"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Saitama quickly formed the hand seals. Chakra surged to his throat before erupting into a massive, roaring fireball.
"Scatter!"
The enemy shinobi split up, narrowly evading the flames.
"Chidori!"
Saitama's hand crackled with lightning as he charged at the nearest enemy commander, his speed explosive.
"Huh?"
The shinobi who had just dodged the fireball looked stunned as Saitama closed in.
"Water Style: Great Water Orb!"
The enemy launched a water-style jutsu in response—but the jutsu lacked power. The orb was pitifully small compared to Saitama's blazing fireball.
"Hmph!"
Saitama slashed with his right hand, splitting the weak jutsu apart as if slicing paper. He didn't stop.
"Die!"
He thrust forward with his electrified hand, the Chidori roaring like a thousand birds. His strike was swift and deadly—like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Zzzzzttt!!
His Chidori pierced a massive hammer raised in defense. Sparks flew as countless fractures spread through the weapon. But Saitama halted mid-motion, eyes narrowing. He leapt back just in time to dodge a whip strike from the leering, gaunt ninja.
"Heh... not bad," said the enemy commander with a calm voice, feigning composure.
In truth, he'd almost died. If his ally hadn't blocked Saitama's Chidori with his hammer, it would've ended there. Even so, the impact had driven the hammer into his chest, sending a jolt of lightning through his body. His chest ached and twitched, but it wasn't fatal.
"I have to separate them," Saitama thought grimly. "One versus three isn't sustainable."
"My lord!"
A cry rang out—Saitama turned his head and saw Xiahu stabbed in the back during the skirmish.
"Damn it!"
He gritted his teeth, frustration mounting.
Boom!
The hammer slammed into the ground where Saitama had just stood. The enemy took advantage of his momentary distraction.
Crack!
Saitama's lightning-charged kick struck the gaunt ninja head-on. Electricity surged into the enemy's body, causing spasms and reddened skin.
'Chidori Current is harder to control than it looks,' Saitama admitted inwardly, recognizing the effectiveness of the technique.
Before he could follow up, another enemy attacked.
Their coordination was tight—each foe covering the others, giving Saitama little room to counter.
"Heh!"
The gaunt ninja gave a twisted grin and rejoined the fray. He had recovered somewhat from the earlier shock.
"I've got no choice," Saitama muttered, glancing toward Sanji Temple, who stood atop the cart, silently observing the battlefield.
Smack!
Saitama's fist struck the pockmarked ninja's face, lightning erupting on contact and leaving burn marks.
Thud!
But another enemy came at him from behind, forcing Saitama to retreat in frustration.
"Take this!"
The ninja commander kicked Saitama's back.
Boom!
Saitama took the blow head-on. Lightning erupted from his body in retaliation, shocking the attacker.
"Tch!"
The enemy dodged and backed off.
The gaunt ninja lunged again, eyes gleaming.
Saitama's eyes sharpened.
'This guy... he's the weakest link.'
The gaunt one rushed in, grinning—confident that their teamwork had suppressed Saitama.
"Hyah!"
Wearing chakra-enhanced gloves and a layer of blue chakra around his fists, the gaunt ninja lunged for a strike.
Crackle!
Chakra surged, and Saitama's Sharingan spun to life, tracking the enemy's movements.
"Go to hell!"
Saitama stabbed his electrified right hand forward.
But the enemy twisted away—he had predicted the counter. He was baiting Saitama into overextending, counting on his allies to follow up.
"Hmph!"
Yet Saitama wasn't done. His outstretched hand shifted—grabbing the dodging ninja mid-movement. Lightning exploded from his palm.
"Aaaagh!"
The gaunt ninja screamed as the current overloaded his body. His chakra faltered, and fear overtook his face.
The other two enemy ninjas faltered as they saw Saitama seize their comrade.
Before they could react—
Shlick!
Saitama's left hand, crackling with lightning, pierced through the gaunt ninja's throat. Blood sprayed, and the dying man's eyes froze with disbelief.
"You bastard!"
The pockmarked ninja howled in fury and hurled his hammer at Saitama's head with full force.
Thud!
Saitama tossed the dying enemy's body forward, and the hammer struck it hard. Flesh tore, blood splattered.
"Twin!" the enemy commander shouted—but his eyes locked onto Saitama instead of the corpse.
"Konoha scum," he growled, face dark with hatred, pressing the hammer down with a trembling hand.
"You think you can beat me with just two?"
Saitama stepped back, taunting.
The two surviving enemies exchanged a glance—then simultaneously pulled out red pills and swallowed them.
Saitama's expression darkened. "That's... not good."
A dense surge of chakra erupted from the two enemies. Their veins bulged. Bloodshot eyes widened as their strength spiked unnaturally.
"They're using a soldier pill variant... one that forces potential out at the cost of control," Saitama noted, tense.
"Grahhh!"
The enemy commander charged, his speed drastically increased. A chakra cloak enveloped him, crackling violently.
Boom!
Saitama narrowly dodged as the commander's punch smashed into the earth, sending dirt flying.
"Hrahh!"
The hammer-wielding ninja followed, swinging his weapon with lethal force. The air howled from the pressure of his strikes.
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