novelhk Chapter 75: Battle Against a Demigod, Black Flash, and the Three Konoha Ninja
Chapter 75: Battle Against a Demigod, Black Flash, and the Three Konoha Ninja
Chapter 75: Battle Against a Demigod, Black Flash, and the Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha
"They're actually heading this way? Could this be a smokescreen?"
"Could it be that Tsunade and Gojo have been exposed? They haven't returned yet, could something have happened to them?!"
Orochimaru and his group at the Fire Country border base command center also received the news immediately.
Since the beginning of the year, Hanzo of the Salamander has been the most dazzling figure in the ninja world. His every move is not only being watched by the three major countries around him, but also by the distant Land of Lightning and the Land of Water, which is not on the ninja continent. They have probably sent out a lot of spies to keep a close eye on the war situation in this region.
Even burrowing underground couldn't escape the reconnaissance teams and secret agents of various countries, let alone such a high-profile act.
Orochimaru and Danzo Shimura's first reaction was the same as Chiyo and Onoki's: they thought it was a smokescreen created by Hanzo the Salamander.
After all, it was the Land of Earth that attacked and massacred them. How could they not seek revenge instead of provoking the strongest nation and village in the ninja world?
Jiraiya was concerned about the safety of Tsunade and Gojo Yoru.
Seeing his anxious expression, Orochimaru frowned slightly and comforted him, "Don't be so nervous. At most, they've just been exposed. If something really had happened, it wouldn't be Hanzo who's here now."
"They haven't returned yet; something must have delayed them."
Orochimaru, who knew exactly what trump cards Gojo Yoru was hiding, was undoubtedly the most reassured person present.
Even a powerful figure like Huan Yu Shi Ye died from the first encounter with Dimensional Slash.
In the entire Amegakure village, the only person who can put pressure on Gojo Ya is Hanzo the Salamander.
Like Hanzo the Salamander, Gojo Yoru is cautious and prudent, and would never be so arrogant as to challenge a demigod of the ninja world.
If he were truly driven to a dead end by Hanzo the Salamander, he would choose to perish together with his opponent, even if it meant his own death.
Hanzo the Salamander is safe and sound, and is on his way here. They must be safe and sound as well.
Jiraiya felt that Orochimaru's words made a lot of sense, and he felt a little more at ease.
"Regardless of whether they have been exposed or not, or whether Hanzo's move is a smokescreen or not, we need to be prepared," Shimura Danzo said coldly. "My idea is to deal with Hanzo in the same way that Sunagakure dealt with him, to completely disperse the combat forces, leaving only a few sensory squads and barrier squads, as well as a wind-style squad that is good at speed and can disperse poisonous smoke, and one or two commanders to guard the border base."
"If Hanzo really is here to declare war on us, we should wait until our anti-gas equipment becomes ineffective, then abandon our border base and retreat to protect the nearest town."
"If Hanzo dares to go any further, we'll take the opportunity to attack the Land of Rain and Amegakure and exchange our children with him."
This is a tactic developed by Sunagakure, and it is currently the best way to deal with the situation.
Orochimaru and his companions couldn't think of a better way either.
"Orochimaru, you take the combat troops and leave. I'll stay behind and guard the base alone," Jiraiya volunteered.
"I'll stay with you."
Orochimaru couldn't bring himself to abandon his comrades, nor would he admit that he was somewhat worried about Jiraiya.
"No, you can't stay." Jiraiya suddenly became firm, giving his reason: "Just like you said, if Tsunade and Gojo get delayed by other things, when they come back, they will definitely choose to teleport to your side, just like they did when they came."
"What if Hanzo really has his eye on us, and Tsunade and Gojo suddenly teleport back while we're fighting him? What then?"
"That's easy."
Orochimaru took out a Flying Thunder God kunai from his ninja tool pouch and said to Hatake Sakumo, "Sakumo-senpai, would you please exchange Flying Thunder God kunai with me?"
Sakumo Hatake did not agree, but instead volunteered as well: "Why don't you let me stay? With my Lightning Release combined with the Wind Release team's Wind Release, it won't be easy for Hanzo to poison me."
"No, neither you nor Lord Danzo are suitable to stay at the base. You have more important things to do." Orochimaru shook his head and refused, his gaze deep. "If we really fight Hanzo, the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind might take the opportunity to attack us."
"With the base as the command center in place, the combat troops can defend themselves in a timely manner."
"Now that the combat and support troops are forced to disperse, it is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity for them. If Onoki's target is indeed us, he will definitely not let this opportunity pass him by."
"The Land of Wind has spent an unknown amount of extra military funds to deal with Hanzo, and they certainly won't let this go easily. The reason we've been on the defensive so far is because neither the Land of Earth nor we have entered the fray, so we haven't been able to find any opportunities."
"If we're entangled with Hanzo and the Land of Earth, do you think the Land of Wind will choose to retaliate against the Land of Rain, or take advantage of the chaos to grab a piece of our flesh?"
After listening to Orochimaru's analysis, Sakumo Hatake and Danzo Shimura immediately became serious.
"I see."
Without further hesitation, Hatake Sakumo took out a Flying Thunder God kunai and exchanged it with Orochimaru. At the same time, he took the initiative to say, "I will lead a squad that is skilled in ninjutsu, taijutsu and swordsmanship to approach the buffer zone of the Land of Rivers."
"I will also lead a squad skilled in sensory perception and lightning release towards the Land of Grass," Shimura Danzo echoed.
"Then let's get started. Leave the reporting to me and Jiraiya."
At this moment, Orochimaru was more like the supreme commander of the command center.
Danzo Shimura saw not only the reflection of Hiruzen Sarutobi on his body, but also the reflection of Tobirama-sensei.
As expected—Orochimaru is his biggest rival, compared to Sakumo Hatake.
Shimura Danzo's wariness of him intensified.
As a result, a dark idea began to form in Shimura Danzo's mind.
If only Tsunade and Gojo Yoru were really in trouble.
In this way, he could pin all the blame on Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru.
Once the war is over, he will have a reason to impeach the master and apprentice and force Hiruzen Sarutobi to abdicate.
With Orochimaru gone, his biggest rival, only Sakumo Hatake can compete with him for the Hokage position.
He has more than one way to easily defeat this competitor.
No one knew what Shimura Danzo was thinking.
As soon as the order was given, the combat troops at the border base immediately sprang into action, quickly splitting into three groups.
A group following Hatake Sakumo quietly approached the direction of the River Country.
A group followed Shimura Danzo, heading towards the Land of Grass.
The last group was stationed at the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire, ready to receive orders to either attack the enemy or retreat to provide support.
The vast border base was now empty except for two elite Jonin, Orochimaru and Jiraiya, along with several sensory and barrier teams, and a Wind Release team to assist them.
Since they weren't required to fight, the members of the Perception Squad and the Barrier Squad wore not only gas masks but also isolation suits.
Only in this way can we best resist the poisonous gas attack of the salamander.
The Wind Release team, who needed to use ninjutsu, only wore gas masks and goggles.
This is Hanzo the Salamander's strategic deterrence.
Without an antidote, we can't use sheer numbers to deal with him; otherwise, we'll just be throwing our lives away.
Even with the antidote, you can only get five minutes of relief. If you can't force Hanzo of the Salamander to retreat or kill him during this time, you'll have to keep using the antidote once the salamander is full of poison gas.
In order to gain more time, in addition to antidotes, people also need to wear gas masks, goggles, and even protective suits, which are huge additional expenses.
Fighting Hanzo the Salamander is just burning money.
A protracted war is simply a waste of one's national strength.
Therefore, in this ninja world, no one dares to provoke Hanzo the Salamander, who is known as a demigod of the ninja world.
Because the last man with the strongest strategic deterrence, capable of fighting against a single nation, or even a united nation, was none other than the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, known as the God of Shinobi.
Starting from Amegakure, it took Hanzo the Salamander several hours to reach the western border of the Land of Fire.
As one of the most skilled ninjas in the ninja world at using the Body Flicker Technique, Hanzo of the Salamander could travel from the Land of Rain to the Land of Fire in just over an hour if he used the Body Flicker Technique at full speed.
The reason it took several hours to arrive was because he was just an ordinary person; he would die if pierced in a vital spot by a kunai, or if he were blown up by an explosive tag.
Reconnaissance teams and secret agents from various countries have been taking turns watching Amegakure. Apart from not being able to determine whether Hanzo the Salamander is the real body, they can detect him whether he uses Water Instantaneous Body to blend into the rain or burrows underground.
The chakra of shadow clones cannot be maintained for very long.
Having confirmed that Hanzo the Salamander was the real Hanzo, Orochimaru naturally wouldn't allow Hanzo to arrive at the border base as easily as if he were returning home.
Combat troops cannot engage in battle with it, but they can set up all sorts of traps along the path that Hanzo the Salamander must take.
Their greatest advantage lies in their ability to see far and see through objects.
Unlike the Sand Village, which lacks powerful sensory ninja clans, Konoha's traps, which were designed to predict the routes in advance, did indeed cause Hanzo of the Salamander considerable trouble and depleted some of his chakra.
However, with the soldier's ration pills, this consumption can be recovered while traveling, it just wastes a little more time.
When Hanzo of the Salamander first triggered the probing trap, he did not use the common sign language of the ninja world to explain his purpose and show goodwill to the reconnaissance team and ANBU who were monitoring him from several kilometers away or through summoning beasts and animals.
This is clearly malicious and can already be labeled as an enemy!
As a result, the number of traps that Hanzo the Salamander encountered and triggered continued to increase throughout the rest of the journey.
As night fell, Hanzo the Salamander finally arrived at the outer edge of the Land of Fire's border, a rocky area still belonging to the Land of Rain, with the Land of Fire's unique forest area ahead.
It was a country with a landscape completely different from the Land of Rain, like two different worlds.
The Land of Rain is a barren, rocky region, full of potholes. A light rain is falling, and dark clouds and rain obscure the starry sky.
On the other side, the Land of Fire is covered with dense forests, its night sky filled with stars, and a full moon hanging high in the sky.
Standing atop a rock formation resembling a miniature mountain, Hanzo the Salamander could see, even from a great distance, the building that stood like a central tower amidst the forest.
That place is the western border base of the Land of Fire.
The subsequent trek through the forest will be the final obstacle.
The traps there must be many times greater than before, and your every move might be captured by an unseen perception barrier.
This was nothing to Hanzo the Salamander.
His figure disappeared at the top of the rocky mountain, and Hanzo the Salamander flew towards the forest.
By sheer coincidence, Hanzo the Salamander triggered another explosive tag trap, sending a mushroom cloud several meters high into the air, from which projectiles flew out in all directions.
Some distance from the explosion, a puddle of water suddenly rose up, defying gravity, and condensed to form the shape of Hanzo the Salamander.
Water Instantaneous Body Technique!
This is one of Hanzo the Salamander's signature techniques, and it's also a basic derivative technique that all ninjas in Amegakure must master.
This technique allows the user's body to instantly disintegrate into water when attacked, and then reassemble in other bodies of water, thus possessing the dual functions of instantaneous teleportation and escape.
In the Land of Rain, a country with a perpetual rainy season, this technique is considered divine.
It was through this technique that Hanzo the Salamander was able to set up explosive flame arrays in various parts of the Land of Rain.
These Rain Ninja, skilled in the Water Instantaneous Movement Technique, are not afraid of explosive tag traps at all, as long as they are vigilant.
These kinds of traps only deplete their chakra at most.
The Konoha ninjas seemed to be well aware of this, and when setting up traps, they didn't use many explosive tags, relying mainly on hidden weapons.
Unfortunately, Hanzo the Salamander's teleportation speed was too fast; he had already escaped the range of the projectiles before the explosive tags detonated.
After his body was reassembled, Hanzo the Salamander continued to race towards the border base.
Hissing—
As Hanzo the Salamander passed a rock, he suddenly heard the sound of a snake flicking its tongue.
Without looking in the direction the sound came from, Hanzo the Salamander instinctively drew his ninja sword, applied nature transformation, and then wildly swung it in that direction.
*Pfft pfft* — *Clang!*
First came a series of tearing sounds, followed by a loud crash of metal objects colliding in the rocky area.
A dozen long snakes emerged from the rocks, trying to bite and entangle Hanzo the salamander, but were killed by him.
Then a figure emerged from the rocks, and with his other hand, he swung out a wind blade, which was still blocked by Hanzo's ninja sword.
The strong wind formed by the wind blades dispersed the rain curtain, and the sharp aura contained within them was like a series of invisible blades, forcing the two of them to leap back into the air and stand on a rock several meters high, sizing each other up.
Looking at Orochimaru wearing a gas mask and goggles, Hanzo of the Salamander couldn't help but sneer: "You use the Hidden Rock Technique and the Earth Reflection Technique so well, if I didn't know better, I would have thought you were Onoki's disciple."
"As long as it works, that's fine. After all, even a strong person like you still uses poison and explosive tags, right?" Orochimaru laughed nonchalantly.
Are you alone?
Hanzo the Salamander asked the question knowingly, his hand already prepared to form a hand seal hidden in his sleeve.
"And this is mine! Ninja Art: Lion's Mane Technique!"
Unlike Orochimaru's silent assassinations, this shout was full of arrogance and a kingly aura.
Then countless white threads shot up from the ground, each one as hard as steel. The penetrating force generated by the burst instantly shattered the rock beneath Hanzo's feet, like a large white net ensnaring him from below.
Hanzo the Salamander, who had taken to the air once more, quickly formed hand seals, but instead of using a summoning technique to summon his partner, he used Water Release.
Because the white-haired man below was releasing a ninjutsu that he had been preparing in advance.
"Fire Release: Flame Bullet Technique!"
"Water Release: Water Pillar Technique!"
Jiraiya on the ground and Hanzo the Salamander in the air simultaneously spat out enormous fireballs and waterballs that resembled falling meteorites.
The two collided with a loud "boom," creating an enormous area of high-temperature steam that engulfed the surrounding white hair.
Even at B-rank, the high-temperature shockwave generated by the collision of Water Release and Fire Release, which contain powerful nature transformations, failed to destroy those hairs as hard as iron.
The spreading water vapor mist actually provided cover for these strands of hair, which shot towards Hanzo the Salamander like a barrage of arrows.
Having failed to escape using the Water Body Flicker Technique in time, and now being in the air without the ability to fly, Hanzo of the Salamander had his only chance to use a technique, but instead of summoning the Salamander, he used Water Release to collide with the Fireball.
He could no longer escape!
Jiraiya, who thought so, couldn't help but smile, as if he could already see the scene of the demigods of the ninja world being killed or tied up by him.
Puff!
The sound of a sharp weapon piercing flesh rang out from the steam.
Before Jiraiya's smile could grow wider, a "pop" sound, like a balloon bursting, followed immediately.
Before the water vapor mist could spread and envelop the area, a figure had already flown out.
It was through his shadow clones that Hanzo of the Salamander escaped that predicament.
As soon as he landed, Hanzo the Salamander realized something was wrong.
His feet sank into the swamp.
Almost instantly, the surrounding ground transformed from solid rock into a swamp.
"roar----"
With a roar that shook all living beings, an earth dragon emerged from the swamp, its gaping maw lunging toward Hanzo the Salamander.
However, the reason why the demigod of the ninja world is a demigod is not only because his strategic deterrence is the strongest in the contemporary era, but also because his ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu have all reached the pinnacle of the ninja world.
Otherwise, the person known as a demigod of the ninja world wouldn't be Hanzo, but the Salamander.
The combo was quick, but Hanzo the Salamander reacted even faster.
He still used one hand to form hand seals, and after only four hand seals, Hanzo of the Salamander uttered the name of a technique.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
The rain and moisture in the air all converged, condensing faster than the earthen dragon, transforming into a water dragon even larger than the earthen dragon, which collided with it.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Hanzo the Salamander used the Water Instantaneous Body Technique to easily escape.
"Damn it, I finally managed to coordinate a tactical play with you, and it was so easily neutralized!"
.
"That's normal. If we succeed, Sunagakure won't be in such a passive position."
The figure of Hanzo the Salamander landed on the top of a rock.
The scene of them standing facing each other reappears.
Looking at Orochimaru and Jiraiya, both wearing gas masks and goggles, Hanzo of the Salamander couldn't help but show a hint of admiration and regret.
Such an outstanding junior is something Amegakure might not be able to cultivate even once in ten years.
The five great ninja villages, on the other hand, can train one or even several ninjas in just a few years.
This is the difference between small and large countries!
If he had such outstanding juniors on his side, he wouldn't have to fight alone and wouldn't dare to share the Salamander's psychic scroll.
Remembering the purpose of his declaration of war, Hanzo the Salamander quickly sorted out his thoughts.
The reason he chose to declare war on major powers was precisely to break the situation where small countries could only be oppressed and could not produce a talent pool.
Then, Hanzo of the Salamander spoke up: "Is it just the two of you? Where's Tsunade, and the user of the Flying Thunder God Technique?"
Orochimaru and Jiraiya felt a slight chill upon hearing this.
So it was exposed after all?
At the same time, I felt a sense of relief.
The fact that Hanzo the Salamander asked this question indicates that they successfully escaped, and the reason they haven't returned is indeed because something delayed them.
The eloquent Orochimaru deliberately ignored Hanzo's question and instead advised him, "Lord Hanzo, I don't know what you're talking about. Konoha has no intention of participating in the war. This obstruction is purely a last resort. Please do not overstep your bounds."
"Hmph, you dare to do it but not admit it?" Hanzo the Salamander sneered provocatively. "I've crossed the line, so what can you do about it?"
"Then we can only—"
Orochimaru secretly made a retreat gesture to Jiraiya, about to say the final words, "Let's run away."
The next second, two figures suddenly appeared out of thin air, appearing next to Orochimaru without any warning.
Upon seeing the two figures, Orochimaru's eyes lit up. He instantly overturned his original battle plan and said to Hanzo of the Salamander, "Let's experience the power of a demigod of the ninja world!"
Jiraiya, his eyes beaming with joy, exclaimed, "Tsunade, the five boys, thank goodness! You're all alright!"
These words were like igniting a powder keg. Tsunade retorted loudly, "Nonsense! Who do you think I am? How could anything happen to me?!"
Jiraiya had no idea why Tsunade had such a bad temper, and was instantly stunned by her scolding.
If you look closely, you'll notice that Tsunade is also wearing a gas mask and goggles.
The same applies to Gojo Yoru.
"Orochimaru-sensei, Jiraiya-sama, here is the antidote." Gojo Yoru took out two vials of antidote and handed them to Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
Orochimaru's eyes lit up again: "You succeeded?"
"I don't know. We went to Sakumo-senpai's place first, and we haven't seen him yet," Tsunade replied.
Orochimaru glanced at Gojo Yoru, and with just a look, he understood why it had taken so long.
Click!
Before they could continue their conversation, the ground suddenly cracked.
As if sensing something, the three legendary Sannin of Konoha suddenly changed their expressions and scattered into the air.
The same goes for Gojo Yoru.
"roar----"
A giant salamander emerged from the ground, its head popping out and spewing out a large amount of purple poisonous gas.
The speed at which the poison gas spread was terrifying; even if the four people in the air used a teleportation technique on the ground, they would have difficulty escaping it, let alone the four people in the air.
Because this poisonous fog wasn't coming towards them at all, but rather spreading outwards in all directions from this location.
Orochimaru formed hand seals while glancing at Gojo Yoru, who was also looking in his direction.
After nearly a year of spending time together, not only have Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina learned to communicate with each other through eye contact, but Orochimaru and Gojo Yoru have also developed a tacit understanding as master and disciple.
Upon seeing the attribute represented by Orochimaru's first hand seal, Gojo Yoru understood his meaning and immediately nodded in agreement.
Without warning, Gojo Yoru disappeared into the air and appeared next to Tsunade and Jiraiya, teleporting them to Orochimaru's side.
At that moment, Orochimaru had just finished forming hand seals and exhaled a stream of air from his mouth.
"Wind Release - Pressure Damage!"
Unlike Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, which requires a large amount of chakra to increase the power of the gale.
This airflow contained a powerful change in properties. As soon as it grew and spread, it possessed a destructive force akin to a natural disaster, instantly dispersing the spreading poisonous fog.
The invisible blades hidden in the gale tore through the ground and cut through the rocks in its path.
Orochimaru's target wasn't the poisonous mist at all, but the salamander.
The Salamander, which is considered even more difficult to deal with than tailed beasts and jinchūriki, is a headache for many countries and is naturally not something that can be harmed by such ninjutsu.
Just as cautious as its partner, the salamander immediately burrows underground and flees at the slightest sound of wind.
clang!
Before they even landed, the three legendary Sannin of Konoha heard the sound of metal objects colliding.
Just like Orochimaru and Jiraiya's earlier teamwork, they took advantage of the fact that their attention was drawn to the poisonous fog and the salamanders.
The rain behind the four suddenly condensed into the figure of Hanzo the Salamander, who slashed down with his sword.
If the poisonous fog engulfs them, this strike will be extremely deadly, as easy to kill on first sight as the Flying Thunder God Technique.
This is also Hanzo the Salamander's favorite assassination technique; that's how Tsunade was instantly killed.
Even after suffering a loss once, Tsunade still couldn't react.
Orochimaru, whose attention was entirely focused on the salamander, was the same.
Only Gojo Yoru, with his exceptionally fast reflexes, and Jiraiya managed to react.
Just as the latter was about to use Ninjutsu: Targeting the Spinach to protect the others, Gojo Yoru held something in his hand and shot out a golden beam of light, blocking Hanzo's slash.
Hearing the sound of objects colliding, Tsunade finally reacted, grabbing Gojou with both hands for leverage, and kicked Hanzo of the Salamander in mid-air.
"Don't!"
Gojo Yoru and Jiraiya seemed to have discovered something and quickly called out.
The former grabbed Tsunade and vanished instantly.
The latter, however, used a targeted attack to trap himself and Orochimaru.
With a loud "boom," Hanzo the Salamander, who had failed in his assassination attempt, exploded on the spot, turning into a huge ball of flame.
It was a clone self-destructing!
The strong airflow and impact blasted the white hedgehog to the ground, but it still couldn't break through the defense, showing just how tough Jiraiya's hair was.
After landing, the hedgehog returned to its original state, and Gojo Yoru and Tsunade appeared out of thin air.
The latter's face paled slightly, and Orochimaru calmly comforted him: "Don't blame yourself. Even the Byakugan can't distinguish between real and fake shadow clones. Not to mention you, even I didn't react in time."
"Yeah, that guy is the number one assassin in the ninja world," Jiraiya chimed in. "If you and Gojo hadn't come, Orochimaru and I would have just run away."
Upon hearing this, Tsunade rolled her eyes: "I'm not as fragile as you think. I just got hurt twice by the same move, so it's a bit—"
Her tone suddenly paused slightly, and Tsunade's eyes flashed with a fierce light as she warned Orochimaru and Jiraiya, "I didn't say anything just now, and you didn't hear anything!"
Orochimaru turned his head away, while Jiraiya looked enlightened. Then, under Tsunade's murderous gaze, he nodded repeatedly with a smile.
Gojo Yoru, who had been silently maintaining his hand seals, suddenly spoke up: "Here we go again!"
The expressions of the three legendary Konoha Sannin changed slightly.
Orochimaru said, "Use the Shadow Clone Technique."
The three of them instantly understood and created several shadow clones, while their original bodies were scattered among them.
While playing hide-and-seek with Hanzo the Salamander, they discussed tactics.
Orochimaru asked, "Yoru, how's your chakra depletion?"
"No problem, Orochimaru-sensei, just tell me your plan." Gojo Yoru's smile at this moment exuded confidence.
Because spacetime chakra has a built-in high-dimensional shielding, even someone like Mito Uzumaki with Kagura's Mind's Eye could only barely see it.
Currently, the only one who can instantly detect that something is wrong with the five Yoru is the Slug Sage, whose split form is also the original body.
Without the level of perception of Mito Uzumaki and the three great sages, no one could sense the spacetime chakra within Gojo Yoru's body.
Therefore, neither the three legendary Sannin of Konoha nor Hanzo of the Salamander could notice that Gojo had an extra black tattoo on his chest under his clothes.
The blue energy that originally held an absolute advantage in the chakra within the body has been overtaken by the black energy.
Five nights suddenly broke the seal of spacetime and darkness.
Orochimaru suddenly threw out a question that startled Jiraiya and Tsunade: "If we cover for you, are you confident you can kill Hanzo, or that salamander?"
Jiraiya stared wide-eyed at Orochimaru in disbelief.
If he didn't know Orochimaru's personality—that he never boasts or does anything without certainty—he would have seriously doubted whether his best friend had lost his mind.
The Sand Village, one of the five great ninja villages, and even the combat forces of Konoha, the strongest ninja village, had to avoid Hanzo the Salamander.
Even with the combined strength of the three elite Jonin, they were almost killed by Hanzo of the Salamander. Yet he actually asked a Genin if he was confident in taking down Hanzo of the Salamander or his summoning beast.
Is the Flying Thunder God Technique really that powerful?
Jiraiya suddenly thought of Minato Namikaze. His disciple's Body Flicker Speed was equally impressive, and his nerve reaction speed was even more extraordinary, sometimes even Jiraiya couldn't keep up with him.
I wonder if this talent qualifies me to practice the Flying Thunder God Technique?
Or should we wait until the war is over, go back to Sarutobi-sensei to exchange for this technique, and let him try it out?
After her initial shock, Tsunade gave the master and disciple a meaningful look, her curiosity about Gojo Yoru surging once again.
She recalled the slug fairy's evaluation.
What kind of ability qualifies someone to be called a miracle in the new ninja world?
The new one—who was the last ninja world miracle?
Aside from her grandfather, Tsunade couldn't think of anyone more deserving of this assessment.
Her grandfather possessed the Wood Release technique to quell the chaos of the world.
Could it be that Gojo Yoru's hidden ability is Wood Release?
However, even with Wood Release, his chakra strength is so low that he cannot exert much power.
He is not an Uchiha either.
Besides Madara Uchiha's Sharingan, what other abilities in the ninja world can rival Wood Release?
What kind of powerful ability would allow a genin to be confident in killing a demigod who stands at the pinnacle of the ninja world?
Moreover, judging from Orochimaru's appearance, he seems to know about Gojo Yoru's hidden abilities.
If the circumstances hadn't prevented it, Tsunade would have loved to jump into the conversation and uncover Gojo Yoru's biggest secret.
No one knows what Jiraiya and Tsunade were thinking.
Gojo Yoru sensed the space-time chakra within his body and gave an uncertain reply: "I don't know, but it's worth a try."
"Alright, let's give it a try." Orochimaru didn't put any pressure on Gojo Yoru, and said in a low voice, "We'll cover for you, you find an opportunity to make your move. If you're not confident you can kill them, try to leave the Flying Thunder God Technique seal on the salamander."
"I understand." Gojo Yoru nodded.
The four exchanged a glance, and then the three legendary Konoha ninjas all vanished in a puff of smoke.
Like them, there are also shadow clones scattered in other places.
Upon receiving this feedback, the main body's eyes narrowed, and it stopped trying to escape.
"Spiritual communication!"
The three legendary Sannin of Konoha formed hand seals together, summoning Manda, Gamabunta (who were not yet in their complete forms), and a split version of the Slug Sage.
Gojo Yoru then teleported the Thunder God Sword to Orochimaru, took out his chakra blade, used Earth Flicker Technique to dive underground, and then used Intangibility to conceal his presence.
"—Disappeared."
Sansho Hanzo's attention was not on the three legendary Sannin of Konoha, but rather on Gojo Yoru, the user of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
When he sensed Gojou Yoru's chakra seeping into the ground and then disappearing, alarm bells immediately went off in his mind.
Even his senses couldn't detect Bing, so this was clearly not an ordinary Earth Instantaneous Body Technique, nor a combination of Earth Instantaneous Body Technique and Earth Reflection Technique.
This brat, besides the Flying Thunder God Technique, also possesses even more powerful extensions of the Instantaneous Movement Technique and Invisibility Technique.
The cautious and timid Sansho Hanzo instinctively wanted to retreat.
Such a brief encounter was enough for the fish.
Gojo Yoru used the Flying Thunder God Technique more than once, and the reconnaissance teams and secret service units of various countries must have gathered this information through special means.
As long as they go back and spread the word, the news that Gojo Yoru is the user of the Flying Thunder God Technique will quickly spread throughout the entire ninja world.
But if he goes back like this, he won't know anything about this ability.
If this is a powerful ability, it might put him at a disadvantage once Mu Dan also develops the formula for the antidote.
Retreat, or continue fighting?
Sansho Hanzo's brain worked at lightning speed, and he quickly made a decision.
"Thank you for your help, partner."
Sansho Hanzo said this to Sansho Hanzo at his feet.
Sansho, who was almost telepathically connected with Hanzo, made a babyish sound.
Immediately, the salamander charged toward the three-headed beast opposite it.
The three-headed behemoth instantly lost the imposing aura it had displayed upon its arrival.
"Jiraiya, you bastard, are you trying to get me killed?" Gamabunta cursed as he drew his short sword. "Is that Sansho over there? You're leaving me to deal with that poisonous creature?"
"Aren't toads poisonous too? Are you afraid of poison too?" Jiraiya asked, looking surprised.
"Is that ordinary poison?" the toad shouted. "Ask that stinky snake over there, see if it's attracted to it!"
"Hmph, I'm not some insignificant toad," Wanshe sneered. "A mere Sichuan pepper's potent poison is nothing compared to a few drops of venom. A single dose will do the trick."
"Lady Tsunade, I'm so glad you're alright," the Slug Sage said. "Even with my split form, I wouldn't have lasted much longer."
"It's alright, just help us hold off the losses from the Sichuan peppercorns for a while."
Orochimaru instructed, "Manda, find a way to force it underground."
"I can help you, but you'll have to compensate me afterwards," Manda stated his demand.
I want some raw meat, preferably from live animals.
"Sure," Orochimaru readily agreed.
At this moment, the salamander had already sunk to the bottom, then opened its mouth and spat out a huge cloud of poisonous smoke, engulfing itself and the three giant beasts.
Sansho was no exception, as were Hanzo and the three legendary Sannin of Konoha.
This time, there was no way to dodge, and the three ninjas of the wooden pole had no intention of dodging either.
Wearing gas masks and goggles, their faces and senses were completely covered. It wouldn't be so easy for the highly toxic pepper to enter their bodies so quickly.
Thus, the four humans and four beasts started a chaotic battle.
The movement of a giant beast is an earthquake.
When the four giant beasts started fighting, the earth was instantly turned into a mess.
Despite having the character "loss" in its name, Sansho is a genuine four-legged beast with astonishing speed. Its personality is also cautious, just like its contractor, Sansho Hanzo.
After releasing the poisonous mist, it didn't foolishly engage in close combat with the three beasts, after all, that toad had a knife.
It opened its mouth, which was large enough to swallow a beast of the same size, and continuously swallowed pieces of rock, chewed them up, and spat them out, shooting them at the three beasts like a barrage of bullets.
The three beasts, using some unknown method, temporarily resisted the deadly poison of the salamander.
The slug fairy spat out a sulfuric acid-like slurry, blocking some of the bullet comments.
The serpent lashed out with its tail, which, as hard as steel, easily shattered the rubble.
Gamabunta drew his sword and leaped up, dodging the attack while simultaneously launching an attack on the salamander.
The incredibly fast Manda followed, while the Slug Sage moved at a leisurely pace.
Their contractors, who had somehow descended from above, began fighting on the ground amidst the poisonous fog.
Tsunade, skilled in taijutsu, charged ahead, each punch and kick powerful and imposing, but with noticeable wind-up.
Sansho Hanzo, who was skilled in teleportation, could easily dodge every attack.
Just as Sakumo Hatake is the nemesis and nightmare of puppetry, Hanzo of the Sansho is the type of opponent that Tsunade least wants to encounter.
If it were a one-on-one fight, Tsunade might already be injured.
But this time, with Jiraiya and Orochimaru assisting her, Tsunade didn't need to use her brain; she could just attack blindly.
The Senju clan's immense chakra reserves caused every punch and kick she delivered to shatter the earth, creating massive shockwaves that dispersed the surrounding poisonous fog.
Whenever Sansho is half-hidden and preparing to attack from the side or behind, Orochimaru's Hidden Snake Hands and Jiraiya's hair will strike.
When they created distance, the two instantly unleashed long-range ninjutsu, creating complex ninjutsu without needing to communicate. Hanzo was forced to either dodge with a teleportation technique or use ninjutsu to counter.
This level of taijutsu, this level of ninjutsu, and this level of summoning beasts and coordination—Sansho, with half-hidden on their bodies, saw the reflection of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
Those three ninja clans, through the combined use of the Tongchen Secret Technique, made opponents of the same level feel hopeless, even those stronger than themselves dared not underestimate them.
The three people in front of them were even more outstanding than the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, who relied on secret techniques to coordinate their attacks.
Then, thinking that besides these three, there was also the earlier-famous Hatake Sakumo, and the junior who mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, Sansho Hanzo was suddenly filled with jealousy.
The previous generation, this generation, and the next generation—for decades to come, there will always be people carrying the flag on this wooden pole!
In Amegakure, he was the only old man who had carried the burden for decades.
What will happen to the Rain Country, located at the intersection of the three great powers, when he gets older and his deterrent power weakens?
Thinking of this, Hanzo the Salamander's gaze toward the Sannin of the Woody Mountains was no longer one of appreciation for his juniors, but rather filled with boiling killing intent.
"Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!"
Sansho, using the Mercury Seal with one hand, unleashed the D-rank Water Release technique, a specialty of Kirigakure, creating a vast expanse of dense fog containing chakra that even Wind Release could not disperse.