The clouds in the sky grew heavier and darker, threatening to crush the world.
Lightning flickered within the deep clouds, roaring with fury.
Ignoring the harsh weather and environment, Chiyo, drenched in the rain, slightly clenched her fist and took a deep breath. Even though the Hidden Sand had prepared in advance, she couldn't guarantee a hundred percent victory in this battle.
However, the course of events had reached this point, and there was no possibility of retreat.
From the moment the war began, there was no righteousness or evil, only victors and losers.
In this Ninja Realm where the victor decides everything, victory is crucial.
Therefore, this battle must not be lost.
"Hanzou, your legend ends here..."
Chiyo murmured softly, a shadow flickering in her eyes.
Perhaps she thought about her own future, facing the same fate.
A ninja's life is full of battles.
These elders abandoned by time spend their lives in combat.
Aside from battle, they find no other fulfillment in their career.
Therefore... Hanzou must die!
The Hidden Rain must be defeated!
"Everyone—"
Chiyo's voice cut through the rain, clearly reaching the ears of the Hidden Sand Ninja behind her.
They uniformly moved forward, the edge of the cliff immediately occupied by countless Hidden Sand Ninja, their expressions tense yet excited.
The cold rain couldn't extinguish their internal agitation and passion.
For the Land of Wind, for the Hidden Sand Village, for better lives for their families, for...
They fought for various reasons, gathering here.
With blades in hand, they buried everything of the enemy.
As they prepared to join the feast of slaughter, Chiyo's eyes no longer held sorrow, only resoluteness and cold blood prepared to deliver divine punishment to the enemy.
A ninja's life is full of battles.
From birth to death, it's a cursed destiny unavoidable.
Raising her arm, Chiyo swung it down with force, pointing to the front.
The sound of rain rang in the ears, thunder joined in resonating around.
Thus, the Hidden Sand Ninja transformed into shadows swift as wind, like beasts leaping from the cliff, charging down, their sounds turning into gusts, becoming lightning.
Thousands of Hidden Sand Ninja surged, causing the earth to tremble.
Wave patterns spread rapidly in the channels formed by rainwater, with Hanzou standing at the forefront of the Hidden Rain forces, allowing the wind and rain to batter him.
Wearing a gas mask, wielding a poison-laden scythe linked by chains, his pale yellow hair fluttered with the wind and rain, the corners of his eyes bearing the mark of age and experience.
Faced with the charge of thousands of Hidden Sand Ninja, Hanzou had never felt so calm.
It was as if returning to the past, to a time when he was young and loved peace.
It's truly tiring, the battles of ninjas.
How I long to rest.
Tired of fighting.
Fear.
Afraid.
Nervous.
Death and aging press upon me.
This is the fate borne at the end of a ninja's life.
No matter how illustrious a person is, it is difficult to escape the fate of death after aging.
"Go ahead."
Hanzou softly spoke these words, pulling down the gas mask, dispersing the poison carried by his body.
Ripples spread across the surface of the water, his figure vanished from everyone's sight.
Hidden Rain Ninja, also wearing gas masks, moved forward upon the signal.
"The legend of the Demigod ends with me—"
Wielding a ninja blade affixed with wind attribute, this Hidden Sand Ninja was a swordsman ninja with extreme confidence in his swordsmanship.
Demigod... the pinnacle of contemporary ninjas.
Countless people once tried to climb this great mountain.
He was among them.
The old era had passed, the new era belonged to him.
Then, under his excited and confident gaze, the wind ceased, and the ninja blade cleanly and sharply severed by a silver gleam.
His chest split open, splattering beautiful crimson.
He died indulging in a beautiful fantasy, filled with glory and joy.
This was Hanzou's mercy to him.
The figure swiftly disappeared again, the sound of the chain dragging the scythe like the talisman of death urging from the battlefield.
Blood poured out of the Hidden Sand Ninja like a waterfall.
"Wind Style: Hanging Net!"
A hurricane arrived, a web-like wind capable of large-scale attack.
Its speed was too fast, leaving no chance to use ninja techniques in defense.
"What?"
Thinking it could restrict Hanzou's movements, then the web-like wind was sliced open directly by the blade in Hanzou's hand.
Hanzou flickered, slightly bent, holding the scythe in his right hand, and gathered chakra in his left, slamming into the stomach of the Hidden Sand Ninja.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
"Ugh!"
The stomach felt like it was about to explode.
The Hidden Sand Ninja clutched the bursting stomach, retreating, drool flowing uncontrollably, eyes almost rolling white.
Bang!
Enormous smoke spread to the surroundings, a menacing gigantic shadow appeared from the white haze.
With saliva's slick sound and the gnashing of teeth, the Hidden Sand Ninja surrounding Hanzou felt a chill.
It sounded like a monster greedily consuming delicacies.
The monster's body revealed itself.
It was a long yet unusually massive salamander, crouched on the ground, fresh blood smeared at the corners of its mouth, its tail happily wagging, sweeping away several approaching Hidden Sand Ninja like trash.
"Ibuse!"
Hanzou leaped to the head of the giant salamander.
The Salamander Ibuse understood, its mouth opened wide, poison fog spread rapidly to the surroundings, the purple haze possessing deadly toxins, and could blur vision.