Naruto: Born Gifted in Konoha

Khhkhkh!

The cane struck the ground, echoing like a hammer pounding on Saitama's heart.

"You don't seem surprised?"

Danzo stopped moving, leaning on his cane with his left hand and staring at Saitama.

Saitama said nothing, quietly adjusting himself.

The fact that Danzo had come here meant he definitely had an important reason for seeking out Saitama.

If Danzo was targeting someone from the Uchiha clan, you know it's all about their eyes.

Saitama didn't bother to respond immediately. Instead, he carefully observed Danzo and the surrounding ninjas.

He didn't know exactly when he'd been marked or when his whereabouts were exposed.

But as soon as he glanced at one of the ninjas behind Danzo, he understood the reason.

Those white eyes were always so striking and unique. Even wearing a mask, Saitama could recognize through the two eye holes that it was the [Byakugan].

Taking a deep breath, Saitama tightened his grip on his sword before speaking up. "Lord Danzo, may I ask what this means?"

Although he already suspected why Danzo had gone to such great lengths to come here, he still asked.

"Oh? I thought you'd keep your cool longer! Saitama Uchiha!"

Danzo stared at him with his single visible eye, a gaze that seemed capable of devouring Saitama whole. His entire being exuded a dark aura, like a wild beast ready to attack.

"If my lord refuses to answer me, then please allow me to leave—I have an urgent mission."

Saitama looked at Danzo. Behind him stood four ninjas—one already confirmed to be from the Hyuga Clan, possessing the [Byakugan]. He couldn't tell for sure who the rest belonged to.

"As a ninja of Konoha, anything done for Konoha is justified!"

As Danzo spoke, the scar on his chin twisted grotesquely, making him look terrifying.

"But… I believe your value goes far beyond that."

His tone suddenly shifted. A cold smile spread across his face, his eyes burning with intense greed.

Saitama remained silent. He knew there would be no peaceful resolution today.

If he were at full strength, having already awakened the [Mangekyou], he wouldn't fear Danzo. But now, aside from his injuries, even using the [Sharingan] came at a steep cost.

"Give me your eyes, Saitama Uchiha!"

Danzo growled lowly, lifting his cane and pointing directly at Saitama.

As expected, things had spiraled toward the worst possible outcome.

"In that case, we've got nothing to talk about!" Saitama grimly thought. From the moment he saw Danzo, he had prepared for battle. All those previous words had just been stalling tactics—to buy himself time and space to get ready.

"Attack! Take what belongs to me!"

Without turning around, Danzo commanded his subordinates behind him.

Right now, Saitama's abilities were severely weakened. And these few ninjas standing with Danzo weren't ordinary soldiers—they were elite members of Root, each as strong as jonin-level specialists. They worked together seamlessly, executing combined [Ninjutsu] techniques flawlessly.

Even if Saitama were at peak condition, Danzo believed his men could hold their own against him. Now, in his half-crippled state, injured and weak, the odds were even worse!

As Danzo issued his command, four ninjas standing behind him exchanged glances and started walking toward Saitama. They were less than thirty meters away from him.

Saitama tensed his body and drew the sword at his waist. A fight was unavoidable.

Although he wasn't in top condition, sitting around waiting to die was simply not his style!

Whoosh! Saitama pushed off with his foot and launched the first attack. He hated waiting—he always took the initiative in battle.

By now, Saitama had forcibly activated his Sharingan, its three Tomoe spinning inside his eyes.

However, the cost of activating the Sharingan struck him immediately. Saitama could feel intense pain stabbing at his eyes, an agonizing sensation spreading toward his brain. His vision blurred slightly, wavering with every heartbeat.

Thankfully, Saitama's control and adaptability were strong. This little setback wasn't going to stop him from fighting.

Electric Shock surged around his right leg as he used it to launch himself forward.

Covering the distance between them in an instant, he reached the Byakugan-wielding ninja. His blade slashed ruthlessly downward, coated in a thin layer of crackling electricity.

It couldn't be denied that his injuries and earlier combat exhaustion severely impacted his current performance.

Both his speed and strength had dropped considerably—even the power of Chidori had weakened noticeably.

Whoosh! The Hyuga ninja tilted his head back, yet his lower body remained rooted to the ground like a nail as he avoided Saitama's strike.

Once Saitama's blade passed over his head, he stomped the ground again, tensed his body, and then snapped his upper half back into position, simultaneously closing rapidly on Saitama with both hands.

[Eight Trigrams: Thirty-Six Palms!]

His eyes cold beneath the mask, the Root ninja's hands darted toward Saitama in rapid succession, chakra surging through his palms as they targeted vital points.

"Damn it!" Saitama narrowed his eyes. His spinning Tomoe instantly calculated the enemy's attack trajectory. First dodging several incoming strikes, he then planted his right foot and bent his leg before springing sideways.

[Earth Release: Harden]

Just after evading the Hyuga ninja's assault, another voice rang out in Saitama's ears.

This was another one of the enemy ninjas.

There were four attackers total, approaching Saitama in a triangular formation. The Hyuga ninja he had just fought was the sharp tip of that triangle.

A brutal punch smashed straight toward Saitama's chest. With his Sharingan, he clearly saw the skin on the attacker's fist turn blackish-yellow, seemingly covered in a rocky outer shell.

Leaning sideways, he let his blade scrape past the enemy's fist, slicing toward his shoulder, while swiftly moving his body closer to the opponent.

Clang! The sword struck the enemy's shoulder, ringing out sharply.

But Saitama could tell he hadn't caused any actual damage—only tearing through the fabric.

Frowning slightly, he pushed forward without losing momentum. His current physical state was truly terrible—his offensive power had dropped by more than half compared to usual.

Though his chakra had partially recovered, it still hadn't returned to normal levels, forcing him to carefully calculate each usage.

And that was precisely why his Chidori Current lacked its full destructive force!

Quickly stepping back, Saitama gripped his ninja blade and held it before his chest.

[Wind Release - Blade of Wind]

Before Saitama could react, a sudden fluctuation of chakra erupted from his flank.

Glancing sideways, he spotted a shinobi with both hands pressed together. Several massive wind blades gathered before him.

"Go!"

With a sweep of his hand, the enemy unleashed the wind blades at Saitama, surging forward with terrifying force and blinding speed!

Swish! With no choice, Saitama activated his cells with chakra, boosting his speed.

The little chakra remaining inside him dropped once again.

Though Saitama sharply increased his speed, dodging these wind blades wasn't easy — they were launched by the elite of Root.

One of the wind blades slashed across Saitama's waist, carving a long, jagged gash.

Blood immediately spurted out. Wind natured Ninjutsu has one defining trait — its unparalleled cutting ability!

After dodging the attack, Saitama crouched low, casting a glance at his waist.

The wound was extremely smooth, about one centimeter deep, with the red flesh turned outward from this single strike.

"Another second and I'd have been sliced clean in half!"

A cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Saitama clenched his teeth, saying nothing.

Several Root shinobi formed a triangular formation, encircling Saitama.

Looking at the last shinobi who hadn't attacked yet, Saitama noticed something unusual.

His sleeves were oversized, and now tiny insects continuously flew out, dispersing around the area.

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