Raiden Takuma spread his divine sense outward, instantly sweeping across countless flickers of energy. Yet to him, each one was nothing more than a weak glimmer, like fragile candle flames—snuffed out with a single slap of his hand if he so desired.
But beyond those faint sparks, one presence shone brighter, rapidly approaching.
Could this be… the era of the Second Great Ninja War?
Before him appeared three figures. They were none other than the shinobi who, after this war, would be forever remembered as the Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha—Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade.
Charging toward them was a man in a mask, his aura sharp and oppressive.
The sight of that distinctive mask made Raiden Takuma's eyes narrow in recognition. There was no mistaking it—this was Hanzō of the Salamander, the fearsome leader of the Hidden Rain Village.
In his youth, Hanzō had a venom sac from a Black Salamander implanted into his body. Ever since, even the simple act of breathing released deadly toxins, forcing him to wear a mask and rely on specialized breathing techniques to avoid killing allies and civilians alike.
The three young shinobi—yet to earn the title of "Sannin"—glanced up at the figure hovering in midair, astonishment flashing across their faces.
They had been fighting Hanzō together, yet even with all three of them combined, they were still being pushed back.
Raiden Takuma, strange though he seemed, was nothing compared to the man chasing them. Hanzō of the Salamander was regarded across the ninja world as an unparalleled veteran, a living legend at the very pinnacle of power.
"Hey! Kid up there!" Jiraiya bellowed, his voice urgent. "Get out of here—hurry! You'll be caught in the crossfire!"
Raiden Takuma's lips curved in the faintest smile. He was no longer the helpless man he once was on Blue Star.
Had this been before his journey through the cultivation world, such a battlefield might have left him shaken and powerless. But now? After ascending to the heights of Immortal Emperor, after dominating both righteous sects and demonic factions alike? These shinobi powers were laughably insignificant in his eyes.
From his perception alone, the shinobi of this Naruto world were far beneath the cultivators he had faced before.
Back in the cultivation world, he had stood at the peak, worshipped by countless practitioners. The demonic path had bent beneath his might, and even the righteous path had bowed their heads in the end.
Compared to that, this entire shinobi world was no more than a single sect—its people nothing more than ants beneath his feet.
Tsunade frowned when she saw the young man floating there unmoving, his eyes dismissively glancing past Hanzō. Her heart clenched with worry.
Hanzō might have been famed for sparing talented foes, but if he were faced with arrogance and disrespect like this, he would certainly kill without hesitation.
"Run, you idiot!" she shouted.
To her, this stranger was an innocent bystander who had stumbled into a deadly battlefield. She couldn't bear the thought of seeing him slaughtered needlessly.
But Raiden Takuma remained perfectly still, hanging in the sky, unshaken and unafraid.
To the three young shinobi, his lack of reaction was sheer arrogance, a display of ignorance in the face of death.
Orochimaru, however, said nothing—he merely cast a deep, lingering glance at Raiden, his expression unreadable.
Tsunade let out a heavy sigh and slowed her pace, coming to a halt alongside Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
Behind them, Hanzō too stopped his pursuit, unhurried. Clearly, this mysterious newcomer had piqued his curiosity. After all, a battle between him and three of Konoha's strongest was not something any ordinary shinobi could intrude upon.
Hanzō's gaze fixed on the floating youth, studying him carefully. But Raiden Takuma's attention wasn't on the Salamander at all.
His eyes lingered instead on the three shinobi before him.
Tsunade—destined to become the Fifth Hokage.Jiraiya—who would one day mentor the Child of Prophecy.And Orochimaru—whose path would twist into ambition and infamy.
Raiden Takuma's smile deepened. To him, they were pieces on a board he already understood.