Massive chunks of earth suddenly erupted from the ground.
In terms of area, it was already half the size of a building. Though thin, it was still astonishing!
"Kid, I'll make you a tomb right here!"
The surrounding crowd watched in horror. They already knew how powerful rogue ninjas from Iwagakure could be, but witnessing such an immense piece of earth being lifted like this shocked them momentarily.
They knew he was strong—but not *this* strong!
Ye Liang slightly shook his head with indifference.
This level did indeed deserve some pride—it was practically at the pseudo-Kage level.
But compared to him?
Still far too weak.
"That's all?" Ye Liang said calmly.
[Earth Ridge Sphere Jutsu!]
It was the same technique, Earth Ridge Sphere Jutsu, yet Ye Liang didn't even form a hand seal—merely murmuring softly as he effortlessly raised an even larger and heavier chunk of earth.
Judging by its area, this piece was clearly about half the size of a football field!
And compared to the rogue ninja's move, Ye Liang's was bigger and stronger!
"Get lost."
With a casual toss, Ye Liang hurled the colossal earth fragment, seemingly dozens of tons heavy, straight toward the traitorous ninja from Iwagakure.
**BOOM!** The ground exploded as dirt and rock rained down, burying him completely.
Ye Liang brushed off the dust on his robe and stood with his hands behind his back.
The spectators at the scene were even more stunned.
"Innkeeper, I've made my decision! I'm going to marry my sister off to him!" One spectator, a rogue ninja munching on sunflower seeds, shouted immediately.
"Your sister? Isn't she already twenty-five? Do you really think an expert like him would even look at her?"
"I don't care! Anyway, I'm gonna be his brother-in-law—that settles it!"
"You..." Watching all the ninjas brimming with admiration, the tavern owner sighed helplessly and walked away.
Before one could even finish a cup of tea,
Ye Liang arrived at a battlefield littered with corpses deep within enemy territory. The distance was considerable, but Ye Liang's Shifting Body Technique was nothing to scoff at.
Light rain fell from the overcast sky, enveloping the battlefield in a somber silence.
"Is this the place?"
Ye Liang carefully examined the map.
This was Amegakure. Due to constant war, it had long since become a battlefield for shinobi.
Sanshouo Hanzo is part of the Naruto world as a mercenary. Originally, he was the leader of Ame, but due to Madara's schemes, he was eventually killed by Nagato.
But now Madara was gone—thus Sanshouo Hanzo, who should have died because of that, survived.
Now he served as a ninja-for-hire across nations, and therefore earned the collective wrath—and joint bounty—of all those victims.
That's where the hundred-million ryo bounty came from.
"The so-called Ninja God, huh?" Ye Liang murmured while scanning the map once more.
A mercenary war was supposed to break out here today, and there was a chance that Sanshouo Hanzo might appear—so he had come prepared in advance.
He moved silently into the surrounding jungle.
Using Ninjutsu to conceal his presence, Ye Liang had absolutely no worries about being discovered.
At this moment, three teenagers around eighteen or nineteen years old rushed past Ye Liang in panic, soaked head to toe in dark muddy water, looking terrified—as if they were being chased.
"Were they mercenaries, or simply innocent civilians caught up in the chaos?"
Ye Liang glanced at them, but since the first person's face was covered in mud and rainwater, he couldn't make out their exact appearance.
At that moment, a distant sound of something massive crashing to the ground suddenly echoed through the air.
Ye Liang jolted upright in shock.
Then, he saw an enormous giant salamander crawling toward him. Standing atop its head was none other than Sanshouo Hanzo—the very man Ye Liang had been looking for!
"Damn it! We clearly helped you complete the mission, so why are you still hunting us down! You swore you wouldn't hunt us!" several young teenagers shouted furiously at the pursuing giant salamander, though their feet never stopped running.
"Hmph! You're indeed strong, but you've been robbing bounties everywhere, seriously threatening our mercenary rules. Therefore, today you must die!"
The giant salamander swiftly cut off these youths, while behind Hanzo, countless Amegakure ninjas lay in ambush.
"All from Amegakure village!"
Ye Liang quickly assessed the group—there were dozens of them, all at least Chunin-level ninjas.
Although those chased teenagers were powerful, surrounded by so many opponents, escape would definitely be difficult—and there was also the Ninja God himself here: Sanshouo Hanzo!
This guy was absolutely unstoppable!
In the original storyline, although this person had been tricked and killed, when later revived through Impure World Reincarnation, he actually broke free from the technique's control through sheer willpower alone!
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't possessed such ability to resist this jutsu.
In other words, he was even stronger than The Third!
"Those kids are in serious trouble!"
Ye Liang judged.
Just then, the leading child suddenly pushed the others behind him.
"Nagato, take Konan and leave first—I'll shake off these guys then meet up with you later!"
"Yahiko! What do you mean? We're not going anywhere without you! Jiraiya-sensei is still waiting to see how far our training has come!"
"Nagato, you…"
The little leader suddenly looked moved. He gazed affectionately at the red-haired child behind him, saying nothing for quite some time.
Ye Liang realized at once.
"You gotta be kidding me... this is what they call friendship!"
At this moment, seeing his men were all in position, Hanzo gave the signal.
"Attack!"
Upon hearing this command, his surrounding subordinates rushed toward these children. Their speed was fast—because it was raining, giving the Amegakure ninja an absolute advantage.
[Earth Release - Swamp of the Underworld!]
Yahiko immediately counterattacked using the accumulated rainwater. Because they were standing in mud and water, this particular ninjutsu technique was extremely suited for the environment.
A vast swamp erupted around Yahiko before the Amegakure ninjas could escape, swallowing them whole.
"Cursed brats!"
They desperately tried to jump away, but their legs were already stuck deep in the mire.
Beside them, Hanzo became furious.
"Complete fools!" he spat angrily, clapping his hands once. Instantly, thick phlegm flew from the mouth of the giant salamander.
The group of teenagers startled, hastily scattering in all directions.
The giant salamander's saliva was packed with deadly neurotoxins. Even a slight touch could cause paralysis—or worse, instant death!
These days being hunted by Hanzo, they had long since come to understand the horror of this jutsu.
"Dodge now!"
"Shoo!"
The saliva crashed down where the boy had just stood.
The Ame ninja trapped in [Yomi's Swamp] met a gruesome fate in an instant. Before they could even break free from the swamp's grasp, they were drenched in the deadly poison one after another.
Immediately, screams of agony erupted!
It was as if molten lava had engulfed them — steam exploded from their bodies, and then... silence.
Dead, every last one of them!
Ye Liang felt his heart clench.
At this moment, he had already figured out the identities of these youths.
Nagato! Yahiko! And Konan!
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