Qingshui stepped forward without hesitation, placing himself squarely in front of Mikoto.
Behind him, Mikoto leaned heavily against a broken stone outcrop, her breathing ragged. Her chakra was nearly exhausted, and the Three-Tomoe Sharingan that had once spun proudly in her eyes had already faded back to ordinary black.
Yet even in this state, her gaze never left Qingshui's back.
He was shielding her.
Facing Hanzo of the Salamander head-on.
A so-called Demigod.
There was no fear in Qingshui's eyes.
Only focus.
Only resolve.
Unfortunately, resolve alone was not enough.
Without Mikoto's assistance, the gap between them became brutally clear the instant Hanzo moved.
The clash was brief.
Violent.
Decisive.
Clang—!
Hanzo's chained sickle collided with Qingshui's blade, and the difference in strength was overwhelming. The impact alone sent Qingshui flying backward like a broken leaf in a storm.
Mikoto barely managed to catch him.
Even so, the momentum forced them both to slide several steps back across the soaked ground before they finally stabilized.
Hanzo did not pause.
Did not speak.
He pressed forward relentlessly, killing intent pouring off him like a tangible force.
Qingshui knew—
If this continued, they would die here.
Without hesitation, he formed a hand seal with one hand.
Ignoring the screaming protest of his chakra coils, he unleashed a powerful gale.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
A violent torrent of wind erupted from his mouth, slamming into Hanzo head-on.
The force was immense.
Hanzo was blasted backward, crashing into the rocky hillside with a thunderous impact before finally coming to a halt.
For a brief instant—
Hope flickered.
Then Qingshui's pupils shrank violently.
Hanzo's body dissolved into water.
The hillside was left untouched.
In the next heartbeat, Hanzo reappeared in front of them at terrifying speed.
Water Body Flicker Technique.
An advanced evolution of the Body Flicker—far faster, far deadlier.
Qingshui barely had time to register the danger before Hanzo was already upon him.
Too fast.
He instinctively prepared to activate the Rinnegan, consequences be damned—
But someone moved first.
A figure stepped in front of him.
Slash—!
The sickle cut through the figure's torso.
And the figure vanished in a puff of white smoke.
A Shadow Clone.
Qingshui's eyes widened.
That clone had already exhausted nearly all its chakra fighting off Hanzo's subordinates.
This—
This was its final act.
A sacrifice.
Qingshui did not waste the opening.
A white flash erupted as he surged forward, driving his chakra-infused blade straight toward Hanzo's abdomen.
He remembered.
Years ago.
The rumor.
The truth behind Hanzo's poison immunity.
As a child, Hanzo had implanted the poison sac of a salamander into his own body.
It granted him terrifying resistance.
But that poison—
If released internally—
Even Hanzo would not survive it.
Hanzo's expression finally changed.
He retreated.
Instantly.
For the first time since the battle began, Hanzo created distance of his own accord.
Mikoto stared in disbelief.
He… retreated?
Qingshui did not pursue recklessly.
Instead, he straightened, blade lowered slightly, and spoke calmly.
"So your abdomen really is your weakness."
There was no mockery.
Only certainty.
Hanzo's gaze sharpened.
"…You noticed that in a single exchange?"
That was confirmation enough.
Mikoto's heart trembled.
As expected of Qingshui…
To deduce Hanzo's greatest weakness from a single reaction—
That level of battlefield insight was terrifying.
Hanzo slowly exhaled.
"Konoha truly is blessed," he said gravely.
"Endless talent. Endless monsters."
Then, deliberately—
Hanzo reached up.
And removed his mask.
The moment it came off, Qingshui's expression changed completely.
This mask had never been meant to hide Hanzo's face.
It was a seal.
Without it, Hanzo's very breath carried poison—paralyzing, lethal, indiscriminate.
Even allies were not safe.
Qingshui reacted instantly.
He pulled out two pills.
Swallowed one.
Pressed the other into Mikoto's palm.
"Antidote pill. Eat it. Now."
This was not something he had invented.
It was Tsunade's work.
A countermeasure developed during the Second Great Ninja War specifically to deal with Hanzo.
Mikoto trusted him completely and swallowed it without hesitation.
Hanzo watched.
And smiled.
The antidote was temporary.
He knew that better than anyone.
"Let's see," Hanzo said coldly, raising his sickle.
"Which kills you first—my blade, or my poison."
He vanished.
The clash that followed was brutal.
Metal rang again and again as Qingshui fought with everything he had.
Swordsmanship.
Wind chakra enhancement.
Positioning.
Timing.
Every skill he possessed.
It wasn't enough.
Hanzo countered everything.
Effortlessly.
Then—
Hanzo opened his mouth.
A massive torrent of water burst forth.
Water Release: Wild Water Wave!
It was a basic technique.
But in Hanzo's hands, it was a weapon of devastation.
The water struck Qingshui squarely.
For a split second—
His movements froze.
That was all Hanzo needed.
The sickle came down.
A killing blow.
Boom—!
A figure appeared out of nowhere.
A powerful kick slammed into Hanzo's chest.
The Demigod was sent skidding backward more than ten meters before he finally stopped.
Rain exploded outward.
"Yo."
Jiraiya stood in front of Qingshui.
Alive.
Unharmed.
"Sorry I'm late."
Qingshui exhaled shakily.
Mikoto's knees nearly gave out.
Jiraiya glanced back, relief flooding his face when he saw them both alive.
Then he turned to Hanzo.
"HANZO."
His voice hardened.
"Why are you attacking Konoha ninja?"
Hanzo's eyes burned.
"I should be asking you that!"
"Why did you kill my subordinate—Sōnosuke?!"
Jiraiya blinked.
"…Who?"
"What?"
"I've never even met him!"
Hanzo's fury surged.
"You still deny it?"
"I've been keeping a low profile in the Land of Rain!" Jiraiya snapped back.
"I haven't killed anyone!"
For the first time—
Hanzo hesitated.
Jiraiya wasn't the type to lie.
Mikoto stepped forward and explained everything—the ambush, the interrogation, the silenced witness.
As Hanzo listened, his brow furrowed deeply.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
This wasn't Konoha's doing.
Someone else was pulling the strings.
Trying to ignite war.
Hanzo formed seals.
"Summoning Technique!"
A colossal salamander emerged behind him.
"I will uncover the truth myself," Hanzo declared.
"Until then—this matter is far from over."
The rain continued to fall.
And in the shadows—
Something unseen watched.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)