Chapter 34: Beware of the Spectator (Part 1)
The Stage Is Set
"The nuisance is gone."
Uchiha Kazuki adjusted his glasses leisurely, speaking with casual confidence. "Speaking of which, shouldn't the main actor make his entrance soon?"
There was no need to worry about Hikari's safety.
If he hadn't given her prior instructions to avoid exposing her abilities in front of Tsunade, those few thugs would have been incinerated to ash by Amaterasu's black flames before even getting close.
Few people could survive Amaterasu's fire—and these small fry definitely weren't among that exclusive group.
"Hmm. Here he comes."
In the blink of an eye, a figure rapidly approached through the canyon.
When they were approximately ten meters apart and could see each other clearly, Hanzō suddenly stopped. He cautiously surveyed his surroundings, and only after confirming no immediate threats did he speak. "What happened? Where's Tsunade?"
"Lady Tsunade's student was kidnapped by those attackers."
Uchiha Kazuki was simultaneously observing Hanzō with equal scrutiny.
Ten meters... such an ambiguous distance.
Retreat meant quick escape. Advance meant delivering a fatal blow.
Even when facing a mere chūnin, one must exercise maximum caution and care.
Even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit.
This proverb was perfectly exemplified by Hanzō's behavior.
Uchiha Kazuki's eyes narrowed slightly, genuine admiration stirring within him. No wonder he's a battle-hardened veteran who survived the Second Shinobi World War. Even in a seemingly overwhelming situation, he remains this cautious.
"Is this person one of the kidnappers?"
Hanzō—now somewhat reassured after confirming Tsunade's absence—glanced at the ninja whose neck had been broken lying on the ground. He deliberately asked with feigned concern, "Did you find any information on him?"
"Yes."
Uchiha Kazuki nodded slightly.
"Oh? What information?"
Hanzō wasn't worried about his conspiracy being exposed—he knew Root operatives well. So he slowly approached, pretending concern for his Konoha ally while asking insincerely, "Do you know who he was? What was his purpose coming to Amegakure?"
Just a little closer...
And I can instantly Body Flicker past him and sever that ANBU's throat with a single strike!
Even with the Sharingan, it would be impossible to react in time.
"Oh, he said he's from Root."
Uchiha Kazuki turned his head, staring directly at Hanzō with a knowing, half-amused expression. "He also said—"
WHOOSH!
Hanzō suddenly exploded forward, the inner blade of his kusarigama slicing through the air, aimed directly at Kazuki's throat.
He knows I'm exposed before he even finishes speaking.
Since that's the case, might as well strike first!
However, Uchiha Kazuki was clearly prepared. He gripped his kunai firmly and swung it defensively.
CLANG!
Kunai clashed against kusarigama, sparks flying violently.
"The leader of Amegakure, without uttering a single word of explanation, ambushes a Konoha shinobi."
Uchiha Kazuki's eyes narrowed with mocking amusement. "If word gets out, your legendary reputation will be utterly ruined."
"A shinobi doesn't need reputation."
Hanzō's eyes remained cold, his voice hoarse and deep. "As long as I kill you, no one will ever know."
The Dance of Death
His weapon was uniquely designed—a long-handled kusarigama in his right hand with a chain attached to the end, and a solid weighted hammer at the chain's terminus held in his left hand.
Typically, after restraining enemies with his scythe blade, he would swing the chain and use centrifugal force to hurl the chain hammer with devastating impact.
WHOOSH—!
The heavy chain hammer hurtled through the air with a dull, menacing whistle.
Hanzō felt absolutely confident.
Even Konoha's legendary Sannin weren't my match in their prime. What threat does a mere jōnin-level ANBU pose?
He had already perfectly rehearsed every step of this battle in his tactical mind:
The Uchiha will retreat, then use Great Fireball Jutsu to intercept my pursuit.
No problem. I'll use Water Body Flicker Technique to escape the moment before impact, and while he's distracted by the substitution, I'll execute an Iai Slash to separate his head from his shoulders!
But unfortunately...
Hanzō had encountered a Spectator.
Reading the Script
Uchiha Kazuki's eyes narrowed slightly, a shallow vortex reflected in his crimson Sharingan.
Admittedly, the Spectator pathway's early-stage direct combat capabilities definitely weren't among the top tier of the Twenty-Two Divine Pathways. It could even be considered near the bottom in raw destructive power.
Instead, it possessed an almost supernatural observational ability—bordering on genuine mind-reading.
From the target's concealed emotions, the subtle scent of hormonal changes, and even the tiniest facial micro-expressions, Uchiha Kazuki could accurately predict the target's every intention and thought process.
If Hanzō is operating on the fifth level of strategic thinking...
Then I'm probably in... the stratosphere!
Lowering his center of gravity smoothly to the side, Kazuki twisted his waist and thrust his hips forward, delivering a devastatingly powerful side kick that struck Hanzō squarely in the lower abdomen.
BANG!
Hanzō never expected that the battle he'd meticulously rehearsed mentally wouldn't occur as planned. Instead, he was sent flying backward by this single kick.
The strike had landed directly on his liver.
The intense, explosive pain from the ruptured organ caused cold sweat to bead instantly on Hanzō's forehead. His facial muscles twitched and contorted involuntarily, his mind going nearly blank from the agony.
"The legendary Hanzō of the Salamander is nothing particularly special after all."
Uchiha Kazuki didn't pursue his advantage but instead stood perfectly still—seemingly waiting for Hanzō to recover. His eyes gleamed with deliberate arrogance. "As expected, even the mightiest shinobi cannot withstand the passage of time."
Provocation
"Kid."
These words struck directly at Hanzō's deepest insecurity. "I'll make you regret saying those words!"
"Oh? Is that so? Then I'll wait and see."
Uchiha Kazuki crossed his arms casually, his arrogant attitude further enraging the demigod.
"Very well, brat. You've successfully angered me."
Hanzō bit his thumb viciously and slammed his bloodied hand to the ground, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "Originally, I didn't want to make too much commotion, but now I've changed my mind. Summoning Jutsu: Ibuse!"
BANG!
A massive cloud of smoke appeared from nowhere.
Then, accompanied by a howling windstorm, the smoke dissipated—revealing a gigantic black salamander standing on the ground like a living mountain.
"So this is the salamander?"
Uchiha Kazuki examined the summoned beast without a trace of nervousness. "Hanzō's signature summon. Let me see what makes it so legendary."
"Ibuse! Poison Mist Spray!"
Standing atop the black salamander's head, Hanzō coldly issued his command.
The salamander's abdomen distended grotesquely before spewing forth a dense cloud of purple poisonous mist. Mixed with Hanzō's chakra, the toxic fog became so dense that even the Sharingan's enhanced vision couldn't penetrate it.
The more troublesome problem was that the poisonous mist showed no signs of dissipating over time. Instead, aided by the prevailing wind, its range expanded dramatically—almost engulfing an area of nearly one hundred meters.
"In this situation, your precious Sharingan is useless, brat."
Hanzō's voice echoed eerily within the poisonous mist—his voice heard but his body completely invisible. "The salamander's toxins, if inhaled by an ordinary person for just thirty seconds, will cause complete body paralysis and cardiac arrest, resulting in certain death!"
He had absolute confidence in the salamander's venom.
Most of his legendary honors to date could be attributed directly to Ibuse. It was precisely because of these troublesome toxins that he'd achieved his current status.
Countered
"Excuse me for interrupting your monologue."
Uchiha Kazuki—standing calmly at the very epicenter of the poisonous fog—spoke with complete composure. "Lady Tsunade developed a perfect antidote for your salamander toxin years ago. Do you have any new tricks up your sleeve?"
Hanzō, concealed somewhere within the poisonous fog, fell into prolonged silence.
"Honestly, what can I even say to you, Lord Hanzō?"
Uchiha Kazuki felt genuine secondhand embarrassment for him and sighed while rubbing his forehead. "You once defeated Konoha's Legendary Sannin—but that was six years ago. Your salamander toxin, which you're so ridiculously proud of, has long been completely countered by Lady Tsunade. Yet you're still standing still, stuck in the past, even using this outdated gimmick as your trump card?"
"Shut up, you Uchiha brat!"
Hanzō—whose psychological defenses had been thoroughly breached—had veins bulging prominently on his forehead and bloodshot eyes. "Just because you've countered the salamander toxin, you actually think you can defeat me?!"
RUMBLE!!
The massive salamander trembled, its enormous body crashing downward like a falling black mountain.
Dragon's Majesty
"Heh."
Uchiha Kazuki scoffed dismissively, a golden glint flashing deep within his pupils.
Intimidation!
In an instant, the salamander froze completely mid-strike.
In its primitive eyes, the tiny shinobi standing before it had seemingly transformed into a colossal gray dragon of impossible proportions.
The deepest recesses of those pale golden vertical pupils seemed to contain an infinitely deep, dark ocean—roaring with terrifying, abyssal pressure that crushed its will entirely.
"Get lost!"
Uchiha Kazuki's eyes gleamed with pale gold luminescence, his lips parting slightly to utter a single word of absolute command.
An extremely violent mental shock—like a divine spear hurled by an angry god—pierced directly into the salamander's consciousness.
BANG!
Fear completely overwhelmed its primitive mind. The salamander, terrified beyond reason, immediately reverse-summoned itself back to its home dimension.
"???"
Hanzō—left standing alone on empty ground where his summon had been moments before—was completely bewildered.
What... what just happened?!
[End of Chapter 34 - Part 1]
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