Hanzō's shock: a fortune, an absolute fortune

At that very moment.

Amegakure.

Unlike other hidden villages, this place was filled with steel that did not corrode easily in the rain. Houses built of steel stood everywhere.

From a distance, the place felt bleak, cold, and utterly lifeless. The civil wars that had plagued Amegakure for years only added to its already desolate atmosphere.

It was worth mentioning that Amegakure was called the Village Hidden in the Rain entirely because it rained here all year round. There were hardly any days of clear weather throughout the year.

But that was also precisely why it had produced countless Amegakure Ninja who excelled at Water Release.

At that moment, in the eastern part of Amegakure-or, more accurately, the place called Land of Rivers Amegakure.

Ever since Hanzo of the Salamander had declared war on the Land of Fire, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Earth during the Second Shinobi World War, Amegakure had long since split into two major hidden rain villages.

These were Land of Rivers Amegakure and Land of Rain Amegakure. The two frequently fought civil wars, causing the deaths of many innocent civilians.

This situation persisted until Pain of the Akatsuki came to power and unified them through overwhelming force.

The Land of Rain, the Rain Shadow Residence.

"This time, Konoha Anbu actually tried to infiltrate our Amegakure..."

"I wonder how Ibuse Tenrai and his people's preparations went, and whether they've driven back Konoha Anbu."

A Kage Level expert dressed in the Rain Shadow's robes spoke quietly, his brow immediately furrowing.

It was plain to see that, just like Ibuse Tenrai, this Kage Level expert wore an enormous helmet and breathed through a tube.

He was none other than Hanzo of the Salamander, known throughout the Shinobi World as its demigod!

Unfortunately, Hanzo of the Salamander did not know that the organization called "Akatsuki," which had rapidly risen in Land of Rivers Amegakure during the Third Shinobi World War, had already grown tremendously in size.

By now, Hanzō was over fifty and had long since lost the sharp edge of his youth. He was extremely cautious, even keeping his guards around him twenty-four hours a day.

But more than any of that, Hanzo of the Salamander worried that killing Konoha Anbu this time would ultimately escalate into a Shinobi World War. That would cost far more than it was worth.

"Lord Rain Shadow, there's no need to worry at all. Lord Ibuse Tenrai inherited Lord Hanzō's Ibuse Ninjutsu. His poison gas alone is more than those Konoha Ninja can handle."

"And I also heard that among the Anbu members infiltrating this time, there's actually a very young little fellow, only five years old... I'm afraid this group will have to spend quite a lot of time just looking after him!"

Suddenly, an Amegakure Ninja behind Hanzo of the Salamander hurried to reassure him.

Yet as soon as those words fell, Hanzo of the Salamander did not relax. Instead, his eyes narrowed. "Don't underestimate this five-year-old little fellow..."

"There's a very good chance that he's the most frightening one of all... Do you have any intelligence on him?"

The Amegakure Ninja's expression shifted slightly. Just as he was about to explain something, another Amegakure Ninja appeared without warning in a streak of light, a trace of terror on his face. "Lord Hanzō, terrible news! Lord Tenrai... is dead!"

"And he seems to have died at the hands of a five-year-old Anbu ninja! This Anbu ninja also seems to have mastered Konoha's forbidden Multiple Shadow Clone Technique..."

At this point, even this Amegakure Ninja's voice began to tremble.

Five years old.

Even five-year-olds in their own Amegakure would only be attending the Ninja Academy, wouldn't they?!

"So young?!" Hanzo of the Salamander was stunned.

"And command of this Anbu squad seems to be in that boy's hands too... He was the one giving orders the whole time!" The Amegakure Ninja drew a deep breath and continued.

Hanzo of the Salamander fell silent, sinking into a silence unlike any before.

Ibuse Tenrai was his brother. After being revered as the Demigod of the Ninja World, Hanzō had his brother store Ibuse's poison in an air sac, just as he himself did...

With this terrifying poison at his disposal, Ibuse Tenrai had swept all before him... and earned countless distinguished merits.

He even had the fearsome title of Poison Maniac in Amegakure.

Yet now, someone so powerful had actually been killed by a five-year-old little fellow?!

This, this, this...

"I originally thought Yahiko, Nagato, and the others in the Akatsuki were already talented enough..." Hanzo of the Salamander remarked with emotion, his gaze gradually turning piercing...

Ning Feng paid no attention to the upheaval in Amegakure-or, more accurately, wholly absorbed in his path to riches, he could no longer spare much attention for anything else.

After he killed Ibuse Tenrai, several crisp, pleasant notifications filled his system channel.

"Congratulations! You successfully killed the higher-level Amegakure jonin [Ibuse Tenrai] and earned 60,000 Experience Points!"

"Congratulations! You achieved the first kill of a [Gold-Rank Boss]! You received a [Gold-Rank Boss First-Kill Gift Pack]!"

"Congratulations! You received 30,000 Reputation Points!"

"Congratulations! You leveled up! You reached level 26!"

...

"Congratulations! You leveled up! You reached level 28!"

Amid the pleasant sounds, Ning Feng felt a powerful surge of strength pour into his body, filling every limb and bone in an instant.

The sensation was indescribably exhilarating and comfortable, like a shut-in suddenly finding himself on a boundless grassland...

But more than that, what Ning Feng looked forward to most was this [Gold-Rank Boss First-Kill Gift Pack]!

Of course, before opening the gift pack, Ning Feng hurriedly scooped up everything [Ibuse Tenrai] had dropped on the ground.

Fortunately, Uchiha Itachi, Kakashi, and the others were all focused on what was outside. Otherwise, they would certainly have found Ning Feng's actions particularly puzzling and strange.

"Congratulations! You picked up Fūma Shuriken ×20!"

"Congratulations! You picked up Poison Kunai ×20!"

"Congratulations! You picked up [Water Release Water Clone]!"

"Congratulations! You picked up [Water Release Black Rain Technique]!"

"Congratulations! You picked up [Body Flicker Technique]!"

"Congratulations! You picked up [Taijutsu: Chain Sickle Two-Stage Strike]!"

"Congratulations! You picked up [Summoning Scroll: Ibuse]!"

The sheer number of rewards was almost blinding. Especially when even [Body Flicker Technique] and a [Summoning Scroll] dropped, Ning Feng could hardly have been more excited!