Choices for Hanzo!

When Hanzo's envoy appeared before Yahiko and Konan, saying, "Lord Yahiko, Miss Konan, Lord Hanzo requests your presence," Yahiko was struck by immense excitement and said to Konan, "Konan, Lord Hanzo wants to see us."

The name "Hanzo" held a special meaning in the Land of Rain—it was already an iconic symbol.

Any ninja or civilian who mentioned this name couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion, filled with admiration, gratitude, and pride.

Hanzo, with poison and combat as his foundation, was like a sharp sword piercing the iron curtain, slicing through the darkness of the Land of Rain.

The Land of Rain was once the ruins of an old capital city, a place that had welcomed countless disillusioned souls who had lost their livelihoods in the Land of Earth, Fire, and Wind. It was a "capital of wanderers." When the era of ninja villages began, this capital of wanderers became a "nation that cried every day"—situated between the Land of Earth, Fire, and Wind, it shared the same fate as smaller nations like the Land of Grass and the Land of Rivers.

During the Shinobi World Wars, it bore the brunt of the conflict; after the wars ended, it continued to suffer the aftermath.

The Five Great Nations had peace, but the Land of Rain could only weep endlessly... it had no right to peace. During the wars, they were powerless; after the wars, the influence of the great nations still lingered, their conflicts unending.

Assassinations and counter-assassinations; espionage and sabotage... almost all the darkest, grayest, and blackest stories of the ninja world unfolded here daily.

This continued until the Second Shinobi World War, when a poison user named Hanzo of the Salamander appeared and brazenly declared war on the Five Great Nations. He defeated the Sand Ninja, Rock Ninja, and Konoha ninja single-handedly, using his exceptional combat prowess and his unique salamander poison to declare to the ninja world:

The Land of Rain could say "no" from a position of strength. From then on, the Land of Rain finally had a chance to breathe and welcomed a rare period of peace.

Despite the constant rain, poverty, and the inability to see the sun, it was a rare place where people could finally catch their breath and sleep soundly.

This peace continued until the present day. As long as Hanzo of the Salamander did not provoke or involve himself, the great nations like Earth, Fire, and Wind would also avoid the Land of Rain during this war.

This ruin of steel and concrete sheltered all the struggling scholars of the world.

Hanzo!

He was the one who created peace for the Land of Rain.

No narrative was needed.

It was a fact.

He was the idol of all the people of the Land of Rain, including Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato. In their hearts, Hanzo's status even surpassed that of Jiraiya.

Konan also looked excited, "Really? It's Lord Hanzo."

Yahiko optimistically believed that the Akatsuki's actions had pleased Hanzo, which was why he wanted to meet them and acknowledge their achievements. He called another person over and said a few words before personally going to find Nagato. The three of them then headed to Amegakure together.

Outside Amegakure, Hanzo stood waiting in silence. The surrounding Amegakure ninja were also silent, like machines.

A suffocating aura emanated from the silence, making Danzo envious. He envied Hanzo's aura:

The domineering presence, cultivated through invincibility, capable of crushing everything and dominating the era, was something he could never learn, no matter how much he pretended.

"Kin, what do you think this Demigod of the Shinobi World will do with the Akatsuki?" Danzo asked Uchiha Kin.

Danzo wasn't speaking to his subordinates, as they had been trained to be so dull that they weren't suitable for conversation.

If he wanted to talk, he could only turn to Uchiha Kin.

Uchiha Kin's thoughts raced, "He probably won't leave trouble for the Land of Rain." In truth, he had a more certain answer: Hanzo would choose to kill the naive Yahiko and spare the ruthless Nagato.

For this, he would not hesitate to sacrifice his own life and the ninja around him—he couldn't kill the entire Akatsuki, because they held the "hope" of the Land of Rain.

More precisely, it was Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato.

More precisely, it was the strength of these three.

The Land of Rain needed an "heir," and the primary requirements for this "heir" were strength and a mature, not naive, mindset.

He was old and had no successor. For the sake of the Land of Rain, he had to keep Konan or Nagato. He actually leaned more towards the young girl, Konan—this girl had no grand ideals and possessed considerable strength.

Her paper ninjutsu had already been honed to perfection. If she were free from Yahiko's naive constraints and Nagato's ruthless burden.

Such a girl, who had no grand ideals but only wished for the well-being of those around her, how suitable would she be for Amegakure?

Amegakure did not need to participate in international disputes; it just needed to live its own life. A leader with strength but no grand ideals or ambitions was the optimal choice.

Next was Nagato—this kid was ruthless enough! He harbored a hidden gene for violence within him, and he could also maintain peace through his own power.

However, he had ideals...

In this Land of Rain, which was lacking in resources, ninja, and especially elite ninja, Hanzo's choice was essentially no choice. He had to choose among these three; there wasn't even a fourth option.

Yahiko must die, Nagato might live, Konan must live.

This was Hanzo's internal ranking at that moment.

The only reason Hanzo hadn't killed Nagato was because Nagato had summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Thinking of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Uchiha Kin felt a thrill. "I wonder if the form of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path is the same as in the manga?"

Having spent thirteen years in this world and witnessed much, Uchiha Kin understood that in this real world, many things were actually different from the manga.

Especially some "effects." Scenes like punching through a wall with a single blow in the manga didn't exist here; instead, it was punching through it, leaving a hole.

His subtle excitement was almost felt by Danzo. Danzo's gaze was peculiar, "You seem rather excited."

Uchiha Kin said, "Yes, after all, I'm about to witness Hanzo in action. The Demigod of the Shinobi World, I wonder how earth-shattering his fight will be!"

"Don't focus on such things. You should pay more attention to the situation and leave with me immediately if anything seems wrong."

Danzo, as usual, was blunt, immediately pouring cold water on Uchiha Kin's enthusiasm. Uchiha Kin glanced at him, thinking, "Is it appropriate to talk about running away at a time like this? No wonder you only have a handful of subordinates."

Survival was important, and retreating immediately if the situation turned bad was also acceptable—but one shouldn't say it at a time like this.

It was inappropriate!