"There's movement ahead. Let's go check it out!"
Shisui had just cleared his identity at the main gate, passing through multiple layers of security checks before entering the village, when he heard the powerful explosion. He paused before turning to Itachi Uchiha.
That explosion didn't sound like an ordinary one. It lasted quite a while and came from near the village perimeter, so it was likely that villagers were fighting enemies.
Therefore, rushing over now might still give them a chance to offer assistance.
As for Konoha's current situation, they could tell it was a critical moment.
Although many ninja were already darting about the ruins, there was still a noticeable lack of personnel everywhere.
The security forces and guards at the main gate who also heard the noise naturally couldn't leave their posts without permission, making Shisui and his companion—the only 'free men' who had just returned but hadn't yet been assigned any tasks—the most suitable candidates to respond first.
They had hurried back to the village all the way from the Land of Iron, Shisui and his companion expecting Konoha to have taken plenty of precautionary measures beforehand; even if Akatsuki launched an attack, the damage would surely be minimal.
However, once they entered the walls, they realized how wrong they'd been.
Today's destruction had reached an extreme scale. As far as they could see, everything was in ruins—like a small coastal village after an earthquake—or actually worse than any quake-stricken village they'd ever seen.
In this vast village, hardly a single building remained standing!
Everything seemed unfamiliar, creating a strange illusion that they might've come to the wrong place entirely.
All of this left a heavy feeling in their chests.
Thus, seeing the explosion happen nearby, Shisui took initiative to get involved.
"Understood!"
Itachi nodded slightly, letting his gaze linger on the fiery horizon for a moment before quickening his pace to match Shisui's, rushing toward the commotion.
Seeing how badly the village had been damaged, although concern for his mother and younger brother stirred within him, he chose first to face this present danger and the unknown ahead.
They were ninjas—protectors of Konoha—and often needed to sacrifice their own emotions for duty. After all, ninjas were precisely those few people burdened with heavy responsibilities who kept moving forward.
With a clear objective, the two figures dashed across rooftops and leapt over the rubble-strewn ruins, continuously drawing closer.
Don't be fooled by Konoha being called just a village. In reality, it was still quite large beyond the walls.
According to Saitama's memories, in a past life, someone on a Chinese anime site akin to Bilibili roughly estimated based on known anime information that the enclosed area inside Konoha's walls alone measured approximately 327,400 square meters.
That's about half the size of the Forbidden City.
Of course, this wasn't even the entire size of Konoha yet; outside its walls lay many other areas too, such as the Forest of Death used previously during the Chunin Exams.
The Forest of Death alone, as described in the story, stretched for ten kilometers in every direction.
So, Konoha really is huge.
And whoever did this to Konoha's inner walls must clearly be terrifyingly powerful!
Even the Tsuchikage's [Dust Release], which Shisui and others had witnessed during the Five Kage Summit, seemed incapable of causing destruction on such a massive scale.
The explosion occurred in a sparsely populated area—on the outskirts of the village's central residential district, near the fields beneath the outer walls.
Previously, Deva Path had been punched by Guy from the heart of the village straight to this edge region.
Based on what they had seen, the two Uchiha quickly approached the blast site.
As they steadily closed the distance, a sudden figure appeared in their line of sight—dressed in the unmistakable attire of Akatsuki.
Was the enemy preparing to leave?
Shisui's face darkened. He prepared to move forward and intercept—the enemy clearly intended to flee, and it was their duty to stop him.
As for the explosion itself, they had noticed its scale as well. It covered an area spanning over a hundred meters. Though mostly dissipated now, thick clouds of smoke still filled the sky, nearly obscuring it entirely.
As for the specifics inside that blast zone? They were completely unknown to them at this point.
In such an explosion, how could any ninja possibly survive?
Unless one instantly escaped the range, one would have to rely on strong defenses to endure it.
For example, using Flying Thunder God to escape; or employing Susanoo for protection...
Therefore, seeing the enemy silhouette clearly emerging from the blast zone, Shisui shot forward once again. His figure flickered repeatedly like flashes of lightning, rapidly closing the distance and gradually pulling ahead of Itachi Uchiha by several body lengths.
Yet soon afterward, he grimaced and halted his steps, watching helplessly as the enemy figure shrank further into the distance until finally disappearing completely.
And in the very last second within his vision, that retreating foe even turned back for a glance—a look brimming with unmistakable mockery.
The reason he stopped was naturally because two unexpected visitors had appeared right on the path he was chasing along.
One was the familiar Saitama Uchiha.
The other was White Zetsu, a ninja whose entire body was pale white, giving off a strangely eerie aura.
Originally, under Konan's cover, Nagato had manipulated Yahiko away from the scene. Seemingly just moments from scaling the wall ahead and officially leaving Konoha behind—thus truly escaping Jiraiya and others—he suddenly spotted two ninja approaching from another direction, pursuing him.
Although he didn't fear mere ordinary ninja, the current condition of Deva Path made engaging in drawn-out combat undesirable. Therefore, while mentally strategizing, he continued moving forward.
However, not long after, a smile spread across his face.
Saitama Uchiha and White Zetsu had actually appeared here, perfectly intercepting his pursuers.
Though slightly confused about why they appeared in this place, Nagato didn't dwell much on it.
Over time, his interactions with Saitama kept increasing, deepening his understanding of the latter.
Of all members in the organization, besides Konan, Nagato trusted Saitama the most.
This trust wasn't about general loyalty, but specifically about determination in capturing the [Tailed Beasts] and reshaping the world.
Others, like Kakuzu, hadn't joined the organization based on Akatsuki's core ideals; rather, their reasons were trivial, unrelated ones.
Yet Saitama had been the first who actively sought him out, proving his resolve through concrete actions.
Although Konan remained wary of Saitama, Nagato always had an internal scale balancing everything.
Actually, he was more worried about the other half of Zetsu's body than he was about Saitama.
Though technically Black Zetsu was the opposite half of White Zetsu, under the observation of the Rinnegan, many strange aspects still surfaced.
Plus, that gloomy personality always made him feel uneasy.
So seeing Saitama appear here to assist him, he didn't feel his retreat was in any way disgraceful. The Six Paths Puppet had obvious weaknesses, and Konoha probably already grasped most of that intelligence.
Considering how much damage this operation caused Konoha, it wasn't really a failure.
It was a shame they couldn't catch the Nine-Tails — but it was unavoidable.
Without exposing his true form, this was already the best possible development.
"This path won't work, gentlemen," said Saitama calmly, standing in the middle of the road with a faint smile on his face. He could sense that the Deva Path had already moved far away behind him.
"This time, I hope my path forward is completely unobstructed."
Shisui glanced sideways at Itachi Uchiha, who had just taken position beside him, then slowly moved his right hand toward the tanto on his back.
As the blade gradually exposed itself into the air, three tomoe clearly formed within his eyes.
Even though their previous target had been released by Saitama, how could they retreat now that Saitama stood before them?
[Fire Release: Phoenix Fire Technique!]
Itachi initiated first with his signature Fire Release jutsu.
From the moment he saw Saitama, he knew there was no escape, nor need for retreat.
This was Konoha, even though recently attacked. If they could buy enough time here, reinforcements wouldn't be far behind.
With those reinforcements, victory would still be possible.
From Shisui's earlier glance alone, he understood — Shisui wanted him to cover him!
Therefore, he acted immediately without hesitation.
Itachi's power was formidable now, and his ninjutsu easily covered a wide area.
The fan-shaped technique stretched dozens of meters ahead of him, quickly transforming into a scorching sea of flames.
"You sure are enthusiastic, Saitama. Are these former comrades of yours?" asked White Zetsu narrowing his eyes slightly while observing the incoming blazing wave formed by countless fire flowers.
He didn't show the slightest tension until the ninjutsu came within ten meters of him, only then slowly lifting his arms preparing to block.
Whoosh!
His arms suddenly expanded, splitting into countless thick roots from his pale skin, reaching forward swiftly.
These roots moved swiftly and nimbly, like green snakes, ultimately weaving together into a sturdy wall made of roots directly before him.
Boom!
The flames descended, crashing onto the wooden wall, roaring intensely, yet the Mokuton barrier remained unmoved.
Throughout all this, Saitama standing beside White Zetsu never budged an inch, fearless.
"It's true we used to be teammates, but now..."
Saitama muttered this before reaching toward his waist underneath his clothes. Arcs of electricity began dancing between his fingers.
It was clear that Itachi's technique was merely meant to blur their vision — the real attack was coming in the next move.
As Saitama thought this, the Tomoe within his eyes became clear and began rotating slowly.
Just as he expected, almost the moment his hand touched his weapon, Shisui appeared at one side behind him.
Whoosh!
Taking advantage of the cover from the technique, Shisui activated his [Shunshin no Shisui] and immediately closed in on Saitama's flank. He swung his blade swiftly toward Saitama's neck.
Clang.
Without turning around, Saitama blocked the attack by raising his weapon sideways with his right hand just in time.
Shisui felt somewhat surprised at Saitama's reaction. Their cooperation with Itachi had been smooth, and they'd launched an attack without any exchange of words after meeting face-to-face, yet still got figured out.
Zzzt!
Electric currents roared along the blade's edge. On the bright blade surface, Shisui saw Saitama's calm profile reflected.
"I thought the last lesson was enough, but apparently not..."
Maintaining the deadlock, Saitama spoke at a volume clearly audible between the two.
"That lesson indeed was enough, so this time I'll return the favor."
Shisui responded to Saitama's taunt, some darkness flickering across his face. His chest seemed to ache slightly at Saitama's words.
"Good then. Let me see what improvements you've made!"
As he said this, Saitama suddenly smashed his elbow backward toward the space behind him.
This move came out of nowhere. His elbow concentrated huge quantities of chakra, wildly surging through the air.
Thud!
Shisui hastily raised his arm to intercept the incoming elbow, preventing direct impact to his chest.
Yet Saitama's raw strength was immense on its own, but amplified by lightning-nature chakra fueling his Taijutsu, the blow packed devastating power.
Shisui's posture instantly distorted, and pain shot through his arm.
He staggered backward, his face drained of color, clearly wounded internally.
Tack.
Turning around, Saitama held his weapon with his right hand, its point aimed at the ground near Shisui's feet. Lightning surrounded his entire body like a war god.
"You suddenly appearing behind me actually startled me. So this is the [Shunshin no Shisui]? At short range, it even rivals Space-Time Ninjutsu!"
White Zetsu watched Shisui being forced back by Saitama, half-turning his body toward the battle as a faint smile curled across his lips.
These two ninja must be among the finest of this generation within the Uchiha clan. Their strength was definitely impressive. Yet their opponent was Saitama — a figure whose power ran far deeper than anyone could guess.
Besides, watching such intra-clan battles was exactly what he enjoyed most; they always brimmed with drama and spectacle.
As Saitama turned to face Shisui, the familiar face before him was no longer that of an ally — but an enemy.
Bending his knees and rising onto his tiptoes, the surge of electric current coursing through his lower limbs propelled him with explosive power.
In an instant, he vanished from the spot.
"So fast!"
White Zetsu licked his lips. He could barely catch a vague blur of Saitama's figure.
And as Saitama disappeared, Shisui and Itachi, who had just completed his ninjutsu, sprang into action as well.
Shisui dashed toward Saitama while Itachi lunged at White Zetsu.
Obviously, there was no way the two of them could defeat Saitama quickly. But this pale-skinned man beside him seemed much easier to handle.
Without exchanging a word, Shisui and Itachi formed a shared plan in perfect synchronization.
Shisui, clearly the stronger of the two, would temporarily hold off Saitama, while Itachi would swiftly eliminate White Zetsu.
As for the Wood Release technique displayed earlier by their opponent, Itachi wasn't particularly worried.
Though he'd never seen The First's Wood Release, during his time in Anbu, he had fought alongside someone else who also wielded Wood Release.
Because of that combat experience, he did have some knowledge and countermeasures against it.
Most importantly, he still had several tricks up his sleeve—eyes containing the same Yan flame as Saitama's Black Flame, and the mental attack techniques he had previously used on Saitama were his most powerful hidden weapons.
If it meant finishing off this enemy more quickly, he wouldn't mind unleashing deadly moves one after another.
As Saitama charged forward, White Zetsu caught a glimpse of Itachi Uchiha coming from the corner of his eye.
He smiled faintly before flicking his wrist, launching a Wood Release projectile straight ahead.
[Ding! Ding! Ding!]
Saitama and Shisui collided violently, each landing no fewer than ten strikes within a single second. Two nearly identical ninja swords continuously crossed and scraped against each other. Wind-type chakra and lightning-type chakra clashed violently, sending sharp bursts of energy crackling through the air.
Although Shisui was fast with his blade, he soon shifted into a defensive stance under Saitama's fierce offensive pressure.
Even if Shisui's swordsmanship might technically surpass Saitama's, he couldn't withstand the overwhelming speed and devastating force Saitama brought to bear.
Once he suppressed Shisui, Saitama's attacks grew even faster—each strike laced with thunderous power aimed directly at vital spots, leaving Shisui completely trapped within that relentless offensive rhythm.
After blocking yet another of Saitama's strikes, Shisui took a step back, trying to create some distance.
The lightning attacks had given him considerable trouble—he needed a moment to catch his breath.
But would Saitama allow him that chance?
Almost the moment Shisui lifted his foot to retreat, Saitama advanced immediately, pouring massive amounts of chakra into his blade and slashing toward the chest of his opponent.
Resigned, Shisui raised his sword to block across his chest.
The blades clashed with a sharp clang, Saitama's strike halting just inches from Shisui's chest.
Saitama had expected it. He immediately slid his sword along Shisui's blade toward his wrist.
At that exact moment, the lightning surging over the blade exploded outward, blasting straight toward Shisui's body.
Shisui spotted the opening instantly, his Sharingan flaring to life with swirling Tomoe locking onto the perfect moment to strike back at Saitama.
He forcefully pressed his sword toward Saitama with his right hand, releasing Chakra outward just like Saitama did to defend against his Lightning.
At the same time, his other hand swiftly moved to the hilt, gripping it in reverse before lifting upward, aiming the blade at Saitama's lower abdomen.
Despite the ferocity of Saitama's assault, Shisui barely held on thanks to his sharp instincts and battle-hardened reflexes.
Compared to their previous deathmatch, he had grown significantly stronger. But clearly, it wasn't only him who had improved—Saitama had become even more powerful as well.
Therefore, this clash only made Shisui feel slightly stronger than before, though he was still nowhere near capable of standing alone against Saitama.
[Whoosh!]
Facing Shisui's counterattack, Saitama leaped upward and twisted his body mid-air using waist strength, landing behind Shisui.
[Rasengan!]
As Saitama charged forward, his left hand clenched into a sphere—opting for a more convenient yet devastating ninjutsu technique: the Rasengan.
[Boom!]
Within Saitama's vision, his technique grazed across Shisui's back Ninja armor (specialized protective gear worn by ninja), but in the next instant, Shisui vanished, dodging the attack.
The Rasengan slammed into the ground, blasting a massive crater into existence.
Seeing that he had missed, Saitama quickly moved from his position, jumping backward to create distance and prepare for Shisui's retaliation.
True to his instinct, the second he moved, a Wind Release jutsu tore across the ground he'd just vacated—and kept coming straight for him.
Shisui appeared on the opposite side, half-squatting while launching the technique. The back part of his Ninja armor had a hole torn through it, revealing twisted and torn skin underneath—fortunately, the wound wasn't deep.
[Hmph!]
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