Salamander Hanzō's gaze toward Kakuzu was filled with utter fury.
"Kakuzu, I've heard the rumors about you, but I never expected to meet you in person here today. Speak—what business do you have in my Land of Rain?"
"What do you think?" Kakuzu replied indifferently.
Hanzō's expression grew even darker. The entire shinobi world had turned against the Land of Dragons recently—news of this had spread so widely that even commoners were aware of it. As the ruler of the Land of Rain, how could he not know?
"Grudges have their rightful owners. Your enmity with Kirigakure is your problem, it has nothing to do with my Land of Rain."
Hanzō's words made perfect sense. He had no intention of allowing his nation to be dragged into this conflict.
Kakuzu chuckled. "From the way you're speaking, you sound innocent. But think carefully—have you truly done nothing in this political game, Hanzō?"
Hanzō's face darkened further.
"My Land of Rain's trade caravans have suffered losses within the Land of Dragons. Should I not seek an explanation for that?" he asked.
Under Hanzō's rule, the Land of Rain was not as isolated as it was in the original timeline. In pursuit of more wealth, he had established trade routes with various nations. His claim was largely true.
"You should ask, but this is not the time," Kakuzu replied.
Merchants who traveled far and wide were bound to experience losses—it was a common occurrence. If Hanzō had inquired at any other time, Kakuzu wouldn't have cared. But asking now, at such a crucial moment, and even sending an official diplomatic letter—it was clear what his true intentions were. He had merely joined the rest of the shinobi world in taking advantage of the Land of Dragons' plight.
Since Hanzō wanted a share of the spoils, Kakuzu had naturally come to pay him a visit.
Hanzō felt stifled. The Land of Dragons' biggest enemy was clearly Kirigakure, yet somehow, his Land of Rain was the one being blamed. How was that fair?
"What if I told you that I am not the one targeting the Land of Dragons—that there's someone else behind all this?"
Kakuzu merely chuckled. There was no doubt that someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes. But if Hanzō had been foolish enough to go along with it and add fuel to the fire, he was still responsible.
"If the mastermind behind all this asked you to give up your position as leader of the Land of Rain, would you comply?"
Hanzō's expression turned ice-cold.
Salamander Hanzō was a man who valued talent, possessed a strong personality, and was committed to protecting his village. But there was one thing he would never tolerate: a threat to his power.
"Since you insist on being stubborn, I won't waste my breath. You dared to trespass into my Land of Rain—now be prepared to face punishment. Do you really think you'll survive once my mobile ninja units arrive?"
Despite being a small nation, the Land of Rain was not weak. It had long survived between the great powers of the Land of Fire, Land of Wind, and Land of Earth. Based on its military strength, its mobile forces numbered at least two thousand shinobi.
For most people, that was an overwhelming force.
But to Kakuzu? It was nothing.
He raised a single finger and pointed at Hanzō.
"Before they arrive, can you survive?"
"Such arrogance! Perhaps the passage of time has made you forget the Second Great Shinobi War!" Hanzō declared, forming hand seals.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A burst of white smoke erupted, revealing a massive salamander. Its upper body was deep purple, while its lower half was pure white. Its head was covered in countless warty bumps, each containing a lethal toxin. Every breath it exhaled was laced with a deadly mist.
Hanzō quickly performed another seal—Body Flicker Jutsu!
This was a basic technique, but its effectiveness varied depending on the user. Take Shisui of the Body Flicker, for instance—his mastery of the jutsu was unmatched, earning him his moniker.
Similarly, Hanzō's usage of the Body Flicker Jutsu was formidable. He didn't just teleport himself—his salamander moved with him. In an instant, they appeared behind Kakuzu.
"Die!"
With a single command, the salamander lashed out, its massive tail crashing down.
A deafening explosion echoed through the iron tower. Dust and debris filled the air, and the spot where Kakuzu had stood was now a pile of rubble.
Hanzō, standing atop his summon, raised his head and scanned the area. It was a shame he had missed, but he wasn't surprised. If taking down Kakuzu were that easy, it would have been unexpected.
He lifted a finger and pointed at Kakuzu.
"You're already dead."
The statement was cryptic, almost theatrical.
But Kakuzu knew better. Hanzō wasn't speaking in vain. His sharp gaze swept around him, noticing that the dust clouds from the impact had been mixed with a subtle, almost imperceptible toxin.
Merely breathing it in would be fatal.
"Impressive. Back in the day, even those three brats from Konoha feared your poison and avoided fighting you up close, didn't they?"
Kakuzu was, of course, referring to the Sannin.
Hanzō's entire body was laced with poison. A normal person would perish from inhaling even the smallest amount.
At that time, Jiraiya had yet to master Sage Mode, and Orochimaru hadn't developed his immortality techniques...
In this situation, the three of them could only manage a stalemate against Hanzō.
"But honestly, I don't think you're all that impressive."
Hearing Kakuzu's slightly contemptuous remark, Hanzō's brows furrowed slightly. It wasn't that he was angered by Kakuzu's words—rather, he was wondering why the man hadn't shown any signs of pain yet.
Kakuzu seemed to read Hanzō's thoughts and responded with a calm smile.
"What are you waiting for? Waiting for the poison to take effect?"
Hanzō's expression shifted momentarily but quickly returned to normal.
"Kakuzu, I know you're strong. Your mastery of Steel Release is practically unparalleled—almost no one can break through your defenses. But no matter how tough your exterior is, your internal organs can't be trained. You've already inhaled my poison. It's only a matter of time before it spreads through your body. And yet, you're still smiling?"
Hanzō's poison was designed to erode internal organs. As for its potency, it was at least on par with what Sunagakure had developed.
"It's fine. I'll admit your poison is quite potent. Removing it won't be easy. But I wasn't laughing at you just now—I just remembered something amusing."
"What?"
Hanzō's frown deepened.
"To be precise, it's more of a joke," Kakuzu said. "A joke called: 'Poisoning Senju Hashirama to death.'"
The moment he finished speaking, Kakuzu raised one hand and formed a seal.
Countless branches burst forth from within the steel tower, instantly wrapping around the salamander beneath Hanzō's feet, binding it tightly.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (262 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)