"Captain, what happened to you?"
Uchiha Huo saw Saitama's clothes all scorched and blackened, looked puzzled, and asked.
"Uh!" Saitama hesitated, thinking about an excuse.
"I was testing out a new jutsu on the way back and messed up a bit — that's how I ended up like this. You know how it is, I've been stuck at this power level lately, figured I'd experiment a little."
Rubbing the back of his head, Saitama rattled off a perfectly reasonable explanation.
"Oh, so that's how it is!" Uchiha Huo's eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Captain, by the way! Mori-sama came looking for you earlier. Since you hadn't returned yet, he told me to tell you to go see him when you got back!"
Uchiha Yan pulled Uchiha Huo back before he could press further, then reported to Saitama.
"Oh, okay. Then you two go do your thing, and I'll go check in with him."
Saitama nodded, first heading toward his own tent. He couldn't possibly go see Uchiha Mori wearing these rags, could he? Don't think Uchiha Mori looks so serious normally, but if Saitama actually did that, he'd dare mock Saitama for months.
Saitama didn't dare take that gamble — better to clean up and change first. According to Mori's personality, whatever matter he wanted to discuss with Saitama probably wasn't very urgent.
"Understood, Captain!" The two brothers nodded and walked off in other directions.
"Flap!"
Saitama lifted the tent flap and stepped inside, took out some clothes from aside, and was just about to go to the bed to change when he noticed something odd.
"Who did this? Not bad." Saitama smirked at his neatly arranged bed sheets.
Even a monkey could guess who did it. Does she really have nothing better to do every day? Saitama shook his head, sat on the bed, and began taking off his tattered clothes and pants.
After tidying up, Saitama slipped into a fresh outfit – still that signature high-necked shirt of the Uchiha Clan paired with dark ninja trousers.
...
"What's going on? What is it?" Saitama walked straight into Mori's tent, seeing him eating a rice ball while reading documents at the table.
Working as Uchiha Tianming's assistant, Mori often handled internal clan affairs.
"Mm, you're here?"
Mori didn't even bother lifting his gaze from the scroll in front of him.
Saitama wasn't being formal either. He walked to the table and grabbed a rice ball from the tray to start chewing.
"Sand finally called it quits?" Saitama finished one rice ball quickly and spoke directly.
"You already knew?" Mori raised his head, staring at Saitama.
"Nope. Guessed." Saitama replied as he picked up another rice ball and put it into his mouth.
Just got back from a mission, and not about to keep Mori waiting. As soon as he changed his clothes he hurried over. By now, his stomach had long been growling with hunger.
"Hmm, your guess isn't bad! Tsunade-sama only just called us together today to inform everyone. Nothing else important, so let me give you a quick update."
"Oh, it was about time they ended it! It's been going on for quite a while."
Saitama leaned against the table, mumbling something incoherent. In his memory, the battle between Konoha and Sunagakure did end in Konoha Year 46, though he didn't know the exact timing.
"Hey, leave some for me! Take your own if you want to eat! I'm busy here and don't have time to entertain you!"
Mori slapped Saitama's hand away from the food, stopping him from continuing his feast.
"Alright, alright, then I'll just leave first." Saitama wasn't angry at all. He turned to go—he really needed to find something to eat; his stomach couldn't hold out much longer.
...
The wind howled as news of Konoha's victory quickly spread across the land. Yet the Mist ninja remained stubborn, still determined to settle things once and for all with Konoha.
This was the border—the Land of Fire on one side, Bear Country on the other.
Saitama stood before a group of ninja, surrounded by a cluster of jonin. They all glared toward the enemy lines, exuding waves of killing intent.
Tsunade hadn't come herself—overall command had been given to Uchiha Tianming and Hyuga Xin instead. Though from rival clans, they acted as one when it mattered most, never letting past tensions interfere.
"Kitada Jiro!" Uchiha Tianming shouted toward the distant Mist forces. Kitada was the frontline commander of this Mist unit. Yagura Karatachi, the current Mizukage, had not appeared yet—perhaps it simply wasn't the right time.
Among these Mist ninja, four were members of the Seven Legendary Shinobi: Kuma Rokkaku and Jinpa Muri, both previously wounded by Saitama, and the newly arrived Biwa Juzo and Fuguki Suikazan, who had already brought heavy losses to Konoha—one wielding the cleaver Kubikiribōchō, the other the great sword Samehada.
"Hmph!" A voice rang out from among the Mist ranks, prompting the formation to part as a balding middle-aged man stepped forward. Dressed in light-blue samurai armor and sporting a long beard beneath his chin, he was Kitada Jiro, currently serving as commander of the Mist forces.
"So that's the guy who messed you two up, huh?" sneered a grating voice—it was Fuguki Suikazan, carrying a weapon completely wrapped in bandages on his back. With wild orange hair and facial markings resembling painted mustaches, along with loosely wrapped bandages circling his neck,
As he spoke, Fuguki Suikazan bared his sharp teeth, glaring at Saitama standing firm among the Konoha ninja.
"Don't underestimate that kid," said Jinpa Muri, his wounds nearly healed. "Even you might not be his match." He shot a venomous glare at Fuguki Suikazan.
"I've never feared anyone in close combat!" Fuguki Suikazan smacked his palm against Samehada strapped to his back, clearly unconcerned.
"Hmph!" Jinpa Muri snorted coldly. Knowing full well Samehada's unique properties, he chose not to argue further.
"Are we fighting or not? If so, hurry up instead of wasting time talking!" growled Biwa Juzo, murder gleaming in his eyes as he stared at Kitada Jiro. As one of the Seven Legendary Shinobi, he held little regard for a commander whose strength fell short of his own.
"What's the point of talking, Tianming?" another voice barked. "Let's just fight and see who wins!"
Kitada paid no mind to what Biwa Juzo had said. He'd long grown accustomed to these Mist ninja who behaved like thugs.
"Haha! Let's fight!" Uchiha Tianming laughed, gesturing toward the Konoha ninja.
Saitama turned toward the hostile stares and naturally noticed those few ninja with rather exaggerated appearances. He smirked and casually reached for the ninja sword at his hip.
"Kill!" A commotion erupted from the Mist forces. The frontline instantly collapsed as thousands of ninja charged toward Konoha's ranks.
"Go!" Uchiha Tianming and Xin Hyuga signaled the Leaf ninja to advance. In large-scale wars like this, there wasn't much room for tactics on the frontline battlefield—the rule was simply to go all out!
"Shing!" Saitama pushed off with one foot and dashed straight toward Fuguki Suikazan. He could tell the enemy had specifically targeted him.
"Shua!" Saitama shot forward like a bolt of lightning, clashing with Fuguki Suikazan in an instant.
"Kwang!"
Samehada blocked Saitama's ninja sword. The lightning along his blade vanished without hurting the enemy—it was probably absorbed by Samehada.
"They told me you were strong, but you're nothing special."
Fuguki Suikazan stared into Saitama's eyes and smirked—he clearly knew Samehada had just absorbed the electrical chakra from Saitama's blade. He wanted to see the shock on Saitama's face. Unfortunately, Saitama already understood how Samehada worked, so he showed no surprise at all.
"Shua!"
Saitama sidestepped to dodge the swinging Samehada. At the same time, he flicked his hand upward, driving his blade straight toward his opponent.
"Hmph!"
Fuguki Suikazan didn't panic, simply raising Samehada across his chest. The sword's sufficient length easily deflected Saitama's attack outward.
"Peng!"
A kick shot out, slamming heavily into Samehada. Lightning flashed beneath Saitama's feet, electrifying the bandages wrapped around Samehada until they turned black and scorched.
"Zizi!"
Caught off guard, Samehada shrieked from the electric shock.
Fuguki glanced down briefly before continuing his assault against Saitama.
"Shua!"
Pushing off with his right foot, Saitama vanished from the enemy's sight in an instant—his speed too fast for Fuguki Suikazan to react.
"Shua!"
The blade left a wound upon his opponent's back, but Samehada quickly appeared before Saitama again.
"Deng!"
Saitama created some distance, jumping backward and sliding far away as both feet scraped against the ground.
"Ss!"
Fuguki touched the wound Saitama had just inflicted. Thanks to evading at the last moment, the injury wasn't deep, but his expression darkened. His eyes locked onto Saitama like a predator eyeing prey.
"You're dead!"
Fuguki shouted at Saitama while raising Samehada upright and beginning to form hand seals with both hands.
[Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique]
"Peng!" A massive water dragon surged forth with extreme speed and power, its head ferocious yet intricately shaped.
"Rooar!" The summoned dragon roared continuously as it attacked.
Saitama narrowed his eyes. He swiftly dodged sideways, though the water dragon's wide attack range made it impossible to completely evade.
[Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu]
"Although I know [Water Release] normally counters [Fire Release], that's only when the techniques are of equal level. If my chakra output decisively surpasses the enemy's, such an advantage naturally disappears."
"Boom!"
Saitama had abundant chakra. The fireball bursting from his mouth was enormous, instantly surging toward the [Water Dragon].
"Shhh!""Shhh!"
Steam filled the sky and blocked out the sun, as if someone had performed the [Hiding in Mist Technique].
The surrounding ninjas wisely gave Saitama and Fuguki Suikazan space, so no one got caught in the crossfire of their [jutsu].
"Hmph!" Fuguki Suikazan's figure dashed through the vapor. Unfazed by the still-warm mist, he charged directly at Saitama.
"Hehe!"
Three tomoe spun in Saitama's eyes, easily tracking the enemy's movement. He didn't hesitate—lightning crackled along his blade as he faced off against Fuguki Suikazan.
"Boom!"
When the sword met [Samehada], the electric current around it vanished instantly. Meanwhile, the fierce scales on [Samehada]'s surface suddenly stood upright.
"Swish!"
Carelessly, Saitama's arm scraped against those scales. His right hand sustained several small wounds.
"Crackle!"
Holding [Chidori] in his left hand, Saitama stabbed at a sharp angle. Fuguki Suikazan's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Tear!"
This time, [Samehada] failed to stop Saitama's attack. Saitama deliberately feigned an opening, aiming for mutual damage. But while his wounds were light, his enemy definitely took worse.
"Swish!" The two separated.
Eyes glowing red, Saitama stared at the crouching Fuguki Suikazan not far away. Saitama knew his previous strike had solidly hit his opponent's abdomen.
"Swish!"
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>