The room fell into a deathly silence, and the atmosphere gradually became heavy.
After a long time without receiving a reply from Hanzo, the Amegakure ninja knelt on one knee behind the screen, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Shenda."
Hanzo's voice, calm to the point of eeriness, reached his ears. The ninja called Shenda subconsciously raised his head, only to see that the figure who had been behind the screen had already stepped out.
Looking at that familiar face, calm and indifferent, Shenda, who served as Hanzo's "right hand," suddenly felt that the old man before him seemed somewhat unfamiliar.
Though his posture was still upright, the sense of decay deep within him could not be concealed at all.
'Has Lord Hanzo… really grown this old?'
"Bring three squads from the Anbu. Follow me to meet the people from Konoha and see what they want this time."
Hanzo's voice was cold and steady, his words as firm as nails hammered into a wall.
"Yes, Lord Hanzo!"
Shenda snapped out of his daze, lowered his head, and responded. He licked his dry lips.
At this moment, his heart was filled with both shock and joy, shock at Hanzo's aging, joy at his renewed firmness.
'Lord Hanzo… is still that same Hanzo, the hero of Amegakure.'
Boom!
As Hanzo led his men out of the tower, a flash of lightning illuminated the desolate world, followed by a thunderclap.
The gray sky seemed to split open, revealing a streak of blue, as dense rain poured down, crisscrossing before Hanzo's eyes like the veins of leaves.
It had been too long since he last made a move, too long since he had even stepped out of the tower.
Fear had confined him there, unwilling to let others witness his aging.
But now, since Konoha had come knocking, it meant they had already gathered sufficient intelligence.
At this moment, there was no room for hesitation or retreat.
Konoha had requested an audience with proper etiquette; he had no reason to refuse.
If he retreated now, if he showed weakness, his reputation would collapse.
And for the current Hanzo, that was more terrifying than death.
Because what he still possessed… was already very little.
A moment later, Hanzo entered the watchtower at the gates of Amegakure. The moment he stepped inside, the oppressive curtain of rain weighing on his shoulders was cut off.
And he finally saw who Konoha had sent.
"Lord Hanzo."
Kakashi slightly bowed, his demeanor impeccably polite as he said, "We are honored that you agreed to this meeting. Please allow me to convey greetings from the Third Hokage."
This made it clear to Hanzo: this meeting had the approval of Hiruzen Sarutobi, it was formal and legitimate.
Yet despite Kakashi's respectful attitude, the Amegakure ninja behind Hanzo still looked at them with hostility and hatred.
To them, these great nations were the source of their country's suffering.
Hanzo looked at the young genius ninja before him, feeling once again the gap between Amegakure and Konoha. His gaze then swept over the dozen or so Konoha ninja behind Kakashi.
A team of over ten had entered the capital of the Land of Rain, gathered intelligence for days, and uncovered nearly everything about Amegakure, yet his village had remained completely unaware.
At this thought, Hanzo's paranoia resurfaced. His tone turned cold:
"Enough nonsense. I'm here. What do you want?"
Kakashi didn't mind his condescending tone. From his sleeve, he took out a scroll and respectfully presented it with both hands.
Shenda stepped forward to take it on Hanzo's behalf, but Hanzo raised his hand to stop him.
Even if it was just putting on a brave front, he could not show the slightest hint of fear.
Hanzo took the scroll himself and opened it cautiously.
If it had been sent by Danzo, he would never have been so at ease. But Hiruzen was not Danzo; he wouldn't resort to such underhanded tricks here.
It was simply a sincere letter.
Hanzo's eyes narrowed slightly as he read.
Kakashi and the others carefully observed his reaction.
They had received a reply from the Third Hokage just three days after sending their message.
As expected, Hiruzen had not refused, he approved their actions.
However, there was one ambiguous point.
The condition that "Konoha would help Hanzo eliminate the remnants of the Akatsuki."
The seasoned Hiruzen saw further than the young Kakashi. He understood that "a troubled neighbor is a compliant neighbor."
If they truly helped Hanzo eliminate that "trouble," then Konoha itself would become the next problem.
Even if they formed an alliance, the Akatsuki must remain as a restraint on Hanzo.
As long as that threat existed, Hanzo wouldn't turn his blade outward.
Kakashi understood this and had to admit that the Third Hokage's foresight exceeded his own.
But would Hanzo agree so easily?
"An intention to form an alliance?"
Hanzo lifted his eyes and looked at them coldly.
"You're already overwhelmed yourselves, yet still playing these little tricks. Konoha truly never changes."
The atmosphere inside the tower instantly became tense.
The Amegakure ninja quickly realized Konoha's purpose.
An alliance?
More like using them as cannon fodder.
They tightened their grips on their weapons, ready to strike at a single command.
"Why do you say that, Lord Hanzo?" Kakashi asked calmly.
"In your eyes, treaties are nothing but scraps of paper," Hanzo said coldly. "Once we lose our value, you'll tear them up without hesitation."
If such agreements truly mattered, the Third Great Ninja War would never have happened.
So Hanzo didn't believe a single word about this "alliance."
"Lord Hanzo, may I remind you of something?"
Kakashi looked up at him, still speaking gently, but his words caused everyone present to change expression.
"If the Land of Fire goes to war with the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, the Land of Rain will inevitably become the optimal route of invasion for Sunagakure and Iwagakure."
"And I believe you understand their nature better than anyone."
He paused, then smiled faintly.
"When that happens, will you allow them passage, letting their desperate ninja pillage and slaughter at will?"
"Or will you resist to the death?"
"And if you resist… where will you obtain the food, weapons, and supplies needed to sustain a war?"
This was the fatal weakness and vital pressure point shared by Hanzo, Amegakure, and the Land of Rain.