Itachi remained outwardly cold and calm. The target had finally revealed itself and come right into their hands. All they needed to do was stall for time until the rest of the Akatsuki arrived. After that, they could carry out the main mission of elimination.
However, all of Uchiha's instincts screamed at him to run. They wouldn't succeed. This mission was doomed to fail from the start. He had just seen the Green Beast under the Seventh Gate sent flying with one lazy slap. Itachi noted with his Sharingan that Guy was alive, although unconscious. Just think, one blow – and an elite S-rank jonin under the most powerful kinjutsu was easily defeated. It seemed the client hadn't lied about this Saitama's abilities. They were about to face a shinobi of Kage level, or even higher.
For several seconds now, Uchiha had been trying to immerse the "victim" in genjutsu. Unsuccessfully. None of the Sharingan's demonic illusions had worked. The bald guy didn't seem to notice his manipulations. All of Itachi's attempts were blocked.
— What's with your eyes? — Saitama asked, raising an eyebrow. — Tired, or what? And you look kind of sickly. You probably spend too much time on the computer and don't go out much.
— Saitama! Get away from him! — a cry was heard.
The bald guy turned around and stepped slightly to the side.
— Anko, you're late again, — Saitama said. — I'm already done. Just saved one of ours, — he waved his hand towards Itachi.
Uchiha cast an indifferent glance at the new figure – a young girl in a cloak, with purple hair. She held a kunai in her hand. Her whole demeanor showed how tense she was. Like a spring ready to leap into battle.
— Mitarashi Anko, — Itachi nodded. — What a surprise. We didn't think our target would be accompanied by the Snake Sanin's student.
— Saitama, get away from him quickly, — Mitarashi's eyes widened in horror. — He's our enemy!
— What? Enemy? — the bald guy didn't understand, turning his gaze back to Uchiha. — But he has a Konoha forehead protector on his forehead?
— A scratched forehead protector! — Anko exclaimed. — He's a missing-nin. That's Uchiha Itachi…
— Hmm… scratched, you say? — Saitama pondered, carefully examining the brunette's hitai-ate. — Hmm, I thought it was just cracked.
— …
— …
— In any case, — Uchiha began after the pause that had formed. — Anko-sempai, if you just leave, you might survive. We only need the bald one...
— Heh-heh, new people on the scene? — Kisame said with a grin, approaching Uchiha. — And where did the animal go?..
Saitama narrowed his eyes at the large man with gray-blue skin who emerged from behind the trees. After which, the guy rolled his eyes, as if trying to remember something.
— Where's Guy? — Mitarashi frowned. — What did you do to him?
The corner of Uchiha's lip twitched slightly, and he said, pointing a finger at Saitama:
— We did nothing. But your companion knocked him out.
— Eh?? — Anko stared at the pensive Saitama in bewilderment. — Saitama, did you attack Mighto Guy?
The bald guy didn't answer her. He said, fixing a stern gaze on Kisame:
— I have a feeling we've met before.
— Are you completely idiotic? — Kisame's eye twitched. — Not only did you attack your own teammate, but you can't even remember me. Even though you saw me a couple of minutes ago! Looks like your brain is as smooth as your bald head...
— Yeah, I'm bald! Got a problem?! — Saitama shouted.
A powerful killing intent descended upon those present. It was comparable to the chakra of the tailed beasts, perhaps even stronger. Itachi and Kisame gasped for breath, Mitarashi trembled. However, after only a couple of seconds, everything stopped, and Saitama managed to pull himself together and calm down.
— Yeah, I'm bald, — the guy nodded. — And you, — he poked a finger at the swordsman. — Gray-blue-pale-faced. Got it?
Hoshigaki bared his teeth angrily, gripped his sword more firmly, and took a fighting stance:
— Itachi, can I kill him myself?
Uchiha placed his hand on his partner's shoulder and shook his head. Then he signaled to stall for time. Kisame nodded almost imperceptibly. Reinforcements would arrive very soon. Together, it would be difficult for them to stand against this bald guy. Immunity to genjutsu, super strength, and super speed. But most importantly, Uchiha couldn't feel him at all and couldn't see his chakra. That is, if Saitama were to get behind Itachi and want to knock him out, no Sharingan would help the brunette. Unless he used Susanoo's armor in advance. But that was clearly overkill.
Meanwhile, Hoshigaki began to tremble slightly with irritation. He could barely restrain himself from attacking their target. The bald guy annoyed him so much. And he annoyed him in every way: his appearance, his behavior, his voice, his mannerisms…
— Hey, don't get so worked up, — Saitama waved his hand. — Haven't you ever tried tanning? Girls like a tan. Or you could go to a tanning salon.
Kisame's hand squeezed Samehada even tighter. But Itachi only cast a warning glance at his partner. It was obvious that the Bald One was deliberately provoking Kisame. The latter was concerned about his skin color and his unpopularity with girls, and here this Saitama seemed to know in advance what buttons to push. And he had even pretended not to remember Hoshigaki, although Itachi had seen through his crow that the bald shinobi had dispelled two of the swordsman's clones just a couple of minutes ago.
"This Saitama… is quite cunning," Itachi thought. "But why isn't he attacking now?"
— Saitama, why did you attack Guy? — Anko shouted when she spotted a body in a green jumpsuit in the distance. A couple of moments later, the girl was beside the Konoha jonin, checking his pulse. Assessing Mighto's condition, she concluded that the man was fine, although unconscious, but it would be advisable to provide him with assistance in the near future to avoid complications later.
— Well, — Saitama hesitated. — They were arguing, and this one in green looked rowdy. So I broke them up like that. Besides, how would I know what this Guy looks like? You didn't show me his picture! — the guy exclaimed indignantly.
— Arguing? — Kisame drawled. — In your opinion, a fight to the death between S-rank shinobi is an argument?..
Uchiha breathed a sigh of relief. He felt two sources of chakra appear behind him. Reinforcements had finally arrived. Itachi and Kisame had stalled for time well, keeping this strange bald guy talking. Now they needed to immobilize their target, as well as give Hidan a chance to wound the opponent and perform the ritual.
— Oh-ho-ho, Itachi! Can't you handle some bald piece of sh*t? — a smug voice sounded behind Itachi. — I'll offer him as a sacrifice to Jashin-sama right now.
— Hidan, stop! — Uchiha ordered. However, the priest didn't listen to him. In a flash, Hidan suddenly appeared beside the bald man, and then, with a cry of: "You're f*cked, baldy!" struck with his scythe.
In the next moment, Itachi's Sharingan captured an incredible scene. Three scarlet blades of the weapon flew towards Saitama's neck. He didn't seem to react at all. But just as the scythe was a few centimeters from his body, the bald man's head blurred, and the crimson blades shattered into small fragments.
"He broke the blades of an artifact weapon with his teeth? And at such speed... Is that even possible?" Itachi thought.
Hidan stared in shock at the hilt that remained in his hands.
— The f*ck?! — he yelled. — What the h…
What else the priest of Jashin wanted to say could only be guessed, because he was interrupted by a kick from Saitama. The mercenary's body slammed into a tree, and he slid down like a rag doll. It was impossible to kill the guy, but knocking him out was quite feasible, although for a very short time.
— And who's this thug? — Saitama scratched his bald head.
— So that's what our bag of money looks like, — Kakuzu croaked, stepping out from behind Uchiha.
— Bag of money? — the bald guy didn't understand. — Where?
— You weren't in too much of a hurry, — Itachi said with displeasure, seriously observing the actions of their target. At that moment, the guy began to look around for the bag Kakuzu was talking about.
As soon as the quartet… or rather, now the trio of Akatsuki had gathered, the mercenaries immediately spread out around the perimeter, taking their victim in a pincer movement.
***
— Hmm… so they lied about the bag, — Saitama took on a thoughtful look, surveying the mercenaries.
Anko wanted to slap herself in the face for the umpteenth time, but in such a serious situation, acting like that would be foolish. So, a logical question arises. What to do? There were three S-rank shinobi against them. And not weak shinobi either. Uchiha, supposedly, single-handedly wiped out his entire clan. And the fish-man could be recognized as the Swordsman of the Mist with a very famous sword.
Furthermore, what to do with Guy? Why did the mercenaries need Saitama specifically? And what exactly should she do in this situation? Anko was the commander of this mission. Saitama was supposed to obey her, but from the very beginning, the bald shinobi had put on some kind of circus, absolutely not taking his opponents seriously.
"Although…" she pondered, examining the knocked-out gray-haired guy who had been very surprised when Saitama broke his weapon. This shinobi had been incapacitated with one careless kick.
Yes. Apparently, that was what had helped the bald guy easily take out one mercenary. They had underestimated him. Judged him by his appearance and first impression. However, now they had already understood who they were dealing with, so they were unlikely to make a similar mistake again. True, Mitarashi was forced to admit that Saitama's level was truly sky-high for her. One sparring session with the bald man had been quite enough for her to understand: they were in completely different weight categories. The kunoichi also understood that she wouldn't be able to help the guy in any way right now.
— Anko, — Saitama turned to the kunoichi. — Take Guy and get as far away as possible.
— But… — Mitarashi wanted to speak up.
— Trust me, — unlike how the bald guy had behaved before, he was quite serious now. Even the foolish expression on his face had disappeared.
"He finally took off that stupid mask," Anko thought.
"Well, it seems there really is no choice. I need to retreat with Mighto and trust Saitama…"
The bald guy continued, looking around at the enemy shinobi:
— These guys want to play Sonic. So it might be dangerous for you and the green one. So leave.
The girl never understood who these "Sonics" were, but decided not to dwell on such a trifle. Therefore, nodding firmly, she hefted the unconscious Guy onto her shoulder and retreated along the upper paths.
***
— Are we just going to let them go? — Kisame asked.
Uchiha nodded in response to his partner's question.
— Our target is right in front of us.
— But what about the bounty for the jonin's head? Why didn't you finish him off? — Kakuzu said with displeasure, glancing at the relaxed bald man who was observing the mercenaries with detached interest.
— Less talk, — Itachi said coldly. — Kisame, your move. Create the battlefield.
Hoshigaki bared his triangular teeth in a predatory grin. He tossed his sword into the air and formed a seal, then announced the name of the jutsu:
— Suiton: Bakusui Shōha! (Water Release: Exploding Water Wave!)
A powerful stream of water jutsu began to pour from the swordsman's mouth; Kisame seemed to have become the source of an almost infinite amount of water. The man didn't skimp on chakra, so, catching his sword, he found himself at the top of an artificial "waterfall." The element itself soon spread throughout the surroundings for kilometers around, flooding the surrounding trees up to half their height.
Kakuzu and Uchiha initially jumped onto the trunks, and then descended to the surface of the newly formed reservoir.
— Where did he go? — Kisame shouted, surveying the surface of the huge lake. — What the hell? Why can't I sense his chakra?
— He's underwater, — Uchiha replied grimly.
Hoshigaki laughed.
— What an idiot! Underwater, he'll be easy prey for me…
— Don't be overconfident and don't play with him, — Itachi said. — Remember what happened to Hidan.
— Oh, come on, — Kisame said, creating four water clones. — We have the combo-zombie with us, they can't be killed. So our psycho will come to his senses soon, and we'll tie up this bald guy.
The swordsman's clones sank beneath the water. And after a few seconds, Kisame frowned.
— That's… they're dispelled…
Suddenly, a bald head appeared on the surface. The mercenaries tensed. They expected Saitama to stand on the water and rush at them, but the guy just started… slowly swimming. First, breaststroke. Then he lay on his back in a starfish position, saying something about a water park and a great vacation. His face expressed complete bliss.
— What is he doing?! — Kakuzu couldn't stand it. — Is this Saitama mocking us?
— He's not mocking us, — Itachi remarked seriously. — He's just lowering our guard. So be on your guard...
A minute later, Hidan, cursing as usual, appeared next to the main Akatsuki group. His scythe was no longer of any use, so the priest pulled out the skewer he usually used to inflict wounds on himself during the ritual.
As soon as Hidan was back in formation, Kakuzu decided to act:
— I'll start. Cover me if anything happens.
The treasurer took off his red-clouded cloak and tossed it aside. Leaning slightly forward, he used "Jiongu." The stitches on his body came undone, and four monsters made of black threads burst from his back. Each of these creatures had a mask. Two of them rushed forward, after which Kakuzu began to form seals.
— On my command, everyone jumps up, — Kakuzu said.
— Bullsh*t. Why the hell are you giving orders?
— Hidan doesn't have to jump, — the treasurer said irritably.
In the next moment, a powerful column of water descended upon Saitama. Following this, the second monster used "Raiton: Gian" (Lightning Release: Wrath of Heaven). On command, all the mercenaries (except Hidan), pushing off the surface of the lake, jumped upwards. And the water's surface was crisscrossed by a huge number of blue-violet lightning bolts.
When the jutsu stopped its effect, the Akatsuki landed back on the water and heard Hidan's highly indignant voice. The guy was berating his teammates, showering them with all sorts of unpleasant epithets, among which the most polite were "f*cking herring," "old pr*ck," and "red-eyed bastard." The priest of the dark god especially lambasted his partner, because he hadn't warned that he was going to use Raiton on the water…
Suddenly, the bald head of their target resurfaced.
— Are you f*cking kidding me?! — Hidan exclaimed, looking at Saitama's impassive face. Apparently, the bald man hadn't received the slightest damage.
***
Saitama surfaced from the water. Letting out a thin stream from his mouth, he began to ponder what to do.
These guys in cloaks had decided to set up water attractions for him. But if there were bystanders here, they would be in serious trouble. If the mercenaries scattered, they could affect residential areas of the Land of Waves. These ninja techniques would be very dangerous for ordinary people.
And Saitama was also getting annoyed that he couldn't stand on the water's surface. That wasn't cool at all. His opponents were looking at him strangely. Plus, monsters had come out. Two of them were heading straight for him now.
Black tendrils rushed towards the bald guy. It was unclear what these tendrils wanted to do to him, but apparently nothing good. He had once read an erotic manga that started something like this.
Swallowing loudly, he decided to attack preemptively, right from the water.
"Boom"
"Boom"
Two creatures made of black threads were destroyed by two punches from Saitama's fists. And one of the mercenaries fell to his knees and clutched his chest...
— Kakuzu! — the gray-haired guy shouted.
The masked man raised his palm.
— I'm fine. But two of my hearts are destroyed. Now I can't use Raiton and complex Suiton techniques.
— Alright, rest, Kakuzu, — the man with triangular teeth grinned. — We need to take this baldy out from a distance.
— Be vigilant, Kisame, — the red-eyed guy said coldly.
— I'm always vigilant, Itachi. Suiton: Senbon Same (Water Release: Thousand Needles of Water Sharks), — Kisame, after forming the seal, placed both hands on the water. Streams of chakra flowed from each finger, which began to form into countless semi-transparent creatures resembling large sharks.
Obeying Kisame's will, they moved towards the bald guy, who was still keeping himself afloat.
— Oh crap, — Saitama muttered. — These little fish might tear my clothes. And I don't have a spare set.
He began to think intently. Memories of a manga he had read as a teenager suddenly surfaced in his bald head. That manga told the story of a guy who was struck by lightning. This guy subsequently gained super speed and became a superhero. Saitama recalled how in one of the chapters that guy was able to run on water…
"Hmm… maybe I should try running on water too?"
Meanwhile, the sharks formed a huge wave that rushed uncontrollably towards Saitama.
***
— Heh-heh-heh, looks like the baldy's messed himself, — Kisame drawled, maintaining his concentration seal.
— Kakuzu, — Itachi began, ignoring his partner's assumption. — As soon as the wave covers the target, we hit the area with everything we've got.
— I'm five times older than you, boy, — Kakuzu croaked, summoning the heart with the thread creature back into his body. Then another creature emerged from his torso. — So don't teach me how to fight.
All four Akatsuki and the thread monsters positioned themselves on the treetops, away from the future epicenter of the techniques. Hidan was surprisingly silent and simply stood aside. The priest was of no use yet. Therefore, only Kakuzu, Kisame, and Itachi would attack. And when the victim weakened, Kisame would dispel the surrounding lake to give Hidan a chance to perform the ritual.
As soon as the wave of sharks reached their target, something strange happened. This Saitama suddenly burst out of the water and ran across it. Moreover, the speed at which he moved was incredible. Only the trail of water splashes that stretched behind him like a long white tail could be used to follow his movement, and even that was difficult.
The swarm of chakra creatures rushed after him, but with their speed, it was absolutely impossible to catch up with the bald man.
— Damn it, — Hoshigaki grimaced. — Look how he took off. He's too fast…
Kisame hadn't finished speaking when Saitama suddenly turned around and jumped into the air, hovering directly above the center of the shark swarm.
— Two-Handed Consecutive Normal Punches.
All the chakra creatures, along with hundreds of tons of water, simply evaporated, and Kisame's face cramped, especially his eye, which twitched quite noticeably.
— The f*ck, what the hell? — Hidan didn't understand. — What the f*ck was that just now?
None of the group paid the slightest attention to Hidan's words. A void formed on the lake in an instant, which immediately began to fill with water from the surroundings.
Remembering what Uchiha had said, Kisame was the first to react and began to bombard their target with shark bombs. Kakuzu and Itachi began to form seals, preparing to deliver a devastating blow using combined jutsu.
— Fūton: Atsugai (Wind Release: Pressure Damage). Katon: Zukokku (Fire Release: Head Hunter Fire). — Two powerful jutsu erupted from the masks of the thread creatures.
— Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique). — Uchiha also kept pace and used his destructive technique.
The wave of all-consuming flames spreading over the lake was amplified by the wind technique, forming a fiery tornado from the Akatsuki treasurer. Itachi's fire dragon also descended from above, supporting the inferno that had formed as a result of the combination of elements.
A monstrous explosion rang out. The Akatsuki were forced to retreat to avoid being harmed by the rampage of techniques. Most of the artificial lake evaporated. Nothing, not even ash, remained of the tree trunks within a radius of a couple of kilometers. The firestorm raged for a while until someone's voice was heard:
— Serious Sigh.
All the fire was extinguished in an instant. It was put out as if it were a candle. The roots of the trees were scattered in different directions along with chunks of earth by the monstrous gust of wind. Fortunately, this technique was performed to the side. If the mercenaries had been caught in this jutsu, they would have simply been blown away, and that was the best-case scenario. In the worst case, they would have been severely injured and unable to continue the fight.
The bald guy slowly approached them.
— Guys, you got a little too carried away. Peaceful civilians live nearby. Good thing there were less than ten of them and I managed to evacuate them. In general, you need to be more careful.
***
Saitama was displeased. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest. These guys in red-clouded cloaks were definitely crossing the line. And they needed to be reined in. But, just like in his previous world, for some reason all villains and monsters only understood the language of force.
The people in front of Saitama didn't look like monsters. Although a couple of strange masked creatures were still standing next to them. Thinking it was best to deal with them right away, the bald guy unexpectedly slapped them, and they burst into black goo.
The man called Kakuzu fell to his knees and clutched his chest again.
— Hey, buddy, — Saitama began worriedly. — What's wrong, heart problems? Maybe you need to go to the hospital?
— Retreat, — the red-eyed guy snapped.
However, the gray-haired one didn't listen to him again.
— You f*cking bald atheist! You destroyed Kakuzu's hearts. In the name of my god, I will offer you as a sacrifice!
He had only just wanted to stab Saitama with his skewer when he received an uppercut from the bald man and flew off into the distance.
Saitama yawned and muttered with displeasure:
— Damn cultists.
Suddenly, Kakuzu formed a seal:
— Doton: Ganban Kyū! (Earth Release: Stone Coffin!)
The bald guy was covered up to his waist by a brown mass, which solidified a moment later, turning into stone.
Kakuzu and Itachi jumped back. And behind Saitama, the swordsman appeared, bringing his spiky weapon down on the bald man's back.
— Wh-what?! — Kisame's eyes widened.
Samehada's blow hit the target, but there was no feedback from the sword. When the Swordsman of the Mist saw that there wasn't even a scratch on the bald man's body, he… was somewhat shocked. But, pulling himself together, Kisame repeatedly, again and again, brought his sword down on Saitama. After a dozen unsuccessful thrusts, he retreated.
Kakuzu, meanwhile, used stone bullets, but they only bounced harmlessly off the guy's bald head. Saitama caught one of the bullets with his teeth, then spat it back at the treasurer…
Itachi, watching the fight, understood that their opponent was toying with them. Samehada couldn't absorb Saitama's chakra because he didn't have any. At first, Uchiha thought that the chakra was simply very well hidden by this guy, but now the brunette understood: the bald monster didn't use it at all. Even when he ran on water, he did so only with the help of his physical parameters. Therefore, genjutsu didn't work on Saitama, which was why Kisame's sword couldn't weaken him. Although the weapon hadn't actually caused any damage to their target, except for tearing his shirt.
"I'll have to use the Mangekyō…"
Saitama apparently got tired of standing like a statue, so he easily broke free from the stone trap and, instantly appearing next to Kakuzu, sent him flying after Hidan.
— You goddamn monster! — Kisame roared, bringing Samehada down on Saitama's head.
One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's blades was stopped by a palm. Kisame tried to pull his weapon free, but it was as if it was stuck in a rock.
Saitama scratched his bald head in bewilderment, examining the sword curiously.
— What's this, a hedgehog on a stick? — he asked.
— Don't you dare insult this sword. This is Samehada, one of the legendary…
— Kisame, retreat. Immediately, — Uchiha said coldly.
Saitama's fist met Hoshigaki's face, but he splashed into water droplets, turning out to be a clone.
Kisame rose from a puddle not far from Uchiha.
— Itachi, I have to get Samehada back. It's still with that guy.
— Find the others and retreat. I'll hold him off, — Uchiha said distantly. His eyes gleamed with the pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan. — And I'll get your weapon back.
Kisame nodded and disappeared in a shunshin. Itachi then stared at his opponent. Before using his trump cards, he decided to clarify:
— I will never believe that you attacked the Green Beast by accident. That was your plan all along, wasn't it? You deliberately knocked him out so that he wouldn't get hurt in the battle with us?
The bald man ignored Uchiha's words. He didn't even seem to hear him. Saitama was curiously examining one of the Great Swords. He ran his hand over it, tried to bite it, then pondered, scratching his chin with his free hand.
Suddenly, the bald man seemed to have an epiphany. His eyes lit up in a flash of realization, and his face stretched into a wide smile.
— I know what this is! — Saitama straightened up proudly and pointed a finger at Samehada. — This is…
The bald man gripped the Great Sword more firmly, then swung it behind his back and began to move it back and forth.
— It's a back scratcher!
— …
Uchiha maintained a stony expression. However, the brunette was sure that if Kisame were here, the latter would have vomited blood from Saitama's statement.
— Enough of this farce, — Itachi said. He frowned.
Uchiha had been saving these techniques for his brother, but if he used them sparingly, he shouldn't lose his eyesight. Tsukuyomi had already been used today, and it wasn't even certain that this genjutsu would work on the bald man at all. And so, only one thing remained…
— Amaterasu!
Itachi's gaze at that moment somehow lingered on the top of their target's head, or rather, on the place where most people should have hair.
The top of Saitama's head burst into black flames. Itachi considered that this amount of fire would be enough to get rid of their target, but…
The bald guy didn't react to his jutsu at all.
Uchiha blinked. Then again. Then again. But what he saw didn't disappear. And given the fact that illusions didn't work on Itachi at all, he struggled, but accepted this scene as reality.
And it looked like this: a bald guy with a blissful smile on his lips was scratching his back with Samehada, and the flames of Amaterasu were burning on his bald head, which was supposed to destroy everything it touched.
But apparently, Saitama didn't feel any discomfort about it.
Itachi cleared his throat. The bald man finally turned his attention to the brunette.
— Hey, kid, — Saitama said, stopping scratching his back. — You've got blood coming out of your eye. You know that?
Suddenly, the "hedgehog on a stick" in the bald man's hand screeched, writhing. It was burning with black flames. Saitama scratched his cheek and tossed aside the strange back scratcher. The guy stared uncomprehendingly at the red-eyed brunette.
— Ahem, don't you feel anything? — Itachi inquired.
— Should I?
Saitama began to look around. He felt like something was wrong, but he couldn't understand what exactly.
However, he soon looked down at his feet. There, the bald man discovered a small puddle that remained after Kisame's jutsu.
Saitama saw his reflection in the puddle and was dumbfounded. His eyes seemed to pop out of their sockets, he was so shocked. He squatted down on weakened legs to take a closer look at the reflection in the murky water. His lips trembled, and moisture began to accumulate in the corners of his eyes.
— H-hair. My precious…
Saitama ran his hand over his bald head, hoping to feel silky locks, but didn't really feel anything…
— Uh… — he noticed something black covering his hand. — Do I have hair on my palm too? Hmm…
Saitama suddenly realized he had been tricked. Taking a closer look, he realized it wasn't hair, but some strange black flame. The hero clapped his hands – and the flame on his hand went out. Then he slapped himself on the top of his head – and the strange fire extinguished on his bald head.
Damn shinobi. They had given him hope, he thought his dream had come true, but it turned out to be a cruel deception, an illusion. The bald man slowly stood up. Shadows lay under his eyes, his head was lowered.
— Was this your doing? — Saitama asked quietly.
Itachi nodded automatically. Although he later realized that he shouldn't have done that.
An incredible killing intent descended upon Uchiha. He had never experienced such a yaki before. His legs buckled, and he fell to his knees. His body trembled. Itachi tried to clench his teeth, gather his will into a fist, and get up. But he was paralyzed by fear. Not a single emotion was displayed on his face, but everything inside him constricted. It felt like he would be killed now, crushed like an insect, like a bug. His meeting with his brother would not take place. Konoha would lose an agent within the ranks of the Akatsuki. Everything would be lost.
Suddenly, the killing intent disappeared, and a strange howling sound echoed through the surroundings.
It was as if all the air had been released from the bald man; he clutched his stomach and groaned:
— Man, I'm so hungry…
Itachi was dumbfounded. He stared in disbelief at Saitama, who was swaying as he walked towards him.
The bald man casually picked up Uchiha by the scruff of his neck, set him on his feet, and then looked at him seriously:
— Kid, playtime's over. You deserve to be killed for your stupid joke... But I have my own principles. So I'll forgive you if you treat me to some grub…
Saitama patted the brunette encouragingly on the shoulder and strode towards the nearest settlement.
— Huh? — Itachi asked again, watching the bald man's retreating figure.
— Don't just stand there like a post, — Saitama exclaimed, turning around. — It's time to eat. And you can tell me why the hell you needed me. And why that fish-faced guy attacked the kids...
And the bald shinobi swaggered forward. Realizing, Itachi canceled his Sharingan and, picking up what remained of Samehada, followed after Saitama. He had no thoughts of attacking.
"Kill him? Very funny. This is a god in human form. And you shouldn't anger gods…"
Remembering the entire fight, Uchiha's lips curved into something resembling a smile. Although, it was more likely a nervous one. He suddenly caught himself thinking that he hadn't smiled in a long time. Yes. A very long time…