The entire Iwagakure was drawn to Hanzō's voice, every shinobi looking up at the sky with disbelief written across their faces.
"Summoning Jutsu."
Standing atop the massive sphere of water in the sky, Hanzō slammed his right hand downward. A gigantic summoning array spread open, thick smoke billowing out—and when it cleared, the colossal salamander Ibuse was already sprawled atop the airborne water sphere.
"Don't tell me…"
Rōshi stared at the salamander in the sky, a deep sense of dread rising in his chest.
"Please don't let it be what I think it is."
Reality, of course, did not oblige.
"Ibuse—Poison Mist, discharge."
At Hanzō's command, Ibuse opened its enormous jaws, and a vast torrent of purple poison mist poured out, rolling toward the Hidden Stone Village below like a tidal wave.
"All units—use Wind Style to block the poison mist!"
Rōshi roared his orders at once.
"Barrier team! Activate the village's defensive barrier—now!"
"But Lord Tsuchikage!" a barrier specialist cried out anxiously.
"There are still several thousand shinobi stationed outside the village! With Hanzō out there, if we raise the barrier, they'll be trapped outside!"
"Order them to retreat immediately! However many make it back, that's how many we save!" Rōshi snapped.
"If Hanzō's poison mist gets into the village, Iwagakure is finished!"
"Yes!"
As the barrier captain rushed off, Rōshi turned his gaze back toward Hanzō in the sky and quickened his pace.
If he had a choice, he would rather fight the Seven-Tails' jinchūriki again than face Hanzō. This man was practically a walking bioweapon—his poison was far more terrifying than a Tailed Beast Ball.
A Tailed Beast Ball at least reduced everything to ash. There was no aftermath to worry about. Hanzō's poison, on the other hand, didn't just kill—it spread. If corpses weren't handled immediately, decay or secondary contamination could easily turn entire regions into permanent toxic zones.
And this was Iwagakure—their final stronghold.
If they lacked protection, a few more rounds of poison from Hanzō could wipe out the entire village.
Before long, the outer walls of Iwagakure glowed white as a massive, earth-yellow barrier slowly rose into place.
"So naïve. You really think this barrier can protect you?"
Hanzō hadn't forgotten the knowledge from his previous life.
"Secret Art—Water Style: Convex Lens."
As Hanzō brought his hands together, the space around him warped. A thin layer of mist formed, then instantly transformed into surging waves.
Moments later, a vast, translucent water curtain covered half the sky above Iwagakure.
"What is he trying to do?"
Standing atop the village gate, Rōshi watched Hanzō with mounting tension.
The barrier had fully deployed. After being stalled briefly by Wind Release, Ibuse's poison mist ultimately failed to enter the village, blocked by the barrier.
But the poison did not disperse. Instead, it sank downward, and constrained by the barrier, it curved into a crescent shape—wrapping around the village gates and a large surrounding area.
Those shinobi who hadn't made it back inside couldn't even approach the gates anymore. Overwhelmed by the pressure from above, they fled in all directions.
"Hanzō of the Salamander! I am Rōshi, Fourth Tsuchikage of Iwagakure!"
Rōshi raised his voice.
"There must be some misunderstanding between our villages. Why don't we talk this out first?"
"Our barrier is already active—you won't break in anytime soon. We have plenty of time to negotiate."
"I know your supplies are running low. You can't sustain a siege for long. Even with you—the so-called Demigod—the cost of forcing your way in would be enormous."
"Surely Amegakure doesn't want excessive casualties either. Let's resolve this through negotiation."
"If this is about Lord Ōnoki's past disrespect, Iwagakure is willing to offer compensation!"
"Well said. Worth praising."
Hanzō continued manipulating the water curtain, showing no intention of stopping.
"But since we've come all this way, how could we arrive without preparing a gift? At the very least, you deserve one."
Rōshi clenched his teeth, forcibly suppressing his anger.
"Does that mean you intend to fight us to the bitter end? I've already shown sincerity. Mutual destruction benefits no one!"
"Hahaha…"
Hanzō chuckled softly from above.
"Mutual destruction? You're not qualified."
"Today, only the fish die. The net remains."
Rōshi's heart sank instantly.
The barrier surrounding Iwagakure had been designed specifically to withstand Tailed Beast Balls. He believed it could even endure Hanzō's explosive forbidden techniques.
But if Hanzō spoke with such confidence, it meant one thing—
He possessed an attack powerful enough to break the barrier alone.
Stronger than a Tailed Beast Ball.
Rōshi's gaze snapped to the massive Water Release technique overhead.
At this moment, the water curtain had transformed into a perfectly circular water mirror. Its thickness tapered from the center outward, concentrating sunlight and heat with terrifying efficiency.
"Negotiation will happen—but only after the beating."
"All negotiations are built on strength."
"If you don't understand Amegakure's power, how could you possibly honor the terms afterward?"
Beneath the first mirror, Hanzō condensed more water into a smaller mirror, refocusing the gathered light and heat yet again.
Then another mirror appeared below it.
And another.
Soon, seven water mirrors of decreasing size were suspended above Iwagakure, aligned in sequence. Sunlight converged into a single, blinding golden beam.
The beam pierced straight through the barrier and struck down into the village.
As Hanzō adjusted the mirrors, the beam moved—its target unmistakably Rōshi himself.
Where the beam passed through the barrier, a sharp sizzling sound echoed. The earth-yellow barrier twisted and warped violently.
In areas where the beam lingered, the barrier glowed red—then melted into molten lava, dripping down in thick droplets.
"That's impossible!"
Rōshi stared in shock.
"This is goddamn top tier Sealing Barrier! It can block a Tailed Beast Ball! How could it be melting?!"
The beam began sweeping toward him.
Wherever it passed, nothing survived. The ground was scorched black, and even steel melted into liquid within moments of exposure.
Though still some distance away, Rōshi could already feel the terrifying heat. The exposed skin on his face burned red, like iron pressed fresh from a forge.
"I get it… it's temperature!"
Rōshi shouted, equal parts terror and realization.
Run.
That was his first instinct.
He was certain now— even with Lava Style Chakra Mode, being hit by that beam meant death.
That temperature… it wouldn't just melt Iwagakure's barrier. It could boil steel.
Watching Rōshi flee at full speed, Hanzō gave up on targeting him.
There was no helping it. The mirrors moved quickly, but a Tsuchikage fleeing at full power was even faster.
Instead, Hanzō turned his attention directly to the village.
"Kakuzu, can you confirm the location of your original body? Tell me when you've got it—I'll avoid that area."
Kakuzu nodded stiffly and focused his senses.
"It's near the Tsuchikage Tower."
"Then they're lucky," Hanzō said calmly.
"The Tsuchikage Tower gets to keep its dignity."
The beam traced a perfect circle around the village center. The corresponding section of the barrier melted away entirely, leaving a gaping, circular breach.
Hanzō patted Ibuse's back. Its poison sac refilled every five minutes—and it was already fully charged again.
"Ibuse. See that opening?"
"Aim there."
"Poison mist—discharge."
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