"Sunagakure's Pakura, the Scorch Release user, has already led Sunagakure ninjas to support the Rifting Gorge camp. The Amegakure ninjas there are destined for total annihilation." Rasa's voice echoed through the poisonous mist.
Hanzo's heart gradually tightened.
Scorch Release user Pakura…
He had heard that name.
If it was Pakura leading the Sunagakure ninjas in support, then the first ambush unit led by Takinawa was indeed in grave danger.
[Ding!]
[System detected Hanzo's Pain Value +5000]
[Your Cursed Spirit Kenjaku's rank has increased to 40%]
[Ding!]
[System detected Hanzo's Guilt Value +5000]
[Your Cursed Spirit Guilt's rank has increased to 18%]
Huh?
Haruki, leaning on Takinawa's back, quietly opened his eyes.
What kind of stimulus did Hanzo receive?
"Haruki, just hold on a little longer. We'll be at the border very soon." Takinawa's voice sounded in Haruki's ears.
Haruki closed his eyes again. It wasn't time for him to wake up yet.
Takinawa still received no response.
There were no medical ninja in their team. No one knew if Haruki's condition was just a simple coma. They had to return to camp as soon as possible and hand Haruki over to a medical ninja.
Takinawa's figure darted swiftly through the desert.
The fierce wind swept through the desert, emitting a piercing shriek.
Suddenly, Takinawa stopped. The Amegakure ninjas behind him also stopped at the same time.
"What happened?" Takinawa's eyes were bloodshot.
He stared intently ahead.
At the Land of Wind border, the camp they had originally occupied now flew the flag of Sunagakure, and countless corpses were piled up in front of the camp gate.
Vultures circled above the corpses, and seeing no one to stop them, they landed on the mountain of bodies, tearing at the Amegakure ninjas' corpses.
Takinawa's eyes were bloodshot, and he stared fixedly in that direction.
"Captain!"
An Amegakure ninja stepped forward, fearing Takinawa would act impulsively. He blocked Takinawa's path, looking at him worriedly.
Takinawa took a deep breath, lowering his head, trembling with anger.
"The situation is bad, we'll go around." Takinawa remained rational.
"Yes."
Takinawa and his group once again sped forward with astonishing speed.
Sweat continuously dripped from Takinawa's forehead, and his resolute eyes held a hint of imperceptible anxiety.
Haruki's condition was unknown, and the Amegakure camp ahead might be in danger.
He was exhausted, but he still didn't dare to stop nor could he stop. Whether for Haruki on his back or for his comrades ahead, he couldn't stop.
After an unknown amount of time.
Sweat stung Takinawa's eyes as he stopped. Countless figures appeared in the heat-distorted distance ahead.
"Stop." Takinawa's voice was hoarse.
The Amegakure ninjas behind him stopped at the same time. All their gazes were fixed on the horizon ahead.
The border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rain had become a slaughterhouse. As far as the eye could see, for a hundred miles around, it was unrecognizable.
In the pale purple air, countless figures clashing in battle swayed continuously.
Even from a great distance, the clang of metal, the whoosh of ninja tools, the roar of ninjutsu, the screams of the dying…
All sounds converged into a deafening wave that violently impacted Takinawa and the others' nerves.
Crows circled high above the battlefield, cawing. Their dark pupils rotated, taking in the entire scene of the battle.
Wind Release ninjutsu compressed the air, and the purple poisonous mist in the air grew thinner.
In the center of the battlefield, two figures stood opposite each other.
Within a twenty-meter radius around Hanzo, no ninja dared to approach. The churning poisonous mist coiled around him like venomous snakes.
However, whenever the poisonous mist showed signs of spreading, the Wind Release Ninjutsu jointly unleashed by the Sunagakure ninjas would instantly blow it away.
Standing opposite Hanzo was Rasa. Rasa formed hand signs with both hands, holding them in front of his chest, not daring to release them for a moment.
Beneath his feet were surging waves of gold dust.
His cold gaze was fixed coldly on Hanzo. His eyes barely concealed his triumph.
"Sunagakure is one of the Five Great Hidden Villages, destined to be something your small Amegakure cannot contend with. As long as you sign Sunagakure's contract, Sunagakure will act as if nothing happened." Rasa spoke.
"Dream on." Hanzo spat out two cold words.
His attitude was as firm as a rock.
Looking at Hanzo's stance, a dark glint flashed in Rasa's eyes.
Rasa looked around regretfully and said, "When making a decision, please look at your comrades."
Hanzo didn't need to look. He knew the number of Amegakure ninjas was rapidly decreasing.
The difference in numbers between the Amegakure and Sunagakure ninjas was too great.
The number of Sunagakure ninjas Rasa had brought was twice that of the Amegakure ninjas he had brought along. Under these circumstances, winning this battle was almost impossible.
"Your poison is indeed very strong, but we have already developed an antidote. Hanzo, don't be stubborn. Even if you're not afraid of death, what about your subordinates? Can you bear to let them all die on the battlefield?"
"If all the Amegakure ninjas die on the battlefield, won't all your efforts be in vain? The future of the Land of Rain will only be more tragic." Rasa earnestly persuaded him.
He seemed to genuinely be thinking for Hanzo.
The gold dust beneath his feet churned in layers like ocean waves, ready to strike at any moment.
Hanzo couldn't refute him. He hadn't expected Sunagakure to send so many ninjas to fight Amegakure. After all, Sunagakure's primary enemy was Konoha.
"We're not afraid of death. Not a single Amegakure ninja is afraid of death. Hanzo-sama! Don't agree to him!"
"…"
Behind Hanzo, the resolute roars of the Amegakure ninjas sounded.
Hanzo was stunned, and his gaze gradually became firm.
That's right!
How could they surrender?
They had come step by step to this day. If they surrendered to save their lives now, they would never again be able to muster courage.
The Amegakure ninjas' eyes held determination. Since they were destined not to return to the village alive, they might as well perish together with this group of Sunagakure ninjas.
A hint of madness stained the Amegakure ninjas' eyes. They let out insane roars and charged towards the Sunagakure ninjas.
During the charge, half of a Amegakure ninja's body was sliced open by Wind Release ninjutsu. The Amegakure ninja grinned ferociously, unhesitatingly detonating all the explosive tags on his body.
In the horrified gazes of three Sunagakure ninjas, they and the Amegakure ninja's figures were engulfed by the flames.
In the distance, Takinawa and the others were like petrified statues, their figures hidden behind a sandstone. The tragic scene in the distance was reflected in their pupils.
"What do we do?"
The Amegakure ninja behind Takinawa asked, his voice trembling with a hint of fear.
Takinawa said with a dry voice, "Aid Hanzo-sama."
"What?! But…"
The Amegakure ninja's words of protest were immediately and sternly cut off by Takinawa.
"Even if it means death, we must go."
Takinawa's bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at the Amegakure ninja.
Takinawa hid Haruki, who was on his back, behind a rock.
"If all our comrades die here, what meaning does our survival have?"
Takinawa looked at Haruki's tired, sleeping face, a smile appearing on his own face.
"Have you forgotten? We were already destined to die. Let us fight for Amegakure one last time!"
Takinawa stood up, his knuckles white, his nails digging deep into his palms.
He stared intently at the battlefield ahead. The tragic deaths of his comrades burned his soul, making it impossible for him to live on in cowardice here.
"Captain…"
The Amegakure ninjas' voices sounded from behind Takinawa.
"I'll go with you!"
The Amegakure ninjas said in unison.
Takinawa took a deep breath, slowly turning his head, his eyes sweeping over the face of each Amegakure ninja.
"Good!"
"Let's go!"
With Takinawa's command, all the Amegakure ninjas, without the slightest hesitation, plunged fearlessly into the slaughterhouse ahead.