"What's with this kid? Are all Konoha ninjas this fearless?" Hanzo wondered as he looked at the silver-haired, curly-haired kid not far from him on the battlefield. His eyebrows slightly furrowed, and his mouth under the mask involuntarily pursed.
Having roamed the ninja world for decades, Hanzo knew he was far from being considered a deity of the ninja world, but over the years, he had earned some renown. Among his peers, he was one of the best, not just in the Land of Rain but across the entire ninja world. The reputation of Hanzo of the Salamander was not inferior to the current Five Kage, and it was even more prominent than the Third Mizukage, who rarely left his domain.
Yet here he stood, facing a kid who looked no more than ten years old. This kid not only showed no fear but also seemed to look at him with excitement.
This gaze was both familiar and unfamiliar to Hanzo. It was familiar because in his youth, he used to look at the Seniors of the ninja world with the same eyes. Then, he would use this gaze to watch as one by one, those Seniors met their demise under his scythe.
However, what felt unfamiliar to him was that he hadn't met any Seniors worthy of being looked at like this for too many years. Or perhaps, he had become the "Senior" himself. It's just that he hadn't encountered any juniors brave enough to look at him like this.
Hanzo keenly noticed that the kid clenched his fists, and the tip of the Chakra short sword in his hand slightly lifted. Was he planning to fight him?
"Swoosh!"
Just then, two figures blocked the space between him and the kid. He recognized these two people; they were the two disciples of the Third Hokage.
Orochimaru slightly lowered his head towards Hanzo, not displaying any superiority, and said, "Lord Hanzo, please do not heed only one side of the story from the Iwa-nin. The Konoha ninjas appearing here are only here to support those besieged by the Iwa-nin."
After speaking, he also took out a scroll and laid it on the ground. These were the recent actions of the Iwa-nin in the Land of Rain that he and his two teammates had gathered as evidence. Handing over this evidence to Hanzo was precisely their mission for this journey.
However, things didn't go as smoothly as expected. The ideal scenario was to conduct reconnaissance on the Iwa-nin without being detected, then deliver the collected clues to Hanzo, provoking his anger towards the Iwa-nin.
But Orochimaru didn't expect that their mission this time not only encountered unexpected incidents, resulting in the three of them being besieged by the Iwa-nin, but also the Iwa-nin were playing the same game as them, all to provoke Hanzo's anger towards the other party.
At this moment, as Hanzo looked at Orochimaru and Tsunade, both with pale faces, he was about to reach out to take the scroll from Orochimaru's hand when the Iwa-nin who handed over the message said in a sly tone:
"Lord Hanzo, be careful. Orochimaru previously fought against Sand Ninja Chiyo. Perhaps he also knows the poison techniques of the Sand."
Upon hearing this, before Orochimaru could react, Tsunade, beside him, was furious, but because Hanzo was present, she had to suppress her desire to beat the hell out of this bastard.
Hanzo, on the other hand, looked at the Iwa-nin with a disdainful gaze, jokingly thinking to himself that when it came to playing with poison, there was no one in the ninja world who could surpass him!
Without hesitation, Hanzo opened the scroll and began to read. As he read, his expression gradually darkened, and the faces of the Iwa-nin also turned slightly grim.
Now it all depended on which answer Hanzo chose to believe. However, compared to Konoha, the Iwa-nin believed that their sincerity was more convincing. After all, they could withdraw from the Land of Rain at any time, but the fate of Konoha's team was uncertain.
Of course, these supporting teams present would ensure the safe departure of Orochimaru's group. However, Konoha had more than just this one team in the Land of Rain.
While these individuals could retreat, the Konoha ninjas currently engaged in battle with the Sand Ninja in the Land of Rain would find it difficult to withdraw. Moreover, the temperament of Shimura Danzo might not be inclined to retreat.
"Hmph!"
After reading the contents of the scroll, Hanzo rolled it up. Before he could speak, the Iwa-nin eagerly tried to interrupt, and Orochimaru prepared himself to counter.
But before the Iwa-nin could speak, Hanzo gave him a fierce glare and said, "I don't care who invaded the Land of Rain first. All I know is that Konoha and Iwagakure have invaded the Land of Rain, and that's a fact."
"I won't waste words arguing with you. Only your Kage is qualified to explain this matter to me! You have three days to withdraw all ninjas and setups from the Land of Rain!
If you leave now, three days later, I will personally seek explanations from your Kage. But if you stubbornly remain in the Land of Rain, don't blame me for being impolite!"
"Yes, Lord Hanzo! Leading our team through the Land of Rain was an inevitable move to investigate Konoha's war actions. Now that Lord Hanzo has intervened, I believe Konoha will cease its war activities.
Regarding our passage through the Land of Rain, on behalf of Hidden Rock Village, I once again extend sincere apologies to the Land of Rain and Lord Hanzo. We hope that the Land of Rain and the Land of Earth can engage in peaceful negotiations and seek peace together."
The Iwa-nin adopted a very humble posture, devoid of any arrogance typical of a major nation. However, after saying this, he gave Orochimaru a smug look.
Orochimaru's expression remained grim, not only due to exhaustion of physical strength and chakra but also because the Iwa-nin's words concealed something. He was subtly implying that Konoha was the root of all evil.
Furthermore, the Iwa-nin had thrown a stumbling block at Konoha. While it was a fact that Konoha had invaded, if they wanted to engage in peaceful negotiations, they would have to cease their war activities to demonstrate their sincerity.
However, Konoha's war was not with the Land of Rain or the Land of Earth; it was with the Wind Country, a fourth party. Unless the Wind Country was also brought into the discussion, everyone would have to agree to cease hostilities together.
Otherwise, if Konoha stopped fighting now, they would face a series of counterattacks from the Sand Ninja, undoing all the advantages they had gained and even suffering losses.
Thinking about the current commander on the main battlefield, Orochimaru got a headache. He didn't believe that Shimura Danzo, representing the war hungry faction, would accept defeat and retreat from the Land of Rain battlefield.
But at this moment, Hanzo's gaze also fell on Orochimaru, implying without words that since the Iwa-nin had made their stance clear, shouldn't Konoha do the same? Not asking for greater sincerity, but at least equality, right?
"Hanzo-sama, I will report what has happened here to the village and discuss a reasonable solution as soon as possible, and we will implement it promptly. Please believe that Konoha is sincere about peace."
Orochimaru could only say this with a stiff expression. Hanzo, who had finally relaxed his expression, became grim once again. This meant that Konoha was still unwilling to cease hostilities.
"Sincerity for peace? Wasn't it Konoha that declared war this time?" The Iwa-nin spoke again with a touch of sarcasm. Tsunade clenched her fists, gritting her teeth, glaring at the Iwa-nin, but the Iwa-nin showed no fear and returned her gaze defiantly.
"Three days. I hope Konoha can make a wise decision!" Hanzo said sternly, then turned and glanced again at the small figure protected by Tsunade before using Body Flicker to leave.
As Hanzo left, before Tsunade could confront the Iwa-nin, many Land of Rain ninja appeared around them, surrounding both sides but leaving a passage open for each.
Obviously, Hanzo wouldn't stop them from leaving, but at the same time, he wouldn't allow them to do anything that would damage the sovereignty and integrity of the Land of Rain's territory.
"What are you looking at?! Let's go!" Tsunade gave Tatsuma a knock on the head and grabbed the back of his collar, starting to retreat, while the Iwa-nin didn't say anything more sarcastic.
With Hanzo gone, if they said anything else that provoked the Konoha ninja into attacking again, even if they were truly forced to defend themselves, their Hidden Rock Village would be destined to be seen as enemies by Hanzo.
Under the surveillance and escort of Rain Ninja, the two teams gradually separated and retreated in the direction they had come from.
Tatsuma, who had been knocked on the head by Tsunade, finally came to his senses. He realized that he had indeed gotten a little too excited just now, after all, it was a new update!
"Host: Sakamoto Tatsuma
Talents:
Strength: 4365/9913
Speed: 4901/10101 [Additional Amplification (Pending Activation)]"
Stamina: 4612/9447
Wisdom: 3537/6653
Ninjutsu: 3482/7526
Illusions: 2365/4729
Spirit: 4096/9985
Seals: 3655/7138
Special Talents:
Space-Time
Ninjutsu Development
Ninja Tool Throwing (Limited Edition Minato Namikaze)
Sensory
Seals (Limited Edition Kushina Uzumaki): 75%
Limited Talent:
Shiro Yaksha
This is Tatsuma's current system panel. In these nine months, his talents have been realized extremely quickly, especially after he specialized in talents related to physique. The speed at which he realizes talents surpasses even Minato's.
But this isn't the most important part. The crucial point is that the system just judged the defeat of the Iwa-nin in this battle. This allowed Tatsuma's "Successfully praised" to complete the challenge successfully and win, and this wave of rewards enabled Tatsuma's "Speed" talent to meet the requirements for Jonin.
After the talent broke through 10,000, there suddenly appeared an option for additional amplification, and his recent distraction was precisely because of this change.
"Speed: 4901/10101[Additional Amplification (Pending Activation)]
But the extra amplification direction options are:
[Divine Travel]: Upon activation, extra amplification of travel speed, gradually increasing with the progress of talent realization, providing corresponding bonuses to various non-Space-Time Body Flicker Jutsu.
[Divine Mind]: Upon activation, extra amplification of thinking speed, gradually increasing with the progress of talent realization, providing corresponding boosts to strategy, on-the-spot reactions in battle, and calculation of quantity and efficiency."
Tatsuma wants both options, but he can only choose one, so amid his excitement, he deeply struggles with the decision.
Choosing [Divine Travel] would amplify both his Body Flicker and charging speed, likely helping him reach the level of Shisui or the Fourth Raikage in the future. As for the limitation to non-Space-Time Body Flicker Jutsu, Tatsuma doesn't see any problem, considering there are only a few Space-Time Body Flicker Jutsu available, and he can only learn one type, which is Flying Thunder God.
As for techniques like Amenotejikara, Kamui, or Yomotsu Hirasaka, they all require the prerequisite of bloodline limits. Without the corresponding Kekkei Genkai or bloodline inheritance, they simply cannot be learned. Additionally, the speed of Space-Time Body Flicker Jutsu is not determined by physical speed, so it's entirely reasonable that it cannot be amplified.
What excites Tatsuma is the immediate effect of this amplification direction. If he chooses [Divine Travel], his travel speed will instantly increase, which is a visible improvement. However, Tatsuma is also reluctant to pass up on [Divine Mind]. Quick thinking is even rarer than physical speed. Just like Minato Namikaze in the future, earning the title of "Yellow Flash" relied not only on the Flying Thunder God but also on his swift thinking. His rapid thinking was his most valuable asset, including during his first encounter with Kamui, where Minato Namikaze won due to his quick thinking.
Furthermore, quick thinking allows Tatsuma to better grasp the timing of Ninjutsu and Taijutsu applications, giving him an advantage in battle by devising attack, defense, and counterattack strategies faster than his opponents.
This is an invisible talent, also the most difficult to assess its value.
"If I already have the talent of [Divine Mind], then I should be able to quickly weigh the pros and cons, right?" Tatsuma suddenly thought, which made him laugh out loud involuntarily. He then received a smack on the head from Tsunade, who glared at him and then threw him to the ground.
Tatsuma didn't mind. He tried to push himself up with one hand, intending to jump up elegantly, but his left shoulder, injured from the battle, prevented him from exerting any force.
As the ground approached rapidly, Tatsuma panicked. His body thrashed around wildly, waiting for his brain to give the order to save himself. But with such a short distance, could he rely on instinct alone to save himself?
In the next instant, Tatsuma twisted his head to the limit, using his left shoulder to touch the ground, completely avoiding putting pressure on his head and neck. With a simple roll and a smooth rise, he dusted himself off, hardly getting any dirt on him, and thought to himself:
"Is this the way Minato, such a genius, thinks?"
----
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