"You… you freak, don't even think about turning Kiyohara into a puppet."
When Kurenai heard that Sasori actually intended to turn Kiyohara into a puppet, her heart couldn't help but tremble. Fear crept into her chest, yet she still stepped forward despite it all.
Facing Sasori head-on, her pretty face taut with determination, she bravely raised the kunai in her hand and pointed it straight at him.
"You dare call someone like me, who has devoted himself to art—a freak?"
For the first time, emotion appeared in the voice transmitted from within Hiruko. It was an undisguised, cutting mockery.
"You ignorant mortals, shackled by flesh and blood—how could you ever understand the beauty of eternal art? But it doesn't matter. Once I obtain your companion, Kiyohara, he will become part of my art."
"As for you, you're not even qualified."
Sasori swept a glance at Kurenai, then couldn't be bothered to look at her again.
His eyes were filled with nothing but Kiyohara.
Every desire surging in his heart was focused on obtaining Kiyohara.
Ever since he was young, anything he wanted, Chiyo would satisfy. Even after leaving Sunagakure, anything Sasori set his sights on, he would always find a way—by any means necessary—to make it his.
He… had never disappointed himself.
"I like your body, Kiyohara."
Sasori said it without the slightest restraint.
Hearing those words, a chill ran through Kiyohara's spine.
That sentence sounded… deeply unsettling.
"There are no Leaf-style bonds here. You've got the wrong person."
Sasori clearly didn't understand the reference, nor did he intend to waste time talking further.
Hiruko's jaw suddenly opened to an unbelievable angle.
"Prepared Puppet: Eight Waves of Needles!"
Hundreds of senbon coated in lethal poison sprayed out from the puppet's mouth at terrifying speed, tearing through the air with sharp whistling sounds. The coverage was enormous, enveloping all four of them within the attack range!
"Scatter!"
Kiyohara shouted.
Kurenai leapt to the right. Yakushi Nono pulled hard on the child's clothes and dodged aside as well.
Poor Kabuto was dragged along like a doll, his body pulled helplessly, his eyes still empty and unfocused, as if he hadn't even processed what was happening yet.
Kiyohara, however, stood firmly in place and flicked his right hand.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wall."
He spread his palm, and the gourd at his waist vibrated as a black wall surged up in front of him.
All the poisoned needles aimed at Kiyohara slammed into the iron sand wall, producing a rapid series of crisp clinks as they were all deflected away.
"Not bad defense," Sasori commented, but the assault did not stop.
More than a dozen small holes suddenly opened across Hiruko's back, and even more poisoned needles shot out—this time aimed at Yakushi Nono and Kurenai!
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Kiyohara drew in a deep breath, then forcefully exhaled.
A violent gale burst from his mouth, sweeping across the fan-shaped area ahead. The poisoned needles were blown wildly off course, scattered in all directions, and embedded deeply into the surrounding trees.
Black tomoe crowded into Kiyohara's dark pupils, which then turned crimson.
The flow of chakra became clearly visible within his vision.
And then, he noticed something abnormal.
The chakra circulation within Hiruko was extremely strange—it was not a normal human meridian system, but rather a complex, mechanical-style flow with multiple nodes connected together.
Most of the chakra gathered at the center of the puppet, while only a portion followed something resembling normal human chakra circulation.
Kiyohara immediately understood: Sasori had already modified his own body.
The "normal" part was likely the portion he had not yet had time to alter.
Those puppet components were like prosthetics and Sasori had carried out high-intensity modifications on himself.
By the later stages, his entire body would be reduced to nothing but a single "core of flesh." The amount of blood and meat inside probably wouldn't even be enough to fry one dish.
According to Sasori's own description, those puppet parts would not feel pain.
In that case, this state was no different from the living dead resurrected by the Impure World Reincarnation technique.
No sense of temperature. No tactile sensation.
To endure such suffering, this kind of "fleshly agony for mechanical ascension"—there was probably no one else in the world capable of it besides Sasori.
Even the Second Kazekage, Shamon, who pioneered the entire puppet ninjutsu system, had not modified his body to such an extreme extent.
If placed in a cyberpunk setting, Sasori would undoubtedly be a world-famous genius.
"His back is the weak point," Kiyohara warned the others.
Most puppets were made of relatively simple materials—primarily wood, iron, and copper.
Hiruko's back had not yet been upgraded to copper; only the tail was iron, while the rest was still wooden.
The timeline for that level of modification clearly lay further in the future.
But don't let the word "wood" fool you into thinking it was fragile.
In reality, it was made from special materials, and after Sasori's modifications, it possessed terrifying defensive power.
Only someone like Sakura, with her monstrous strength, could truly go head-to-head with it.
"Understood!"
Kurenai nodded.
The words had barely left her mouth—
"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!"
Though its effectiveness against puppets was limited, the visual interference created by Kurenai's genjutsu was enough to cause a momentary delay in Sasori's judgment.
Now!
Lightning exploded beneath Kiyohara's feet!
"Lightning Release: Lightning Foot!"
Electric currents stimulated his leg cells, drastically increasing their activity, while Magnet Release generated powerful repulsive force under his feet.
The combination of the two caused Kiyohara's speed to instantly break past what the naked eye could track!
Only an afterimage remained where he had been standing. The real Kiyohara had already appeared at Hiruko's side.
He didn't choose to attack the heavily armored front, but instead precisely smashed his fist into the back!
"Earth Release: Earth Spear!"
Kiyohara's right hand hardened instantly, his skin turning dark as he layered Steel Release on top of it as well.
Using it this way consumed chakra at double speed, but the result was far greater power and penetration!
Boom!
A dull impact echoed.
A small dent appeared in Hiruko's back armor. Though slight, it was undeniably effective!
"What?!"
Sasori's shocked voice rang out from inside the puppet.
He had never expected Kiyohara to pinpoint the weakness so precisely and relay the information to his companions.
When had he ever exposed this flaw?
Was there some intelligence leak in the past, or had Kiyohara's Sharingan seen through something?
Damn it!
Sasori cursed inwardly.
He hadn't fought many Sharingan users before, and his experience was limited.
Faced with Kiyohara's sudden close-range assault, he almost failed to react in time.
The weakness of a puppet master lay in the location of the real body.
The physical condition of the controller was far inferior to that of the puppet.
This was something even a genin like Aburame Shino could figure out.
It was common knowledge throughout the shinobi world!
That was precisely why Sasori had gone to such extremes to transform himself into a puppet.
In a sense, only at this point had Sasori truly overcome that weakness.
But Kiyohara gave him no time to react at all.
After landing the first blow, the follow-up attacks came in a relentless barrage.
A magnetic field formed an invisible force amplification around Kiyohara's fist. Earth Release hardening provided penetration, while Steel Release protection ensured his fist wouldn't suffer recoil damage.
In the next instant, Kiyohara's fists fell like a raging storm, striking the exact same spot on Hiruko's back again and again—each blow heavier and faster than the last!
"ORA ORA ORA ORA!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The continuous impacts echoed through the forest.
Hiruko attempted to counterattack, the scorpion tail shooting out from the puppet's rear, stabbing straight toward Kiyohara's throat.
But Kiyohara merely tilted his body slightly, seized the tail with his left hand, and yanked hard.
Crack!
The tail segment was torn off by brute force!
"How is that possible?!"
Sasori finally sensed real danger.
This guy… was practically a humanoid ferocious beast.
Could it be that he was trained by the Sannin Tsunade herself?!
He tried to pull Hiruko back to create distance, but Kiyohara stuck to him like a shadow.
"Weak…"
Hiruko was continuously forced to endure Kiyohara's relentless blows.
In Kiyohara's eyes, Sasori was the very definition of someone who had taken the wrong path. In a world where bloodline supremacy reigned, how could someone willingly abandon flesh and blood?
"Kiyohara's speed is far faster than what the intelligence reports said!"
Sasori's expression darkened as he cursed inwardly.
Damn it—how the hell were those intelligence shinobis doing their jobs?
It looked like he needed to update his information network.
"That's because the information you saw is already outdated."
Kiyohara spoke calmly as his right fist began to gather strength once more.
He could tell exactly what Sasori was thinking.
Nothing more than having misjudged him based on faulty intelligence.
Otherwise, Sasori wouldn't be wearing such a stunned expression.
So-called intelligence always came with delays.
Whether it was learning a new technique or developing one, strength was never static—it fluctuated constantly.
For Kiyohara, even intelligence from one second ago could never fully describe him.
The moment he inherited a skill or ability from a different version of himself, change would inevitably follow.
This time, Kiyohara infused the rotating magnetic field directly into his fist.
The Steel Release coating, gleaming with a dark metallic sheen, became the perfect conductor for electromagnetism.
A powerful acceleration field was formed.
The principle was identical to Magnet Release: Iron Sand Bullet, except this time, what was being accelerated was not a spindle-shaped iron sand projectile—
—but his fist itself.
At this very moment, his fist could be used as a metallic cannon shell.
"Magnet Release: Electromagnetic Fist."
Kiyohara murmured as he threw the punch.
This was a new application he had figured out as his mastery of Steel Release deepened.
At this rate, someday he might be able to turn his entire body into a single projectile—
like a rocket, launching himself straight at his enemy.
In that instant, the air in front of Kiyohara's fist was torn apart, forming a white, cone-shaped shockwave.
The moment his fist made contact with Hiruko's back—
BOOOOM!!!
A deafening explosion erupted.
It wasn't just the sound of impact—there was also a sonic boom caused by his fist breaking the sound barrier.
Centered on the point where the punch landed, spiderweb-like cracks suddenly spread across Hiruko's back.
Then, the puppet broke apart.
More accurately, it wasn't smashed—it was forcibly plowed through.
Kiyohara's fist pierced straight through Hiruko's armor, blasting a hole half a meter wide through its back.
The edges of the opening glowed in a molten state, white smoke rising—high temperatures produced by extreme-speed friction.
As Hiruko was sent flying, the hole in its back revealed the internal structure of the puppet.
And at the very center of all the mechanical components, Sasori was curled up inside, dim light from outside pouring into the gloomy interior.
He looked up at Kiyohara in disbelief.
"You…"
For the first time, shock appeared on Sasori's true face.
Although his face had been modified, Sasori's exquisite craftsmanship made it nearly indistinguishable from that of a living person.
This was the terrifying strength of his unique Human Puppet Technique.
Just as Hiruko was about to crash to the ground, Sasori was forced to leap out.
At that moment, the figure of a red-haired shinobi appeared before everyone.
His features were delicate, almost androgynous.
He wore brown shinobi armor, white bandages wrapped around both hands, and black trousers below.
His armor was slightly dented, clearly affected by the vibration from Kiyohara's punch.
Yet those amber-colored eyes were locked onto Kiyohara, not with fear, but with near-fanatical excitement.
Very good. Very good.
This was exactly the kind of body worthy of becoming his human puppet.
As for the current Hiruko, it didn't matter if it was broken—it could be repaired, or simply replaced with a new one.
Kiyohara's value far exceeded that of Hiruko.
"S-so this is Sasori's true body?"
Kurenai covered her mouth in shock.
She had thought the hunched old man earlier was Sasori himself, who would have expected another person to emerge from inside?
"Sasori…"
Yakushi Nono frowned slightly.
Much of her intelligence was outdated, information from years ago before she left Konoha.
But she still knew of Sasori.
Knowing about the children of foreign high-ranking officials was essential knowledge for spies.
In this world, blood relations often meant greater inheritance of talent.
It was said that Chiyo's grandson was a red-haired child.
However, Nono also noticed something strange, Sasori's appearance didn't match his age.
He looked far too young.
According to past intelligence, Sasori should now be seventeen or eighteen, not wearing the face of a delicate fourteen- or fifteen-year-old boy.
"Remarkable."
Sasori rolled his neck slightly, then raised his hand and recalled Hiruko, sealing it into a storage scroll.
"To locate my position so precisely and break through Hiruko's defenses… Kiyohara, I like you more and more. You will be one of my most perfect works."
His voice was completely different from when he was inside Hiruko—clearly that of a young man, perfectly matching his youthful face, yet speaking words that sent chills down the spine.
"I will obtain you."
Sasori smiled, innocent and cruel all at once.
"With Magnet Release, the Sharingan, and my modifications, you will become an artwork surpassing even the Third Kazekage."
"The Third Kazekage?"
Yakushi Nono immediately caught the keyword.
"The Kazekage of Sunagakure who disappeared years ago… could it be…"
She had heard about the Third Kazekage's disappearance from a injured shinobi.
Sasori's smile widened.
He took out a scroll and gently unfurled it.
"Since none of you will live past today, let me show you the pinnacle of my previous artistic career."
White smoke burst from the sealing formula.
As the smoke dispersed, a humanoid puppet appeared before Sasori.
It wore the robes of the Kazekage, a hat atop its head, its expression stern and dignified.
Though its skin bore the dull hue of preservation treatment, anyone could recognize it—
This was the long-missing Third Kazekage of Sunagakure.
"So after all these years of searching, Sunagakure's Kazekage wasn't missing… he was killed by a traitor from his own village and turned into a puppet."
Kurenai was hearing this shocking secret for the first time.
To her, it was utterly inconceivable. At the very least, no one in Konoha would dare lay a hand on the Third Hokage.
Yakushi Nono leaned closer and warned Kiyohara in a low voice:
"Be careful. That's the strongest Kazekage in Sunagakure's history, and a wielder of the Magnet Release. Even as a puppet, his abilities must still be preserved."
Sasori gently stroked the Third Kazekage puppet's shoulder, as tenderly as if caressing a lover.
"There's a saying—raising puppets is like raising lovers…"
"Isn't it beautiful? I turned Suna's strongest shinobi into eternal art. And now…"
He looked at Kiyohara, excitement blazing in his eyes.
"I will obtain you and make you the second masterpiece."
The Third Kazekage puppet's eyes suddenly lit up with eerie red light.
It raised both hands as black iron sand poured from its sleeves, collar, and even its mouth, spreading through the air like a living thing.
"Now then—let's begin. I'll show you my true strength."
Sasori's fingers twitched, chakra threads connecting to the Third Kazekage puppet.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle!"
With Sasori's cold sneer, the puppet spread its arms.
The iron sand suspended in midair instantly condensed into countless sharp, conical projectiles, each no larger than a fingernail—but numbering in the hundreds, even thousands!
In the next instant, magnetic force erupted.
All the iron sand shot toward Kiyohara and the others, forming an inescapable rain of death.
"Scatter! Find cover!"
Kiyohara shouted while rapidly forming hand seals.
As Kurenai and the others dodged, Kiyohara once again used the same technique.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wall."
The gourd at his waist trembled as more iron sand surged forth, forming an arched black wall before him.
The iron sand bullets struck the wall with a sound like torrential rain hammering against metal.
But Sasori's assault did not end there.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Giant Needles!"
The Third Kazekage puppet clapped its hands together, and the iron sand in the air rapidly condensed into three enormous black needles, each as thick as an adult's thigh and over five meters long.
Accelerated by magnetic force, the needles crashed toward the iron sand wall like siege rams!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Three thunderous impacts shook the wall violently, cracks spreading across its surface.
Kiyohara frowned.
Although Sasori himself clearly didn't truly understand Magnet Release, this puppet still retained some instinctive ability from when it was alive.
"Not bad, blocking so many attacks."
Sasori's voice carried praise, but more so the twisted amusement of a cat playing with its prey.
"But how long can you hold out? The Third Kazekage was the strongest Magnet Release shinobi. Your Magnet Release is still too immature. But that's fine, I can fuse you together…"
Kiyohara did not reply.
Sasori wasn't wrong, the Third Kazekage was indeed powerful.
But that power did not belong to Sasori.
Sasori had merely obtained him through despicable means.
He got the man, but not the mastery.
And Kiyohara had already noticed.
Every time the Third Kazekage puppet activated Magnet Release, control over the iron sand did not come directly from Sasori's chakra threads.
Instead, it passed through the puppet's internal systems first, then through its internal meridian-like mechanisms.
In other words, Sasori was merely commanding the puppet to use Magnet Release.
The actual control of the iron sand was being handled by the puppet itself.
Which meant—
The puppet was dead.
And the instincts it retained from life were dead as well.
A slow curve formed at the corner of Kiyohara's mouth.
"Then what if I seize control of the iron sand?"
Kiyohara spoke as he began accelerating Magnet Release: Magnetic Field Rotation.
An invisible magnetic field began to spin along with the surging magnetic force.
That's right—he was going to outplay Sasori right in front of his face.
This iron sand didn't belong exclusively to the Third Kazekage puppet.
Kiyohara could use it too.
"Magnet Release…!"
Kiyohara's chakra poured out like a raging tide. Like dye soaking into fabric, his chakra seeped into the iron sand in midair, violently clashing with the puppet's control chakra.
At first, Sasori managed to maintain control.
But gradually, something felt wrong. The iron sand's response slowed, and some of it even began to break free, hovering uncertainly in the air.
"How is this possible?!"
Sasori showed shock for the first time.
He had hollowed out the Third Kazekage human puppet to a certain extent—
precisely so it could store iron sand internally, preventing situations where a lack of iron sand would leave him helpless.
For example, fighting on the sea would otherwise put him at a disadvantage.
Yet now, he was watching helplessly as the iron sand began to take on Kiyohara's "shape."
And there was nothing he could do about it.
"You can actually interfere with an already-formed Magnet Release?!"
Sasori blurted out.
"That's because my understanding of Magnet Release is far deeper than that of an amateur like you."
Kiyohara replied calmly as he slowly clenched his fists.
Outsiders watched the spectacle; insiders understood the mechanics.
Kiyohara might not understand puppets—but Magnet Release?
That was his domain.
The iron sand in the air began to tremble.
One portion continued obeying Sasori, while another turned toward Kiyohara.
Two opposing forces struggled midair, the iron sand swaying left and right like an invisible tug-of-war.
(End of Chapter)