Despite the large number of White Zetsu clones, they couldn't withstand Amaterasu.
The clones were naturally unintelligent—in fact, practically stupid. So even when hit by the Black Flames, they still mindlessly clustered together.
As a result, entire swarms of them were engulfed in fire.
The all-consuming Amaterasu easily landed among the densely packed White Zetsu clones, quickly proving extremely effective. The flames tore through their ranks, sharply reducing their numbers.
Those Zetsu clones scorched by the Black Flames vanished screaming, their anguished faces fading away without even a speck of ash left behind.
After maintaining the technique for just a few seconds, Itachi Uchiha stopped using his Mangekyou Sharingan. His face turned slightly pale.
This intense battle had placed an enormous burden on his eyes—an issue he'd always tried to avoid.
Ever since he first awakened Mangekyou and used it directly, he had discovered that its usage damaged his eyesight. His damage was even more severe than Shisui's, who had awakened the Mangekyou before him. This seemed to be caused by some recessive genetic factor.
Therefore, after using Mangekyou to break through at the start of the battle, he chose not to continue pushing himself but instead switched back to more conventional methods to finish off the remaining enemies.
Gazing at the remaining White Zetsu clones, his Sharingan completely failed to distinguish between clones and original. Each enemy appeared as an independent individual; there was no way to tell which one was the main body.
This must be a cloning technique even more advanced than Shadow Clone, Itachi mused, not surprised given the enemy's ability to use Wood Release.
Fortunately, Amaterasu had already reduced their numbers to a manageable level, and he felt confident about continuing the fight.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several White Zetsu clones that hadn't been caught in the inferno charged toward Itachi like madmen, their faces twisted with disgusting, eerie smiles, showing no fear of death.
From their previous attempts to evade Amaterasu, Itachi already roughly understood these enemies' strength.
They probably ranked slightly below average Chunin—somewhat threatening but ultimately insignificant unless they attacked in overwhelming numbers. Essentially, they were nothing more than grunts.
Even so, he remained cautious.
Unable to identify which one was the real body among the clones, he had to remain alert for the possibility of the original hiding among them to launch a surprise attack.
The original's unusual ninjutsu and Wood Release techniques still carried serious killing potential. A single lapse in focus could mean death—vigilance was non-negotiable.
Thud—
Facing an opponent head-on, Itachi took his first step forward. He swung his ninja sword in a half-moon arc before him, the motion fluid and practiced.
This single slash contained powerful fire-natured chakra, making the blade appear coated in flames.
Thus, the White Zetsu rushing straight at him was effortlessly cut cleanly in two, the incision charred black.
Its face still wore the expression from the previous second before it immediately fell apart, dying instantly.
Ordinary split bodies didn't possess the strong vitality of White Zetsu's original form or unique beings like Tobi, so being cut in half directly meant instant death!
After cutting one down, Itachi gained a deeper understanding of the enemy's strength. He picked up the pace with his swordplay accordingly.
Swish swish swish—
His swordsmanship was actually quite impressive. Combined with the enhanced perception and reflexes granted by his Sharingan, every move made by White Zetsu was completely under his observation and control, not a single detail missed.
It was just like mowing through a field of wheat. He danced through the remaining dozen-odd White Zetsus, each step and each slash taking away another artificial life.
White Zetsu was hiding far away, peeking out half his head to observe the chaotic slaughter performed by Itachi Uchiha.
When it came to actual combat, watching from the sidelines was all he could do.
Plus, he noticed that Saitama wasn't going all-out against these two former teammates.
Otherwise, considering Saitama's record of killing the Raikage in such a short time, these two, although strong-looking, clearly hadn't reached some insane level—those Uchiha ninja wouldn't have lasted this long!
But Saitama had grown much stronger now. No longer the ninja who allowed himself to be manipulated back then. So having his own ideas was quite natural.
Smirking amusedly, he concealed his entire body underground again, preparing to see how Saitama would handle things next.
As for him no longer participating in the battle—it was normal, right? He wasn't someone peculiar like Tobi. Hopefully, Saitama would understand his actions.
Moreover, he didn't really give a damn about Saitama's feelings; The guy wouldn't flip over something this trivial, so he felt absolutely no internal conflict over what he'd done.
Shisui's Susanoo was struck head-on by Saitama's jutsu, instantly halting its charge.
Susano's Rib Skeleton hovered around Shisui like Armor, offering solid protection.
With both feet planted firmly on the ground, he focused his chakra and Ocular Power to maintain Susanoo's current form.
Swoosh — Saitama launched himself skyward again, and this time his eyes shifted—those spinning Tomoe swirling into the ancient Mangekyou shape.
To counter science, you needed science; to fight a Mangekyou, naturally you also needed a Mangekyou.
This was wisdom passed down by the elders, a lesson he had never forgotten.
Naturally, Shisui noticed Saitama's movement and transformation.
Therefore, he maneuvered Susanoo once more, raising both arms to counterattack.
Additionally, vast amounts of green light emerged from the void, integrating into the Rib Skeleton. Like growth agents, they caused the bones to develop entirely differently from their former small appearance.
Susanoo, originally composed only of ribs and arms, expanded several times within a short time, growing as large as a house—not merely guarding Shisui alone anymore.
Also, the thickness of the bones improved significantly, beginning to look terrifying...
Crack!
Two massive skeletal frames collided violently, surging chakra crackling through the air and generating powerful gusts that kicked up dust from the ground.
But the one cloaked in white arcs of electricity was clearly more powerful. The first clash alone sent the green-glowing opponent flying backward.
Of course, the one wrapped in electric currents was Saitama. His current Susanoo form was evidently more advanced than Shisui's.
At the very least, Saitama's Susanoo possessed both a weapon and a complete head, while Shisui's only had a full ribcage and arms—lacking both a head and an appropriate weapon.
Activating his Susanoo immediately, Saitama launched a relentless offensive.
Judging from the exchange, not only did he have superior mastery over the Susanoo technique, but its destructive power completely overwhelmed Shisui.
Skipping past the initial stage of Susanoo entirely, Saitama directly entered the first transformation phase.
With a fully formed upper body and chakra resembling powerful muscles filling the skeletal structure, this version of Susanoo looked extremely formidable.
Each hand clutched a bone-like blade tightly, adding even more intimidation to its presence.
The initial stage of Susanoo merely forms basic skeletal structures for defense and offense, lacking any distinct human shape beyond certain specific human features.
The first transformation stage, however, featured a complete upper torso and could even wield weapons in a rudimentary fashion.
At this stage, both its defensive and offensive capabilities became astonishingly powerful. Aside from vulnerabilities at the feet, breaking through its defenses proved extremely difficult.
Additionally, during this stage, the Susanoo could perform various combat actions according to the user's will, engaging in battle as if piloting an unbreakable mecha suit—not only awe-inspiring in appearance but also immensely destructive.
With such immense size and overwhelming power, even at this stage it already qualified as an unrivaled battle armor in the Shinobi World.
Unless up against a select few, it was nearly unbeatable.
Clearly, Shisui was still at the initial stage, striving toward the first transformation phase. So during their first collision, he found himself overwhelmed by Saitama and pushed onto the back foot almost immediately.
Shsh!
Saitama willed again, and the floating Susanoo above his torso swung its weapons in hand, slashing fiercely toward Shisui, while Saitama himself charged forward right after.
In each hand, it held a sword—one infused with fire chakra, the other crackling with lightning energy.
Even though they couldn't unleash their full power yet due to still being in the first transformation phase, the blades cutting through the air carved streaks of blazing red and blue-white chakra across the sky, radiating pure menace.
One fiery red, the other flashing blue-white, they struck the opponent almost simultaneously.
On impact!
Shisui quickly maneuvered his Susanoo to raise both arms, barely blocking the twin strikes.
Sparks of chakra burst outward where the blades struck the arm bones of his Susanoo, the bones themselves cracking loudly, seemingly on the verge of shattering at any moment.
Meanwhile, his own body violently recoiled after the impact.
Saitama's assault was ferocious—he was barely holding on!
Lips pressed into a tight line, Shisui kept retreating while unleashing his ocular power to the fullest.
As for Saitama,
Seeing that his attacks were effective—actually suppressing Shisui at this moment—he continued launching relentless assaults.
Controlled purely by willpower, Susanoo moved with uncanny fluidity—so smooth and lifelike, it was hard to believe such grace could come from something so massive.
The weapons in both hands whirled violently, creating gusts of wind as they came crashing down upon Shisui's barely-formed Proto-Susanoo, carrying with them a firm determination to end things quickly.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Shisui could only endure the blows passively. His already crimson eyes darkened further under Saitama's assault, glowing with intensifying power.
Fortunately, while resisting Saitama's offense, Shisui also pushed forward relentlessly to activate his Susanoo.
And the defensive capability of the Proto-Susanoo was decent enough—it kept spewing sparks of chakra and gaining fresh scars across its skeletal frame, yet it didn't break under the onslaught, at least not immediately.
With a mighty roar!
Finally, like a wild beast long confined but now released into the wilderness, Shisui's Susanoo had reached its First Form.
Right after entering the First Form, Susanoo let out a thunderous roar toward Saitama. Then, wielding a katana-shaped weapon in its right hand, it swung forcefully, sending both Saitama and his Susano flying backward.
Overwhelmed throughout the fight, Shisui had finally achieved the First Form of Susanoo. Immediately countering, he seized a brief advantage in their clash.
Although he had mastered Susanoo long ago, aside from last time when he unleashed the First Form during Rasa's rescue mission, this was only the second time Shisui had used it.
Therefore, both the activation speed and control lagged slightly behind Saitama's current proficiency.
A tense standoff had formed between the two.
Shisui looked somewhat battered, but at least now he had something to match Saitama—a First Form Susanoo!
For Saitama, who had hoped for a swift victory, things had now become far more complicated.
The green and blue Susanoo giants stood facing each other like rival Oni locked in confrontation.
An invisible force rippled through the air, making pebbles on the ground tremble as if warning that the battle was about to explode.
Grinning broadly at Shisui, Saitama revealed his pristine white teeth. With a sudden burst of resolve, he charged straight at his opponent alongside his Susanoo, which trailed him like an accessory.
Mid-leap, Susanoo slightly leaned forward. Its left blade swept back while the right blade angled sharply upward, both weapons aimed like they were ready to strike any second.
Chidori surged violently, filling Susanoo's hollow skeletal frame until it seemed tangible, channeling along the arms into the weapon in the right hand.
As for the left blade, its edge continuously brightened, threads of red chakra flowing over it like runes, making the surrounding air near the left side unbearably scorching.
[CLANG!] Sparks flew as the blades collided!
Guided by Shisui's control, Susanoo swiftly and nimbly intercepted Saitama's charge. The single-weapon defense somehow blocked Saitama's dual-handed attack using an incredibly bizarre angle.
Two massive figures clashed endlessly like GUNDAMs from Saitama's memories, driven tirelessly by their masters' willpower—unaware of fatigue or pain...
However, with superior weapons and overall strength, Saitama gradually seized the upper hand. He pressed Uchiha Shisui harder and harder, strike after strike landing on his opponent's body, causing him to sway unsteadily.
Shisui gathered his focus, staring intently at Saitama while carefully observing every move the other made.
Meanwhile, Susano could only remain in passive defense or take advantage of brief openings to launch feeble counterattacks that barely disrupted Susano's rhythm.
He knew that even though they were both using their first forms of Susano, the gap between them was like an unbridgeable canyon.
Just like wielding the same powerful weapon, it felt like he was a clumsy child fumbling with it, while Saitama wielded it like a seasoned warrior who knew every trick.
As time passed, Shisui knew he must find an opportunity to counterattack; otherwise, victory would be absolutely impossible!
At this thought, he turned his mind toward his Dojutsu again.
Last time, he had attempted a Ninjutsu sealed deep within his eyes, yet somehow Saitama seemed to have seen it coming, managing to break free through unknown methods so that the technique had no effect whatsoever.
This experience had even caused Shisui to doubt his own ocular abilities slightly.
But now that it's come to this, he had no choice but to keep trying.
Among his Mangekyou techniques, "Kotoamatsukami" used previously against Saitama was still on cooldown.
Actually, there were several other Ninjutsu available too, though their power was significantly weaker than Kotoamatsukami.
At this moment, Shisui didn't intend to win directly through these techniques since he knew that wasn't possible.
Instead, he just wanted to use them to severely disrupt Saitama and shift the battle dynamics back into his favor.
If all he needed was a distraction, then he still had confidence!
Still, using his Dojutsu required finding the right timing—he first needed to survive the current situation.
Thud-thud—
Leaping upward once more, Shisui dodged Saitama's attack. Then with a flick of his right hand, his chakra-infused katana sliced past Saitama's Susano, leaving a visible void scar in the air.
Crackle! Pop!—
Saitama shifted his focus, channeling large amounts of chakra into Susano's right arm. The weapon there became enveloped in brilliant Chidori Current, increasing its power dramatically.
Whoosh!
Aiming precisely at the airborne Shisui, Saitama manipulated Susano into launching a direct slash forward, accompanied by continuous electric crackling sounds through the air.
This sudden attack caught Shisui off guard, so the blow heavily landed upon his Susano, instantly knocking him down forcefully.
With a loud 'Boom!', Shisui crashed into the ground. Chidori Currents wildly surged across the lower part of Susano's chest near where Shisui himself resided.
The area's original chakra belonging to him had been severed, leaving a deep gash along the skeletal frame.
"Shisui!"
After defeating the White Zetsu Clone, Itachi Uchiha couldn't locate the hidden White Zetsu Original. Therefore, he decided to head over to assist Uchiha Shisui instead.
But the moment he turned around, the first thing he saw was Shisui revealing one of his ultimate trump cards—only to be blasted away immediately afterward.
Seeing Saitama seemingly ready to continue his assault on Shisui, Itachi had no choice but to intervene directly.
But there was considerable distance between them, and he knew conventional ninjutsu would be utterly ineffective against Susano. In an instant, the situation turned dire.
With no time to think further, Itachi realized he had only one move that could strike Saitama from this range and save Shisui.
Though it would put immense strain on his eyes, it was manageable.
"Amaterasu!"
Blood streamed once more from the corner of his right eye as he locked eyes with Saitama.
Boom—
At the point where his gaze settled, black flames erupted violently.
...
"What a nuisance!"
Jiraiya muttered in frustration, slamming a fist into the trunk of a nearby tree, shaking it violently.
"Sensei, we were indeed careless this time. But we'll have another chance."
Minato stared at the explosion and the smoke spreading across the sky, his expression unreadable.
Had it not been for the Flying Thunder God Technique, they might have perished today.
"What a terrifying woman!"
Fukasaku still felt shaken. Surrounded by explosive tags everywhere, even he couldn't shake off his fear.
Fortunately, Minato swiftly evacuated them using his technique. Also, her attack had come hastily, failing to deliver a decisive killing blow.
"Do you really think things are just going to end here?"
Standing on Minato's shoulder, Shima looked somewhat exhausted.
If not for Jiraiya, she'd probably still be cooking for the tadpoles instead of fighting here and wearing herself out.
But at least things were finally over now. All they could do was hope for a better outcome next time — to decisively defeat the enemy rather than dragging things out like this again and again.
Having major battles pop up every so often.
These old bodies just weren't made for this kind of strain anymore.
"Sensei, I'm going to check on Kushina and the baby first."
Observing the current battlefield situation, since Pain had already retreated under his teammates' cover, continuing the pursuit would serve no purpose. So, Minato decided to check on his wife and child first before taking charge of Konoha's affairs.
The damage inflicted upon Konoha was already incalculable, so minimizing further losses became their most urgent priority.
"Alright. You two should head back too. Thank you both for your help today."
Jiraiya gave a slight nod. Though reluctant to let Nagato and the others escape so easily, he had little power to stop them.
This time, they could only let them go. Next time, they must be fully prepared.
After all, this time they were on defense while the enemy attacked, and the enemy had seized the initiative. Even though they eventually turned the tide, the enemy still had hidden trump cards, allowing them to withdraw relatively easily.
"Then that's settled!"
The two toads exchanged glances before vanishing into puffs of white smoke.
Minato also disappeared in a flash of yellow light.
"Nagato...Konan..."
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