Thanks to the overwhelming performance of the Sannin—Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru—Hanzō finally chose to intervene personally. In an instant, the four were locked in a brutal clash. Yet at this stage, the Sannin were clearly no match for him.
"Summoning Technique: Salamander!"
A massive cloud of smoke erupted as the gigantic, venomous salamander opened its maw. Thick purple poison billowed forth like a tidal wave, swallowing the battlefield in moments.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!" Jiraiya roared, spewing a storm of blazing fire in an attempt to burn back the spreading poison.
At the same time, Orochimaru's hands transformed into countless venomous snakes, lunging from blind spots to bind Hanzō's limbs.
From above, Tsunade descended like a falling star.
"Heavenly Foot of Pain!"
Her kick—powerful enough to shatter mountains—crashed straight toward the crown of Hanzō's head.
Hanzō merely snorted coldly.
Body Flicker Technique!
His speed was terrifying—so fast that even his afterimages blurred into nothingness. The poisoned kusarigama traced a lethal arc, instantly shredding Orochimaru's snakes. Using the recoil, Hanzō twisted aside, cleanly evading Tsunade's strike, then countered with a Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet laced with Explosive Tags, blasting Jiraiya straight out of the air.
The poison invaded through their breathing, causing their chakra flow to stagnate almost instantly. Within five minutes, the three—whose teamwork was still crude—were utterly defeated.
At the center of the battlefield, the purple poison writhed like a living thing, the ground hissing as it corroded.
"Huff… huff…"
Jiraiya lay sprawled in the mud, gasping, his body riddled with bloody wounds. Gamabunta had already succumbed to the poison and was forced to disperse.
Nearby, Orochimaru fared no better. His face, pale to begin with, was now paper-white. Blackened blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, his eyes dark and chilling.
Tsunade knelt on one knee. Even with the Strength of a Hundred Seal running at full power, her chakra was nearly exhausted.
Strong.
Too strong.
So this is the power at the very peak of the Ninja World…
Standing atop Ibuse's massive head, Hanzō looked down at the three Konoha youths. Behind his respirator, his gaze was utterly indifferent—like that of a god looking upon insects.
"To survive this long against me…"
"You are impressive."
His heavy, domineering voice pierced through the rain, making ears ring.
"Youths of Konoha. State your names."
Jiraiya wiped mud from his face and gritted his teeth. "Jiraiya."
"Orochimaru."
"Tsunade."
Hanzō nodded. The killing intent in his eyes faded slightly, replaced by something resembling magnanimity toward the strong.
"I, Hanzō, value talent."
"Today, I will spare your lives."
"Bear the title of Konoha Sannin and live on—both as the price of surviving this war, and as proof of your strength."
Sannin.
A title of glory… and of humiliation.
For it meant survival after defeat.
Tsunade clenched her fists until her nails bit into her flesh.
She was unwilling—furious.
But… she truly could not win.
…
While the Sannin were being "named" on one side of the battlefield, the other side told a very different story.
There was no tragic heroism there—only Uchiha Tobirama's relentless slaughter.
"Lightning Release: Chidori Sharp Spear!"
A lance of blue lightning pierced straight through three Amegakure Chūnin lined up in a row.
Puchi!
Like candied hawthorn skewered together.
With a flick of Tobirama's wrist, the lightning detonated, instantly charring the three corpses black.
"Tobirama—watch your back!" a Konoha Chūnin screamed.
Two Amegakure jōnin seized the opening, launching a sneak attack from Tobirama's blind spot, their kunai aimed straight for his heart.
"Too slow."
He didn't even turn around.
The crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan had already captured everything behind him.
"Substitution Technique!"
Bang!
Smoke burst outward. The kunai plunged into a wooden log.
In the next instant, two cold flashes swept across the air.
Tobirama reappeared behind them, blade held in a reverse grip.
Two heads hit the ground.
Blood sprayed like rain, splattering the face of the Konoha Chūnin who had warned him.
He froze in shock.
Dead… just like that?
Those were Special Jōnin!
"They… they couldn't even last a single exchange?"
"Th-thank you…" he stammered, his gaze utterly transformed. He was no longer looking at an "Uchiha brat," but at salvation itself.
"Thank you for saving my life, Lord Tobirama!"
"Lord Tobirama, more comrades are surrounded over there!"
Without realizing it, the way the Konoha ninja addressed him had changed.
From casual shouts to a reverent "Lord."
On a battlefield like this, whoever led them to survival was worth following.
Uchiha arrogance?
Forget it.
This was confidence—the bearing of the truly strong.
Tobirama didn't spare the flattery a glance.
Right now, he felt only exhilaration.
System notifications flooded his mind.
[Killed a Chūnin. Rewards obtained.]
[Killed a Jōnin. Rewards obtained.]
[Prestige increased.]
Who said Ninja Wars were bad?
This one was fantastic.
In less than half an hour, more than fifty Amegakure ninja had fallen beneath his blade. The rain in this sector had turned faintly red.
"Hm?"
Hanzō, still "addressing" the Sannin, suddenly frowned.
He smelled it.
A stench of blood so thick it was impossible to ignore, drifting in from the flank.
He turned, his gaze piercing through the rain—and his pupils shrank.
Corpses.
Everywhere.
All clad in Amegakure uniforms.
At the center of that pile stood a black-haired youth, calmly shaking blood from his blade, his expression indifferent. The surrounding Rain ninja formed a fearful ring around him, yet none dared step forward.
"Who is that?" Hanzō demanded, anger creeping into his voice.
Those were his troops.
The elites he had personally cultivated.
And a single person had slaughtered nearly a third of them?
"Reporting, Lord Hanzō!"
A blood-soaked Amegakure ninja crawled over, face twisted in despair.
"It's a monster! A little monster from Konoha!"
"Even jōnin can't block a single strike from him! The brothers… the brothers are almost all dead!"
"Useless."
Hanzō kicked him away, his expression dark enough to drip water.
He had thought Konoha possessed only three youths worth noting.
He had been wrong.
"A Uchiha brat…"
Hanzō's eyes narrowed, killing intent surging.
Such a genius could not be allowed to live.
If this boy grew any further, he would become a nightmare for the Hidden Rain Village.
Swish!
Hanzō vanished.
Body Flicker Technique!
As the so-called Demigod of the Ninja World, his speed was utterly unreasonable. A hundred meters vanished in an instant as he charged straight at Tobirama.
"Oh no!"
Though exhausted, Tsunade had been watching Hanzō's movements. Her heart nearly leapt from her chest.
"Tobirama! Watch out!"
"Hanzō is coming for you!"
The entire battlefield's attention snapped toward Tobirama.
The Konoha ninja he had just saved felt their hearts turn ice-cold.
It's over.
He's been targeted by the Demigod.
Even Tsunade and Jiraiya together couldn't defeat that monster.
…
Tobirama heard Tsunade's warning.
He felt that crushing, terrifying pressure bearing down on him—like a mountain collapsing.
Yet he didn't run.
He didn't even move his feet.
He slowly turned to face the rapidly approaching figure, the smile on his lips widening… twisting.
"Finally… you're here."
"I've been waiting for you for a long time, old man."
Run?
Why would he?
His goal was to shock the Ninja World.
What was the point of slaughtering fodder?
Only by clashing head-on with the Demigod himself, on this grand stage, could his name truly resound.
"Mangekyō Sharingan—open!"
The tomoe in his eyes spun wildly, pushing his perception to its absolute limit. Chakra roared through his body like molten lava.
Now.
Let the entire Ninja World hear the name—Uchiha Tobirama!
"Uchiha Style: Gale Sword!"
He advanced instead of retreating.
Before the stunned, terrified gazes of the Konoha ninja—who thought him mad—the twelve-year-old raised his blade and charged.
"Is Lord Tobirama insane?!"
"Don't go! That's suicide!"
"It's over… this is Uchiha madness!"
From the Amegakure side came mocking laughter.
"Hahaha! The brat's lost his mind!"
"He dares charge Lord Hanzō?"
"Fool—Lord Hanzō can crush him with one finger!"
Even Hanzō was briefly taken aback.
Then admiration flared in his eyes.
"What courage."
"Facing me, you neither flee nor hesitate to draw your blade."
"Brat of Konoha, you are worthy of being remembered."
"I promise you a swift death."
Despite his words, his strike showed no mercy. The kusarigama swung with lethal force, the poisoned blade screaming through the air.
He used fifty percent of his strength.
Against a mere genin, that was already generous.
It was enough to cleave both man and sword in two.
Closer.
Closer still.
The distance shrank to less than five meters.
Tsunade shut her eyes in despair, unable to watch.
Jiraiya roared, voice cracking. "You idiot brat—get away!"
Only Tobirama was smiling.
Just as the scythe was about to tear into him—
Boom!
Clang—!!!
A thunderous clash of steel shook the heavens. Sparks exploded outward as a massive shockwave surged from the collision, evaporating the rain into a cloud of white mist.
The entire battlefield froze.
Tsunade snapped her eyes open.
The mocking laughter from Amegakure died instantly, like ducks being strangled mid-quack.
Behind his mask, Hanzō's face twisted in disbelief.
Blocked…?
He blocked it?!
The mist cleared.
The youth still stood exactly where he had been, not having retreated even a single step.
The katana in that slender arm firmly stopped Hanzō's kusarigama.
Tobirama looked up.
His crimson Mangekyō Sharingan stared coldly at Hanzō—
like a predator eyeing a corpse.
"Demigod?"
He chuckled, arrogance dripping from his voice.
"Care to dance with me too?"