Sasori calmly raised his right hand, spreading his fingers as if plucking harp strings.
Seeing this, Chuura and Saseki immediately grew alert.
Could there be more puppets hidden around?
Just as they slowed their advance, faint whizzing sounds came from behind them. Without time to think, they instinctively dodged sideways.
In the next instant, several gusts of wind blades sliced through the space they'd just occupied, cutting straight through a large boulder ahead.
"That was close!" Both shuddered with fear as they turned to look, only to see Baki and the others charging toward them with stunned expressions.
"What's going on? My body won't obey me!"
"Dodge! I can't control myself anymore!"
Seeing this, Saseki glared at Sasori with a mix of anger and alarm. "It's you controlling them!"
Sasori replied coolly, "Do you really need to ask something so obvious?"
[Puppetry Art: Living Human Puppet Jutsu!]
Under Sasori's control, these eight chunin displayed abilities far beyond their usual level. Combined with Chuura and Saseki's reluctance to use lethal force, the two gradually found themselves at a disadvantage.
At that moment, two massive fireballs swept across the battlefield, accompanied by a sound like snapping threads. The eight men staggered and finally regained control of their bodies.
The moment they reclaimed autonomy, they immediately distanced themselves from Sasori, looking at him with pure terror in their eyes.
That power to control someone's body by force was terrifying!
"As expected, living humans are still a bit of a hassle to control," Sasori mused, slightly shaking his head. Under normal circumstances, those Chakra Threads wouldn't have been so easily severed.
He then turned his gaze toward Pakura. "So you're Pakura—the hero promoted by the higher-ups after I left?"
"What do you want, rogue ninja?" Pakura's expression darkened. Even with her Scorch Release's immense destructive power, it had been difficult to burn through those Chakra Threads.
No wonder he had already earned the title of genius in Sunagakure long before she rose to prominence—despite being significantly younger than her, his strength seemed vastly superior.
Luckily, he didn't have any puppets beside him!
Sasori gazed over Pakura's figure like an art connoisseur admiring a masterpiece. If it weren't for the innocent look in his eyes, she'd have thought she was dealing with some pervert.
"A Kekkei Genkai of Scorch Release? Excellent. It seems I might gain another treasured addition to my collection!"
With that, Sasori lifted both hands.
Chakra Threads extended from his fingertips, causing ten corpses of Iwagakure ninja lying on the ground to rise up.
Witnessing this, the Sand ninja were shocked once again.
Being able to manipulate three or four puppets simultaneously already marked someone as exceptionally talented—an upper-level ninja caliber.
Controlling ten puppets was something only legendary first-generation puppet masters and Elder Chiyo could accomplish. And here was Sasori—so young—achieving this feat!
"This represents the pinnacle of puppet mastery—each finger controls one corpse!"
"Terrifying! No wonder he's the genius of the Puppet Brigade!"
Although he controlled ten corpses simultaneously, since they offered no resistance, their agility actually surpassed that of the previous eight controlled individuals.
Pakura dashed forward, her fiery pursuit unable to reach the chakra threads.
Witnessing this, the other Sunagakure ninja called out:
"Pakura-sama, we'll block these puppets. You go attack his real body!"
"That's right! A puppet master's greatest weakness is their own body!"
They had no intention of calling Seiki-dono for help. One reason was because they'd boasted earlier, and another was that they didn't want Konoha getting involved in Sunagakure internal affairs.
If even a rogue ninja required Leaf ninja to deal with, it would be extremely embarrassing!
Pakura nodded sharply, her eyes sharpening as she used her fireball to clear a path while dashing toward Sasori.
Sasori spat out several senbon, which Pakura easily dodged before accelerating forward.
Though the distance between them kept closing, Pakura couldn't shake an uneasy feeling growing inside her chest.
He was way too calm. Aside from those first few needles, he didn't even fight back — not at all like the genius everyone says he is.
Still, she had no time to think further.
[Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder]!
Then something impossible happened — her signature move missed! The attack that usually vaporizes an enemy in seconds... just didn't work!
Taking advantage of Pakura's shock, Sasori delivered a chopping strike.
"Since when do puppet masters use taijutsu?" Dazed, Pakura instinctively raised her kunai to block.
Then, to her disbelief, Sasori crushed the kunai with his palm and continued striking straight toward her forehead.
"I'm done for!" As Pakura braced herself to die, a handsome figure suddenly appeared before her eyes.
In the next instant, Sasori flew backward from a powerful punch!
"Seiki-dono!" Pakura cried in both shock and joy. Then she noticed his bleeding hand. "Your hand..."
"It's nothing." Seiki quickly formed hand seals before placing his left hand over his injured right hand.
The wounds visibly healed.
"That's good. By the way, why did you come ou..." As Pakura spoke, she suddenly realized, "Is it because of that antidote?"
"My apologies. My Flying Thunder God Technique Form was on that vial."
As he explained, Sasori rose back to his feet from the sandy ground.
"What strong fists you have. I almost doubt if you're human!"
"That's the line I should be using on you! You're not even human anymore, are you?"
At Seiki's accusation, the surrounding Suna ninja looked puzzled.
Not human? Had they been fighting a bijuu?
Sasori sighed softly, "Life is so fragile... so meaningless. Even the smallest upset can wipe it away forever..."
Saseki shouted, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Sasori pressed his forehead and laughed, "Humans have limits! From my short life experience, I've learned one truth — the more you resist death, the more fragile life appears... Only by transcending humanity can we overcome this limitation. So... I refuse to be human anymore!"
With those words, he lifted his shirt.
A mechanical panel opened on his stomach, from which steel cables extended behind him. And spinning there were coldly gleaming spiral blades.
Pakura asked in horror, "You... you've actually transformed yourself into a puppet?"
Saseki also swallowed hard. "He's insane! This guy is absolutely crazy!"
They were ready for him to be ruthless to enemies, but it was his own self that he treated with the utmost severity!
Sasori wasn't angry about their reactions. He simply sighed calmly, "Artists are always lonely. I don't expect ordinary ninja like you to ever understand what true art really is."
Chuura and the others grimaced. They had no interest in experiencing this so-called art—what was the point of living if they lost the pleasures of being human?
Thinking this, their gazes couldn't help but flick downward toward Sasori's lower body. He wouldn't seriously turn *that* part into a weapon too, right?
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