However, even after the toxic fog spread, those Hidden Sand Ninja without gas masks still fought on, unaffected by the poison.
"Is this that puppet master's doing?"
Hanzou sighed.
Every Hidden Sand Ninja participating in the battle was equipped with antidotes, truly befitting of the Five Great Nations; their resources and wealth far beyond the reach of smaller countries.
But Hanzou wasn't concerned. If his toxin had been effective, then there wouldn't have been a need for this war.
Salamander Ibuse leapt, causing chaos among the crowd.
"No, this guy is moving too fast!"
A Hidden Sand Jonin shouted anxiously.
Such a massive size, combined with a speed like the wind, made it a killing machine invincible in warfare.
"Scorch Style: Extremely Steaming Murder!"
Four orange-red fireballs pierced the air.
Wherever they went, all the rainwater evaporated completely.
Hanzou squinted his eyes.
He leaped into the air, and Ibuse, too, sensed the mortal danger, frantically digging the ground, disappearing from the surface in a blink, leaving behind a massive black hole leading underground.
Seeing Hanzou and his summoning beast easily dodge her deadly jutsu, the female Hidden Sand Jonin immediately retreated, distancing herself from Hanzou to avoid being caught.
From the previous battle, she knew Hanzou's instantaneous body jutsu and swordsmanship were extremely formidable, and even a Jonin could be instantly killed if not careful.
One must create distance after a sure-hit attack; it's the basic strategy against Hanzou.
"Is that the Scorch Style Ninja, Pakura? It would be troublesome if I got hit by that fireball."
As an outstanding talent of the younger generation in Hidden Sand, who could use the Scorch Style's kekkeigenkai, Hanzou had taken note of her.
The Scorch Style kekkeigenkai jutsu is naturally powerful, instantly drying up the moisture in the body of anyone hit, turning them into desiccated corpses, possessing a deadly nature.
But its shortcomings are also obvious; it's slightly lacking in speed. With slight attention, his instantaneous body jutsu could easily dodge it.
Rumble!
In the instant the ground exploded, Ibuse's massive body burst from underground; even with perception ninja detecting in advance, it still caused some damage.
Two Hidden Sand Ninja corpses hung on the black claws, pierced through.
With a large head and small eyes, Ibuse looked somewhat comically silly, yet those small eyes reflected a savage and cruel light.
He opened his gory mouth wide, limbs on the ground, roaring at the surrounding Hidden Sand Ninja. His tail whipped madly, making the Sand Ninjas reluctant to approach and fight; they could only use jutsus to limit its range of activity.
"Damn, wasn't the intel saying its main ability is to spew poison?"
"Fool, salamanders are inherently amphibious carnivorous creatures, extremely savage in nature."
Facing the massive, swift-moving salamander with the ability to burrow and dig, the Sand Ninjas found themselves in a dilemma.
But while they were in a bind, Ibuse and Hanzou didn't wait to consider any tactics.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bomb Jutsu!"
Hanzou pulled the chains, retrieving the scythe that had flown out, and leaped onto Ibuse's head again with a one-handed seal.
"Whoa! What is that!?"
The ground roared.
Massive torrents gathered around Ibuse, a water dragon far larger than Ibuse rose from the ground, causing frightening cracks on the surface, ascending into the sky, its vicious eyes wide open, descending from a certain height.
Rumble!
Rumble!
More than ten Hidden Sand Ninja did not have time to dodge, collided with the water dragon, their bones instantly shattered, and then swallowed whole by the water dragon.
After devouring over ten Hidden Sand Ninja and leaving a pit in the ground, the water dragon didn't vanish but continued to rush forward, giving the Hidden Sand Ninja along its path a torrential baptism, bodies flying to the sides uncontrollably, covered in mud.
Seeing the scene of the water dragon's wild rampage, frozen with terror.
Boom!
The chakra maintaining the water dragon vanished, turning into overwhelming water streams, engulfing numerous Hidden Sand Ninja, forming a small lake in the center of the battlefield.
Ibuse carrying Hanzou descended from the sky, standing at the lake's center, began to run, instantly biting the body of a trembling Hidden Sand Ninja who had just found their footing on the water's surface.
It was a blood-stained mouth full of sharp teeth, swallowing the entire Hidden Sand Ninja.
Lightning illuminated the world.
Ibuse chewed thoroughly, throat rolling.
The sound of slippery saliva and breaking bones reappeared, a nightmare-inducing melody, chilling to the core.
Standing atop Ibuse's head, Hanzou coldly looked down at the converging Hidden Sand Ninja.
At that moment, Hanzou sensed something, a signal of danger.
"Ibuse, dodge now!"
It was too late.
Ibuse let out a wail, a bloody hole punctured on its side by some sharp tool.
Furious, Ibuse rotated its body, intending to shred the attacker with its dark claw.
The attacker, unfazed, lifted an arm dyed in black.
Boom!
The tremendous force formed water walls all around, then transformed into waves advancing towards the periphery.
Hanzou's eyes widened slightly.
The attacker withstood Ibuse's attack.
The attacker half-knelt on the water surface, frowning tightly, emitting a painful groan, barely blocking Ibuse's claw with all their strength.
Those eerie green eyes glared up, locking eyes with Hanzou's.