Chapter 14

Saitama stopped, his gaze settling on the Uchiha ninja. He vaguely remembered that the man was part of the reinforcements.

After giving a slight nod, Saitama turned to Uchiha Rin. "You two go on ahead. I'm heading back." Before he had even finished speaking, he turned and left.

Uchiha Rin watched Saitama disappear into the distance, then said to Uchiha Yun beside him, "Let's go." The two left one after the other.

Back in the tent, Saitama caught sight of the sword in the corner—Moonlight Zhengye's squad had brought it back from the battlefield. He did not touch it and lay down directly on the tatami.

From Uchiha Rin, he had learned that the Sand ninja from that day had not died in battle, but had been captured by Moonlight Zhengye's squad and was likely being interrogated at this very moment. That battle had made Saitama fully realize that holding back on the battlefield was no different from courting death.

He gently pressed the wound on his chest. The kunai had pierced his lung, but fortunately, the medical ninja had treated him in time. The injury was no longer serious; only a faint ache remained to remind him of that life-or-death clash.

"An eye for an eye—sneaking around to raid the Sand ninja stronghold?" Saitama raised a brow. Orochimaru truly held grudges.

Last time, the Sand ninja had failed in their ambush on the supply convoy. Their captured captain had spilled the entire plan during interrogation, leading to heavy Sand ninja casualties. Now, Orochimaru was using the same tactic and secretly planning this counterattack.

"You said you were bored out of your mind, so I signed you up." Uchiha Rin said indistinctly as he chewed his food.

"My injury healed ages ago. Good chance to stretch my limbs." Saitama did not think much of it. A week after waking up, the scar on his chest had already scabbed over and healed. He did not know whether his natural recovery was astonishing or the medical ninjutsu was simply exceptional.

"Gather in front of Lord Orochimaru's tent in half an hour. He'll assign the specific tasks." After saying that, Uchiha Rin hurried away. He had other duties to attend to.

The tent fell silent again. Saitama knew this operation would be risky—Sand Village would certainly be on guard. But that was simply the ninja world. What foolproof plan was there?

"Clang!" Saitama strapped the longsword to his waist, put on the Uchiha clan's distinctive high-collared shirt, changed into ninja leg bindings, checked his essential ninja tools, and strode out of the tent.

At noon, the camp was filled with the bloody, gamey smell of boiled beef. The generous portions barely kept everyone fed. The midsummer sun was a glaring white, yet it strangely carried a trace of chill.

As he passed through the wounded soldiers' camp, the boy's slender figure stood out sharply. The Uchiha clan crest, his still-undeveloped build, and the sword at his waist made passing ninjas glance his way—this was the rookie who had risen to fame after that mission. Blood seeped through the bandages of the wounded, and faces endured agony in silence. The hideous claw marks of war could be seen everywhere.

"Saitama!" A booming shout blocked his path.

Hyuga Shu leaned outside the medical tent, his gray-white ninja uniform spotless and his forehead protector glinting coldly in the sunlight. His former teammate from the Hyuga branch family was waving hard at him.

"It's been a while." The corners of Saitama's lips lifted into an appropriate smile. This comrade who had once fought alongside him at death's edge always brought out a rare gentleness in him.

"I never saw you while you were recovering! I heard you were hurt the worst back then..." Hyuga Shu hurried over, speaking as fast as ** shuriken. "If you hadn't stayed behind to cover us, our squad probably..."

"The mission." Saitama lightly tapped the sword guard with his fingers, and the crisp ring of metal cut him off. The first rule of the ninja code was silence.

"Captain Kawaki applied to return to the village to recuperate." Hyuga Shu suddenly lowered his voice. "That senior who always had a stiff face? During the final retreat, he ran faster than anyone."

The image of the middle-aged ninja's sweat-drenched face surfaced in Saitama's mind. Sodo Ryu had recovered quickly, though—Hyuga Shu added that he had supposedly already joined a new mission. After a brief exchange, the young ninja quickened his pace toward the meeting point.

Moonlight Zhengye was stroking his unruly stubble. The familiar man stood beside Saki, his gaze moving back and forth between his two subordinates. "You've digested the mission briefing? We'll work out the details of the plan on the way."

Saitama entered Orochimaru's tent and listened to the mission briefing alongside nearly twenty ninjas. Afterward, they were assigned into groups of three, and Saitama was placed in Moonlight Zhengye's squad.

"Our squad specializes in taijutsu. This mission is perfect for playing to our strengths." Moonlight Zhengye's gaze swept over the sword at Saitama's waist before falling on the long blade strapped to Saki's back. Though Saki was a commoner, he had learned Leaf Style swordsmanship—he was Moonlight Zhengye's ** and only fifteen or sixteen years old.

The three sat in a circle as Moonlight Zhengye unfolded a simple map, its rough terrain outlines marked upon it. "We'll circle around here to the rear of the Sand ninja. It's the longest route and the most dangerous. Don't expect reinforcements. We can only rely on ourselves." He folded up the map and said in a low voice, "Prepare to move." Saitama nodded.

Under cover of night, the three quietly left camp with supplies. According to the plan, they had to cross the dunes on the left side of the Sand ninja defensive line—a place that offered cover, but was also prone to ambushes.

"Rustle, rustle—" Their footsteps blended into the night wind. Moonlight Zhengye had calculated the journey precisely; this was the ideal time to infiltrate. Though the sand would retain their tracks, the wind and sand would soon bury them.

"Stay alert!" Moonlight Zhengye gave a hand signal. Under the moonlight, Saitama and Saki received the order clearly.

The desert night was bitterly cold. Not far away, four Sand ninjas were on patrol. Their captain, his face covered by gray cloth, sternly berated his complaining subordinates. "Konoha ninjas are most likely to infiltrate from here! Stay sharp!"

Meanwhile, Saitama's squad successfully avoided the patrol and continued deeper into Sand Village territory.

The wind and sand howled, lashing Saitama's face. He lay motionless atop a dune like a statue; not even the scorpion lingering around the tip of his nose could distract him. By the time the venomous creature finally left in frustration, yellow sand had piled into a mound on his shoulders. Only his burning gaze remained fixed on the distant horizon.

Among the intelligence revealed by the captured Sand ninja, this supply route was especially important. Now, within the curtain of sand raised by the raging wind, the killing intent deep inside Sand Village territory grew ever heavier.

Several black figures suddenly pierced through the sand curtain. The way they raced across the sand made it obvious they had long adapted to this harsh environment. Saitama's pupils narrowed slightly, his gaze hooking onto the newcomers as he tried to gauge their strength from their footwork.

The nine-man squad drew closer. The forehead protectors of the two jonin leading them flickered in and out of view through the wind and sand, and Saitama silently calculated his side's chances. His eyes slid sideways, crossing the dune to lock onto Captain Zhengye's position. When that downward hand signal came, even his breathing became nearly imperceptible.

On the second day of lying in wait, they had only successfully intercepted one transport team. Since then, Sand Village's escort arrangements had become increasingly cautious. The new rule requiring two jonin to accompany each convoy had forced Konoha's squads to remain hidden.

The Sand ninja squad passed right by the edge of the ambush zone, utterly unaware of the killing intent concealed beneath the yellow sand. About ten minutes after the last ninja vanished into the sandstorm, four more figures appeared on the horizon.

"Bait?" Saitama narrowed his eyes. Such a distant supporting position was truly suspicious, yet Moonlight Zhengye still had not given the signal to act.

When the newly arrived Sand ninjas came within earshot, complaints drifted over on the wind. "The captain is being way too careful! How could there be an ambush in weather like this?"

"Shut up! Konoha's hyenas have been targeting supply lines lately." The leading ninja barked the rebuke, his vigilant eyes sweeping over the seemingly calm dunes.

"We're good. It's safe here—prepare to withdraw!" The lead ninja made a gesture, signaling his companions to follow.

This squad was responsible for secretly escorting the food convoy, randomly adjusting its route to ensure safety.

They were less than fifty meters from Saitama, yet had not noticed him at all.

Saitama's gaze swept over the four—one jonin and three chunin, the standard Sand Village squad formation.

He quickly glanced toward Captain Zhengye's position, but there was no sign of him. His heart sank!

"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!" A whisper nearly swallowed by the wind and sand echoed across the wasteland.

"What's going on?!" Before the Sand Village ninjas could react, one chunin was dragged into the sand, his blood instantly staining the yellow grains red.

"Move!" Moonlight Zhengye's voice exploded across the desert, and Saitama knew there was no need to hide any longer.

In a flash, Saitama's speed abruptly surged. With explosive power comparable to a taijutsu jonin, he charged toward the Sand Village squad.

At the same time, Saki locked onto a chunin as well, moving far faster than an ordinary chunin.

Moonlight Zhengye's sneak attack had taken out one enemy, instantly shifting the battle. Saitama's side now held the advantage.

"Clang!" Captain Zhengye's blade was blocked by the Sand Village jonin's kunai, sending sparks flying.

"End this quickly!" he ordered coldly, continuing to grapple with the opposing jonin. Unless there was an overwhelming advantage, battles between jonin often ended in stalemates.

The Sand Village jonin did not seem worried in the slightest, focusing entirely on dealing with Moonlight Zhengye's attacks.

Saitama flooded his body with Lightning Style chakra and closed in on his target in an instant.

With a savage grin, he leaped up, his right hand gripping the sword. Lightning wrapped around the blade as he swung horizontally at his enemy's head—

"Boom!" The blade cleaved into the sand, kicking up a storm of flying grit. His opponent had evaded it.

"Heh, Konoha rats really did come." The Sand ninja was unusually composed. He sidestepped the attack, pressed a hand to his thigh, and crouched into a defensive stance.

"A chunin in disguise!" Saitama's pupils shrank. That reaction had been far beyond chunin level.

"Did you really think we'd send only one jonin to escort a food convoy?" The Sand Village jonin sneered as he fought Moonlight Zhengye. "Shayuan, deal with that brat quickly."

The ninja named Shayuan's aura surged as he bared a chilling grin. "Kid, your luck has run out."

Saitama calmly gathered chakra, crimson tomoe emerging in his eyes.

Shayuan caught sight of the tomoe patterns in Saitama's eyes and raised a brow. "Heh, an Uchiha." Before his words had faded, he shot forward, carried by a fierce current of air.

The clash of metal rang out as Shayuan's whip-like kick collided with Saitama's lightning-wreathed ninja blade. Arcs of electricity scattered as he hastily retreated three steps. Saitama did not pursue. His Two-Tomoe Sharingan locked onto every twitch of his opponent's muscles like a precision instrument.

Amidst the flying grit, Saitama suddenly burst forward. Lightning Style chakra erupted in blue light beneath his feet. His blade became a silver butterfly's afterimage, forcing Shayuan into an unbroken web of slashes. In the distance, the sounds of Saki's and Zhengye's weapons clashing rose and fell, and the battle descended into a deadlock.

"You've got to be kidding..." Shayuan bent backward to evade a lethal slash at his throat, precisely kicking the blade off course with the tip of his foot. As he flipped backward using the momentum, three kunai wrapped in ** tags were already pinched between his fingers. Amid the sound of metal tearing through the air, Saitama's sword light wove a tight net—yet Shayuan revealed a sinister grin.

Boom!

The blast wind kicked up a curtain of sand and blocked their vision. The instant Shayuan formed hand seals to disperse the smoke and dust, his pupils contracted sharply—the boy who should have been at the center of the ** had vanished into thin air. The edge of a kunai sliced across his palm, and cold sweat soaked the ninja tool pouch on his back.

The sand beneath his feet suddenly began to flow, and Shayuan's body sank with it.

The corners of his lips rose. He explosively pushed off with his legs, chakra bursting beneath his feet as he shot like an arrow toward another patch of sand.

"Whoosh!" The sound of a blade cutting through the air came from overhead. A chill ran down Shayuan's neck as he looked up to see Saitama descending from the air with a lightning-wreathed slash.

The blade flashed toward him in an instant, and Shayuan hastily raised his kunai to block.

"Clang!"

Lightning flared, and the kunai snapped in half.

Shayuan's pupils shrank violently. Seeing that the sword's momentum had not diminished, he hurriedly twisted in midair to evade it.

"Slice—" The blade sank deep into his left shoulder, and satisfaction flashed through Saitama's eyes.

Before he could pursue, Shayuan's body suddenly turned to sand and scattered apart.

"Hmm?" Saitama sheathed his blade warily, suddenly sensing movement beneath his feet.

"Die!" Shayuan burst from the sand, his kunai stabbing straight at Saitama's heart.

White smoke burst forth, and the clone dispersed.

"How is that possible?!" Shayuan froze on the spot.

Lightning suddenly blazed beneath his feet. Saitama burst out of the sand in a surprise attack, his lightning blade tearing a savage bloody gash across Shayuan's abdomen.

"Clang! Clang!"

Shayuan endured the pain as he blocked, but Saitama's rapid chain of attacks drove him stumbling backward.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Red light flickered in Saitama's throat before a blazing fireball erupted forth.

"Sizzle!" The crimson fireball smashed into the sand, its heat melting the grains into charred black crystalline slag.

At some point, another jonin had appeared beside Shayuan, and Saitama's pupils narrowed slightly. Moonlight Zhengye came around from the flank, and the three formed a triangular encirclement.

"I missed." Zhengye scratched his head with a bitter smile. It was indeed easy for ninjas of the same rank to break through a defense, especially when their strength was similar.

The tomoe in the Sharingan spun rapidly. In the instant the ** kicked up the sand, Saitama had not only caught Shayuan's sneer but also seen through the hand seals he was forming for a Sand Clone. Using the sand curtain as cover, Saitama had also created a Shadow Clone, while his real body hid beneath the sand, waiting for the right moment.