Naruto Bloodline Theory? Garbage, That's All

This era.

Aside from the still-unseen Six Paths of Pain and Nagato himself, almost no one could kill him one-on-one.

In other words.

It was exceedingly difficult to influence the will of someone as powerful as Hanzo.

So Hanzo would most likely ally with Konoha, just as in the manga.

The Third Shinobi World War would end as a result, followed by events from the Original Work such as the Nine-Tails Attack...

"Of course, the 'Zero-Tails' Scroll must be retrieved, but I have doubts about this approach. This is not the Land of Rain's way out. An alliance... is merely a slow death."

Shennong was considering reclaiming the Zero-Tails Scroll.

But Mingren was considering how the Land of Rain could gain a foothold, endure, and... take revenge.

After saying that.

Mingren left the inn again, leaving only Shennong behind in deep thought.

Mingren ran through the rainy night.

The power brimming within him left him full of energy.

Turning formidable strength into complete practical control required a great deal of effort.

So Mingren planned to find a quiet, deserted place and continue honing his abilities.

Once Amegakure and Konoha formed an alliance.

The Third Shinobi World War would inevitably come to an end.

Amegakure would become Konoha's defensive line, helping it resist and restrain Sunagakure and Iwagakure.

And by then.

If he wanted to continue causing trouble for Konoha, both Konoha and Amegakure would regard him as an enemy.

That left Mingren feeling somewhat displeased.

And that displeasure soon turned into brutal training.

Time passed second by second.

Inside an abandoned warehouse.

Everything was silent.

A stark contrast to the sound of rain falling outside.

Mingren balanced upside down on the ground with a single finger, supporting his entire body.

As his arm exerted force, he continuously performed astonishing movements.

But for the current Mingren, such movements did not even count as a warm-up.

"The intensity... is no longer enough."

Just as Mingren was planning to find a more effective form of intensive training...

A figure gradually emerged from the darkness.

Immediately alert, Mingren stopped moving, rose to his feet, and looked at the person.

"You..."

Mingren narrowed his eyes and carefully examined him.

He had a human form, yet there was no heartbeat to be heard, not even breathing.

Soon, the figure stepped out of the shadows.

It was Hanzo of the Salamander, the leader of Amegakure.

What... Are You?

"What... are you?"

Mingren's body tensed, his voice filled with wariness and confusion.

That was only natural.

He was facing something that looked human but possessed neither breath nor heartbeat.

Mingren was not like certain movie characters who would make up ridiculous explanations on their own, claiming the other party was so powerful that he could conceal even his heartbeat...

Extremely familiar with Naruto Ninja, several possibilities instinctively flashed through Mingren's mind.

"I am Hanzo of the Salamander..."

Hanzo, wearing a face mask with a special respirator covering his mouth, slowly answered Mingren's question.

The next moment.

He realized that this young man might not have been asking for his name.

So that was it...

What a perceptive young man.

He had actually noticed my abnormality.

Hanzo nodded slightly and carefully studied Mingren.

And Mingren fearlessly met his gaze.

The two observed each other.

To Hanzo, the young man before him was a fellow countryman from the Land of Rain, a junior who had stirred up many disturbances and possessed considerable nerve.

To Mingren, he first needed to determine what exactly this being was.

He looked exactly like Hanzo of the Salamander.

His complexion was slightly pale, and his platinum-blond hair made it impossible to determine his age.

However.

His eyes spoke of endless hardship, carrying countless loves, hatreds, and partings.

He was a man with stories and experience.

Yet he possessed no signs of life whatsoever.

No breathing, no heartbeat, and no... blood flow.

That was why Mingren had asked.

What he was, rather than who he was.

"Don't be nervous... At this moment, I came alone to see you."

Hanzo nodded slightly, showing goodwill.

He had brought no subordinates.

Granddaughter was not here either.

There was simply no one but himself.

Facing this wary young man.

Hanzo could not help but find it somewhat amusing.

The man known as the Guardian God of the Land of Rain was actually being guarded against by a junior from the same country.

But there was nothing to be done about that.

After all, his real body... was not here.

"To put it simply, I hope to invite you to join Amegakure."

Hanzo took a deep breath, perhaps out of habit, or perhaps to make himself seem more like his real self.

"Don't rush to refuse. Please listen to what I have to say next..."

Seeing that Mingren did not object.

Hanzo continued.

"Long ago, I heard about you from Granddaughter... Since then, I have also learned about many things concerning you..."

Inviting someone to join.

Was not merely about looking at his ability.

Character and conduct were also important factors.

"Furthermore, you need not worry. I have not told anyone about your information."

Hanzo stated.

Even his own subordinates did not know about the things Mingren had done.

"I know what you have been doing. I also know that you have been continuously killing certain High-ranking Officials and Nobles, evildoers, and foreign ninja."

Hanzo changed the subject and sighed softly.

"But do you think this is useful? Perhaps some people truly are worthless parasites, but killing them will only provoke even greater social unrest."

"Then should we do nothing? Should we stand by and watch evil breed before our eyes, just like the countless innocent civilians persecuted during the war?"

Mingren sneered.

Bloodline Theory was rampant.

The lofty rulers and ninja of Bloodline Theory relied on their authority and bloodline advantages to continuously exploit and persecute ordinary people.

Oppression descended layer by layer.

It revealed the bloody nature of Bloodline Theory's pyramid structure.

Hanzo said, "I agree with much of what you said. But even if you do not act, some evildoers will not remain active for much longer..."

Because once Amegakure and Konoha formed an alliance.

The Third Shinobi World War would completely end.

Under pressure.

Iwagakure and Sunagakure would have no choice but to withdraw from the war.

At that time, once the Land of Rain regained stability and no longer had worries behind it, there would be time to deal with the people and organizations that could not be dealt with during the war.

Hanzo said, "Whether managing a ninja village or governing a nation, neither is a simple matter. If you act recklessly without regard for anything, the situation will only worsen."

"Is that so? I think that if we kill every evil person and leave only Good People behind, the world will become much better. No matter how bad it gets, it will still be better than This Appearance."

Mingren completely disagreed with Hanzo's views.

Procrastination was like delayed justice.

Could that still be called justice?

"I can understand your thoughts..."

Hanzo tried to choose his words.

"But reality often does not follow logic or reason, much less justice... After three Shinobi World Wars, our Land of Rain's national strength has grown increasingly weaker... Yet a major ninja village like Iwagakure would not truly be crippled even if ten thousand ninja died. That is their confidence."

In contrast, for our Land of Rain, every ninja who perished meant one less ninja...

"So think carefully. With internal troubles and external threats, a nation can easily head toward destruction... We cannot make rash decisions for the sake of momentary satisfaction..."

Hanzo extended a hand.

"We need your strength. If more promising young people like you join us, Amegakure will become stronger, and only then can we better change this country. When that time comes, under the supervision of an increasingly powerful Amegakure, the Land of Rain will gradually improve and move toward the future you envision..."

"Hmph..."

Mingren sneered again.