Boom!
The barrier above Konoha shimmered into existence, briefly outlining the village's shape before resiliently caving inward like elastic stretched to its limit. Finally reaching its critical point, it snapped back to its original form.
"Enemy intrusion!"
"One intruder!"
"Southwest side of the village!"
Instantly, Konoha's Barrier Unit issued an alert, rapidly transmitting this information across multiple layers.
At the very moment Minato left the village, Konoha had already entered a state of wartime readiness under Shikaku's command.
Therefore, the moment the enemy attacked, the entire village sprang into motion like a machine roaring to life.
"All squads pay attention! Combat personnel quickly proceed to the site according to your previously assigned tasks while non-combat units handle civilian evacuation immediately!"
From within the Hokage Office, Shikaku issued his orders—now wielding authority as acting Hokage.
Countless dark figures leapt swiftly from roof to roof, moving with perfect coordination.
Poom!
As she was about to land on a house below, Animal Path remained expressionless while beginning to form hand seals. The wind howled as it whipped her trench coat violently.
Paa!
[Summoning Jutsu!]
Just as she touched down on the roof, her hands slammed onto the surface beneath her feet. As white smoke erupted around them, six figures appeared surrounding her—the other members of the Six Paths and Konan!
"Begin the operation! First, confirm the exact location of the Nine-Tails!"
The Pains announced in unison before scattering off in different directions. Konan transformed into countless pieces of white paper that fluttered away.
Successfully infiltrating Konoha, the Nine-Tails Capture Operation officially commenced!
This was a moment they had been waiting for a long time.
Shinobi clad in green vests bearing Konoha forehead protectors started gathering at their designated enemy landing zone based on intelligence reports, only to find that the enemy had vanished. All that remained was a broken civilian home crushed underfoot.
Shortly afterward, powerful combat fluctuations erupted across various parts of Konoha. Huge messenger animals with hideous appearances suddenly emerged inside the village, wreaking havoc everywhere!
"The intel was wrong! The enemy isn't alone. All units break into independent battle teams and provide support. Maintain communication!"
A masked Anbu ninja spoke grimly before swiftly moving toward the Hokage Building.
"Understood!"
Whether masked Anbu or regular shinobi wearing tactical vests, every nearby ninja quickly dispersed into smaller combat teams. Then they scattered in all directions.
Battle tremors soon reverberated throughout the entire village. Many civilians began orderly evacuations toward shelters while lower-ranked shinobi instinctively assumed responsibility for organizing evacuations.
"Obito, what's going on outside? Has an enemy really invaded?"
Kushina sat on the couch cradling Naruto in her arms, asking with concern directed at the ninja standing by the window.
Actually, this gentle demeanor wasn't her usual self—at one time, she would've charged out first without hesitation.
Yet now, she was a mother, and Minato had specifically reminded her about several precautions before leaving, among which was a strict instruction not to engage in any combat personally.
"Yes, Lady Kushina."
"But there's no need to worry. Teacher Minato had arranged everything before leaving. The chaos will die down soon!"
Obito turned toward Kushina, his gaze calm and confident, eyes sharp and unwavering.
"Mm, okay!"
Kushina frowned slightly and tightened her arm around Naruto before slightly lowering her head to speak: "It's alright, little Naruto! Mom is here with you!"
This was the first time Naruto had ever encountered such commotion. The continuous explosions outside made his entire body involuntarily tense up.
...
"You're the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki?"
Hidan stood firm, staring at the tall white-haired ninja wearing white ninja armor and bare arms who appeared within his vision.
"YEAHH~ I'm the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, B! YEAHH~ OHHH!"
B raised his right hand, folding his index and middle fingers into his palm while keeping the other three fingers upright, continuously wagging this hand as he spoke, looking rather peculiar.
"Haha! So this really is a Jinchuriki? Didn't Zetsu make any mistake? This clumsy rap style is truly hilarious!"
Watching his enemy suddenly start rapping and dancing, Hidan quickly placed his weapon onto the ground, one hand covering his chest, clearly amused.
"Not a clumsy joke at all! YEAHH~ This is actually pure rhythm!"
B turned his hand downward, maintaining a certain tempo while speaking, matching his gestures perfectly. Clearly, he disagreed with Hidan's evaluation.
"He raps on beat."
Sasori expressed his remark.
"Terrible rhythm."
Kakuzu agreed with Sasori's opinion, offering his own comment while keeping his green eyes locked onto B. He could sense the surging chakra from within B's body, so he had no doubt he was the Jinchuriki.
"Hey! Back there~ You guys~ Daring to question Master B's musical talent! YEAHH~"
B pushed up the sunglasses perched on his nose bridge with one hand, the other still maintaining that strange gesture, pointing toward the two individuals behind Hidan.
"We're going to capture you! Just lie down quietly! Besides, you definitely shouldn't even be messing with music!"
A serious expression briefly flashed across Hidan's face, though it quickly reverted back to his usual playful demeanor.
Meanwhile, he gripped tightly onto his Three-sided Sickle, slowly advancing towards B. The tip of the scythe scraped against the stone floor, sending sparks flying.
There was something inexplicably irritating about this strangely speaking Jinchuriki—he just needed to get beaten up first!
"You damn idiot! What an idiot!"
B crossed both hands forward, changing facial expressions constantly, appearing quite comical.
"Feelin' real good today—got the rhythm in my soul~ THANK YOU! Let's get it poppin' now! YEAHH~"
Shining through his sunglasses, B began bending his legs, heels gradually rising, resting atop the steps as he assumed a powerful stance ready to unleash force.
Boom!
Hidan accelerated, rushing forward rapidly, simultaneously B also instantly shot off his position, charging directly at Hidan.
The moment B saw Hidan and the others, he immediately recognized them as members of Akatsuki—currently among the most renowned figures in the Shinobi World.
The black cloak with red clouds made their identities obvious. These were enemies Aniki had specifically warned about — best to wipe them out now!
...
[Crack!]
A massive surge of chakra shot from Saitama's hand, transforming into bright blue-white lightning that blasted high into the sky like a laser beam, piercing through the clouds above.
Then, acting as an ignition source, those lightning bolts instantly triggered tremendous changes within the high-altitude cloud layer.
A vast vortex gradually formed, continuously spinning and drawing in surrounding clouds even beyond its range, consolidating them to strengthen itself. At its center, violent bursts of lightning surged repeatedly.
Today's weather was strange — unusually cold with heavy humidity, and the clouds above were far denser than usual. It already bore all the signs of an approaching storm!
Saitama's move acted like a catalyst for the weather, gathering scattered natural forces. For example, this massive agglomeration of thunderclouds now twisting into place.
[Crack!] Boom!
A streak of lightning slashed across the sky, marking the beginning of what was to come. This shocking bolt served as the first sign of transformation in the heavens.
Following that initial thunderclap, the sky seemed to trigger a chain reaction. Countless rumbles and flashes answered the initial strike, one after another, resonating continuously in midair.
[Clap! Crash!]
[Lightning Dragon] writhed violently through the skies, twisting and churning until the heavens were cloaked in darkness.
"Looks like rain?"
Mifune wasn't present at the Five Kage Summit itself but was instead patrolling around the venue with numerous samurai, ensuring the summit proceeded smoothly.
Hearing the distant thunder rumbling from outside, he stopped in his tracks and looked upward in confusion.
The summit took place inside a three-story stone fortress — spacious enough to double as a martial arena for the samurai of the Land of Iron.
Mifune's patrol zone surrounded the central meeting chamber within this structure.
Now hearing the noise from outside, he furrowed his brow in puzzlement. The weather had seemed perfectly fine earlier — why had thunder suddenly started rolling? Clearly, the weather had grown dangerously unpredictable lately.
Since he detected no abnormalities through sensory means, he didn't dwell on it, assuming it was just a sudden atmospheric shift.
He couldn't fathom anyone daring to launch an attack under the noses of the Five Kage.
"There are still several squads stationed on the rooftop for security, right?"
Mifune turned to ask his subordinates. Considering the heavy armor all Land of Iron samurai wore, and judging by how severe the storm seemed outside, keeping personnel up there any longer wouldn't be wise. They were practically inviting lightning strikes.
Being positioned at a high elevation while wearing conductive armor fulfilled every condition necessary for a lightning strike — undeniably dangerous.
He was considering whether to relocate those guards elsewhere temporarily. After all, when the most powerful figures in the Shinobi World were gathered in one place, surely no one truly believed there existed a threat capable of reaching them?
What was the point of having guards if they were just decoration?
"Yes, there are indeed personnel on top doing watch duty. Does Lord Mifune have specific orders?"
A samurai addressed by Mifune responded respectfully with a slight bow. His rough voice emerged from beneath the thick armor, carrying a metallic resonance.
These samurai wore full-body armor and helmets equipped with breathing apparatuses, making them look quite similar to the stormtroopers from Star Wars in Saitama's past-life memories.
"Hmm... you guys... never mind, I'll go check. It'll give me a chance to see what's going on outside. You keep patrolling without letting your guard down!"
Mifune waved his hand before leaving the unit and rushing toward the exterior.
The armor he wore was a bit different—it was lighter and designed for greater mobility, while still offering strong protection capable of withstanding regular kunai.
"Understood!"
The remaining samurai nodded and continued marching forward in perfect unison, their footsteps accompanied by the crisp metallic clinking of armor rubbing together.
"It still doesn't look enough!"
Saitama glanced up at the sky, realizing it hadn't yet reached the thunderstorm level he anticipated.
As a smile formed across his lips, he once again gathered Sage Chakra into both hands, converting it into lightning that shot straight into the clouds above.
Once the Sage Chakra transformed lightning entered the clouds, the swirling speed within the cloud layers increased rapidly. Lightning flashed more intensely and frequently, while the sky turned increasingly dark and ominous.
"Now that looks better."
Observing the abrupt change in the sky, Saitama nodded in satisfaction. He licked his lips while staring upward, appearing rather excited.
What he had done was merely use chakra to guide the clouds and electric shock floating in the air, accelerating their gathering to create this thundercloud.
Just a few more minutes of buildup were needed for natural forces around the area to concentrate directly over this building. Then, with some chakra guidance, he could unleash nature's might itself as his weapon.
It was just like when Sasuke fought Itachi—a technique drawing down heavenly lightning to attack, power unmatched by any standard Ninjutsu.
"Huh?"
While thinking about this, Saitama suddenly turned his head in surprise toward the edge of the building.
Following his gaze, a figure leaped upward from below, landing steadily onto the platform.
It was none other than the Land of Iron's great general—Mifune!
"Damn it! So it really is you, Saitama Uchiha!"
Mifune first froze in shock, then noticed the fallen samurai lying motionless on the platform. Confirming they were all dead, completely devoid of life, he glared furiously at Saitama standing in the center and roared.
"Hello there, didn't expect we'd meet under such an awkward situation."
Saitama no longer worried about monitoring the sky—it would need several minutes anyway. During this time, he could handle something else, like eliminating this declining old swordsman here before he could expose Saitama's future operations.
Sometimes things happen out of nowhere, and only later do we find reasons to explain them. Just like how Saitama was now passing down a verdict on Mifune's fate.
They originally held no deep grudges, yet here they stood at odds due to conflicting interests. In such cases, the weaker party could only become victims of the stronger side's justice.
Such logic seemed strange, yet disturbingly real.
"What are you doing here?! As a rogue ninja wanted by the Five Great Nations, how dare you show yourself before the Kage? Young Apprentice, have you truly overestimated your strength so much?"
The moment Mifune laid eyes on Saitama, his mind kicked into high gear — but the thought of running away never even entered his head.
Turning your back on an enemy? That'd be pure stupidity. Besides, fleeing would be a disgrace to the way of the samurai. To yield without fighting is worse than committing seppuku (ritual suicide by disembowelment) in apology!
So, as he spoke, he tightly gripped the handle of his weapon with one hand, slightly tilted his body sideways, and glared darkly at Saitama like facing a formidable foe.
If escape wasn't an option, then he'd fight desperately to uphold the spirit of the samurai to the very end.
Judging by Saitama's movements and the strange shifts in the sky, Mifune could tell—this guy had something huge planned for the Five Kage Summit. Real bold. Real arrogant.
"Hopefully someone notices the anomaly soon! But don't count on me."
Mifune lowered his stance, leaning his body forward slightly, before lifting his heels and planting the balls of his feet firmly against the ground.
This was his most comfortable position to unleash power. Now, maintaining some confidence in his abilities was his only hope for survival!
"Me? What do you think?"
Saitama stopped about ten meters from Mifune. Between them lay a clearing with no obstructions whatsoever. Anyone could dash through it and close the distance instantly.
"I guess there's nothing more to say. Let's see what tricks you wicked scoundrels have got! After our last encounter, I've been really looking forward to another match with you!"
Mifune pressed his right hand over the hilt of his weapon. A faint current of air began swirling around his feet, creating tiny vortices that kicked up dust.
He wore an ink-green armor haori which provided protection without impeding his speed.
Unlike their last meeting when he couldn't go all out, this setting clearly allowed full maneuverability. Plus, the more commotion they caused, the more likely the Five Kage below would sense the battle above and become aware of the situation.
"I'm also curious about your swordsmanship. You're said to be a legendary master of Iai Beheading whose drawing speed can outpace a ninja's hand seals!"
Saitama reached beneath his shirt and grabbed his weapon, flicking it lightly with his fingertip. Arcs of electricity began flashing.
Zzzshh!
Enough talk! Time to show real skills!
Mifune narrowed his eyes. The moment Saitama touched his weapon, he sprang into action.
He pushed off with his left foot behind him, propelling his entire body forward, leaving a string of afterimages trailing through the air.
Ten meters was nothing more than a single burst of movement for true experts. For Mifune, it was a full-powered charge!
In just the blink of an eye, Mifune crouched low and closed within two meters of Saitama.
The air abruptly surged, becoming oppressively heavy. His gaze turned exceptionally sharp and piercing, like an unsheathed blade that chilled the soul.
[Full-Power Strike]!
With a cold face, Mifune drew his sword. A silvery-white arc of blade light swung through a half-moon trajectory, slashing toward Saitama who stood rooted on the spot.
This strike was lightning-fast, a [Full-Power Strike] (charged attack) from a master swordsman at the height of his abilities, executed at an extremely precise and awkward angle.
In theory it might have sounded slow, but in reality, it was over in a flash!
At the moment Mifune's descending blade nearly struck him, Saitama drew his own weapon. The gust from Mifune's slash blew open his coat zipper, sending the garment flaring backward.
With a firm grip on the hilt, he raised his sword effortlessly and blocked at chest height.
Clang!
He intercepted Mifune's strike head-on—both blades met with a sharp metallic clang.
Clang! Clang!
Mifune pressed forward with both hands, forcing his blade down hard against Saitama. Sparks flew as their swords scraped violently against each other.
Saitama had already activated his Sharingan—three pitch-black tomoe swirling within a blood-red field, radiating an ominous intensity.
Under that gaze, Mifune's every move was laid bare—no place to hide!
Blocking Mifune's attack didn't mean Saitama surpassed him in swordsmanship—it was the Sharingan. As if his eyes had game-breaking cheat abilities like X-ray vision and guaranteed perfect parry, regular taijutsu or swordsmanship became meaningless so long as his body could keep up.
Boom!
The two separated and almost simultaneously leapt back before clashing again, showering the air with sparks.
Each held their ground, pushing against the other with their swords, faces inches apart—fueling the rising battle tension between them.
"So fast!"
Mifune clearly struggled to match Saitama's speed but gritted his teeth and kept fighting. He knew under those piercing eyes, his attacks seemed unbearably slow. Without superior technique, even the slightest advantage would slip away.
Thus, every clash was a test for him!
He wasn't young anymore—well over fifty—and naturally at a disadvantage against Saitama.
Swish!
Saitama slashed smoothly as if cutting through water, releasing a single stroke crackling with arcs of electricity, as though enchanting his blade with an offensive effect. Indeed, it was powerful—any opponent caught in the slash would suffer temporary paralysis.
Even a brief paralysis could determine life or death in such a fight.
Dang!
Gripping his sword with both hands, Mifune had no room to retreat—he braced himself and met Saitama's strike head-on.
This time, barely blocking, he was forced back—one swift step.
Frowning, his palms tingled—a clear aftereffect from the impact.
Tap.
Planting his right foot behind him, Mifune dug deep into the solid stone floor.
"Hmph!"
He snorted coldly, tensing his arm muscles.
Zzzzt~
But before he could counter, Saitama launched another attack.
Using the momentum of his previous strike, Saitama twisted his wrist and thrust straight at Mifune's chest—[Decapitating Thrust].
The Chidori Current crackled violently. The thrust came blazing in fast, seamlessly following the prior move, leaving Mifune little time to react.
At this moment, Mifune held his breath, eyes unusually clear and focused, as if he had long anticipated this moment and was fully prepared.
[Quick-draw - Ichiya!]
A crescent slash erupted from Mifune's left waist, arcing before him and engulfing Saitama before completing on his right side.
The speed of that sword slash was beyond imagination. Even with his Sharingan, Saitama barely caught a glimpse of a silver-white arc from the blade.
Saitama hadn't expected Mifune to have such a powerful secret technique hidden away.
With a ripping sound, blood bloomed across Saitama's chest, and a flicker of astonishment crossed his face.
Whoosh!
Saitama leapt backward, landing several meters away, his gaze now somewhat unfriendly toward Mifune.
"Haaah!"
Meanwhile, Mifune who had just unleashed that slash remained in place, breathing heavily, his eyes fixed on the rapidly retreating figure of Saitama.
Ichiya — it could be said to be the pinnacle of his strikes, possessing both the greatest power and fastest unsheathing speed he could currently achieve.
Yet clearly, it hadn't achieved perfect results.
Drip.
The fabric over Saitama's chest tore open into a narrow gash, blood trickling down from the wound before dropping onto the ground with a crisp sound.
"Strong! This slash would be difficult for even ordinary Kage-level experts to evade! However, you met me..."
Saitama showed no concern for his wound, speaking calmly as a powerful surge of chakra began concentrating at his chest.
"Yes, our opponent is you! No matter how strong an attack is, if it didn't reach its goal, it simply wasn't enough."
Mifune stared at Saitama, pointing his blade forward, a cold gleam flowing along its edge, and his tone carried a hint of melancholy and gloominess.
The surrounding environment grew darker, lightning crackled in the sky, and spiraling clouds had already drawn the attention of some nearby samurai below.
They all slightly lifted their heads to gaze at this rare scene overhead, yet none noticed the two figures still engaged in a deadly standoff on the rooftop platform.
Hiss.
Several wisps of white vapor floated upward from Saitama's wound into the air, and that not-very-deep injury gradually healed itself, showcasing the tremendous vitality of Hashirama's cells.
"Hmm?"
Mifune tightened his grip on his weapon, sensing Saitama's movements, knowing that the counterattack from Saitama was about to come.
Sure enough, almost the instant he assumed his stance, Saitama charged forward.
A gust of wind blew straight into his face, and Mifune became a small boat caught in a violent storm.
Saitama flicked his sword upward, deflecting Mifune's guard. With a twist of his wrist, he kept his blade locked with Mifune's while pulling the hilt into his palm — then drove it forward like a fist straight into Mifune's chest.
Boom!
Mifune was hit. The armor haori over his chest proved terribly fragile against Saitama's attack, directly caving inward. His grip on the sword slackened instantly, and his body uncontrollably flew backward.
Cough!
He spat out a mouthful of blood.
But Saitama's attack wasn't over yet. After striking Mifune, he grabbed Mifune's arm with his other hand, reversing the backward momentum and pulling him toward himself instead.
Swish!
Holding the blade in a reverse grip, he first slashed forward, then flicked it upward. The lightning-wrapped blade landed at the junction between Mifune's right shoulder and chest.
Hiss!
Together with the soft armor, Saitama severed Mifune's entire right arm in one stroke.
The blade pierced Mifune's body clean through. An arm still clutching the weapon soared into the sky, trailing droplets of blood like scattered petals.
Roaring in pain, Mifune stumbled backward several paces. This time, Saitama didn't pull him closer but let him retreat freely.
Plop, clatter!
Both the arm and weapon hit the ground as a stream of blood connected them to Mifune's retreating form.
"That was too reckless!"
Mifune had already shut his mouth tightly, staring intently at Saitama who hadn't pursued further. His remaining good hand pressed firmly against the wound, trying to stem the blood loss.
It was only now that he truly understood the vast gulf in their power levels.
If not for his rich combat experience, he might have fallen within ten exchanges!
And all this happened without the opponent even using any ninjutsu—only pure swordsmanship!
Mifune knew Saitama wouldn't hesitate to unleash ninjutsu on him. So just how powerful would Saitama's complete form be?
This spiritual pressure was even greater than what he'd once felt facing Hanzo—although part of that might have come from age and declining strength.
However, this rogue ninja from Konoha, Saitama Uchiha, certainly wasn't weaker than anyone present here! In fact, he guessed only the Hokage, Tsuchikage, and Raikage could possibly match Saitama in battle—and even then, victory wasn't guaranteed!
Mifune had already abandoned hope, completely aware of his dire situation.
"I'm the general of the Land of Iron! How could I ever submit to you?!"
He yanked his left hand away from the wound on his shoulder and reached under the soft armor, drawing out a short dagger that looked like a child's plaything.
Yet, Saitama saw the sharp edge and knew it wasn't some plaything.
Whoosh!
Mifune charged forward, gripping the short dagger in his left hand.
This small dagger was a samurai's 'blade of destiny'—used in defeat or to atone...
Hiss!
Maintaining an indifferent expression, Saitama extended his left hand while thrusting his weapon forward with the right.
Puchi!
Mifune's heart was pierced. Blood continuously spurted from the wound and his lips.
"How should I put it... It seems samurais are indeed obsolete!"
The dagger had stabbed into Saitama's left palm, but failed to penetrate deeply because of the lightning chakra.
Lowering his head gradually onto Saitama's chest, Mifune couldn't utter another word. He was already dying, life force rapidly draining from his body.
"Yes... huh!"
Finally, Mifune managed two words before collapsing backward, his eyes locked onto the sky.
Clang!
Saitama pulled the tanto from his palm and tossed it onto the ground beside Mifune's corpse.
"Very soon, traditional ninja will follow the path of the Samurai..."
He looked at Mifune, sheathed his weapon at his waist, and muttered softly to himself.
He raised his head. Now was the moment!
Zap! Zap!
Lightning surged violently within the clouds, clearly approaching a near-saturated state.
Stretching out his right hand, Saitama raised it high above his head as arcs of electricity surged across his palm.
Boom!
A bolt of lightning shot upward from his hand, connecting with the stormy lightning in the upper atmosphere.
Crackle! Snap!
The lightning above seemed to begin sliding downward along the 'pathway' Saitama had created. The original bolt fired by Saitama gradually thickened and expanded...
[Lightning Release - Thunderous Retribution!]
That's how Saitama described this move. After all, wasn't lightning falling from the sky basically divine punishment raining down on humans?
Such immense natural power was beyond even the strongest ninja to withstand!
Rumble!
A thunderous roar echoed from the sky as countless bolts of lightning poured down like a waterfall along the path Saitama had laid out.
"What is that?"
Finally, someone noticed what was happening. They had originally thought it was just an unusual thunderstorm, but why had lightning suddenly begun falling from the heavens?
And it was heading straight toward the venue of the Five Kage Summit!
Some confused people leapt onto nearby rooftops and finally spotted a tiny figure standing atop the distant building, dwarfed by the vast expanse of descending lightning.
Illuminated by the constantly flashing lightning, the figure revealed a somewhat arrogant smile. The lightning had become his weapon, crashing toward the summit venue under his command.
Inside the building, Raikage abruptly stopped speaking mid-sentence, lifting his head with surprise.
Goosebumps rippled across his dark skin, as a sense of tension began creeping into his heart.
"What?!"
Others felt something off too, and the whole room fell silent in an instant.
"Hahahaha!"
Numbness crept into Saitama's right hand. After all, borrowing such immense natural power wasn't easy.
"Feel this wave of '[Heavenian Justice Drop]!'"
He brought his right hand down from above his head, pointing sharply at the building below. His movement was extremely decisive—as clean and swift as a sword slash!
Boom!
Unrestrained, the heavenly lightning roared and poured down!
The space between heaven and earth was bathed in blinding blue-white light, momentarily blinding everyone nearby.
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