I Am Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 370 370 What Demigod of The Ninja World? He's Just a Stray Dog By The Roadside

Atop the tallest steel tower in the center of Amegakure.

Unlike the wind, rain, and gradually spreading chaos outside, the room at the tower's pinnacle was exceptionally quiet and solemn.

The room was in traditional Japanese style: tatami floors, simple wooden structure, only the view outside the windows replaced by crisscrossing steel pipes and the never-ending rain curtain.

Hanzo, the man hailed as the [Demigod of the Ninja World], wasn't currently wearing his iconic full battle gear, only a dark bodysuit, his face covered by the ever-present gas mask.

He was bent over the desk, handling piles of documents.

Under the dim yellow light, his figure appeared steady and aloof.

In the shadowy corners of the room, several Anbu with restrained auras stood silently, as if blending into the environment itself.

They were Hanzo's most loyal blades and shields, guarding their leader wordlessly.

The Second Great Ninja War ten years ago turned Amegakure into a fierce battleground for the three great nations' Ninja Villages, even dragging in the Land of Iron and Land of Grass.

It was precisely in such a desperate situation that Hanzo, relying on his powerful individual strength and iron-fisted methods, led Amegakure's Ninja to carve a path through, forcibly preserving the village's independence and dignity, compelling the great nations to acknowledge the Land of Rain and Amegakure's existence and rights.

Thus, he earned the title [Demigod of the Ninja World]. In many hearts, he was the strongest Ninja second only to the legendary [God of Ninja], Senju Hashirama.

However, the war's end didn't bring true peace.

External threats temporarily eased, but internal troubles grew deeper.

As the Demigod of the Ninja World, Hanzo sadly found himself powerless to quell the intricate internal strife within the Land of Rain.

His actual control largely limited to this steel city, Amegakure.

Outside the village, the Land of Rain's land remained filled with Rogue Ninjas, bandits, and noble agents supported by various countries, in utter chaos.

Even within Amegakure, public order was far inferior to other great nations' Ninja Villages. Spies from various countries lurked like ghosts in the shadows, constantly eroding this disaster-prone land.

Hanzo set down a report, massaged his temples. Dull breathing sounds came from beneath the gas mask.

He picked up another document, his gaze sweeping over several names on it, couldn't help but murmur softly: "Akatsuki... Yahiko... Nagato..."

His eyes grew serious.

This was intelligence collected and compiled by the Anbu recently regarding this emerging organization.

The document detailed Akatsuki's member composition, activity range, and their idealistic philosophy of 'achieving peace through communication and understanding between people'.

Looking at these descriptions full of vitality and idealism, ripples stirred in Hanzo's heart, weathered and hard as iron, as if seeing his younger self years ago, also carrying dreams of changing the nation's fate.

However, when his gaze fell on the last line of the intelligence, the note about the red-haired youth Nagato 'suspected of possessing the Sage of Six Paths' eyes', the trace of warmth that had just risen in Hanzo instantly vanished, replaced by deep gravity and a barely perceptible apprehension.

"Sage of Six Paths' eyes..." He repeated softly, this term full of legendary theme.

'If this was true, if this organization truly possessed power enough to overturn the existing order...'

Hanzo's eyes gradually turned cold.

Amegakure needed only one voice, one leader!

That was him, Hanzo the Salamander!

The Demigod of the Ninja World's dignity could not be challenged!

Any potential threat must be nipped in the bud!

If Akatsuki's strength truly grew to threaten his position, he would eliminate them without hesitation!

Just as killing intent gradually rose in his heart—

Boom——!!!

A terrifying explosion sound, as if capable of tearing the sky, abruptly came from the village's north!

Immediately after, continuous, even more violent booms and tremors followed!

Even the tallest iron tower he was in clearly felt that destructive energy impact!

"What's going on?!" Hanzo stood up abruptly, his voice, through the gas mask, carrying authority and a trace of shock and anger.

Documents slipped from his hand, scattering on the tatami.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Several figures instantly flashed from the room's shadows, kneeling on one knee before Hanzo. They were the Anbu on standby.

The leader reported rapidly: "Hanzo-sama! A violent explosion in the village's north, near the port area! Confirmed to be a battle between Ninja! Scale... the scale is enormous! The destructive power astonishing!"

Hanzo looked through the window at the thick smoke and flames surging skyward in the north. His eyes beneath the gas mask sharply contracted.

This level of commotion was absolutely not something ordinary Ninja could create!

"Move out immediately!" He didn't hesitate in the slightest, quickly walking to the weapon rack by the wall, picking up the peculiar sickle with chains tied to his life, skillfully slinging it on his back.

Simultaneously, the Anbu member beside him immediately handed over his full set of battle armor.

In just a few seconds, Hanzo the Salamander, fully armed, along with a dozen elite Anbu, like ghostly black shadows, moved at high speed between Amegakure's intricate towers and pipes, rushing towards the explosion site in the north.

The closer they got, the greater the shock in Hanzo's heart.

Through the misty rain curtain, he could see the originally dense buildings now reduced to ruins and sea of ​​fire. Blinding Ninjutsu light flickered amidst the dust and smoke, each flash accompanied by new collapses.

This scale of destruction was rare even in previous Great Ninja Wars!

Soon, Hanzo led his men to land in a relatively open area that had already gathered many panicked villagers and busy Ninja.

This seemed to be the edge area affected by the battle.

"Who are you?!" Hanzo's Anbu immediately stepped forward, questioning the ninja rescuing the wounded sternly.

Hanzo's gaze followed, then slightly solidified.

He recognized those people… they were the Akatsuki's members he had just seen on the document!

That orange spiky-haired leader Yahiko, the bluish-purple-haired, cool-tempered girl Konan, and that most conspicuous red-haired youth, Nagato!

They were currently busy lifting wounded from the ruins, performing simple bandaging and transfers.

Yahiko, seeing Hanzo's group, especially recognizing the figure wearing the gas mask, imposing aura as Amegakure's ruler, immediately put down his work, stepped forward quickly. His tone held respect but neither subservient nor arrogant: "Hanzo-sama! We are Akatsuki, rescuing the wounded here. The battle's center seems to be moving further north towards the port area."

Hanzo narrowed his eyes, gaze sharp as an eagle, trying to dig more information from Yahiko's expression and words: "How long have you been here? How many enemies?"

Yahiko shook his head, gravity on his face: "We also just arrived, so we haven't had time to probe deeper. However, those causing this destruction... seem to be only two people."

"Two people?!"

"Nonsense!"

"How is that possible?!"

As soon as Yahiko's words fell, the battle-hardened elite Anbu beside Hanzo couldn't help but exclaim in disbelief!

This stretch of ruins spanning hundreds of meters, almost flattened, the tragic situation of casualties piled upon each other, was actually caused by just two people fighting?!

Based on their experience accumulated in the Second Great Ninja War, destruction of this scale required at least multiple Jonin engaging in large-scale Ninjutsu bombardment to achieve!

"Quiet!" Hanzo calmly reprimanded, making his restless subordinates immediately fall silent.

But his heart was equally roiling with shock.

Hanzo's gaze swept over Yahiko again, lingering especially on Nagato's striking red hair behind him. Then he looked back towards the hellish battlefield center in the north, his voice carrying pressure: "You continue rescuing the wounded on the periphery. The enemies inside... leave to us."

With that, he stayed no longer, waving his hand sharply: "Go!"

A dozen figures, like arrows from a bow, closely followed Hanzo, rushing without hesitation towards that smoke-filled core battlefield.

Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato stood in place, watching Hanzo and the others rapidly recede, complex feelings indescribable.

The current Hanzo remained the Demigod of the Ninja World guarding Amegakure, whom they admired.

Yet the Hanzo in the Genjutsu World who conspired with Danzo, coldly ambushing them...

That stark contrast was like a thorn in their hearts.

However, just as Hanzo and his group charged into the edge of the core battlefield, the smoke and chaotic Chakra Fluctuations still obstructing their vision—

Whoosh—!

A white figure flew backward at astonishing speed from the densest area of smoke and dust!

It was Jigen!

At this moment, his face and exposed arms were covered with strange black wedge-shaped marks, clearly having activated [Kama] state one.

Blood stained the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with suppressed fury and ferocity.

He seemed to be adjusting his posture hastily, exactly colliding head-on with Hanzo charging straight at him!

'Just in time!' Murderous intent surged in Hanzo's eyes!

Though unclear about this person's specific identity, appearing in these ruins, he must be one of the culprits causing the destruction!

He didn't hesitate in the slightest; the chain sickle shot out instantly!

"Iaido Slash!"

Hanzo let out a low cry, his body and sickle seemed to be merging into one, transforming into a sharp, peerless cold light, tearing through the rain curtain with momentum, aiming to bisect Jigen, still mid-air and seemingly without leverage!

This strike was fast! Accurate! Fierce!

Concentrating his [Demigod] might and the essence of swordsmanship trained over a lifetime!

Yet, facing this lethal strike that would make ordinary Kage-level experts wary, Jigen in mid-air just coldly glanced at Hanzo with those black-patterned eyes. That look was like watching an ant pouncing towards a dragon.

Just as the sickle blade was about to touch his body, Jigen's body completed an extremely minute yet precisely accurate flip in the air in a way defying physics, narrowly avoiding the sharp blade!

Hanzo's sure-kill strike missed! His pupils dilated with shock!

Meanwhile, as Jigen dodged the slash, borrowing the force of his body flip, that right leg covered in black patterns, like a whip coiled long, with afterimages, at a speed Hanzo couldn't react to, viciously kicked him in the abdomen!

Thump—!!!

A dull, heart-stifling loud impact!

Hanzo the Salamander, this world-renowned [Demigod], couldn't even execute any effective defense or evasion. His entire body was like a soccer ball kicked with full force, flying backward faster than he came!

The chain sickle in his hand flew out. His burly frame traced an embarrassing arc in the air, finally crashing heavily into a pile of twisted steel ruins dozens of meters away, splashing large tracts of mud and gravel, momentarily falling silent!

"Hanzo-sama!!"

"How is this possible?!"

The dozen elite Amegakure's Anbu following closely behind instantly changed from calm to extreme shock and horror, letting out disbelieving exclamations!

In the distance, Yahiko, Konan, Nagato, and all Akatsuki's members who witnessed this scene firsthand stood frozen in place, dumbfounded.

That once Demigod of the Ninja World, immovable as a mountain in their hearts, actually... actually got kicked aside like a stray dog by the roadside, so casually?!

At this moment, certain perceptions about 'power', certain long-established beliefs, collapsed thunderously in their hearts.

Menma's earlier words echoed once more in Yahiko and the other two's ears:

'The so-called Demigod of the Ninja World you revere... before certain existences, is nothing more than a stray dog on the roadside that can be kicked to death at will.'