Hanzo of the Salamander looked at his summoning animal playing dead and refusing to work. He wanted to laugh, yet felt utterly helpless.
The several Jonin behind him looked utterly dejected. With the salamander on strike, the Rain Ninja no longer had venom to use. They couldn't exactly pin their own leader, Hanzo, down and draw poison from him into containers, could they?
Just kidding. Hanzo would beat anyone who tried to death.
The memories of being tormented by insects were still fresh, and the Rain Ninja generally feared that Konoha's insect users would once again bear down on them.
"Ah, a great nation is still a great nation. Just a bunch of bugs is enough to leave us gasping for breath."
"Should we ask Tsuchikage Ōnoki for reinforcements?"
Hanzo turned back and said, "No need to ask for help. Wait for now and see how things develop."
"With so much poison poured in, it's bound to have an effect."
"Yes."
Hanzo of the Salamander was right. Aburame Tetsumaru had backed down. The Rain Ninja had even brought out Wasteland Mode, so the Land of Rain's losses were definitely staggering. Hanzo must have wanted to chew Tetsumaru's heart out right now. If he kept causing trouble, he would undoubtedly draw the Demigod's pursuit.
Aburame Tetsumaru had no desire to replicate the Konoha Sannin's great feat. He didn't have a Hokage for a teacher to make Hanzo wary. Given what he had done, Hanzo would definitely beat him to death on the spot.
At a time like this, he needed to find someone powerful to step in and solve the problem for him.
Without even raising his head, Orochimaru buried himself in reviewing documents and said, "Go wait for me in the laboratory. I'll come find you shortly."
After waiting in