Naruto: Escape From Konoha

Chapter 177: 173: Blood Rain (2)

The dark clouds in the sky grew thicker and darker, as though they aimed to flatten the sky and the earth.

Lightning bolts crackled within the dense clouds, their thunderous roars echoing.

Ignoring the harsh weather and environment, Chiyo stood drenched in the rain, her fists clenched, and she drew a deep breath. Even with Sunagakure's meticulous preparations, there was no guarantee of a 100% victory in this battle. Nonetheless, they had come too far to turn back now.

From the moment the war began, there was no justice or evil, only winners and losers. In a ninja world where outcomes determined everything, victory was paramount.

This battle, therefore, could not be lost.

"Hanzo, your legend ends here."

Chiyo murmured in a somber tone, a hint of sadness flickering in her eyes. Perhaps she had foreseen a future where she might confront a similar fate.

For a ninja, life was all about battle. Especially old people, who had witnessed the passage of time, had spent their lives in constant fight.

Apart from battle, they found no other purpose in their existence.

Thus, Hanzo had to be killed. Ame had to fall.

"Everyone-." Chiyo's voice cut through the curtain of rain, resonating clearly in the ears of the Suna ninjas behind her.

They advanced as one, quickly securing the cliff's edge with determination and excitement in their expressions.

Not even the relentless rain could extinguish their restlessness and passion.

They fought for various reasons. The Land of Wind, Sunagakure, a better life for their families, and more.

With their lethal swords in hand, they were ready to bury their enemies.

As they prepared to partake in this killing feast, Chiyo's eyes shed their sorrow, leaving only a resolute and merciless gaze aimed at the enemies before her.

A ninja's life was a relentless cycle of battle from birth to deat. A cursed fate that couldn't be escaped.

Raising her arm, Chiyo pointed forward with a vigorous gesture.

The sound of rain drummed in their ears, and the thunder rumbled on.

And so, the Suna ninjas transformed into swift shadows, as fast as the wind, like a pack of wild beasts, rushing down the cliffside. Their charge shook the very earth.

Rainwater pooled into streams, sending ripples outward. At the head of the Ame army, Hanzo stood unfazed, allowing the wind and rain to blow on his body.

Wearing a gas mask and holding a poison-infused sickle connected by a chain, his long, light yellow hair billowed in the wind and rain. And under the corners of his eyes werw marks of time left behind by the vicissitudes of life.

Facing the charge of a thousand Suna ninjas, Hanzo remained eerily calm. It was as though he had returned to his youth, the self who had once sought peace.

Ninja war was truly exhausting.

He longed for rest.

Tired of fighting.

Fear.

Uneasiness

Uncertainty.

Death and old age loomed before him, an inescapable destiny for a ninja.

No matter how magnificent one's life had been, they couldn't escape the ultimate fate of aging and death.

"Let's go." Hanzo whispered softly, removing his gas mask and releasing the poisonous gas stored within his body.

Ripples danced on the water's surface, and his figure disappeared from view.

Ame ninjas, wearing their own gas masks, charged forward upon hearing the wind.

"The legend of the demigod is over-."

Declared a Suna ninja, proficient in Kenjutsu using wind infusion and highly confident in his Kenjutsu skills.

The demigod, the pinnacle of modern ninja, had been a mountain many had aspired to conquer.

He was one of them.

As the old era passed, the new age beckoned to him.

With excitement and confidence within his gaze, the wind dissipated, and the ninja's sword was cut off by the silver light..

His chest opened in a spray of brilliant crimson, and he met his death in a glorious, joyous delusion.

Such was the mercy Hanzo bestowed upon him.

His figure disappeared once more, the sound of his chain-sickle's blade acting as a death knell on the battlefield.

A torrent of blood gushed from the fallen Suna ninja's body.

"Wind Release - Great Cast Net!"

The hurricane approached, a net-shaped wind attack with devastating reach.

Its speed left no time to counter with a ninjutsu.

"What?"

Believing he could restrain Hanzo's movements, the wind net was cut straight down the middle by Hanzo.

Hanzo swiftly moved, bending slightly and holding his sickle in his right hand while channeling chakra into his left, landing a forceful blow to the Suna ninja's stomach.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

"Ugh!"

Intense pain coursed through his stomach.

The Suna ninja staggered back, clutching his stomach, saliva dribbling from his mouth, his eyes nearly rolling back.

Boom!

A massive explosion erupted, shrouding the vicinity in thick smoke, and an eerie, colossal figure emerged from the white mist.

The slimy sound of salivation and the grinding of teeth accompanied this ghastly reveal, sending shivers down the spines of the Suna ninjas encircling Hanzo.

It resembled a monstrous creature devouring its prey, with fresh blood smeared at the corner of its mouth. Its tail lashed about merrily, sweeping aside attacking Suna ninjas like mere garbage.

"Ibuse!"

Hanzo jumped on the giant salamander.

Ibuse, with its sole mouth, rapidly spread the poisonous mist. The purple mist teemed with lethal poisons and clouded vision.

However, those Suna ninjas without gas masks who stood in the poison-laden mist showed no signs of being affected.

"Did that old puppet woman do something to them?"

Hanzo sighed.

Every Suna ninja participating in the war was equipped with poison-resistant gear. They were indeed a cut above smaller countries due to the financial and material resources of the five great nations.

Yet Hanzo remained unfazed. He needed his poison to take effect. Otherwise, this battle was futile.

Ibuse jumped up, sowing chaos in the crowd.

"No, this thing is incredibly fast!"

A frantic Suna ninja shouted.

A creature of such size, combined with lightning speed, made it an unstoppable war machine.

"Scorch Release · Extremely Steaming Murder!"

Four fiery orbs of orange streaked through the air. Where they passed, rainwater instantly evaporated.

Hanzo squinted.

Springing into action, Ibuse sensed the impending danger. Its black hook claws gouged the earth wildly before vanishing underground, leaving a huge black hole in its wake.

Observing that both Hanzo and his summoned beast had evaded her ninjutsu, the Suna jōnin who had released it hastily withdrew, maintaining a safe distance from Hanzo to avoid becoming his next victim.

Based on their earlier battle, she understood the formidable speed of Hanzo's Body Flicker and Kenjutsu. A moment of carelessness could spell instant death.

Their strategy was clear: strike and maintain distance, fundamental to countering Hanzo.

"Is it Pakura of the Scorch Release? If that fireball lands on this old man, he will be in trouble."

As one of the leading figure of Sunas younger generation, Hanzo paid attention to her.

Scorch Release was indeed a powerful Kekkei Genkai, capable of instantaneously evaporating the moisture in a victim's body and reducing it to a mummy. Its nature was extremely dangerous and sure-kill

However, it came with a significant drawback. Its somewhat slow speed. Hanzo could easily dodge with his Body Flicker, as long as he remained attentive.

Boom!

The earth shook, and Ibuse's huge form erupted from the ground. Despite their premonition, the Suna ninjas suffered some damage.

Hanging from the black claws were two lifeless Suna ninjas, mercilessly impaled.

Ibuse appeared both deceptively innocent with its large head and small eyes and filled with a savage light.

Its poisonous breath, accompanied by the sound of saliva and teeth churning, struck terror into the Suna ninjas. It resonated like a ravenous monster savoring its prey.

Ibuse extended its maw filled with a poisonous breath, its limbs firmly planted, as it roared menacingly at the encircling Suna ninjas. Its tail thrashed wildly, dissuading any would-be attackers, so they could only use ninjutsu to limit its movement.

"Damn, didn't the intel suggest its primary ability was poison?"

"Idiot, salamanders are naturally amphibious carnivorous creatures known for their cruel attitude."

The sudden appearance of a huge, lightning-fast salamander with an uncanny capacity for burrowing through the earth plunged the Suna ninjas into momentary disarray.

During their previous clash, Ibuse and Hanzo didn't pause to devise a strategy.

"Water Release · Water Dragon Bullet!"

Hanzo retrieved his sickle, which he had flung earlier, and leaped back onto Ibuse's head, forming seals with one hand.

"Ugh! What's that!?"

The ground trembled.

A large number of torrents gathered around Ibuse, materializing a huge water dragon that eclipsed the salamander. It absorbed all rainwater, creating severe cracks in the ground. It flew towards the sky, its fierce eyes focusing before descending from the skies at a considerable height.

Boom!

More than a dozen Suna ninjas, unable to react in time, were struck by the water dragon. Their bones shattered before they were devoured by the dragon in one gulp.

Swallowing over a dozen Suna ninjas, it created a chasm in the earth. The water dragon persisted, sweeping through the Suna ninjas in its path, subjecting them to a storm of terror as they were flung aside unstoppably, covered in mud.

Upon witnessing the water dragon's brutal rampage, the Suna ninjas' faces paled in sheer horror.

Boom!

The chakra sustaining the water dragon vanished, transforming into an immense torrent, encompassing a large number of Suna ninjas, shaping a small lake at the heart of the battlefield.

Ibuse descended from the sky with Hanzo on his back, finding a perch within the small lake. It sprinted, instantly seizing a trembling Suna ninja attempting to regain their footing on the water's surface.

Ibuse with its razor-sharp teeth, effortlessly engulfing the Suna ninja whole.

The world was bathed in thunderous illumination. The bone-chilling sound was like a waking nightmare.

From atop Ibuse, Hanzo's cold stare locked onto the gathering of Suna ninjas.

In that moment, a dangerous signal pricked his senses.

"Ibuse, get out of the way!"

But it was too late.

Ibuse screamed, and a bloody hole was punched out in the side of its body by some kind of sharp weapon.

Furious, Ibuse turned its body, intending to tear the attacker's body apart with his pitch-black claws.

The attacker, unhurried, raised their arm black-stained arm.

Boom!

The huge force coaxed the water into forming a protective barrier around them, which then turned into surging waves, moving outward.

Hanzo's eyes widened slightly.

The mysterious attacker had effectively blocked Ibuse's attack.

Half-kneeling on the water's surface, the attacker gritted their teeth against the pain. Yet their resolute green pupils remained fixed on Hanzo.

"I remember you..."

Hanzo seemed to recognize the identity of his attacker. The attacker retreated, beyond Ibuse's attack range, taking a deep breath.

"Long time no see, Hanzo. I've come for your head."

"Are you here to join the fight against me, Kakuzu?"

Hanzo snorted coldly, revealing the intruder's identity.

"It's just business. Killing you before your head expires is good business."

"Then allow this old man to show you with a fight."

Hanzo's eyes radiated cold resolve.

Securing Kakuzu's presence in the battlefield hinted at the Iwagakure's involvement in Suna's plight. They relied on bounty hunters involved in the black market or rogue ninja like Kakuzu.

"I wish I could, but it appears your subordinates are struggling." Kakuzu snorted.

Hanzo turned to look at the scene. Indeed, as Kakuzu had said, under the relentless onslaught of Suna ninjas, the Ame ninjas couldn't hold their ground and were steadily retreating.

"Ibuse!"

Ibuse glared angrily at Kakuzu, advancing towards the struggling Ame ninja's.

Suna ninjas attempted to block their path, but faced with an enraged Ibuse and Hanzo's swift kenjutsu attacks, they couldn't restrain their advance.

"Water Release · Water Dragon Bullet!"

The huge water dragon roared out again, driving back the surrounding Suna ninjas before transforming into a surging flood that engulfed the landscape.

"Hanzo-sama!"

Kandachi jumped onto Ibuse's back, yanked out the broken sword embedded in his arm, and stood beside Hanzo, drenched in blood.

"Are you alright, Kandachi?"

Hanzo's eyes brimmed with compassion as he observed his loyal comrade's miserable condition.

Kandachi wiped the blood from his face and managed a smile. "Don't worry, Hanzo-sama. This is your will."

"I'll ensure you return alive. Then, we'll rectify our nation."

Hanzo pledged resolutely.

"I trust you, Hanzo-sama."

"However, speaking of which, hasn't Konoha's support arrived yet?"

Hanzo's expression showed a puzzled lookf.

"Konoha's support?"

Kandachi reflected for a moment before replying, "No, I doubt they'll come to our aid."

"?"

Pfft!

A blade pierced through his chest, and blood spattered on Ibuse's back.

Hanzo's body stiffened, disbelief flickering in his gaze as he stared at Kandachi.

"Kandachi, you..."

Kandachi turned around, delivering a forceful kick to Hanzo's abdomen, shooting him tumbling down from Ibuse.

Immediately afterwards, he jumped off from Ibuse's back and melded into the crowd of Suna ninjas, taking refuge.

"I'm sorry, Hanzo-sama, but I don't want to die with you. I was fine hiding away in the village as I did. I'm only too greedy for my life and i fear death.. What kind of hero would I be to stand by your side now? If that were the case, wouldn't I be betraying myself?" Kandachi pondered inwardly.

As a result, he despised Hanzo very much.. If he couldn't muster the courage to face death and clung to life, why should he subject his closest confidant to such a fate?

His body was ravaged, bearing countless concealed injuries. Defying Suna was a lost cause no matter how one looked at it.

"Hanzo-sama!"

"Kandachi, you traitor!"

The Ame ninjas voiced their dismay, their curses reverberating.

Medical ninjas rushed to stop Hanzo's profuse bleeding.

However, Hanzo who was stabbed by the sword was in too much pain. It wasn't solely physical pain but the pain of betrayal.Why had Kandachi betrayed him... his most trusted confidant?

Hanzo had instructed him in kenjutsu, ninjutsu, and even granted him a share of power within Amegakure. Yet here he was, stabbed in the back, both physically and mentally.

Pain and loss, but no regrets.

"It's over, Hanzo. Let me send you off for the last time and present you with a final puppet show."

Chiyo sighed as she withdrew a scroll from her bag.

The memories of her past encounters with Hanzo still lingered vividly in her mind. She didn't wish to see her old friend off in this manner. But to minimize Suna's losses, she had to accept Kandachi's defection and resort to unscrupulous means to defeat Hanzo. This was the price she had to pay to face the combined forces of Konoha and Ame.

Once Hanzo fell, it would be Konoha's turn from the Land of Fire. To honor her old friend, she would arrange a grand funeral.

A white scroll unfurled in mid-air, revealing a strange and unique seal.

Seeing the scroll hovering, Chiyo promptly performed her seals, and the ten characters inscribed on the scroll burst forth in a surge of purple chakra. They manifested into humanoid puppets, each adorned in white robes and wielding various weapons. They surrounded Chiyo.

"It's incredibly powerful. It's elder Chiyo's ultimate puppet jutsu, the White Secret Jutsu: The Chikamatsu Collection Of Ten Puppets!"

"Yes, she's a living legend, capable of manipulating puppets with a single finger."

Puppet masters showed their enthusiasm and excitement. Even those who weren't proficient in puppetry understood the sheer difficulty of controlling ten puppets and the tremendous power they wielded.

"The Ten Puppet Jutsu of the puppet old woman. This is troublesome... Cough..."

Hanzo winced in pain as he struggled to rise from the ground. His body's deterioration was more severe than he had anticipated. Simply standing consumed all his strength.

Konoha's support had yet to arrive, and he suspected they might have fallen into another Suna ambush. Kandachi's betrayal had confirmed that Suna had obtained the route of his and Konoha's advance, making it impossible for them to provide support.

What should he do next? Was death trule inevitable?

Fear surged within Hanzo. If he hadn't opposed Suna, he wouldn't have been in this perilous situation.

Kandachi wouldn't have betrayed him, and he wouldn't have lost his precious life. He could have remained a demigod in people's hearts, the undefeated legend of Amegakure. But now, as he gazed into the eyes of Suna ninjas filled with ridicule and contempt, his legend lay in ruins.

"What am I doing, standing up like this? I've been greedy for life and afraid of death. Why did I make such a ridiculous decision for this country?"

It didn't matter. His body could still move, and as long as he could move, he could escape. To escape meant survival. Yes, as long as he escaped, his desire for life burned fervently. He wanted to live and refused to die.

But when he began to retreat, blood splattered across his face, jolting him from his daze. It was an unfamiliar face, a young ninja of only sixteen or seventeen years, wearing Ame's forehead protector.

The young man had replaced Hanzo and shielded him from the Kunai and Shuriken flying in from a distance.

"Han...Hanzo-sama, please... be careful."

With kunai and shuriken piercing his body, the youth's body convulsed, his eyes gradually losing focus.

"I wanted to be a hero... to live... Mako is waiting for me... she said she wanted to marry a hero... but now I can't go back..."

His lips continued to move, but no sound emerged. He died with a smile on his face.

Hanzo stared blankly at the young corpse. What had the youth been thinking? Why had he sacrificed himself to save him, an escaping ninja? His sacrifice seemed meaningless and worthless. Hanzo pondered who Mako might be – a beautiful and kind girl of the same age, perhaps.

Lifting his arms, everything seemed to come to a standstill. Then the blade descended. A puppet wearing a white robe rushed forth and shattered in the middle, sending wood chips flying.

"Why?"

Chiyo's eyes widened. Hanzo, who had been gravely injured, should not have been capable of wielding such power.

"I didn't expect you to retain such strength, but this is merely a desperate struggle. I won't accept the corpse not worth a hundred million ryo."

Kakuzu said. He saw through Hanzo's weak nature. The light in his pupils intensified. To him, money was the meaning of life. Without it, the world was filled with indifference and betrayal.

....

"Hurry up! We're almost there!"

In the midst of a storm, Yahiko rushed toward the battlefield between Ame and Suna, accompanied by more than a dozen members of Akatsuki, including Nagato and Konan.

"Yahiko, are we really going to stop this war?" Nagato came to Yahoko's side and asked.

Yahiko clenched his fists, determination gleaming in his eyes. "That's right, we must stop it. The Land of Rain can't bear any more suffering. War will only bring further suffering. Jiraiya-sensei believes that people will enter an era of mutual understanding."

"But..."

"It doesn't matter, Nagato. I'll become the bridge to make them understand each other. If Jiraiya-sensei were here, he would support me. Akatsuki must take this step now. We can only save this country by fostering understanding between its people. Hanzo-sam is too rash."

Yahiko's words resonated with everyone present, reflecting his commitment to peace and his resolve to end the war.

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