Uchiha's personal opinion

"Clang!"

As soon as Hanzo's kusarigama clashed with Sakumo Hatake's short sword, Sakumo immediately withdrew his hand, sheathed his sword in front of his chest, and lunged straight at Hanzo's center.

This is a deadly move that risks death for injury!

Hanzo the Salamander was taken aback and quickly leaped backward, simultaneously retracting the ninja sword he had used to deal with Uchiha Tokumitsu in an attempt to block Hatake Sakumo's attack route.

A flash of light appeared where Hanzo the Salamander had landed after leaping.

"Konoha Secret Technique: Thousand Years of Death!!!!"

Another Sakumo Hatake burst from the ground, gripping the White Fang short sword tightly in both hands, viciously stabbing upwards towards Hanzo the Salamander's rear!

Even Hanzo the Salamander, a veteran of countless battles and who had witnessed numerous secret techniques, was terrified by this cunning and vicious attack, breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Water Instantaneous Movement Technique!"

Before even landing, Hanzo the Salamander forcibly activated his Body Flicker Technique while still suspended in mid-air, using raindrops as a medium to narrowly escape Sakumo Hatake's clutches, landing about twenty meters away from the two of them.

Sakumo Hatake, who emerged from the ground, clicked his tongue in regret. The other Sakumo, who had once sparred with Hanzo, turned into wisps of smoke and was taken back by Sakumo Hatake.

"Shadow Clone..."

Hanzo the Salamander's face was unusually gloomy.

Not long ago, he had used a similar move to severely injure Shimura Danzo, but he didn't expect to suffer the same fate so soon.

Meanwhile, the three legendary Sannin—Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya—stared intently at Sakumo Hatake with expressions of utter shock.

The ninja from the mobile unit lowered his head, his shoulders trembling rapidly.

The Konoha Jonin watching from afar were equally dumbfounded.

So that's the secret!

So that's what ninjas are!

I never expected that you, Hatake Sakumo, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, who seem so kind and approachable, would actually use such a vicious sword technique! Doesn't your White Fang Short Sword cry?

Uchiha Tokumitsu glanced expressionlessly at Hatake Sakumo, whose face still held a hint of regret, and for a moment, he didn't know where to begin.

"call……"

Hanzo the Salamander let out a long breath, calming down from the adverse effects of forcibly activating the Body Flicker Technique.

Even without much ninjutsu consumption, how long could his stamina sustain him in such a high-intensity battle?

"I'm not playing anymore..."

Hanzo the Salamander voluntarily sheathed his katana in his left hand and hung his kusarigama on his back in his right.

"You think you can just fight and leave as you please? It's not that simple!"

"Uchiha Tokumitsu said coldly."

With a casual wave of his hand, seven squads of combat Jonin immediately surrounded Hanzo of the Salamander from behind.

Hanzo the salamander remained unmoved.

"They are strong, but they are no match for me." Hanzo the Salamander ignored the mobile force ninja behind him. "If I leave, it will only be a matter of getting injured."

"You call yourself a 'demigod,' yet you just run away without a fight? Don't you feel you've insulted your name?" Uchiha Tokumitsu provoked.

"If you're interested, you can find me in Amegakure." Hanzo of the Salamander didn't change his tune despite Uchiha Tokumitsu's provocation, and simply stood there casually. "Your Fire Release is strange; it should be a Kekkei Genkai, right?"

"Judging from the destructive effect, it should be formed by the fusion of Yin Release and Fire Release chakra, right? Uh... it should also contain some special attribute variations..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu's brow twitched. This was the first time someone had analyzed the composition of his Fire Release chakra upon first contact.

Sakumo Hatake voluntarily withdrew his White Fang short sword.

Seeing this, Uchiha Tokumitsu reluctantly sheathed his katana. He couldn't help but criticize Hatake Sakumo inwardly—at first he claimed he wanted to kill Hanzo of the Salamander, and now, after only a few moves, he's already showing mutual respect?!

What an eel-turned-man!

Seeing this, the combat ninja loosened the encirclement slightly.

Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya exchanged glances but remained silent.

Hanzo of the Salamander stood still, simply watching Uchiha Tokumitsu and Hatake Sakumo.

Even his eyes couldn't avoid Uchiha Tokumitsu's spinning three-tomoe Sharingan, which shows his confidence in his own strength.

"Konoha's White Fang... truly lives up to his reputation!"

Hanzo of the Salamander did not show much emotion when faced with Sakumo Hatake's "Secret Technique: Thousand Years of Death." At least on the surface, he remained relatively neutral, or rather, his attitude and demeanor were rather humble.

"You flatter me, Hanzo-senpai." Sakumo Hatake nodded humbly to Hanzo the Salamander.

"Moreover, you've forgotten a very important point..." Hanzo the Salamander said with a hint of smugness, "Since you've come from a long distance, you probably haven't had time to obtain the antidote for the Salamander's poison yet."

Uchiha Tokumitsu and Hatake Sakumo's faces were as black as the bottom of an old pot.

They've all forgotten about this!

Hanzo the Salamander turned and left, and the combat jonin silently made way for him.

Everyone watched him walk away.

A figure emerged from the ninja army behind and landed in the middle of the battlefield.

"Why did you let Hanzo escape!" A Nara ninja with a bun hairstyle shouted angrily. "Lord Danzo was already seriously injured while trying to kill Hanzo! How dare you collude with the Rain Ninja to let the enemy leader go!"

"Who is this idiot?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu pointed at the incessantly chattering and haphazardly labeling Nara ninja and asked Tsunade.

"Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the Expeditionary Army, Yasushi Nara..." Tsunade was also somewhat disgusted by Yasushi Nara's nonsense.

“It’s the Nara family again…” Uchiha Tokumitsu said to Hatake Sakumo, “It is said that the Nara family of the village is able to maintain their position as the leader of the Jonin class because of their intelligence. I think the rumors are not true.”

Sakumo Hatake shook his head, somewhat speechless.

Uchiha Tokumitsu gripped the hilt of his sword with his left hand in reverse and quickly drew it.

"Shh!"

Like lightning, the blade flashed straight for the head!

Yasuji Nara was beheaded with a single blow!

Before Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya could react, the Konoha ninja in the distance were also somewhat agitated.

To openly murder a Konoha ninja, especially a Jonin who held a high-ranking position in the Shinobi Army!

The Uchiha clan is so arrogant and domineering!

Uchiha Tokumitsu is so impulsive and hot-tempered!

"If I can't kill Hanzo, I can at least kill you, you piece of trash!" Uchiha Tokumitsu sneered repeatedly, then turned and left, saying, "Have the police department investigate this thoroughly! This guy is definitely a spy! I'm telling you!"

Sakumo Hatake sighed.

"Sakumo-kun, do you think the position of Jonin Team Leader should be changed?"

"Let's convene a Jonin meeting again after the war and vote again."

Hatake Sakumo shook his head again, and turned to leave with Uchiha Tokumitsu.

Chapter 99 The Aftermath and Conflict

Although in the Eastern War of the Land of Rain, Danzo was seriously injured and the Hokage's three disciples were defeated, the last remaining forces of the Rain Ninja were on the verge of annihilation under the overwhelming attack of the Konoha ninja, who had an absolute advantage in both numbers and quality. Therefore, Hanzo chose to give up despite having a clear advantage in high-level combat.

For Konoha, this battle could barely be considered a victory despite not being a win; but for Amegakure, it could only be described as a defeat despite not being a loss.

After the Rain Ninja retreated, the eastern and southern regions of the Rain Country controlled by Konoha were completely stabilized. Although the impoverished Rain Country could not be squeezed for much profit, actual control was still a form of "military prowess," and the village took the opportunity to promote it extensively to mitigate the negative impact of the serious injuries to the high-ranking officials.

What followed was the post-war reward and recognition of those who had contributed to the victory.

However, both the opinions from higher-ups and the public sentiment circulating within the village were unfavorable to Uchiha Tokumitsu; in particular, the incident of killing Nara Yasuji, the deputy chief of staff of the dispatched army, with a single sword strike caused a great deal of discussion among the Jonin members, and undercurrents were surging for a time.

……

"Deguang-kun, aren't you worried at all?"

At the temporary base of the mobile force in northern River Country, Hatake Sakumo once again asked Uchiha Tokumitsu a question.

"What's there to worry about?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu was aware of Hatake Sakumo's concerns. After all, it was unreasonable to openly kill a Jonin just because of a disagreement.

"Will our Hokage execute me? Or will the Nara clan incite the Jonin to launch an impeachment?"

"Looking back now, I was indeed a bit impulsive. I should have stopped you..." Sakumo Hatake sighed. "The village's gossip is very bad for you."

"Discussions? You mean the fabricated rumors spread by those incompetent people?" Uchiha Tokumitsu scoffed at this.

"It's not exactly a rumor, is it? You did indeed kill Nara Yasushi in full view of everyone..." Hatake Sakumo disagreed.

"So what?" Uchiha Tokumitsu said dismissively, "How can Konoha possibly improve if we don't wipe out an incompetent insect like him?"

Sakumo Hatake was speechless.

"So, Sakumo-kun, don't worry too much about the so-called influence of public opinion." Uchiha Tokumitsu continued to instill his 'twisted theory' into Hatake Sakumo. "It's normal for us to have some controversy as the best among the Jonin, if we don't attract jealousy."

Sakumo Hatake opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"Okay, I admit it was a bit outrageous. But didn't Nara Yasuji also do something wrong?" Uchiha Tokumitsu began to unleash his 'fist technique'. "Since everyone is at fault, why are they still harping on my little bit of misbehavior? Aren't they going too far?"

"I think they're trying to use public opinion to drive me to my death! Their intentions couldn't be more sinister!"

"All of this must have been orchestrated by that cunning old man, Danzo!"

"Moreover, Nara Yasuji only lost his insignificant life, but I have my reputation completely ruined!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu unleashed a series of punches and conveniently shifted the blame, shattering Hatake Sakumo's fragile worldview.

"but……"

Hatake Sakumo instinctively felt that there was clearly something wrong with Uchiha Tokumitsu's words, but he couldn't figure out what to do about it for the time being.

"It's not good to offend the Nara family too obviously. After all, the Ino-Shika-Cho clan has always been closely connected and holds important positions in many departments, in addition to the Jonin class."

"That's why we must take the initiative to provoke conflict and start a fight with them!" Uchiha Tokumitsu's words were unusually firm.

"Sakumo-kun, what do you think of our contributions in the war?"