The Death of Hanzo of the Salamander
Staring into Koki's unwavering gaze, Orochimaru fell silent, his heart churning with conflicting emotions.
However, in the next instant, he suddenly bent down and shot towards Koki like an arrow released from a bow, his figure drawing a hazy trajectory in the air.
At the same time, Tsunade and Shizune, who were engaged in fierce combat, exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with worry and urgency, shouting, "Koki!"
Unfortunately, their concerns could no longer be translated into intervention.
Facing Orochimaru's charge, Koki showed no fear and remained motionless, as if everything was within his expectations.
With the distance reduced to just a few meters, he slightly shifted his body and launched an attack with lightning speed, his movements as fluid as flowing water.
"Bang!!!" Immediately afterwards, a deafening explosion rang out, and the powerful shockwave from the blast caused the surrounding air to tremble violently.
Dust filled the air, obscuring all vision, and Tsunade and Shizune's hearts leaped into their throats.
As the dust settled, two figures slowly emerged.
The sharp longsword in Koki's hand was pressed tightly against Orochimaru's neck, the tip of the blade almost piercing his skin, exuding a chilling aura and a sinister killing intent.
Orochimaru gently grasped Koki's wrist, not using force to stop the blade that was about to pierce her flesh, but merely touching it lightly.
Orochimaru stared at Koki's indifferent face, a bitter smile suddenly appearing on his lips, containing both helplessness and a certain detachment.
A resolute flame seemed to ignite deep within his eyes as he whispered his innermost confession, "Koki, believe me."
Koki's gaze remained calm as still water, but in that instant, he couldn't deny that a subtle ripple had stirred within him.
The clash between Tsunade and Danzo reached its climax, with both sides giving their all and employing their unique techniques.
Danzo, relying on his Wood Release technique, launched a relentless barrage of attacks, while Tsunade, with her innate superhuman strength, tenaciously and unyieldingly withstood each of Danzo's fierce assaults.
Inside the restaurant, tables and chairs were overturned, walls were cracked, and the place was a complete mess.
"Koki, you may not understand my aspirations, but everything I do is for the purpose of exploring the pinnacle of Ninjutsu."
"Orochimaru, your obsession has robbed you of your humanity. Colluding with Danzo will only bring you greater disaster."
"Koki, you still don't understand. This world desperately needs new life, and I am the one who will pave the way."
With a low groan and a cold laugh, Koki tightened his grip slightly, causing the blade to sink deep into Orochimaru's neck, and blood, like red plum blossoms in the cold night, slowly bloomed.
"I am determined to kill Danzo today. Give up your naive ideas."
"Heh..." Orochimaru lowered his head slightly, his eyelids drooping, a complex emotion flashing in his golden eyes.
"Have you ever truly explored my inner world?" His voice was tinged with an indescribable bitterness.
Koki remained silent, seemingly unconcerned by his words, only her hands paused slightly.
"Therefore..." Orochimaru still wore a smile, a smile that concealed a bittersweet resilience. He gently pressed his right hand to his heart, "I will never give up, never stop."
Koki frowned slightly. "What?"
He simply couldn't understand what Orochimaru Danzo that made him so obsessed.
Meanwhile, Shizune, having lost Koki's support, plummeted rapidly from her disadvantageous position. Root seized the opportunity and kicked her away in mid-air, leaving her utterly helpless.
Just as Shizune had nowhere to escape and two of Danzo's henchmen were about to unleash their deadly Ninjutsu, two Kunai piercing the air suddenly rang out.
The two Root that were originally preparing to attack were forced to stop, and in a hurry, a substitution seal was cast.
Boom! Boom! Two Kunai pierced through the substitute wood, their momentum undiminished.
Unfortunately, Kunai was no one in sight ahead, and it eventually disappeared deep into the hotel wall.
Kakuzu in black with his hands in his pockets, Kakuzu slowly emerged from the shadows of the restaurant. Though his figure was silent, he exuded an inexplicable aura of power.
Kakuzu's sudden appearance brought the battle to a temporary halt, and all eyes were on him.
A flicker of surprise crossed Tsunade's eyes. "Who are you? What do you want?"
Although Kakuzu helped Shizune, she was not naive enough to believe that he had joined their side and was puzzled by the purpose of this suddenly appearing person.
Kakuzu ignored Tsunade and stared directly at Koki. "Boss!"
Koki turned around, her eyes filled with surprise and confusion as she looked at Kakuzu. "How did you get here?"
At this moment, Kakuzu should have been in Hanzo of the Salamander's hiding place, but Koki's thoughts were racing.
"I just exchanged Hanzo of the Salamander's remains for silver on the black market." Kakuzu hesitated for a moment before uttering this astonishing statement.
His tone was flat and even, as if he were simply narrating a mundane daily event.
Actually, he went back to the Akatsuki and heard about this from Nagato. He came over because he was worried about his boss.
All eyes were fixed on Kakuzu, including Orochimaru's, their gazes a mixture of astonishment, doubt, and wariness.
Hanzo of the Salamander, a powerful figure renowned throughout the Kakuzu. This forces us to reassess Kakuzu's strength.
Finally, the impatient Tsunade couldn't hold back any longer and asked first, "Did you really kill Hanzo of the Salamander?"
She could hardly believe that Kakuzu possessed such divine power.
Kakuzu lowered his eyes slightly and remained silent.
Seeing Tsunade, Tsunade grew even more anxious. "Just tell me already!"
If this is true, Tsunade must relay this message back to the village as soon as possible.
The fall of Hanzo of the Salamander will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the landscape of the Land of Rain and even the entire ninja world.
"Ha." Kakuzu remained silent, but his contempt could still be felt through the black mask.
In his view, these people's reactions were superfluous; he only cared about his own tasks and interests and didn't care about other people's opinions.
Seeing that Tsunade was about to lose her temper, Koki quickly stopped her, not wanting the two of them to clash.
Koki Kakuzu. He knows that Kakuzu never cares about others, and if anyone bothers him, he will not hesitate to take that person's heart.
Did you kill him yourself?
Faced with Koki's curiosity, Kakuzu obediently replied, "I was originally fighting him by myself, but unexpectedly a silver-haired old woman appeared halfway through, and they started fighting as soon as they met."
Silver-haired old woman? Koki immediately realized that it must be Granny Chiyo.
Kakuzu was in a panic at the time, thinking that the white-haired old woman had also come for the bounty, but fortunately she did not compete with him for Hanzo of the Salamander's body.
While secretly feeling lucky, he remained wary of the silver-haired old woman.
"Alas." A powerful ruler has fallen, and even though the bounty was placed on his head, Koki still couldn't help but sigh.
The death of Hanzo of the Salamander will surely cause a great stir in the Land of Rain, and for the three little ones, this is a golden opportunity to rise to power.