Right now, the woman wasn't the main problem—
The real issue was the meeting scheduled three days from now.
Knowing Ōnoki's personality, a "meeting" could just as easily mean he was already digging a pit, waiting for Hanzō to jump in.
Of course, Hanzō intended to prepare something in return—something that would give the old fox a surprise of his own.
He wasn't the impulsive, hot-blooded fool that the young Hanzō once was.
Having recalled all of his predecessor's jutsu, one in particular caught his attention.
"Fire Style: Explosive Flame Formation."
The original Hanzō had been a genius—but a genius lacking imagination.
"The Explosive Flame Formation summons explosive tags and guides them through chakra control. The tags move quickly and can trap the target in an instant—dozens of tags detonating simultaneously with considerable power."
He took out an explosive tag, examining it with amusement.
"But… the Second Hokage's creation, the Tandem Paper Bombs, is on another level.
That technique causes explosive tags to continually generate more tags, multiplying into tens or hundreds of thousands. The sheer destructive force stunned both Edo-Tensei Fourth Hokage and Naruto himself."
After marking the tag with his chakra, he smiled even wider.
"However, that jutsu has a flaw—its area of effect is too easy to escape. When it was used against the Six Paths Obito, the reanimated Tobirama and Hashirama had to act as bait. Hashirama's Wood Clone restrained Obito with Wood Style, allowing Tobirama to trigger the explosion."
He tapped the tag thoughtfully. "But what if I combine these two techniques? Use the tracking and control of the Explosive Flame Formation with the multiplication power of the Tandem Paper Bombs.
If I infuse the target with 'positive' chakra and the tags with 'negative' chakra, they'll attract each other like magnets. The tags would automatically chase the target—no guidance required."
A sharp grin crossed his face. "When that happens, whoever the target is… they'll be in for a very hot surprise."
He paused, chuckling. "Still, credit where it's due—the Second Hokage was truly a mad genius. I can't make explosive tags summon other tags, but I can create a lower-tier imitation."
He began inscribing intricate formulae on the tags. "If I add a storage seal onto each tag and fill that space with additional explosive tags, then set the mechanism to release those before detonation, each tag would unleash another set—creating a chain reaction. A sort of… infinite nesting doll of explosions."
After several hours of exhausting inscription work, he flexed his sore hands.
"Luckily, explosive tags have been improved countless times since the Warring States period. Embedding a small storage seal isn't hard—it's just tedious. Two days should be enough."
He smirked faintly. "If Ōnoki tries anything funny at the meeting, I'll let him experience why flowers bloom so red."
Then his expression grew thoughtful.
"Particlr Style… that's the troublesome part. Against anyone else, I wouldn't be this cautious."
He exhaled slowly. "No—if it involves Kekkei Genkai or Kekkei Tōta, none of them are to be underestimated."
He looked down at the half-finished pile of tags. "I might not have millions of tags like Tobirama's version, but this should be enough. Twenty thousand tags, set to detonate continuously for a full minute—roughly three hundred and thirty-three explosions per second.
It's a downgraded version, yes, but with a smaller radius, tighter focus, and greater precision. The damage will be concentrated."
He smiled to himself. "Only speed-type monsters like Flying Thunder God users or Eight Gates practitioners could completely evade it. Even most fast shinobi would get caught in the blast radius.
Among the current Five Kage, perhaps only the Third Raikage could withstand it—and even then, without his reanimated body, whether he'd come out unscathed is questionable."
He thought further. "As for the Third Kazekage… if his Iron Sand was already deployed, he might block it. But the other three Kage… heh."
As he continued working, his thoughts wandered.
"These days, I've fully reviewed the original Hanzō's memories—and I'm starting to understand him better."
"Hanzō's impulsiveness wasn't entirely his fault. I have the luxury of hindsight—of knowing the Naruto world's entire timeline. I see things from a god's-eye view, detached by the distance of time. But for him, the harsh realities of the moment couldn't be ignored."
He leaned back, speaking half to himself, half to the long-dead man whose body he now inhabited.
"The Land of Rain lacks natural resources. The only thing it has in abundance is water. The mountains of the Lands of Wind and Earth trap the moisture, turning this place into a perpetual rainstorm. Abundant water, little sunlight—agriculture barely survives.
For generations, Rain Country had to beg for aid from others."
"Of course, aid always comes with a price. And because of its strategic location between the great powers, the Land of Rain became a breeding ground for foreign influence—spies, agents, hidden agendas.
By the time you rose to power, Hanzō, the nation had already been carved apart by outsiders. You purged the infiltrators through brutal means, rebuilt the village with iron-blooded resolve, and began to dream of expanding your territory. You wanted to lift the Land of Rain from its misery."
He smiled faintly, his tone softening.
"But you only saw the surface. You thought it was the country's geography that doomed it. The truth runs deeper—it's the system of the Five Great Nations itself."
"In this world, there can only ever be five great powers. The entire shinobi system was built around that balance. The resources, influence, and military clout are already divided among them. Anyone else is just a pawn in their game."
"It's not that the world conspired against the Land of Rain—it's that every small nation lives under the same ceiling. Unless another like Senju Hashirama arises, no sixth great nation will ever appear."
He murmured the name—Senju Hashirama.
The man known as the God of Shinobi.
The one who reached the summit of this world.
He chuckled. "Your memories and your strength have definitely influenced my thoughts. I admit, I've gotten a bit arrogant. But after seeing the suffering of the Land of Rain through your eyes, I understand you better.
I'll protect this country in your stead—at least make sure it survives a little longer. But as for grand ambitions…" He exhaled. "I'm not you. I don't have your dreams or your drive. Overturning the world? That's not me. Sorry, Hanzō."
He glanced at the map again. "The Land of Rain has around three thousand ninja—a significant number, yes. But compared to the Allied Shinobi Forces during the Fourth Great Shinobi War—over a hundred thousand strong from the five nations and the Land of Iron—our scale is pitiful."
"Reverse-engineering that, each Great Nation must have had at least twenty thousand shinobi, even during this period. And since we're in wartime, their combat power would be even higher. We can't match that."
"Still," he said, eyes narrowing, "this war… could be our opportunity. It depends on how well we play our cards."
"The plan is forming. My biggest advantage—my real cheat—is knowledge of the future and of every elite ninja's capabilities. With that foresight, the optimal path for the Land of Rain becomes clear."
Then he laughed softly. "Hah… listen to me. Maybe Hanzō's memories have rubbed off a little too much."
He shook his head. "A second Hashirama? That's wishful thinking. He was an Asura reincarnate, his chakra bottomless. That's not something I could ever hope to replicate."
Still, his thoughts wandered again. "Then again… maybe not entirely impossible. Chakra is just the world's natural energy given form. Ordinary people simply can't sense or use it. The first to master it were the sages of the Three Great Sage Lands."
"But the Ōtsutsuki clan… they turned that natural energy into something else. They absorbed it through the Divine Tree, condensed it into Chakra Fruit, and used it to wield godlike power."
He rubbed his chin, eyes gleaming faintly. "Even in later eras, other forms of natural energy—like the Dragon Vein, the
Stone of Gelel, the Ama no Hoko (Spear of Heaven), Sage Mode—prove that chakra isn't the only path.
This world's leylines hold countless hidden energies. Maybe… just maybe, I'll find my own."