Izanagi!

"Summoning Technique!"

Hanzō the Salamander dodged an incoming Great Fireball Technique, rapidly formed seals with both hands, and pressed them down!

With a thunderous bang, the enormous Salamander Ibuse, as large as a small mountain, was summoned forth, sweeping several charging Root Ninja aside at the same time!

"Poison Spray!"

At Hanzō the Salamander's command, Salamander Ibuse opened its massive mouth, and a deep-purple toxic substance poured down like a waterfall, spreading in every direction!

"Be Careful! Everyone, hold your breath!"

A Root Ninja shouted a warning, but in the next instant, a silver streak flashed past. His head flew into the air, terror still lingering in his eyes!

Hanzō the Salamander's figure became an afterimage as he darted through the poisonous mist, reaping the lives of Root Ninja one after another like a Shinigami!

These Root Ninja had originally been weaker than Hanzō the Salamander. On top of that, holding their breath drastically reduced the oxygen in their blood, slowing their movements. They were no match for him at all!

"Ugh... Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

Knowing this could not continue, a Root Jonin risked poisoning himself to unleash a ninjutsu, spewing out a gale in an attempt to disperse the dense purple toxic mist!

However, Salamander Ibuse's poisonous mist was far from simple. Its adhesive properties were utterly terrifying!

Even a Wind Release ninjutsu unleashed at full strength by a Jonin only slightly reduced the density of the purple mist. Its coverage became even more terrifying instead!

"Summoning Technique!"

Another soft bang rang out, and a huge Summoning Beast that looked somewhat like an elephant appeared on the battlefield, opening its maw and letting out a shrill cry!

"Baku?"

Hanzō the Salamander looked at the newly appeared giant monster and recognized it as Shimura Danzō's Summoning Beast.

Knowing the Baku's abilities, Hanzō the Salamander tightened his grip on the kusarigama in his hand, intending to kill the Summoning Beast at once before it could serve its purpose!

"Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!"

Just then, sharp whistling sounds split the air as several rapidly spinning Shuriken tore through layers of air, sealing off every Way Out around Hanzō the Salamander!

Hanzō the Salamander's pupils constricted slightly. These were no ordinary Shuriken!

They were infused with highly concentrated wind-nature Chakra, driving the air into a rapidly rotating current with the terrifying power to split metal and shatter stone!

Although this technique was terrifyingly powerful, its weakness was equally obvious!

With a sweep of his arm, Hanzō the Salamander sent the end of the chain connected to Dituo shooting out. It moved swiftly through Mid-air like an agile venomous snake!

Several dull bangs rang out. Dituo at the end of the chain avoided the edges of the incoming Shuriken and struck their sides, knocking them all away!

But after that delay, the distant Baku had already opened its huge mouth. A terrifying suction force erupted from its maw, devouring everything around it!

The purple poisonous mist in the air surged toward the Baku's mouth like rivers flowing backward!

That suction also acted upon Hanzō the Salamander, continuously tugging at his body!

"Wind Style: Vacuum Wave!"

At that moment, a figure appeared behind Hanzō the Salamander and spat out a sharp, weasel-like gust toward him!

"Boom!"

The massive Wind Bullet slammed into Hanzō the Salamander's body, blasting it into splashing water!

"A Water Clone?"

Shimura Danzō frowned slightly, but his gaze quickly locked onto another direction. Forming seals with both hands, he said, "Wind Style: Vacuum Bullets!"

Shimura Danzō continuously spat out short bursts of air, firing wind-nature Chakra-infused gusts like bullets from a machine gun!

"Water Release: Water Prison Wall!"

The Vacuum Bullets came in an endless barrage and covered a wide area, making them difficult to evade. Hanzō the Salamander had no choice but to use Water Release ninjutsu to defend himself!

Wind Bullets collided with the curtain of water, sending spray flying everywhere!

Shimura Danzō's mastery of Wind Release ninjutsu was exceptionally profound, and his control over the Nature Transformation of wind-nature Chakra was perfected through long practice. He was far beyond an ordinary Jonin!

If Hanzō the Salamander's Water Release had not also been extremely formidable, blocking Shimura Danzō's Vacuum Bullets with the Water Prison Wall would have been quite difficult!

Hanzō the Salamander used the Body Flicker Technique to pass through the water curtain, his kusarigama whipping up a fierce wind as it struck directly at Shimura Danzō's face!

Shimura Danzō's expression did not change in the slightest. He swiftly drew the Tachi from his back and blocked Hanzō the Salamander's kusarigama!

The two figures crossed past each other, widened the distance between them, then swiftly turned to face one another!

Hanzō the Salamander narrowed his eyes slightly. Seeing Shimura Danzō's intact hands and body without even the slightest sign of poisoning, something stirred in his mind.

Izanagi?

Hanzō the Salamander looked at Shimura Danzō's eye, which was wrapped in bandages.

At this time, Shimura Danzō had yet to transplant that disgusting arm full of Sharinga. The eye socket concealed beneath the bandages was the only place that could possibly hold a Sharinga!

In other words, Shimura Danzō only had one chance to use Izanagi now!

And Izanagi remained effective for around one minute.

Judging by the time, Shimura Danzō might not have exited the Izanagi state yet!

The moment Hanzō the Salamander realized this, he immediately changed his plan for fighting Shimura Danzō and charged toward the surrounding Root Ninja!

After enduring the two wide-range attack ninjutsu, Exploding Flame Array and Poison Spray, over half of the elite Root Ninja Shimura Danzō had brought had already been lost!

Then Hanzō the Salamander had charged through the toxic mist and slaughtered more of them. Very few of those elite Root Ninja remained!

Moreover, the remaining elite Root Ninja had yet to recover from the poisonous mist and showed varying degrees of poisoning!

Now was the best time to finish them off!

Only by eliminating them could he deal with Shimura Danzō more effectively!

"Damn it!"

Shimura Danzō saw through Hanzō the Salamander's intentions. After cursing under his breath, he quickly chased after him!

Though Shimura Danzō's face remained expressionless, his heart was already burning with rage!

That had been a Mangekyō Sharingan!

Shimura Danzō had gone to great lengths to obtain that eye from his former teammate, Kagami Uchiha. Yet it had been wasted here without even using its Dōjutsu!

It left Shimura Danzō utterly unwilling to accept it!

The dead elite Root Ninja also made Shimura Danzō so frustrated that he nearly coughed up blood!

The foundation of his Root was essentially all here. This was the force he had spent decades and countless efforts cultivating!

Shimura Danzō's eyes were nearly splitting with rage. He wanted nothing more than to swallow Hanzō the Salamander alive and tear him to pieces!

And now, Hanzō the Salamander was going to kill the remaining Root Ninja right before his eyes. How could Shimura Danzō possibly accept that!

More importantly, Shimura Danzō knew very well that he would not be Hanzō the Salamander's match alone!

If Hanzō the Salamander took this opportunity to kill all the Root Ninja, then he himself would be in danger as well!

No matter what, he had to stop Hanzō the Salamander until the poison in this area had completely dispersed!