Hanzo’s Strength

"Senior Hanzo, it’s our turn."

Shimizu moved Hanzo’s sickle aside and said with a smile.

"What, worried this old man might not hold back and hurt your little girlfriend?"

Hanzo put away his sickle and pointed at Pakura.

This old man, nearing sixty, was filled with emotion as well.

More than two years had passed since the end of the Second Great Ninja War.

The geniuses who had emerged among the Five Great Shinobi Villages during the war were gradually beginning to live up to their potential.

Pakura was not merely among the very best of her generation. Across the shinobi world, she was also a first-rate expert below the Kage level.

She was already capable of exchanging a few moves with him. In a few more years, the shinobi world would gain another top-tier powerhouse.

There was also Baki, who looked fairly promising.

Not to mention Shimizu, a young genius who could basically be considered to have already reached that level.

As for Sada, it was not that Hanzo looked down on him. In his twenties, Sada was not weak among jonin. If he had been from Amegakure, Hanzo would certainly have nurtured him vigorously. But with such outstanding talents before him, Hanzo had not paid him much attention.

Fortunately, he had discovered three more promising youngsters, and one of them even possessed the legendary Sage’s Eyes!

As long as one of them grew smoothly, they could shoulder Amegakure after he grew old. If all three matured, Hanzo would dare to lead them in continuing the great ambition he had failed to achieve in his youth.

And if the Rinnegan’s potential could be developed, producing a second Sage of Six Paths…

It was simply too incredible to imagine.

As he sighed inwardly, Hanzo’s mouth did not stay idle. He gave Baki and the others his assessment.

"Sada, was it? At your age, you still have some room to improve, but you have already passed the period when a ninja’s strength grows fastest. From here on, you must make some choices. Forget Genjutsu. Without a bloodline limit to support it, it will be difficult for you to go any further. Among ninjutsu, though, you have some ideas when it comes to Earth Release. You can…"

"Baki, your swordsmanship is already quite good, and your foundation is solid. It is right to be careful and cautious in battle, but do not lose your decisiveness and edge. Put out seventy percent of your strength and keep thirty percent in reserve. That is enough."

"This is also this old man’s first time seeing a Scorch Release ninja. I have little to say in the field of ninjutsu.

"What you need to do next is continue improving your fundamentals. It would be best if you found some ninjutsu in Sunagakure that can increase explosive power and learn them. You can also learn some basic sensory ninjutsu. That will improve your ability to seize opportunities in battle, and your strength will grow faster. Make the most of these next few years, and your upper limit will be higher."

After giving his assessment, Hanzo turned his gaze toward Shimizu.

"Now it’s our turn, Shimizu brat."

"Senior Hanzo, I’m also curious about just how great the gap is between my current strength and a peak of the shinobi world like you."

Shimizu gripped a ninja blade in his right hand while a Summoning Scroll slid from his left sleeve. He spoke to Hanzo.

Before obtaining the Perfect Demon Transformation Body, his strength should have been at the level of an ordinary Kage. He was half a tier below peak Kage like the Third Kazekage and Hanzo. He could not defeat them, but they could not take him down either.

As for now…

He would find out after fighting.

Clang!

The chain collided with the ninja blade, scattering sparks.

The ninja blade in Shimizu’s hand twisted aside, lightly breaking free from the chain’s restraint. He slashed upward with the hilt, knocking away the sickle that had struck from above. At the same time, he formed a Hand Seal with one hand and summoned three puppets.

Boom!

Fatty smashed a deep crater into the ground, but Hanzo was nowhere to be seen. Only a pool of water remained.

Water Release: Water Body Flicker Technique!

With this technique alone, Hanzo had mastered it to an unprecedented realm. His movement speed had nearly reached the limit a ninja could achieve in the conventional sense. Moreover, while performing it, he could briefly enter a state similar to the Hozuki Clan’s Hydrification Technique, rendering him immune to most physical attacks.

The next instant, Hanzo flickered into the air. He formed a Hand Seal with his left hand and swung the weight-like hammer at the end of his chain with his right, knocking back Little Boy, who had circled around to attack from the side.

Water Release: Thousand Killing Water Flight.

Separation Breathing: Fourth Form – Falling Rain Shower!

Tiny, razor-sharp high-pressure water needles collided with beams of plasma in midair, boiling up a cloud of mist.

"Impressive…"

Shimizu clicked his tongue in admiration.

He had not expected Hanzo to block his Separation Release technique using Water Release alone.

Still, it made sense.

The Separation Release Shimizu had developed himself was naturally extraordinary, but Hanzo was no ordinary man either.

After Tobirama Senju, Hanzo was likely the strongest Water Release ninja the shinobi world had seen in all these years.

Not to mention that this was the Land of Rain. The air was rich with moisture, and a light rain was falling. Hanzo’s Water Release had been considerably strengthened.

Using the ninjutsu as cover, Hanzo briefly widened the distance between himself and Shimizu. He raised his hand, cut open a finger with his sickle, and rapidly formed Hand Seals.

Summoning Technique: Ibuse!

A gigantic salamander as massive as a tailed beast appeared amid a puff of white smoke. It then crashed heavily into the charging Fatty, kicking up a wave of air.

At the same time, Daiwan had already covered Shimizu’s body. Plasma flames blasted from its legs as it rushed toward Hanzo at high speed.

Hanzo’s expression beneath his gas mask had already turned grave.

He now regarded Shimizu as an expert of the same level, rather than a junior.

He had gained little advantage in ninjutsu.

Shimizu was immensely strong, his Chakra quality was high, and while he was somewhat slower than Hanzo, he could keep up. His combat experience was decent, he possessed strong sensory abilities, and his reactions were extremely fast.

The openings Hanzo had deliberately sold during battle, as well as his feints, had failed to fool him.

Even Salamander Ibuse, his Summoning Beast, had been tied down by the other two puppets and had failed to gain any advantage.

As for poison…

It would have been effective against anyone else, but Shimizu was the disciple of that old puppet woman, Chiyo.

During the Second Great Ninja War, Chiyo had tested the salamander poison’s secretion cooldown and created a targeted antidote.

As Chiyo’s disciple, Shimizu surely possessed the antidote as well. The salamander’s poison was useless against him.

Shimizu remained calm as he continued fighting Hanzo.

By now, he had a rough grasp of his own strength.

Without using the Space Blood Demon Art, he was roughly evenly matched with Hanzo.

If he used it, he should be able to gain the upper hand and might even have a chance to kill him.

Provided Hanzo was not prepared for it.

The first time a spatial ability like the Flying Thunder God was used was when it was easiest to achieve results.

Just like when Tobirama Senju killed Izuna Uchiha.

The latter had been the former’s archenemy for years, and their strength had been evenly matched. Yet when Tobirama Senju used the Flying Thunder God for the first time, he achieved a kill on their first encounter.