Then, Sanshouo Hanzo was the first to speak, his tone filled with admiration as he addressed Hatake Sumao. "I've long heard of Konoha's White Fang from the Daimyo, yet I never gave it proper respect. But seeing you today… you truly live up to the legends. I envy Konoha for having someone like you."
"Master Hanzo flatters me," replied Sumao politely. "It is truly an honor to witness your sword techniques today." Then he added, "I will make my move now—please be cautious, Master Hanzo."
Sanshouo Hanzo did not answer. Or rather, at this moment, he had no desire to speak—only to let his blade speak for him. He had been eagerly awaiting a chance to face Sumao's swordsmanship.
So he slightly adjusted his stance, activated Water Shunshin no Jutsu, and transformed from stillness into motion, dashing straight toward Hatake Sumao.
At the same time, sensing Hanzo's Blade Intent, Hatake Sumao reacted instinctively. Pushing the secret sword techniques of the Hatake clan to their peak, he reached a speed equal to Hanzo's and unleashed the same technique—the [Iai Beheading].
Iai Beheading was an advanced sword-drawing technique. Every ninja trained in swordsmanship learned some form of sword-drawing technique, and every master swordsman mastered Iai Beheading. That's why two swordsmen who respected each other often used Iai Beheading as their first move—it was like exchanging greetings for ordinary people.
With a sharp *clang*, a white tanto and a chain-wrapped sickle violently collided, chakra surging through both weapons, producing a crisp and pleasant sound. Neither side retreated, showing that the clash was evenly matched.
Then, Sanshouo Hanzo's left chain shot forward, attempting to entangle Hatake Sumao. But Sumao had already been wary of Hanzo's chains. As soon as he saw the chain move, he immediately predicted his opponent's intent and began dodging.
Dodging Hanzo's attacks, however, was no easy feat. His left chain attacked relentlessly, pouring down like heavy rain, strike after strike without end, as if the storm would never cease.
In his right hand, the sickle remained sheathed after the initial strike, hidden silently, waiting for the perfect moment to deliver a decisive blow—one far more dangerous than the chains.
After a dozen clashes, Hanzo seized an opportunity. As Sumao blocked the chain attack, Hanzo slashed forward with his sickle toward Sumao's waist.
But Sumao, already prepared, quickly infused himself with Lightning Chakra, further stimulating his body and pushing his speed even beyond its previous limit. This slight delay gave him just enough time to form a single-handed seal, activating his family's secret technique, [Lightning Shunshin no Jutsu], narrowly evading the fatal strike.
While escaping, Sumao simultaneously counterattacked. With swift swings of his tanto, he released waves of lightning blades toward Hanzo, forcing him—who had missed his strike—to focus entirely on defense.
Under Hatake Sumao's relentless offensive, Sanshouo Hanzo skillfully maneuvered his sickle and chain in a continuous combo, blocking Sumao's attacks while simultaneously seeking an opportunity to counterattack.
Seeing how perfectly Sanshouo Hanzo blocked his attacks, Hatake Sumao couldn't help but admire his opponent's incredible swordsmanship. Unless the enemy made a mistake, there would absolutely be no openings—though such chances were extremely slim, nearly impossible, in fact.
Alternatively, he could continue pressing forward with nonstop assaults, forcing an opening through sheer pressure. However, such an opening might actually be a prearranged trap set by his opponent. Sumao didn't believe his combat experience surpassed that of this seasoned veteran who had lived through the same era as the Third Hokage. If he fell into such a situation, his chances of defeat would be enormous.
Therefore, he decided to leverage his youth advantage, matching strength against strength head-on. He intended to overwhelm his opponent head-on, a method that suited his personality well.
As a result, with Hatake Sumao maintaining the initiative, every strike was met with direct confrontation. Each collision gradually granted Sumao a slight upper hand. After repeated clashes, his advantage steadily increased. If nothing unexpected occurred, once his advantage grew further, Hatake Sumao would be able to convert this momentum into victory.
After realizing Hatake Sumao's intention, Sanshouo Hanzo inwardly groaned. Having just finished battling Orochimaru and two others—and though emerging victorious without injury—his chakra depletion was tangible and substantial.
Right now, his physical stamina wasn't at its peak. In the short term, he could still manage, but prolonging the fight wouldn't work in his favor. Thus, engaging in head-on confrontations with Sumao suited him poorly. If things continued this way, another hundred or so strikes might lead to his own defeat.
However, being a battle-hardened warrior, escaping Sumao's assault wasn't beyond his capabilities—it was only a matter of how great the cost would be. After quickly reevaluating Hatake Sumao's attack patterns, Sanshouo Hanzo decisively chose the option with the least potential repercussions: forcefully surging his chakra and pouring all his strength into several direct clashes with Sumao.
By going blow-for-blow, he caused Hatake Sumao's offense to falter slightly. Ignoring the strain on his body, he then executed [Water Shunshin no Jutsu] to break free from Sumao's offensive tempo. Although this came at a considerable cost—further draining his endurance—it didn't significantly affect his overall combat ability.
Upon detecting Sanshouo Hanzo's attempt to retreat, Hatake Sumao immediately pursued using [Lightning Shunshin no Jutsu], but he was half a beat too slow. Sanshouo Hanzo successfully broke free from Sumao's offensive tempo. The two fighters then entered a high-speed exchange phase, rapidly changing positions due to their swift movements.
As soon as Sanshouo Hanzo and Hatake Sumao left the area, a squad of elite ninja arrived on the scene. Witnessing the devastation around them, they were stunned by the destruction those few individuals had caused.
Then, a voice rang out, "Shall we continue pursuit? According to intelligence reports, three shinobi from Konoha and the leader of Ame Village, Sanshouo Hanzo, engaged in fierce battle here."
We arrived too late, unfortunately. According to the sensor ninja's judgment, the three from Konoha have already evacuated. As for Sanshouo Hanzo, he's currently locked in battle with a mysterious new arrival. Which side should we attack next?"
"Nothing we can do about it. Considering how difficult it is for us to obtain intelligence like this, we can't expect too much. But judging from the situation at the scene, those three from Konoha probably just left not long ago. Combining that with intel from the Sand-nin side, the new arrival is most likely the Legend of the White Fang." Once the first speaker fell silent, another picked up the analysis and addressed the squad leader.
The squad leader listened carefully, then gazed toward the border between Ame and the Land of Fire, pausing in thought.
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