What's happening here?!
Hanzo of the Salamander froze in shock. He'd been fighting alongside the Ibuse for decades, but he'd never seen anything like this before.
"Let me give you a piece of advice, Hanzo," said Uchiha Sogetsu, raising a finger to his lips and smirking slyly. "Be careful of Spectator~"
Hanzo was taken aback, then clenched his teeth in anger.
The nerve of this brat!
"Uchiha kid, I don't know what tricks you used, but don't think that just because Ibuse isn't here, you'll have an easy time with me. Don't underestimate me, child!"
Aside from his reputation as the Hanzo of the Salamander, Hanzo was also a master of Water Release techniques.
"Water Release: Water Wave!"
Cracks formed in the ground at Hanzo's feet, and from them, torrents of water burst forth, forming a towering tsunami several meters high.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Uchiha Sogetsu countered with his own jutsu, unleashing a massive blaze that clashed with Hanzo's tsunami. The ensuing steam and heat waves distorted the air, creating a blinding fog.
"You're angry, but also scared, aren't you?" Uchiha Sogetsu's voice echoed through the smoke.
"As you age, your body weakens and your chakra declines. You're losing control of everything in the Hidden Rain Village. More and more people are resisting your rule in secret."
"Shut up!" Hanzo's fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked, veins bulging on his forehead. "You wretched brat, I'll rip you apart!"
He had never hated anyone more. Each word from the Uchiha kid felt like a sharp knife, piercing the taboos and weaknesses he'd worked so hard to keep hidden.
He'd sacrificed everything for the Hidden Rain Village. He wouldn't let anyone insult his ideals or trample on his beliefs!
"Kid, I'll make you regret stepping foot in this world!" Hanzo formed hand seals, and water began to swirl around him. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
The water reversed its flow, spinning into a fierce vortex. Then, a massive water dragon emerged, roaring and surging toward Sogetsu, its powerful waves crashing with violent intensity.
"Oh, are you mad? Looks like I hit a nerve." Uchiha Sogetsu taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You rule the Hidden Rain Village with an iron fist, refusing to let anyone challenge your authority. But are you sure that's the right choice? Has the village actually improved under your leadership?"
Hanzo roared, a primal sound that echoed through the air. His eyes turned blood-red, seething with murderous rage.
The scythe in his hand sliced through the air, whipping up gusts of wind with each swing. His attacks were fierce and relentless. He abandoned his usual defensive style, focusing solely on taking down the foul-mouthed Uchiha brat in front of him.
"You used to be the protector of the Hidden Rain Village, but now you've become an obstacle to its progress." Uchiha Sogetsu easily dodged Hanzo's attacks, his eyes showing faint whirlpools, suggesting he was manipulating the older man's emotions with 'Psychological Cue' and 'Hypnosis.'
"Shut up, you brat!" Hanzo shouted, his voice strained with fury.
It was as if something snapped in Hanzo's mind. All the suppressed anger he'd been harboring erupted like a bomb from Sogetsu's words, shattering any remnants of his sanity.
He was consumed by a violent rage, descending into the depths of madness.
"What are you afraid of, Hanzo?" Uchiha Sogetsu asked calmly, his voice almost soothing, guiding Hanzo's emotions with precision. "Is it that new organization? The one with the leader named Yahiko? Why are you scared of him? You want to make the village better, don't you?"
"I'm the only one who's right!" Hanzo yelled, his breath heavy and labored.
His face, lined with age and covered in wrinkles, became veined with black blood vessels, and his blood-red eyes glowed with murderous intent.
He resembled a feral beast, lost in a frenzy: "They don't understand! Everything I do is for the Hidden Rain Village!"
"Look, Hanzo, you're getting old," Uchiha Sogetsu said, his voice dropping to a whisper, almost like a devil's whisper.
"It won't be long before they realize that the demigod Hanzo isn't as invincible as he used to be. What do you think they'll do when they find out?"
"Kill! Kill! I'll kill you!" Hanzo screamed, his rage turning the air around him into a thick, oppressive presence.
"Yes, they'll kill you," Uchiha Sogetsu replied softly.
In Hanzo's mind, he could see the Hidden Rain Villagers, sneering at him, mocking him, laughing at his weakness. He felt like an old lion being thrown to the wolves.
The scarred old lion had lost his edge—his fur was matted and dull, his claws blunted, his once-mighty roar reduced to a hollow echo. He relied on what little power he had left to intimidate the younger lions in the pride, who were eager to challenge him.
But there would come a day when his façade would fail.
A new lion, growing stronger with each passing day, would bare his sharp fangs, sink them into the old lion's neck, and raise his bloodied head in triumph, declaring himself the new king with pride.
"Hanzo! Look into my eyes!" Uchiha Sogetsu's voice boomed like thunder, his spiritual power emanating from every syllable.
Hanzo, dazed and disoriented, felt a sudden shock, like a thunderclap inside his mind. Instinctively, he looked up, locking eyes with Sogetsu.
In those crimson eyes, three tomoe spun rapidly.
An illusion. And Hypnosis.
The illusion of the Sharingan, combined with the "Battle Hypnosis," broke through Hanzo's mental defenses in an instant.
A sharp buzzing sound rang in Hanzo's ears. His eyes lost focus, and his body stiffened.
"I warned you, be careful of Spectator," said Uchiha Sogetsu. His Sharingan faded, and he adjusted his glasses calmly. "But you didn't listen."
Even though targeting a mentally aged man with intense psychological pressure might seem morally questionable, he couldn't help but think that in a fight involving the 'Spectator,' this was just how things went.
After all, it was better to fight smart than fair.
A moment later, Sogetsu's expression changed to something of a smirk. "If I keep talking like this, I might turn into one of those ninjas who never shuts up," he mused. "Oh well, guess I'll roll with it. Not much choice when the 'Spectator' lacks power in the early stages."
Sogetsu then focused on Hanzo, implanting a 'psychological suggestion' into the depths of the man's subconscious.
He murmured to himself, "After all this preparation, don't disappoint me, Hanzo." A slight grin crept across his lips. "The timing is perfect, just as I planned. Now, I'll leave the rest to you, Lord Hanzo~"
In an instant, Hanzo snapped out of his trance, his eyes flaring with deadly intent. "Little brat from Konoha, let me send you to the afterlife!"
The sharp edge of a scythe flashed, and Uchiha Sogetsu's eyes widened in shock as his throat was cut open.
Blood spurted out like a geyser, and Sogetsu clutched his neck, his eyes full of terror as blood bubbled from his lips.
"Kid, don't blame me," Hanzo said coldly, his expression harsh as he gripped the scythe tightly. "If you want someone to blame, blame Danzo. He's the one who ordered your death!"
********
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