Fighting in the Land of Rain was fundamentally disadvantageous for the Sand.
The unique geography made the Sand's typical desert-based maneuvers ineffective; furthermore, within the entire Hidden Sand, the number of ninjas proficient in Water Release was severely limited.
Historically, the Sand had tried multiple times to use the Land of Rain as a springboard to invade the Leaf, failing every time for this very reason.
This time, Shiraishi led a force of barely a thousand men. Most were specialists in puppetry and sealing. They utilized Ryaku (Dragon Vein) Puppets—improved with technology from the ancient Kingdom of Roran—which featured significantly enhanced armor and combat capabilities.
Supplemented by auxiliary puppets like the Scarlet Control Mirror, a standard puppet master could now control three units instead of one.
While this didn't bridge the gap in top-tier power, the increased efficiency allowed the Sand to maintain a steady pressure.
The battle for the Ota District was fierce. Amegakure's resistance was fanatical. Many of Hanzo's subordinates fought with a suicidal ferocity that caused the Sand vanguard to suffer heavily.
After all, the Rain was a strong power sandwiched between three Great Nations; without such grit, how could they have survived so long?
As the stalemate dragged on, more Rain reinforcements arrived, and the Sand began to lose their momentum.
The Ota District was hemmed in by a massive mountain range. To the south, near the Land of Wind, the elevation was high and the climate pleasant.
To the north, the elevation dropped sharply, causing all rainwater to drain into the Ota District rather than the Land of Wind.
The entire Land of Rain was essentially a series of low-lying basins trapped by mountains, which is why it was perpetually flooded.
The Rain's defense line wasn't in the city itself but along the mountain ridges. Using the high ground, they employed hit-and-run tactics that ground the Sand's advance to a halt.
Shiraishi stared at the endless peaks—geography that even Earth Release could hardly alter. This was the capital that allowed the Rain to defy the Great Nations for years.
The Dragon Vein puppets showed their worth in the mountains, switching to insect and beast modes to traverse the terrain and harry the Rain ninjas.
As the slaughter intensified, the Rain's casualties began to mount against the superior technology of the puppet brigades.
Shiraishi, as the commander, had not yet made his move. The front line was currently spearheaded by Mai Hoshino's team.
Over two years of training under Shiraishi, Mai, Bizen Nagase, and Ryoji Morimoto had become a razor-sharp trio, cutting deep into the heart of the Rain defenses.
Mai Hoshino was no longer the petite girl of the past. Her body had matured, and the explosive power of her Ox-Head Crescent Halberd was terrifying.
Each swing generated powerful air currents infused with electricity. As a Jonin with Wind and Lightning affinities, she moved like a bloodthirsty beast.
She's getting more violent... The cold and proud Ryoji Morimoto slashed with a black blade imbued with scorching fire, detonating multiple paper bombs to clear out pursuers (Fire and Wind affinity).
Meanwhile, Bizen Nagase (Wind and Earth) moved with a dizzying blur, his swordsmanship inherited directly from Shiraishi's own style.
"Don't push too far! There are too many of them!" Bizen shouted.
As the Sand invaded, more Rain ninjas swarmed the Ota District. Mai had charged so deeply that her teammates were becoming worried. A hidden kunai struck her, and instead of flinching, she roared.
Her muscles expanded, and her chakra flared, shifting her into a "Minotaur Witch" form. She brought her halberd down with a bone-shattering impact, crushing the incoming projectiles, but in that moment, the ground beneath her feet vanished.
A figure appeared amidst a sudden blaze. The legendary Hanzo slammed his palm to the ground:
"Fire Release: Exploding Flame Formation!"
The ground beneath Mai sank as countless paper bombs surfaced, wrapping around her legs. Shiraishi's expression shifted in the distance.
He manipulated his silver sand and used Body Flicker to move.
This technique was one of Hanzo's signature moves—combining Fire Release with paper bombs to create a continuous, incinerating blast. Historically, even the Sannin struggled against this; if Jiraiya hadn't reacted in time, Tsunade might have been killed.
Mai Hoshino wasn't one of the Sannin. As the flames engulfed her, her body underwent a grotesque mutation—muscle tissue swelled into a shield of bizarre, fleshy tumors to absorb the blast.
It held for the first wave, but as the sustained burning threatened to consume her, a shield of Silver Sand coalesced around her, protecting her from the inferno.
"Brat, you are too arrogant."
"Senior Hanzo, the Ota reservoir is a strategic necessity for the Sand."
The words had barely left his mouth when Shiraishi vanished. Amidst a spray of fine silver sand, he appeared behind the "Demi-god." Hanzo swung his sickle, creating a powerful vortex of water.
With a thunderous crack, Shiraishi's silver blade collided with Hanzo's kusarigama.
The years from sixteen to eighteen are a ninja's golden age. Two years ago, Shiraishi's name shook the world.
How strong was he now? Hanzo dared not be careless. He unleashed a storm of explosive power from his sickle.
Suddenly, the surroundings seemed to peel away like shattered glass. Hanzo looked coldly at the motionless Shiraishi across from him. "Brat, mere Genjutsu won't work on me."
"As expected of the Demi-god, to break my illusion in an instant."
Shiraishi removed his glasses and walked forward slowly. The light reflecting off his silver scabbard gave off a profound, oppressive aura.
He held the long blade in his right hand; the silver sheath was quiet and restrained, yet Hanzo felt as if a wild beast were locked inside, waiting to tear its way out.
The atmosphere became heavy enough to suffocate.
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