Chapter 73: The Second Shinobi World War... Begins!
During Tsunade's unconsciousness.
Rain Country, inside the tower.
Hanzo of the Salamander sat in a wooden chair, listening to his subordinate's report while his mind automatically generated images of Iwagakure's attack on Amegakure.
"Three pharmaceutical workshops. Two processing facilities were ransacked by Iwa shinobi. Only the secret workshop closest to the tower—which no one except Hanzo-sama may enter—had its outer sensory barrier damaged."
The kneeling Ame shinobi's voice filled with regret. "I didn't anticipate that beyond Iwagakure, Konoha shinobi would also take advantage of the chaos to infiltrate. My momentary carelessness failed to reinforce the secret workshop's guard. Please punish me, Hanzo-sama."
"Don't blame yourself, Sagawa. You did well. Protecting the village is what matters most."
Hanzo toyed with a storage scroll, his gaze seemingly penetrating the seal to observe the Flying Thunder God kunai and stones stored within. His voice came out low and thoughtful. "Without prior intelligence, anyone facing a Flying Thunder God user for the first time faces near-certain death."
"Against that technique, numbers become a liability rather than an asset. Seven people or seventy—both just throwing lives away needlessly."
Gripping the scroll tighter, Hanzo snorted coldly. "Having Iwagakure and Konoha divide three workshops between them works in my favor. I split the formula and production across facilities—each handling one section, with me completing the final step."
"Unless someone raids all three workshops simultaneously, no one can obtain the complete formula. And unlike with Sunagakure, I won't give them time to develop their own version."
Sagawa lifted his head, eyes filled with worship. "Truly worthy of Hanzo-sama! You predicted this exact scenario."
In truth, Hanzo's habitual caution had simply taught him not to place all eggs in one basket.
If not for antidote production requiring numerous materials and steps—and his own village management duties limiting available time—Hanzo would have preferred handling everything personally rather than delegating to subordinates. Even Konoha's Shadow Clone Technique would compound his fatigue rather than help.
"Katsuyu, Tsunade-hime, the Flying Thunder God Technique, and the Sword of Thunder God..." Hanzo murmured. "Without question, those two were Konoha shinobi. That summoning beast, that technique, that sword—impossible to hide or fake."
"White hair... Could that brat be descended from the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju? Even if not direct lineage, he's likely from the Senju clan."
"Konoha secretly developed a new generation 'Tobirama Senju.' Once this news spreads, the other great nations won't be able to sit still."
Hanzo suddenly formed a hand seal, casting genjutsu on Sagawa.
Sagawa's eyes glazed over for several seconds.
When awareness returned, Hanzo was issuing orders. "Draw this person's appearance. Mass-produce wanted posters. Simultaneously announce that Iwagakure attacked Amegakure and stole the complete antidote formula."
"Yes!"
Sagawa bowed his head, then looked up questioningly. "Hanzo-sama, shouldn't we also reveal the Flying Thunder God user's identity and spread word that Konoha raided the pharmaceutical workshop?"
"Announcing it now serves no purpose. Those two great nations would only half-believe it. Konoha wouldn't have played this card unless stealing the antidote formula. By the time they confirm the truth, who knows how long that'll take." Hanzo rose with a cold laugh. "After I visit the Fire Country border and return, they'll believe whether they want to or not."
"Since they chose to enter the game, none of them escape. I'll use this opportunity to weaken all three great nations simultaneously."
Under Sagawa's worshipful gaze—as if viewing a god—Hanzo vanished in a blur.
He didn't use the salamander's burrowing ability to secretly leave Amegakure. That would be pointless.
The Hyuga clan's Byakugan, the Aburame clan's insects, the Inuzuka clan's ninja hounds—these three clans alone possessed far, mid, and close-range perception including x-ray vision and scent tracking.
Not to mention other clans with sensory specialists or summoning contracts with various creatures.
Moreover, Konoha had been allies with the now-destroyed Land of Whirlpools. They undoubtedly possessed the shinobi world's finest sensory barriers, probably deployed far beyond the border base itself.
Attempting to infiltrate Fire Country's border base undetected—even with the salamander's underground movement—would prove impossible. Even Onoki with his flight ability couldn't manage it.
So Hanzo wasn't hiding his intentions at all. He would openly notify the three surrounding great nations that he was heading to Fire Country's border base—not seeking revenge on Earth Country for the recent attack.
This message quickly reached command centers in all three great nations.
Neither Wind Country nor Earth Country felt schadenfreude or enjoyed the spectacle. Both raised their alert levels instead.
"Could this be misdirection?"
At Wind Country's border base command center, Chiyo looked at her brother Ebizo, who handled intelligence and espionage. Her brow furrowed deeply. "We just finished fighting him. Amegakure got attacked by Iwa shinobi. Instead of retaliating against Earth Country, he's heading straight for Fire Country's border. Isn't this just a smokescreen? His real target could be us or Earth Country."
"Smokescreen or not, we can't lower our guard." Ebizo analyzed carefully. "Sister, you've developed the antidote formula, but every dose of antidote and protective equipment set represents additional military expenditure requiring substantial manpower and resources."
"Meanwhile, the salamander's poison only needs five minutes to refill."
"Unless we're confident in killing that existence at the shinobi world's pinnacle, we should maintain our original tactics—disperse combat units, avoid engagement when possible."
Ebizo's gaze turned profound. "Earth Country has already entered the game. I don't believe they attacked Amegakure just to plunder the most powerful military base's wealth."
"Most likely, Onoki's objective was seizing the antidote or formula while we kept Hanzo and the salamander occupied."
"His decisive action indicates Iwagakure's reconnaissance squads and ANBU already obtained confirmed intelligence with high probability of success."
"Whether Earth Country succeeded or not, this action equals declaring war on Rain Country."
"Rain Country now faces a one-versus-two situation. Instead of retaliating against Earth Country—which doesn't yet have antidote production—Hanzo heads straight for Fire Country's border base... Either this is misdirection as you suggested, or Hanzo wants to force Fire Country into the war."
Ebizo looked at Chiyo and suddenly asked, "If both neighboring great nations possessed antidotes while only we lacked them, and that shinobi world's deadliest poison kept targeting us—what should we do?"
Chiyo's eyes flashed. Her voice turned cold. "Steal it!"
"Exactly. We could only steal—we must steal!" Ebizo continued. "Whether raiding Amegakure like Iwa, or targeting us or Earth Country, Fire Country will enter the conflict."
"At that point, Hanzo only needs to control antidote quantities or stop production entirely. As he drags out the conflict with Konoha, they'll have no choice but to target us or Iwagakure."
"If Konoha doesn't choose that path and instead masses forces to attack Amegakure—forcing Hanzo into direct confrontation where he can't deploy wide-range poison—we still can't stand idle. That would mean surrendering Rain Country, the three-nation junction point."
"Once Rain Country becomes Fire Country territory, we—already separated by River Country's buffer zone—become even more disadvantaged. Same for Earth Country." Ebizo's voice turned cold. "This is a blatant open conspiracy."
Chiyo couldn't help but express sincere admiration. "Impressive. Even in this situation, he's not blinded by hatred and devised countermeasures this quickly. Truly worthy of being called the 'Demigod.' Fortunate he wasn't born in Sunagakure. Fortunate he wasn't born in one of the Five Great Villages."
"Actually, beyond those two scenarios, there's a third possibility." Ebizo's voice took on an ominous quality. "Konoha didn't wait passively. Seeing Iwagakure act, they moved immediately as well—also stealing something that gave Hanzo reason to attack them."
"If Konoha also obtained the formula, that's undoubtedly our worst-case scenario."
Chiyo's expression turned ugly as she grasped Ebizo's meaning.
If all three great nations possessed the antidote formula, who would they target unless calling for peace negotiations?
Though she hated admitting it, Wind Country was indeed the weakest of the Five Great Nations in comprehensive strength.
Previously, they'd maintained balance because Rain Country and Hanzo acted as counterweights.
Now everyone possessed immunity to the salamander's poison, yet Hanzo kept targeting Wind Country.
Continuing to exhaust resources against Rain Country would only worsen Wind Country's already-imbalanced economy.
At that point, between great nations and small nations, between Fire Country and Earth Country—who would they choose to attack?
Realizing this, Chiyo immediately spoke gravely. "No. I must report to the Kazekage immediately. We need to prepare for the worst."
---
In Earth Country, the message didn't reach the border command center for commanders to decide whether reporting to the Tsuchikage was necessary.
Instead, it went directly to Onoki stationed in Iwagakure.
"Those who stand at the shinobi world's pinnacle are never simple."
Onoki quickly understood Hanzo's intentions, giving the same high evaluation as Chiyo. His tone filled with regret. "Such a capable man born in that tiny nation—what a waste. If only he were from Iwagakure."
"Even if he's that capable, he's still just a piece in your hand, old man."
Fifteen-year-old Kitsuchi, still a youth, looked at Onoki with worshipful eyes and laughed while flattering him. "Just as you predicted, our Earth Country's terrain plus your Light-Weight Rock Technique and Dust Release create natural defense and deterrence. Between retaliating against us or dragging Fire Country into the war, Hanzo decisively chose the latter."
"Once Hanzo opens this door, we fan the flames. Sunagakure, already in the game, definitely won't miss this chance to kick them while they're down. The situation that was Rain Country versus Wind Country instantly becomes Fire Country being attacked by three nations simultaneously."
"With Wind Country and Rain Country helping drain Fire Country's resources, we can definitely take a bite out of Fire Country!"
Watching his son's high spirits—as if Hanzo and Wind Country were beneath notice—Onoki spoke with serious instruction. "Brat, don't underestimate anyone standing at the shinobi world's pinnacle. Especially those possessing strategic deterrence who can fight entire nations single-handedly. They're the shinobi world's most terrifying individuals."
"Do you know why Hanzo is called the shinobi world's Demigod?"
"Because if this man went insane, he could devastate the entire shinobi world."
"Neither I nor the Third Raikage possess such capability or deterrence."
"The last person who made the shinobi world fear him this way was the Shura of the Shinobi World, Madara Uchiha—who stood equal to the God of Shinobi."
Onoki's voice turned grave. "Though their combat power isn't on the same level, if Hanzo wanted, he has the capability to reduce Earth Country to nothing but Iwagakure."
"At that point, what situation would we face?"
Kitsuchi's mind automatically conjured that image. He shuddered, eyes showing genuine fear. "Old man, is this why you strictly forbade large-scale slaughter and banned harming Amegakure's children and youth?"
"Exactly. You destroy Amegakure's future, he can destroy yours." Onoki continued. "Unless we kill that salamander and confirm only one exists in that summoning realm, this remains an unspoken rule all Five Great Villages must observe. If you want to become Tsuchikage someday, remember this. Understood?"
"I understand, old man." Kitsuchi nodded obediently.
"Pass my orders. Have combat units disperse. Only sensory and barrier teams need remain at the border base." Onoki's gaze turned profound. "If Hanzo heading to Fire Country's border is misdirection and his real target is us, let combat units abandon the base and fall back to protect the nearest towns. If he dares penetrate deeper, I'll handle him personally."
His voice intensified with emphasis. "Remember—until we develop an antidote for the salamander poison, all squads encountering Hanzo, whether the real body or Shadow Clone, even someone using Transformation Technique—if unable to confirm authenticity, retreat at maximum speed. Earth Body Flicker specialists prioritize using protective gear and cover others' retreat, but don't engage. Survival is paramount!"
"Yes!"
Kitsuchi nodded and vanished from the Tsuchikage's office via Body Flicker.
Onoki's small frame floated upward, flying from the window to the Tsuchikage Building's rooftop. He gazed at the Iwagakure he'd always protected, silent—either lost in thought or caught in memories.
After a long while, Onoki's eyes suddenly sharpened with fierce determination. Turning to face Fire Country's direction, he spoke quietly:
"The Second Shinobi World War... has begun!"
***
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