tachi stood at the top of the Hokage office balcony, crimson eyes scanning the system interface projected before him. The map glowed with red markers — sightings of Darkseid's operatives moving toward their objectives, each one more dangerous than the last.
He extended his hand, and a swarm of crows erupted from his cloak, dispersing across the village. Each crow carried a sensor and relayed real-time data back to him — positions, numbers, and movements.
"ANBU Unit," he commanded softly. "Deploy. Split into squads of four. Cover the Northern and Western routes first. Intercept any high-value targets. Sasuke, you and I will handle anything beyond their capability."
Eight shadowy ANBU figures vanished into the dimension's air, teleporting to key locations in the material world. Each moved silently, lethal efficiency written into every gesture.
Itachi's crimson eyes glinted as he ran simulations. If each squad engages properly, I can neutralize a dozen operatives simultaneously, generate system points, and preserve my forces for high-tier combat.
Sasuke stepped forward, arms crossed, Sharingan active. "We shouldn't underestimate them. These are Darkseid's elite. Their power is… unlike anything we've faced."
"It doesn't matter," Itachi replied calmly, adjusting the folds of his cloak. "We are faster, smarter, and more precise. Let the system reward us for efficiency. Points will follow every kill, and we'll be ready for the next wave before they even know what hit them."
The first skirmish occurred within minutes. One of Darkseid's lieutenants attempted to collect a Mother Box from a warehouse in Metropolis. An ANBU squad materialized silently, shurikens and kunai imbued with elemental chakra flying in perfect coordination.
[System Notification: Target Eliminated — 1,000 points earned]
Itachi allowed himself a faint nod. Efficient.
Simultaneously, another team intercepted a second operative attempting to breach a Gotham bank. Explosions of fire and water jutsu, combined with wind-assisted strikes, disabled the enemy before they could fully react.
[System Notification: Target Eliminated — 1,200 points earned]
From the Hokage office, Itachi and Sasuke coordinated the strikes, body flicker movements allowing them to appear at multiple hotspots simultaneously. Crimson eyes glowed as Itachi activated Kamui, phasing through walls to personally intercept a heavily armored operative.
Sasuke mirrored his movements, lightning crackling around his blade as the pair struck in perfect synchronization. Targets were neutralized before they could finish assembling the Mother Boxes.
[System Notification: First Wave Complete — Total Points Earned: 12,500]
Itachi exhaled lightly, scanning the cityscape. "Good. The Mother Boxes are still out of reach. This is exactly how we proceed — precision strikes, minimal risk, maximum gain. The system rewards efficiency and kills. Let's continue to harvest points and build strength."
Sasuke looked at his brother, a faint smile flickering across his face. "You're… terrifyingly good at this."
Itachi's crimson eyes softened for just a moment. "I'm not doing it for the terror. I'm doing it for control. For power. And for keeping you alive."
The crows dispersed once more, sending real-time scouting reports across Metropolis and Gotham. Every operative of Darkseid's that attempted a move was tracked, assessed, and neutralized before they could act.
By the time Darkseid arrives in full force, Itachi thought, crimson eyes glinting, he will find the world already prepared… and the points I gain from his army will make me unstoppable.