"Let's just fight," Orochimaru said, flicking his wrist.
Two thick pythons shot from his sleeves, coiling toward the puppet.
Crack!
The puppet's palm collapsed into a black hole, firing two kunai that pinned the snakes to the wall.
Thud thud!
The puppet dodged Jiraiya's lunging hair.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Bullet!" Ebara spat, a gust surging at the puppet.
The puppet's mechanisms tightened, its left side morphing into a massive shield, blocking the attack.
As the wind dispersed, the shield retracted, launching several explosive tags at the trio.
They scattered to avoid them.
Boom!
The room turned to rubble.
Amid the dust, a figure bolted—the puppet.
"Chase!" Ebara shouted.
They pursued it into a nearby forest, silent under the night sky.
"Fire Style: Great Flame Bullet!" Jiraiya roared, spitting fireballs at the puppet.
Black scorch marks appeared, but no real damage.
Jiraiya, drained from two days of antics (Chapters 29, 34), was at half strength.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" Orochimaru blew, a gale uprooting trees, hurling them at the puppet.
The puppet raised its shield again, but the wind's force sent it tumbling, crashing into a tree and sliding down.
The trio approached cautiously.
Even Jiraiya, usually brash, stayed wary.
They knew a puppeteer had more than one puppet.
The lab worker's toad puppet (Chapter 35) hadn't appeared.
"Careful!" Orochimaru warned.
A massive shadow loomed, crushing down.
"Serpent Arm Blast!" Orochimaru sealed, snakes bursting from his sleeves, exploding on impact with the giant.
The shadow slowed, giving them time to escape.
Boom!
A hulking figure landed—fat, with huge eyes.
The toad puppet.
Atop it stood the real culprit, Kurokawa, from the lab attack (Chapter 33).
"Didn't expect you to find me so fast. Worthy of Konoha ninjas," Kurokawa said, unfazed, as if he weren't deep in enemy territory.
"Cut the crap, Kurokawa. Your time's up," Ebara said. "Orochimaru, Jiraiya, go! I'll cover you. He's not escaping."
Orochimaru: …
Jiraiya: …
Cover? More like hiding.
Still, they charged Kurokawa, unleashing their skills.
Ebara maneuvered, positioning himself behind Kurokawa for a sneak attack—er, to "assist."
"This guy's definitely jonin," Ebara thought.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru were jonin, but Jiraiya's weakened state (Chapter 34) left him at half power.
Yet Kurokawa matched them, his taijutsu surprisingly sharp for a puppeteer.
Puppeteers typically focused on puppets, neglecting taijutsu and ninjutsu.
Not Kurokawa. With his toad puppet, he fought evenly.
"Useless idiots. Guess I gotta step in," Ebara muttered.
Spotting an opening, he dashed at Kurokawa.
Kurokawa, wary of Ebara, spun and kicked.
Perfect.
Ebara ducked, aiming for the vitals.
"Crotch Kick!" he shouted, but his hands clasped together.
A seasoned Thousand Years of Death, enhanced with sparking lightning, struck.
Kurokawa, guarding his front, left his rear exposed.
Hiss!
Jiraiya gasped. He knew Thousand Years of Death's power (Chapter 34).
With Lightning Style? Kurokawa was done.
Sure enough, the Lightning Thousand Years of Death sent Kurokawa skyward, his rear crackling with residual sparks.
A bizarre sight—fire and lightning trailing him.
"Ebara, you…" Orochimaru said.
"Pure scum!" Jiraiya nodded.
But Ebara's face showed no triumph, only confusion, staring at his hands.
Something's wrong.
They say even the coldest man's insides are warm.
Not this time. Cold and smooth.
Either Kurokawa was into it, or…
"That was a puppet too!" Ebara shouted.
Orochimaru and Jiraiya froze.
If so, the real Kurokawa was…
They looked at the toad puppet beneath Ebara.
Too late—ropes shot from its head, binding Ebara, pulling him upside-down inside.
Kurokawa's true form emerged.
Short, barely a meter tall—a dwarf.
"Kill one, break even. Kill two, profit. I've killed three. One more's a jackpot," Kurokawa said, behind Ebara.
He raised his hand to strike.
Toot!
A foul stench hit Kurokawa's face.
Ebara, sheepish, said, "Sorry, first time facing death. Bit nervous!"