The mont Hanzō saw the kunai flying toward him, chakra burst beneath his feet, propelling him upward in a blur. But Orochimaru suddenly appeared in front of him, hurling a Wind-Enhanced Kunai straight at his chest.
"Che… get lost!"
Hanzō flicked his scythe, deflecting the kunai mid-air, then swung the chain in a wide arc. It lashed around Orochimaru's body, binding him tightly.
"Damn!" Orochimaru hissed, struggling in mid-air but unable to move as the chain tightened around him.
Hanzō yanked the weapon, pulling Orochimaru toward him. In a single motion, he kicked him square in the chest, sending both man and chain crashing deep into the ground with a resounding thud.
Before Jiraiya could even react upon landing, Hanzō flickered before him and drove a vicious uppercut straight into his jaw. The blow sent Jiraiya flying skyward.
Tsunade, who had just landed nearby, rushed to intervene—but Hanzō spun with frightening speed and delivered a roundhouse kick. She barely managed to cross her arms in front of her face before the impact struck. Even so, the kick sent her skidding backward across the muddy ground.
Seizing the mont before Jiraiya could fall, Hanzō body-flickered upward again. His fists struck like a storm, raining blow after blow onto Jiraiya, who, suspended in mid-air, had no room to dodge. Between the punches, Hanzō subtly slipped several Explosive Tags beneath Jiraiya's armor.
Boom!
Jiraiya hit the ground hard, and before he could even groan, Hanzō stomped down, kicking him several ters away until he slamd into a massive boulder, leaving a deep crater behind.
Orochimaru broke free from the chain's grip and imdiately flickered to Jiraiya's side, pulling him from the rubble.
Jiraiya's face was swollen and bruised, his armor dented, and a deep mud-print was stamped across his chest. Orochimaru drew a slow, sharp breath.
"Good thing Tsunade beats you up so often," he muttered. "If it were anyone else, that would've been fatal."
Jiraiya coughed, wincing. "You calling thick-skinned, bastard?"
Tsunade landed beside them, chakra still flaring. "Are you two all right?"
The three regrouped, battered but still standing.
Hanzō studied them quietly, then his eyes narrowed beneath his respirator. He had noticed the faint green glow spreading between them, the subtle healing of Jiraiya's injuries.
"I see now," he said coolly. "That woman—the dical-nin. You're using long distance healing to keep them alive, aren't you?"
Tsunade grit her teeth. The two n instinctively stepped in front of her. Before the battle, she had discreetly placed two tiny Slug summons on them—extensions of Katsuyu capable of channeling her healing chakra from afar.
But now that Hanzō had noticed, she knew what ca next.
In war, the rule was clear: the dical-nin must be eliminated first.
"Remote healing techniques consu enormous chakra," Hanzō said, his tone calm but edged with nace. "And soone your age—how much chakra can you really afford to spend?"
He paused, scythe glinting under the rain. "Besides… who told you that hiding her behind you would make her safe?"
Hanzō's left hand blurred into a seal.
"Explosive Fla Formation!"
Before anyone could react, faint trails of smoke erupted from beneath Jiraiya's armor—then several Explosive Tags ignited, shooting out like flaming shrapnel toward Tsunade!
Jiraiya's eyes widened in horror. His pupils contracted to pinpoints, cold sweat breaking down his spine.
He planted them while he was punching ?!
"Tsunade!"
At that instant, Jiraiya's body moved on instinct. His speed doubled beyond normal limits.
Before Orochimaru could even turn, Jiraiya threw himself at Tsunade, tackling her to the ground and enveloping them both in his hair.
"Ninja Art: Needle Jizo!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Multiple explosions tore through the battlefield, sending shockwaves through the rain. Orochimaru was blown backward, crashing hard into the mud. Smoke and fire engulfed where Tsunade and Jiraiya had been.
"Jiraiya! Tsunade!" Orochimaru shouted, scrambling back to his feet.
Within seconds, the torrential rain suppressed the smoke, revealing a massive crater. Two figures erged within—battered but alive.
Orochimaru dashed forward, stepping protectively in front of them.
Jiraiya and Tsunade stood within the crater. Tsunade had suffered light burns, but Jiraiya… blood stread from his ears, nose, and mouth. Half his white hair was singed black, and large patches of skin on his face and hands were charred. Steam rose visibly from his overheated body. If not for Tsunade supporting him, he would have collapsed.
"I-I'm fine…" Jiraiya gasped, only for a mouthful of blood to spill out. "Keuk—!"
"Enough, Jiraiya! Don't speak!" Tsunade snapped, pressing her glowing palm to his chest. "You blocked the blast, but the shockwave shattered your insides. Orochimaru, we have to retreat—now!"
Orochimaru's eyes flicked toward Hanzō, who now stood once again atop his massive salamander. "That depends," he said grimly. "If he even lets us leave."
He grimaced; half his body still stung from earlier burns. Katsuyu's healing was helping, but not fast enough. Tsunade's chakra reserves were running low—she had been healing all three of them simultaneously. Jiraiya could barely stay conscious.
"This is bad," Orochimaru murmured. "We might all die here."
"I'll cover the rear," Jiraiya said hoarsely, forcing himself upright. "I'm not going down that easily."
"Don't be stupid!" Tsunade grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back down, slamming her palm against his chest again.
Orochimaru exhaled, raising his kunai and stepping forward. "If we're dying here, we'll take him with us."
But Hanzō didn't strike. Instead, his voice bood across the rain-soaked field:
"You three… truly impressive. You've exceeded my expectations."
He paused, gaze shifting past them. "Look behind you."
The trio turned.
In the distance, the Suna's main camp was engulfed in chaos. The endless explosions from Konoha's forces had turned nearly half of it into burning ruins. Over five thousand Leaf shinobi had stord the stronghold. The Suna–A alliance, only four thousand strong, was collapsing. Even Chiyo was surrounded, overwheld by dozens of opponents.
Hanzō looked back at the three, his voice deep but almost admiring.
"It's been a long ti since I've t shinobi like you," he said. "To have held off for this long—you are worthy opponents indeed."
He swung his chained scythe down, embedding it in the earth.
"I'll grant you your lives. Beco stronger, and co challenge again."
His eyes glead through the mist. "As the price for sparing you—tell your nas!"
Jiraiya spat blood and growled, "We don't need your pity—!"
Before he could finish, Tsunade smacked him hard on the head.
"Shut up, idiot!"
Supporting the injured Jiraiya, she looked at Orochimaru. The three exchanged glances—wordless, but unified.
Jiraiya steadied himself, leaning on Tsunade, and shouted:
"Jiraiya!"
"Tsunade!"
"Orochimaru!"
Hanzō straightened. The rain hissed against his armor as he looked down at them.
"Good," he said solemnly. "Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru… I'll rember your nas."
Then his voice thundered across the battlefield:
"From this day forth, I, Hanzō of the Salamander, proclaim you three as—the Legendary Sannin of Konoha!"
He turned away, his salamander sinking slowly into the rain-soaked earth.
"But rember this…" his voice echoed faintly through the storm.
"In the end, the final victory of this war… will not belong to Konoha."
Thus, in the rain and fire of the Second Shinobi World War, the title "Three Legendary Sannin" was born.
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