Driving back the mixed forces of Iwa-nin and Ame-nin who had come to invade… this had already become the shared belief of the Koeda Clan and the members of Akatsuki the moment Hanzō of the Salamander and Akaishi chose to retreat.
Still, worry lingered in their hearts—would Nagato and Kyoichi encounter traps or ambushes during the pursuit?
In everyone's mind, as long as Nagato and Kyoichi returned safely, that alone would be enough. None of them ever imagined the two would return with an even greater miracle.
After all—
This was Hanzō of the Salamander.
The fearsome man who had led Amegakure against Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure one after another, earning a reputation that shook the shinobi world. How could anyone believe he would simply fall here? The mere fact that Nagato and Kyoichi had joined forces to repel Hanzō and Akaishi's forces was already staggering beyond belief.
Anything more… was simply unthinkable.
And so, when Kyoichi announced that Hanzō of the Salamander was dead, the entire place erupted.
As for Akaishi—of course, people noticed. But clearly, everyone's focus was on Hanzō's death. Even the former Iwa-nin like Dazen, Seinosuke, and Yūsuke, men hardened by their own village's environment, were more shaken by the death of Hanzō.
After all, Akaishi, though a trusted arm of the Third Tsuchikage, was still not on the level of that fearsome man.
"Hanzō is really dead?"
Yahiko blurted out, disbelief written in his eyes.
"It's true."
Nagato nodded, offering a brief explanation: "Kyoichi ran him through with a single strike."
"…"
Yahiko's jaw went slack, nearly choking on his own breath.
What did he mean by ran him through with a single strike? That sounded less like slaying a shinobi who stood at the very peak of the world, and more like butchering a chicken—light, casual, without any weight. Still, Yahiko wasn't about to fault Nagato's bluntness. That was simply his nature. Expecting him to spin lengthy explanations was never realistic.
Then again—
Did it really matter how Hanzō died? The only thing that mattered was that he was dead. For Yahiko, the outcome was far more important than the process.
"If you don't believe it, come and see for yourselves. Hanzō's corpse is right here."
Kyoichi, unconcerned by the fuss, pulled out his sealing scroll and released Hanzō's body for all to witness.
As the saying goes, words mean little—seeing is believing.
And there it was, the corpse of Hanzō of the Salamander.
All doubt and disbelief evaporated in an instant. What remained was awe and elation.
The Koeda clansmen—Dazen and the others—were awestruck. Day after day, they had seen Kyoichi with their own eyes, and yet every few days he grew so much stronger that they were forced to look at him anew. His growth was nothing short of astonishing.
The joy, however, belonged to Yahiko and Konan.
Especially Yahiko.
Staring at Hanzō's body, he couldn't help but let a smile tug at the corner of his mouth.
Without Hanzō standing in his way, that long-standing obstacle was finally gone. Now he could throw himself fully into remaking this nation—a land forever shrouded in rain and pain—according to the blueprint in his heart. No more would he, Konan, or Nagato's suffering be repeated endlessly across this soil.
"Kyoichi, put it away."
After calming his turbulent emotions, Yahiko spoke: "This is your spoils of war. Hurry and store it before the rain ruins the body—it won't fetch much of a price if it rots."
It was plain to see: Yahiko had no designs on the corpse. He had no intention of using Hanzō's body for any schemes.
"Then I'll seal it again."
Kyoichi didn't argue. He resealed Hanzō's corpse back into the scroll.
Truthfully, he hadn't yet decided what to do with it. Selling it on the black market was an option, but… this was Hanzō of the Salamander. To simply sell him off felt wasteful. And yet, what other profit could be extracted from the corpse? None came to mind.
Forget it.
That could be decided later.
Pushing aside the thought, Kyoichi asked, "Clan Head, has the battlefield outside been cleared?"
"No."
Dazen shook his head, explaining:
"When you pursued Hanzō and Akaishi, I feared it might be a diversion. Unlikely, perhaps, but not impossible. So I stayed in the village with everyone, just in case."
The old man's vigilance had not waned with age.
"Better safe than sorry."
Kyoichi nodded in agreement. Truly worthy of being the clan Head—this cautiousness was something worth learning. For shinobi, whose lives burned fast and bright, vigilance was indeed the first virtue of survival.
"But now the area is secure. There shouldn't be danger for the time being. We should take advantage of this lull and collect the corpses. The rain will only get heavier. Any bodies we can salvage will be our clan's capital for survival."
Kyoichi suggested firmly.
The battle had left the Iwa-nin and Ame-nin nearly annihilated. Many bodies were damaged beyond recovery, but surely many others remained intact, waiting for the victors to claim or bury.
"You don't even need to say it."
A smile broke across Dazen's weathered face. He ordered:
"Seinosuke, Yūsuke, take men to collect the corpses. Divide everything into two shares… Yahiko-dono, I must trouble you to send people as well. Half of these spoils rightfully belong to Akatsuki."
"Then I won't refuse, Clan Head Dazen."
Yahiko thought for a moment, then smiled. "In fact, I'll go myself. I've nothing else pressing."
And so, Seinosuke and Yūsuke led several chūnin to the ruined outskirts to recover the bodies. Yahiko himself went along, with Konan and the ever-restless Nagato trailing behind. Together, they set out in force—to dig up the dead.
Kyoichi did not join them.
This was work others could handle. His presence would make no difference. Besides, unlike Nagato, blessed with the Uzumaki bloodline and near-limitless chakra, his reserves were finite. Even with the aid of the Eye of God and Sage Mode, the battle had exhausted him.
It wasn't only his chakra that was drained. Such a high-level clash had sapped his spirit as well.
"Still… after defeating this wave of attackers, the road ahead should finally be clear."
Kyoichi tilted his head back, gazing at the dark sky as the rain washed over him. The weight that had lingered in his heart for so long was at last beginning to wash away.
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