When Hizashi saw who had arrived, the last of his strength finally gave out, and he collapsed backward.
His body was drenched in blood. His clothes were torn apart, and wounds covered him from head to toe. His vision had long since blurred, yet he forced his eyes to remain open. Through that fading awareness, he thought he saw his younger sister, Himeji, her face streaked with tears.
Himeji rarely cried.
The memory that stood out most was from the night before he received the Caged Bird Seal. The usually stubborn girl had gone to plead with their father, refusing to accept it.
It had been useless.
In his dazed state, Hizashi realized that more than ten years had passed since then. Time had slipped away without him noticing.
When he first learned of the Caged Bird Seal, it had felt as though his entire world had collapsed.
Death had never frightened him. What troubled him was how deeply Himeji would grieve after he was gone.
That foolish little sister.
He tried to speak, but only blood bubbled from his lips.
Yet, for the first time, Hizashi felt a strange sense of relief.
At last, he could choose how he died.
He slowly closed his eyes. Death felt no different from sleep, a quiet rest that no one could disturb.
Then, faintly, he heard a familiar voice.
"How is he?"
The voice belonged to Hayashi.
In his half-conscious state, Hizashi also heard Nono speaking calmly.
"The injuries are severe, but I'm here, so he will survive."
Hizashi wanted to open his eyes and argue, but recalling that she was Tsunade's disciple, he gave up and sank into complete darkness.
"I need to operate immediately," Nono said, her hands glowing with the green chakra of Medical Ninjutsu.
Her meaning was clear.
Hayashi nodded.
"Hanzō is mine."
His tone was calm, as if he were speaking about something insignificant.
None of the Konoha ninja present questioned him. Hayashi had already proven his strength many times over. His record on the battlefield had earned him unwavering trust.
Turning away, Hayashi began to walk forward.
At first, his steps were steady and unhurried. Then they grew faster, building rhythm and momentum. In an instant, his figure vanished from sight.
Not far away, Hanzō stood at the edge of a crater, lost in thought after being sent flying.
He recalled the first powerful ninja he had killed, the former leader of the Land of Rain, the man who had implanted the venom sac within him.
Hanzō had not wanted to kill him, but weakness had no place in a world dominated by great nations.
He had come to believe that he was the savior of the Land of Rain.
With that conviction, he united its forces and rose to power, earning followers and carving his name into the world.
Confident and relentless, he had fought against the Hokage and Kazekage, gaining the title of a demigod.
Over the years, countless ninja and samurai had tried to take his life. Most had fallen before him, far weaker than Shibi's team.
Among those memories, one battle stood out.
The three young ninja of Konoha, later known as the Legendary Sannin.
Each had possessed extraordinary ability, yet even together, they had been suppressed by him.
Time had passed quickly.
Now, standing before him was the disciple of one of those Sannin, Orochimaru.
Fate had a strange way of circling back.
Hanzō's thoughts lasted only a moment.
Hayashi's chakra was already approaching at an incredible speed.
He had expected this encounter to happen later, but now Konoha's famed Lightning Flash stood before him.
The chain-linked sickle weapon rotated slowly around Hanzō as he reached into a scroll and pulled out a mask, fastening it securely over his face.
The venom sac within his body was both a weapon and a weakness. If ruptured, even he would be affected by the toxin.
Very few knew this secret.
But against a powerful opponent, even a small mistake could be fatal.
Hanzō stepped forward.
If one advanced, the other would respond.
One would live, the other would die.
It was that simple.
He did not rush in immediately.
The earlier exchange had already shown that he was outmatched in taijutsu.
It had nothing to do with age. Though past fifty, he had only lost some stamina.
The difference in skill was undeniable.
Hayashi's combat style was already well known across the battlefield, especially his Sage Mode, marked by dark patterns.
No one knew how that information had spread, but its effect was clear.
Enhanced strength, speed, and perception.
Combined with overwhelming physical power, very few could match him in close combat.
In a blink, the distance between them vanished.
Hanzō formed hand seals.
Fire Release: Dragon Flame Bomb.
A massive fireball surged forward.
Hayashi, already in Sage Mode, showed a faint smirk.
"To use Fire Release in front of the Uchiha clan… that takes confidence."
He formed the Tiger seal.
Sage Art: Fire Release, Dragon Flame Bomb.
A far more intense wave of flames erupted, swallowing Hanzō's attack instantly. The heat distorted the air itself.
Before the flames could settle, a monstrous roar echoed.
A giant salamander burst from the ground, its jaws snapping toward Hayashi.
A moment earlier, Hayashi had already leapt into the air. Even from above, he could smell the thick poison emanating from its mouth.
Fortunately, he had already taken an antidote.
The salamander roared again. Its long tongue shot forward, slicing through the poison cloud and wrapping tightly around Hayashi's legs.
The poison had only been a distraction.
Hayashi reacted instantly, thrusting his right hand downward.
Lightning crackled as the Chidori Sharp Spear extended.
At the same time, Hanzō seized the opening, charging forward while pulling his chained weapon through the air.
Forced into defense, Hayashi launched the Chidori Sharp Spear while forming another lightning blade in his left hand.
Before he could follow up, the salamander's tongue whipped violently, flinging him far across the battlefield.
Twisting his body midair, Hayashi landed and slid across the ground, immediately counterattacking with another Chidori Sharp Spear aimed at the creature.
But the salamander moved with surprising agility.
Despite its massive size, it twisted and burrowed back into the ground with ease, disappearing as if it had returned to water.
Clearly, its enormous body did nothing to slow it down.
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