Chapter 78: What You Gave Us Back Then, Today We Return It a Thousandfold!
A revenge endured for many years.
Only today did it feel somewhat cathartic.
Previously, Hanzō of the Salamander's expressions, from discovering the deception to bewilderment, anger, and fear, were merely the appetizers for this feast of revenge.
This group of Ame (Rain) ninjas had clearly experienced too little. After their initial confusion and anger, they actually even felt a bit like laughing.
"What a joke!"
"Just a few people want to attack Lord Hanzō!"
"Lord Hanzō is the Ninja Demigod, the only ninja in decades capable of rivaling the legendary God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju!"
"Let's make a bet? How long can this group from Akatsuki last?"
"Half an hour? An hour?"
"Isn't that a bit short?"
"Then how much longer? Did you think they could fight Lord Hanzō for a day and a night like Konoha's Sannin?"
Whenever the Ninja Demigod Hanzō of the Salamander was mentioned, it was unavoidable to bring up those ninjas upon whom he bestowed the title of Konoha's Sannin.
As time passed, the power of Konoha's Sannin grew stronger and stronger.
Even though the current Sannin had long gone their separate ways, their legends still circulated in the ninja world. This also indirectly highlighted just how powerful Hanzō of the Salamander, who bestowed the Sannin title back then, truly was.
In reality, that time was the peak of Hanzō's life.
Listening to the exchange among his surrounding subordinates, Hanzō of the Salamander's expression grew increasingly grave. He didn't have as much confidence as this group of Ame ninjas claimed.
Hanzō himself was truly old now.
He had begun to fear death.
Hanzō of the Salamander scanned his surrounding subordinates, quietly raised his fingers; he wanted to secretly use the Body Flicker Technique to leave this place.
As long as he returned to Amegakure (Village Hidden in the Rain), there was still hope for everything.
If he stayed here, who knew how powerful the red-haired ninja possessing the Rinnegan would become? And there was also that orange-haired youth who committed suicide long ago...
Perhaps the most inconspicuous was the blue-haired woman.
Hanzō of the Salamander secretly calculated in his heart. If there was any chance, perhaps he could take Konan hostage and try the same trick that lured Yahiko to suicide back then.
Unfortunately, this time he was destined to be disappointed.
"Don't dream of escaping."
Konan looked down at Hanzō of the Salamander, seemingly having guessed Hanzō's thoughts.
Konan's fingers slowly curled. She spoke with a serious expression, "Back then, you ambushed us with exploding tags buried in the ground, destroying Nagato's legs... Today, I will return it to you a thousandfold! All the ground here has been disguised by me using exploding tags!"
Following her hand gesture, the earth actually cracked open in an instant!
Layer upon layer of densely packed exploding tags were revealed from the fissures, making the group of Ame ninjas' scalps tingle. Just how many exploding tags were hidden here?
Exploding tag after exploding tag instantly floated out, sticking onto the bodies of the terrified Ame ninjas!
"I used six hundred billion exploding tags to disguise the earth!"
Konan's fingers pointed towards the crowd on the ground like weaving through flowers, her gaze fixed tightly on Hanzō of the Salamander, "Hanzō, today you absolutely cannot escape, no matter what!"
"..."
Hanzō of the Salamander couldn't help gritting his teeth.
Hanzō slowly turned his head, quietly surveying the surroundings. Everywhere within his sight were shadows of fluttering exploding tags. Escaping with his Body Flicker Technique would be unusually difficult.
Damn it, Akatsuki is actually this rich?
Truly, karma is a bitch.
Back then, Hanzō of the Salamander played Akatsuki's three leaders in the palm of his hand; now it was his turn to be forced into a dead end by Konan and Nagato.
Nagato coughed lightly a few times, manipulated the Deva Path Pain to fly into mid-air, and said softly, "Konan, deal with the small fry first."
"Okay."
Konan nodded, a grim look flashing across her face.
Following her hand gesture, countless exploding tags instantly detonated!
"Flee quickly!"
"Substitution Jutsu!"
"Bastard, hurry up and go!"
The group of Ame ninjas, still terrified, tried to flee in disorder, but they simply couldn't escape the exploding tags' coverage area, only able to be tagged by one tag after another...
One Ame ninja despairingly watched as exploding tags enveloped his body, a miserable smile appearing on his face, "How could there possibly... be so many exploding tags?"
Boom!
Uehara Naraka stood in the air, silently watching that Ame ninja be completely engulfed by exploding tags, subsequently turning into a shower of bloody rain.
"Lord Hanzō, save me!"
"Lord Hanzō!"
"Lord Hanzō!"
The sounds of explosions and cries for help rose one after another!
The still struggling Ame ninjas scrambled towards Hanzō of the Salamander's direction, because only the exploding tags beneath Hanzō's feet had yet to be revealed.
Clearly, Konan and Nagato wanted to leave Hanzō for last.
Hanzō of the Salamander also guessed this. After thinking for a few seconds, he decided to save his own life first; as for his subordinates, they could only rely on their luck.
The only thing this Ninja Demigod could do was form seals and release a large-scale Water Release ninjutsu, "Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
A huge ocean wave surged forth from Hanzō's mouth!
Just based on mastery of Water Release ninjutsu alone, Uehara Naraka had to admit that Mangetsu Hōzuki and Kisame Hoshigaki were still far behind this Ninja Demigod, let alone that slacker Zabuza Momochi!
An oval-shaped lake appeared upon this land!
Giving some Ame ninjas a sliver of hope for escape. The remaining survivors scrambled into the lake water, avoiding the pursuit of the exploding tags.
Hanzō of the Salamander stood in the water, just as if standing on open ground!
As one of the great masters of Water Release ninjutsu in the ninja world, Hanzō of the Salamander could also live and move freely at high speed in water like certain others.
Hanzō hid in the water, watching Nagato, Konan, and Pain for a moment. His hands suddenly began to move as he shouted sternly, "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
A huge water dragon snaked out!
Judging solely by size and the chakra contained within, Hanzō's Water Dragon Bullet Technique should be the strongest Water Release Uehara had ever seen!
Nagato watched the water dragon diving towards them, calmly extended his palm, and said softly, "Preta Path."
The huge water dragon transformed into chakra and entered Nagato's body!
As the main body of the Rinnegan, Nagato could release all the ninjutsu of the Six Paths of Pain; he used it without concealment.
After all, from the moment he revealed himself, to suppress intelligence, apart from Konan and Uehara Naraka, no one else present had any chance of escaping.
"This is your repayment."
Nagato's finger pointed towards Hanzō.
The next moment, the Deva Path Pain suddenly appeared above the oval lake, his palm suddenly thrust open forcefully, "Shinra Tensei (Almighty Push)!"
Just as Hanzō of the Salamander became vigilant, a surging repulsive force rolled downwards!
Within seconds, the entire lake was instantly destroyed by Shinra Tensei!
The Ame ninjas hidden within the lake water were all killed in just an instant!
"Ninja Art: Summoning Technique!"
A giant Salamander appeared beside Hanzō!
This Salamander was entirely brown, completely different from the one Konan killed. It seemed the number of this unique summoning beast living in the Land of Rain was not small.
Hanzō hastily hid beneath his summoning beast, ordering the Salamander's body to withstand the repulsive force's attack. He didn't dare suffer heavy injuries right at the start of the battle!
Uehara Naraka couldn't help frowning, "Isn't his courage too small? Damaging a powerful combat asset just to save his own life?"
"Because he never intended to win in the first place."
Nagato looked at the luckily surviving Hanzō, his face full of contempt and disdain, "He abandoned his own beliefs, long ceasing to be the Ninja Demigod capable of sheltering the Land of Rain... Now, only a true God can protect this country!"
"..."
Uehara Naraka's expression gradually became subtle.
(End of Chapter)
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