Demonic Statue of the Outer Path

Rain Dragon Valley was a massive valley located more than thirty kilometers east of Hidden Rain Village, named for the water mist that shrouded it.

Of course, like most of the terrain within the Land of Rain, it was almost entirely barren earth and rock, apart from the rivers.

After all, few plants could survive in an environment of perpetual rain and no sunlight.

Except for certain saprophytic plants...

Thus, when the elite Hidden Rain Village squad led by Noguchi arrived, all they could see was mist and stone.

"Jonin Noguchi, there don't seem to be any signs of the enemy here."

After conducting a thorough search, a sensory-type Rain Ninja quickly gave his report.

Only then did Noguchi slowly poke his head out from the rear of the team.

"Tsk, no ambush?"

"Could Jingū Kiraku have gotten cold feet at the last minute?"

He scratched his nose with a finger, his face full of confusion.

This time, in order to keep himself alive, Noguchi had emptied out everything he had.

In addition to the ten ninja Hanzō the Salamander had assigned to him, he had spent heavily to hire another five elites.

Yet Jingū Kiraku had not come?

"But that shouldn't be possible. He made such a big show of publicizing this. If he avoided battle, the opposition he worked so hard to organize would probably fall apart immediately."

"That defies common sense..."

Just as Noguchi furrowed his brow, pondering Jingū Kiraku's true intentions, the sensory ninja beside him suddenly frowned.

"Jonin Noguchi, I can't sense any enemies, but there seem to be some pigeons in this valley?"

The moment he finished speaking, a huge flock of pigeons flew out of the mist-shrouded valley.

The suddenly disturbed fog and the sound of flapping wings gave the Rain Ninja quite a fright.

Once he saw they were only pigeons, Noguchi finally let out a breath and waved a hand.

"Scaring yourselves!"

"They're just pigeons. There's no need to make such a fuss..."

Before he could finish, his expression suddenly changed.

"No, why would there be pigeons in a place like this?"

The presence of pigeons in a place without even a single plant was inherently absurd.

Unfortunately, by the time Noguchi realized that, it seemed to be too late.

The strange pigeons suddenly accelerated, hurtling toward the Rain Ninja at a terrifying speed.

Only then did the sensory ninja let out a shrill cry.

"Not good! They have Chakra signatures!"

Hearing that belated warning, Noguchi and the others nearly rolled their eyes into the sky.

If they had Chakra signatures, why hadn't he said so sooner?!

What was the point of saying it now?

And so, once the pigeons had successfully closed in, they began to swell and deform.

The next second, their bodies shattered, and blazing flames of death burst forth from within.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!!!"

A continuous chain of explosions instantly engulfed the valley. The scorching flames evaporated all the rain around them, while thick smoke laced with fire rose into the sky.

"So there really was a trap!"

Several hundred meters from the valley, Hanzō the Salamander watched the black column of smoke rise, his tone icy.

That was right. To ensure that Jingū Kiraku, that damned opposition leader, would be eliminated, Noguchi's squad was merely a decoy.

The true main force was himself and the more than twenty elite Rain Ninja behind him!

"Lord Hanzo, Chakra signatures have appeared in the direction of the valley."

A sensory ninja suddenly spoke up with a warning.

Hanzo immediately wore an expression of knowing as he asked, "How many are there?"

"Uh..."

"There seems to be only one."

The sensory ninja did not sound very confident.

But he had used Sensing Ninjutsu several times, and every result had been the same.

"Only one?"

Hanzō the Salamander immediately frowned and looked toward the other sensory ninja.

To his surprise, they all nodded in confirmation. There was only one enemy.

Once he confirmed that Jingū Kiraku had come alone, the confusion and wariness on Hanzō the Salamander's face swiftly turned into mockery.

"How arrogant. Does he really think he's the 'savior' of the Land of Rain?"

He slowly gripped the chain sickle on his back, looking ready to teach that ignorant youngster a harsh lesson.

Before long, under Hanzō the Salamander's watchful gaze, the figure they had been waiting for finally appeared.

Wearing a raincoat, Jingū Kiraku slowly emerged through the mist and curtain of rain. Against that backdrop, his handsome features gave him something of a carefree air.

"Lord Hanzo actually brought so many people to welcome me. I'm truly flattered."

"But I suppose it makes sense. How could the legendary 'Demigod' travel without a few lackeys to protect him?"

"What if you ran into an attack by Konoha ninja?"

At that, he slapped his forehead heavily as if suddenly realizing something.

"My sincerest apologies. I forgot that Lord Hanzo has already surrendered to Konoha."

"Now, Konoha and Hidden Rain Village should count as... allies, right?"

"I imagine they won't be trying to assassinate you anymore, Lord Hanzo. Perhaps if you visit Konoha, you might even become an honored guest of the Third Hokage!"

"Enough!!"

Hanzō the Salamander finally could not endure it any longer and cut him off coldly.

Under Jingū Kiraku's relentlessly biting mockery, veins bulged across his forehead, and his fury soared to the heavens.

If he had not been wary of some hidden killing move, Hanzo would have already rushed forward and torn him to pieces!

Even so, the killing intent erupting from him sent chills through everyone present.

"You insolent brat, what do you know?"

"How much have I sacrificed for the Land of Rain? You understand nothing!"

Faced with Hanzo's sophistry, Jingū Kiraku still wore that faint smile that made others want to cut him into a thousand pieces.

"Yes, Lord Hanzo merely surrendered to powerful foreign enemies, groveled before domestic nobles, and then cracked down brutally on the people."

"Others probably couldn't accomplish such glorious feats in ten lifetimes, yet you managed them all in one go."

"This junior truly admires you. I truly do!"

Lies did not hurt people. The truth was the sharpest blade.

That string of mockery successfully shattered Hanzō the Salamander's composure once more.

He glared at Jingū Kiraku through gritted teeth, abruptly raised his chain sickle, and let out an enraged roar.

"Stop wasting words on this bastard! Everyone, attack!!"

"Whoever kills Jingū Kiraku will be handsomely rewarded by me!"

At Hanzo's command, streak after streak of afterimages leaped into the battlefield, charging toward the enemy.

Watching the Rain Ninja charge ahead while their leader Hanzo hid in the rear, Jingū Kiraku could not help but curl his lip.

Wasn't this guy being a little too cautious?

He was only a lowly Chunin, for crying out loud!

But...

It did not matter.

From the very second he appeared before Hanzō the Salamander, the outcome of this battle had already been decided.

Jingū Kiraku opened his eyes again, and his expression immediately became serious and calm.

"Now, accept judgment."

His gaze burned as he looked at the many enemies before him and slowly pressed his palm against the ground.

"Summoning Technique: Demonic Statue of the Outer Path!"