Boom!
There was no suspense at all.
The terrifying water dragon—over a hundred meters long and powerful enough to obliterate half the camp—burst apart like a fragile bubble the instant it collided with the crimson giant.
The Totsuka Blade hadn't even been fully swung.
Just the spiritual flames burning along its edge evaporated the water dragon into a vast cloud of white mist.
Hanzo froze in place, eyes wide behind his mask, as if they were about to split apart.
"Th-this… is this the power of a god?"
His ultimate technique—his greatest pride—had failed to even breach the enemy's defense.
The towering Susanoo stood there like an unscalable mountain, crushing Hanzo's confidence and dignity into dust in a single instant.
"Hanzo, is that all you've got?"
Standing atop Susanoo's forehead, Tobirama folded his arms, his gaze filled with open mockery.
"Weren't you just talking about sending me on my way?"
"What's wrong—haven't eaten?"
Ridicule.
Unrestrained, merciless ridicule.
Hanzo's face flushed a deep, ugly red, humiliation burning through his body like wildfire.
Who was he?
He was Hanzo of the Salamander—the man revered across the Ninja World as a Demigod!
When had he ever endured such disgrace?
"Bastard! Don't get cocky!"
Hanzo completely lost his composure, rage shattering his reason.
He frantically swung the damaged sickle in his hand, pushing the Body Flicker Technique to its absolute limit.
"Water Release: Water Wave!"
"Explosive Flame Formation!"
"Secret Technique: Poison Mist Spray!"
One ninjutsu after another rained down on Susanoo as if chakra were limitless.
Explosions roared in succession. Flames shot skyward.
And yet—
When the smoke cleared, the crimson giant stood exactly as before.
Not a scratch.
The Yata Mirror hadn't even been revealed; the ribcage and armor alone had blocked everything.
"It's useless."
Tobirama shook his head, looking at Hanzo as though he were watching a clown's act.
"Before absolute power, your struggle is no different from a baby throwing punches."
"Since you refuse to give up…"
Tobirama's eyes turned ice-cold.
Susanoo's massive arm swung down violently.
Like swatting an insect, it slammed toward Hanzo.
The crushing wind pressure descended, suffocating and overwhelming. Hanzo's heart clenched in terror as he hastily summoned Ibuse once more.
The giant salamander had barely landed, not even given time to spew poison—
Squelch!
The Totsuka Blade descended.
No flourish.
No technique.
Like slicing through fruit and vegetables.
The legendary salamander that once terrified the Ninja World was pinned directly to the ground.
Spiritual flames instantly engulfed its massive body, and in the blink of an eye, it was sealed into the gourd—leaving nothing behind.
"Salamader…!"
Hanzo stood stunned.
The summon that had accompanied him for decades was simply… gone.
A single strike.
"Next, it's your turn."
Ignoring the dazed Hanzo, Tobirama guided Susanoo's gaze toward the Rain shinobi, who were already frozen in terror.
The dozens-of-meters-long Totsuka Blade swept horizontally.
If even Hanzo couldn't withstand Susanoo, how could they?
"Run! Run now!"
"It's a devil! A monster!"
The Rain ninja collapsed into chaos, screaming as they fled in all directions.
But how could human legs outrun a blade forty meters long?
Rumble!
Sword pressure tore across the battlefield.
The earth split open. Trees were pulverized.
Dozens of Rain ninja were erased before they could even scream, crushed into blood and flesh by the overwhelming force.
Moments ago, the Rain army had been brimming with momentum.
Now, a massive chunk of it was simply gone.
A river of blood.
A literal river of blood.
On Konoha's side, everyone was dumbstruck.
"Is Lady Tsunade's disciple really this terrifying…?"
Hanzo watched the scene, his heart violently convulsing.
He had lost.
Lost completely.
Demigod?
Before this power, he was nothing.
If he continued fighting, he would die here.
"Retreat!!"
Grinding his teeth, Hanzo barked his final command.
Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and fled.
Activating the Body Flicker Technique, his form became an afterimage as he vanished into the rain.
"Trying to run?"
In the middle of his slaughter, Tobirama frowned as he watched Hanzo flee like a rat.
"You talk big, then try to leave?"
"There's no such thing as a free meal."
"Susanoo's too bulky to chase you down?"
"Then try this."
Tobirama dismissed Susanoo, his right eye snapping open.
Blood streamed down from his Mangekyō Sharingan.
His vision locked onto the retreating figure.
"Amaterasu."
Whoosh!
Black flames ignited out of thin air around Hanzo's right arm.
They held no heat—yet burned everything.
"Aaaaaah!!!"
Hanzo screamed as he fell from midair, crashing into the mud.
"What kind of fire is this?!"
"Water Release—put it out!"
He desperately washed his arm with water, even rolling through the mud.
But the black flames clung like parasites, burning ever more fiercely and creeping toward his shoulder.
Agony tore straight into his soul.
Hanzo stared at the sinister flames, terror surging uncontrollably.
If he didn't act, he would be burned to nothing.
"Damn it… damn you, Uchiha!!"
At the brink of death, ruthless resolve flashed in his eyes.
Slash!
With his left hand, Hanzo swung the sickle down.
He severed his own right arm at the shoulder.
Blood sprayed violently, soaking half his body.
The severed arm—still engulfed in black flames—fell to the ground, instantly burning a deep crater into the earth.
"Uchiha Tobirama!!"
Clutching the stump, Hanzo's face turned deathly pale, his eyes filled with venomous hatred.
"I will remember this!"
"Today may be my defeat—but don't think this ends here!"
"Explode!!"
With his roar, the spot where Salamander had been sealed suddenly detonated.
A massive poison sac burst apart.
Purple toxin spread instantly—over ten times stronger than before.
Using the poison as cover, Hanzo endured the agony and transformed into a stream of water, sinking into the earth and disappearing completely.
"You were quick."
Tobirama covered his bleeding right eye and didn't pursue.
Amaterasu consumed tremendous ocular power, and after maintaining Susanoo, even he was feeling the strain.
Besides…
This poison was troublesome.
The purple mist rapidly engulfed the entire camp.
"Cough—cough—!"
"I… I can't breathe…"
The Konoha ninja who had been cheering moments earlier collapsed in waves.
This poison was Hanzo's final trump card; even a trace was enough to paralyze the nerves.
Even the Sannin couldn't withstand it.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru dropped instantly, foam forming at their mouths.
Tsunade resisted with her antibodies and Medical Ninjutsu, but her face turned bluish-purple, her body swaying on the verge of collapse.
The only one still standing—
Was Tobirama.
[Healthy Itachi Template Trait: Immunity to All Poisons (Activated)]
The system notification sounded like music.
Tobirama inhaled deeply; the poison felt no worse than secondhand smoke.
He looked around.
The Rain ninja had fled. Hanzo was crippled.
Konoha's forces lay scattered across the ground.
At this moment, he was the sole commander.
"Don't panic!"
His voice cut through the poison mist—calm, steady, reassuring.
"Anyone who can still move, put on your gas masks!"
"Move the severely poisoned upwind immediately!"
"Medical Corps—get to work!"
The panicked and half-conscious ninja felt as though they'd found a pillar of support.
They looked up at the youth standing unscathed within the poison.
Their gazes no longer held fondness for a junior.
Only admiration.
And awe.
One strike to wipe out dozens.
A giant avatar that overpower a Demigod.
Forcing Hanzo to sever his own arm to survive.
Such feats deserved reverence.
"Yes… yes! Lord Tobirama!"
"Hurry! Follow Lord Tobirama's orders!"
"Move it! Everyone move!"
Chaos dissolved into order with a single command.
Even veteran jonin obeyed without hesitation.
In this Ninja World, strength was authority.
And right now, Tobirama's strength reigned supreme.
He quickly reached Tsunade's side.
Moments ago, the proud Princess of Konoha—
Now she was half-kneeling, consciousness fading.
"Tsunade-sensei, can you still hold on?"
Tobirama supported her as he spoke.
Her body was burning hot.
"The… the poison is too strong…"
She opened her eyes weakly. Seeing Tobirama, her tense expression finally relaxed.
"Tobirama… the rest… is up to you…"
Her body went limp, collapsing into his arms.
Tobirama sighed.
Looking at the powerful woman now unconscious, her strength completely drained—
"Fine. You are my teacher, after all."
He lifted Tsunade into a princess carry.
The nearby ninja lowered their eyes and focused on treating the wounded, not daring to overthink the scene.
Tobirama pulled open the tent flap and walked inside.
"Now," he said quietly.
"Treatment begins."