131-135

*Chapter 131: Sasori Test*

“These guys are as annoying as flies. No matter how many I kill, they just keep coming…”

Hidan disdainfully flicked the blood off his scythe.

Glaring at the Sand Ninja corpses scattered on the ground and then at the still-unconscious Gaara, Hidan grumbled irritably, “And now I have to drag this brat to another hideout. What a pain.”

Two days had passed since Shukaku’s rampage and Kaneki’s assault on the Hidden Sand Village. During this time, Hidan had been fleeing with Gaara in tow.

The Hidden Sand’s attacks had been relentless over the past two days. This was already the fourth wave of pursuers.

After Hidan’s location was discovered the first time, each successive attack grew stronger, causing him considerable trouble.

Fortunately, Kaneki had set up numerous hidden bases in the surrounding desert beforehand.

Thanks to these bases, Hidan had managed to evade the Hidden Sand’s pursuit time and again.

The sheer number of bases left behind by Kaneki was overwhelming. Not only did they provide food and weapons for Hidan, but they also featured a variety of traps, some even capable of self-destruction.

The Hidden Sand Village had paid a steep price trying to locate these bases.

But compared to reclaiming a Jinchūriki, such losses were insignificant.

Hidan quickly replenished his supplies and hoisted the unconscious Gaara onto his shoulder, ready to move to the next hideout.

Just as he was about to leave, he stopped abruptly, glancing toward the doorway.

“Who’s lurking in the shadows, spying on me?”

Without hesitation, Hidan raised his three-bladed scythe, assuming a battle stance.

Hearing his words, the figure outside the hideout finally stepped into view.

Shrouded in a cloak, a clear, youthful voice echoed from beneath the hood. “As expected of Jashin’s follower. Just two people were enough to throw the entire Hidden Sand Village into chaos.”

Hidan, though uncertain of the person’s identity, couldn’t help but puff up at the compliment.

“Of course! Lord Jashin is the greatest deity. A mere village like the Hidden Sand is nothing to us!”

Then, narrowing his eyes at the stranger, Hidan demanded, “So, who the hell are you?”

In response to Hidan’s question, the cloaked figure pulled back their hood, revealing their face.

Short red hair, flawless porcelain-like skin, and a sharp, refined appearance—it was a young boy.

“I’m Sasori. Sasori of the Red Sand,” he replied coolly.

“Sasori, huh? That name rings a bell…”

Hidan scratched his head, trying to recall. But his memory failed him, and he simply shrugged. Slinging his scythe over his shoulder, he said, “So, Sasori. Following me around—are you looking to be a sacrifice for Lord Jashin?”

Hidan licked his lips, a cruel grin spreading across his face.

Sasori chuckled softly, clearly unfazed by Hidan’s threat.

After all, he had been tailing Hidan since his escape from the Hidden Sand. He knew well enough that Hidan genuinely enjoyed sacrificing enemies to his god.

However...

“Jashin, huh? Fascinating. But you might end up as the sacrifice, Senior.”

A faint, confident smile graced Sasori’s youthful face.

To Hidan, that smile was nothing short of provocation. He snapped, shouting, “You arrogant brat! I’ll make sure you regret mocking me!”

Without hesitation, Hidan swung his scythe, launching an attack.

Because of the distance, the scythe broke into three segments mid-swing, transforming into three spinning, blood-red blades aimed directly at Sasori.

Having anticipated the attack, Sasori deftly somersaulted out of harm’s way, retreating several steps. In the same fluid motion, he pulled two scrolls from his pouch and unrolled them.

With a puff of smoke, two humanoid puppets materialized from the scrolls.

Channeling chakra threads into the puppets, Sasori remarked, “Let’s see what you’ve got, Senior. Don’t disgrace Jashin’s name—I’m quite intrigued by your god.”

The remark only fueled Hidan’s rage further.

“You damn brat! Die already!”

Enraged, Hidan charged forward at full speed.

As an S-rank missing-nin and former Hidden Sand prodigy, Sasori’s reflexes were razor-sharp. He instantly responded to Hidan’s attack.

He directed one puppet into the air with chakra threads. Its abdomen opened, unleashing a hailstorm of poison-laced senbon needles.

But Hidan, utterly unfazed by the poison, charged straight through the barrage.

Countless needles pierced his body, but his speed didn’t falter. In an instant, he closed in on Sasori’s second puppet.

“So, even poison doesn’t work…”

Sasori analyzed calmly. Based on Hidan’s battles over the past two days, he had deduced that Hidan was immune to most forms of damage—be it kunai, sword slashes, fire-style jutsu, or even lightning-style techniques.

Hoping to confirm his theory, he had tried using the poisoned needles, but their effects were negligible.

As Sasori processed this information, Hidan smashed through the second puppet with a single devastating strike from his scythe.

“Just more useless junk…”

Hidan sneered at the shattered puppet, adjusting his stance. Activating the propulsion mechanism on his back, he accelerated even further, closing the gap to Sasori.

Forced to react, Sasori manipulated his remaining puppet to intercept Hidan.

The result was predictable—the puppet was obliterated just like the first.

Grinning savagely, Hidan taunted, “Brat, if this is all you’ve got, I’ll gladly take your head as an offering to Lord Jashin!”

Unfazed by Hidan’s bravado, Sasori smiled coolly. “Impressive, Senior. Looks like I’ll need to get serious.”

Taking advantage of the brief respite earned by his puppet’s destruction, Sasori retrieved another scroll from his cloak. This one bore the character for “Three.”

With another puff of smoke, a black-haired puppet cloaked in shadow emerged from the scroll.

*Chapter 132: Let Me Introduce Myself—My Name Is Ken Kaneki*

The scarlet scythe came crashing down mercilessly.

However, the shattering scene Hidan had imagined never occurred.

Instead, the black-haired puppet before him unleashed a torrent of black iron sand from its body. The iron sand quickly formed a shield, effortlessly blocking Hidan’s attack.

"Senior of the Jashin cult, why don't you try my finest puppet?"

Sasori uttered the words in an utterly calm tone.

Although he had hundreds of other puppets, after witnessing Hidan’s borderline cheat-like immortality, Sasori abandoned the idea of summoning the rest.

After all, the attacks of those puppets were merely variations of ninjutsu or physical strikes through weaponry.

Against Hidan, such attacks posed virtually no threat. Rather than wasting chakra summoning them, Sasori opted to bring out his strongest puppet to decide the fight.

“Damn it, is it that weird sand again?”

Hidan’s face darkened as he glared at the unmoving wall of iron sand before him.

His attacks were completely ineffective against the steel-like barrier!

Not only that, but the iron sand that formed the wall began to flow, reshaping itself into several spears that pierced through Hidan’s body directly.

Letting out a muffled groan, Hidan pushed off the iron sand wall and quickly distanced himself from Sasori.

Looking at the large, bleeding holes in his body caused by the spears, Hidan sneered, “If this is all you've got, kid, it’s not enough to deal with me!”

Sasori didn’t refute his words. Instead, he admitted matter-of-factly, “For now, it’s true—I don’t have a good way to deal with your immortality.”

Hearing this, Hidan burst into laughter. Spreading his arms wide as if in praise, he exclaimed, “Good that you understand, kid! After all, this magnificent body was granted to me by Lord Jashin!”

“Not just you—no one in this world can truly kill me!”

Well… except for that one guy.

Hidan mentally added a caveat but figured it didn’t count since that person wasn’t technically human. His statement wasn’t wrong.

Sasori squinted slightly. “So this ability was given to you by Jashin? Fascinating…”

He lightly moved his fingers and asked curiously, “If I turn you into a human puppet, would you still retain this immortality?”

As a fellow genius, Sasori found this question intriguing.

“Arrogant brat! Let’s see you try—if you can beat me first!”

Infuriated, Hidan launched another attack.

Meanwhile, Sasori manipulated his prized puppet to release a torrent of iron sand, continuously forming barriers and launching counterattacks.

As the amount of iron sand on the battlefield increased, Hidan’s situation became increasingly dire.

“Damn sand! It’s driving me crazy!”

Hidan was on the verge of losing it. Despite his superior speed and strength, every time he tried to close in, Sasori would form an iron sphere for defense. Hidan couldn’t even touch him!

To make matters worse, the battlefield was now entirely covered in iron sand. Wherever Hidan moved, he faced relentless attacks.

Sasori even mercilessly pointed out the flaw in Hidan’s immortality. “I don’t need to kill you to win. I just need to trap you, Senior.”

And that was Hidan’s greatest weakness.

Lacking a way to break through such scenarios, he was vulnerable against opponents with strong control abilities.

Sasori didn’t need to kill Hidan outright. As long as he could immobilize him, he could turn him into a human puppet under his command.

“Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!”

Hidan tried over and over again but couldn’t even get close, let alone draw blood from Sasori.

Breathing heavily, he glared at his opponent.

“It’s time to end this.”

“Magnet Release: Iron Sand Pyramid!”

Raising his hand, Sasori controlled his puppet to condense the iron sand into a high-density, triangular prism—shaped like a pyramid—that locked onto Hidan from above.

However, every jutsu has its weaknesses.

This technique, while powerful, had a fatal flaw: its long setup time.

Ninja battles were known for their speed and emphasis on swift victories, making such slow attacks difficult to land in one-on-one combat.

Hidan thought the same.

“You think I’m a turtle? This attack is way too slow!” he sneered.

He could easily dodge it with time to spare.

Yet, as he spoke, the massive shadow of the pyramid loomed over him. Made of highly compressed iron sand, it fell heavily.

When Hidan tried to dodge, he realized his body was locked in place by a powerful magnetic force. He couldn’t move at all!

Panicking, he glanced at Sasori, who was smirking and calmly manipulating his puppet.

“Magnet Release: Magnetic Lock.”

“Sorry, Senior. When I pierced you with the iron spears earlier, I infused a large amount of iron sand into your body. Even though your wounds healed, the sand remained inside…”

Hidan’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You sneaky bastard!”

Sasori chuckled and shook his head. “Senior, it’s not sneakiness—it’s intelligence.”

“A ninja’s battle is fought with the mind.”

As he spoke, Sasori tapped his temple, nearly making Hidan explode with rage.

Yet, in his current state, there was nothing Hidan could do. The triangular prism continued its descent, pressing him down.

Even with his immortality, such a high-density attack would likely crush him into pulp.

Could he recover from being reduced to meat paste?

Damn it, being turned into a splatter like this… that guy would definitely laugh at him!

What a disgrace. He hadn’t even gotten the chance to surpass that idiot Kaneki!

A flood of thoughts raced through Hidan’s mind.

Just as he braced for his squishy end, he noticed that the iron pyramid hadn’t landed.

Looking up, he saw several crimson tendrils holding the pyramid firmly in place.

At the end of the tendrils, a figure emerged.

“Impressive, Sasori of the Sand. Let me introduce myself—my name is Ken Kaneki.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 133: Hidan, You Don’t Want Your Defeat to Be Exposed, Do You?

Kaneki watched the black-haired puppet in front of Sasori with great interest.

Over the past few months, he had gathered quite a bit of intelligence in Sunagakure. He had meticulously investigated the events and individuals that shaped the village's history.

So, with just one glance, he recognized the origin of the puppet before him.

“I never expected the legendary strongest Kazekage in Sunagakure’s history to end up in your hands. You truly live up to your reputation as a genius puppeteer,” Kaneki said, not holding back his admiration for Sasori.

“Oh, by the way, I have another identity in Sunagakure: the shopkeeper of the Higanbana Trading Guild, Shinki,” Kaneki added, as if worried that Sasori might not know who he was.

However, to Sasori, this explanation sounded more like a veiled threat.

After all, Sasori had been secretly monitoring the Higanbana Guild and its enigmatic shopkeeper, Shinki, for a long time.

Kaneki’s introduction was essentially telling him: Your little schemes have been under my control all along.  

Sasori squinted slightly, his mind racing with possibilities.

“So it was you.”

His eyes flickered as he raised a question that had long plagued him: “Were the monster the Sunagakure higher-ups acquired and the ones appearing in the desert also the work of the Jashinists?”

“Of course,” Kaneki admitted bluntly. After all, he highly valued Sasori as a potential ally. If he wanted to bring him into the fold, he needed to demonstrate some strength.

Moreover, Sasori’s mastery of human puppetry was something even Kaneki found shocking and intriguing.

The Third Kazekage standing before them was a prime example. Despite being heavily modified and turned into a puppet, it could still perform all the jutsu it had mastered in life, including its Kekkei Genkai.

Achieving such a result undoubtedly required an extensive and profound understanding of both puppet techniques and Yin-Yang Release.

And it was this knowledge and expertise that Kaneki truly valued.

In other words, what Kaneki sought wasn’t Sasori’s personal strength but the knowledge within his mind—a mind capable of generating groundbreaking innovations.

Sasori, despite being mentally prepared, couldn’t help but feel a hint of shock at Kaneki’s straightforward confirmation.

“My puppetry techniques are nothing compared to your ability to manipulate souls,” Sasori remarked, a strange glint appearing in his eyes—something resembling… admiration?

Kaneki, perceptive as always, noticed the subtle change. Though a bit surprised, he calmly adjusted his glasses and replied humbly, “Oh, not at all. Sasori-san’s human puppetry is what truly fascinates me.”

In the face of Kaneki’s praise, Sasori quickly responded, “No, no, no! Kaneki-san, your control over puppets has transcended into the realm of true ‘life.’ Meanwhile, I’m still stuck with these creations that can’t even be considered semi-living. I’m far behind.”

Though Kaneki hadn’t expected such high praise from Sasori, he wasn’t one to waste a golden opportunity. Seizing the moment, he extended an invitation to Sasori.

“Not at all. If you’re willing to join our Jashinist faith, perhaps we could explore these techniques together in the future.”

“The Jashinists, huh…”

Sasori, ever cautious, quickly calmed himself.

He glanced at Hidan, then at Kaneki.

The former supposedly possessed immortality granted by Jashin, while the latter wielded terrifying power over life and souls. The Jashinists seemed formidable indeed.

Moreover, Sasori was curious about this so-called Jashin and what kind of existence it truly was.

After careful consideration, Sasori finally nodded.

“Welcome to the Jashinists,” Kaneki said, extending his hand.

Sasori hesitated for a moment but eventually decided to shake hands with him.

Watching this, Hidan was about to lose his mind.

What the hell?! Wasn’t this red-haired brat supposed to be the enemy? Wasn’t that scumbag Kaneki supposed to help me defeat him?

How did they go from exchanging a few words to singing each other’s praises, then suddenly flirting, and now this brat’s joining the Jashinists?!

And did anyone bother asking me, the great saint of Jashin, for my opinion?!

Hidan, visibly displeased, snapped, “Kaneki, I don’t approve of this red-haired brat joining the Jashinists!”

Kaneki gave him a skeptical look and quipped, “Hidan, could it be that you’re worried Sasori’s strength will outshine yours and steal your spotlight as the Saint?”

The great and noble Hidan would never admit to something so petty. He immediately denied it: “Of course not! I just underestimated him earlier. Let me fight him again, and I’ll definitely beat him!”

Kaneki quickly agreed. “In that case, Sasori, why not have another match with Hidan?”

Sasori gave a harmless smile. “Of course.”

But Hidan wasn’t having it. He tugged at Kaneki’s sleeve and whispered, “You scumbag, Kaneki. I said I’d fight him again—I didn’t mean right now!”

Hidan wasn’t entirely stupid. Against Sasori’s wide-area crowd control, his current abilities offered little chance of victory. A rematch would only invite further humiliation.

Kaneki, expecting as much, shrugged and said calmly, “How about this: if Sasori joins the Jashinists, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to spar with him in the future.”

“You don’t want to carry the title of ‘Defeated by the Red Sand Scorpion’ for life, do you?”

Kaneki’s playful smirk almost made Hidan explode in frustration. In the end, he clenched his teeth and growled, “Fine.”

Then, glaring at Sasori, he added fiercely, “But listen up, redhead. Even if you join the Jashinists, you’re just an intern. I’m still the Saint, and one day, I’ll definitely beat you!”

Sasori, unfazed by Hidan’s hostility, remained calm.

He even walked up to Hidan, extending his hand.

“Looking forward to working with you, Hidan-senpai.”

Faced with Sasori’s deferential attitude, Hidan couldn’t find it in himself to keep pushing. Reluctantly, and with great pride, he gave Sasori’s hand a firm slap.

That was his grudging way of acknowledging the newcomer.

After officially recruiting Sasori, Kaneki suddenly raised an eyebrow.

“Looks like we’ve got company,” he said.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 134: Eternal Art*

Outside the stronghold, six squads from Sunagakure had gathered together, glaring intently at the stronghold.

The leader was a jonin named Yuki. Apart from him, each of the six squads was led by a jonin. In total, there were six jonin and twelve chunin, making eighteen ninja.

Such a force could easily wipe out weaker nations in the shinobi world, showcasing Rasa's determination to reclaim Shukaku.

Despite this formidable lineup, Yuki, as the commander, refrained from launching a reckless attack. Instead, he immediately instructed the reconnaissance ninja in his team to gather intelligence.

“Koumaru, have you identified how many people are inside?”

Koumaru, an elite sensory-type jonin, placed his hands on the ground, carefully sensing the situation inside the stronghold.

Hearing Yuki’s inquiry, Koumaru squinted slightly, speaking in a heavy tone, “Captain, aside from the Jinchuriki and the one who abducted them, there are two more individuals in the stronghold.”

Yuki’s expression darkened upon hearing this.

In the earlier pursuit, all reports indicated that only one member of the Jashin cult had fled with the Jinchuriki.

Now, with the addition of two more, the situation had become significantly more complicated.

“It seems the Jashin cult sent reinforcements. Can you determine their strength?”

Yuki looked at Koumaru. If the newcomers were as strong as the previous monster, his team of eighteen wouldn’t stand a chance—not even to retrieve the Jinchuriki, let alone avoid annihilation.

Koumaru shook his head.

Yuki exhaled deeply, forcing a calm expression. “Everyone, even though the enemy numbers have increased, don’t worry. It’s impossible for the shinobi world to suddenly produce so many monsters. The reinforcements from the Jashin cult can’t possibly match the strength of that one.”

His gaze became resolute, even carrying a hint of pride. “Don’t forget, we’re shinobi of Sunagakure!”

Hearing this, the other members straightened their postures, their spirits lifting with pride.

That’s right—they were shinobi of Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, some of the most elite in the world. The Jashin cult was merely a minor nuisance.

“Captain, give the order! Let’s reclaim the Jinchuriki and restore the honor of Sunagakure!”

Seeing his team reinvigorated, Yuki smiled in satisfaction.

But then, he heard Koumaru’s voice, tinged with panic.

“Captain, the people in the stronghold are coming straight at us!”

Near the stronghold, three figures slowly emerged.

To be precise, it was two and a half figures, as Gaara was slung over a shoulder.

“Eighteen ninja, six jonin.”

“If these guys tie us down, things could get troublesome,” Kaneki remarked, adjusting his glasses as he swiftly assessed the enemy’s strength.

Although these six jonin posed no real threat to them, being spotted meant that the Sunagakure squads in the vicinity would be alerted.

The longer the fight dragged on, the more reinforcements would arrive.

Sunagakure was one of the strongest forces in the shinobi world. If too many jonin gathered, even Kaneki would find it challenging.

The smartest move was to strike decisively, eliminate the enemy, and retreat quickly.

At this moment, Hidan, still annoyed from his loss to Sasori, hefted his three-bladed scythe and prepared to vent his frustration on these ninjas.

“Hmph, just a bunch of small fry. I’ll kill them all and sacrifice them to Lord Jashin!”

Hidan was about to charge when Sasori stopped him.

“Hidan-senpai, there’s no need for you to dirty your hands with such weaklings. Let me handle it. Consider it my initiation into the Jashin cult.”

Facing Sasori’s deferential attitude, Hidan found it hard to refuse.

After all, Sasori had just joined the cult and deserved a chance to prove himself.

While Hidan thought this over, he still sneered coldly. “Tch. Fine, I’ll leave it to you. But if you don’t handle it well, there won’t be a next time!”

Sasori smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, Hidan-senpai. I’ll make sure Lord Jashin is pleased.”

“And besides,” he added, his gaze heating up as it landed on the Sunagakure ninja, “there are some excellent materials here.”

Sasori’s human puppets could replicate the abilities of the deceased.

The stronger the materials, the stronger the puppets.

The elite of Sunagakure before him were clearly prime candidates.

“They’re coming!”

Koumaru, the sensory ninja, suddenly spoke.

A gust of wind blew the sand aside, revealing a lone figure approaching them.

“Just one person?”

The Sunagakure ninja behind Yuki showed puzzled expressions.

“Do these Jashin cult members think one person is enough to deal with us?”

“How arrogant!”

While his companions grumbled in frustration, Yuki’s face turned pale as he recognized the figure.

Clenching his teeth, he barked, “Stay alert! That’s Sasori of the Red Sand, an S-class rogue ninja from our village!”

The team finally connected the unassuming boy before them with the infamous rogue ninja described in their wanted notices.

“The legendary prodigy, Sasori of the Red Sand...”

“To think someone like him would join the Jashin cult.”

Unconsciously, their tone carried a hint of fear—and anger—at this traitor.

Sasori remained calm. “Nice to meet you all. I’d like to trouble you to die for me.”

With that, he pulled out a scroll marked with the character for “Ten.”

Forming a seal with one hand, the scroll exploded in a cloud of smoke, covering most of the battlefield.

As the smoke cleared, ten figures emerged, leaving the Sunagakure ninja staring in shock.

“Secret Red Technique: Performance of Ten Puppets!”

Sasori’s ten fingers connected to ten floating puppets.

To their fury, the Sunagakure ninja realized these puppets were made from their village’s most distinguished shinobi—now turned into Sasori’s weapons.

Anger and dread mingled within them.

Seeing their reaction, Sasori chuckled softly. “Don’t worry. Soon, you’ll join them as part of my eternal art.”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 135: Humanity Truly Has Its Limits*

"Damn traitorous ninja, watch how I deal with you!"

A young Sand Ninja charged toward Sasori in fury, his face filled with righteous indignation.

"Wait!"

Yuki reached out to stop him, but it was already too late.

Watching the brash young ninja, Sasori smiled faintly and manipulated his puppet to launch an attack.

"Fire Style: Great Flame Flower!"

One of Sasori’s puppets opened its mouth, swiftly condensing chakra into a blazing fireball that surged forward like an inferno.

"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"

At the same time, another puppet opened its mouth and released a powerful gust of wind, merging with the flames.

The fire instantly intensified, transforming into a massive firestorm that engulfed the charging ninja like a sea of flames.

The young, hot-headed ninja hadn’t anticipated such a devastating combination. Within moments, he was consumed by the fire.

Watching this scene, Yuki clenched his fists, his teeth grinding audibly. "Damn it! So it’s true—the rumors about the Red Sand Scorpion turning people into puppets while retaining their abilities are real!"

The other ninjas, seeing their comrade’s tragic death, shared grim expressions.

Fortunately, another Jonin stepped forward to rally them. "Even if he can control ten puppets at once, we still outnumber him. There are seventeen of us. If we work together, we can defeat him!"

"That’s right!"

The Sand Ninjas regained their confidence, launching an all-out assault on Sasori with their various jutsu and puppets.

But no matter how ferociously they attacked, the young Sasori skillfully controlled his ten puppets, effortlessly countering their moves with an array of techniques.

In Sasori’s hands, these puppets moved without a hint of the clumsy rigidity typical of lifeless constructs. Instead, they resembled real humans—perfectly coordinated, as if they shared one mind!

"The key is to destroy his puppets first!"

Yuki narrowed his eyes. Sasori’s manipulation was too precise; the puppets were like extensions of his own limbs.

However, the Sand Ninjas had the advantage in numbers. They could chip away at the puppets and then focus on Sasori himself.

"I’ll handle this puppet!"

Another Sand Jonin stepped up. As one of Sasori’s puppets landed, he used Earth Style to turn the surrounding sand into a swamp, immobilizing it.

Seizing the moment, Yuki lunged forward, his short blade enveloped in Wind Style chakra. He plunged it into the immobilized puppet.

Staring at the puppet’s once-familiar face, Yuki gritted his teeth and said, "Old friend, I’m sending you off."

The burst of Wind Style chakra obliterated the puppet into fragments.

Despite Sasori’s flawless coordination, the Sand Ninjas’ numerical superiority gradually turned the tide. Another puppet was destroyed through their teamwork.

As the number of puppets dwindled, Sasori remained calm, raising his hands to form a seal.

Suddenly, the fragments of the destroyed puppet glowed with a sealing array.

"Explosive Flame Formation!"

The moment Sasori completed the seal, a devastating explosion engulfed the two Sand Ninjas nearest to the fragments.

When the smoke cleared, the two were nothing more than charred remains.

Even after losing two puppets, Sasori nonchalantly pulled out another scroll and summoned two fresh ones.

Once again, the Ten Puppets were complete.

The sight sent the Sand Ninjas’ morale plummeting.

Their numbers were dwindling, while Sasori seemed able to endlessly replenish his forces. How could they possibly win?

Seeing this, Yuki, as their captain, decided to change tactics.

"He can only control ten puppets at a time. You all keep the puppets occupied—I’ll go after his main body!"

"Understood!"

The Sand Ninjas unleashed a ferocious assault on the puppets while Yuki used the opportunity to dash toward Sasori at full speed.

"Wind Style: Gale Blade!"

The swift air currents enveloped Yuki’s short blade, greatly enhancing its cutting power.

Sasori, watching Yuki approach, showed no sign of panic.

With a flick of his hand, Sasori abruptly severed the chakra strings controlling five of his puppets. The strings, now freed, shot toward Yuki.

"Not good!"

A dreadful premonition flashed through Yuki’s mind.

The five chakra strings latched onto him with pinpoint precision.

An overwhelming force surged through the strings, twisting his body against his will.

"Get away from me!" Yuki shouted to the nearby ninjas.

But it was too late. Controlled by Sasori, Yuki spun and slashed with all his might. The Wind Style-enhanced blade tore through his comrade with horrifying force, cutting them in two.

The battlefield fell into a chilling silence.

"Stay away from me! My body is under enemy control!" Yuki yelled in despair.

Even the Sand Ninjas, experts in puppet techniques, were astounded by Sasori’s mastery. To think he could control a living person with chakra strings!

However, controlling Yuki came at a cost.

The five puppets he had abandoned now lay lifeless on the ground.

"As expected, controlling a human body has its limitations," Sasori muttered with a sigh.

After all, as a human, he had only ten fingers. Even if he could manipulate one puppet per chakra string, ten was his limit.

This was the pinnacle of a puppeteer’s craft.

To surpass this boundary, he would need more fingers—or an entirely new method of control.

But for now, that wasn’t his concern.

Sasori glanced at Hidan and Kaneki. If he didn’t deal with these pursuers effectively, he might disappoint Kaneki-senpai—a prospect he wouldn’t tolerate.

To ensure his victory, Sasori decided to reveal his true power.

He abandoned control of five puppets, instead connecting his strings to one he had kept hidden.

As this black-haired puppet emerged, the Sand Ninjas were once again thrown into shock.

The figure was unmistakable—the Third Kazekage!

The strongest Kazekage in Sand Village history had been turned into a human puppet by Sasori!

If that were the case, Sasori could use the Third Kazekage’s Magnet Style!

Yuki’s face filled with dread as a massive wave of iron sand rose into the air. The black tsunami loomed overhead, blotting out the sun as it came crashing down on them.

(To be continued)