"Boom!!!"
The explosion from more than twenty detonating tags was devastating, instantly blowing Akaishi—who had abandoned all defense—to pieces, leaving not even a trace of a corpse. Even Kyoichi was blasted into a sorry, dust-covered state. Fortunately, with the protection of Earth Release: Earth Spear, one of the most advanced earth release hardening techniques, he managed to escape serious injury, suffering only a moment of disarray.
What was a pity, however…
They weren't able to recover Akaishi's body.
That man had been the right hand of the Third Tsuchikage, the most trusted among his confidants. If they had secured his corpse… Even leaving aside the intelligence that might have been extracted, just selling it on the black market would have brought in an astronomical fortune.
But such regret was fleeting.
There was no point dwelling on what couldn't be changed. This was no time to let one's guard down—the battle was far from over. Thanks to Akaishi's desperate cover, Iwami had already fled a considerable distance. Catching up would now be difficult.
"Click… So we won't be able to cut the grass down to its roots after all!"
Kyoichi cast a glance to the west, frowned for a few seconds, then forcibly pushed aside his irritation and shifted his gaze northward.
Iwami might have escaped, but Hanzō of the Salamander had not shaken off Nagato. The two were already locked in fierce combat once more. Without hesitation, Kyoichi dashed in that direction. He had promised to help Nagato take down Hanzō, and he wasn't one to go back on his word.
"Sage Art: Earth Release — Mud Mage."
With his first move, Kyoichi revealed the essence of an Iwagakure shinobi. The surrounding terrain twisted under his chakra, the solid earth transforming into a vast swamp.
Nagato was caught within the attack range as well.
But clearly, such a technique would have no effect on him. With a mere wave of his hand, the repulsive force lifted him straight into the air, untouched, like a divine figure unsullied by earthly filth.
As for the true target, Hanzō… The old man was formidable. His reflexes were sharp, his hand seals so fast they blurred beyond the eye's ability to follow. Before the mire could drag him under, he had already finished molding chakra and completed his jutsu.
What he unleashed was—
"Water Release: Waterfall Basin Technique!"
From beneath his feet, torrents burst forth as if a natural spring had erupted, an endless flood pouring outward. The swamp drank deeply, but even with its absorptive nature, it couldn't swallow such vast waters all at once.
It would take time.
And time was all Hanzō needed—to create footing in the mire and avoid being swallowed whole.
Indeed, the swamp was absurdly vast. Hanzō had instantly realized that trying to escape its bounds with body flicker or other speed techniques was impossible. Thus, he conjured this basin of water to carve out a foothold above it, preventing himself from sinking.
This swift countermeasure proved the man's reputation well-earned. Once hailed among the strongest in the shinobi world, he displayed in a heartbeat the ability to make the perfect choice under pressure—an instinct not everyone possessed. Just earlier, Slate, an elite jōnin of Iwagakure's Anbu, had misjudged the swamp's scope, fallen in, and lost his life.
And Hanzō's response didn't end there.
"Water Release: Surfing Strike!"
Following up his Waterfall Basin, he pressed further, forming seals once more. Harnessing the surge beneath his feet, he shot toward Kyoichi like an arrow loosed from the bowstring, his speed terrifyingly fast!
The origin of this technique was telling.
Years ago, as a mere child, Hanzō had witnessed the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, striding across water and slaughtering countless Ame shinobi. That vision had carved itself into his memory.
Later, Hanzō labored to create his own "Surfing Strike."
In truth, much of his combat style was modeled after Tobirama's. His Water Body Flicker was his attempt to emulate Tobirama's Flying Raijin. His Fire Release: Explosive Flame Array derived from Tobirama's Exploding Tag Jutsu.
And so on—too many parallels to count.
But imitation never chained him. Hanzō had forged his own path through it. After the Second Hokage and the other great figures of a past era had fallen, it was Hanzō of the Salamander who stood unchallenged at the summit of the shinobi world!
"Brats! You think you can kill me? Naïve!!!"
Hanzō roared.
In an instant, a chain in his hand lashed out. At its end swung a massive iron weight. Had it struck an ordinary shinobi, even survival would mean shattered bones and a crippled body. Yet Kyoichi quickly realized—it wasn't aimed at him directly.
The weight hurtled past.
Then, with a yank, Hanzō pulled it back, the chain whipping around and binding tight around Kyoichi's neck.
It had all happened in a blink.
Even Kyoichi's reflexes were half a beat too slow. He was caught.
"Fire Release: Explosive Flame Formation!"
With his free left hand, Hanzō formed the tiger seal.
At once, the chain blazed with paper tags—camouflaged as links until now. Like serpents, they crawled toward Kyoichi's head, coiling and wrapping him like a mummy, covering his shoulders and skull.
Then—
"Boom!!!"
Over forty detonating tags went off at once.
Twenty had obliterated Akaishi's body. Forty promised devastation many times greater.
Not even the most advanced earth release hardening could withstand such ferocity.
Hanzō knew this well.
Back in his campaigns against Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure, he had seen these techniques firsthand. He had even slain masters of Iwagakure's famed earth hardening, blowing them apart with this very method.
And now—he was simply repeating an old trick.
But to Hanzō, crushing a rogue Iwa shinobi was nothing. The true problem was Nagato, that monster.
Landing on solid ground beyond the mire, Hanzō looked up at Nagato hovering in midair. His brow furrowed. He had ways to deal with shinobi tougher than stone, but against this boy… it was like a tiger trying to bite a hedgehog—there was no opening.
And then—
Pain lanced his chest. A bloodied blade pierced through him.
Behind him, a mocking laugh.
"Hanzō-senpai, you were far too careless!!!"
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