Although he didn't know what Gojo Yoru and the other two were saying, seeing Orochimaru and Jiraiya teleport away, leaving only Gojo Yoru to face him, Hanzo the Salamander guessed their intentions.
Hanzo the Salamander didn't feel angry. Instead, he stared at Gojo Yoru, who took out a Chakra blade from a storage scroll, and suddenly asked: "Kid, where exactly did you go during that time, and what did you experience?"
This was a question for the entire Ninja World.
It wasn't uncommon to see people suddenly become stronger.
Some people often exploded with power far beyond their normal state due to various circumstances in battle.
But such power was temporary.
Gojo Yoru's sudden strengthening, however, was permanent.
That sudden surge in Chakra amount further indicated that he hadn't been hiding his strength before; he really did become stronger suddenly.
This sudden strengthening wasn't just a small increase in Chakra, but an all-around change, like being reborn.
Both friends and foes, as well as other observing forces, were very curious about why Gojo Yoru had such a change.
"Where else could I go? Of course, secret special training."
Gojo Yoru pointed his blade at Hanzo the Salamander and smiled: "Thanks to the pressure you gave me, to stop running away, I had to make myself stronger."
"Save those words for your peers." Hanzo the Salamander sneered, then also drew a ninja sword instead of the sickle connected to a chain, and said in a deep voice, "Let this old man see how much you've changed."
As Hanzo the Salamander's words fell, the atmosphere instantly became oppressive.
The two faced each other from a distance, one high and one low.
Wearing special masks, their ears were filled only with the sound of raindrops hitting the ground densely.
After an unknown amount of time, the two suddenly disappeared into thin air.
The speed was so fast that not even an afterimage was left.
Then the sound of clashing metal broke the atmosphere dominated by the rain.
In the eyes of Orochimaru and Jiraiya watching from a distance, Gojo Yoru and Hanzo the Salamander seemed to have abandoned their ninja identities and were fighting like samurai from the Land of Iron.
Without using Nintaijutsu, they were simply competing in skills and physical fitness.
In terms of strength and skills, Hanzo the Salamander, who had fought for years, making even samurai from the Land of Iron flee upon seeing him and defeating the most outstanding samurai of the current era, easily suppressed Gojo Yoru.
But that was all.
Whenever his attack was about to hit Gojo Yoru, who wasn't wearing a flak jacket or armor and seemed full of flaws and weaknesses, the opponent could always dodge in time or block hastily.
Once or twice could be called an accident.
Every time being like this meant it was Gojo Yoru's ability.
If not for the icy blue eyes under Gojo Yoru's goggles, Hanzo the Salamander would have thought he was fighting a member of the Uchiha Clan.
However, such reaction wasn't just amazing dynamic vision; what was more outrageous was his reaction speed.
Not only could he react, but he could also quickly make up for mistakes.
Hanzo the Salamander, who had only assassinated each other and never fought Gojo Yoru head-on before, finally understood why the opponent could learn the Flying Thunder God Technique and instantly kill fifty-five Sand ninjas.
Only such neural reaction speed could seamlessly connect with space-time teleportation, killing the enemy before they could even react.
This was pure talent suppression!
Just the simplest swordsmanship duel, and Hanzo the Salamander saw the potential to reach the pinnacle of the Ninja World in Gojo Yoru.
And this was just the beginning of the shock.
In less than twenty rounds, Gojo Yoru changed his passive defense just now, and his offensive began to become proactive.
Hanzo the Salamander seized a flaw in Gojo Yoru and stabbed, but it was not only blocked sideways by the Chakra blade but also used the force to slide sideways, slashing upward at Hanzo the Salamander.
The latter used Body Flicker to dodge, opening up a distance from Gojo Yoru.
Looking at the boy opposite, Hanzo the Salamander's eyes showed a trace of shock because of that ordinary upward slash.
What terrifying reading ability and memory ability. This brat... he was actually growing in battle.
In less than twenty rounds, Gojo Yoru became familiar with Hanzo the Salamander's fighting style and attack patterns, and even deliberately sold a flaw, creating a perfect opportunity to switch from defense to offense, almost succeeding.
Hanzo the Salamander, fighting Gojo Yoru head-on for the first time, thought the latter was just this type of contestant.
Orochimaru, watching from a mountain cliff, had trembling eyes.
After Gojo Yoru returned, he hadn't fought alongside this disciple yet, only hearing about his huge changes, not only developing new Lightning Release Ninjutsu but also displaying terrifying dominance, making Rain ninjas tremble with fear.
Now witnessing Gojo Yoru fighting Hanzo the Salamander with his own eyes, even if it was just an ordinary swordsmanship duel, Orochimaru could no longer see the shadow of the past in Gojo Yoru.
The previous Gojo Yoru, even using the Phantom Body Flicker Technique, was only a bit troublesome.
Just by using Earth Release to change the terrain, Orochimaru could easily suppress him with combat experience.
Even after learning Lightning Release Chakra Mode, Gojo Yoru's speed only increased a bit, but without using the Space-Time Kekkei Genkai, his movement still had a bit of stiffness.
This ability also prevented him from using the Phantom Body Flicker Technique because he couldn't switch the phantom clones between intangible and tangible.
But now, Gojo Yoru used neither the Space-Time Kekkei Genkai nor Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Relying only on swordsmanship and physical fitness, he went from being suppressed for nearly twenty rounds at the beginning to almost injuring Hanzo the Salamander.
Compared to Gojo Yoru from last year, he simply didn't seem like the same person.
Orochimaru couldn't help but think to himself: Could it be that the improvement of the Space-Time Kekkei Genkai also causes amazing changes in the body? That neural reaction speed of his, could he be sensing space?
A series of clang clang clang metal collision sounds rang out continuously in the rain curtain.
Chakra of different attributes collided, turning into airwaves roaring out, creating a vacuum zone in the surrounding rain curtain.
That upward slash ended the ordinary swordsmanship duel, turning the battle into a Nintaijutsu duel.
Unlike the pure Taijutsu of the Eight Gates that unlocked the body's limits, Nintaijutsu was a special skill combining Taijutsu or Kenjutsu with Chakra.
By refining Chakra to activate the body, achieving high-speed movement and enhanced attacks, without needing hand seals, it was mainly divided into two major schools: Lightning Release and Fire Release.
The former was fast, the latter had a large range; both had amazing damage.
Generally speaking, ordinary people learning Nintaijutsu would choose one of these two attributes.
But the Demigod of the Ninja World was called a Demigod and the pinnacle of the Ninja World because he could do what ordinary people couldn't.
Gojo Yoru, surrounded by blue-white electric currents, moved as fast as lightning, with no stiffness from before.
The Chakra blade in his hand, also covered with Lightning Release nature transformation, turned into a blue-white blade. With rapid swinging, it was like holding a bolt of lightning, imposing in momentum.
When using Body Flicker, it was like a flash of white light, like lightning tearing through the sky.
Ordinary Jonin facing Gojo Yoru's speed would be practically dead.
But Hanzo the Salamander could not only hold a ninja sword covered in flowing water to block Gojo Yoru's attacks full of penetrating power and sharpness, but his speed was also not inferior.
The only difference was their special effects and fighting styles due to different attributes.
Zzzzz...
Flickering several times a second, Gojo Yoru, relying on amazing neural reaction speed and reading ability brought by improved mental agility, finally caught a flaw in Hanzo the Salamander.
The Chakra blade in his hand, covered with blue-white electric currents, instantly emitted the harsh sound of a thousand birds chirping.
As Gojo Yoru used Body Flicker to make a charged stabbing posture, the Chakra blade shot out like a blue-white laser with a swish.
The speed of the Chidori Sharp Spear was incredibly fast.
In an instant, it pierced through Hanzo the Salamander's body.
But the next second, Hanzo the Salamander's body turned into a puddle of water.
At the same time, the sound of a blade cutting through the air came from behind Gojo Yoru.
From the perspective of Orochimaru and Jiraiya, Hanzo the Salamander appeared behind Gojo Yoru out of thin air like space-time teleportation, his feet seemingly wearing shoes made of water, his Body Flicker as soundless as Gojo Yoru's.
Having seen how amazing Gojo Yoru's neural reaction speed was, Hanzo the Salamander held a ninja sword covered in flowing water but carrying sharpness not inferior to Wind Release. Instead of slashing at Gojo Yoru's neck, he cut him in half at the waist.
Gojo Yoru also turned into Gojo Satoru 2.5.
The speed was so fast that there seemed to be no time to use the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Zzzzz...
Before the severed body could land, Gojo Yoru's two halves suddenly flashed with dazzling blue-white electric light.
"Lightning Release Shadow Clone, when..." Hanzo the Salamander's eyes widened slightly.
It was in this moment of daze that the blue-white electric light in his eyes suddenly disappeared into thin air, replaced by a black flash.
Then his vision tilted left and right, going downwards.
His body was split in half from the middle by a blade.
With a splat, the two halves of his body also turned into a puddle of water before landing.
Not Water Replacement, nor Water Body Flicker.
"Lightning Release Shadow Clone and Water Release Shadow Clone, these assassins are really disgusting!"
Jiraiya watching from a distance only felt a chill.
Orochimaru sighed slightly: "Yoru's strength has surpassed ours."
Although he knew this day would come, he didn't expect it to come so fast.
Hanzo the Salamander's Nintaijutsu, combined with consummate assassination techniques, could toy with Orochimaru, who wasn't skilled in Nintaijutsu, leaving him with no temper every time.
If not for Jiraiya assisting him, Orochimaru would have had his gas mask easily destroyed by Hanzo the Salamander, or even his body injured.
Then the opponent only needed to summon the Salamander to release poison smoke, and Orochimaru would have to consume a tube of antidote.
In the past year of fighting, he and Jiraiya used up their antidotes like this.
Except for using the Flying Thunder God Technique to relieve the siege at critical moments, preventing Hanzo the Salamander from using fatal blows on them, Gojo Yoru couldn't help them in other aspects.
So in every battle, they were capable teammates creating opportunities for Gojo Yoru, but also burdens dragging him down, causing him to be forced out by Hanzo the Salamander.
Now without these two burdens, Gojo Yoru, whose strength skyrocketed, except for being suppressed in the initial swordsmanship duel, was on par with Hanzo the Salamander in both Nintaijutsu and assassination techniques.
Even he and Jiraiya didn't see clearly when these two turned into Lightning Release Shadow Clone and Water Release Shadow Clone.
Even without using the Space-Time Kekkei Genkai, Gojo Yoru's current comprehensive strength was superior to theirs.
That powerful Lightning Release was simply a second Konoha's White Fang.
Swish swish swish...
Back to when Gojo Yoru used Flying Thunder God Transfer to swap positions with the Lightning Release Shadow Clone, simultaneously using Flying Thunder God Slash to split Hanzo the Salamander's Water Release Shadow Clone in half.
Several harsh sounds of breaking air came from behind Gojo Yoru.
Before he could turn around to see clearly, he heard boom boom boom explosion sounds resounding.
A huge fire dragon roared towards Gojo Yoru.
It was exactly the explosive tag Fire Release that Hanzo the Salamander was most skilled at.
To become a grandmaster-level powerhouse of a certain Nature Release, one must have their own style.
Orochimaru in the original work played Earth Release with various tricks; Earth Release basic extension techniques were comparable to divine skills.
The Third Raikage's Lightning Release was the same.
And Hanzo the Salamander's Water Release Nintaijutsu and assassination techniques, as well as this explosive tag Fire Release, were the same.
Capable of both bombing people and using the flames generated by explosive tags to cast techniques, even Gojo Yoru didn't know how he did it.
If it could be seen through so easily, Hanzo the Salamander wouldn't be a Fire Release grandmaster.
If only Konan could obtain this Fire Release technique.
Paper Release + Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags + Explosive Tag Fire Release... Gojo Yoru dared not imagine what terrifying realm Konan's area damage would reach.
What was certain was that Konan would definitely become one of the strongest Fire Release ninjas in the Ninja World.
Thinking this, Gojo Yoru also entered "Black Lightning Mode" without delay.
The blue-white Chakra blade in his hand quietly turned black and white.
Extending the Chakra blade, Gojo Yoru just swung the blade lightly, easily splitting the fire dragon, which contained powerful nature transformation and shape transformation and had a cultivation difficulty of at least B-rank, in two.
Rustle...
The sound of paper turning suddenly rang out.
Something seemed to have crawled to Gojo Yoru's feet.
He didn't look down but glanced at the ten o'clock direction.
Dozens of meters away in that direction stood a rock like a fake mountain. Hanzo the Salamander stood at the top, clasping his hands in a Snake seal gesture, and shouted softly: "Fire Release: Explosive Tag Barrier!"
Boom boom boom...
A series of explosions louder than before shattered the ground, kicked up dust and mist, forming a mushroom cloud containing high-temperature flames.
Hanzo the Salamander changed hand seals, using the Sensing Technique, wanting to sense Gojo Yoru's Chakra condition.
Then his expression changed abruptly, looking down.
His gaze happened to see a black and white electric snake climbing up from below.
Not moving in a straight line, but curving like lightning. The speed was so fast, also a flash of electric light. Before the black and white traces below disappeared, it was about to reach Hanzo the Salamander's feet.
Too late to charge up Body Flicker, Hanzo the Salamander could only burst out a stream of Chakra, shooting out like an arrow, then turning in the air to look at that rock.
He saw that the nearly ten-meter-high rock was cut into pieces like a radish, the cut surfaces so smooth and straight.
That black and white electric snake also turned into Gojo Yoru's appearance at the top.
Swish—
Gojo Yoru held a blade in one hand and threw a Flying Thunder God kunai covered with electric currents at Hanzo the Salamander with the other.
Enhanced by Lightning Release Chakra, the speed of the Flying Thunder God kunai was astonishingly fast.
Strong as Hanzo the Salamander was, he didn't have time to form seals.
He drew his ninja sword, too late to even cover it with Water Release nature transformation, and threw it at the incoming Flying Thunder God kunai.
With the other hand, he also took out several kunai with explosive tags attached to the ends, throwing them at the Flying Thunder God kunai.
If Gojo Yoru teleported there, he would definitely be within the explosion range of the explosive tags.
Hanzo the Salamander still didn't relax his vigilance but used the Sensing Technique to lock onto Gojo Yoru's Chakra position, preventing him from teleporting to other Flying Thunder God formula locations.
His hands forming seals were ready to change seals at any time.
"It seems... this is your main body."
Gojo Yoru didn't teleport over but extended an index finger, pointing at Hanzo the Salamander.
Dazzling black-red light condensed at his fingertip, forming a black-red star.
With a pew, the star in his hand turned into a black-red laser beam, shooting violently towards Hanzo the Salamander.
Wherever it passed, the Flying Thunder God kunai, ninja sword, and explosive tag kunai touched by the laser beam were all cut off, unable to block it for even 0.01 seconds.
The speed was so fast, like an artist holding a pencil, vigorously drawing a black-red line on white paper, wanting to connect two animated characters together.
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