Chapter 11

He had deliberately exposed an opening earlier, making Sanfei think victory was assured. Just as the other man launched a deadly combination attack, Sanfei unexpectedly came up with a desperate idea. Though wounded, he had barely preserved his life—though he was only clinging to it now.

"Just what I wanted. We've wasted too much time out here."

Whoosh!

The two attacked without hesitation. After all, Sanfei was already unarmed.

Clutching his wound, Sanfei kept dodging. Though he avoided fatal blows, dozens of wounds of varying depth still appeared across his body.

Having lost too much blood, Sanfei finally panicked. The blood pouring from his chest made him yearn to live as never before.

"I'll give you whatever you want! Please, spare my life!" He could no longer act arrogant at a time like this. After all, he only had one life.

Saitama and the other suddenly stopped, exchanged a glance, and smiled with amused expressions.

Thinking there was still hope, Sanfei hurriedly added, "I've saved up quite a fortune over the years. If you let me go, it's all yours!"

"Fine!" Saitama answered with a smile, but the blade in his hand suddenly thrust forward.

Blood loss made Sanfei's movements increasingly sluggish. His lips had gone pale, his vision blurred, and his mind grew heavy.

Squelch!

In a moment of daze, the cold blade had already pierced his chest.

"If we kill you, won't your things still be ours?"

As the bloodied blade was pulled free, Sanfei stared in disbelief at the bloody hole in his chest.

Whoosh!

Saitama flicked the blood from his blade and casually shoved Sanfei away. Taking this life was no more significant to him than brushing dust from his sleeve.

The dying Sanfei sprawled on the ground, twitching unconsciously as his pupils gradually lost focus.

"The mission is complete." Saitama's tone was calm, as though the thing on the ground was utterly insignificant.

Shisui walked over to him. "Where did Mori and the others go?"

Before he could finish speaking, two figures silently landed on the branches above.

Clang! Saitama instantly gripped his sword hilt, and Shisui immediately went on guard as well—they clearly remembered that this camp was supposed to have only eleven people, yet twelve corpses now lay here.

"Relax, it's us!" Uchiha Mori's voice came from the treetop.

After confirming that they were Uchiha Mori and his companion, Shisui and Saitama lowered their guard.

"Not bad. You handled this so skillfully on your first mission of this kind."

Uchiha Mori stroked his chin, his interested gaze settling on Saitama.

Uchiha Rin, standing nearby, remained silent and walked straight toward Sanfei's lifeless body.

He searched through the ** clothing pockets for a moment and soon pulled out a scroll. After examining it repeatedly, he nodded to Uchiha Mori.

The corner of Uchiha Mori's mouth lifted—they had come with a mission of their own.

"We're done." He turned and left in an even tone, with Uchiha Rin following close behind.

"We'll rest in the village to the east and return to the village tomorrow morning." Leaving those words behind, the two gradually vanished into the dusk.

This battle had not been difficult for Saitama. Most of his opponents had been ordinary fodder, and the last two ninja had been no match for him either.

It was only the splattered blood that made him look rather disheveled.

As Saitama followed his companions, exhaustion washed over him like a tide. It was his first time experiencing a life-and-death struggle, and he was exhausted in both body and mind.

Was taking a life difficult? Once that question took root in one's heart, it was easy to lose one's way.

When one personally ended a living life, warm blood splashing across one's hands while the dying person's venomous gaze lingered—how many people would not tremble?

Life was precious, certainly, but only one's own life was worth cherishing.

When killing became routine, became a means of survival, and became part of a ninja's life, fear ceased to exist.

Only war and slaughter could temper a true ninja.

Three months passed in the blink of an eye. During that time, Saitama and Shisui continually went out on missions, ostensibly to hone their skills.

The frequent killing gradually made the boy's temperament colder. Even his closest companions noticed the change. Shisui felt powerless, as though he were watching Saitama drift farther and farther away.

The feeling of growing stronger was gratifying. During this period, they encountered their captain, Uchiha Fugaku, several times and received practical advice and ninjutsu instruction—including the Shadow Clone Jutsu Saitama had longed for.

Today was a rare day of leisure. Since completing the pursuit mission last time, Saitama had not received any new orders to go out.

In May of Konoha's forty-fifth year, the situation in the ninja world grew increasingly turbulent.

War had begun!

As a member of the Uchiha, Saitama had yet to truly feel the pressure of war. According to clan rules, the Uchiha had the right to choose whether to participate in ordinary battles. Clearly, the time had not yet come when they had to march out.

After arranging his gear and clothes, Saitama pushed open the door and left. These past few months had been his growth period. His appetite had greatly increased, and his height had already surpassed 1.4 meters. His body seemed to change almost every day.

"Lord Mori, has the clan sent any units to the front?" When he saw Uchiha Mori, Saitama asked directly. Konoha and the Sand Village were currently locked in fierce battle, and the entire village was filled with a grim atmosphere. Though the Uchiha had not mobilized everyone, they had still dispatched some elites to support the front.

Uchiha Mori frowned slightly, his gaze complicated as he studied the boy before him. Over the past few months, he had personally witnessed the boy's obsessive training and the cold decisiveness with which he carried out missions. "With your talent, there's no need to rush to the battlefield." In the end, he voiced what was in his heart—Saitama's potential was among the best of the Uchiha's younger generation.

"Having joined the guard unit, I should fulfill the Uchiha's duty."

"In three days, a squad will depart with Konoha's reinforcements. I'll arrange for you to join it." Sensing the boy's determination, Uchiha Mori made his decision at once. As the clan head's confidant, he had considerable influence over clan affairs. "The captain said there was no need to restrict your movements."

Saitama broke into a smile at those words, determination shining in his clear eyes.

Over the following days, he sparred and exchanged techniques with his guard unit companions. Although he was the youngest, his combat strength had already ranked among the best. Taking missions and completing them, over and over—he had become a benchmark in everyone's eyes.

Just as his patience was about to run out, Uchiha Mori finally brought the news he had been waiting for.

"Saitama, report to the clan forces this afternoon. Rin is the captain of this reinforcement unit!"

"Understood." Saitama's tone was calm, but his blood was already surging within him.

Real slaughter was where he belonged. Ordinary missions could no longer stir his fighting spirit.

Though he had only recently graduated from the Ninja Academy, the number of enemies who had died by his hand might not have been fewer than that of veteran ninja.

His desire for power drove his rapid growth. After bidding Uchiha Mori farewell, Saitama slowly made his way home.

Granny Kaori was busy as ever. Since graduating, Saitama had eaten at home less and less. Sometimes he would disappear for five or six days while out on missions, so naturally she had fewer opportunities to cook for him.

These past ** days, he had rarely remained in the village, and Uchiha Kaori had been preparing different meals for him every day.

"Grandma, I'm back. You're still busy?" Looking at that increasingly stooped figure, warmth rose in Saitama's heart.

"Yes, little Saitama. I made your favorite braised pork for lunch. I simmered it slowly all morning the way you taught me, so make sure you eat plenty later."

Uchiha Kaori spoke with a warm smile, every wrinkle filled with affection.

"I'll definitely eat my fill!" Saitama replied as he headed toward the courtyard.

After being tempered by more than ten missions, his understanding of ninjutsu and swordsmanship had reached a new level. His decision to go to the battlefield had been made after careful consideration.

If he wanted to gain a voice in Konoha, he had to make a name for himself through strength, then gradually build up his power and pull the Uchiha Clan out of the mire.

The battlefield was precisely the place where he could temper his strength and make a name for himself.

Though Saitama was not powerful enough yet, blood and fire would forge him into a sharper blade.

After the meal, Saitama briskly cleared the dishes. He insisted that Granny Kaori rest in the courtyard while he went into the kitchen to wash the tableware.

"Grandma, this mission may take a long time. Take care of yourself. If anything comes up, ask Shisui for help. I've already spoken to him."

"All right, go without worry. Uchiha men don't need their grandmothers fretting over them." Uchiha Kaori gazed at Saitama, a faint light glimmering in her cloudy eyes.

After saying goodbye to his grandmother, Saitama put on his gear, strapped on his sword, and strode out of the house. Granny Kaori remained ** the courtyard, watching the boy she had raised gradually walk away.

Though he was still young, she always felt that a heavy burden rested on his shoulders. Even so, his back remained as straight as a young pine.

When Saitama arrived at the Uchiha reinforcement unit's assembly point, he found that the clan had dispatched around twenty ninja this time. It was not a large force.

Saitama had yet to make a name for himself within the Uchiha Clan. Only the companions who had ** trained with him in the guard unit knew much about him. When he stepped into the gathering area, nearly half the people immediately turned their gazes toward him. Out of ninja discipline, everyone remained silent and waited for their leader to arrive.

The oldest person in the group was no more than thirty, while the youngest were only fifteen or sixteen. Saitama looked around and saw no familiar faces, but he still greeted his clansmen amicably. Some nodded in return, while others wore grave expressions from pre-battle nerves. They bore no ill will, but seemed difficult to approach.

After waiting nearly half an hour, as the last two young men arrived, Uchiha Rin finally appeared. He still wore his cold expression, his gaze sweeping across the assembled members. "It seems everyone is here. We will head to the front with Konoha's logistics and reinforcement forces. If anyone wishes to back out, now is the time." Seeing no objections, he continued, "I hope you will defend the Uchiha's honor on the battlefield."

Uchiha Rin was the first to leap toward Konoha's gates, with Saitama and the others following close behind. As they neared the gates, they saw that reinforcements from the major clans had already assembled. The Uchiha forces formed ranks in their designated area, while Uchiha Rin reported to a familiar figure ahead. "Lord Orochimaru, the Uchiha forces have assembled."

Orochimaru, commander-in-chief of the reinforcements, licked his lips. "We'll depart once the Hyuga Clan is assembled." Saitama noticed Orochimaru's appraising gaze—this powerful "Sannin" at the height of his strength carried a chilling pressure in his eyes.

The army set out grandly that afternoon. Of the nearly thousand people, the major clans had sent more than five hundred ninja. The Uchiha Clan had sent only around twenty, the fewest of any clan. Even the Hyuga branch family had sent a force of fifty.

Saitama did not care in the slightest. The Uchiha Clan had never relied on numbers to perform on the battlefield.

After three days of forced marching, Konoha's reinforcements finally reached the front. The battle had reached a stalemate, with Konoha and the Sand Village locked in an even fight. Though Konoha held the overall advantage, it had no choice but to disperse its forces to deal with threats from several directions—as a great nation attacked on all sides, this was not its only battlefield.

In charge of the Sand Village front were Orochimaru and the young commander Shikaku Nara, renowned for his strategic mind.

After settling into their lodgings, Uchiha Rin ** headed to the main tent to attend the strategy meeting. The meeting lasted until late at night. Saitama tossed and turned in his tent, unable to sleep. The grim atmosphere of the battlefield left him restless, and he did not dare truly fall asleep.

At midnight, the camp fell silent, with only patrol teams standing guard. Saitama decided to go for a walk, though Uchiha Rin had warned him not to wander around at night.

The night sky was black as ink, with only sparse starlight. Saitama's tent was right beside Uchiha Rin's, but it was not convenient to disturb him now. He chose to walk in another direction. Along the way, he encountered several patrols, every ninja radiating powerful chakra fluctuations.

Walking without purpose, Saitama arrived near the main tent. Under the moonlight, a familiar figure stood with his head raised toward the sky. The breeze stirred his long hair, and his proud, solitary silhouette stood out sharply against the night.

It was Orochimaru. Saitama held his breath, not daring to step forward and disturb him. At that moment, Orochimaru radiated a powerful presence, both imposing and composed.

Saitama quietly stepped back and vanished into the shadows.

Forty-six steps later, Saitama abruptly stopped, every muscle in his body instantly tightening.

Dark golden vertical pupils glimmered in the shadows. As Orochimaru turned around, a dangerous curve rose at the corner of his mouth.

"Your heart is beating very fast." His hoarse voice sounded beside Saitama's ear, carrying the damp chill unique to a snake. The night wind brushed past his neck, and only then did Saitama realize that his combat uniform had long been soaked through with cold sweat.

When that suffocating pressure suddenly vanished, the boy nearly staggered to his knees.

"Have the Uchiha fallen so low that they're sending child soldiers to battle?" A long, slender tongue slid across pale lips.

"I volunteered for battle." Saitama's fingers clenched around his kunai until his knuckles turned white. "Protecting Konoha is every ninja's duty."