The moment he ascended into the sky, Saitama completely released his restraint on chakra.
A massive surge of chakra erupted from his body, instantly filling the surrounding space. The pale blue energy suffused the gradually darkening sky, casting an unexpectedly vivid glow.
In terms of sheer chakra volume, Saitama was in no way inferior to weaker tailed beasts.
Moreover, his chakra regeneration was highly efficient, so he almost never had to worry about chakra consumption.
This was one of the foundations of his combat strength.
After releasing a large amount of chakra, Saitama's actions had not yet ended—in fact, he continued building toward something greater.
He hovered midair through some unique method, his entire body surrounded by a strange force flowing in and out. His overall aura constantly shifted.
Natural energy native to the shinobi world continuously converged toward him, quickly reaching the threshold needed for Sage Mode activation.
At this stage, Sage Mode was no longer a major technique requiring extensive preparation time. Instead, it had become an enhancement jutsu that only needed brief charging to achieve perfection, greatly increasing his combat capabilities.
At one moment—actually just about a second later—Saitama abruptly snapped his eyes open. For a brief instant, the air seemed to freeze, coming to a temporary standstill.
And his eyes were different now. A faint golden hue covered around his pupils, adding an unusual twist to the Sharingan's sinister aura—an extra layer of cold indifference.
Like the gaze of a human looking at ants—completely devoid of emotion.
As soon as he opened his eyes, the three figures below felt an even more terrifying pressure descend upon them from above, making them sense imminent danger.
[Sage Art - Great Lightning Blast!]
A low, resonant voice echoed through the air.
Boom—
Saitama raised both hands over his head. Massive amounts of chakra continuously radiated from his body, condensing above into pale white lightning.
When the lightning reached a certain threshold, he suddenly slammed both hands downward, pointing at the three Uchiha below.
The lightning, transformed from sage chakra, immediately received its command, surging down like a flood from above in the direction his arms pointed.
Massive bolts of lightning surged through the air—scattered at first—but then they began to shift and coalesce, eventually taking shape into a colossal White Tiger.
The tiger opened its mouth, baring its fangs, letting out a furious roar. Constant arcs of electricity crackled wildly around it, filling the air with raw energy.
Even before the technique struck, the overwhelming pressure descended, making the three below shiver involuntarily.
"Watch out!"
Obita narrowed his eyes, pulling a weakened Itachi close with one arm while warning Shisui.
The lightning release covering almost half the sky left them very little room to dodge.
So he had already prepared to retreat directly using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Even though he had once been full of ambitious dreams, reality was harsh and unyielding—humans were forced to confront many uncertainties.
If this were his former self, perhaps he would have impulsively chosen to stay and fight regardless of consequences. However, the current him had matured greatly; he now understood how to assess situations wisely and what strategic retreat truly meant.
Given the current situation, Itachi Uchiha had already been rendered unable to fight effectively, and even with Shisui's help, there was no chance of victory.
Moreover, facing such an overwhelming ninjutsu, he had no intention of confronting it head-on. Perhaps escape was their only option.
Obito stared at Saitama, who hovered midair like a thunder deity, once again feeling the vastness of the gap between them.
He had believed that through painstaking effort, he had gradually closed the distance. But now, when he looked up, he realized he couldn't even see the other's back anymore—no dust trail to follow. This was an indescribable sensation.
Perhaps this was exactly what Teacher Minato once spoke about—the natural gap in talent between shinobi.
No wonder Clan Leader Fugaku often called Saitama a genius unparalleled within the Uchiha Clan for generations.
Had it not been for some unforeseeable events, he might indeed have revived the ancient glory of the Uchiha Clan, drawing all the wary gazes of the Shinobi World onto this venerable thousand-year-old ninja clan!
"I can do this!"
Shisui heard Obito's words but still resolutely took one step forward, positioning himself directly in front of Saitama's incoming jutsu.
He murmured silently to himself before tightening his expression into deep seriousness.
As he stepped ahead, the greenish flame atop his Susano blazed even fiercer. The two pitch-black hollow eyes upon its skull briefly emitted brilliant light, and hints of crimson began brewing within, making the entire Susano appear even more vivid and real.
Facing Saitama's technique, he refused to retreat again—this was his personal demon.
Toward this once-close teammate, the emotions stirring within him were strange and complex.
After several previous defeats, he absolutely wouldn't retreat again—he knew that if he pulled back just one more time, he would never close the ever-growing distance between himself and Saitama.
Maybe dying here was better than cowardice?
A thought like this flickered through Shisui's mind, only to be quickly cast aside.
How could he fall so easily before Saitama now? All those years of relentless pursuit—if defeat came this easily, it would have all been for nothing.
This was something he refused to witness and even more unwilling to accept!
Constantly chasing after Saitama—who had fallen into darkness—only growth in strength could make him believe there was still hope to bring Saitama back.
Thus, faced with Saitama's technique,
he decided not to retreat.
This was a battle where withdrawal simply wasn't an option!
Obito's voice continued echoing from behind, but Shisui's eyes darkened further with intense bloodshot hues, his expression gradually turning fierce, completely disregarding his companion's warning.
[Roar!]
Susano threw back its head with a mighty roar, its body reforming into a more tangible, solid state.
Its left hand was engulfed in violent green flames, shifting rapidly and molding into a distinct shape.
"The more I understand this world, the more I see its ugliness. Even I've become part of that ugliness."
Saitama aimed both hands downward, a mocking smile on his face—this time, the mockery was directed at himself.
The world itself is not to blame, but many of those who live in it are filled with sins. What he had to do was wipe out as much of that evil as he could.
Therefore, the deeper his emotions stirred, the more determined he became about his path. The world needed to be 'purified,' and that was one of the reasons for his existence.
Bang—crash—
A Lightning Tiger dozens of meters in size charged downward within Saitama's line of sight, emanating unstoppable momentum. It reached right before Shisui in an instant.
But Saitama was also surprised by the transformation that had taken place in Shisui.
A green giant raised a large shield covered in intricate patterns.
Green flames burned gently along the shield's edges, slightly warping the surrounding air, blocking the incoming jutsu that came charging from above diagonally.
The shield was enormous, easily protecting half the body currently manifested by Susano.
After the collision, the two forces began a struggle of strength.
The White Tiger's mouth clamped onto the shield as a surge of Lightning burst outward all at once. Most of it exploded against the shield's front, while some bypassed it, striking Susano behind and scattering the green flames across its body.
Yet such damage was trivial against Susano's incredible defense, like nothing more than a tickling sensation.
Still, despite suffering minimal direct harm,
Shisui was pushed backward by the impact, temporarily losing ground.
Fortunately, the overall situation remained within his control, avoiding any image of immediate collapse.
Staring ahead at the White Tiger blocked by the shield, blood began trickling from the corner of Shisui's eye.
Further enhancing Susano was draining him significantly at this moment.
[Heh heh]
Looking down at Shisui struggling to block his technique, Saitama let out an ambiguous chuckle, his eyes growing darker deep inside.
Then, he suddenly lifted and clenched both hands again, regaining his usual calm expression.
It was time to make a decision.
To finish everything according to his true desires instead of feigning hesitation any longer.
Though he always claimed to have severed past bonds, he hadn't truly cut the ties between past and present as strongly as he spoke. Instead, he had subtly been avoiding the issue.
Like the current relationship between Shisui and Itachi—whatever friendship or intimacy they'd shared in the past now held absolutely no meaning here.
Their positions were now opposing each other; thus, there was bound to be injury on either side.
And what he himself referred to as 'severing' naturally included these attachments.
Cruelty, heartlessness, inhumanity—it was all inevitable, like a drawn arrow ready to fly.
The longer he hesitated, the more boring he found himself becoming.
So yes… it was time!
"Shisui…"
Leaning against Obito, Itachi watched Shisui stand firm before them both, resisting Saitama's jutsu, his eyes flickering with solemnity.
His face was extremely pale, the Sharingan having regressed to the Three-Tomoe form, and his eyes were unusually dim.
He could understand Shisui's unwillingness in facing Saitama because he himself felt a similar emotion.
"Damn it!"
Inside Susano, Shisui gritted his teeth, blood slowly oozing from his gums. Yet the opposing force remained overwhelmingly strong.
The Susano he controlled continued being pushed backward, forcing his legs to bear the entire pressure as two deep marks were left on the ground.
With Saitama changing his hand seal, the White Tiger that had been biting down on Susano's shield underwent an immediate transformation.
The tiger roared furiously before suddenly bristling its fur, sending surging waves of lightning radiating outward in all directions.
And that was the trigger.
"Haaah!"
Above them, Saitama formed hand seals across his chest while releasing a low sound from his mouth.
This "Haaah!" sounded just like Deidara's signature battle cry.
[BOOM—]
As Obito instinctively narrowed his pupils, the Ninjutsu White Tiger previously locked in battle with Shisui erupted into explosion. Everything was consumed by white light, expanding rapidly toward them like a tidal wave.
Without hesitation, Obito grabbed Itachi and instantly vanished from the spot, escaping the dangerous attack.
As for Shisui who stood blocking their front, the sudden shift in events gave him no chance to save himself.
"Shisui!"
They reappeared a dozen meters away.
Itachi pressed harder against his wound, blood quickly dripping between his fingers, shouting out in extreme concern toward the battlefield, worry evident across his face.
His eyes locked onto the blinding space ahead — Shisui was still there where they'd left him, fate unknown.
Thud—
Saitama landed from midair, staring forward.
The previously enormous green figure was gone, replaced only by one kneeling human figure at the site.
He had manipulated his technique to discharge all energy at once, triggering an explosion powerful enough to shatter Shisui's Susano.
Hence creating this scene now.
Shisui looked pitiful: both knees planted on the ground, his bare upper body charred black, and his Konoha forehead protector had fallen off to the side, the Konoha symbol etched with scars of lightning.
Motionless, head lowered as if lifeless—but the slow rise and fall of his chest told Saitama clearly that he had not died outright.
"You're not going out that easy, I know it."
Standing firm, Saitama stared at Shisui, his eyes filled with killing intent.
The killing intent intensified, as sharp as needles aimed directly at Shisui.
"Cough… cough…"
Shisui coughed heavily, spitting blood onto the ground, splashing around him.
"I refuse to die like this... Err?"
Whoosh—
Slowly raising his head, his words cut short as a sudden chill struck him. Instinctively, he rolled sideways attempting to dodge.
But Saitama Uchiha's attack came too suddenly, rivaling the earlier ninjutsu explosion in sheer intensity.
So even though he instinctively dodged slightly, a bolt of lightning still pierced through the area near his shoulder, continuing through his back and embedding itself into the ground.
"Damn it!"
Itachi Uchiha wanted to rush to Shisui's side to assist him, but Obito tightly restrained his body, preventing him from taking that step forward.
At this moment, an injured Itachi wouldn't have been able to do anything at all, so Obito refused to let him run headlong into certain death.
As for Obito himself, he frowned tightly, clearly deep in thought.
Thus, the two of them stared intensely at the figure standing before Shisui.
Watching as the latter held a beam of light composed entirely of lightning in his hand, impaling Shisui and pinning him to the ground.
"Do it. I will always watch you fulfill your dream. History will bear witness to everything."
Shisui grimaced in pain as blood continuously flowed from his wound, only to gradually evaporate under the effect of Chidori Current, sizzling with a "zizi" sound (like sizzling).
He seemed to have already seen through Saitama's intentions and ceased struggling, simply lying there as if accepting his fate.
Yet his eyes remained calm, locking steadily with Saitama's gaze.
Their eyes met midair, flashing with countless scenes—disjointed film reels hurriedly flipped through all at once—before fading back into darkness.
"I will."
A surge of chakra formed in his hand, solidifying the Chidori Current into the Chidori Light Sword, which thickened further. Shisui's expression changed instantly.
Pzzt!
The technique embedded near his shoulder was pulled out. Aiming at a vital spot, Saitama's eyes flashed a trace of cruelty as he plunged downward again without hesitation.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
One after another, two piercing sounds split the air.
Saitama looked ahead—Uchiha Itachi and Obito had already vanished from their position, and this kunai was clearly thrown by Obito right before leaving.
As for behind him, an evidently troublesome figure had arrived.
Swish!
Saitama abandoned further attacks on the helpless Shisui at his feet and spun around, thrusting the Chidori Light Sword forward.
If he continued targeting Shisui, the attack from behind would certainly be unstoppable.
[Chidori Current]
The technique collided with the kunai. A figure gripping the kunai appeared on the scene, successfully blocking his attack.
"Minato Namikaze!"
"Uchiha Saitama!"
Recognizing who had come, Saitama's lips curled slightly into a smirk.
From the corner of his vision, Uchiha Obito reappeared near the kunai he'd previously thrown, immediately grabbing Shisui's shoulder and vanishing on the spot without any pause.
His kunai hadn't targeted Saitama in the first place—it had been aimed at Shisui, so his main objective was naturally rescuing Shisui from danger.
Saitama made no move to stop Obito, since his attention was almost entirely fixed on Minato Namikaze before him.
[Swish! Swish!]
Wielding the jutsu in his hand, Saitama lunged forward, attacking the newly arrived Minato head-on.
The Chidori Current crackled through the air, sending arcs of electricity flying in every direction.
Minato hadn't expected Saitama to launch an immediate all-out assault. Holding a kunai, he kept blocking the opponent's strikes while retreating.
Whoosh—
Spotting an opening, Minato hurled his kunai forward and leaned back to create more distance.
Saitama sidestepped the kunai, swinging the ninjutsu clenched in his fist.
He slashed it straight ahead first—Minato barely dodged it—and his red eye gave off an ominous gleam. Then, with a flick of his arm, he pulled the ninjutsu back midair and slashed behind him toward where the kunai had landed.
At that exact moment, Minato reappeared there.
Clang—
The sound of metal rang out again. Taking advantage of the impact, Saitama jumped away and flung his ninjutsu forward mid-air.
Ziiiii—
Minato sidestepped once more, and Saitama's Chidori Spear pierced directly through the ground before vanishing into thin air.
Krrrrsh—
The two separated, both stepping back several paces. They locked eyes but held their attacks.
"You'll need my permission before harming any Konoha ninja!"
Minato pointed his kunai at Saitama, his expression completely serious. Yet no chakra at all radiated from his body—like any ordinary person holding a weapon.
"Don't you think that's laughable, Hokage Minato?"
Saitama scanned the surroundings briefly before speaking mockingly.
Right now, Konoha lay in ruins, making Minato's words sound almost ridiculous.
"But since the Hokage has come personally, I won't overstay my welcome. We'll have another chance to fight."
He took a deep breath, letting his gaze linger on Minato's face for a few seconds.
Minato stayed silent. If Saitama truly wanted to leave, there was nothing he could do to stop him.
A ninja who mastered Space–Time Ninjutsu couldn't easily be restrained.
Besides, at this moment, there was no way Minato would chase after an enemy.
[When we meet again, it will be our fated duel.]
I will personally reclaim everything that belongs to Konoha. Everything Akatsuki did today will become the origin of what's coming soon!"
After some thought, Minato let those harsh words fly.
What happened today had turned him—normally a gentle person, the kind everyone could call "Aniki"—into someone consumed by rage.
And the fire in his heart wouldn't die down so easily.
"Count on it. I look forward to it."
Saitama nodded, completely unfazed by Minato's threatening tone.
"Although I didn't capture the Nine-Tails this time, next time won't be so easy. Just wait until then…"
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