Chapter 614: A Change in Leadership in the Rain Ninja Village

Chapter 614: A Change in Leadership in the Rain Ninja Village

As Hanzo drew his weapon, the dozen or so Rain Ninjas around him also brandished their kunai or unsheathed their swords.

Seeing this, Nagato silently gathered his chakra, preparing to unleash a ninjutsu.

Mu Yue had warned him that, in addition to Danzo Shimura, they might also have to fight Hanzo.

The atmosphere became tense and fraught with anticipation.

However, this did not affect Mu Yue, who remained still.

Mu Yue glanced at Nagato and gave a slight shake of his head, indicating that it would be better for him to resolve this situation.

Trusting in Mu Yue's judgment, Nagato followed his lead and retreated to a position of vigilance.

"Everyone, step back," Hanzo commanded in a calm voice.

"But..." The jonin squad leader wanted to say something, but Hanzo immediately cut him off.

"Kurokawa, I said, step back!" Hanzo called out the name of the Rain Ninja high-ranking official and repeated his order.

Kurokawa opened his mouth, his eyes falling on Hanzo's resolute face, and he could only nod in acquiescence. "Yes, Lord Hanzo."

Then, he dispersed along with the other Rain Ninjas, moving to the periphery.

"Danzo Shimura is dead," Mu Yue declared.

Hanzo's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Was this the reason why Sosuke didn't pursue the matter further? Did Danzo use some powerful ninjutsu during their fight that he hadn't noticed?

Before Hanzo could ponder further, Mu Yue continued his explanation: "His injuries are severe. Unless he receives immediate medical treatment from a ninja as skilled as Tsunade, he will undoubtedly perish."

Thus far, everything that had transpired was according to Mu Yue's plan.

From the moment Danzo Shimura had brandished his kunai against Mu Yue, his fate had been sealed. Mu Yue had never intended to kill Danzo directly; instead, he had devised a plan to ensure that Danzo's death would be as meaningful as possible.

Of course, Hanzo could not possibly guess any of this. Mu Yue's explanation was primarily intended to make Hanzo aware of the certainty of Danzo's impending death.

"So his injuries are that severe," Hanzo acknowledged without a hint of doubt in his voice.

After all, given the course of the battle, it was already remarkable that Danzo had managed to survive and be rescued. It was a level of resilience that even Hanzo found somewhat baffling.

"Then, what about your answer?" Mu Yue asked again.

Although Danzo had no direct connection to the Land of Rain, the fact that he had died on its soil and engaged in combat with its ninjas meant that his life and death would have a significant impact on the land.

"If you don't take this seriously, you will truly meet your end!" Hanzo did not respond to Sosuke's question directly but instead raised his scythe, signaling his readiness for battle once more.

He understood Sosuke's intention, and that was why he had tried to save Danzo earlier. However, if he did not bring this matter to a conclusion today, he might not have the conviction and courage to act in the same way again in the future.

"I understand," Mu Yue nodded, remaining silent as he reached into his ninja tool pouch and pulled out a kunai.

After a ten-second stare-down, both men moved almost simultaneously.

Swish!

Hanzo, his scythe coated with poison, channeled his chakra and swung the scythe at Sosuke with incredible speed.

In addition to water-style jutsu, swordsmanship was another of Hanzo's forte.

He had once defeated numerous renowned samurai of the Land of Iron using only his sword skills, his speed so swift that some ninjas didn't even have time to form hand seals.

Clang!

With his ability to perceive the Transparent World, Mu Yue precisely anticipated Hanzo's move and blocked the scythe's swing with his kunai.

Hanzo's expression remained unchanged. When facing an opponent like Sosuke, he was prepared for any eventuality.

After all, this was the legendary Sosuke.

Whoosh!

Hanzo's left hand snapped forward, the iron chain in his grip lashing out towards Sosuke's head.

His weapon was not an ordinary scythe but one with a chain attached, making it more flexible and challenging to wield.

However, this attack was like playing an open hand of cards against Mu Yue, who had both his White Eye and Transparent World abilities active. Mu Yue easily dodged and took the opportunity to kick Hanzo.

Bang!

A dull impact sound rang out, and Hanzo's body was sent flying backward.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Hanzo quickly formed hand seals and struck the ground.

Poison was an integral part of Hanzo's prowess, and facing his strongest opponent yet, he was prepared to use his summoning creature.

A wisp of white smoke appeared, and at Hanzo's feet stood a massive salamander.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Instead of pursuing, Mu Yue formed a hand seal and created a shadow clone.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"

Hanzo did not immediately command the salamander to spew its toxic mist because he knew that Sosuke possessed strong wind-style jutsu. If he released the poison directly, Sosuke's wind jutsu could easily disperse it.

The salamander could only emit toxic mist once every five minutes, and Hanzo couldn't guarantee that he could hold out until the salamander's second emission. Thus, the timing of using the toxic mist was critical and couldn't be left to chance.

Hanzo channeled his chakra, causing a torrent of water to swirl around him and form a massive water dragon.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Maelstrom!"

Mu Yue formed the tiger hand seal and unleashed a torrent of high-temperature flames, rapidly creating a deep, fiery inferno.

Boom!!

At that moment, Hanzo's salamander burrowed underground, while Hanzo himself continued to channel chakra as he ran.

Soon, the water dragon and the fiery inferno collided, a clash of red and blue.

Sizzle!!

Steam rose from the water dragon's body as it shrunk in size, and the flames of the inferno also diminished.

Just as Mu Yue, using his White Eye, saw the salamander moving beneath him, he held his breath and leaped high into the air, preparing to evaporate the water dragon and create a sea of fire.

Mu Yue's shadow clone remained in place, rapidly gathering chakra to prepare a wind-style jutsu.

Rumble!

The massive salamander burst out of the ground, positioning itself directly below Mu Yue's body and in front of the shadow clone.

The salamander opened its mouth, and a faint purple mist began to emanate from within.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Hurricane Dragon!"

The shadow clone quickly formed hand seals, converting a large amount of chakra into wind-attribute chakra.

"Fire Style: Exploding Flame Formation!"

Just then, Hanzo ceased channeling chakra into the water dragon and swiftly formed hand seals to activate his unique fire jutsu.

Whoosh!!

A multitude of explosive tags flew out from the salamander's abdomen and detonated.

Boom!!

A blinding flash of white light filled the air as the explosion engulfed both the shadow clone and the salamander.

Unable to withstand the powerful attack, the shadow clone dissipated into white smoke, while the salamander, with its thick hide, merely staggered.

Hsss!!

Hsss!!

The salamander spewed a thick cloud of purple toxic mist, enveloping everything in the vicinity, including the leaping Mu Yue.

"Could it be that we're about to win?" Kurokawa's eyes widened with excitement as he watched the battle unfold.

Having witnessed Sosuke dominate Danzo Shimura, even his unwavering faith in Hanzo made it hard for him to expect a favorable outcome. Sosuke's ninjutsu was just too formidable.

But now, it seemed like a miracle was unfolding.

"Poison?" Nagato started to move forward but paused as a thought occurred to him.

Whoosh!

Hanzo, scythe in hand, charged forward, closing the distance in the thick toxic mist. Holding one's breath was futile against such concentrated poison, as it could still enter the body through the skin.

"Hiding explosive tags under the salamander was indeed a good idea," Mu Yue praised as he tossed away the now-empty syringe.

Mu Yue never underestimated any ninja who had made a name for themselves in the ninja world.

He knew that no matter how many tricks one had up their sleeve, they were still human with all the vulnerabilities that came with it, and they could be killed.

So, during this time, Mu Yue had not only been researching ways to deal with Danzo Shimura but had also made many preparations for Hanzo.

The antidote he had just used was one of Mu Yue's preparations.

"So, you've even broken through the giant salamander's poison..." Hanzo sighed softly as he tightened his grip on his scythe.

His swordsmanship had been seen through, his Water Style was no match for Sosuke's Fire Style, and now even his poison was ineffective. Hanzo felt a sense of defeat as he realized that everything he had seemed to be countered by Sosuke.

Whoosh!

Without pausing to dwell on his thoughts, Hanzo's body transformed into a rushing current of water and appeared in front of Sosuke in an instant. He lashed out with the chain in his hand.

This was Hanzo's other close-quarters combat technique, using the chain to entangle his opponent. As long as he could bind their weapon or body, his scythe would undoubtedly take away a part of their body or even their life.

The giant salamander raised its palm and swung it towards Sosuke.

Its massive size was also one of its advantages, and it wasn't just about spraying poison.

Mu Yue entered the Wind Breath Chakra Mode to enhance his Wind Style jutsu and then performed hand seals with one hand, extending his little finger diagonally while keeping the other four fingers bent to form the sign of the hour of the dragon.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Hurricane Dragon!"

Whoosh! !

A terrifying gust of wind blew up, like a huge white dragon about to burst out from underground and soar into the sky.

The storm of the white dragon's appearance directly blew the giant salamander away.

Crack! !

The iron chain that Hanzo had whipped out snapped as it came into contact with the storm's strike.

The experienced Hanzo immediately burst into chakra to stabilize his body, avoiding being blown away.

Swish! Swish!

However, the relentless Wind Style strikes also left Hanzo's body battered and bruised.

Sosuke's ninjutsu was activated with incredible speed and power.

Among the opponents Hanzo had faced, the one with the fastest ninjutsu was Sosuke, and the one with the most powerful ninjutsu was also Sosuke.

Fortunately, the Wind Style strikes had not hit any vital points, and Hanzo still managed to swing his scythe, now dripping with his own blood.

Clang!

As expected, the attack was blocked by Sosuke.

"Huff..." Hanzo panted, feeling inexplicably tired even though the battle had not lasted long.

Hanzo's left hand lashed out towards Mu Yue's abdomen, and just as Mu Yue raised his left hand to block, Hanzo suddenly released his grip on the scythe and lunged his right hand towards Mu Yue's heart.

Puchi!

Without the scythe to block, Mu Yue's kunai easily pierced Hanzo's body.

At the same time, Mu Yue's right hand erupted with terrifying power, sending Hanzo crashing to the ground.

Injured, Hanzo's speed couldn't compare to Mu Yue's Wind Breath Chakra Mode, and trying to trade blows was not a viable strategy.

After this strike, Mu Yue did not pursue but instead watched Hanzo quietly.

Hanzo was in a dire state, with wounds all over his body and a kunai stabbed into his chest.

Hanzo picked up his scythe, struggled to his feet, and slowly walked towards Sosuke, his every step leaving a bloody footprint.

"Lord Hanzo!" One of the Rain Ninjas could not bear to see their leader in this state and once again drew their sword, intending to rush forward to help Hanzo.

"Does my word carry no weight in the Rain Ninja Village anymore?" Hanzo shouted without turning back.

The Rain Ninja tightly gripped their sword, their eyes reddening with emotion, but they eventually stopped in their tracks.

As if wanting to breathe one last breath of fresh air, Hanzo removed the mask he had been wearing and continued to walk towards Sosuke.

Mu Yue did not attack but silently took out another antidote, preparing to inject himself again when the time was right.

Hanzo had a poison sac within his body, and when he breathed, he could produce toxic gas. Although it wasn't as potent as the giant salamander's spray, it was more than enough to poison those nearby.

"So, you've seen through everything, huh? Hahaha." As he saw Mu Yue take out the antidote, Hanzo's steps faltered slightly, and he laughed, a rare occurrence.

He had removed his mask to release the toxic gas through his breathing.

"After all, my opponent is a demigod. If I'm not careful, I'll really end up dead," Mu Yue replied with a smile.

"Hahahaha." Hanzo's laughter grew more robust.

After his defeat in the Second Great Ninja War, laughter had rarely graced his face, but this time, he felt it was warranted.

For he had found an exceptional successor for the Rain Ninja Village, and the Land of Rain had produced a ninja stronger than a demigod in every aspect.

In this battle, Hanzo had truly given it his all, harnessing all his personal strength in an attempt to kill Sosuke.

He had planned and strategized, utilizing his abilities to the best of his capabilities.

Yet, Sosuke had survived, and he remained virtually unscathed.

With Sosuke as the leader of the Rain Ninja Village, Hanzo believed that he would do an even better job than himself.

"After my death, Sosuke will be the leader of the Rain Ninja Village!" Hanzo's smile faded as he declared this to the Rain Ninjas, his voice carrying a ring of command.

"Yes!"

All the Rain Ninjas bowed their heads in acknowledgment.

Before the battle, Hanzo had already informed the Rain Ninja higher-ups and the Anbu about this decision, so they were all aware.

Only the regular Rain Ninjas were unaware of this arrangement.

Having said this, Hanzo continued to walk towards Sosuke, scythe in hand. He was still alive, and the battle was not yet over.

"If you hold this secret pill in your mouth, you can also be a wandering ninja, Hattori," Hanzo said as he approached, holding out a pill.

This was a secret pill that Mu Yue had obtained from the system in the past. After experimenting with it, he found that it was extremely effective, comparable to the One-Time Hundred Seals Technique.

Even if a person was on the brink of death, consuming this pill would quickly restore their vigor.

Although the system had provided the recipe, the ingredients for this secret pill were all rare and precious, and Mu Yue only had about ten of them at the moment.

However, Hanzo's strength was worth Mu Yue giving him one of these pills.

"But in this world, there is no Hattori, only Hanzo." Hanzo raised his scythe towards Sosuke, denying the offer.

He did not doubt the pill's effectiveness, but Hattori was merely a fake identity, and a ninja's disguise was meant to deceive others, not themselves.

Mu Yue respected Hanzo's choice and put away the pill, swiftly retreating and beginning to form hand seals.

"Fire Dragon Maelstrom!"

A terrifying sea of fire descended but carefully avoided Hanzo.

The overwhelming heat from all directions made Hanzo exceptionally clear-headed, reminding him of one thing—he was about to die.

Facing the imminent end, Hanzo did not show any expression of hatred or pain; instead, he wore a smile of liberation.

Because this was the result of his own choice, he had no reason to hate anyone.

Before the battle even began, Hanzo had anticipated its outcome.

While it was possible for him to defeat Sosuke, the probability was minuscule, so small that it was almost impossible.

To have fought to this extent, Hanzo was content; this was much better than their first battle, and he felt he had not disgraced his years of cultivation.

It wasn't that he was incapable; Sosuke was just stronger.

Perhaps it was because death was near, but Hanzo's mind kept flashing back to memories from his birth until now.

Although he had always been trampled underfoot by Sosuke ever since his appearance, for most of Hanzo's life, he had been the top genius of the Rain Country.

His talent, which would be considered excellent even among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, was a crushing advantage in the Rain Village.

This exceptional talent had allowed Hanzo to become the Rain Village's strongest ninja and its leader at an early age.

However, Hanzo was a man with grand ambitions, and he was not satisfied with the status quo.

Due to the Rain Country's proximity to three major countries, it often suffered from war and turmoil.

To change this situation, Hanzo vigorously developed the Rain Country's ninja forces, aiming to break the myth of the invincible Great Shinobi Villages and deter them from harassing the Rain Country.

This led Hanzo to the biggest low point in his life.

He had underestimated the power of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Even with his exceptional strength, he couldn't stop the Rain Village's decline on the battlefield, and eventually, the Rain Village was defeated to the point where its basic operations were affected. Hanzo had no choice but to surrender.

From then on, Hanzo's spirit was broken.

In truth, Hanzo was grateful to Sosuke. He often thought about how things would have been without Sosuke's presence.

To be honest, the alternative was too humiliating for Hanzo to contemplate.

Without the immense pressure Sosuke brought, he wouldn't have had the serenity to face death as he did now.

As time passed, he would have become more attached to power, more fearful of death, and would have sought to eliminate any factors that threatened his authority.

Instead of dying with dignity at the hands of Sosuke, the so-called demi-god of the ninja world, he might have ended up as a shell of his former self, too afraid to die.

Hanzo's mind raced through his past as the fire dragons reached him.

He could clearly see the flickering crimson flames on the dragons, as the closest one was just eight centimeters away. He imagined himself being burned to ashes.

He had witnessed the terror of the Fire Dragon Dance several times, and it wasn't an exaggeration to say that it would turn him into ashes.

Hanzo wasn't nervous; he had no reason to be. Even if his life ended here, he had lived a brilliant life.

He had once been a figure that struck fear into his enemies and commanded the respect of all ninjas in the Rain Country.

Even in the lowest point of his life, the one who defeated him was Sosuke, who was destined to shine in the ninja world.

Hanzo smiled and looked at Sosuke, his voice barely audible as he said, "Thank you."

He truly was grateful to Sosuke.

Not only had Sosuke given him many chances to live, but he had also given him his final respect.

If Sosuke had used Water Style jutsu, defeating him would have been much easier, and he would have conserved a lot of chakra. But Sosuke hadn't, and at least at the moment of his death, Hanzo remained the strongest Water Style ninja in the ninja world.

The next moment, the flames disappeared like dazzling fireworks after they exploded.

Just as Hanzo showed a puzzled expression, a transparent force pierced through his heart, and he instantly blacked out, his consciousness falling into chaos.

Blood splattered, and Hanzo's body fell backward.

Mu Yue quickly caught Hanzo, preventing his body from falling to the ground.

The Impure World Reincarnation was a troublesome jutsu, but there was no need to burn Hanzo's body to ashes to prevent it.

"Lord Hanzo!" Seeing that Hanzo was truly dead, one of the Rain Ninjas couldn't help but kneel on the ground and burst into tears.

Hanzo was a unique existence in the Rain Country.

Unlike the leaders of other small ninja villages, Hanzo had given the Rain Village a tangible hope, even if it hadn't been realized before his death.

Puchi!

Several high-ranking Rain Ninjas took out their short swords and stabbed themselves in the heart without hesitation.

More blood splattered, and several Rain Ninja leaders fell to the ground.

This was Hanzo's order, but it was also their own decision.

While they couldn't bring themselves to work for Sosuke, who had killed Hanzo, their high positions would have influenced Hanzo's plans. So, they believed that dying with Hanzo was the best option for them.

"Lord Sosuke, I mean, Chief Sosuke." A Rain Ninja from the Anbu knelt before Mu Yue and presented a scroll.

...

When Hanzo opened his eyes again, he found himself in a pitch-black wasteland.

"Did Sosuke revive me?" Hanzo shook his head as he realized his state. "So, there really is a world after death."

He looked around to assess his situation and noticed a fire in the distance. He walked over and saw a group of people wearing Rain Ninja uniforms.

The Rain Ninjas turned and, upon recognizing Hanzo's face, widened their eyes in shock.

"Lord Hanzo!" they exclaimed in excitement.

"Downpour, Filial Crow..." Hanzo was also stunned to see his subordinates who had sacrificed themselves during the Second Great Ninja War.

"Lord Hanzo, what happened? Why are you here?" one of the Rain Ninjas asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

Since Hanzo was there, it meant that he had died.

Hearing someone inquire about his death, Hanzo smiled and said, "Nothing happened."

There was no need for the deceased ninja to worry about the village anymore.

"Lord Hanzo, how is the Rain Ninja Village? Did it become the Sixth Great Ninja Village?" another Rain Ninja asked.

Hanzo looked into the fire, his mind recalling the deep crimson fire dragon from before his death. He replied with a serious expression, "It didn't become the Sixth Great Ninja Village, but the Rain Ninja Village is doing well, and I left it in the hands of an excellent successor."

"Even more excellent than you, Lord Hanzo?" one of the Rain Ninjas asked.

Hanzo looked at the ninja and nodded with a smile. "Now, he has surpassed me."

The Rain Ninjas were all shocked, but their expressions soon turned to excitement.

"Lord Hanzo, please tell us about this successor," they requested eagerly.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end