"Boom!" The rubble, dozens of meters wide, shattered under Tsunade's punch and spread rapidly toward Hanzo and the Rock Ninja Corps. Hanzo, along with several jonin from the Rock Ninja Corps and Tsuchiguki, quickly leaped away. However, two Rock Ninjas misjudged Tsunade's strength and were caught off guard, with the boulders crashing down upon them.
In this situation, the only one who could save the two Rock Ninjas was Hanzo, but given his status, he naturally disdained such an act.
Buzz. At that moment, a buzzing sound suddenly came from the Rock Ninja camp. Everyone turned to see a swarm of hundreds of bees lifting the boulders at the critical moment, saving the trapped Rock Ninjas. The ninjas who were rescued stood in stunned silence.
"Idiot, why didn't you get out of the way?" Tsuchiguki scolded, and the two Rock Ninjas quickly scrambled to safety.
"The art of controlling insects... Bees, from the Kamizuru Clan!?" Uchiha Kai exclaimed, recognizing the technique.
"Aren't they supposed to be extinct?" Orochimaru added. The Kamizuru Clan was almost forgotten by most, with few even knowing of their existence. However, the first Tsuchikage of the Land of Earth hailed from the Kamizuru Clan, which was once a renowned family known for their insect-controlling abilities, similar to the Aburame Clan of Konoha today.
"It's the Kamizuru Clan." Minato had read about the clan in the past but had never encountered any of them in the Rock Ninja Corps during the Third Ninja War.
Hatake Sakumo and the others turned to the direction where the bees had emerged and spotted a tall man wearing the Rock Ninja Jonin uniform.
"This man's insect control jutsu is formidable," Uchiha Kai remarked. The man's ability to save his comrades in the midst of falling debris indicated a level of mastery over insect control that surpassed even the current leader of the Aburame Clan.
"I didn't expect that there would be such a strong ninja among the Rock Ninjas besides Tsuchiguki," Uchiha Kai continued, assessing the man's strength as likely comparable to Tsuchiguki.
"Little girl, you've got quite the temper!" Hanzo smirked, but his eyes gleamed with coldness.
Swish! In the blink of an eye, Hanzo's figure seemed to disappear, moving with a speed that even startled Minato. A fierce wind rushed toward Tsunade, catching her off guard due to its incredible velocity. However, Jiraiya, who had trained extensively at Mount Myoboku, reacted faster than Tsunade, intercepting Hanzo's attack with his arms crossed.
"Bang!" Hanzo's fist collided with Jiraiya's arms, producing a sound that indicated the intense pressure on Jiraiya's bones.
"Ha!" Jiraiya gritted his teeth against the pain and pushed Hanzo away with a burst of strength.
"What immense power!" Jiraiya remarked grimly. Hanzo had unleashed tremendous force in just an instant, enough to challenge Jiraiya's limits. The sheer casualness of Hanzo's attack demonstrated the terrifying prowess of a ninja of his caliber.
"Haha, you actually withstood my attack. You truly are a disciple of the Third Hokage," Hanzo said with a sneer. "But do you think my attacks are that simple?"
Jiraiya was momentarily stunned, then realized his arms were growing numb. Tsunade quickly examined Jiraiya's arm and, without hesitation, tore open his sleeve. His skin had already begun to turn purple—a clear sign of poisoning.
"Just as I thought," Tsunade muttered. Hanzo wore a special mask due to his unique physiology; even the air he exhaled was poisonous. It was no surprise that his fist would carry poison as well.
"What a potent toxin," Tsunade said, taking out a pill from her ninja pouch and giving it to Jiraiya.
"You reckless fool," Orochimaru added, stepping forward. A colorful snake slithered out from his sleeve, biting Jiraiya's arm. The purple hue in Jiraiya's skin began to fade rapidly, but the snake's body turned pitch black before it fell dead from Orochimaru's sleeve.
"Oh? You managed to neutralize my poison. You really are a remarkable group of kids," Hanzo remarked, surprised but not overly concerned. If one punch had been enough to incapacitate Jiraiya, it would have been disappointing for a disciple of the Third Hokage.
"I want to see just how strong the man known as a demigod throughout the ninja world really is!" Jiraiya's eyes blazed with fighting spirit.
Hanzo smiled coldly and replied, "Kid, be prepared to lose your life if you want to witness it."
Swish! In the next instant, Hanzo appeared more than ten meters away. If he summoned his salamander here, almost everyone present would be poisoned, including the hundred Rain Ninjas he had brought with him—something he didn't want to happen. However, facing Jiraiya and his allies, he wasn't about to take any chances and was prepared to fight at full strength.
This was exactly what Jiraiya and his team wanted. Without hesitation, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and the others followed Hanzo away from the main battlefield.
"I'll leave this to you," Jiraiya said to Hatake Sakumo and Uchiha Kai. The insect-controlling Rock Ninja was incredibly strong, and with Tsuchiguki, the two of them had to stay behind to face these threats.
"Be careful!" Sakumo urged. Hanzo's power was so overwhelming that even Sakumo felt its weight. However, he also believed that if the three of them fought together, they would not retreat easily.
"Leave that insect controller to me. No matter how small the insect, it can't escape the Sharingan!" Uchiha Kai's eyes turned scarlet, and the three magatama began to spin within them. Sakumo nodded, understanding his intent. Insects were most vulnerable to fire, and the Uchiha clan specialized in fire release.
Sakumo then set his sights on Tsuchiguki, who was proficient in Earth Release—a jutsu type that was vulnerable to his own Lightning Release.
"Kill!" Sakumo shouted, turning into a blur of white light and charging forward, accompanied by the roar of thunder. Tsuchiguki, already prepared, swiftly formed seals with his hands.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!" A massive wall of earth rose, resembling a city wall, blocking the Rock and Konoha ninjas.
"Swish!" However, a violent thunderclap resounded as a white and blue beam of light slashed through the air, slicing the earth wall in two. Hatake Sakumo burst through, rushing directly toward Tsuchiguki.
Behind him, the war cry of the Konoha ninjas echoed across the battlefield.
The battle had erupted in full force!
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