On the battlefield under the pouring rain, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade had been locked in a bitter struggle with the demigod Hanzō of the Salamander for a long time.
Although the three of them used all their techniques and cooperated seamlessly, they were still no match for the demigod. Facing his instantaneous speed and the poison of the salamander, even after exhausting all their efforts, they could only barely protect themselves.
Looking at the powerful man standing atop the giant salamander's head, Tsunade couldn't help but feel despair. She thought she would soon die. The Sannin were all covered in wounds, and their chakra was nearly depleted.
In contrast, the demigod Hanzō still appeared composed and superior, clearly possessing the ability to kill them.
'If only Ryun hadn't gone on a solo mission... With him here, we could definitely defeat the demigod!'
This thought surfaced in Tsunade's mind again, and she couldn't help but glance at Orochimaru with some resentment.
That reliable little brother of hers had the strength to threaten even the demigod. Ryun was also the first person to ever injure the peak demigod Hanzō.
"This battle will likely still end in victory for you Konoha-nin. I will mercifully spare your lives," Hanzō of the Salamander declared, looking down at the Sannin from above.
"Bastard... We don't need your pity! We can still fight!" Jiraiya, covered in wounds, stubbornly forced himself to stand, refusing to admit defeat.
"Stop talking, Jiraiya!" Tsunade quickly whispered. This was no time to act tough. All three of them had exhausted their chakra, and Jiraiya was the most severely injured... What could they possibly use to fight now?
Moreover, the enemy had already agreed to let them go. Why risk death just for pride?
"Your strength is impressive. You've survived my repeated assaults time and again..."
"From this day forward, I, Hanzō of the Salamander, shall refer to you three as the 'Konoha Sannin'!"
"This is a title you've earned at the cost of your lives. I hope you cherish it..."
The Sannin exchanged glances, relieved yet secretly pleased. They felt joy at winning the war and excitement at gaining recognition from the demigod.
But before they could say anything, a deafening dragon roar echoed from the distance.
Everyone turned to look. A red-eyed youth with long, flowing hair and an extraordinary demeanor was riding a fearsome black dragon, charging toward them at high speed.
"Sage Art: Water Pillar!"
The black dragon opened its maw, absorbing the surrounding moisture, then swiftly spat out a powerful water jet!
"Underground!"
Seeing the black dragon unleash a powerful sage art from a kilometer away, Hanzō knew at a glance that this jutsu was not to be taken lightly.
He immediately ordered the salamander to burrow underground while he himself used the Body Flicker Technique to evade.
The thick water jet arrived in an instant, but due to the long distance, it gave Hanzō and the salamander enough time to dodge. The high-speed water pillar ultimately slammed into a distant mountain.
The tremendous force blasted a huge hole through the mountain, causing the entire structure to shake violently. The tremors from the impact were clearly felt even from afar, demonstrating the terrifying power of this sage art!
"That's his summon! A real dragon!!"
"Ryun!!!"
Tsunade couldn't help but shout, tears of joy welling up in her eyes.
That damn little brother had finally arrived!!!
Ryun rode the black dragon toward the three at high speed. However, before he could reach them, a giant salamander burst from the ground, opening its maw to bite the black dragon's neck.
At the critical moment, the black dragon reared up, lifting its upper body like a serpent. It then lunged forward, sinking its fangs into the giant salamander's neck.
As a dragon from Ryūchi Cave, its perception of the earth and mastery of earth-style techniques far surpassed the salamander's. Attempting a sneak attack underground in front of it was suicide.
The black dragon had sensed the salamander's presence underground long ago. With one swift motion, it clamped its jaws around the salamander's neck, its claws digging deep into the fish-like skin. Poisonous blood gushed out instantly.
"Cough..."
The salamander couldn't even scream as its throat was crushed. With one fierce tug from the black dragon, a huge chunk of flesh was torn from its neck!
It no longer had a chance to return to the summoning realm. A single mistake had cost it its life, and it collapsed in the pouring rain.
"Damn it!!!"
Hanzō's face twisted in fury as he swung his sickle relentlessly, forcing Ryun to retreat repeatedly.
The black dragon lashed out with a claw at Hanzō below, forcing him to use the Body Flicker Technique to evade.
Faced with the coordinated assault of Ryun and the dragon, Hanzō felt immense pressure.
His previous summon, the giant black salamander, had already been injured by this vicious dragon. Hanzō realized that summoning the Salamander Matriarch now would likely yield the same result.
To avoid wasting his dwindling chakra, Hanzō decided against using another summoning jutsu, choosing to fight Ryun and the dragon alone.
Ryun leaped back onto the black dragon's head and glanced at the dark, stormy sky. He then formed hand seals and initiated his jutsu.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Despite the heavy rain, Ryun's fireball remained ferocious, roaring toward Hanzō on the ground.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
Hanzō slammed his hands on the ground, erecting a thick earthen barrier that blocked the fireball.
The black dragon whipped its tail, shattering the wall and forcing Hanzō to leap away.
While dodging, Hanzō counterattacked, hurling two explosive-tagged kunai at the dragon's eyes.
Ryun reacted swiftly, intercepting the kunai with two of his own, triggering explosions mid-air.
The black dragon snapped its jaws at Hanzō, but its massive size slowed it down, and its attacks couldn't threaten Hanzō's instantaneous speed.
"Annoying little monkey!!"
After missing several bites in a row, the black dragon cursed angrily.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bomb!"
Ryun exhaled a scorching, high-temperature fire dragon. Hanzō, having just dodged the black dragon's attack, was immediately threatened by the jutsu.
With no time to spare, he formed a one-handed seal and used the Body Flicker Technique again.
"Why is Ryun only using fire-style jutsu? Even though his fire techniques are still threatening in the rain, it's a huge waste of chakra!"
Jiraiya couldn't help but look at Orochimaru.
The Konoha Sannin had all exhausted their chakra and couldn't intervene in the battle.
"I don't know either."
Watching the fire dragon quickly extinguish in the heavy rain, Orochimaru shook his head, equally puzzled by Ryun's strategy.
However, when steam rose and a thunderclap echoed in the sky, Orochimaru faintly realized something, his pupils contracting slightly.