"That's somewhat amusing."
Sasori turned his gaze to the arm of his puppet and realized that Kakashi's earlier strike had damaged it so severely that maintaining control over it had become increasingly difficult.
Arcs of electricity continuously flickered, making the connection between chakra threads and the puppet intermittent. Consequently, the puppet's movements became stiff under his control.
So he suppressed his immediate urge to chase after Kakashi. Instead, a smirk formed on his lips as if finding the situation entertaining.
While things weren't going well for Kakashi, the other side was moving quickly.
"Ahhh!"
Under relentless pursuit by the puppet Terumi Mei, the Hyūga ninja finally exposed a critical opening.
Seizing this opportunity, Sasori immediately activated the jutsu through Mei.
A white corrosive smoke rose as half of the ninja's body was engulfed in Boil Release. His flesh bubbled and peeled, revealing raw, blood-drenched bone beneath in some places.
The expression on the Hyūga ninja's face turned terrified. His uninjured hand instinctively reached toward the wound but halted mid-motion under rational restraint.
Nevertheless, this did little to change his impending fate.
Upon hearing his comrade's scream, Kakashi's eyes shifted instantly to look.
His already pale face became even more ghostly white, conveying an indescribable sense of helplessness deep within his eyes.
There was no turning back the tide of this battle now.
"What? Is Konoha's ninja already showing fear? I thought you had more tricks up your sleeve!"
A chakra thread from Sasori's chest tensed as Han slowly took position, his fists raised and ready to fire like cannons at the weakened Kakashi.
Simultaneously, Terumi Mei wasted no time finishing off the seriously wounded Konoha ninja.
From her chest, multiple slits opened, launching countless poison needles into the air.
Kakashi clenched his fist tightly, and within a second, his companion's screams abruptly ceased.
Grief filled his heart, yet outwardly, not even a trace of sorrow surfaced.
The enemy stood directly before him, and he refused to show weakness, even if it meant appearing reckless.
"Heavy… heavy breathing…"
Kakashi steadied himself, his throat letting out labored breaths due to his injuries.
He glanced around. A once-complete four-man team had now been reduced to only him.
This had been a fatal tactical error!
As the squad leader, most of the blame fell squarely on his miscalculation of his own capabilities.
But things had gone too far to dwell on now.
Soon enough, he too would follow in the footsteps of his fallen comrades.
"Feeling guilty?"
Even as these words echoed near Kakashi's ear, his body instinctively rolled sideways.
His entire focus remained fixed on Sasori, so the moment there was any movement from him, Kakashi reacted instantly.
Almost simultaneously, the spot where he had stood was smashed apart by Han's fist the instant he vacated it.
Powerful shockwaves swept across the area, sending dust flying everywhere.
The roaring sound of air blasts and colliding shattered rocks continued to ring out.
Han's attack carried immense force — a single punch was enough to shatter the ground into countless fragments.
Kakashi rolled aside awkwardly but still managed to evade Sasori's assault.
Silent and expressionless, he leapt backward once more after rising, increasing the distance between himself and Sasori along with the two puppets.
He was in terrible shape — he could barely stand and certainly couldn't keep fighting.
But would Sasori ever let him off so easily?
Wave after wave of attacks came from Han. The scorching heat of his steam techniques alone posed a deadly threat; if Kakashi got too close, searing pain would spread across his entire body.
Using his speed and agility, Kakashi retreated repeatedly until finally reaching a range where Han no longer pursued.
"Did Sakumo Hatake only teach you how to dodge?"
Sasori stared at Kakashi mockingly, positioning both puppets before him like personal bodyguards standing at either side.
As Kakashi tightened his grip on the White Fang Tanto with his right hand, those words echoed in his mind.
It was something his father had once told him — a lesson that had guided him through the years.
"No reply? Then stop clinging on stubbornly like some damn cockroach!"
The two puppets floated motionlessly in midair before Sasori, their modified forms twisted and grotesque.
At his words, both Han and Terumi Mei leaned forward, assuming attacking stances.
He sensed Kakashi's sudden shift in mindset — he seemed to have recovered from his earlier panic.
Though mildly surprised, he didn't believe for a moment that his opponent could turn the tide now.
A smirk curled on his lips — none of it mattered anymore. What mattered was that Kakashi would soon die by his hands.
"The sins of the father must be paid by the son — perhaps the Shinobi World really is ruled by such cruel fate."
"Die quietly… and become part of my collection!"
Sasori's eyes narrowed gradually, then suddenly widened as blood vessels swelled visibly beneath their artificial appearance.
Although he'd convinced himself before that the past didn't matter anymore, facing the son of his old enemy made true detachment impossible.
"A ninja's destiny may lie in dying during a mission — cowards are the ones who run away!"
Kakashi ran his tongue over the burnt wounds around his lips, tasting the spreading pain, his gaze sharpening steadily.
Perhaps he wasn't strong enough to face his enemy head-on at this moment, but as a ninja, how could he ever choose retreat?
Their gazes clashed in midair — and then both moved simultaneously.
Puppet Han slammed his foot down hard, surging forward with explosive speed straight toward Kakashi.
Meanwhile, Terumi Mei advanced more slowly behind, her body already emitting a corrosive, pungent odor.
Lift, step, cross.
Kakashi executed the sequence precisely, controlling every movement of his body, just as a gust of rushing wind roared past his ear.
That was Han's fist!
This heavy punch was dodged by Kakashi thanks to his keen combat instincts.
The air compressed, and he heard a continuous whistling sound in his ears, as if his skull itself was vibrating.
Yet his movements didn't falter—he moved like an unfeeling machine, continuing without hesitation.
Dodging Han's punch, their bodies passed each other in an intersecting motion.
As though anticipated beforehand, the blade in his hand had already been readied at waist level earlier.
Though the arcs of electricity flickering across White Fang weren't strong, the steel remained coldly brilliant, faintly exuding bloodthirstiness.
Sasori hadn't expected Kakashi to evade Han's swift attack so effortlessly.
Under his control, chakra threads vibrated rapidly, manipulating Han to lift his other hand—the one behind his back.
This hand wasn't meant to block Kakashi's strike, but instead continued its offensive.
After all, Han was merely a puppet; injury posed no real problem—just some extra maintenance work later.
Kakashi watched everything unfold, clearly understanding Sasori's intentions.
He naturally wouldn't try trading blows with a puppet using mutual damage tactics. So the sword at his waist quickly shifted direction, abandoning its original target.
At the same time, adjusting his posture, he tucked in his body to minimize his exposed area.
Though brief, the moment Kakashi and the puppet passed each other was full of tactical exchanges.
Vague traces of lightning crackled through the air, and where the two met rang out a crisp slicing sound.
An arm flew skyward as Kakashi followed through with the momentum, throwing himself forward.
This arm belonged to Han, the puppet.
Kakashi had realized his disadvantage early on—launching a direct attack wouldn't work. Therefore, he chose defense as his strategy, using Han's momentum from impact for a counterattack.
So long as he could predict the opponent's move range and dodge accordingly, seemingly miraculous feats became easily achievable.
However, such maneuvering was akin to walking a tightrope, where a single misstep could lead to instant disaster.
But judging from the current result, things seemed to go rather well—at least Kakashi himself felt satisfied.
Yet the puppets under Sasori's command weren't limited to just this one.
[Boil Release - Steam Rainfall!]
Kakashi only saw Terumi Mei's hands behind Han aiming directly toward him. Then, scorching heat surged through the air, followed immediately by a barrage of searing hot droplets raining straight down on him.
And right now, having just used external force to sever Han's arm, he happened to find himself unable to exert strength.
This sudden assault struck precisely at the most vulnerable point in his movement sequence.
Shua shua shua—
The steam-condensed tiny droplets landed on Kakashi's body. The extreme heat combined with speed pierced flesh directly, producing vivid crimson trails.
...
[Ninjutsu—Five Elements Barrage!]
Hiruzen Sarutobi formed hand seals before his chest, massive amounts of chakra flowing and swirling around his body as he directed it.
What left the deepest impression was his mastery of the five Elemental Release Jutsu at an extremely high level, enabling him to freely switch between elemental techniques when adequately supplied with chakra.
This Five Elements Barrage was exactly one of the Third's signature techniques.
In his Impure World body, he no longer had to worry about chakra depletion. Thus, his chakra transformed into roaring flames, surging earth, raging lightning, flowing water, and howling wind.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Indeed, the title "Ninjutsu Turret" was not given lightly in the Shinobi World.
The overwhelming power displayed by the Third Hokage sent chills down the spines of every Konoha soldier watching from a distance, while they also grew worried for the Fourth Hokage, who was fighting him.
Minato was certainly powerful, but he had never been the type of ninja who overwhelmed enemies through ninjutsu barrages. Instead, he relied on agility and precision strikes.
So now, facing the resurrected and fully revitalized Third Hokage, could he still maintain his advantage?
But soon enough, Minato found the answer for himself.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
With a grim expression, he constantly hurled kunai, teleporting through the gaps in the incoming ninjutsu using them as anchors.
The ninjutsu passed dangerously close to his body, looking extremely perilous, yet he always managed to evade them skillfully, staying just outside their damaging range.
During this period, Minato remained under heavy pressure.
As the battle continued, Minato began identifying certain characteristics in the Third's combat style—weaknesses seemingly intentionally exposed.
For example, each time the Third cast a technique, there would be a brief pause lasting half a breath.
Minato guessed it was due to the struggle between the Third and the Invisible Force behind him. Although these moments didn't achieve much, they kept creating opportunities for Minato and others.
"Minato! Here he comes again!"
Dodging another Five Elements Artillery Barrage, the Third's voice rang out once more as Minato instantly vanished from his spot.
Orochimaru knew retaining the Third's consciousness was key to fully unleashing his strength, even if doing so occasionally alerted the enemy during battle.
Swoosh—
Minato flung several kunai high into the air. Then, drawn by an unseen force, they scattered toward the Third's location.
These specially crafted kunai spiraled through the air, leaving faint white trails behind them.
It was a rare kunai-throwing method—each one flew at a different speed and angle despite being launched together.
This was done both to confuse the enemy's vision and to better coordinate with his ninjutsu activation.
Even though the Third's techniques left deep craters wherever they struck, they missed—every single time.
[Flying Thunder God Technique!]
At that very moment after completing a technique, the Third stood vulnerable. Without hesitation, Minato appeared beside one of his kunai and grabbed it firmly.
Then, he kicked another kunai from his blind spot in a different direction.
Since he had memorized every kunai's position precisely, Minato continuously teleported near the Third using them, seeking the perfect moment for his decisive strike.
The Third wore a contented smile, but suddenly powerful chakra erupted around his body. He threw a punch straight at a falling kunai already descending nearby.
He had anticipated the rhythm of Minato's movements.
Although there were other kunai in the air, this one gave him the perfect shot.
His combat instincts flared instantly, and his body reacted accordingly.
Sure enough, almost the moment The Third threw his punch, Minato appeared beside that kunai and grabbed its handle.
Even Minato seemed surprised by how spot-on The Third's prediction was—the moment he caught the kunai, his eyes flickered with shock.
Yet just as The Third's fist reached Minato's chest, Minato vanished again.
With reflexes like lightning, he always pulled off impossible moves when it mattered most.
Any normal ninja would've been flattened by that punch. But this time, it was Namikaze Minato—the fastest man in the entire Shinobi World.
The punch missed, and a flicker of surprise flashed in The Third's eyes as he guessed Minato's intentions. Yet faster than his thoughts came his actions.
His other hand formed a ninja seal, and chakra burst from his body.
[Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!]
An earthen wall suddenly rose behind his slightly forward-leaning body caused by the punch.
[Big Ball Rasengan!]
Minato's attack arrived. His jutsu shattered The Third's earth technique and continued surging forward relentlessly.
Despite The Third reacting in time, his technique was destroyed the moment it took form. With little chance to jump away quickly in such a short span, he could only sidestep slightly, dodging most of the damage.
Thus, Minato's Rasengan tore through the earthen defense and slammed straight into The Third.
Countless strips of chakra-infused parchment fluttered into the air.
Damn, he actually dodged it!
Understanding this, Minato didn't wait for a counterattack. He immediately used another kunai to relocate himself.
[Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu!]
Finally twisting his body, The Third released the technique behind him.
Minato's previous attack had narrowly missed due to his desperate evasion, destroying only one of his arms.
So he unleashed a fire technique to push Minato back, then quickly leapt several meters away.
His damaged arm rapidly regenerated, with chakra condensing in the air and forming thin paper-like fragments that attached to the broken arm area, gradually restoring it to its original shape.
[Secret Arts: Shadow Imitation Technique!]
The Third's body stiffened abruptly, and his eyes revealed both surprise and delight.
He swept his gaze around briefly and indeed spotted nearly ten hidden shinobi in inconspicuous positions launching an attack against him after he landed.
His shadow was ensnared by their secret arts, making movement extremely difficult.
A brilliant move!
A voice involuntarily echoed in The Third's mind, but his body kept struggling, forcing the Nara clan ninja using the technique to tremble from the pressure in their hand signs.
[Sealing: Chain Binding Silencer!]
Minato reappeared again, this time landing directly in front of The Third.
He lowered his gaze to meet The Third's eyes.
Sha! Sha! Sha!
Minato raised his right hand toward The Third standing before him.
Chains inscribed with dense runes extended from his sleeve, pulled forth by chakra, and quickly wrapped around The Third, whose body had gone stiff.
These chains weren't exactly the same as Kushina's Adamantine Chains, but they still packed a serious punch when it came to binding power.
After coiling tightly around The Third, the chains kept tightening, squeezing his Ninja Armor until it creaked audibly.
"Thank you, Minato."
The Third scanned the ever-tightening chains around him and sensed his chakra being continuously sealed away. He realized this grueling battle was finally reaching its end.
Though everything happened suddenly, it was still the best possible outcome.
Minato acted as bait, drawing his attention while a team of ninja skilled in immobilization techniques quietly split off and hid at key positions, waiting for their moment.
It was a simple coordination maneuver, but the effect was excellent.
The Third felt pleased, completely calm at the prospect of his own impending sealing.
"Sealing Team!"
Minato grabbed one end of the chains. Nearby Nara ninja maintained their controlling hand signs, keeping The Third rooted in place.
At Minato's shout, the Sealing Team, who had been waiting nearby all along, rushed into position, carrying massive scrolls.
Although he also mastered powerful sealing techniques, each of those jutsu required heavy chakra consumption.
With the battle in such a critical state, he decided to save his strength as much as he could.
The chaining technique used on The Third alone wasn't enough to seal him—it merely restricted his movement.
To fully eliminate the threat he posed, a stronger sealing jutsu would naturally be necessary.
[Sealing Team members surrounded The Third], simultaneously opening their scrolls and injecting chakra into them.
Instantly, pre-engraved sealing markings floated out like tadpoles, dropping onto the ground and connecting with seals coming from other directions.
"Seal!"
They cried in unison.
Several individuals pressed their hands against the ground beneath their feet, channeling chakra through their fingertips.
Immediately, the tadpole-like characters gained stronger vitality, twisting and crawling up onto The Third's body.
Sha! Sha! Sha!
Bandages shot forth, beginning to wrap tightly around The Third.
"Goodbye."
In his final moments, The Third struggled to turn his gaze toward Asuma Sarutobi fighting Danzo in the distance, regret evident in his eyes.
"It's done."
Seeing The Third fully wrapped in bandages, Minato let out a long breath. The chains he held dissolved into countless strands of chakra, vanishing into the air.
But now was no time to relax.
From the corner of his eye, he glanced toward Asuma's direction.
Danzo was no weak opponent. His mastery of Wind Release was unmatched—there were few across the entire Shinobi World who could rival him.
Although Asuma and the assisting Jonin initially suffered damage, as time passed they gradually found effective countermeasures against Danzo. The damage he could inflict diminished over time, and he gradually found himself at a disadvantage.
"Careful, I'm about to use ninjutsu again!"
Danzo puffed out his chest and unleashed a flurry of Gust Blades, enveloping the Konoha ninja before him.
His warning and ninjutsu came nearly at the same time, but many still managed to dodge.
...
"It seems Impure World warriors can't do much damage to these Hidden Villages. Individual strength still struggles to stand out against teams—unless one's power reaches truly terrifying levels!"
Behind Nagato stood six unemotional Six Paths Puppets.
Beside him stood Saitama Uchiha.
"The White Zetsu will arrive shortly. Only in chaotic battles can we fully utilize the strengths of the Impure World bodies."
Saitama crossed his arms, gazing toward the distant battlefield.
"Then I'll make my move right then."
Nagato hesitated briefly before abandoning his initial plan, choosing instead a more cautious strategy. With the White Zetsu army creating chaos and distracting the main force, he would have better opportunities to act without being overwhelmed.
"No problem, I'll go handle my business first. Seems I've encountered an old acquaintance."
Saitama nodded slightly in response to Nagato, then shifted his gaze toward the eastern direction.
There was a faint chakra signature both had sensed, which Saitama immediately recognized. Though well-concealed, it couldn't hide from him.
"Hmm."
Nagato looked forward indifferently, unbothered by Saitama's intentions. In that moment, only the Nine-Tails occupied his mind.
[Shua--]
Saitama vanished in an instant, tracing that familiar chakra signature.
It was time to finish this once and for all.
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