"What I envision... do you know what I'm thinking?"
"I'd like to hear the details."
There was neither sorrow nor joy on Hanzo's face, and his tone remained gentle.
Yet that humble, respectful bearing and conduct left Mingren silent.
Mingren had expected that his identity as a transmigrator would cause certain butterfly effects in this world.
Hanzo at this moment... seemed slightly different from the one in the manga.
Was it because his granddaughter had not died?
So Hanzo had not yet fallen completely into despair?
"How do you plan to deal with the Akatsuki Organization?" Mingren suddenly asked after a brief silence.
"Those young people..."
Hanzo fell into thought.
He seemed to have had an answer long ago—only, there were several possible answers, and he had yet to decide which one to choose.
"If it were my original body, then perhaps... it would have already decided to make peace with the Akatsuki Organization."
As he spoke, Hanzo raised his head and looked at Mingren again.
"Although you said... that seeking peace through compromise only destroys peace. But I believe the Akatsuki Organization is made up of people from the Land of Rain. This is an internal conflict. They are all compatriots from the same country, so there is no harm in sitting down and talking things out."
Courtesy first, force second.
That was Hanzo's answer.
At that moment, Mingren understood that his many actions had likely already changed this world.
After thinking for a moment, Mingren's expression hardened. "Then one final question. What... are you?"
Hanzo's Resolve
"I've seen you fight many times. Your Taijutsu is powerful, and your strength surpasses that of most ninja in the Ninja World. But when it comes to using Ninjutsu, you seem to rely almost entirely on medical techniques for bodily regeneration."
Rather than directly answering Mingren's question, Hanzo brought up what he had observed.
"You'll be fine against ordinary ninja, but once you encounter a true expert, all of these will become fatal weaknesses. Pure Taijutsu is far too easy to counter... Even if you can reach the level of an Eight Inner Gates user, there will still be many ways to evade you..."
"Heh."
Mingren chuckled. Of course he knew all that.
The reason he did not display Ninjutsu—
Was not because he could not use it, but because the time was not right.
Once something like Dark Chakra became known, it would inevitably cause a massive uproar.
First, he had not yet fully figured out everything about Dark Chakra.
Second, this Ninja World, where Bloodline Theory reigned supreme, would never allow everyone to master that power.
At this moment—
He was like a farmer traveling through the apocalypse with a handful of seeds clenched in his hand.
Before finding suitable soil and securing enough safety—
He had no intention of revealing the answer to that mystery.
Grow stronger. Become stronger than anyone else.
One day—
He would scatter the seeds of Dark Chakra across the entire Ninja World.
By then—
Everyone would possess Dark Chakra. Everyone would be able to transcend bloodlines!
And at last, he would completely overturn this world where Bloodline Theory ruled above all else!
But before achieving that goal—
You had to eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time.
Hanzo could think he was incapable if he wanted.
Mingren could not be bothered to explain.
Seeing Mingren's indifferent expression, Hanzo did not get angry. Instead, a look of understanding flashed through his eyes.
The arrogance of youth was a stage every young person had to go through.
"You have indeed defeated many ninja, but there are countless Kekkei Genkai in this Ninja World, and ninja possess all sorts of methods. To say nothing else, multiple Explosive Tags detonating at once or high-level techniques—none of those are things the body can withstand."
Hanzo's tone grew gentler still.
"So, do you not want to learn various techniques, as well as Chakra control? Only by combining Taijutsu with Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and other methods can a ninja unleash their greatest strength. Although Amegakure is merely a small ninja village and cannot compare to the Five Great Nations, it is still the strongest among all the smaller ninja villages..."
As he spoke, Hanzo suddenly smiled bitterly.
He slightly shook his head, feeling deeply moved.
"Who would have thought that one day, I would be begging someone to join Amegakure..."
What countless ninja from small villages and rogue ninja dreamed of was met with complete disdain by the young man before him.
Having said what he wished to say—
Hanzo's expression turned serious as he began answering Mingren's question. "As you can see, the one standing here is not my original body... Speaking of which, many people know that my abilities lie in poison, paired with a Kusarigama and a summoned beast, while I am also highly skilled in the Body Flicker Technique. Because of that, many people overlook the fact that my Water Style Ninjutsu is also extremely powerful..."
Mingren knew Hanzo was not lying.
The Official Databook Book of the Person described Hanzo this way.
"Wearing a specially made mask, he can move freely underwater. No one can surpass his mastery over Water Style."
"So, the one standing here is a Water Clone."
"!"
Mingren's pupils constricted slightly.
He knew that it was not a Shadow Clone.
Although a Shadow Clone was merely a mass of Chakra, it possessed all the characteristics of the original body.
Heartbeat, breathing... all of it was perfectly lifelike.
Even the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan could not see through the difference between a Shadow Clone and the original body.
But Mingren had never expected the one standing here to actually be a Water Clone.
"Water Style: Water Clone is a C-rank technique. Most ninja capable of Water Style can use it. Water Clones do not consume much Chakra and possess one-tenth of the original body's strength..."
Hanzo spoke at length.
Yet he failed to notice Mingren's darkening expression.
When Hanzo finished, Mingren shook his head. "I don't believe it. The casting range of a Water Clone is within ten meters. Once it leaves that range, it disperses... And a Water Clone only resembles the original body. Because of the fluctuations in the water flow, anyone can see the flaw at a glance..."
"That is indeed true."
Hanzo smiled faintly, satisfied with Mingren's knowledge.
Though he looked like he had muscles for brains—
Anyone who saw his control over those bodily regeneration medical techniques would know that this young man possessed an exceptionally sharp mind.
"Originally, I intended to come meet you with my original body, but there was a small problem on Sunagakure's side... Forgive me for my selfishness... This old man has already lost his son and daughter-in-law. I cannot lose my granddaughter as well..."
At the same time—
Several hundred meters away—
Pakura, who was confronting Asuka, warily watched the Demigod who had appeared before her.
This man standing at the pinnacle was far more dangerous than Minato Namikaze and Orochimaru.
Even she, known as the Hero of the Sand, could be killed in an instant if she let her guard down.
Earlier, there was a high probability that Konoha and Amegakure had been negotiating around the Yellow Flash, and they might even have already formed an alliance.
That was what worried Pakura.
Thus, after gathering the bodies of her three companions, she had not rushed to trouble the Akatsuki Organization.
Instead, she had directly sought out Asuka and the other three.
She intended to learn from Asuka how far negotiations between Amegakure and Konoha had progressed.
If all else failed, she could use force—or simply abduct Hanzo's Granddaughter.
That was what Pakura thought, yet Hanzo of the Salamander suddenly appeared here.
"Grandfather..."
Asuka glanced at Hanzo, worried that this might cost them their chance to recruit Amakawa Mingren.
But Hanzo gave her a reassuring look before turning to Pakura. "The Third Shinobi World War has dragged on for too long, and as you can see, there are many problems within our Land of Rain..."
"So Amegakure plans to ally with Konoha?"
Standing in the rain, Pakura stared intently at Hanzo.
"That is a possibility..." Hanzo nodded slightly.
That effectively confirmed Pakura's guess.
"Hmph! Whatever Konoha can offer, Sunagakure can offer too!"
Pakura stepped forward and snorted.
When facing the Demigod, it was not as simple as attacking and killing him at the slightest disagreement.
If she could not defeat him one-on-one, then she could only communicate through words.
"No problem."
Hanzo nodded without refusing.
"If Kusagakure can ally with the Five Great Nations, then Amegakure can as well."
Pakura: "!"
Hanzo's response left Pakura stunned.
Well, damn. Amegakure was getting all the benefits.
The mighty Demigod...
Faced with such an unexpected answer—
Pakura was utterly confused.
Throughout the Third Shinobi World War, Amegakure had never compromised.
Why had the Demigod Hanzo of the Salamander suddenly changed his ways???
What had he experienced during this time?!
Was it because he feared losing his granddaughter?
Or because he was eager to preserve his sovereignty and intended to deal with the Akatsuki Organization immediately after peace was achieved?
Countless thoughts flashed through Pakura's mind, but she still prepared to persuade him further. "There is no good ending in allying with Konoha... They are nothing but a pack of people-eating monsters who do not even spit out the bones... Sunagakure allied with them twice, only to suffer all kinds of slow, drawn-out cuts. That proves it! If you ally with Konoha, you will only be pushing Amegakure into a fire pit!"
"Scorching Release: Kakura, what you say makes a great deal of sense."
Hanzo's eyes held approval, but his words remained resolute.
"Compromise... cannot buy peace, but it can buy time. Just as Sunagakure has done..."
Amegakure's new generation had suffered a break in continuity.
Whether it was the Akatsuki Organization, Minato Namikaze, Pakura, or the others, all proved that new generations in every organization and ninja village were flourishing vigorously.
Before you continue