Hanzou nodded, saying nothing more.
His eyes gleamed with sharpness.
He recalled a rainy day in the past, a battle he had with Konoha Ninja in a dense forest on the border of the Land of Fire.
In that battle, he faced seventeen Konoha Jonin alone.
Out of respect for his enemies, Hanzou went all out from the very beginning of the fight.
After the battle ended, the trees affected by the fighting were all burned down.
The rain pouring from the sky extinguished the flames on the fourteen bodies of the Konoha Jonin on the ground.
Only three Konoha Jonin remained alive.
Hanzou stood on the gigantic Salamander he had summoned, his scythe, coated in potent poison, stained with the blood of the Konoha Ninja.
He was unharmed.
From his elevated position, he calmly looked down at the three Konoha Ninja who, though still alive, were severely wounded and unable to fight: “You three are all very powerful and young, and you managed to survive in this situation, making me feel quite troublesome.
You are worthy opponents, and I can spare your lives.”
The three surviving Konoha Ninja stood precariously, their bodies covered in wounds.
The rain could not wash away the blood flowing from their injuries.
The three gritted their teeth, glaring defiantly at Hanzou.
Around them lay the fourteen bodies of their comrades who had been on the same mission.
Before them stood Hanzou, a figure so powerful they couldn’t help but look up to him.
The three remained silent.
Pain, fear, humiliation…
indescribable emotions flickered in their eyes.
Hanzou looked down at them with an expression full of respect: “I am willing to give you more time.
As the price for your survival, please state your names.”
The three Konoha Jonin spoke one after another, their tones heavy yet forceful.
“Jiraiya!”
“Tsunade!”
“Orochimaru!”
The rain did not stop.
Hanzou, standing before them, was like an insurmountable mountain, looming in the hearts of Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru.
Hanzou’s gaze held a hint of admiration: “I have committed your names to memory, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru.
From this day forward, I, Hanzou, shall call you the Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha.
You shall henceforth refer to yourselves by this title, a title earned at the cost of your lives.”
“In the days to come, should we meet again on the battlefield, I hope you will have grown stronger than you are now.
I will not hold back.”
Three years had passed since that battle.
At this moment, Hanzou stood on the highest floor of the divine tower.
He couldn’t help but recall the appearances of Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru.
“I wonder how much those three young Ninja have progressed.”
He was past his prime, and throughout his life, he had killed countless people and observed countless others.
He fought for his beliefs and had never been defeated.
On the battlefield, Hanzou never hesitated to show his admiration for his enemies.
When he defeated General Mifune of the Land of Iron, Mifune, on the verge of death, pleaded with Hanzou to kill only him and spare his comrades.
Hanzou was moved to compassion and spared Mifune’s life.
When he defeated Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru, the bond between the three moved Hanzou, preventing him from annihilating them.
Three children: Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato.
Unfortunately, this time, he had no choice but to kill them.
Nagato’s Rinnegan made him wary.
The Akatsuki Organization, founded by the three, was shaking his position in Hidden Rain Village.
Hanzou stared at the Akatsuki Organization, which was dispersing in the dense forest not far below, his gaze falling on Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato.
He sighed, his tone tinged with regret: “These three children were born at an unfortunate time.
If you hadn’t been born in a time of war, you would surely have grown up very happily.”
These three children, whom he admired, he must kill!
“Go to Konoha Village and inform Danzo.”
After Hanzou gave the order to his subordinate, he heard a faint sound beside him.
He turned his head to look.
His subordinate had already fallen to the ground.
His face was pale green, his eyes tightly shut, and his expression was one of pain.
Hanzou immediately understood what was happening, took out an antidote, and murmured, “I need to replace this gas mask.”
When Hanzou was very young, a Salamander’s venom sac was implanted in his abdomen.
As a result, as he grew, merely his breathing would poison those around him.
Therefore, he had to wear a gas mask.
The title “Salamander” before his name came from this.
At this moment, Yahiko returned to the small wooden house, and while flipping the sign belonging to him on the wall to the red side, he excitedly said to his two companions: “Nagato, Konan!
Hanzou sent someone to contact me!
He is willing to cooperate with us and let our Akatsuki Organization become the military force of Hidden Rain Village, openly protecting the citizens of Hidden Rain Village in war!”