weren't for Saitama being right beside him, he would've fled already—he definitely wouldn't still be hanging around fighting in such a draining battle.
When White Zetsu cried out, Saitama ignored the call. Since White Zetsu still had ways to defend himself, Saitama didn't feel worried and kept most of his attention on Shisui across from him.
Whoosh!
Just as White Zetsu called for backup but received no reply, everything suddenly blurred before his eyes. A chill went down his spine. Itachi—who had stood directly in front of him moments ago—vanished like spring snow melting away.
No time to think, White Zetsu raised his arm and blocked behind himself instinctively.
This had become second nature now—he'd figured out how to block attacks on instinct after all these exchanges.
Sure enough, the moment he twisted his body around, he spotted a blurry figure lunging at him with a blade.
In desperation, White Zetsu pushed his arm even higher and crouched as low as possible.
A flash of steel cut through. The pale red chakra radiating off the blade amplified its cutting power, heating the air wherever it passed.
*Cilā!* From shoulder level, White Zetsu's raised arm cleanly snapped off, leaving behind a scorched, blackened wound.
Itachi's expression remained ice-cold. Although his short sword had sliced off the enemy's arm, satisfaction didn't show on his face.
Because his target had been the opponent's neck—not just an arm.
Losing one limb meant almost nothing to this enemy; it wouldn't cripple them like a normal human, whose combat effectiveness could drop drastically after losing an arm.
So instead of stopping after that strike, Itachi took advantage of the momentum, pressing forward relentlessly. With his other hand, he grabbed the enemy's shoulder to prevent him from retreating.
"Damn it!"
After losing an arm, White Zetsu's face darkened with fury as he spat out a curse.
He quickly thrust his remaining intact arm toward Itachi, and the embedded spikes shot halfway outward, appearing extremely threatening.
At the same time, he subconsciously glanced into Itachi Uchiha's eyes.
But that natural reaction played straight into his opponent's trap.
[TSUKUYOMI!]
When the distance between them kept closing, Itachi Uchiha still hadn't seen his opponent's eyes and thus couldn't activate his ninjutsu temporarily. However, when White Zetsu looked over actively, it gave him another chance to unleash his deadly technique.
Just as their gazes met, the three tomoe in Itachi's eyes continuously rotated. Eventually, they converged and connected, forming a complex ritual circle radiating strange light. It emitted an enchanting charm capable of luring people deep into its magic.
"Ugh..."
Still stunned from having his arm severed moments earlier, White Zetsu suddenly felt his mind reel upon locking eyes with those eerie orbs. He froze momentarily as if caught in a trance, and all movements in his hands completely stopped.
Tsukuyomi — immediately after locking eyes, it forcibly pulled the opponent's spirit into the Tsukuyomi Chamber belonging to the Mangekyou.
Within this chamber, everything was controlled by the caster.
Time, space, mass...
Right now, White Zetsu's consciousness had been drawn by Itachi Uchiha into his personal dimension.
[Fire Release – Dragon Flame Jutsu!]
[Wind Release – Vacuum Sphere Bullet!]
Paying no attention to that battle, Saitama and Shisui launched attacks again simultaneously.
Saitama's dragon-shaped flames and Shisui's vacuum sphere bullet struck each other in an instant. Then, in a flash, they shattered into countless flaming embers, scattering like falling blossoms across the battlefield.
Though Wind Release usually amplifies fire techniques, this time they clashed violently instead, mutually annihilating each other.
Ignoring the outcome of their techniques, the two vanished abruptly in the next second, flashing through the air repeatedly while crisscrossing paths.
Suddenly, crisp metallic clanging sounds rang out, along with clearly distinguishable chakra trails displaying two distinctly different attributes.
When they reappeared, both already stood back-to-back, swords simultaneously pointing forward, bearing slight bloodstains on their blades.
Whoosh—
A breeze blew past.
The fabric on Saitama's shoulder ripped slightly, clearly revealing a fresh red wound. Blood droplets gathered and fell drop by drop from the injury.
Meanwhile, Shisui on the other side fared far worse—a deep, horizontal slash cut across his abdomen, gradually soaking the surrounding ninja armor and undergarments with crimson.
Though it seemed slow when described, everything had actually happened in the blink of an eye ("Sayings are slow, yet actions are swift").
After merely a fleeting hesitation while standing back-to-back, the two turned around and attacked again simultaneously—one wielding violent lightning, one controlling serene gusts of wind.
At that exact moment of turning, both types of chakra erupted.
However, this time, Saitama moved faster than ever before. As soon as Shisui swung his blade, Saitama had already twisted his body sideways, appearing at Shisui's flank.
This sudden acceleration caught Shisui off guard completely, leaving him with no chance to respond.
Seeing Saitama's blade from the right closing in, he barely managed to raise his sword to block.
But Saitama wasn't attacking with his sword in the right hand—instead, he opted for hand-to-hand combat.
He first extended his left hand to grasp Shisui's shoulder, then simultaneously brought up his knee upward.
[Chidori Current] surged around Saitama's knee, unleashing its full power the moment it struck Shisui's abdomen.
Boom!
Saitama's attack hit the exact spot where Shisui had just been injured. Blood bloomed from the wound once more.
Shisui's eyes widened. His face turned pale. Blood trickled involuntarily from the corner of his mouth.
Boom—
Still locked in the upward knee strike, Saitama sent Shisui flying backward, limbs splayed parallel to the ground, slicing a whistling path through the air.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Struck by Saitama, Shisui tumbled across the ground, rolling endlessly until he slammed into a tree thick enough for several people to wrap their arms around. He finally stopped.
Blood dripped from his lips. His chest heaved rapidly. He looked battered and broken.
"Step in my way again... and I'll kill you without hesitation."
Saitama stared coldly at Shisui while slowly sliding the ninja sword back into its sheath.
Though it was untrue that he felt no bond toward Shisui, he remained unwavering in his resolve.
Therefore, anyone who stood in his path would be his enemy—no matter who they were.
That Shisui had survived last time meant he must have understood much.
But judging from today's battle, Shisui still hadn't fought with the intent to kill.
This amused Saitama greatly.
Not only had he wanted to kill Shisui before—he had acted on it.
Besides, between them, Saitama clearly held superior strength. So why didn't Shisui take this seriously?
If Shisui were truly giving his all, he'd start with Susano and follow up with a Mental Attack—not like now, where he simply swung his blade repeatedly before getting knocked away.
'So… are you still holding onto some naive hope?'
A mocking smirk curled Saitama's lips.
Damn you! Don't underestimate me!"
Seeing Saitama's disdainful expression, Shisui spat out a mouthful of blood, revealing teeth stained crimson as he spoke each word with fierce intensity.
"Is that so?"
Standing firm, Saitama watched Shisui preparing to rise again, softly murmuring in response.
Then, in the blink of an eye, he vanished.
[Flying Thunder God Technique]—activated!
At the precise moment he struck Shisui earlier, he had planted a hidden marking on the shoulder he grabbed—one sufficient to allow him to use the technique once.
And given the current situation, the careless Shisui failed to notice immediately.
So when Shisui attempted to stand and continue fighting, Saitama hesitated no longer.
He instantly 'teleported' using the Flying Thunder God Marking.
Saitama's sudden disappearance sent a chill racing up Shisui's spine.
It seemed he knew exactly what was coming next.
His Tomoe began to spin inside his eyes, eventually forming his unique [Mangekyou pattern], radiating a sinister aura amidst the surrounding blood.
Swish!
Reappearing directly above Shisui, Saitama placed his left hand on Shisui's shoulder while his right hand formed a massive [Rasengan].
Twisting midair, he drove the swirling sphere straight toward Shisui.
Boom!
The Rasengan was blocked right in front of Shisui, but the immense force still sent him crashing into the ground.
"Susanoo... Now that's more like it!"
A skeleton glowing faintly with green light appeared within Saitama's vision. His eyes narrowed, and he quickly leapt to the side.
As he landed, he kept sliding back, eyes locked on Shisui.
Now the fight was finally getting interesting. That also meant Shisui had abandoned his ridiculous idea for good.
Ka-cha—ka-cha—
Shisui's eyes turned blood-red as blood trickled from the corners of his eyes down to his chin, completely changing his aura.
At the same time, a ribcage-like skeletal armor formed around his body, allowing him to evade Saitama's earlier Rasengan.
Susanoo's defensive power was astonishing. Even with Saitama's chakra-infused Rasengan, the structure remained intact—only driven deeper into the earth—while Shisui inside remained unharmed.
"Cough… Cough… The battle has just begun, Saitama!"
Leaning on his knees, Shisui slowly pushed himself up.
He hadn't fully recovered from Saitama's previous knee strike.
First slashed by Saitama's blade, then struck repeatedly at the same spot by the Chidori Current, the wound had torn open, and blood continued to pour out nonstop.
Every breath tugged at the wound, sending fresh jolts of pain through him.
Da.
Ignoring Shisui's words, Saitama already had a clear read on the battlefield.
With no time to waste, he charged forward once again, pushing off the ground with his toe and launching straight ahead.
A brilliant blue Chidori Current surged around Saitama, making the surrounding air unnaturally dry.
Standing nearby felt just like being next to a high-voltage wire—your whole body would buzz with numbness.
"This time, I won't retreat anymore!"
Roaring fiercely, Shisui activated Susanoo again—the skeleton grew denser, and other parts rapidly expanded, approaching a full upper-body form.
But Saitama was too fast.
Before Shisui could complete his defense, Saitama had already entered striking range, ready to attack at any moment.
[Chidori Light Sword!]
Placing his right hand against his shoulder, he concentrated a massive amount of chakra, first forming a surging Chidori Current before shaping it into a slender spear.
Saitama stopped at that spot, his waist tensed and poised to strike.
Swish!
With one throw, the Chidori Light Sword shot forward from his palm, rushing ahead with overwhelming momentum.
And as soon as it left his hand, the ninjutsu transformed again, expanding in size, Lightning crackling all around, enhancing the technique further.
What started as a slim spear thickened mid-flight, turning into a massive 'cannon barrel,' yet its speed never slowed—instead, it accelerated even more, like a flashing bolt of lightning.
Shua-shua!
The newly-formed bare arms of Susanoo crossed before the chest, blocking directly in the path of the incoming ninjutsu.
[Boom --]
Saitama's ninjutsu erupted on impact, sending half of Shisui's Susanoo crashing backward.
Within the protection of his Susanoo, Shisui remained unfazed despite being sent flying. He hadn't sustained any serious damage.
"So this is your ninjutsu?"
White Zetsu looked around and saw nothing but endless blood-red darkness. He found himself nailed to a cross-like structure, completely immobilized like a fish laid out on a cutting board, helpless and vulnerable.
Moreover, this sensation stirred some familiarity in his body.
Yet Kishi, who had never known fear, showed no sign of discomfort or fear at being trapped in such a bizarre environment. Instead, he wore a playful grin.
"You don't seem scared... but for now..."
[Zip !]
Itachi Uchiha tilted his head up slightly while standing before White Zetsu, then plunged his weapon straight into the other's body, watching closely for any reaction.
Unfortunately, he couldn't find anything useful in Kishi's expression.
"If that's all you've got, I won't be scared at all."
Kishi laughed as if watching a play, staring at the blade buried in his chest without showing even the slightest change, not even twitching his body slightly.
"Let's hope you can hold up."
Unmoved by Kishi's tone, Itachi silently pulled his blade back out.
In the next second, countless copies of both appeared across the chamber, inverted and slanted in different positions.
Each Kishi was bound to a crucifix while each Itachi Uchiha held a blade.
Kishi seemed to understand what would follow. A slightly amused smile curled his lips.
[Thrust after thrust --]
Every Itachi moved in perfect unison within this chamber, plunging blades cleanly into Kishi's body.
In they went, then out again...
Itachi repeated the motion endlessly while Kishi's eyes grew increasingly hollow, though he never uttered even a single cry of pain.
Forty-eight hours—this was the limit Itachi could maintain control within the Tsukuyomi Chamber.
And those forty-eight hours felt like just a single second in the real world.
"One moment stretches into ten thousand years"—such was the nature of techniques like Tsukuyomi.
[Huff --]
Everything within sight returned to normal.
Feeling a dull ache in his eye, Itachi gently closed his eyes for a moment, then exhaled deeply.
As for White Zetsu?
The instant he exited the Tsukuyomi World, he seemed to lose all vitality, immediately collapsing to his knees before Itachi.
"It's still quite a strain. I should avoid using dojutsu too often!"
Itachi covered his eyes, his face turning slightly pale.
Using the Mangekyou dojutsu exhausted him greatly. Moreover, he didn't understand why pulling Kishi into his Tsukuyomi Chamber had drained more ocular power than his previous use against Saitama.
Fortunately, although drained, the enemy had temporarily lost his fighting capability—achieving his ultimate goal.
His weapon slowly lifted as his gaze fell upon White Zetsu kneeling on the ground with head bowed low, a flicker of coldness flashing within his eyes.
The slight trembling of that figure... was he still trying to struggle free from the pain just endured?
Itachi Uchiha stared at the pale nape of White Zetsu's neck, his grip tightening further around the blade without the slightest relaxation.
"Do you think I did well?" White Zetsu asked, lifting his head suddenly.
The blade was already descending when White Zetsu raised his head, revealing a face overflowing with mocking laughter.
Mouth stretched wide, facial features scrunched together, shoulders continuously twitching up and down—as if this opponent hadn't been completely incapacitated by his previous ninjutsu, but instead… laughing?
How could that be possible?
Itachi Uchiha's first thought was that it must be impossible. But seeing that taunting smile spread wider, he knew something had definitely gone wrong!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
He swiftly leaped backward several steps, widening the distance. At the same time, his alertness rose to its peak. His whole body felt like it had been zapped with electricity, a tingling sensation racing through him.
The tight-fitting combat suit clinging against his back grew damp with sweat. His Sharingan shone even more brightly now, and his breathing deepened.
Even someone as strong as Saitama Uchiha had temporarily fallen into obvious weakness after being hit by his Dojutsu—though later for some unknown reason he recovered from that weakened state. Nevertheless, it reassured Itachi that his jutsu hadn't been completely ineffective.
But this current opponent... appeared utterly unaffected by Tsukuyomi. And how dare he mock him at such a critical moment?
"Strange, isn't it? Why my mind remains unaffected by your Tsukuyomi?"
White Zetsu looked at the suddenly retreating Itachi Uchiha while rising slowly to his feet, though the scornful expression never left his face.
Itachi Uchiha brought his blade across in front of his body, remaining silent. His blood-colored eyes remained locked onto White Zetsu. The Mangekyou stood ready to strike again, while a single thought flashed through his mind:
After all, anyone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with That One—who else could that be but someone extraordinary?
"Because I've long grown accustomed to that sensation—the feeling of having no control over anything, like dried-up meat hanging somewhere waiting for someone to strip off its crust!"
White Zetsu pointed his right hand toward Itachi Uchiha and suddenly raised his voice.
As he spoke, his fingers clenched into a fist. An invisible force surged outward.
Naturally, Itachi—who had been closely watching every move—became immediately wary. He shifted his gaze slightly sideways, scanning his surroundings carefully.
[Spore Technique!]
In the next instant, White Zetsu shouted out the name of the technique.
Rustle—rustle—
Almost simultaneously, Itachi sensed danger—but it seemed already too late.
Suddenly, large amounts of thick white substance began sprouting from the surface of his body, quickly spreading outward to cover other areas.
Swish!
Itachi first thrust his sword into the crevice under his armpit, then swiftly lifted his arm and sliced off a big mass of the white growth just beginning to emerge there.
The white flesh dropped heavily to the ground—and as he landed, he saw clearly the same mocking facial expression on it as on the enemy's face across from him.
Even after being cut down by him and falling to the ground, the mass continued to grow. Soon, it had taken on a human form.
"Are you even watching?"
A sudden voice from his shoulder made Itachi Uchiha stiffen slightly in his movements.
Ghastly pale and right on his shoulder, a head had already formed. With a mocking smile, it leaned close and whispered into his ear.
BOOM—
Itachi couldn't afford to act recklessly anymore. A large amount of chakra gathered around his body, gradually turning scorching hot and crimson red, enveloping all the white, gooey substances sprouting from him.
As a result, he appeared as if wrapped in flames.
The activated White Zetsu spores, stimulated to grow wildly, began to either fall off or be completely burned away by the chakra.
"What a bore!"
White Zetsu looked disappointed as he watched Itachi easily eliminate all the spores he had previously planted onto his opponent's body.
But immediately after, numerous white figures emerged from beneath his feet and surrounded Itachi—they were clones born from activated White Zetsu spores.
"If I can't kill you, I'll just keep you occupied until Saitama finishes you off!"
White Zetsu smirked upon seeing Itachi now surrounded by countless duplicates of himself, then sank into the ground.
This place had become too dangerous. Although he was difficult to kill, even he felt unsafe here—it was better to hide his original body for now.
Meanwhile, having dealt with those strange creatures growing from his own body, Itachi shifted his gaze toward the surrounding enemies.
He did not remove the thin layer of chakra coating his body but continued maintaining it instead.
Given the enemy's unusual abilities, this was currently the only way to protect himself.
Looking at the encircling horde that had multiplied to a terrifying number in an instant, Itachi remained calm, tightening his grip on his blade.
[Fire Release – Giant Blaze Dragon Technique!]
With his left hand forming Hand Seals across his chest, and his right hand still holding his blade defensively at his side, he quickly unleashed the Ninjutsu.
BOOM—BOOM—
The blazing technique surged forward, engulfing many newly-emerged White Zetsu clones—still wearing eerie smiles—as they crawled out from underground.
Once the flames touched them, they burned even more intensely. For a moment, the encirclement was seared open into a clear gap.
Yet soon enough, new clones rose again from beneath the earth, filling in the missing spaces within the ranks.
Seeing how the enemy kept regenerating, Uchiha Itachi felt a slight pang of frustration.
The pattern within his right eye became sharper, and a small drop of blood slid down from the corner of his eye.
[Amaterasu!]
Wanting to end this battle as soon as possible, he used the power housed within his other eye.
BOOM!
Black Flame descended where he stared, instantly landing on the White Zetsu clones who had begun charging forward.
WHOOSH—WHOOSH—WHOOSH—
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