Chapter 413: The Strongest Fire Ninja in the Ninja World

Everyone on the field was watching Muzuki.

The Rain Ninja, led by Senior Hanzo, hoped that Muzuki would commit suicide obediently, which would save them a lot of effort.

The Ninja Sect led by Muzuki, on the other hand, hoped that Muzuki would not commit suicide, regardless of the reasons.

The Iwagakure led by Kitsuchi had no particular thoughts, only curiosity about what choice Muzuki would make.

Danzo Shimura also didn’t care what Muzuki would choose; he just wanted to see blood flow like a river, preferably with both the Ninja Sect and Amegakure suffering heavy losses, as a too strong Land of Rain would not be in Konoha’s interest.

“Senior Hanzo, don’t play these tricks at a time like this; it will only lower people’s opinion of you,” Muzuki said, snatching the Kunai Senior Hanzo had shot from Yahiko’s hand and imbuing it with Fire Release Chakra.

Fierce flames rose on the surface of the Kunai, drying it from the rain.

Whoosh!

Muzuki aimed in front of Senior Hanzo and threw the flaming Kunai.

Muzuki’s actions told everyone his choice: for him to commit suicide was wishful thinking.

If it had been Shisui or Obito standing here instead of Nagato, Muzuki might have been interested in playing dead.

Because that would likely stimulate them to directly activate their Mangekyo Sharingan, leading to a surge in power.

Nagato wouldn’t go to that extent; although Nagato couldn’t truly use the Rinnegan at this moment, he already possessed it.

What Nagato needed was not to activate the Rinnegan, but to unearth its power; intense stimulation could accelerate this process, but it wasn’t a necessity like the Mangekyo Sharingan.

“Sōsuke, you’ve made a mistake,” Senior Hanzo said, looking at Muzuki with a cold expression.

Boom!!

Senior Hanzo gathered Chakra and threw a Kunai, intercepting Muzuki’s flaming Kunai, which exploded in mid-air.

The entire valley instantly became tense, and an invisible smoke permeated the air.

Kitsuchi’s spirits instantly lifted; a fight was about to break out.

He actually wanted to see Senior Hanzo and Muzuki have a true man-to-man fight, but he didn’t think Senior Hanzo would give up the Rain Ninja’s numerical advantage.

“Attack!” Senior Hanzo didn’t personally act immediately but commanded a hundred elite Rain Ninja to attack.

Upon hearing Senior Hanzo’s command, the elite Rain Ninja immediately burst Chakra into their hands and threw their Kunai.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!

A large number of black Kunai shot from all directions, surrounding Muzuki and the others like a black net.

This was why Senior Hanzo chose this location for the meeting; the Rain Ninja standing on the mountain could launch dense attacks from above, making it difficult for Muzuki and his group to dodge.

Senior Hanzo looked at Muzuki and the others in the valley with a calm expression; they had the geographical advantage and the right timing. What could Muzuki use to fight him?

Nagato’s mind raced, thinking about what Ninjutsu could defend against attacks from all directions and protect all his companions.

“Wind Release: Violent Wind Palm!”

Muzuki gathered Chakra and transformed it into Wind Release Chakra, then unleashed it the moment he clapped his hands together.

Whoosh, whoosh!!

Suddenly, a fierce gale erupted from Muzuki and the others, blowing outwards and scattering all the incoming Kunai.

A large amount of rainwater also splattered in all directions, and the trees on the mountain rustled.

Although Violent Wind Palm was just a common C-rank Wind Release Ninjutsu, with Muzuki’s mastery-level Wind Release Chakra Nature Transformation (over seven thousand proficiency), it possessed considerable power, easily blocking such Shuriken throws.

Nagato looked at his hands, then at Muzuki.

Nagato also knew Violent Wind Palm, but if he were to use it, he would never achieve such an effect.

He recalled the Water Formation Wall Muzuki used at the very beginning, which was also different from a normal Water Formation Wall, capable of defending against all attacks without blind spots.

“Keep attacking,” Senior Hanzo said expressionlessly.

He had expected Muzuki to be able to block the attack, but he hadn’t expected Muzuki to block such a large-scale Ninjutsu throw with just a common C-rank Ninjutsu.

But Senior Hanzo still felt as steady as an old dog, because a Ninja’s Chakra is limited; the more Chakra Muzuki consumed protecting his companions, the less he would have for the subsequent battle.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Sharp black Kunai cut through raindrops, forming a black net again and piercing towards Muzuki and the others.

And Muzuki continued to use Violent Wind Palm to deflect the Kunai.

“Sōsuke, don’t you have any backup plans? Don’t tell me you really didn’t expect this situation, or I’ll have to re-evaluate your abilities,” Kakuzu said, feigning sarcasm but actually reminding Muzuki not to get worn down.

Senior Hanzo’s strategy was to conserve his strength and wear down Muzuki’s energy and Chakra.

Before Kakuzu could say his next sentence, Muzuki’s palm struck Kakuzu’s chest with extreme speed, releasing the Sealing Technique on Kakuzu’s body.

It wasn’t that Muzuki completely trusted Kakuzu, but Kakuzu now only had one heart, significantly reducing his strength, plus the Flying Thunder God Mark Muzuki left on him. As long as Kakuzu dared to have any ill intentions, Muzuki could instantly send him away.

Although not completely trusted, Muzuki inferred from Kakuzu’s consistent behavior that he most likely wouldn’t backstab him at this crucial moment; at most, he would just run away by himself.

If Kakuzu could help him take care of the Ninja Sect, it would alleviate a lot of pressure on Muzuki.

Although greatly weakened, Kakuzu was strong in his prime, and the power of one heart was not something ordinary Ninja could compare to.

Feeling the unprecedented sense of freedom in his body, Kakuzu was somewhat surprised. He was just about to ask Muzuki to release the seal for him, but Muzuki had anticipated his words.

“You released the seal on me so easily. Aren’t you worried I’ll take your corpse to exchange for money?” Kakuzu said, clenching his fists.

“Your bounty should have doubled by now, maybe even thirty million Ryo.”

Nagato looked at Kakuzu warily; if Kakuzu made any move, he would immediately attack.

“If you really still have such thoughts, then it means I made a mistake, and I will personally correct the mistake I made,” Muzuki said with a faint smile.

In this Ninja World, Muzuki never relied on vague luck, nor did he place his hopes on others; what he relied on was his own strength.

Kakuzu couldn’t do anything to Muzuki, and neither could Senior Hanzo. The worst outcome was just Muzuki taking everyone and running away.

“Tsk, your expression, as if everything is under control, really makes one want to punch you,” Kakuzu said, continuously gathering Chakra to recover.

He indeed had no intention of betraying Muzuki.

He believed that only an idiot would make such a choice. Although Kakuzu himself knew he wasn’t a Ninja Sect, Senior Hanzo might not see it that way; from Senior Hanzo’s perspective, they were all Ninja Sect.

Therefore, Kakuzu would not only not backstab Muzuki but would also provide him with some help while ensuring his own safety.

“Each of you guard a direction and protect yourselves.” After blocking the fourth wave of Ninjutsu throws, Muzuki actively launched an attack on Senior Hanzo.

Muzuki gathered Chakra at his feet, his figure constantly flashing through the rain, rapidly approaching Senior Hanzo’s position.

Muzuki’s Chakra was already slightly less than Lord Hanzo’s, and too much consumption would be detrimental to the upcoming battle.

Upon noticing Muzuki’s movements, the Rain Ninja all tried to use Ninjutsu to block Muzuki’s actions, but all were easily blocked by Muzuki.

Lord Hanzo watched Muzuki approach calmly, neither using attacks to stop Muzuki from getting close nor retreating.

There was no special reason; Lord Hanzo simply didn’t believe Muzuki could defeat him in a direct fight.

Everything Lord Hanzo did wasn’t due to a lack of confidence in defeating Muzuki, but simply to win more easily and securely.

If Muzuki thought his methods indicated a lack of confidence in his strength, then Lord Hanzo would show Muzuki what the pinnacle of a Ninja was in the coming battle.

“You disappoint me. Perhaps I should have ended you that day,” Lord Hanzo said coldly, looking at the approaching Muzuki.

“But you couldn’t,” Muzuki replied calmly.

For Muzuki, Lord Hanzo’s most troublesome aspect was his poison, but that alone was not enough for Lord Hanzo to defeat Muzuki.

The two did not immediately start fighting, instead conversing like old friends who hadn’t seen each other in a long time.

“Fire Release: Exploding Flame Array!”

Lord Hanzo suddenly leaped back and formed hand signs, and a large number of explosive tags emerged from the ground where Muzuki was standing, continuously surging towards Muzuki’s legs.

This was why Lord Hanzo had stood his ground; he wasn’t standing there because the view was better, but because he had buried explosive tags there.

Boom!!

A huge explosion sounded, and an incredibly fierce blaze engulfed Muzuki, shattering the ground with the large number of explosive tags.

“No wonder he’s called the pinnacle of a Ninja.” Kitsuchi even admired Lord Hanzo a little.

Lord Hanzo was so strong, yet incredibly steady. First, he led Muzuki and his group into a trap, then had his subordinates deplete Muzuki’s Chakra, and when Muzuki charged forward, Lord Hanzo used words to lure Muzuki into the trap.

“At this range, unless he has mastered extremely strong Earth Release hardening, it’s impossible to block it.” Kitsuchi looked at Muzuki, engulfed in flames, and shook his head with some regret.

Being bombarded by so many explosive tags at such close range, even an Earth Release Ninja of Kitsuchi’s caliber would be injured.

“This Ninjutsu is good.” Danzo Shimura greatly admired Lord Hanzo; he felt they were somewhat similar, both willing to use every means to defeat their opponents.

Being bombarded by so many explosive tags at close range, Muzuki would be either dead or crippled, completely unable to fight Lord Hanzo anymore.

“Uncle Sōsuke!” Yahiko noticed what was happening to Muzuki and showed an extremely worried expression.

He truly hadn’t expected Lord Hanzo to be so despicable, having a numerical advantage yet still using a trap to deal with Muzuki.

Nagato gazed at Muzuki, engulfed in flames, lost in thought for a moment.

From initial doubt to acceptance, then to trust, memories of meeting and getting to know Muzuki played continuously in Nagato’s mind.

“He can’t lose so carelessly, can he?” Kakuzu frowned.

With an explosion of that power, even if Kakuzu had used Earth Spear in time, he might have suffered some injuries. Although injuries of that extent wouldn’t bother him, having cultivated Earth Grudge Fear, Muzuki’s vitality wasn’t that strong.

“Is it over?” Lord Hanzo’s gaze focused, staring at the thick smoke from the explosion.

However, Lord Hanzo didn’t have the Sharingan or Byakugan, so he couldn’t see Muzuki’s exact condition through the dense fog.

But this move was Lord Hanzo’s proud Ninjutsu, and Lord Hanzo knew its power well; even if one defended with Ninjutsu in time, they would inevitably be injured by the explosion.

The thick smoke quickly dispersed in the strong wind and heavy rain, revealing Muzuki, completely unharmed.

At the moment of the explosion, Muzuki used his perfect-grade Armament Haki for defense; even if Lord Hanzo had buried twice as many explosive tags, Muzuki could still block them.

Seeing Muzuki without any injuries, Lord Hanzo showed a surprised expression.

If Muzuki had used a clone tactic, he wouldn’t have been so surprised, but Muzuki directly withstood his Exploding Flame Array, which Lord Hanzo couldn’t understand, and he didn’t see any traces of defensive Ninjutsu next to Muzuki.

“Could it be extreme Earth Release hardening?” A conjecture appeared in Lord Hanzo’s mind.

Each Chakra Nature Transformation has its characteristics: Fire Release can burn and explode, Lightning Release activates cells, and Earth Release Chakra can harden the body. Simpler ones include Hardening Technique, and more advanced ones include Earth Spear.

Even though his killing move was blocked, Lord Hanzo remained calm; he still had many methods, some of which even the strongest hardening couldn’t withstand.

Looking at the unharmed Muzuki, Nagato’s memories stopped, and his expression turned to surprise.

“He even held back when fighting me.” Kakuzu also thought Muzuki had extremely high Earth Release hardening ability.

The Ninja Sect instantly relaxed a lot when they saw Muzuki was fine.

“As long as we hold our ground, there’s still a chance. Ninja Master Sōsuke’s strength is no less than Lord Hanzo’s,” Ikechou said, staring intently at the elite Rain Ninja standing above.

Ikechou felt that if he told his past self about the time he spent following Muzuki, his past self would definitely not believe this was his future.

The slogan “Ninja Master Sōsuke rivals Lord Hanzo” was just Ikechou wanting to capitalize on Lord Hanzo’s popularity in the Land of Rain; he truly hadn’t expected Muzuki and Lord Hanzo to be Ninja of the same level.

Looking at the unharmed Muzuki, Kitsuchi showed a shocked expression.

He had only thought about it casually, but Muzuki actually had such strong Earth Release hardening.

Kitsuchi would call Muzuki the strongest Earth Release hardening Ninja, because even among the Iwagakure who specialize in Earth Release, no Ninja had mastered Earth Release hardening of that level.

Whoosh!

Taking advantage of Lord Hanzo’s moment of surprise, Muzuki burst Chakra and charged out, throwing a punch at Lord Hanzo.

Lord Hanzo was confident in his Taijutsu as well; he could defeat the Samurai of the Land of Iron without using Ninjutsu. Confident Lord Hanzo did not retreat.

He had trained his Taijutsu for most of his life; could it really be inferior to Muzuki, a young man not yet thirty?

Bang!!

A dull thud sounded, and the moment Lord Hanzo and Muzuki made contact, Lord Hanzo flew backwards like a kite with a broken string, smashing hard onto the ground.

Muzuki was not surprised by this at all; Lord Hanzo had overestimated his Taijutsu ability.

Just now, Muzuki not only used Rock Breathing Full Concentration to enter the Transparent World state, but he also had the first strike. How could Lord Hanzo dare to face him head-on?

“Lord Lord Hanzo!” A Rain Ninja exclaimed in surprise upon seeing Lord Hanzo get knocked flying.

In the hearts of their Amegakure, Lord Hanzo was undoubtedly the strongest Ninja.

Ninja Master Sōsuke was said to rival Lord Hanzo, but the Amegakure didn’t think Sōsuke truly had such strength.

However, reality was before them. No matter how much the Amegakure trusted Lord Hanzo, they couldn’t change the fact that their strongest was knocked flying.

The Rain Ninja quickly launched attacks to prevent Muzuki from pursuing Lord Hanzo.

“To still be able to fight like this in this situation.” Danzo Shimura’s expression turned grim.

From Danzo Shimura’s perspective, Lord Hanzo was already well-prepared, yet he still couldn’t gain an advantage against Sōsuke, whose strength far exceeded Danzo’s estimations.

Theoretically, whether Lord Hanzo or Sōsuke won, it would achieve Danzo Shimura’s goal, as his ultimate aim was to weaken the Land of Rain’s power.

However, Danzo Shimura hoped for Lord Hanzo to win, partly because he could continue to cooperate with Lord Hanzo, and partly because Sōsuke and Nagato had greater potential, posing a larger threat to Konoha.

The Ninja Sect side was full of excitement and joy; the stronger Sōsuke’s displayed power, the more favorable the situation was for them.

Lord Hanzo, without even getting up, hastily formed a hand seal with one hand and used Water Instant Body to create distance from Sōsuke.

Sōsuke’s taijutsu was far stronger than Lord Hanzo had imagined, so strong that Lord Hanzo began to doubt if Sōsuke was as young as his face suggested.

In his battle with Kakuzu, Sōsuke displayed terrifying Fire Release, then demonstrated incredibly strong Earth Release by withstanding his Explosion Release formation, and now he was using taijutsu that was much stronger than his own.

Lord Hanzo felt that no Ninja, no matter how talented, could have come so far in so many fields at such a young age.

Having learned his lesson, Lord Hanzo decided not to engage in taijutsu combat with Sōsuke in the upcoming fight; his main strategy was not to be stubborn.

After Sōsuke dodged the Rain Ninja’s attacks, he quickly launched his next wave of attacks against Lord Hanzo.

“Fire Release: Fire Dragon Dance!”

Sōsuke switched his Breathing Technique to Flame Breathing and pushed it to its limit, entering Flame Breathing Chakra Mode to enhance his Fire Release abilities and strengthen his body.

Even though it was raining and Fire Release was countered by Water Release, Sōsuke still intended to use Fire Release against Lord Hanzo.

No other reason than Sōsuke’s Fire Release was strong enough.

To this day, Fire Release remains Sōsuke’s strongest Ninjutsu attack method.

With perfect-level Fire Release Chakra Nature Transformation, coupled with a large number of proficient Fire Release, Sōsuke far surpasses all Ninjas in the current Ninja World in terms of Fire Release, except for Uchiha Madara.

As for Uchiha Madara, Sōsuke hadn’t used Appraisal Technique on his status panel, so it was hard to confirm if Uchiha Madara’s Fire Release Chakra Nature Transformation had reached the perfect level.

Although he hadn’t seen it, Sōsuke felt that with sufficient Chakra, his Fire Release should be no weaker than Uchiha Madara’s, and might even be stronger, as Sōsuke also had proficient-level Flame Breathing, which allowed him to enter Flame Breathing Chakra Mode to enhance his Fire Release.

A large amount of Chakra gathered in Sōsuke’s throat, instantly transformed into Fire Release Chakra, and after faking a hand seal, it was spewed out by Sōsuke as scorching flames.

As the extremely high-temperature flames appeared, the ground next to Sōsuke, dampened by the rain, continuously steamed, gradually turning from wet to dry.

A faint smile appeared on Lord Hanzo’s face; he indeed wasn’t Sōsuke’s match in taijutsu, but daring to fight him with Fire Release was truly seeking death, as he was publicly recognized as the strongest Water Release Ninja in the current Ninja World.

Lord Hanzo believed that only Uchiha Madara, if resurrected, could possibly defeat his Water Release with Fire Release in a heavy rain, and even then, it was only a possibility.

“Super Water Dragon Bullet Technique!”

Lord Hanzo formed hand seals with extreme seriousness, gathering a large amount of Chakra within his body, not only spewing out huge water streams from his mouth but also manipulating the surrounding water.

Under the effect of Lord Hanzo’s powerful Chakra, an enormous, thick water dragon gradually formed; even the dragon horns on its body were as tall as Lord Hanzo himself.

The thick water dragon, under Lord Hanzo’s control, circled around him, absorbing surrounding water and growing even thicker.

Lord Hanzo’s super water dragon had an extraordinary presence, and the sea of fire spewed by Sōsuke was equally formidable; Ninjas who were slightly closer felt a wave of intense heat.

They had never seen such Fire Release Ninjutsu; the temperature of the flames was actually so terrifying.

“Lord Hanzo will definitely win.” Although Sōsuke’s Fire Release didn’t look like ordinary Fire Release, the Rain Ninjas believed Lord Hanzo would definitely win the Ninjutsu clash.

Because it was common Ninja knowledge: Water Release counters Fire Release. Even if the Fire Release was stronger, it couldn’t defeat Water Release.

“Ichigo, if we win this battle, you’ll have a lot of credit. This guy actually wants to use Fire Release against Lord Hanzo’s Fire Release.” The Rain Ninja Jonin couldn’t help but say to Sōsuke’s Shadow Clone beside him.

Earlier, Sōsuke had demonstrated a technique of extinguishing water with fire in his Shadow Clone’s battle.

Sōsuke’s Shadow Clone smiled and said nothing.

Of course he had credit, but not for Lord Hanzo’s side, but for the Ninja Sect’s side.

The initial explosive tag trap was tampered with by him, so Sōsuke and his group only suffered from residual effects.

Danzo Shimura also smiled; even Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was extremely skilled in Fire Release, would not fight Lord Hanzo with Fire Release in such weather.

Danzo Shimura believed the scales of victory were tilting towards Lord Hanzo.

“These guys absolutely can’t imagine how terrifying the power of this Fire Release is.” Seeing Sōsuke use Fire Dragon Dance again, Kakuzu still felt a bit of lingering fear.

Sōsuke’s Fire Dragon Dance was the strongest Fire Release Ninjutsu Kakuzu had ever seen, its power even crushing his Headhunter’s Pressure Damage combined Wind and Fire Ninjutsu.

Kakuzu had encountered strong opponents before, but a Ninja whose single Ninjutsu took out four of his lives was truly a first for him.

Of course, this was mainly because he hadn’t yet cultivated Earth Grudge Fear when he encountered Senju Hashirama.

Other Ninjas fighting Lord Hanzo with Fire Release in heavy rain, Kakuzu would consider them insane, but Kakuzu truly felt that Sōsuke might be able to do it.

“Uncle Sōsuke, hang in there!” Yahiko cheered Sōsuke on in his heart while fending off incoming attacks.

Lord Hanzo’s image in Yahiko’s heart had completely shattered; Yahiko’s hope for the Land of Rain now rested solely on Sōsuke and Nagato.

The sea of fire spewed by Sōsuke split into six fire dragons as it advanced, blocking all of the giant water dragon’s paths.

Although not as large as Lord Hanzo’s giant water dragon, the six fire dragons moving together also looked impressive, exceptionally dazzling in the gloomy rainy weather.

Boom!!!

As they advanced, the water dragon and fire dragons finally collided, and the immense energy they carried exploded, tearing the ground and scorching it black.

The powerful shockwave toppled the trees beside them, and the resulting strong winds made the raindrops in the sky chaotic, scattering in all directions.

Everyone focused intently on the center of the Ninjutsu clash; as the leaders of their respective sides, their battle could greatly influence the entire war.

Danzo Shimura’s expression subtly changed; this was not what he had imagined. Lord Hanzo’s Water Release should have overwhelmingly extinguished Sōsuke’s Fire Release.

“How is this possible? Is his Fire Release even stronger than Hiruzen’s?” Danzo Shimura’s face was full of doubt.

Although Danzo Shimura believed Hiruzen Sarutobi’s personality was unsuitable for Hokage, Danzo Shimura acknowledged Hiruzen Sarutobi’s strength.

“Truly exaggerated.” Kitsuchi’s face was filled with surprise.

If the details of this battle were told, then the Ninja World would gain an undisputed strongest Fire Release Ninja.

To contend with the Ninja World’s strongest Water Release with Fire Release, the value of this Fire Release was simply too high.

Kakuzu nodded, not surprised. This was the Fire Release that had killed him four times in one go; it should have this much power.

Sizzle sizzle!!!

The water dragon’s thick body gradually turned into water vapor and dissipated under the influence of the fire dragon’s scorching flames, while the fire dragon, though also being worn down and shrinking by the water dragon, did so at a much slower pace.

In this clash of water and fire, the fire dragon’s power gradually overwhelmed the water dragon.

Although the fire dragon’s size diminished, it became even more dazzling in the eyes of the Ninjas.

And Lord Hanzo’s expression gradually changed from calm to slightly altered, finally becoming one of utter shock.

He could no longer maintain his composure; the information revealed by this Water Release vs. Fire Release clash was simply too alarming.

Ninjas who have cultivated to Lord Hanzo’s level are intimately familiar with Chakra Nature Transformation.

In a heavy rain environment, for one Ninja to use Fire Release to suppress another Ninja’s Water Release, it could only mean one thing: the Fire Release Ninja’s Ninjutsu level far surpassed that of the Water Release Ninja.

Such things often happened in the Ninja World, because everyone’s Ninja talent is different; it’s normal for a genius’s Fire Release to suppress an ordinary person’s Water Release.

But Lord Hanzo was different; he was the Ninja World’s recognized strongest Water Release user. He never imagined he would one day be suppressed by Fire Release.

“Is it that sage art inheritance?” Lord Hanzo believed Sōsuke’s Fire Release was abnormally strong, inhumanly strong.

If it was linked to the legendary Six Paths Sage, Lord Hanzo found it more reasonable.

“Water Release: Water Formation Wall!”

“Water Release: Wild Water Wave!”

Some of the closer Rain Ninjas, seeing Lord Hanzo at a disadvantage, immediately used Water Release Ninjutsu to help Lord Hanzo block Sōsuke’s Fire Release.

But Sōsuke’s full-power Fire Release was no joke; under Sōsuke’s control, the six fire dragons, having consumed most of their power, merged into one large fire dragon, breaking through the water dragon with unstoppable force and heading straight for Lord Hanzo.

Lord Hanzo was a very life-preserving person, which is why he had trained Water Instant Body to an incredibly proficient level, having once dodged countless Ninjutsu with his mastery-level Water Instant Body.

Relying on the Rain Ninjas’ Water Release interference, Lord Hanzo narrowly dodged the fire dragon’s attack without sustaining any injuries.

Lord Hanzo licked his somewhat dry lips, his gaze towards Sōsuke becoming incredibly grave; the scorched marks on the ground and the temperature of his body all spoke of the terrifying power of Sōsuke’s Fire Release.

If it were a one-on-one battle, even with his fast Water Instant Body, he probably wouldn’t be able to completely dodge Sōsuke’s attacks in such a situation.

Sōsuke exhaled deeply and immediately exited Flame Breathing Chakra Mode.

Although his full-power Fire Release was very strong, it consumed a lot of Chakra.

Before becoming a Chakra-tank like Nagato, Sōsuke’s full-power Fire Release could only be used as a special move, at most once or twice per battle.

“If this Sōsuke can survive, then the Land of Rain is about to change.” Kitsuchi felt that this trip to the Land of Rain was not in vain; just the intelligence on Sōsuke’s Ninjutsu was very important.

If Sōsuke defeated Lord Hanzo and took his place in the Land of Rain, then Sōsuke would be an opponent Iwagakure needed to take seriously.

“Summoning Technique!”

Seeing that Sōsuke could use Fire Release to suppress his Water Release, Lord Hanzo decided to use his last trump card—poison.

His Nin-Beast could spew incredibly virulent poisonous mist; even Tsunade would find it difficult to cure his Salamander’s poison.

White mist exploded, and a giant Salamander appeared at Lord Hanzo’s feet.

“All Ninjas, attack the Ninja Sect Ninjas with full force, at all costs!” Lord Hanzo, having summoned his Nin-Beast, immediately ordered the Rain Ninjas.

Although Sōsuke’s strength was great, the other Ninja Sect Ninjas did not possess Sōsuke’s strength. Under the charge of a hundred elite Rain Ninjas, regardless of casualties, those Ninja Sect Ninjas would surely be injured, which might distract Sōsuke during the battle.

Lord Hanzo initially wanted to defeat Sōsuke and eliminate the Ninja Sect with minimal cost, but Sōsuke’s displayed strength was too great. Now, Lord Hanzo only wanted to completely eliminate Sōsuke, even if many Rain Ninjas would be killed or injured.

Receiving Lord Hanzo’s order, the Rain Ninjas stopped releasing Ninjutsu and throwing Ninja tools from a distance, and all charged towards Nagato and his group.

“If you want to live, work harder. Lord Hanzo has targeted our side as a breakthrough point.” Kakuzu understood Lord Hanzo’s intention after a brief thought.

Lord Hanzo’s most proficient Ninjutsu was Water Release, and even his most proficient Water Release couldn’t compare to Sōsuke’s Fire Release, so it would certainly be very difficult for Lord Hanzo to defeat Sōsuke.

But Sōsuke wasn’t alone; he had brought the Ninja Sect Ninjas.

If Sōsuke cared enough about his comrades, then these Ninja Sect Ninjas would be Sōsuke’s weakness.

Kakuzu, who had observed Sōsuke closely for a while, knew exactly what kind of person Sōsuke was: Sōsuke cared deeply about the Ninja Sect’s Ninjas. If something happened to their side, it would definitely affect Sōsuke’s battle.

Ikechou took a deep breath and pulled out several Kunai with explosive tags attached.

This was his first time participating in a battle of this caliber; in the past, he had only fought other rogue Ninjas at most.

And this time, his opponents were Lord Hanzo, the Demigod of the Land of Rain, and hundreds of elite Rain Ninjas from the Land of Rain.

“I will absolutely not let his scheme succeed.” Yahiko clenched his fists, ready to fight with all his might.

As much as Yahiko had admired Lord Hanzo before, he now detested him just as much.

Nagato quickly gathered Chakra, his eyes filled with unwavering resolve.

He had to protect Yahiko, protect Konan, protect everyone in the Ninja Sect, and absolutely not let their side affect Sōsuke’s battle.

Konan took out special paper Shuriken made with Paper Ninjutsu, and Yahiko and Nagato quickly formed hand seals.

“Pay attention to the movements of that Ninja with the Rinnegan. If necessary, you can move out to seize the Rinnegan at any time.” Danzo Shimura instructed the Root Ninja beside him.

With a hundred elite Rain Ninjas moving out together, the situation on the field became chaotic, and Danzo Shimura worried that the Rinnegan might be destroyed.

Regardless of whether the Rinnegan could be transplanted, it was always right to get it first.

“Should we help Lord Hanzo?” The Iwagakure Jonin beside Kitsuchi asked.

“Let’s wait and see.” Kitsuchi shook his head after thinking.

PS: 8k today as well, humbly asking for some monthly votes. I’ll try to update more until this plot arc is finished.