Hanzo

After his battle with Tsunade, Kirito retreated to a sheltered area to rest. He closed his eyes to focus on replenishing his chakra, as the successive powerful ninjutsu he had used had drained a significant portion of it. His ability to recover chakra quickly due to his Zetsu avatar, however, allowed him to recuperate at a rapid pace.

Kirito couldn't help but reflect on the strength of his Zetsu avatar and how it had performed during the battle. Without relying on sealing techniques, his proficiency in water escape ninjutsu alone had elevated him to the level of an elite ninja. In the Land of Rain, he held his own and could match or surpass other skilled ninja.

Considering his newfound capabilities, Kirito felt confident even when facing Konoha's Sannin. He believed that, if necessary, he could successfully retreat from such an encounter.

"No wonder Hanzo earned the title of 'Demigod,'" Kirito muttered to himself as he thought about Hanzo, the leader of the Rain ninja. "In a battlefield filled with water, his proficiency in water escape ninjutsu must have advanced far beyond my zetsu's clone. Hanzo's mastery of poison and sword techniques explains why he was able to hold his own against the young Sannin."

Kirito admired Hanzo's strength and dedication to his village. He acknowledged that Hanzo was a formidable opponent and the reason Rain Village had not fallen entirely. It was Hanzo who had secured Konoha's surrender terms without demanding compensation.

However, Kirito also recognized that Amegakure defeat had dealt a heavy blow to Hanzo. As he grew older, his strength waned, and he lost the fervor and ambition of his youth. He succumbed to the harsh realities of life, no longer the determined and idealistic individual that Mifune had mentioned in the forth war.

Despite possessing both strength and ambition, Hanzo's origins in Hidden Rain Village, a village with limited resources and a fragile background, had restrained his ambitions. This ultimately led to his downfall.

Kirito pondered that Hanzo, driven by youthful exuberance and overconfidence in his abilities, had chosen to challenge Konoha, the mightiest of the five great ninja villages, igniting the Second Great Ninja War. His youthful ambition had cost him dearly, and Kirito felt some sympathy for his younger self.

Just as Kirito reflected on Hanzo's past, he suddenly sensed a multitude of souls surrounding him. Using his natural energy-enhanced chakra perception, he detected a formidable chakra source among them, rivaling that of Tsunade.

Amongst these unseen enemies, the owner of this potent chakra was none other than Hanzo himself.

Faced with the sudden encirclement and the potential presence of Hanzo, Kirito decided to use the Mayfly technique to burrow underground, leaving behind a shadow clone in his place.

Soon, a middle-aged ninja with long, light yellow hair, donning a Rain ninja helmet and a snorkel that concealed all but his eyes and nose, appeared before Kirito. This ninja was none other than Hanzo, the current leader of rain Village.

As Hanzo approached, Kirito donned his snorkel calmly and met Hanzo's gaze without flinching. They regarded each other as old acquaintances who had drifted apart over time.

"It's been a while, Masanari. You've grown considerably stronger," Hanzo greeted Kirito with a friendly tone, as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other in years.

Kirito remained unfazed by the greeting, knowing that his past association with Hanzo was marked by a close yet contentious relationship. "Hanzo, I didn't expect you to find me so quickly. I suppose I shouldn't have tangled with Konoha's lot earlier. So, why are you here in person? To kill me?" Kirito inquired, his expression devoid of emotion.

"No, I'm not here to kill you this time. I'm here to take you back. The situation in the village is very bad now. Come back with me, Masanari. The village needs your power now. As long as you come back, the village will revoke the arrest warrant against you as a traitorous ninja."

Hanzo shook his head and said something that surprised Kirito.

In Kirito's memory of Hattori Masanari, Hattori Hanzo and Hattori Masanari were at odds with each other back then. Otherwise, Hanzo would not have used coercion and hostages to force Hattori Masanari into a mission with almost certain death. If Hattori Masanari hadn't been strong enough and pragmatic, he would have died long ago.

Now Hanzo was personally inviting Masanari Hattori back to the rain Village, promising to revoke the arrest warrant for him. If Kirito hadn't heard it from Hanzo himself, he might not have believed it was true.

"Hahaha~"

Kirito was taken aback for a moment and then burst into laughter as if he had heard a great joke.

Seeing this, Hanzo didn't get angry but just looked at Kirito silently.

He knew very well why Masanari was laughing. If it were him, he would probably laugh at himself for saying such a thing.

At the beginning, he had used coercion to force Hattori Masanari away. Now he had come here and invited him back with coercion, which was indeed embarrassing and absurd.

But he was also very helpless in his heart. Yuyin's current situation was really dire. He was the only strong individual that Amegakure could rely on.

Essentially, the older generation had been wiped out in the recent battle, and there was a severe shortage of experienced fighters. The younger generation of Amegakure hadn't matured yet, and this placed a significant burden on him.

The result of this situation was that the pressure on Hanzo had become nearly unbearable, with all eyes from various forces watching him. It made it impossible for him to leave Rain Village easily, limiting his ability to fully utilize his formidable personal strength.

Therefore, he urgently needed a powerful ally to share some of this burden with him.

In the midst of this, Hattori Masanari, played by Kirito, had emerged. As soon as he appeared, he had faced Konoha's princess with a strong presence and managed to retreat from the hands of two Sannin, showcasing his considerable strength. This proved that his abilities were more than sufficient.

As long as Hattori Masanari remained in ame Village, Hanzo could breathe a sigh of relief, allowing him to focus on the challenges at hand and demonstrate his power.

However, Hanzo wasn't entirely certain that Hattori Masanari would return to Yuyin Village with him.

But he firmly believed that Hattori Masari's love for amegakure had never wavered from the beginning to the end, and he was willing to make sacrifices for it.

Now, for the sake of Amegakure , Hattori Hanzo was also prepared to make sacrifices, even if it meant bowing his head to Hattori Masanari.

In the end, when it came to protecting Hidden Rain Village and the Land of Rain, personal honor and pride didn't matter.

Faced with Kirito's laughter, Hanzo remained calm, and the loyal Ame-nin behind him who admired Hanzo couldn't stand it any longer. They were filled with righteous indignation and wanted to step forward to teach Kirito a lesson for daring to laugh at Hanzo as a traitor.

"Leave us," Hanzo said, raising his hand to stop his subordinates, turning away, and speaking in a loud voice.

When the group of Yuren heard Hanzo's order, they reluctantly held back their anger and obediently withdrew, leaving Hanzo and Kirito alone.

"Hanzo, you truly surprised me. It seems this war has humbled you and opened your eyes. I'm willing to return, but not immediately. I still have to assess this country thoroughly."

Kirito, after momentarily restraining his laughter at Hanzo's actions, resumed a serious expression and spoke.

"Go on."

Hanzo seemed to anticipate this and responded calmly.

"Have you woken up from your dreams, Hanzo?"

Kirito stood up, fixedly looking into Hanzo's eyes, and spoke with sincerity.

Hanzo remained silent for a long while before sighing deeply with a dejected expression. "Yes, I've woken up."

"Very well, that's the answer I wanted to hear. Don't worry; I will go back. However, not immediately. I still have some things to verify. Give me a few more days. I'm sure you can spare that time."

Kirito nodded in satisfaction upon hearing Hanzo's response.

"masanari..."

Hearing these words, Hanzo thought Kirito might still be fearful, and attempted to express his sincerity. However, Kirito stopped him with a raised hand.

"I know what you want to say. Although you can be quite annoying, your character is pretty decent. Don't worry, I will definitely return when I say I will. But I still have some matters to attend to. Just give me a few days; I'm sure you can afford that."

Kirito smiled faintly.

"I understand. I'll wait for your return in Hidden Rain Village."

Having made up his mind, Hanzo nodded and said no more.

Afterward, he gathered his fellow Ame-nin and left promptly, without leaving any traces behind.

"I didn't expect such an unexpected gain. It's quite intriguing."

Kirito sensed Hanzo and the others quickly depart and couldn't help but wear a playful smile.

In the next moment, he formed a hand seal, exploded into white smoke, and disappeared.

Unexpected developments had occurred, prompting a change in the current plan. Kirito needed to consider how to make the most of Hattori Masanari's identity.

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