Hanzo slowly raised his sickle as he walked toward Chiyo, who looked absolutely terrified.
"Y-you— you stay away from me!"
Chiyo was so frightened she looked as if her soul had already left her body. Her mind was blank.
A ring of Suna shinobi immediately surrounded her, shielding her with trembling fear in their eyes as Hanzo approached.
"Lord Hanzo, this is all just a misunderstanding!"
"Lady Chiyo only said those things to deceive the enemy—she was helping set up your ambush!"
"Yes, Lord Hanzo! We have an alliance. We would never betray you!"
Hearing that, Hanzo stopped walking.
"An alliance, you say? …Is this how Sunagakure treats its allies?"
At that moment, hundreds of Ame shinobi appeared in the distance—those who had been chasing after the fleeing Jiraiya.
The leading Ame shinobi had a near-unrecognizable, blood-soaked man slung at his waist—Jiraiya.
They moved fast, reaching Hanzo in seconds.
"Lord Hanzo, please forgive us!"
"This guy and that giant toad were too troublesome!"
"They fought like mad just to cover the retreat of a few Konoha shinobi—we had no way around it."
"The toad's summoning time ran out, and this guy collapsed from chakra exhaustion."
"We figured he'd be more useful alive, so we took him prisoner."
Even Hanzo's expression tightened at the sight of Jiraiya's mangled body.
"To survive that… impressive. His luck is extraordinary," Hanzo muttered.
"Not bad. What's your name?"
"Lord Hanzo, my name is Kan."
"Well done." Hanzo took Jiraiya from him.
Hiruzen's heart clenched.
"Lord Hanzo! Since Sunagakure has turned on you, why not join hands with Konohagakure?"
"Whatever Suna offered, we can pay you double."
Hanzo turned toward him.
"A tempting proposal… but do you even know what Suna offered me?"
"We of the Land of Fire are the wealthiest among the Five Great Nations. The Land of Wind is poverty itself—what they give is worthless to us."
His words made every Suna shinobi bristle with anger.
Chiyo's chakra flared briefly, then receded.
She glared at Hanzo.
"My earlier words were to mislead the Third Hokage. If we truly offended you, Sunagakure is willing to offer reparations."
"But if you really side with Konoha… then you'd better be ready for Suna's eternal revenge!"
"You have nothing to worry about," Hiruzen spoke again.
"Regardless of our losses, the foundation of Konohagakure is something Suna cannot compare to."
"With the Leaf here, Suna won't take even a grain of sand from Amegakure."
Hanzo sneered inwardly.
So this is the arrogance of the Five Great Nations…
Both sides are one step from being crushed by me, and still they talk as if Amegakure depends on their mercy.
"Enough," Hanzo said. "I, Hanzo of the Salamander, am not someone who breaks his word."
"I will uphold the alliance with Sunagakure."
"Not because I fear any of you Five Great Nations—but because I refuse to tarnish the name 'Demi-God.'"
Chiyo let out a long breath of relief. Hiruzen, however, grew more cautious.
"Lord Hanzo, you truly won't reconsider? Konoha can offer you far more."
"No need."
"…Truly righteous of you, Lord Hanzo."
At that moment, Jiraiya's swollen eyes blinked open at the sound of Hiruzen's voice.
All he could see was a shadowy figure in dark clothing, but he still recognized the silhouette in the distance—his teacher.
A faint smile appeared on his blood-stained face.
His voice trembled, fragmented:
"T-that's… sensei…"
"Great… sensei… my mission… is done…"
And he passed out again.
Hanzo looked down at him.
"What a strong-willed man. Good. You can meet your two teammates in our prison."
"What? Orochimaru and Tsunade are unharmed?" Hiruzen's exhausted spirit jolted awake.
"Of course. They are enemies, but worthy ones."
"What would it take for you to release them?" Hiruzen asked.
"You wouldn't tell me this for no reason."
"I do enjoy dealing with smart men," Hanzo chuckled.
"It's simple—money."
"Tsunade costs one billion ryo. Orochimaru, thirty-five million. If you redeem them both, I'll throw Jiraiya in for free."
"As for those Konoha shinobi still alive on the ground—I'll only charge you medical fees."
"…Hah!?"
Not only Hiruzen and Chiyo—Ame and Suna shinobi alike twitched violently.
Are you even a shinobi!?
Do you have principles!?
Weren't you the man obsessed with honor!?
How did money suddenly corrupt you??
Even the Ame shinobi could feel Hanzo's heroic image collapsing.
Hiruzen's face twitched.
"Konoha will send the ransom within two months."
"But I expect them to return unharmed."
"Don't worry. I am a man of my word."
Another twitch from Hiruzen's facial muscles.
Chiyo suddenly roared:
"Hanzo! Are you really going to do this!?"
"You're betraying Sunagakure!"
"Hmm??"
Hanzo turned, expression sharp as a blade.
Chiyo swallowed, realizing she'd gone too far.
"But the Third Hokage must die here—this is our bottom line!"
"Then I'll leave that to Sunagakure."
"I used a forbidden technique earlier to break Konoha's defenses—now the backlash is coming."
"I won't be able to fight for a while."
"I'm entering a long period of weakness. Ame shinobi—prepare to escort me back."
You're not even pretending to be weak, Chiyo thought as her eye twitched violently.
Hiruzen exhaled.
"With Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru safe, I no longer need to stay."
He glanced at Enma, who returned to staff form.
Chiyo hesitated.
Without Hanzo, would they really be able to kill the Third Hokage?
And at what cost?
"Hmph. Count yourselves lucky today.
But it's not a loss—Konoha sacrificed nearly six thousand shinobi here."
"Suna also lost hundreds. Our strength is depleted—we must return and recuperate."
Hiruzen winced.
His miscalculation cost thousands of Konoha lives.
How would he face the village?
"Sarutobi Hiruzen—consider this mercy!
Be grateful we're letting you live! Ahahaha!"
"You—!" Hiruzen's anger flared.
Enma spoke from the staff:
"Calm down, Hiruzen. You still have something more important to protect.
You are the Hokage—if you die, what happens to the village?"
Hiruzen forced himself to steady his breathing.
"Chiyo—Konoha will remember this grudge."
"And you," he turned to Hanzo, "your kindness will not be forgotten."
"If you ever face trouble, come to Konoha. We will assist."
And with a pointed jab clearly aimed at Chiyo:
"Konoha values honor above all."
He turned and departed, disappearing into the rain.
"Truly worthy of a Hokage—taking one last jab before leaving." Hanzo watched him go.
The battlefield was now filled with only Ame and Suna shinobi.
Sparks of hostility hung in the air.
Hanzo and Chiyo stared at each other—
then suddenly burst into loud, booming laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Ame and Suna shinobi were utterly confused.
"Chiyo, your acting is impressive. A waste you never became a stage performer."
"What nonsense! I was worried I went too far—but that fool of a Hokage didn't suspect a thing!"
"Nah, your damn acting was flawless.
"If I didn't already know, I might have believed it myself."
"Our troops still think you meant every word!"
"That's because I thought you really died!
Even I didn't notice your Water Clone—I thought you were still dueling Sarutobi!"
"…Is that really something you should be bragging about?"
Chiyo pulled a needle from behind her ear.
Hanzo instantly understood.
Mind Puppet Jutsu—Self-Applied.
"I planted a timed Mind Puppet Jutsu on myself, erased my memory of our conversation, and used genjutsu to amplify my hatred and fear toward you."
"Impressive. Ruthless toward others—ruthless toward yourself."
"I can't act—so that was my only option."
Chiyo raised her voice:
"All of you—lower your weapons."
"Everything just now was an act between Lord Hanzo and me to deceive the Third Hokage."
Hanzo pulled out a cicada-sized puppet bird from his sleeve.
"The Puppet Communication Jutsu… Suna's puppetry really is remarkable."
The Chiyoin Bird—a paired puppet capable of transmitting sound over short distances.
—
Flashback
When Hanzo raised the Mud Wall to block Hiruzen's lightning firebombs…
Chiyo was already thrilled, planning to swoop in once both men were exhausted.
Then the bird in her collar spoke:
"Chiyo, the Third Hokage cannot die yet.
You and I must put on a show."
"What do you mean!? Explain!"
"I'll tell you after the battle. I won't compromise Suna's interests."
"In a moment, act as if you're breaking with Amegakure—"
...
Back to the present
Chiyo's expression hardened.
"Now tell me—why let the Third Hokage go?"
Hanzo put his mask back on, tossed Jiraiya to the Ame shinobi, and placed a sealing tag on the ground, raising a sound-barrier.
"Because this concerns Konoha's power structure."
"I have information networks you Five Great Nations don't."
"I know many things you don't."
"Since Tobirama Senju's death, Hiruzen took the Hokage's seat."
"He seems to have stabilized Konoha, but in truth the village is full of internal decay."
"He lacks the strength, prestige, and accomplishments of Hashirama or Tobirama.
He became Hokage only because he was the Second's student—nothing more."
"You know how vast the Senju once were.
Though Hashirama and Tobirama pushed integration policies, many still bore the Senju name."
"And when Hiruzen became Hokage—the Senju were the first to oppose him."
"Tell me—why do you think fewer than two Senju remain today?"
Chiyo's eyes widened.
"No way—!"
"And Hiruzen upholds Tobirama's policies—
suppressing clans, elevating civilian shinobi."
"But what happened?"
"The major clans—Yamanaka, Akimichi, Nara, Aburame, Hyūga, Uchiha—
remained untouched."
"But the smaller clans—Kurama, Tsukiyo, Shiranui, Hatake… many dwindled to nearly nothing."
"That only made the major clans more vigilant.
The relationship between clans and Hokage is fragile.
If not for this war, I believe Konoha would already be facing civil strife."
"Now that the smaller clans are weakened, it's the big clans' turn."
"If the Third Hokage died now, you'd miss a good show."
"Because his failures in this war have cost Konoha thousands—the villagers will blame him."
"Konoha would have to choose a Fourth Hokage."
"But Hiruzen's so-called 'advisers' would never allow it."
"Even if Hiruzen agrees, they will resist.
They'd rather pick a civilian puppet Hokage while they control ANBU and power from the shadows."
"But the war has produced many heroes—many with Kage-level potential.
Most from powerful clans.
These are threats."
"Tell me—what do you think happens to threats?"
"Konoha has many prodigies."
"Hatake Sakumo."
"Uchiha Futai."
"The Three Sannin."
"Kato Dan."
"Six people with Kage-level potential."
"Except your Three Sannin—now crippled in political value—how many of the others do you think will survive?"
Chiyo shuddered.
"If that's true… the Sannin must die now.
Give them ten years, and Konoha will have seven Kage-level shinobi. We're finished."
"Haha—you forgot what I said earlier."
"You think the Five Great Nations wouldn't kill their own prodigies? Don't be naïve."
"Hiruzen would die for his students—but power is power."
"Some value it more than life."
Hanzo recalled Naruto's childhood.
The son of the Fourth Hokage treated like a demon fox…
Despised by the villagers…
While Hiruzen stood as the benevolent old man guiding him… molding him into a loyal soldier of Konoha.
"I would call him a hypocrite."
"When it comes to acting—no one surpasses him."
Chiyo still looked doubtful.
Hanzo waved it off.
"I've told you enough. Don't ask where I got it."
"And now the Hokage is gone. Killing him is pointless."
"Better to do something more profitable."
Chiyo squinted.
"Profitable…? You mean—"
"The Land of Fire is the richest of the Five Great Nations. Its nobles must be loaded."
Chiyo smirked.
"True… we can't go home empty-handed."
"Didn't Suna just say they're weakened?"
"And didn't you say you're 'entering a long period of weakness'?"
"Shouldn't you go home, too?"
Hanzo and Chiyo exchanged a long look—
Then burst into manic laughter.
"AHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Hahahahahahaha!"
…