"..."
The room fell into a dead silence, and the air slowly grew heavy. No reply came from Hanzo for a long time, and the Amegakure Ninja kneeling on one knee behind the Folding Screen felt fine sweat gather on his forehead.
"Shenda."
Hanzo's voice was calm to the point of strangeness. The Amegakure Ninja called Shenda instinctively raised his head, only to see that the figure who had been behind the Folding Screen had stepped out.
Seeing that familiar, indifferent face, Shenda, known as Hanzo's right hand, suddenly felt that the aged man before him was somehow unfamiliar. His posture was still upright, yet the sense of decline in his bones was something even Root could not hide.
Had Hanzo already grown this old?
"Bring three squads from ANBU and follow me to meet the people from Konoha. Let us see what they want this time."
Hanzo's voice was cold and steady, each word firm, like nails driven into a wall. The sharpness in his tone left no room for doubt.
"Yes, Hanzo-sama!"
Startled out of his daze, Shenda lowered his head and answered at once, pressing his dry lips together. His heart held both shock and relief, shock at Hanzo's age, and relief at his unyielding stance.
Hanzo was still Hanzo, still the hero of Amegakure.
Boom!
As Hanzo led his men out of the High Tower, a flash of lightning split the dim world, followed by a thunderclap overhead. The gray sky seemed to be cut open by a blue seam, and dense rain poured down, crossing before Hanzo's eyes like the veins of leaves.
He had not fought for far too long, nor had he stepped out of the High Tower for a long time. Fear had kept him hidden high in the tower, unwilling to let others see his age.
But since the people of Konoha dared to come to his door, it meant they had already gathered a great deal of intelligence. At this moment, there was no room left for hesitation or retreat.
The envoys from Konoha had requested an audience according to proper customs, and he had no reason to refuse. If he backed down now or showed fear, his reputation would collapse into a Lie.
For the current Hanzo, that was more terrifying than death. Because what he still possessed was already very little.
A short while later, Hanzo entered the Watchtower before the gates of Amegakure. The instant he stepped inside, the heavy curtain of rain pressing on his shoulders was cut away.
He finally saw who Konoha had sent to meet him.
"Hanzo-sama."
Kakashi Hatake bowed slightly, his manner flawless and respectful. "Thank you for granting us this meeting. We are deeply honored, and please allow me to convey greetings to you on behalf of Third Hokage."
This made it clear to Hanzo that the meeting was approved by Hiruzen Sarutobi and was open and proper. Even so, the Amegakure Ninja following behind Hanzo still looked at them with open hostility and even hatred.
To these people who had brought disaster and suffering to their country, many under Hanzo bore deep blood feuds. It was natural that they showed no friendliness toward Kakashi Hatake and his group.
"..."
Hanzo looked at the young genius ninja from Konoha before him and felt a renewed sense of sorrow at the gap between Amegakure and Konoha. His gaze then swept over the dozen or so Konoha Ninja standing behind him.
A team of more than ten had entered the capital of Land of Rain, gathered intelligence, and stayed for several days, yet Amegakure had known nothing about it. Thinking of this, Hanzo's suspicious nature flared up again, and his tone turned colder.
"Enough talk. I am here. What do you want?"
Kakashi Hatake did not mind Hanzo's condescending attitude. He took a Scroll from his chest and presented it with both hands to Hanzo.
Shenda stepped forward, intending to accept the Scroll on his behalf, but Hanzo raised a hand to stop him. Even if he had to put on a brave front, he could not show the slightest fear.
Hanzo reached out and took the Scroll himself, appearing calm while opening it with caution. If this Scroll had been sent by Danzo Shimura, he would never have been so relaxed, given his past cooperation with Danzo Shimura.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi was not Danzo Shimura. He would not use such underhanded methods in a place like this, and the letter inside was earnest in tone.
"..."
As Hanzo scanned the contents, his eyes narrowed slightly. Kakashi Hatake and the others from Konoha watched his expression closely.
On the third day after sending their message, they had received a reply from Third Hokage. As expected, Hiruzen Sarutobi had not refused and had permitted their actions.
There was only one point where Hiruzen Sarutobi's stance was vague, even meaningful in Kakashi Hatake's eyes. That was the alliance condition of "Konoha helping Hanzo deal with the remnants of Akatsuki."
The seasoned Hiruzen Sarutobi saw farther than the young Kakashi Hatake, understanding that only a troublesome neighbor was a compliant neighbor. If they truly helped Hanzo eliminate Akatsuki, then Konoha would become the next "problem."
Even if they allied with Hanzo and Amegakure, Akatsuki had to be kept as a restraint. As long as the threat of Akatsuki remained, Hanzo would not turn his edge outward.
Kakashi Hatake understood Hiruzen Sarutobi's meaning and had to admit that this Third Hokage was more thorough than he had expected. Still, would Hanzo really agree so easily?
"A letter of intent to form an alliance?"
Hanzo lifted his gaze and looked at the people from Konoha before him, his eyes cold. "You can barely manage yourselves, yet you still play petty tricks. Konoha truly never changes."
As soon as these words fell, the atmosphere inside the tower sank and grew tense. Most of the Amegakure Ninja present quickly realized the true purpose of Konoha's visit.
An alliance?
More like wanting them, the Amegakure Ninja, to serve as cannon fodder for Konoha.
With that thought, the Amegakure ninjas tightened their grips on their weapons, ready to leap forward and hack these damned Konoha Ninja to pieces at a single order from Hanzo.
"Hanzo-sama, why do you say that?" Kakashi Hatake asked, his expression unchanged.
"In the eyes of great nations, so-called alliances are nothing but scrap paper," Hanzo said coldly. "Once you lose your value, you tear them up without hesitation."
If such alliances truly mattered, Third Shinobi World War would never have happened. Because of that, Hanzo did not believe a single word about "alliance" in Hiruzen Sarutobi's letter.
"Hanzo-sama, do you need me to remind you of something?"
Kakashi Hatake looked up at him, his tone still mild, but his words made the faces of Hanzo and the others from Amegakure change. "Once Land of Fire goes to war with Land of Wind and Land of Earth, Land of Rain will inevitably become the best route of attack for Iwagakure and the Sand, and I believe you know their nature well."
He paused briefly, then smiled faintly. "When that happens, will you lend them passage and let those desperate ninjas burn and plunder, or will you resist to the end?"
"And if you resist, where will you obtain the food, weapons, and other supplies needed to sustain your forces?"
This was the shared fatal weakness of Hanzo, Amegakure, and Land of Rain.