HGBW: Ch. 133

Isn't the White Fang... dead? A Suna jonin's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the blade glowing with a radiant white light, piercing through his body from behind and emerging from his abdomen. His face was filled with horror and disbelief.

Although the shape and length were slightly different, it was too similar—he would never forget it.

Squelch.

The only response was the chilling sound of the blade being withdrawn. As the blade that had torn through his spine and body left him, the once-dying Suna jonin's legs instantly gave out. His knees buckled, and he first collapsed to his knees before completely falling forward onto the battlefield.

Thud.

As this Suna jonin fell in regret, a young figure holding a blade, draped in a white robe, with shoulder-length black hair and an aura of overwhelming intensity, suddenly became the center of every Suna ninja's attention.

It wasn't the familiar white hair. And it wasn't that imposing and icy face. Instead, it was a valiant young man with black hair, wielding a blade.

That's not the White Fang!

Realizing that the nightmarish figure from their memories was not actually present on the battlefield, even Chiyo and Ebizō let out a sigh of relief. For a moment, they had suspected they had fallen for a trick. Perhaps the so-called "suicide" of Sakumo had just been a deception.

But after confirming with their own eyes and scanning the battlefield, still seeing no trace of Sakumo, their expressions finally eased in relief.

However, that moment of relief vanished instantly.

"Even though it's not him, there's no mistake. Using Lightning Release chakra to forge a blade into a white fang-like lightning sword... This is the Hatake-style swordsmanship."

Chiyo's sharp gaze locked onto Tanaka, first glancing at the Kusanagi Sword in his hand.

Its entire body was pale white, as if the blade itself had been forged from lightning, making it impossible to discern its original form.

Next, her eyes swept over Tanaka's entire figure. Pale white lightning currents coiled around him like silk ribbons.

As someone who had studied Sakumo's techniques down to the bone, she needed only a brief glance to reach her conclusion. Sakumo was dead, but his swordsmanship had not died with him. Not only had it been inherited, but it had been refined—by Tanaka.

That face... isn't he that Hyūga brat? The youngest jonin?

Chiyo recognized Tanaka's identity. Any jonin, or prodigy, was a key figure of interest to enemy ninja villages. Rumors about Tanaka had been spreading wildly throughout Konoha. How could she not know about him?

And precisely because of this, she felt a chilling terror. He was only eight years old, yet he had already mastered Sakumo's swordsmanship. If he lived to adulthood, what then?

No, even before adulthood, he was already terrifying. In his first battle of the war, he had slain a Suna jonin. He was like a younger version of Konoha's White Fang.

"Kill him!"

Suddenly, Chiyo's eyes became fiercer than a starving wolf, cold and ruthless.

"Hear my command! No matter the cost—Kill that brat! I will never allow another White Fang to rise in Konoha!"

Chiyo's furious, demonic roar swept across the battlefield, reaching the ears of every Suna ninja.

At this moment, a murderous intent erupted in the eyes of all the Suna ninjas, so intense that even if all the waters of the ninja world were poured over it, it could not be washed away.

The four great ninja villages had all suffered at the hands of Sakumo, but none more so than Suna. There was no helping it. In both the First and Second Great Ninja Wars, Suna had been the strongest village aside from Konoha.

If Sakumo wasn't going to cut down two Kage-level figures, then who else would he cut? Thus, Suna's hatred for him ran deep—deep into their very bones. Even without Chiyo's command, any Suna ninja who had witnessed Sakumo's power in the past would never allow Tanaka to live.

"Anyone who can sever one of his arms—any ninja below jonin will be immediately promoted to jonin. Those who are already jonin will receive the reward of an S-rank mission."

"Anyone who can kill him—additionally to the other reward, I will personally teach them an ultimate-level technique."

"Any ninja injured in the process of killing him will be compensated with the equivalent of a B-rank mission. Any who die in battle will be honored as having completed an A-rank mission, with the reward given to their direct descendants."

Chiyo's voice once again drilled into the ears of every Suna ninjas.

The Suna ninjas, already filled with murderous intent, now looked at Tanaka as if they were a pack of starving wolves eyeing a fresh, blood-soaked feast. The lure of immense rewards, combined with the nightmare that Sakumo had once inflicted upon them, made their killing intent toward Tanaka reach an unprecedented peak.

This is bad.

Feeling the overwhelming killing intent surging toward them like a tidal wave, Hizashi's expression changed drastically. He immediately flashed forward to shield his disciple.

Before coming to the battlefield, he had mentally prepared himself. If his disciple took action, he would undoubtedly draw Suna's hostility.

But he had never expected that Tanaka's attack would indeed provoke Suna's wrath—not because of space-time dōjutsu, but because he had mastered Sakumo's swordsmanship.

"Get out of the way!"

Two Suna jonin, along with several elite chunin, instantly appeared to intercept Hizashi, blocking his path. Without caring for their own safety, they fought recklessly, determined to stall him at all costs.

Because Tanaka's first battle had shocked Suna to the core.

Now, whether it was Chiyo or the other Suna ninjas, eliminating Tanaka had become their top priority in this battle. Even more important than defeating Konoha's ninja forces. No matter the cost—it didn't matter.

On the other side, several elite Suna chunin launched a fierce assault on Tanaka from multiple directions.

They all formed the same hand seals, took deep breaths, and then exhaled violently.

Boom!

Howling gales erupted, lifting clouds of sand and stone into the air. A storm surged forward, mixed with wind-driven rain, engulfing Tanaka.

In the shinobi world, aside from the God of Shinobi, elemental advantage still mattered.

Tanaka's sword style was based on Lightning Release, and Wind Release had a natural advantage against it. Even if the effect wasn't absolute, the overwhelming storm of wind, rain, and debris could suppress his speed and obscure his vision.