Hearing Hanzō's words, Hatake Ziyan touched his face and said, "Can't help it. I was born beautiful! Time just refuses to leave its mark on my face!"
At Hatake Ziyan's words, ten thousand curses stampeded through Hanzō's mind. I've lived more than half my life. I've met narcissists, but never anyone as narcissistic as you!
Without waiting for Hanzō to speak again, Hatake Ziyan continued, "Stop shaking. You've still got a hostage in your hands! If you shake too hard and accidentally kill him, how are you going to explain that?"
Hanzō looked at Hatake Ziyan and took a deep breath, forcing down his fear. Inwardly, he cursed the people working with him and eighteen generations of their ancestors. He glanced around at the surrounding woods again, then asked Hatake Ziyan, "Did you come here for these children?"
Hatake Ziyan nodded. Watching Hanzō's movements, he said, "You don't need to wait for those dozen or so people you hid in the woods. I paid them a visit before coming here. Unless something unexpected happened, they should be stone cold by now!"
Hatake Ziyan's words were like a sharp sword plunged straight into Hanzō's heart.
The situation had completely reversed. Hanzō had originally held the upper hand: he had a hostage, dozens of shinobi out in the open and hidden nearby, while the other side had only a dozen or so people, and he had them right where it hurt.
But now everything had turned around. He was all alone, with nothing left but the hostage in his hands, while the other side had gained someone he couldn't have beaten even at his peak-Hatake Ziyan!
During the Second Shinobi World War, when he attacked the Land of Iron, its samurai forces had feared his poison and fled rather than face