Slayer: Look directly at the Seraph, standing on the sun

Chapter 573 Clang! Clang! Clang!

Hanzo remained unfazed. His eyes, gleaming coldly through his mask, flashed. He raised his scythe-like chain weapon and charged forward.

"Qiang! Qiang! Qiang!"

The sharp clang of metal clashing against metal filled the air as Hanzo and Chiyo's puppet armies instantly became entangled. Hanzo's scythe swung with impenetrable precision, each swing accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, slicing through the charging puppets and sending sparks flying. Chiyo's puppets, on the other hand, moved with perfect coordination, employing a variety of attacks—swords flashing, hidden weapons, and poison needles—their assaults relentless. Both were seasoned veterans, and for a time, neither gained the upper hand; the battle remained deadlocked.

"Hmph, don't you believe me?" Hanzo sneered. He refused to believe that this old woman was truly immune to his poison. He formed hand seals again, releasing an even more intense cloud of poisonous mist, unwilling to give up. A dense purple cloud of poisonous mist, as if alive, surged toward the giant puppet where Chiyo was, determined to devour her completely.

Chiyo, standing atop the puppet, noticed the poisonous fog approaching again and her expression changed slightly. Although she had neutralized the poison, it didn't mean she was completely immune to all toxins, especially such a widespread and potent poison. She acted decisively, ordering the puppet to retreat rapidly, avoiding the direct impact of the poisonous fog.

Hanzo's face lit up with joy when he saw that the poison mist was effective. He manipulated the mist, making it serpentine, relentlessly pursuing Chiyo and her puppet army.

Chiyo commanded the puppets to retreat continuously, while Hanzo manipulated the poisonous fog in hot pursuit. The fog expanded, covering more and more areas and turning the battlefield into an eerie purple. However, just when Hanzo thought victory was in sight, a whooshing sound came from afar.

"Your Excellency, such trivial skills become rather boring if used too often."

A lazy voice, tinged with amusement, came from the depths of the poisonous fog. Immediately afterward, two figures pierced through the fog like ghosts, appearing in Hanzo's sight. One was tall, clad in a black trench coat, and wearing a mask—it was Kakuzu. The other was dressed in white, with a cool and aloof demeanor—it was Zhang Hai.

Hanzo's gaze immediately locked onto Kakuzu. He noticed Zhang Hai's words earlier; although they were spoken by him, the tone and content were strikingly similar to Kakuzu's style. He frowned, thinking that Zhang Hai was merely a puppet manipulated by Kakuzu, while Kakuzu, this dangerous-looking fellow, was the real threat.

"Bored?" Zhang Hai saw through Hanzo's misunderstanding and shook his head, a hint of unfathomable amusement in his dark eyes. "We are not bored; our main purpose in coming here is to help Lord Hanzo."

Upon hearing this, Hanzo retorted with a hint of amusement, "Help me? Just the two of you?" His voice was full of disdain, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. He was "Demigod" Hanzo of the Salamander, one of the strongest ninjas in the ninja world. How could he possibly need the help of two unknown individuals?

Even the usually composed Kakuzu glanced at Zhang Hai with surprise and suspicion. Getting involved in conflicts between nations was not within the scope of their mercenary duties. However, he trusted Zhang Hai enough to refrain from asking any questions.

Despite Hanzo's mockery, Zhang Hai maintained a calm smile. He retorted, "Excuse my bluntness, but isn't Amegakure reliant on you alone?"

These words struck Hanzo like a thunderclap. His eyes, hidden behind his gas mask, narrowed sharply. Zhang Hai's words had struck a nerve, instantly creating a fine crack in his once ambitious and determined heart. He couldn't refute them; these words had touched a raw nerve.

Yes, isn't Amegakure all relying on him alone?

Although Amegakure initially gained the upper hand in the war due to its terrain and the poisonous fog, Hanzo clearly understood that in the two large-scale battles, Konoha possessed top-tier shinobi like the Legendary Sannin, while Sunagakure had a puppet master like Chiyo. Furthermore, neither side's Kage-level leaders had truly made their appearance. This was enough to show that Amegakure's predicament was not as simple as it seemed on the surface. Once the war reached its climax, could Hanzo alone truly withstand the power of the entire shinobi world?

A suffocating silence filled the three of them. Hanzo's eyes flickered with complex emotions, clearly indicating a fierce internal struggle. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice hesitant: "How do you plan to help me?"

Zhang Hai knew that Hanzo had been persuaded. His smile widened, and he said in a relaxed tone, "It's simple, we'll act as your intermediaries and form an alliance with other ninja villages." This was an idea he came up with on the spur of the moment, but unexpectedly, it received a positive response from Hanzo.

Hanzo was slightly surprised upon hearing this. He pressed further, "An alliance? Which village are you allied with?"

Zhang Hai began his analysis with great enthusiasm. "We can use the process of elimination. First, Sunagakure must be eliminated. Its geographical location is poor, and we are currently at war with them. Even if we propose an alliance, it will be of no benefit. Second, Konoha must also be eliminated. We have just finished fighting with them, and even if we propose an alliance, Konoha may not believe our sincerity."

He paused, then continued, "Of the remaining three great kingdoms, Kirigakure has always been closed off and isolated from the world, so we can set it aside for now. That leaves only Iwagakure and Kumogakure as our two choices."

Without hesitation, Hanzo blurted out, "Iwagakure could never ally with me; its power is beyond your imagination." His tone was grave, as if he knew some unknown inside story.

Zhang Hai was suddenly startled. He keenly caught the information revealed in Hanzo's words. Hanzo seemed to have some special understanding of Iwagakure and emphasized its strength. This instantly ignited Zhang Hai's curiosity. He questioned the strength of Iwagakure and, out of curiosity, tentatively asked, "Oh? Could you tell me more about it?"

Hanzo shook his head in refusal, his eyes deep and wary. "I'm sorry, you haven't gained my trust yet. However, your suggestion has indeed given me some ideas." He paused, then continued, "If you can bring the letter of alliance from Kumogakure, then I will tell you everything you want to know."

Zhang Hai understood that Hanzo had been persuaded and had already chosen Kumogakure as a potential ally. He didn't press the matter further and nodded, saying, "Alright then, it's decided then. Farewell."