Chapter 158. Battle Of Amegakure

Chapter 158 - 158. Battle Of AmegakureAmegakure. Shimura Danzo sat in his chair with his eyes closed, appearing completely at ease. No matter how he looked at it, his plan seemed flawless. Though Konan was strong, she was no match for the eight Root members he had sent; capturing her should have been effortless. Not far from him sat Hanzo of the Salamander. Hanzo wore his signature gas mask and breathing apparatus. His hair had turned completely white, and only his eyes were visible. Famed across the ninja world for his mastery of poison, Hanzo's abilities extended beyond his summoned salamander. His own body was poisonous due to a venom sac implanted in his abdomen when he was young. The mask and breathing apparatus were necessary to prevent him from accidentally poisoning his subordinates. At that moment, a Root ninja hurried into the room. Danzo opened his eyes and, noticing the ninja's expression, frowned slightly. "Lord Danzo." The Root ninja glanced at Hanzo, then leaned close to whisper in Danzo's ear. "What?" Danzo's voice rose in surprise, his face darkening. Tsunade? What is she doing here? Why did she suddenly appear to rescue Konan? When the Akatsuki had reached out to Konoha, Danzo had already left for the Land of Rain. He was unaware that Hiruzen Sarutobi had met with Tsunade and sent her to assist the Akatsuki. But now, Konan was no longer the main concern—he was. With Tsunade's capabilities, she would undoubtedly uncover the true identity of the Iwagakure ninja who had abducted Konan. If she returned to Konoha and reported this to Hiruzen Sarutobi, what kind of punishment would Danzo face? Danzo's face flickered with uncertainty at the thought. "Lord Danzo," Hanzo said, his gaze sharp. "Did the mission fail?" "Yes." Danzo sighed, replying, "It seems my subordinates were incompetent. I am deeply ashamed." "The Akatsuki does appear to have some strength," Hanzo remarked, nodding slightly. However, he inwardly looked down on both Danzo and his Root members—they couldn't even capture a young girl. "But they are nothing compared to you, Lord Hanzo," Danzo said, offering praise. "Back when you defeated the Three Legendary Sannin, they were just insignificant brats." "You flatter me." Hanzo raised an eyebrow, a smile breaking through his mask. The more renowned the Sannin became, the more legendary his victory over them appeared. "Now that the attempt to capture Konan has failed, Yahiko and Nagato will surely become more cautious. Luring them out will be much harder," Danzo said thoughtfully. "That's a minor issue." Hanzo dismissed the concern confidently. "They'll merely be scurrying rats in hiding." His confidence had been bolstered by Danzo's earlier flattery. "But rats are a nuisance," Danzo said gravely. "I can provide you with the Akatsuki's exact base location." Hanzo hesitated for a moment, lost in thought. The Akatsuki's current strength wasn't insignificant, and launching a direct assault on their base would likely come at a cost to Amegakure. "Your poison gas is a weapon of mass destruction, Lord Hanzo. Taking down the Akatsuki would be effortless," Danzo continued. "You've reminded me of something." Hanzo glanced at him and said, "We'll act immediately." Danzo's reasoning was sound. Amegakure's ability to hold its own against Konoha in the past had been largely thanks to Hanzo's poison. Additionally, refusing now would appear weak and damage his reputation. "Root will provide full support," Danzo said, silently relieved. It seemed his calculated flattery had worked. With Hanzo taking action, both the Akatsuki and Tsunade would be eliminated. Hiruzen Sarutobi would remain in the dark about his actions in the Land of Rain. In Danzo's mind, if Hanzo had once defeated the Sannin, dealing with Tsunade alone would be a trivial matter. --- Half an hour earlier. Konan slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Tsunade and Hanekawa, she froze, her brow furrowing as memories of what had happened before she lost consciousness resurfaced. "What... what is going on?" Konan asked hesitantly. "It was Hanzo's subordinates disguised as Konoha ninja who lured you out," Tsunade explained after a pause. "We also have a traitor within Konoha." She deliberately avoided mentioning Danzo by name. If Konan discovered his involvement, she would undoubtedly question Konoha's true intentions. After all, Danzo was one of Konoha's top leaders. She would never believe it was purely his personal decision. "Ah, I see." Konan's face lit up with understanding, and she added, "Regardless, I must thank all of you for saving my life." Sёarᴄh the NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "We need to return to the Akatsuki base immediately," Hanekawa suddenly said, his tone serious. "Amegakure and Hanzo now know its exact location!" "Exactly!" Tsunade's expression hardened. "The failed capture attempt won't make them give up. They might resort to a direct assault." "Let's go!" Konan struggled to her feet, clearly anxious. Without further conversation, the group quickly departed, moving at top speed. Fortunately, they had the advantage of a head start, arriving at the Akatsuki base ahead of Amegakure and Hanzo. "Summon Yahiko and Nagato back immediately!" Konan ordered as soon as they reached the base. "Konan." Tsunade handed her a scroll. "This contains antidotes." "This is incredibly helpful!" Konan's eyes lit up with relief. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade!" The most troublesome aspect of Hanzo was his poison gas. The Akatsuki had no way to counter it, as they lacked medical ninja capable of crafting antidotes. In the original story, only two people could neutralize Hanzo's poison: Tsunade and Chiyo. "But antidotes aren't a cure-all," Tsunade warned, shaking her head. "If the exposure to the poison gas lasts too long, even these antidotes will be ineffective." "I understand," Konan replied, a shiver running through her. "Don't waste any time," Tsunade urged. "If there's no chance to relocate, prepare for battle." "Yes!" Konan said, clutching the scroll as she turned to leave. "It seems we'll most likely have to face Hanzo," Tsunade said calmly, addressing Hanekawa and the others. "Fight Hanzo, the Demigod? Seriously?" Might Duy exclaimed, his face a mix of disbelief and nervousness. As a lifelong Genin, the highest mission rank Duy had ever faced was B-rank. He had never encountered a true Jonin, let alone someone of Hanzo's caliber—a man who had defeated the legendary Sannin. Yūhi Kurenai and Nohara Rin showed similar reactions. As mere Chunin, the idea of facing a figure as legendary as Hanzo filled them with unease. "We have a chance to win," Tsunade said with a smile. "Don't be so tense." She glanced at Hanekawa, feeling a wave of gratitude. Thanks to his suggestion, Might Duy had joined them on this mission. If she were alone, Tsunade wasn't entirely confident she could defeat Hanzo. But with Duy, who possessed the power of the Eight Gates, their chances were much higher. Just then, footsteps echoed outside. It was Yahiko and Nagato. "Lady Tsunade." Yahiko approached, bowing slightly. "Thank you for saving Konan." Hanekawa instinctively observed Nagato. Unlike in the original story, Nagato wasn't a frail and crippled man but someone with a healthy and robust body. The only difference was his pair of Rinnegan eyes. Nagato noticed Hanekawa's gaze but only glanced back briefly before ignoring him. He harbored no goodwill toward Konoha's ninja and had no intention of forming any connections with them. "It's nothing," Tsunade replied with a faint smile. "Konoha and the Akatsuki are allies now—it's our duty." "I've already heard the details from Konan. I'll start organizing the evacuation right away," Yahiko said, quickly shifting to the main issue. "Where is Konan now?" Tsunade asked. "She's inspecting the area outside the base," Yahiko explained. "With her ability to fly, she can monitor Amegakure's movements." "Understood." Tsunade waved a hand dismissively. "Go do what you need to." "Konan-senpai is back," Hanekawa suddenly said. Everyone froze briefly before hearing the sound of wind rushing outside. "They're coming!" Konan descended from the sky, folding her wings, her expression grave. "Amegakure and Hanzo will be here any moment!" "So soon?" Yahiko instinctively turned to Tsunade. As a young leader, he had never faced a situation of this magnitude before. "Move out!" Tsunade barked decisively. If she wanted to escape, Katsuyu could use Reverse Summoning to teleport her away. But under Hanzo's poison gas, the Akatsuki would likely face total annihilation. She couldn't allow that to happen. Besides, they had a fighting chance. Tsunade's approach was straightforward—fight to win! As they reached the entrance of the Akatsuki base, they felt the ground trembling beneath them. Instinctively, they turned to look. A colossal salamander loomed in the distance, its massive body unmistakable. The creature had a brown back, a white belly, four limbs, and resembled a toad with a tail. Standing atop the giant salamander's head was Hanzo. Behind him marched a regiment of Amegakure ninja, neatly following the salamander in formation. Centered around Hanzo, the forces spread outward, surrounding the Akatsuki base. Amid the rain, the dark mass of soldiers resembled storm clouds, radiating an oppressive killing intent. "Can... can we win?" Nohara Rin swallowed nervously, her voice trembling with uncertainty. It was her first time witnessing such a large-scale confrontation. "..." Yūhi Kurenai hesitated, unable to find the words to respond. A battle of hundreds was already terrifying. She couldn't even imagine the horrors of a conflict involving thousands or tens of thousands. Now, she was gaining a visceral understanding of the brutal reality of war. "Konan," Yahiko took a deep breath and issued an order, "You're in charge of organizing the base's defenses." "Yes," Konan replied earnestly with a firm nod. "Kurenai, Rin, stay with Konan," Tsunade instructed, her gaze fixed on the familiar figure in the distance. "Hanzo and his salamander are ours to handle." "There's no need," Nagato interjected coldly. "I'll deal with Hanzo myself." "Nagato!" Yahiko quickly turned to him, urging, "Follow Lady Tsunade's lead." "..." Nagato opened his mouth but reluctantly complied with Yahiko's command. "Is that... Tsunade?" Hanzo's sharp eyes narrowed as he raised his hand. The Amegakure forces halted instantly, standing still. "Lord Hanzo, what's the matter?" asked Salamander Shinda, Hanzo's trusted aide. "Nothing," Hanzo replied, frowning. He was annoyed that Danzō had failed to inform him of Tsunade's involvement. Still, since they had already arrived, retreating was out of the question. After all, such a grand mobilization could not end without action. His reputation was at stake. "No wonder that old fox Danzō didn't come along," Hanzo sneered inwardly, resolving to settle scores with him later. Hanzo scanned the group ahead, his tension easing. There were only five Konoha shinobi. Apart from Tsunade and Might Duy, the rest were just inexperienced kids. As for Duy, Hanzo had no memory of him, likely considering him an insignificant ninja. In other words, Tsunade was the only real threat. "That's manageable," Hanzo thought. "Tsunade, long time no see," Hanzo said, his voice calm as he rode his salamander closer. "Indeed," Tsunade responded, her expression emotionless. "Are you here alone?" Hanzo chuckled. "Who gave you such courage?" What an oppressive aura! Konan, Kurenai, and the others felt a chill run down their spines. Across the ninja world, only a handful of individuals could speak to Tsunade in such a manner, and Hanzo was undoubtedly one of them. After all, it was he who had named the Sannin. "You've grown old, Hanzo," Tsunade retorted sharply. "It's time for you to pass the torch to the younger generation!" "Is that so?" Hanzo's face darkened. "Ibuse!" At his command, the salamander beneath him opened its massive mouth. "Use the antidote!" Tsunade quickly reminded her allies. In the next instant, a purple mist spewed from the salamander's mouth. Six Amegakure Jonin beside Hanzo simultaneously formed hand seals. Wind Release: Great Breakthrough! Violent gusts of wind surged forth, pushing the poison gas rapidly toward the Akatsuki base. "Defend!" Yahiko shouted. Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall! Nagato's hands moved swiftly through seals before slamming the ground. A massive earthen wall, wider than ten meters, rose from the ground—a stark contrast to the typical two- or three-meter walls. Hanekawa couldn't help but smirk. "Having an abundance of chakra really lets you do whatever you want." As a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, Nagato had no shortage of chakra. Water Release: Water Formation Wall! Yūhi Kurenai formed her own seals, erecting a water barrier in front of the earthen wall. The poison gas struck the barriers, corroding them but failing to break through. However, a significant portion of the gas began spreading around the sides of the walls. Yahiko consumed an antidote and used the Body Flicker Technique to dash to the left flank. Wind Release: Gale Palm! Powerful gusts blew the poison gas back toward the enemy. Meanwhile, Konan moved to the right flank, creating a dense wall of paper to block the gas. "Attack!" Hanzo raised his hand, commanding his forces forward. The Amegakure ninja surged forward but skillfully avoided the area contaminated by the poison gas. "Everyone, prepare yourselves!" Konan spread her wings and soared into the sky. "Hanekawa, summon Katsuyu and focus on that salamander. Remember, it takes five minutes for it to release poison gas again," Tsunade instructed firmly. "Duy, come with me. We'll take down Hanzo!" __ New entry: This Danzo Is Weird Patreon.com/rashta Be a member so you can read: New. 450 adv ch of This Danzo Is Weird 1. 300 adv ch of Talent System In Naruto 2. 560 adv ch of Qian Renxue's Younger Brother 3. 270 adv ch of Uchiha Madara's Cousin 4. 163 adv ch of WDQK: Divorcing Ling Qingzhu (Complete)