Amegakure
Chief Building
"Lord Kandachi, the Amegakure Shinobi team that went to ambush the Uchiha suffered heavy losses. I was the only one who escaped! Please avenge us!"
"What!"
Kandachi, known as Hanzō's right-hand man, was stunned upon hearing the words of the surviving Amegakure shinobi.
Three teams had surrounded an Uchiha unit, yet not only had they failed to defeat them, they had been completely annihilated, with only one Genin making it back alive.
Kandachi paced back and forth, clearly agitated and unsure of how to proceed.
This Uchiha squad was terrifyingly strong. Even if he went out personally, he doubted the outcome would be favorable.
Hanzō of the Salamander had not involved himself in Amegakure's military affairs since the Second Great Ninja War. He had grown complacent, indulging in luxury and leaving all dealings—including those with Shimura Danzō—to his deputy, Kandachi.
The last time Kandachi led a mission to encircle two Uchiha squads, he took five full teams with him.
While the operation succeeded, Kandachi had been gravely injured, and his units had suffered substantial casualties.
He now had a realistic understanding of the Uchiha clan's terrifying combat abilities.
But this new team was clearly on another level. All three Amegakure teams had been wiped out without success, and only one shinobi had escaped.
Kandachi weighed his options carefully and decided not to take further risks alone. He turned and made his way upstairs.
He headed toward the resting quarters of Hanzō of the Salamander.
"Lord Hanzō! A small group of elite Uchiha infiltrated and wiped out three of our squads. Only one Genin returned to report it!"
"Why didn't you just deal with it yourself, Kandachi? You need to bring such a trivial matter to me? Hmph?"
Hanzō's voice carried displeasure. That final snort sent a shiver down Kandachi's spine, and he dropped to his knees.
"Lord Hanzō, I still haven't recovered from the injuries I suffered last time. The Uchiha team this time is clearly made up of Jōnin-level elites. I'm afraid no one can stop them but you."
Kandachi took a risk by exaggerating the strength of the Uchiha team—hoping to justify his refusal to confront them and to compel Hanzō to take action.
Ironically, what Kandachi thought was an exaggeration was actually accurate—the Uchiha squad was composed of true elite shinobi.
Hanzō fell silent, deep in thought.
Unlike the other hidden village leaders, Hanzō wasn't just a shinobi—he was the ruler of Amegakure. A dictator. A self-declared daimyō.
He controlled Amegakure's resources, infrastructure, and population. Before the Second Great Ninja War, he had been an aggressive figure, provoking great nations in hopes of expanding his influence.
But after his poison was neutralized by Chiyo of Sunagakure and Tsunade of Konohagakure, he had grown far more cautious and reclusive.
Hanzō held far more power than the average village leader who depended on their country's daimyō. He ruled directly and without interference.
He recalled his deal with Danzō Shimura. He had delivered numerous Sharingan to Danzō, but Danzō had yet to fulfill his end of the bargain—eliminating the Akatsuki.
This left Hanzō deeply dissatisfied. He even began to consider ending their arrangement and executing Danzō the next time they met.
What Hanzō didn't understand was that Danzō never honored promises. Other than the Third Hokage, no one ever manipulated Danzō—only the reverse.
Danzō was a master manipulator who used people through deceit, bribery, and political pressure. It was only because Hanzō was powerful and well-known that Danzō made deals with him. If Hanzō had been weaker, Danzō would have simply taken what he wanted by force.
Hanzō hesitated, and Kandachi noticed. His once-fearless leader seemed far more reserved.
In the past, Hanzō would hear about an invasion and immediately summon his salamander and annihilate the intruders himself. This hesitation was unlike him...
"Kandachi, gather ten squads. Deploy them immediately."
"Yes, my lord!"
Kandachi withdrew and went to rally the shinobi forces. Yet in his mind, a trace of confusion remained.
"Lord Hanzō should be more than enough to handle this group. Why bring ten full squads? He's becoming increasingly difficult to read…"
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Uchiha Naraku and his eighteen-man team were strong enough to be recognized as a formidable shinobi unit even by the standards of the five great nations.
After eliminating the lower-tier Amegakure shinobi, Naraku had no desire to remain in Amegakure. As for the legendary Hanzō of the Salamander, even hardened Jōnin hesitated at the mere mention of his title—Demigod of Amegakure.
He was once known as the ninja closest to godhood, feared and respected across the continent.
"We've uncovered the situation in Amegakure. But we still don't know why they targeted us. Have the Intelligence Division send in plainclothes operatives to investigate. For now, we're heading back."
"Yes, sir!"
Naraku's unit returned to formation. Four squads provided perimeter support—left, right, front, and rear—each several kilometers apart. A fifth team guarded Naraku directly at the center.
Naraku intended to retreat quietly, but Hanzō had no intention of letting them go.
With the surviving Amegakure shinobi leading the way, Hanzō and ten squads pursued them at speed.
"Master Hanzō, they're just ahead. Only two are visible!"
"Move in!"
A sensory-type shinobi accompanying Hanzō confirmed the chakra signatures ahead. Though unsure where the other two had gone, the overconfident Amegakure forces believed it was just a small scouting unit and moved in without hesitation.
Naraku, unaware of the pursuit, continued the march toward the Land of Fire. But the threat behind him was closing in fast.
The Amegakure forces thought they were pursuing just a four-man Uchiha squad—but they were about to run into a full squadron of eighteen elite Uchiha.
Naraku's force was nearly as dangerous as the infamous Kinkaku-Ginkaku Rebellion force that once shook an entire nation. They were capable of challenging even a national leader.
As Naraku leapt through the trees, an ominous feeling gnawed at him.
He had long since reached the level of a Jōnin and stood among the elite of his clan. This sense of danger didn't come without cause.
"Faster!"
Naraku gave the order to increase speed as they made their way toward the Fire Country.
Meanwhile, in pursuit—
"Lord Hanzō, we're less than a kilometer away!"
"Good. Don't let them escape. We must capture that Uchiha unit."
Hanzō planned to collect the Sharingan from the fallen Uchiha, present them to Danzō, and if Danzō still refused to act against Akatsuki, Hanzō would report it to the Uchiha clan leadership—intending to sow chaos within Konoha itself.
Even if he couldn't kill Danzō directly, he could make him suffer.
His decision made, Hanzō surged forward. Rain fell over the thick forest, soaking every tree and branch.
He formed seals and performed the Water Instant Body Technique, propelling himself rapidly through the terrain.
After several bursts of chakra-powered movement, Hanzō finally laid eyes on one of the Uchiha shinobi up ahead.
He smiled cruelly, then slowly removed the chains from his back.
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