Chapter 13

"Enough with the nonsense!" Saitama wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth as electric arcs crackled around him. He knew very well that in a fight to the death, finishing an opponent off was ten thousand times more important than looking cool.

"Looking to die!" A vicious gleam flashed in Shaji's eyes. Ignoring his injured leg, he charged forward.

Bang! Bang! The two figures collided fiercely. Saitama completely ignored his injuries, every move a desperate exchange of lives.

As Saitama's sweeping kick struck Shaji in the waist, he was kicked by Shaji as well, and both staggered backward.

"Huff... huff..." Amid heavy gasps, Saitama painfully narrowed his right eye. Maintaining both the Sharingan and Lightning Release Chakra Mode at once had pushed his body to the brink of collapse.

Sweat dripped from his chin, soaking his collar. Shaji was in no better shape. The skin that had come into contact with Saitama was covered in burn marks, and his bare chest had been scorched black by lightning.

"Can't hold on anymore, can you?" Shaji forced himself to provoke him, though he himself had reached his limit.

"Killing you... will be more than enough!" Saitama gritted out. The chakra within him was nearly exhausted. He had never experienced anything like this before.

His blood-red eyes locked onto his target as the lightning around him surged. Just as Saitama was about to launch a surprise attack, he twisted aside to avoid a kunai—nearby, Xiu was watching the battle with a cold, sinister gaze.

"I nearly forgot about you." Saitama sneered as lightning flashed!

"Xiu! Get out of the way!" Shaji's warning came half a beat too late. Saitama's Lightning Release acceleration made him as fast as lightning. The lightning-wreathed kunai instantly pierced Xiu's chest, blasting a bloody hole through his back.

"Heh... let's die together!" Xiu sprayed blood from his mouth as he suddenly wrapped Saitama in a death grip. "Lord Shaji... do it!"

Although Saitama quickly broke free, that half-second delay was enough for Shaji to strike. In his spinning Sharingan, the approaching kunai reflected the bitter curl of Saitama's lips.

Shk! The sound of steel piercing flesh rang out as the blade buried itself deep in Saitama's chest. He clutched the exposed half of the kunai tightly, his knuckles turning white.

"Ha..." Saitama coughed up bloody foam, yet his bloodstained teeth parted in a grin.

Bang! His knee, wrapped in lightning, slammed viciously into Shaji's groin. Exploding arcs of electricity burst into a blinding white flare between them.

"Urgh!" Shaji's face twisted as though he heard the crisp crack of eggshells shattering. All strength instantly drained from his body, and he froze in place like a rotten log.

A second knee strike followed close behind, blue-violet sparks blossoming across Shaji's abdomen. Saitama staggered back, the kunai in his chest trembling slightly with every breath. Shaji collapsed to his knees, his arms hanging limply at his sides, his breathing faint as a thread.

"Cough—" A mouthful of blood splattered across the ground as Saitama's vision began to blur. His Two-Tomoe Sharingan faded back to black, and drops of blood fell from his chin, spreading dark red stains through the dust.

A sharp whistle of air suddenly rushed toward him. Saitama used the last of his strength to turn his head. When he caught sight of the Konoha symbol on the newcomer's forehead protector, his consciousness sank into darkness.

"Captain!" Four figures landed on the scorched earth, where lightning-struck craters still smoked faintly. The lead ninja crouched to inspect Saitama's injuries, then froze when his gaze swept over the Sand Village ninja kneeling opposite him.

"He's still breathing!" He lifted Saitama, who looked like a man made of blood, into his arms. The burnt stench of Lightning Release wounds mixed with the smell of blood hit him in the face. "Get him back to camp! Leave someone behind to clean this up!"

The rushing wind beside his ears sounded like countless bees beating their wings. Saitama regained a trace of awareness amid the jolting, and the leaf emblem from his last memory finally let him relax. Surviving this time had been nothing more than sheer luck—he had clearly lacked the strength, yet still dared to overestimate himself. He really had been asking for death.

Saitama's original plan had been to pretend that his Sharingan had not yet awakened, since revealing it too early would only invite trouble. Possessing a Two-Tomoe Sharingan at six years old would surely draw Konoha's higher-ups' attention, regardless of how the clan viewed it—especially that man lurking in the shadows.

What had happened had completely exceeded Saitama's expectations. Fortunately, he had come to his senses in time and survived the life-and-death battle. This brutal fight instead gave him the perfect excuse for his Sharingan's awakening: potential erupting at the brink of death. That was the explanation he had prepared.

"Where's the medical team? Hurry!" In his daze, Saitama felt himself being lifted onto a hard surface.

"They'll be here soon. How bad is he?" A cool female voice sounded.

"A member of the logistics route two escort squad. He appears to have encountered a Sand Village ambush. The battle was already over when I arrived."

"At such a young age..." The woman trailed off.

His memories after that became hazy. The excruciating pain from blood loss, broken bones, and internal injuries finally overwhelmed his consciousness.

In the chaotic darkness, Shaji's figure appeared again. The man slowly rose with a kunai in hand, a cruel smile on his lips and mockery filling his eyes.

"Die!" The cold gleam stabbed straight for Saitama's throat, but he could not move even a finger.

At the instant the shadow of death descended, scarlet suddenly flooded his pupils, and the two tomoe spun rapidly within the bloody red!

"Break!" The injured man on the tatami suddenly sprang up, his bandage-wrapped fist tearing through the air.

"Ha..." Between gasps, Saitama finally saw his surroundings clearly. This was a neat medical tent, and the heavy scent of medicine seeped from beneath the gauze on his chest.

"Pssh—" The moment he tried to move, tearing pain exploded through his chest.

The tent flap was suddenly thrown open, and the night wind swept in with a familiar voice. "You're awake?"

Uchiha Rin stood at the entrance holding a medicine box, the scent of disinfectant lingering around him. In wartime, the presence of this elite ninja in a medical tent seemed particularly out of place.

"You... why are you here?" Saitama's hoarse voice was filled with confusion.

"I happened to have some free time today, so I came to check on you. Usually, medical ninja handle this sort of thing." Uchiha Rin spread his hands and gestured toward Saitama.

"You were unconscious for three whole days. When you were first brought back, everyone thought you wouldn't make it. You were covered in blood, with a kunai stuck in your chest, and your breathing was so weak it was almost impossible to detect. Luckily, you have a strong constitution. You managed to pull through." As Uchiha Rin spoke, he lowered his head to observe Saitama's reaction.

"It's good enough that I'm alive. I got my life back, after all." Saitama shrugged indifferently and pressed a hand against his faintly aching chest.

"Now that you're awake, change your own bandages." Uchiha Rin handed over the medicine, then sat cross-legged by Saitama's feet and watched him with great interest.

"What are you looking at?" Saitama took the medicine and was about to begin, but the other man's unblinking stare left him somewhat baffled. It was not embarrassment; that gaze was simply too strange.

"I really didn't expect you to improve this quickly, Saitama!" Uchiha Rin's smile widened. By now, the entire camp was talking about Saitama's achievements—he had killed two chunin in succession as a genin, then fought a jonin to a mutual defeat.

Saitama silently peeled back the gauze over his chest. Fluid seeped from the scabbed wound, mixing with the medicine and making the bandages stick badly.

Riiip— The last few layers would not come off, so Saitama simply tore them away. The rough motion ripped open the wound that had only just healed, and blood immediately began to seep out. He frowned, but did not make much of it.

"You can't change bandages like that. How will the wound heal if you keep tearing it open?" Uchiha Rin rested his chin on his hand and shook his head.

Saitama hastily applied the medicine, wrapped the wound in fresh bandages, and prepared to stand. He had been lying down too long, and every joint in his body ached.

"How do you feel?" Rin stood as well.

"Not bad. I'm just a little weak." Saitama answered honestly.

"I'm curious. How did you defeat that Sand Village ninja?" A probing look flashed through Uchiha Rin's eyes.

"What do you think?" Saitama raised his head. He only came up to the other man's shoulder.

"So that's it!" Seeing the tomoe spinning in Saitama's eyes, Uchiha Rin revealed an expression of understanding, though he continued staring at those eyes.

"You awakened directly into two tomoe? That's truly astonishing."

"If I hadn't awakened the Sharingan at the last moment and caught him off guard..." Saitama tugged at his lips in self-mockery. His fingers unconsciously brushed the scar on his chest, and his gaze gradually drifted away.

"This injury can be considered a blessing in disguise. Rest properly, and don't overthink it." Uchiha Rin lightly patted Saitama's left shoulder, his tone steady.

"Go get some fresh air. The fighting with the Sand Village has fallen into a stalemate again lately. It's all probing and counter-probing every day. It's been a long time since we had a proper fight." He sighed as he spoke, clearly dissatisfied with the stalled war.

Saitama casually grabbed the coat folded beside the tatami and draped it over himself before heading outside. Uchiha Rin lifted the tent flap and stepped aside with a gesture of invitation.

The long-missed sunlight was somewhat dazzling, but it felt pleasantly warm on his body. Only after leaving the tent did Saitama realize that this was the lodging assigned to him when he first arrived at the front lines. No wonder it had seemed familiar—it was empty and excessively tidy.

The noon sun hung high in the sky, generously pouring down its light. A gentle breeze carried fine sand, rustling softly against their clothes.

"Yo, you're awake?" A vaguely familiar voice sounded beside him. Saitama turned his head, but had no recollection of the newcomer.

"This is Jonin Moonlight Zhengye," Uchiha Rin explained. "You have him to thank for carrying you back. If he'd been any later, you would've been in danger."

"So it was you!" Saitama gave the ninja, who looked to be around thirty, a deep bow. "Thank you so much."

Faced with someone who had saved his life, Saitama felt that a bow was the least he could do to express his gratitude.

"Ninja from the same village should look out for one another." Moonlight Zhengye smiled as he sized him up. "Still, your recovery is incredible, kid. You were barely hanging on a few days ago, and now you're already up and about." His gaze held appreciation—this Uchiha boy was not only strong, but his potential was even more worthy of investment.

Noticing the sword on the man's back, Saitama grew thoughtful. The Moonlight Clan's swordsmanship was renowned throughout the ninja world, and he had long wanted to seek guidance from them.

"I still have a mission. We can talk another day." Moonlight Zhengye nodded to Uchiha Rin. His back was perfectly straight as he turned, and he soon vanished into the depths of the camp.

"I'll seek your guidance another time." Saitama stepped aside to let him pass, while Uchiha Rin also waved goodbye with a smile.

"I'm off today. I'll show you around." Once Moonlight Zhengye had gone far enough away, Uchiha Rin turned and suggested it.

Saitama suddenly remembered something. "How are Hyuga Shu and the others?"

"You mean your companions? They should all be fine. They're probably resting in one of the tents. Their injuries were much lighter than yours anyway, so there's no need to worry."

Uchiha Rin answered casually, but his gaze remained fixed on Saitama's face.

"That's good." Saitama nodded and did not ask further. Given the squad's current condition, it would probably be difficult for them to continue operating together.

"Oh, right. The captain asked me to ask whether you want to apply to withdraw to the rear for recovery. If you do, you can leave with the next batch of wounded." Rin stepped aside to let a burly ninja pass, and Saitama recognized him as a member of the Akimichi Clan.

"I worked hard to get to the front lines!" Saitama said only that much, then fell silent. Rin immediately understood what he meant and did not press further.

"All right, then. Make sure you recover properly." As they passed a tent, Saitama caught the scent of food.

"I've been lying around for so long and haven't eaten anything. Take me to get some food." A ninja camp did not only have soldier pills; hot meals were available as well. However, ordinary ninja had ration limits, while only jonin could enjoy unlimited food whenever they wished.

"Come on, I'll treat you to some meat!" Rin looked at Saitama's pale face and, without another word, led him toward a nearby tent.

"Say, you just woke up. Are you sure eating this much meat is okay?" Rin stared at the dozen or so plates piled up before Saitama. Most held various boiled meats, while the rest held boiled eggs.

"I'm starving. Shouldn't an injured person eat more to recover?" Saitama replied righteously. Before Rin could say anything else, he grabbed a huge chunk of meat and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing with obvious relish.

When he had first awakened, Saitama had felt an intense hunger, but Rin's arrival to change his bandages had temporarily made him forget about it. It was not until he smelled the food that his body suddenly reacted.

In the blink of an eye, Saitama swept through all the food like a whirlwind, even faster than he had been before his injury.

"Burp!" He let out a satisfied belch, feeling as though his injuries had improved by half again.

Speaking of injuries, Saitama realized that the bones kicked broken by the ninja named Shaji seemed to have healed long ago. The only thing still making him uncomfortable was the wound where the kunai had pierced his chest.

"Let's go. It's time to head back." Seeing that Saitama had finished eating, Rin spoke.

"I still have a meeting to attend. As the Uchiha in charge of this battlefield, I don't have that much free time!" Rin said half-jokingly as he called Saitama to leave.

"Mm, okay." Saitama rubbed his stomach, feeling that he really should return and get some more rest.

"Lord Rin! Lord Orochimaru is looking for you!" Just as the two started toward the tent, a figure suddenly landed beside them.