Schlpppp, Schlpppp, Schlpppp...
Yagami led the unit into the Land of Rain.
The sound of footsteps gradually grew louder.
This place was nothing like the dry, scorching terrain of the Land of Wind.
In the Land of Rain, where rain seemed to fall without end, the ground was slick with water, mud, and endless puddles.
[Something's off about the magnetic field here...]
Running at the front of the formation, Yagami narrowed his eyes slightly as the thought crossed his mind.
He did not know whether it was because he had consumed the Thunder Fruit, but ever since entering the Land of Rain, he had been able to clearly sense that this place was different from anywhere else.
There was a strange magnetic field spread throughout the region, as though it was this very force that kept the rainclouds hanging over the country year-round.
Above them, the thick black clouds churned endlessly, packed with violent lightning energy.
It almost felt as if, with the slightest gesture, he could drag that lightning down from the sky.
The sensation reminded him of Enel's techniques—El Thor, Raigo, and Mamaragan.
"Lord Yagami!"
"About five kilometers ahead, there's a Rain shinobi brigade of roughly two thousand men!"
Just as Yagami was lost in thought, a sensory-type ninja rushed up from behind and reported.
"Understood."
Yagami gave a small nod.
Then he opened the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, his perception rapidly spreading outward.
In just two breaths, the entire enemy formation ahead was reflected clearly in his mind.
At the front of the army, standing atop a giant salamander, was a man whose presence stood out immediately.
There was no doubt about it.
It was the leader of Amegakure—
Hanzō of the Salamander.
"So he really came..."
Yagami muttered under his breath, his expression turning a little strange.
Earlier, he had casually thought that if he really ran into Hanzō, he would get the chance to see for himself how strong the so-called demigod truly was.
He just had not expected that moment to come this quickly.
"Lord Yagami... nothing unexpected will happen, right?"
The Konoha jōnin following a short distance behind him spoke up, unable to hide the concern in their voices after hearing Hanzō's name.
After all, Hanzō of the Salamander was famous throughout the ninja world as a demigod.
At this point in time, he was unquestionably one of the strongest shinobi alive.
"No problem."
"If Hanzō really intends to stop us with his army, then all of you fall back."
"I can deal with them myself."
Sensing the unease behind him, Yagami answered with a calm smile.
He was not boasting.
Not in this country.
Within the Land of Rain's strange magnetic field, Yagami could feel an unnatural resonance between himself and the thunderclouds above.
If he wanted to, he could call down a devastating attack from the sky at any moment.
"That's good... that's good."
Hearing those words, the jōnin commanders finally let out the breaths they had been holding.
Yagami's confidence did not feel forced.
It was the kind that naturally made people believe him.
For a brief moment, even Kushina, running not far behind him, found herself staring at his back a little too long.
Five kilometers was not much for shinobi moving at full speed.
The formation never slowed, and in less than ten minutes, they arrived in front of the Rain shinobi brigade.
Boom!!
"Stop right there!"
The moment the distance between the two forces closed, Hanzō flung a kunai wrapped with an explosive tag from atop his giant salamander.
The blast erupted in front of the Konoha formation, fire briefly lighting up the rain-soaked road.
At the same instant, Yagami raised his right hand, signaling the unit to halt.
Because the rain was falling so heavily, the two sides had only been able to vaguely make each other out from a distance. It was not until they were within a few dozen meters that their figures became clear through the curtain of rain.
"Konoha shinobi...?"
After getting a proper look at their clothing and forehead protectors, Hanzō frowned in visible confusion.
He clearly had not expected the force coming from the direction of the Land of Wind to be Konoha shinobi.
"Shikaku. Go talk to him first."
Yagami glanced at Hanzō, who still looked full of questions, then turned his head slightly and called out behind him.
It was exactly for moments like this that having someone like Nara Shikaku in the unit was useful.
"Yes."
Shikaku did not hesitate.
He immediately stepped out from the formation and strode forward alone.
"Hanzō-sama!"
"We are Konoha's frontline forces!"
"Time is short, so we wish to pass through the Land of Rain. We hope you'll allow it!"
Shikaku advanced far enough to make sure his voice could carry through the downpour, then stopped and called out loudly.
His tone was polite, but not submissive.
Firm, measured, and calm.
Neither overly forceful nor weak.
Exactly the right balance.
"Pass through...?"
"You're saying you're Konoha's frontline forces?"
"The ones who were fighting Sunagakure?"
Hearing Shikaku's words, Hanzō's expression shifted, puzzled but thoughtful.
At the moment, that was the only explanation that made sense.
"That's right. Sunagakure has already signed a surrender agreement."
"We're now heading for the Iwagakure front, so we need to cross the Land of Rain."
Shikaku answered directly.
There was no point in hiding it.
At most, news like this would spread across the ninja world in a day or two anyway.
"Sunagakure... surrendered?"
Hanzō's voice rose slightly.
Even with the gas mask covering most of his face, the shock in his eyes was obvious.
Amegakure had no intention of entering this war, but even so, the news that Sunagakure had been defeated so quickly was difficult to believe.
After all, Sunagakure was one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
No matter how strong Konoha was, the gap should not have been so overwhelming.
"That's why we came from the Land of Wind and now seek passage through the Land of Rain."
After giving a small nod, Shikaku calmly repeated their purpose.
Hanzō stood atop the salamander's head in silence for a moment before finally speaking again.
"In the middle of a war, Konoha wants to march straight through the Land of Rain..."
"That puts me in quite a difficult position you see."
He paused, then continued in a slow, deliberate voice.
"Fine. Have your commander come out and meet me."
"And while he's at it... let him exchange a few moves with me."
"If he can last twenty moves against me, then I'll allow your forces to pass through the Land of Rain."
Hanzō spoke as though it were a serious condition.
But in truth, it was exactly as Shikaku had expected.
Amegakure had no desire to truly block Konoha's advance.
This was more about appearances than anything else.
If he simply stepped aside the moment Konoha asked, it would make Amegakure look weak, like they had been forced to lower their heads without even pretending to resist.
So this was a symbolic show of resistance.
Just enough to preserve dignity.
And even if Konoha's commander turned out to be weaker than expected, Hanzō had likely already decided that he would still let the man endure twenty moves.
Because this was never really about stopping them.
It was about saving face.
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