After several fruitless advances, Hanzo instantly broke free from the puppet encirclement and scanned the battlefield.
Although the ninjas on both sides were fighting back and forth, as the poison gas previously released by Hanzo gradually dissipated, the Sand Hidden ninjas, relying on puppet coordination, clearly began to gain the upper hand.
As for the results of Hanzo's personal intervention, it was only the twin-blade puppet that was shattered at the very beginning.
However…
Glancing at the female puppet, which had already been repaired by Chiyo with chakra threads, Hanzo's teeth ached.
"The puppet old woman indeed has her skills! There's no other way, I have to use my full strength!"
Hanzo sighed, cut his palm, and quickly formed the hand seals for a summoning jutsu.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
"Boom!"
A large cloud of smoke dispersed in the wind, and the ugly yet cute salamander named Ibuse made its appearance.
Its massive body, resembling a giant salamander, was covered in dense, purple toxic nodules. Its huge head occupied nearly a third of its body's length and size. In comparison, the two eyes hidden on either side of its mouth were so small they were almost invisible.
Judging solely by its appearance, regardless of size, it was an exact replica of a giant salamander with toad-like skin.
Ibuse opened its wide maw and let out two soft cries in a voice akin to a giant infant's wail. Under Hanzo's guidance, its abdomen bulged, and a thick, impenetrable purple poisonous fog instantly spewed from its mouth.
The concentration of the poisonous fog was so dense that even the relentless winds of the Land of Wind couldn't dilute it.
Salamander Hanzo felt it wasn't enough and reached under his abdomen, lightly slicing a poison sac embedded in his flesh with his fingertip.
A large amount of salamander venom, mixed with Hanzo's chakra, gushed out rapidly, mingling with the poisonous fog spewed by Ibuse, and quickly spread across the battlefield.
"Rain Hidden ninjas, retreat!"
Hanzo shouted, raising his hands to his chest. His fingers danced as he exhaled a powerful gust of wind.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
The poisonous fog, propelled by the strong wind, instantly became turbulent, and in a blink of an eye, it reached the battle circle of the Sand Hidden ninjas.
"Ah!"
"Quick, retreat!"
The poisonous fog unleashed by Hanzo and Ibuse combined was far more terrifying than these Sand Hidden ninjas and Chiyo had imagined.
Some Sand Hidden ninjas who couldn't escape the fog's coverage were instantly stained a deep purple, collapsing to the ground in agony. They only managed to let out a single scream before their lives were extinguished.
Meanwhile, the puppeteers controlling their puppets were shocked to discover that even the chakra threads connecting them to their puppets were not spared from the corrosive effects of the poison.
"Clatter!"
The dying screams of the Sand Hidden ninjas mingled with the sounds of scattered, uncontrolled puppets on the battlefield, creating a truly horrifying scene.
Chiyo's brow twitched, and she quickly pulled the Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu before her.
"All Sand Ninjas, abandon your attacks and retreat!"
"Puppeteers, abandon any puppets contaminated with poison on the spot. Do not attempt to retrieve them!"
Chiyo shot out chakra threads, binding the weaker Sand Hidden ninjas who couldn't escape and hurling them backward. With a grave expression, she retracted the six puppets before her, leaving only the ox-headed puppet and the three behind her.
"Is this the salamander poison you're famous for?"
"This old woman has seen it!"
Chiyo gritted her teeth and spat out a furious roar from between her clenched jaws.
"But the puppet jutsu of my Sand Hidden is not to be trifled with!"
"Hanzo, you will remain here!"
"White Secret Technique: Three Treasures Suction Crush!"
Chiyo shot out several chakra threads, directly activating the seal mechanism within the chests of the three puppets.
"Click, click…"
A faint sound of gears turning echoed as the mechanisms hidden within the cores of the three puppets activated. Their bodies flickered, forming a triangular formation before Chiyo.
The hands of the three puppets—Buddha, Dharma, and Monk—which had been forming tiger seals, suddenly generated a powerful and mysterious suction force, madly drawing in the poisonous fog that had already spread close by.
"Whoosh, whoosh…"
The rapidly flowing wind carried gusts of whistling, and the dense salamander poison, caught in the wind, flowed rapidly into the empty space between the three puppets along the wind channel created by the suction, disappearing without a trace.
The suction grew stronger, and the airflow even formed a small vortex in the deserts of the Land of Wind.
The wind swirled, and sand and stones flew.
Hanzo watched as the poisonous fog was gradually absorbed. He patted the salamander beneath him and asked with a sliver of hope,
"Ibuse, can you still go?"
The salamander let out two soft cries. Its gaping maw made a forceful spitting motion, and it gagged as if trying to vomit, but not a single wisp of poisonous fog emerged.
"Ying ying…"
With a soft, apologetic cry, Ibuse, under Hanzo's regretful gaze, dispelled the summoning jutsu.
"I still underestimated the people of this world!"
Gently pressing his hand against the poison sac on his abdomen, Hanzo shook his head in resignation, already harboring thoughts of retreat.
More than half of his strength lay in this poison sac and Ibuse. However, each time he launched an attack of this scale, it required at least five minutes of charging, assuming Ibuse was in peak condition.
But now…
His venom was countered by the Three Treasures Suction Crush. The Rain Hidden ninjas, who should have rampaged freely on the battlefield, were like disarmed beasts. While his Body Flicker Technique was fast, Chiyo's strength was also outrageously high. With her puppets manipulated as if they were extensions of her own limbs, he found it difficult to even get close with just Body Flicker Technique.
Furthermore, the dry environment of the Land of Wind greatly weakened his Water Style jutsu. With these advantages and disadvantages, Hanzo found this battle to be incredibly frustrating.
After a moment of thought, Hanzo shook his head helplessly. He couldn't win.
"Puppet old woman, you've won this round!"
"But…"
Hanzo slung his scythe blade back onto his shoulders, his gaze resolute as he looked at Chiyo.
"Until the Village Hidden in Rain is truly recognized by the Five Great Nations, my war against the Land of Wind will absolutely not cease!"
"I will return!"
Chiyo snorted coldly, holding up the puppet in her hand and facing Hanzo.
"Come whenever you wish!"
"The Sand Hidden never fears a challenge!"
"However…"
A cold glint flashed in Chiyo's eyes as she spoke mockingly,
"Given that we are both elder ninjas, I will offer you a word of advice."
"Hanzo, despite your title of 'Half-God,' your ability to defend the Village Hidden in Rain is already your limit!"
"To aspire to overturn the rules of the ninja world like the First Hokage will only lead to your own downfall!"
"Your era has never truly arrived!"
"My words are done. Now leave!"
Hanzo's pupils constricted, and he gritted his teeth in unwillingness.
"Hmph!"
"I will not give up!"
Chiyo chuckled and turned back towards the Sand Hidden forces.
"I will make camp right here, waiting for your return."
"Next time you come, I won't even give you the chance to summon the salamander!"