I'm Old!

Release!

Hanzō the Salamander raised his sword finger and dispelled the Summoning Technique.

With a booming bang, Salamander Ibuse burst into white smoke and vanished from the spot.

Hanzō the Salamander glanced at the devastated battlefield, then turned and walked toward Amegakure.

A few minutes later, a series of whooshing sounds tore through the air. More than a dozen figures appeared before Hanzō the Salamander and dropped to one knee!

They were Amegakure's ninja. Worried about being poisoned, they had not approached the battlefield between Hanzō the Salamander and Uchiha Jin, instead waiting on the outskirts.

"Lord Hanzō, is the battle over? Who was the enemy?"

The leading Rain Ninja asked impatiently the moment he saw Hanzō the Salamander.

"Get up," Hanzō the Salamander said flatly after sweeping his gaze over the group of ninja before him. "The enemy has been dealt with. Send people to seal off this area and keep the villagers away. We'll discuss everything else after we return."

"Yes!"

The leading Rain Ninja answered respectfully without the slightest hesitation.

Due to Hanzō the Salamander's unique nature, every battle he fought left behind large amounts of toxic substances that took time to fully disperse.

To prevent anyone from being poisoned, Hanzō the Salamander generally sent people to seal off the site after a battle.

The leading Rain Ninja was already highly practiced at such tasks and immediately assigned manpower to begin work.

After giving his orders, Hanzō the Salamander paid no further attention to the matter and continued toward Amegakure.

Before long, Hanzō the Salamander returned to his residence.

After washing up and changing into casual clothes, Hanzō the Salamander summoned the Rain Ninja who had led the group earlier to his office. He was also Hanzō the Salamander's most capable assistant, Ametsuyu!

"Ametsuyu, have there been any unusual developments between Konoha and Iwagakure lately?"

Hanzō the Salamander spoke without any expression on his face, making it impossible to read his thoughts.

After thinking for a moment, Ametsuyu replied, "There haven't been any major changes. If there's anything worth mentioning, it's that the clashes between their squads have become more intense. The casualty rate has nearly doubled compared to last week!"

A bright light flashed through Hanzō the Salamander's eyes. He asked again, "Have any of the surveillance squads we sent out been dragged into it?"

Ametsuyu nodded. "Yes! Two of our surveillance squads have suddenly lost contact recently. Based on the subsequent examination of the scene, they were likely caught up in the conflict between Konoha and Iwagakure and killed after becoming involved."

Hanzō the Salamander fell silent, though he was secretly calculating in his heart.

Based on Ametsuyu's intelligence, Shimura Danzō had already begun acting on the Amegakure battlefield!

Perhaps the day Shimura Danzō came looking for him was not far off!

Seeing that Hanzō the Salamander remained silent, Ametsuyu cautiously asked, "Lord Hanzō, are there hidden circumstances behind this matter? That intruder today..."

Hanzō the Salamander glanced at Ametsuyu and said flatly, "That person came to assassinate me! He bore identification markings belonging to a Konoha Ninja. His goal was likely to drag Amegakure into the war as well!"

Ametsuyu's pupils contracted, and his expression instantly turned grave!

For Ametsuyu to become Hanzō the Salamander's deputy and assist him in managing all of Amegakure, he was naturally no fool!

Connecting this to the two questions Hanzō the Salamander had asked earlier, Ametsuyu had already sensed that something was wrong!

Ametsuyu said in a low voice, "Lord Hanzō, are you saying that besides Amegakure, Konoha, and Iwagakure, a fourth force has entered the Land of Rain and wants to stir up war among our three nations?"

Hanzō the Salamander shook his head slightly. "It may not be a fourth force!"

Ametsuyu froze, then said in horror, "Lord Hanzō, are you saying this was done by people from Konoha or Iwagakure themselves?"

Hanzō the Salamander nodded and said pointedly, "After all, every village has some restless people."

Ametsuyu's expression darkened. "Then what should we do about this? Do we need to inform Konoha and Iwagakure?"

Ametsuyu was extremely anxious!

Just as Konoha and Iwagakure were about to agree to a ceasefire, something like this had happened. If things went badly, another large-scale war might break out!

The already impoverished Land of Rain could no longer endure the flames of war!

Hanzō the Salamander poured cold water on Ametsuyu's concerns and said flatly, "Would they believe what we said? Put another way, would they listen to what we said?"

Ametsuyu's expression stiffened, and his heart felt hollow, as though he had fallen into an abyss!

That was right. In the eyes of those great nations, the opinions of the Land of Rain had never mattered!

Hanzō the Salamander continued, "Konoha and Iwagakure may not necessarily have failed to notice the abnormalities we can see! Not to mention, this may have been caused by their own people from the start!"

"Whether Konoha and Iwagakure go to war or make peace will mainly depend on their own interests and plans. Amegakure cannot influence their decisions!"

"What we can do now is restrain our own forces!"

"Recall all surveillance squads except the sentries outside Konoha Camp and Iwagakure Camp!"

"We cannot let them lose their reason amid the growing hatred!"

Ametsuyu nodded and accepted Hanzō the Salamander's order.

After a pause, Hanzō the Salamander casually asked, "By the way, has that Akatsuki Organization still been active lately?"

Ametsuyu nodded. "Yes. Their ideals have won the approval of many people, and they've already grown to more than a hundred members!"

"Though their ideas are overly naive and immature, their original intention is good!" Hanzō the Salamander seemed somewhat moved as he asked, "Their leader is called Yahiko, correct?"

Ametsuyu replied, "Yes, but besides Yahiko, the Akatsuki Organization also has two other core figures: Nagato and Konan!"

After pondering for a moment, Hanzō the Salamander said, "Send someone to deliver them a message. I want to meet those three youngsters!"

Ametsuyu froze, feeling somewhat puzzled by Hanzō the Salamander's idea!

Logically speaking, Hanzō the Salamander should not have wasted time on an organization like the Akatsuki Organization, which was little more than children playing house!

Why had he suddenly changed his attitude this time?

Hanzō the Salamander seemed to notice Ametsuyu's confusion and, unusually, explained, "Ametsuyu, though I do not wish to admit it, I am already over sixty this year! How much longer can this village rely on me?"

"Yahiko and the others' ideas may be overly naive, but they have ideas, and they can put those ideas into practice!"

"That is truly not easy!"

"It is time for Amegakure to take in some fresh blood!"

Ametsuyu's entire body trembled violently. He stared blankly at Hanzō the Salamander, an indescribable feeling spreading through his heart!

Hanzō the Salamander's strength had always made him overlook Hanzō the Salamander's age!

Past fifty, Hanzō the Salamander's body had long begun to decline!

Over the years, Hanzō the Salamander had truly borne far too much for this village!

"Lord Hanzō..."

Ametsuyu was overwhelmed with emotion, but the words reached his lips and would not come out!

"Go."

Hanzō the Salamander waved his hand, signaling for Ametsuyu to withdraw!

"Yes!"

Ametsuyu's eyes reddened as he forcibly suppressed his emotions, turned, and left.

However, Ametsuyu did not notice that after he turned around, Hanzō the Salamander's eyes silently transformed into a pair of scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan!