Escape From Konoha

Chapter 164: 160: Rain's Wrath

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The rain poured relentlessly.

The air carried a natural chill, and due to the constant rainfall. The Land of Rain has a large number of water channels that continued to rise year after year.

In this gloomy village, whether a ninja or a commoner, as long as one stepped outside their comfort they needed a raincoat to keep their clothes dry and ward off the cold.

"Have you all noticed the recent decrease in food distribution?"

Several Ame ninjas discussed life and death matters in a tavern.

For ninjas during wartime, although money had its value, the paramount concern was food that could fill their bellies. They often preferred exchanging mission rewards for tangible foods, especially in the case of the poor ninjas from Amegakure.

These ninjas had suffered oppression from the larger nations, leading to difficult lives. Even if unspoken, they felt resentment if the village failed to support them in these trying times.

Therefore food shortages were indeed a pressing issue, directly affecting the life and death of Land Of Rain ninjas.

"Have you noticed too? I've started rationing the rice in my porridge. I'm afraid it will finish in just a few days."

"I recall that until last November and December, the village had a huge supply of food. If I remember correctly, there was an envoy from Suna around that time. They didn't come here to request for dupply from Amegakure, did they?" One of the Ame ninjas had drunk a bit too much.

When the rest of his comrades heard this, their faces immediately showed shock, and they hissed at him in a hushed tone.

"You fool, are you trying to get yourself killed?"

One of them scolded him in a low voice.

"Ah, ha.. sorry, it was a slip of tongue..."

The drunk Ane nin suddenly sobered up and began to apologize with a pale face. He glanced around carefully but noticed that no one else had taken notice, and he fell silent.

"During the Second Ninja World War, Hanzo-sama was a powerful ninja who single-handedly defeated a big nation's ninja army. Why would he compromise with Sunagakure?"

"That's right. Hanzo-sama is like a demigod in our Amegakure. Sunagakure wouldn't dare to be presumptuous here."

The Ame nin who had been drunk nodded repeatedly.

In reality, doubts were already creeping into everyone's minds. However, they couldn't bring themselves to believe that Hanzo, the leader of Amegakure and the ninja demigod who had led them to shine in the last Ninja World War, would submit to Suna.

Hanzo's contributions to Amegakure were undeniable. He led from the front in every battle, and the countless scars on his body were a testament to his life as a warrior.

While he had suffered hidden injuries in his youth, leading to a decline in his physical fitness as he aged, his strength still instilled fear in ninjas from neighboring powers.

"Don't worry, as long as Hanzo-sama is with us, Suna won't dare to act recklessly here. They will only target the daimyo and those useless nobles."

"If they dare to come, Hanzo-sama will make sure Sunagakure is buried. He's known as the demigod for a reason."

The truth of every Amegakure ninja's inner thoughts was filled with admiration for Hanzo.

The village's continued sovereignty in the war-torn Land of Rain, the only refuge in the area, was due to Hanzo guarding it. As long as Hanzo remained, the place was a sanctuary.

If the leader of Amegakure, the ninja demigod who led the village to shine in the last Ninja World War, was a weak person, the last war would not have rendered all nations fearful of him. Hanzo would not have become an insurmountable peak for other ninjas.

After leaving the tavern, the once drunk Ame nin moved out into a dark alley alone, transformed into a secret ninja, and disappeared beneath the ground.

...

Within a few days, rumors spread in Amegakure.

The food supply from the village was indeed dwindling, an observation shared by many. Considering the stockpile of food held at the beginning of the war, it shouldn't be consumed so quickly.

The rumors, however, primarily revolved around Hanzo. According to these rumors, he had provided important village resources to Suna in an attempt to gain favor, selling them at a drastically low price. This included not just food but also medicine and ninja tools.

In a high tower.

Hanzo who was protected by dozens of Ame elite ninjas, could not stand by while such rumors spread completely in Amegakure.

He knew that if these rumors took root in Amegakure, even if they were false, they would become true, which will ultimately lead to the loss of his reputation and lead many villagers to stray from his authority.

This would not serve his rule over Ame.

Moreover, the rumored deal with Suna was indeed real, though it was hidden, known only to a handful of trusted associates. Had one of his confidants betrayed him?

Hanzo mentally recalled their names but couldn't fathom it being any of them. If it wasn't a betrayal within his circle, then who was responsible for leaking this secret information to the villagers?

His suspicion fell on that Suna's puppeteer. That old woman, Chiyo.

"Hanzo-sama, how should we address these rumors?" The reporting Ame ninja asked softly.

If the situation wasn't handled properly, the rumors were certain to spark internal conflict.

"Don't worry, it was merely a delay in the merchant's rice delivery, which led to the reduction of the food supplies sent out. Everything will return to normal the day after tomorrow, and these rumors will naturally fade away." Hanzo stated confidently.

"Yes."

The messenger replied with a sigh of relief.

Clearly, these rumors had been exploited by people with ulterior motives. It was inconceivable that Hanzo-sama, as the leader of Amegakure, would make such a dishonorable compromise with Sunagakure.

"By the way, Hanzo-sama, there is another matter that requires your decision."

"What is it?"

"According to reports from those who went outside the village, numerous villages in the Land of Rain have recently suffered tragic massacres, with all their supplies looted. According to the report, a total of 2,400 people died,, and many villages remain unaccounted for. The actual number of dead people is likely higher."

"What did you say?"

In his private chamber, Hanzo stood up in surprise upon hearing the staggering number of deaths. He hastily left his room, a mixture of surprise and anger on his face.

"Is this information accurate?" Hanzo demanded.

"Absolutely."

The Ame ninja replied, his expression solemn. Hanzo's expression grew increasingly uncertain.

"Do we have any clues who could have done it?"

"Despite attempts to hide the evidence at the crime scenes, it wasn't too difficult to see that it was the work of ninjas."

"Is this news being blocked?"

The messenger shook his head, wearing a wry smile.

Blocking such a major incident was near impossible. Within days, this information was likely to spread throughout Amegakure, more serious than the previous rumors.

Hanzo sighed, pondering how to manage this situation.

Suffering from oppression by ninjas of powerful countries, Amegakure ninjas would undoubtedly suspect that these attacks were orchestrated by those very foreign ninjas.

Yet, the reasons behind such actions remained unclear.

It was unlikely that Suna would carry out these atrocities without cause.

The old puppet woman wouldn't target the Land of Rain in such a brutal manner, pulling Amegakure into the war with no apparent benefit to Sunagakure.

But if it were Konoha...

"Konoha!"

Hanzo's expression changed slightly, and he swiftly regained his composure, dismissing the messenger.

Back inside his room, Hanzo had a gloomy expression. He retrieved a secret letter from Chiyo, dated from december of the previous year. The letter mentioned Shimura Danzo, leader of Konoha's Root, leading his ninja forces to the Land of Rain, their intentions were unknown.

At the same time, it served as a warning to Amegakure, cautioning them not to fall into Konoha's trap, thereby becoming enemies with Sunagakure.

"Danzo!"

Hanzo clenched his fist tightly, a murderous gleam in his eyes. Although there was no concrete evidence, it seemed likely that should Ame interfere in the war, Konoha would benefit most.

To achieve peace in the Land of Rain and stabilize Amegakure, it was imperative to discreetly support Suna and bring the war in the Land of Fire, forging a front alliance between Ame and Suna against Kinoha.

Now the only beneficiary in this scenario would be Konoha. Konoha was at a disadvantage against Suna and seemed tired. The only way to rectify this was to draw Ame into the fray, so Ame and Konoha would form an alliance against Suna.

"Truly the darkness of Konoha. I greatly underestimated you, Shimura Danzo!"

Hanzo struck the ground in anger, though it was all conjecture with no definitive evidence.

Hanzo believed that this was only the beginning of Root's schemes, likely to result in numerous massacres in the Land of Rain, which would be wrongfully attributed to Sunagakure.

Once he found concrete evidence linking Danzo's Root to these crimes, he would not hesitate to join forces with Suna in laying waste to the Land of Fire. Even in the face of that masterful schemer, as the demigod, he couldn't be afraid of anyone

His only fears lay in the relentless surge of elite ninjas from Konoha, along with the Kekkei genkai users and secret jutsus.

"Summon Kandachi to me!" Hanzo issued an order to his attendants.

Shortly after, the Ame nin named Kandachi, arrived at Hanzo's chamber and knelt on one knee. "Hanzo-sama, what are your orders?"

Kandachi was a middle-aged man, with his right eye concealed beneath a black eyepatch, and an aged Amegakure protector adorning his forehead.

Despite his mature appearance, his demeanor remained formidable, and his presence far exceeded that of ordinary ninjas. As Hanzo's trusted right-hand man, Kandachi was distinguished not only by his impeccable performance but also by his remarkable powers, making him one of the most famous jonin in Ame.

"I need to conduct some investigations personally, and this time, you will accompany me."

Hanzo emerged from his chamber, wearing a gas mask with a chain coiled around his waist. This chain was linked to a sharp-bladed sickle, holstered securely behind his back.

"Yes."

Although he was curious about why Hanzo had moved out personally at this critical juncture, the subordinate had no choice but to comply with orders.

Hanzo made his way to the outer corridor of the towering structure, surveying the rain-soaked, gray village below through his cold, pale-yellow eyes. It appeared that his presence had been forgotten by some, given his absence from the ninja world for an extended period.

Despite his firm belief that Konoha ninjas were responsible, he understood that the Land of Rain could not withstand any more upheaval.

Thus, he had to conduct an investigation himself to uncover the true mastermind behind these atrocities. Once the culprit was identified, they would bear the wrath of a demigod's relentless vengeance.

....

"Hurry up, leave no one alive!"

A ninja wearing a brightly colored mask with a strange aura gave orders to the three subordinates at his side. Each of them wore similar masks.

They were ninjas affiliated with Konoha's Root division.

After joining this organization, they had discarded their names, pasts, and futures, forsaking all emotions and dedicating themselves to supporting Konoha Village for eternity. For the sake of Konoha, they would carry out the darkest, most despicable, and ruthless acts without hesitation.

In a rain-drenched village, anguished screams resonated as everyone unfortunate enough to reside there met merciless death.

The root ninjas had no guilts in their hearts for taking the lives of so many innocent people.

To the Root, sacrificing themselves or others were equal acts. Justice, human nature, and ethical dilemmas held no sway. They always chose the course most advantageous to Konoha, without need for complicated considerations.

Amidst the downpour, the fires of disaster blazed, devouring everything in their path within the village.

The four root ninjas efficiently eliminated 121 villagers without a shred of hesitation, leaving behind false clues.

Though they knew that this act alone wouldn't determine Amegakure's course of action, it served as the initial stage in their elaborate plot. Before March arrived, they were confident that Amegakure and Sunagakure would be at odds. Their goal now was to entice Amegakure into falling in theirs trap.

"Time for the next stage of the plan."

The captain of the group said softly.

After all, if they wanted to hide this from a ninja of Hanzo's level, this sort of trick wouldn't work. In order to convince Hanzo that it was indeed Suna who had done this, the next action was the key.

"Next-"

However, before he could elaborate further, the four of them suddenly leaped in surprise and dodged a large number of trees bursting forth from the ground, binding their bodies.

"What... What is this? Wood Release?"

The four exclaimed in shock, as the vines tightened around them. Unyielding and relentless, the vines squeezed them into lifeless forms in the tree branches.

The trees receded into the earth as though nothing had happened, and four white creatured emerged from the ground.

Weird laughters sounded from their mouths.

"Night and Dream, root schemes are far too troublesome. Allow us to achieve your goals for you directly. The greater the chaos in this country, the more Nagato can walk on the 'correct' path.. Hehe.."

Their forms changed, and they donned Root uniforms and masks. A few minutes later, their transformation was complete.

A few moments later.

Kandachi led a group of Ame's elite ninjas to the burning village.

"Have we arrived too late?"

Tiredness showed across Kandachi's face. He had spent these past days tirelessly investigating the perpetrators behind the horrifying massacre in the Land of Rain. Yet, all his efforts had proved fruitless.

"Bury the villagers." Kandachi instructed.

The Ame nins entered the village with anger and buried the cold corpses.

As one of the Ame ninja, searching a house for remains, he felt an icy chill around his neck, his lifeblood spurting forth before he collapsed. "Who...?"

Other Ame ninjas reacted to the disturbance. What they witnessed were four ninjas donned in Konoha Anbu attire, each wearing a mask over their faces.

These Konoha Anbu masks, with their unsettling and cold designs, were more elaborate than those of the Hokage's Anbu.

These masked figures hadn't anticipated being discovered by the Ame ninjas so quickly, but they soon regained their composure, and with their cild eyes, initiated their attack.

"These are... Root!"

Kandachi, as Hanzo's right-hand man, had knowledge of the most confidential information.

Konoha Anbu comprised two categories. Thise that answered directly to the Hokage, and the other, belonging to Konoha's elder, Shimura Danzo.

Different from the Hokage's Anbu, Root's masks featured more vibrant colors and paint, giving them a sinister and icy aura. These four individuals sported the same type of masks, exuding an air of eeriness and coldness.

In that moment, Kandachi realized that these four were, indeed, Konoha's root ninjas.

"Water Release: Rain Array!"

Kandachi swiftly formed a seal, causing the rainwater surrounding them to transform into slender, piercing water needles that relentlessly stabbed at the four root ninjas.

"Wind Release: Wind Fan!"

A powerful gust of wind swept away many of the water needles.

Kandachi took out a kunai and engaged the Root Ninjas in combat.

After a brief fight, it became apparent that these Root ninjas primarily used Taijutsu in their fights, with only occasional use of wind release ninjutsu. One of them clearly lacked proficiency in taijutsu, finding themselves overwhelmed by Ame ninjas and failing to use any ninjutsu to reverse their predicament.

Kandachi felt a sense of doubt. Shimura Danzo's leadership consisted of elite ninjas, and a lack of aptitude in Taijutsu should be offset by the use of exceptional secret jutsus.

The selection process for the Root entailed possessing unique abilities, meaning these individuals shouldn't lack special skills. Moreover, why did they keep using wind release, when water release would be more advantageous given the location? Could these really be Root ninjas?

Observing Kandachi's immense strength, the four Root ninjas hesitated briefly and initiated a retreat.

This gave the impression that they had no opportunity to flee and were forced to seek hide within the village. However, when they were eventually exposed, their desperation led them to resort to killing to maintain secrecy, conceal their location, and, in the end, they met defeat and had no choice but to escape.

Kandachi's keen instincts were telling him that these individuals held significant secrets. He shouted "Capture them."

Knowing that detaining these people could potentially unravel the mystery behind this incident.

The four Root ninjas resorted to explosive tags to obstruct the path of the Ame ninjas. As they fled through the storm, under dark, cloudy skies, with lightning and thunder echoing ominously, the foreboding sense of impending catastrophe loomed large.

"Dammit!"

Kandachi watched as his team grew more distant from the fleeing Root ninjas, frustration etched on his face. He was just one step away from unraveling the truth, from capturing them, and everything falling into place.

Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed by, and a shadow shot through the rain at a terrifying speed. Kandachi was startled but soon recognized the figure that emerged, a look of astonishment crossing his face.

"Hanzo-sama!"

In the midst of the rain curtain, an oppressive silence enveloped the area as the four Root ninjas were struck hard before they could react. They were sent tumbling and rolling through the mud in agony. Upon standing up, they beheld the ninja who had appeared before them, fear glinting in their eyes.

Hanzo the demigod, the legendary figure from Amegakure. Hanzo locked gazes with them, then vanished into the rain once more.

"Ah!"

They hadn't even sensed his approach. The four lay in the mud, bones shattered, masks on the ground, and blood spewing from their mouths.

"Hanzo-sama."

Kandachi approached with the team of Ame ninjas.

Hanzo nodded and turned his gaze toward the fallen Root ninjas. One of them, struggling, attempted to withdraw a stack of explosive tags from their pouch, presumably to detonate them and die along with their secrets.

Swoosh!

Hanzo's sickle severed the ninja's arm, throwing it into the air, the explosive tags becoming drenched by the rain.

Hanzo, wielding the sickle, stared at them with cold eyes. "Who sent you?"

The four Root ninjas clenched their teeth and remained silent. Their masks had been shattered, revealing their true faces. Kandachi scrutinized them closely, his expression shifting to one of surprise.

"What's the matter, Kandachi?"

"Hanzo-sama, I believe I recognize this face. I remember him; he's a jonin from Sunagakure." Kandachi pointed at one of the fallen Root ninjas.

"Suna?" Hanzo was equally shicked.

The ninja in question remained unflinching, muttering, "Danzo-sama will avenge us."

Without warning, Hanzo swung his sickle, cleaving the ninja's body in two, ending his life. "It doesn't appear to be a transformation jutsu. No matter how advanced the transformation jutsu, it should revert to its original form after death."

Hanzo was still troubled. He had been convinced that Konoha's Danzo was the architect of this scheme, yet the mastermind behind the incident was actually from Suna. Could it be that the puppet old woman was scheming to engulf both him and Konoha?

Hanzo's expression darkened as the implications sunk in.

Had that secret letter, the one cautioning him to be wary of Shimura Danzo last year, been a precursor to this event? Was it designed to direct his suspicions toward Danzo, leading him to lay blame on Konoha?

Suna's goals extended beyond striking the Land Of Fire. They also wanted to use the opportunity to destroy the Land Of Rain. Their purpose appeared to be to force him into conflict with Konoha, with Suna secretly benefiting from the chaos.

Hanzo marveled at the insatiable ambitions of the puppet old woman, who was pushing the limits and seeking to swallow even the Kingdom of Rain whole. Was she unafraid that her appetite would ultimately lead to her ruin?

A chill ran down Hanzo's spine, his teeth gritting, as pent-up anger that had accumulated over the years threatened to erupt uncontrollably, much like a volcanic eruption.