The rain had yet to cease.
The entire eastern forest lay devastated by battle, the air still carrying the scent of scorched earth.
Fearow's presence had completely dissipated, but the violent Chakra waves had not yet settled.
Its residual energy still churned in the air, yet it did not flow back into the World Tree's energy system.
Before leaving, Shiroishi glanced back at the battlefield, his brow slightly furrowed.
...Refusing to return.
If it could let go of its attachments after death, it would be recalled by the World Tree and reborn as a new life.
But if it still harbored resentment and obsession, it could choose to resurrect in the external world, though the next incarnation would be composed of even stronger attachments and negative emotions.
"Fearow hasn't let go of its past hatred."
Not long after, another large force entered these ruins.
It was the Amegakure troops.
The man leading them was none other than Hanzo the Salamander.
He wore an iron mask, his entire body radiating oppressive pressure.
Behind him followed a squad of the most elite Rain Ninja, their footsteps making dull sounds in the muddy water.
"Report!"
A Rain Ninja knelt to deliver his message, "The investigation advance team... all lost contact. No survivors found."
Hanzo frowned, his gaze sweeping across the charred earth ahead.
Traces of fire, the scent of Chakra burns, trees broken by storms...
Within the Land of Rain, those capable of facing such a mutated Ninja Beast alone and killing it could be counted on one hand.
After much consideration, the most suspicious target was undoubtedly that mysterious Breeding House.
"...Let's go."
Hanzo coldly issued the order,
"To the Breeding House."
He needed no further hesitation.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru had already returned to Konoha during this period.
Hanzo now made a decisive move, preparing to lead his men to the Breeding House.
Not long after.
The Rain Ninja troops appeared here.
"This is the place."
A Rain Ninja reported in a low voice.
Hanzo stepped forward with silent authority.
The moment his foot touched the ground before the entrance, the surrounding air seemed to freeze!
A feeling of being watched made him instinctively tighten his grip on the Ninja Tool at his waist.
The large door slowly opened.
In the shadows behind it, a figure stood quietly.
The man wore neat white clothes, his black hair slightly falling, his face as calm as still water.
He adjusted his glasses and spoke in a composed tone.
"Our first meeting, Lord Hanzo."
His voice wasn't loud, yet it was clearly audible through the wind and rain.
Hanzo's sharp gaze swept over the person before him.
"Are you the owner of this Breeding House?"
Shiroishi smiled slightly, his expression neither humble nor arrogant: "Indeed. I thank Amegakure for their support of my business during this time."
A seemingly polite remark that suddenly made the surrounding air tense.
The Rain Ninjas' hands quietly moved to their weapons, the fluctuations of Chakra flow faintly visible.
Hanzo narrowed his eyes, the pressure around him gradually rising.
As a formidable figure in the Shinobi World, Hanzo would never allow strange variables to appear within his country.
"Jiraiya and Orochimaru have already returned to Konoha."
"Only you remain in this Breeding House. Aside from those bluffing Exploding Tags, what else do you have to protect yourself?"
Shiroishi looked up, his gaze as calm as a mirror.
"Does Lord Hanzo intend to break the agreement?"
The moment these words fell, the atmosphere outside the entire Breeding House suddenly became taut.
Almost all the Rain Ninjas simultaneously tensed, ready to act at any moment.
Hanzo coldly snorted, taking a step forward.
"Agreement? This Breeding House has always been an asset of the Land of Rain."
The moment his words fell, a low yet icy voice came from deep within the room.
"Is that so?"
The voice carried an inexplicable pressure, slithering into one's heart like a poisonous snake.
Accompanied by footsteps, a figure entirely wrapped in bandages slowly emerged from the doorway.
The moment he appeared, the air seemed to freeze.
Even the surrounding temperature dropped slightly at that instant.
"You are..."
Hanzo narrowed his eyes slightly.
The man stopped behind Shiroishi, his single eye cold, his tone steady.
"Long time no see, Hanzo."
Shimura Danzo.
The Leaf's Darkness, the leader of Root.
His arrival caused all the Rain Ninjas' expressions to change drastically.
Behind him, four masked Root members silently appeared, standing uniformly in the shadows.
For the first time, Hanzo's expression finally shifted.
He hadn't even known when Danzo could openly appear within the Land of Rain.
The rain continued to fall, but the air inside the Breeding House grew increasingly tense.
Hanzo's footsteps gradually faded into the distance outside, leaving only the damp, cold wind seeping through the door cracks, bringing with it a biting chill.
Inside, the lighting was dim.
Danzo stood with his hands behind his back, his figure intermittently fragmented by the rain shadows.
His single eye coldly fixed on Shiroishi, his voice hoarse and carrying its usual sinister tone:
"Hanzo, this Breeding House has always been an asset of the Leaf's Root."
As his words fell, the very atmosphere in the room seemed to stagnate.
"We chose to establish it here to conduct arms trade with you—a sign of our confidence in you.Danzo slowly raised his hand, his tone was cold. "After all, these are all small artificial Tailed Beasts."
Hanzo's expression instantly turned extremely grim.
His gaze swept over the incubation devices in the room, a cold fury rising in his heart.
"These are all experimental products of your Leaf. What do you take the Land of Rain for?"
A cold smile tugged at the corner of Danzo's mouth. "Whether as an experimental ground or a trading place... at least, I have never considered you an enemy. On the contrary, Hanzo, I am helping you."
He took a step forward, his voice sliding into the heart like a snake's tongue. "Without my technical support, how long do you think the Land of Rain could survive in the cracks of the Shinobi World? All of this is meant to restore you to your status as a demigod."
A dangerous glint flashed in Hanzo's eyes.
"Threatening me?"
Danzo remained unfazed, narrowing his eye, his tone growing even more sinister. "Not a threat, but a reminder. If you don't need these arms..."
He paused slightly, the curve of his smile deepening. "Next time, the discount will no longer apply. You'll have to purchase them at ten times the price."
The air instantly solidified.
The pressure in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
Hanzo remained silent for a moment, his eyes sharp as blades, his voice deep. "Danzo, remember—this is the Land of Rain."
With that, he turned and left.
As he stepped outside, the tension in the Breeding House eased slightly.
However, after only a few steps, Hanzo suddenly halted.
The wind and rain beat against his face mask, producing a cold, sharp sound.
A sense of unease rose in his heart.
He muttered under his breath and immediately turned to his subordinates behind him.
"Find out how Danzo entered the Land of Rain!"
"Yes!" Several Rain Ninjas immediately dispersed, melting into the rain curtain.
Yet Hanzo's brow remained furrowed. His intuition told him that something seemed amiss.
However, Hanzo was only being cautious now.
It was entirely due to the surprise attack he and Koffing had launched against Chiyo last time.
Because of this, Hanzo was somewhat restrained when dealing with Ninja Beasts.
On the other hand, the Sand Village seemed to be planning some form of retaliation against him.
In reality, Hanzo also needed Shiroishi's assistance to obtain more Ninja Beast Egg resources.
The current numbers of Koffing and Beedrill alone were insufficient for the Rain Ninja to confront the Sand Village.
Meanwhile, inside the Breeding House.
Shiroishi calmly stared at the Danzo before him, "Danzo's Chakra... When did you obtain it?"
Upon hearing this, the person's smile suddenly turned frivolous.
The facial muscles of the Danzo before him began to twist violently, his skin sliding off like melting wax.
Danzo's face rapidly disintegrated before Shiroishi's eyes, revealing the white skin beneath.
It was White Zetsu!
The same White Zetsu who had embezzled one of Uchiha Madara's Ninja Beast Eggs.
"A long time ago," White Zetsu's hoarse and chilling voice echoed, "Uchiha Madara sent me to infiltrate Konoha to gather intelligence."
As he spoke, he stretched out his hand, with numerous writhing patterns appearing on his skin, "During that mission, I incidentally took some tissue cells from Danzo's body, hehe..."
As his body completely reverted to its original form, the surface layer slightly cracked open, revealing a Ninja Beast Egg embedded within his body cavity.
It rested quietly within him, its surface covered with pulsating veins that had completely fused with his flesh and blood.
Two slender energy tubes extended from the eggshell, deeply connected to his heart and neural center.
White Zetsu said with a laugh: "This egg doesn't seem to have truly begun its transformation yet, and it appears to have formed a strong connection and bond with me."
As his words fell, the four Root ninja behind him suddenly began to tremble violently.
Their skin started to twist and melt away, revealing sticky white tissue underneath.
This tissue surged like tidal waves, transforming into liquid that slid along the ground toward White Zetsu's feet.
"Gurgle!"
White Zetsu extended his arms, allowing the white substance to flow back into his body.
Shiroishi's expression remained unchanged as he simply adjusted his glasses.
"Remarkable learning ability."
"Hehe, after all, I carry your deep imprint."
As White Zetsu spoke, the image of Shiroishi's face on the back of his head became increasingly clear.
"Well then, I must take my leave. I need to return to Uchiha Madara's side."
"Wait."
Shiroishi called out to stop White Zetsu: "Here are two more Ninja Beast Eggs. Take them for your use."
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