Chapter 614: The Rain Village Changes Hands
As Hanzo drew his weapon, the dozen or so Rain Ninja around him also took out their Kunai or unsheathed their blades.
Seeing this, Nagato silently gathered Chakra, preparing to release Ninjutsu.
Mugetsu had reminded him that besides Danzo, he might also have to fight Hanzo.
The atmosphere instantly became tense, as if a battle could erupt at any moment.
However, this did not affect Mugetsu, nor did it make him act first.
Mugetsu looked at Nagato and shook his head slightly, signaling that it would be better for him to resolve this matter himself.
Out of trust in Mugetsu, Nagato retreated and stood guard according to his instructions.
"All of you, retreat," Hanzo ordered calmly.
"But..." The Jonin squad leader wanted to say something, but Hanzo immediately cut him off.
"Kurokawa, I said, retreat!" Hanzo called the high-ranking Rain Ninja by name and repeated his order.
Kurokawa opened his mouth and looked at Hanzo's resolute expression. In the end, he could only nod.
"Yes, Lord Hanzo."
He then withdrew with the other Rain Ninja.
"Danzo is dead," Mugetsu said.
Hanzo frowned slightly.
Was that why Sōsuke had not pursued him? Had he used some powerful Ninjutsu during the battle that Hanzo had failed to notice?
Before Hanzo could think too deeply, Mugetsu continued to explain, "He was severely injured. Unless a Medical Ninja like Tsunade treats him immediately, he will surely die."
Everything that had happened so far was within Mugetsu's plan.
To make Danzo's death as useful as possible, Mugetsu had never intended to kill him directly from the start.
From the moment Danzo took out his Kunai and stabbed at Mugetsu, Danzo's fate had already been sealed.
Of course, Hanzo could not possibly guess all of this. Mugetsu's explanation was mainly to let Hanzo know one fact: Danzo was absolutely going to die.
"So he was that badly injured," Hanzo said. He did not doubt Sōsuke's words.
After all, judging from the battle itself, the fact that Danzo had survived long enough to be rescued was already remarkable, to the point that Hanzo found it difficult to comprehend.
"So, your answer?" Mugetsu asked again.
Although Danzo had little to do with the Land of Rain, his death on the soil of the Land of Rain, after a battle with a Ninja of the Land of Rain, would still greatly affect the country.
"If I don't get serious now, I truly will die!" Hanzo did not answer Sōsuke's question. Instead, he raised his scythe and declared war once more.
He understood Sōsuke's meaning. Otherwise, he would not have thought of saving Danzo earlier.
But if he did not settle this today, he might not have the conviction or courage to do the same in the future.
"I understand," Mugetsu nodded.
He stopped speaking, ceased refining Chakra, and took a Kunai from his Ninja tool pouch.
After ten seconds of eye contact, both of them attacked almost simultaneously.
Swish!
Hanzo gripped his poisoned, razor-sharp scythe, erupted with Chakra, and swung it swiftly toward Sōsuke.
Aside from Water Release, swordsmanship was also one of Hanzo's proudest skills.
He had once defeated many famous samurai from the Land of Iron with nothing but his swordsmanship, swinging his blade so quickly that some Ninja did not even have time to form hand signs.
Clang!
With Transparent World activated, Mugetsu precisely grasped Hanzo's movements and blocked the scythe's strike with his Kunai.
Hanzo's expression remained unchanged.
Against an opponent like Sōsuke, no situation was worth being surprised over.
After all, this was Sōsuke.
Whoosh!
The iron chain held in Hanzo's left hand was flung out at high speed, aiming straight for Sōsuke's head.
His weapon was not an ordinary scythe, but a chain scythe. It was more flexible than a regular scythe, but also harder to use.
However, against Mugetsu, who had both Byakugan and Transparent World activated, this kind of attack was no different from playing with an exposed hand. Mugetsu dodged it easily and even seized the chance to kick Hanzo.
Bang!
A dull impact rang out, and Hanzo's body rapidly slid backward.
"Summoning Technique!"
Hanzo quickly formed hand signs and slammed his hand onto the ground.
Poison was also an important part of his strength. Facing Sōsuke, his strongest opponent, he naturally had to use his Nin-Beast.
A cloud of white smoke flashed, and a giant salamander appeared beneath Hanzo's feet.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Mugetsu did not pursue him. Instead, he formed hand signs and created a Shadow Clone.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Hanzo did not immediately order the salamander to spray poisonous mist, because he knew Sōsuke possessed powerful Wind Release. If he released poison directly, Sōsuke's Wind Release could easily disperse it.
The salamander could only spray poisonous mist once every five minutes.
Hanzo could not guarantee he would last until the salamander's second poisonous spray, so the timing of that attack was crucial. It could not be used carelessly.
A large stream of water swirled around Hanzo, and under the effect of a large amount of Chakra, a gigantic water dragon rapidly formed.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Dance!"
Mugetsu formed the Tiger seal and continuously exhaled high-temperature flames, quickly forming a dark, blazing sea of fire.
Rumble!
At that moment, Hanzo's salamander burrowed underground, while Hanzo ran and continuously output Chakra.
Soon, the water dragon and sea of fire collided, one red and one blue crashing together.
Sizzle!
Steam rose constantly from the giant water dragon. Its body shrank continuously, while the flames of the sea of fire also gradually diminished.
Just as Mugetsu's Byakugan pierced through the ground and saw the salamander moving beneath his feet, he held his breath and suddenly leaped up, preparing to evaporate the water dragon in one breath and create another sea of fire.
Mugetsu's Shadow Clone remained in place, rapidly gathering Chakra and preparing to use Wind Release.
Rumble!
The gigantic salamander burst out of the ground.
Its position was directly beneath Mugetsu's main body and directly in front of his Shadow Clone.
The salamander opened its huge mouth, and faint purple mist surged within it.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Hurricane!"
The Shadow Clone rapidly formed hand signs, converting a large amount of Chakra into wind-nature Chakra.
"Fire Release: Exploding Flame Array!"
Just then, Hanzo canceled the output of Water Dragon Bullet and quickly formed hand signs to use his unique Fire Release.
Whoosh, whoosh!
A large number of explosive tags flew out from the salamander's abdomen, then detonated.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
After a dazzling white flash of explosions, both the salamander and Mugetsu's Shadow Clone were caught in the blast.
The Shadow Clone, unable to withstand such a heavy attack, turned directly into white smoke and vanished. The thick-skinned salamander merely swayed its body.
Whoosh!
Hiss! Hiss!
A large amount of dense purple poisonous mist sprayed from the salamander's mouth, enveloping everything around it, including the airborne Mugetsu.
"Are we going to win?" Kurokawa looked at the battlefield with excitement.
After seeing Sōsuke crush Danzo, even though he trusted Hanzo, he had not held much hope for the outcome of this battle. Sōsuke's Ninjutsu was simply too powerful.
But now, it seemed a miracle might happen.
"Poison?" Nagato was about to step forward, but then he remembered something and stopped.
Whoosh!
Hanzo, holding his scythe, rushed forward at high speed.
At such close range, with such dense poisonous mist, holding one's breath was useless. The poison could also enter the human body through the skin.
Whoosh, whoosh!
Suddenly, a fierce wind rose, and a powerful storm dispersed the purple poisonous mist, revealing Mugetsu's figure.
Mugetsu held a syringe containing an antidote in his left hand, while his right hand maintained the hand sign for Wind Release.
"Hiding explosive tags inside the salamander was indeed a good idea," Mugetsu said, tossing aside the used syringe as he praised Hanzo.
Mugetsu would not underestimate any Ninja who had made a name for themselves in the Ninja World.
No matter how many methods he possessed, he was still human. He still had human weaknesses, and he could still be killed.
That was why, during this period, Mugetsu had not only studied how to deal with Danzo but had also prepared extensively for Hanzo.
The antidote he had just used was one of those preparations.
"Even the salamander's poison has been deciphered..." Hanzo tightened his grip on his scythe and sighed softly.
His swordsmanship would be seen through by Sōsuke.
His Water Release could not overcome Sōsuke's Fire Release.
Now even his poison had lost its effect.
Hanzo felt a deep frustration, as if everything about him had been completely deciphered by Sōsuke.
Whoosh!
The thoughts in his mind did not make Hanzo pause for even an instant.
His body transformed into water and rapidly appeared in front of Sōsuke, flinging out his chain.
This was another of Hanzo's close-combat styles: using the chain to entangle the enemy.
As long as he could bind the opponent's weapon or body, his scythe would surely take away a part of their body, or even their life.
The salamander raised its palm and swung it toward Sōsuke.
Its massive size was also one of its weapons, not merely its poison spray.
Mugetsu entered Wind Breathing Chakra Mode to enhance his Wind Release, then formed a hand sign with one hand, extending his pinky straight and diagonally while bending the other four fingers to form the Dragon seal.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Hurricane!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A terrifying gale erupted with Mugetsu at its center, like a giant white dragon bursting from the earth and rushing into the sky.
The storm created by the white dragon's appearance blew the gigantic salamander away.
Crack!
The iron chain thrown by Hanzo came into contact with the storm of cutting wind and snapped instantly.
The experienced Hanzo immediately released Chakra to stabilize his body, preventing himself from being blown away.
Swish! Swish!
But the continuous Wind Release slashes still left his body riddled with wounds.
Sōsuke's Ninjutsu was simply too fast and too powerful.
Among all the opponents Hanzo had fought, Sōsuke released Ninjutsu the fastest and possessed the strongest Ninjutsu power.
Fortunately, the Wind Release slashes did not hit any vital points, and Hanzo still managed to swing his scythe, now stained with his own blood.
Clang!
As expected, the attack was blocked by Sōsuke.
"Hah..." Hanzo panted.
The battle had not gone on for long, yet he already felt inexplicably exhausted.
Hanzo swung his left hand toward Mugetsu's abdomen.
Just as Mugetsu also extended his left hand, Hanzo suddenly released the scythe in his right hand and thrust that hand fiercely toward Mugetsu's heart.
Pfft!
Without the scythe to block it, Mugetsu's Kunai inevitably pierced into Hanzo's body.
At the same time, Mugetsu's right hand burst with terrifying power, directly knocking Hanzo heavily to the ground.
How could the injured Hanzo's speed compare to Mugetsu in Breathing Technique Chakra Mode?
Trading injuries was not feasible.
After this strike, Mugetsu did not pursue. He simply watched Hanzo in silence.
At this moment, Hanzo was in terrible condition.
Not only was his body covered in wounds of all sizes, but a Kunai was also lodged in his chest.
Hanzo picked up his scythe, struggled to his feet, and walked slowly toward Sōsuke, leaving bloody footprints with every step.
"Lord Hanzo!" A Rain Ninja could not bear to watch any longer. He drew his sword again, wanting to rush forward and help Hanzo.
"Are my words no longer valid in Amegakure?!" Hanzo shouted without turning his head.
The Rain Ninja gripped his sword tightly, his eyes slightly red, but in the end, he stopped.
As if wanting to take one final breath of fresh air, Hanzo removed the mask he had always worn, then continued advancing toward Sōsuke.
Mugetsu did not attack. He merely silently took out an antidote, preparing to inject himself again when the time came.
Hanzo's body contained a salamander poison sac, which could produce poisonous gas when he breathed.
Although it was not as potent as the true salamander's poison spray, it was more than enough to poison anyone in close proximity.
"I've been completely seen through. Haha." Seeing Mugetsu take out the antidote, Hanzo's advancing steps paused slightly, and he laughed, unusually for him.
He had removed his mask precisely to release poison through his breathing.
"After all, my opponent is a Demigod. If I'm careless, I really could die," Mugetsu replied with a smile.
"Hahaha."
The smile on Hanzo's face grew even wider.
Since his defeat in the Second Shinobi World War, he had rarely smiled, but this time, he truly had a reason to smile.
Because he had found an excellent successor for Amegakure.
Because a Ninja who was stronger than a Demigod in every respect had appeared in the Land of Rain.
Hanzo had truly given everything in this battle.
He had used nearly all his personal strength to try to kill Sōsuke.
His tactics in battle, his own abilities, and every method he possessed had all been brought to their best state.
But Sōsuke had still survived, and was virtually unharmed.
With someone like Sōsuke becoming the Chief of Amegakure, Hanzo believed he would do better than him.
"After I die, Sōsuke will be the Chief of Amegakure!" Hanzo restrained his smile, looked around at the Rain Ninja, and shouted.
"Yes!"
All the Rain Ninja bowed their heads in assent.
Before the battle began, Hanzo had already informed them of this matter. The high-ranking Rain Ninja and Anbu basically all knew.
Only the ordinary Rain Ninja remained unaware.
Having said that, Hanzo continued walking toward Sōsuke with his scythe.
He was still alive.
The battle was not over.
"Hold this secret medicine in your mouth, and you can also become the wandering Ninja Hattori." As Hanzo approached, Mugetsu took out a pill.
This was a secret medicine Mugetsu had once drawn from the system.
He had tested it before, and its effects were extremely powerful, comparable to a one-time Creation Rebirth.
Even a dying person could quickly become lively again after taking it.
Although the system had rewarded him with the method to manufacture it, all the ingredients required for this secret medicine were extremely rare. Mugetsu currently had only ten on him.
However, Hanzo's strength was worth Mugetsu spending one secret medicine.
"But there is no Hattori in this world, only Lord Hanzo."
Hanzo raised his scythe toward Sōsuke.
He did not doubt the effectiveness of Sōsuke's secret medicine, but Hattori was ultimately a false identity.
A Ninja's disguise was meant to deceive others, not oneself.
Mugetsu respected Hanzo's choice.
He put away the secret medicine, swiftly retreated, and began forming hand signs.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Dance!"
A terrifying sea of fire descended, but it precisely avoided Hanzo.
Deep-red flames surrounded Hanzo, their scorching heat making him look exceptionally dazzling and making the bloodstains on his body less noticeable.
Immediately afterward, the flames split into multiple fire dragons, sealing off Hanzo's position from every direction before charging toward him at the same time.
The intense heat pressing in from all sides made Hanzo exceptionally clear-headed, reminding him of one thing.
He was going to die.
Facing imminent death, Hanzo did not show hatred or pain. Instead, he smiled in release.
Because this was the outcome he had chosen himself. He had no reason to hate anyone.
Before the battle began, Hanzo had already anticipated this outcome.
Of course, he could have won against Sōsuke, but the probability was extremely small, almost impossible.
To have fought to this extent already satisfied Hanzo.
This was much better than their first battle, and it could be considered worthy of his many years of training.
It was not that he was incapable.
It was simply that Sōsuke was stronger.
Perhaps because he was on the verge of death, Hanzo's memories flashed through his mind, from birth until the present.
Although ever since Sōsuke appeared, Hanzo had always been the one used as a stepping stone, for the vast majority of his life, he had been the number one genius in the Land of Rain.
His talent, considered excellent even among the Five Great Ninja Villages, was an overwhelming force when placed in Amegakure.
This outstanding talent allowed Hanzo to become the strongest Rain Ninja early on, and then the Kage of Amegakure.
However, Hanzo was a man with great ambition, and he was not content with the status quo.
The Land of Rain bordered three great nations and was often plagued by war.
To change this situation, Hanzo vigorously developed the Ninja forces of the Land of Rain, attempting to break the invincible myth of the Great Ninja Villages so that they would no longer dare to trample over the Land of Rain.
At that point, Hanzo reached the lowest point of his life.
He had underestimated the power of the Five Great Ninja Villages.
Even though he single-handedly caused great slaughter on the battlefield, he still could not stop Amegakure's decline on every front.
In the end, Amegakure was devastated so badly that even basic operations became difficult, and Hanzo was forced to surrender.
From then on, Hanzo's spirit was largely extinguished.
In truth, Hanzo was grateful to Sōsuke.
Because he had thought about what would have happened without Sōsuke.
To be honest, it was so embarrassing that Hanzo did not even want to think about it.
Without the immense pressure brought by Sōsuke, it would have been difficult for him to possess his current composure in the face of death.
As time passed, he would have become increasingly greedy for power, increasingly afraid of death, and would have tried every possible means to eliminate anything that might threaten his authority.
For the dignified Demigod of the Ninja World to end up like that, dying in battle at Sōsuke's hands was far better.
At least the one who killed him would be the strongest Fire Release user in the Ninja World.
Hanzo's mind rapidly recalled the past, and the fire dragons also arrived before him.
Hanzo could clearly see the deep-red flames dancing on the fire dragons, because the nearest fire dragon was only eight centimeters away from him.
He felt as though he could already see himself being burned to ashes by the flames.
He had witnessed the terror of Fire Release: Fire Dragon Dance several times.
Being burned to ashes was not an exaggeration. It was simply a description.
Hanzo was not nervous.
There was no need to be.
Even if his life ended here, he had lived brilliantly enough.
He had once been the Demigod of the Ninja World, a man who made enemies tremble and was respected by every Ninja in the Land of Rain.
Even at the lowest point of his life, the one who killed him would be Sōsuke, who was destined to shine brightly in the Ninja World.
Hanzo smiled and looked at Sōsuke, saying in an extremely faint voice, "Thank you."
He truly had to thank Sōsuke.
Sōsuke had not only given him many chances to live, but had also given him respect at the end.
If Sōsuke had used Water Release, defeating him would have been much easier and would have saved a great deal of Chakra, but Sōsuke had not used it.
At least at the moment of his death, Hanzo was still the strongest Water Release Ninja in the Ninja World.
The next moment, the flames disappeared like brilliant fireworks after an explosion.
Just as Hanzo showed a look of astonishment, a transparent surge of energy pierced through his heart.
Hanzo's vision instantly went black, and his consciousness plunged into chaos.
Blood splattered, and Hanzo's body fell backward.
Mugetsu flashed forward and supported Hanzo, preventing his body from falling to the ground.
Edo Tensei was an annoying Ninjutsu, but it was not necessary to burn Hanzo to ashes just to prevent it.
"Lord Hanzo!"
Seeing Hanzo completely dead, a Rain Ninja could not help but kneel on the ground and shed tears.
Hanzo was a very special existence for the Land of Rain.
Unlike the Chiefs of other small Ninja Villages, Hanzo had given Amegakure a visible hope, even if that hope had not been realized before his death.
Pfft!
Several high-ranking Rain Ninja pulled out short swords one after another and stabbed themselves in the heart without hesitation.
More blood splashed out, and several high-ranking Rain Ninja collapsed to the ground.
This was Hanzo's command, and also their own decision.
They could not work for Sōsuke, who had killed Hanzo. Yet they held high positions and power.
To avoid affecting Hanzo's arrangements, their best ending was to die alongside him.
"Sōsuke, no, Chief."
A Rain Ninja Anbu walked up to Mugetsu, knelt on one knee, and handed him a scroll.
...
When Hanzo opened his eyes again, he found himself in a pitch-black wasteland.
"Sōsuke brought me back to life?"
Realizing his current state, Hanzo shook his head.
"So there really is an afterlife."
He looked around to observe the situation and soon noticed a firelight not far away, so he walked toward it.
As he drew closer, he realized that the people there were all wearing Rain Ninja uniforms.
The Rain Ninja noticed the newcomer, turned their heads, and widened their eyes when they saw his face clearly.
"Lord Hanzo!"
The Rain Ninja all shouted excitedly.
"Heavy Rain, Filial Crow..."
Hanzo looked at the Rain Ninja and was also stunned, his expression somewhat moved.
These people were his subordinates who had sacrificed themselves during the Second Shinobi World War.
"Lord Hanzo, how did you get here? Did something happen?" a Rain Ninja could not help but ask.
Since Hanzo had appeared here, it meant he must have died.
Hearing someone ask about his death, Hanzo smiled and said, "Nothing happened."
He could not let dead Ninja worry about the Village.
"Lord Hanzo, how is Amegakure? Has it become the Sixth Great Shinobi Village?" another Rain Ninja asked.
Hanzo looked at the bonfire, and the deep-red fire dragons from before his death appeared in his mind.
He showed a serious expression and said, "It has not become the Sixth Great Shinobi Village, but Amegakure is doing very well. I handed it over to an outstanding junior."
"No matter how outstanding, they can't be more powerful than you, right?" a Rain Ninja said.
Hanzo looked at that Rain Ninja, smiled, and nodded.
"Now, he has surpassed me."
All the Rain Ninja showed expressions of shock, which quickly turned into excitement.
"Lord Hanzo, please tell us about the deeds of this great person."
.....
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