In fact, even if Chiyo had successfully neutralized Ibuse's poison, Hanzo still wouldn't have needed to withdraw.
After all, the two sides were still evenly matched, and the Amegakure forces had the advantage of being accustomed to the weather in the Land of Rain, giving them a slight edge over Sunagakure.
Hanzo withdrew because his subordinates had reported that Konoha had made its move and entered the Land of Rain. They were advancing toward the battlefield from the flank.
Chiyo's ability to counter Ibuse's poison had certainly taken Hanzo by surprise, but Konoha's incursion into the Land of Rain had fallen entirely within his carefully laid plans.
That was right. Hanzo's plan was to wear down Sunagakure first, then subtly tempt the Land of Fire with the chance to kill two birds with one stone, drawing Konoha into the Land of Rain.
As soon as Konoha entered the Land of Rain, he would order Amegakure to withdraw.
That way, Sunagakure, which had long suffered Amegakure's harassment, would surely seize the chance to pursue them.
All Amegakure had to do was lead Sunagakure toward the direction Konoha was approaching from. The three sides would then be plunged into a direct melee, and Amegakure could escape by relying on its knowledge of the terrain.
Sunagakure and Konoha, already deep inside the Land of Rain, would inevitably fight fiercely until one side gained an overwhelming advantage.
If you wanted to know why Sunagakure would fight Konoha, you had to consider the ambitions of the two nations' daimyō and village leaders, as well as their longstanding historical grievances.
The Land of Wind was vast—the largest country among the Five Great Nations—but most of its territory was desert, with few oases. As a result, it had long coveted the rich, fertile lands of its neighbor,