Hanzō the Salamander's Choice!

Because he wanted to capture Uchiha Jin alive and interrogate him for more information, Hanzō the Salamander had not used his lethal toxins. Instead, he had used a poison that restricted Chakra activity.

This toxin would unknowingly clog the Meridians within the body, creating blockages that prevented Chakra from flowing!

Once Chakra was restricted, ninjutsu could no longer be used!

How much of a threat could a ninja who could not use ninjutsu possibly pose?

Thus, Hanzō the Salamander believed he had already secured victory in this battle!

"Poison?"

Uchiha Jin raised a brow. With a flicker, he appeared before Hanzō the Salamander and threw a punch at him!

With a muffled bang, Hanzō the Salamander was sent flying more than ten meters by Uchiha Jin's punch, his face filled with disbelief!

"Body Flicker Technique? How is that possible?" Hanzō the Salamander cried in shock. "You weren't poisoned?"

Uchiha Jin chuckled. "Of course not! Senior Hanzō, your name shakes the Ninja World, and I just suffered a loss because of your poison. How could I possibly have taken no precautions against it?"

The moment Uchiha Jin learned that his whereabouts had been unexpectedly exposed because of poison, he had secretly remained on guard against Hanzō the Salamander's toxic methods and Elementalized his body!

Ever since entering Hanzō the Salamander's residence, Uchiha Jin's body had no longer possessed an ordinary human structure. It had become a mass of fiercely burning flames!

People could be poisoned, but flames could not!

Though doing so consumed a great deal of stamina, compared to constantly dividing his attention to guard against Hanzō the Salamander's poison, that expenditure was undoubtedly worthwhile!

"Can we have a proper talk now, Senior Hanzō?"

Rather than continue his attack, Uchiha Jin lowered his hands first, showing Hanzō the Salamander his goodwill!

A flash of Bright Light passed through Hanzō the Salamander's eyes. After weighing the matter for a moment, he lowered his hands as well. "Fine. I'd like to hear what you have to say!"

Uchiha Jin went straight to the point. "With your experience, Senior Hanzō, you must have noticed that this war has already entered its final stages, haven't you?"

Including This time, Hanzō the Salamander was an old veteran who had lived through three Shinobi World Wars. If even Uchiha Jin could see the situation clearly, Hanzō the Salamander could not possibly have failed to see it!

Hanzō the Salamander nodded. "It really is nearing its end! At this point, there is no longer any profit to be gained from the war. Dragging it out will only create more losses for nothing!"

The war had gone on for so many years. Every village had taken the beatings it should take and seized nearly everything it could seize. There was no point in continuing to fight!

The reason Konoha and Iwagakure continued to have clashes of all sizes each day within the Land of Rain was, in truth, largely because of the Blood Feud accumulated over these years of war!

As long as the high-level officials of Konoha and Iwagakure reached an agreement, the war could be declared over, and both sides could withdraw their troops!

Uchiha Jin continued, "Senior Hanzō, to be honest, the Third Hokage of Konoha has already begun considering ending the war and intends to hold Peace Talks with Iwagakure soon!"

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Hanzō the Salamander raised a brow, his thoughts stirring!

This information from Uchiha Jin was extremely important!

It meant that Konoha was going to bow its head to Iwagakure first in this war!

In negotiations like this, whoever bowed first would effectively hand over the initiative! They would lose enormous benefits!

To be honest, Hanzō the Salamander had originally thought Iwagakure would be the first to bow to Konoha!

After all, on the battlefield, Konoha might not have achieved an overwhelming victory, but it still held an absolute advantage. It was the victorious side of the war!

For a victor to bow to the defeated party was simply an unprecedented absurdity!

No!

There had previously been rumors that in the negotiations between Konoha and Sunagakure, Konoha, despite being the victor, had yielded most of its benefits!

Hanzō the Salamander simply had not taken such baseless rumors too seriously!

But now, it seemed that it had not been a rumor at all, but the truth!

Konoha truly deserved its position in the wealthy Land of Fire. It really was rich and extravagant!

Then perhaps he could also...

Just one sentence from Uchiha Jin had sparked countless thoughts in Hanzō the Salamander's mind, and he began making plans for Amegakure!

Uchiha Jin noticed Hanzō the Salamander's unusual reaction but pretended not to see it as he continued, "Of course, this is only the Third Hokage's idea for now. Some of Konoha High-Level have opposed it, so it has not yet been put into action!"

Hearing this, Hanzō the Salamander's eyes shifted, and he said, "The Konoha High-Level official who opposed it wouldn't happen to be Shimura Danzō, would it?"

Based on Hanzō the Salamander's understanding of Sarutobi Hiruzen, that weak Old Man truly might make concessions for the sake of so-called peace!

And the only one who would openly oppose Sarutobi Hiruzen on such a matter was that radical fellow, Shimura Danzō!

Uchiha Jin nodded. "That's right. It was indeed Shimura Danzō who opposed the Third Hokage's idea!"

Hanzō the Salamander pondered for a moment, then sneered. "Let me guess. Although Shimura Danzō opposed Sarutobi Hiruzen's idea, he was unable to change Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind!"

"So, to make Sarutobi Hiruzen abandon the idea, Shimura Danzō personally rushed to the Land of Rain, intending to provoke conflict and intensify the war!"

"As for Shimura Danzō's methods, they are nothing more than the usual framing and shifting blame!"

"Am I right?"

Uchiha Jin was somewhat surprised. He had not expected Hanzō the Salamander's strategic mind to be so formidable. Based only on the fragments of information he had provided, along with his understanding of Konoha High-Level, Hanzō the Salamander had inferred the general course of events!

It had to be said that none of these old fellows who had survived several wars were simple characters!

"So, what is your purpose?" Hanzō the Salamander paused, then looked at Uchiha Jin and asked, "To stop Shimura Danzō and promote Peace Talks between Konoha and Iwagakure?"

Uchiha Jin had already plainly told him that he had come here to wait for Shimura Danzō, so Hanzō the Salamander believed Uchiha Jin had most likely come to stop Shimura Danzō!

Uchiha Jin's expression did not change as he said calmly, "If I said yes, what choice would you make, Senior Hanzō?"

Hanzō the Salamander narrowed his eyes and raised the sickle in his hand!

If the Land of Rain were a great nation like the Land of Fire, the Land of Earth, or even the Land of Wind, Hanzō the Salamander would have stopped Shimura Danzō without hesitation, then taken the opportunity to join forces with the Land of Earth and demand a hefty sum from Konoha!

Given Sarutobi Hiruzen's weakness, he would basically not refuse!

But the Land of Rain was only a small country!

Konoha feared Iwagakure's strength, but it would not fear Amegakure's!

If the Land of Rain dared to step out of line, Konoha would absolutely crush it with thunderous force!

And if the Land of Rain allied itself with the Land of Earth, it would only provoke Konoha's resistance and draw an even fiercer response!

Konoha would never allow a small nation like the Land of Rain to ride roughshod over it!

Therefore, if the Land of Rain wanted to secure more benefits, only one choice remained!