The Land of Rivers Frontline, Konoha.
Standing atop a giant slug with her hands on her hips, Tsunade exuded an overwhelming presence.
As one of Konoha's elite jōnin, she was no weaker than Orochimaru. She wasn't just a medical ninja—her strength rivaled that of Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
Ahead, Konoha shinobi clashed with Sunagakure forces, turning the entire mountain into a battlefield. Flames, water, wind, lightning, and earth—all created by ninjutsu—raged across the terrain. The mountainside visibly crumbled and shrank under the sheer power of the shinobi's techniques.
In the distance, the thunderous roar of explosions never ceased.
Tsunade's gaze locked onto a graceful woman standing atop a boulder in the distance—Chiyo of the Sand.
This woman was from the same era as the old man Sarutobi Hiruzen. Moreover, she was a pillar of Sunagakure. Tsunade dared not underestimate her.
According to intelligence, this old woman possessed puppets capable of destroying an entire nation.
The two stood in a stalemate, though the tide of battle favored Tsunade. The Sand shinobi were steadily retreating under Konoha's assault. After all, pitting ninjutsu against the village with the most techniques was suicidal—especially with Tsunade's slugs healing Konoha's forces.
But then—
"Ninjutsu?"
Tsunade's expression darkened as she scanned the battlefield.
Most of the fighting involved ninjutsu exchanges, with only a small fraction of Suna's puppeteers participating.
But where were the rest of them? Suna had an entire puppeteer unit! Even if she hadn't seen them herself, Tsunade had heard of their infamous puppet forces.
Her eyes snapped back to "Chiyo."
With a burst of speed, Tsunade shot forward.
The "Chiyo" before her remained expressionless, her hands weaving signs rapidly.
"Wind Release: Wind Killing Array!"
A vacuum of air materialized, attempting to suck Tsunade into its vortex. But Tsunade charged through the wind ninjutsu undeterred.
Her leg rose high before slamming down toward "Chiyo."
"Heavenly Foot of Pain!"
The kick was blindingly fast. "Chiyo" barely dodged.
BOOM!
The ground cratered under the impact. Though "Chiyo" avoided the direct hit, she couldn't escape the flying debris.
"The real Chiyo wouldn't use ninjutsu against me," Tsunade growled, landing in a crouch with her fist pulled back.
"Who are you?!"
Her punch erupted forward, the sheer force of the air pressure alone crushing "Chiyo" before the fist even connected. Blood sprayed from the imposter's mouth as her bones shattered and organs ruptured.
There was no surviving that.
As the imposter fell, smoke billowed around her, revealing the face of an unfamiliar kunoichi.
"Retreat!!"
A voice rang out among the Sand forces.
With their "Chiyo" exposed, they fled without hesitation.
Tsunade frowned as Konoha shinobi gathered around her, kneeling in unison.
"Lady Tsunade!"
Her arrival had brought them a hard-fought victory, and their excitement was palpable.
But Tsunade felt no joy.
The real Chiyo, who should have been defending, was nowhere to be seen.
A bad feeling settled in her gut.
Where was Suna's puppet unit? Why had the old woman left a decoy here?
Her eyes narrowed as she looked into the distance.
"Everyone, follow me! We march into the Land of Rivers!"
At her command, the Konoha forces advanced.
She already had a theory.
Suna's true target was Hatake Sakumo!
Meanwhile…
Chiyo's fingers danced as she manipulated ten white, humanoid puppets in a frenzied assault against Hatake Sakumo.
Bloodshot eyes burned with hatred—she had just watched her son and daughter-in-law die by Sakumo's hand.
Her puppet forces had also suffered heavy losses.
The White Fang alone had decimated half of Suna's combat strength.
Sakumo's figure flickered across the battlefield. Though he had been slaughtering effortlessly earlier, the tide had turned.
The ten white puppets moved in perfect sync, denying him any opening to escape. Their bodies were incredibly durable, resisting even his slashes.
For the first time, he couldn't close the distance to Chiyo.
These were the masterpieces of the Puppet Master, Chikamatsu Monzaemon—the Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu.
Their sturdy frames granted them taijutsu surpassing that of even specialized jōnin, and their coordinated attacks could unleash devastating ninjutsu.
No matter how fast Sakumo was, the Ten Puppets matched him—because their controller did.
Chiyo was on an entirely different level from ordinary puppeteers.
As Sakumo fought the puppets, Chiyo marveled at his strength. He was overwhelming the Ten Puppets! If not for her decades of battle experience, she wouldn't have been able to keep up with his speed.
Her fingers blurred as three puppets suddenly stacked together.
"Puppet Technique: Three Treasures Suction!"
A powerful vacuum formed, generating a massive whirlwind to drag Sakumo in.
He stabbed his sword into the ground, but the pull was too strong—he was being dragged forward inch by inch.
The other puppets seized the chance to attack.
If this continued, he'd be finished.
With one hand, Sakumo formed a seal.
"Lightning Release: Sixteen Pillar Binding Technique!"
Gray earth surged upward, forming a massive cage that trapped the three puppets. Lightning crackled violently inside.
Freed from the suction, Sakumo swung his blade, releasing a crescent-shaped wave of chakra that repelled the oncoming puppets.
"Storm Leg Advanced Version: Storm Slash!"
In the brief respite—with three puppets sealed and the others forced back—Sakumo's breathing shifted.
Arcs of electricity sparked around him.
He became a streak of white light, closing the gap to Chiyo in an instant.
Lightning coiled around his blade, now a gleaming crescent. The wind itself screamed under his speed.
Chiyo's hands moved.
"Puppet Technique: Mechanical Light Shield Seal!"
A white puppet appeared before her, summoning a translucent blue shield.
The blade clashed against the barrier, emitting a brilliant blue light.
Behind Sakumo, the other puppets were already catching up, and the sealed ones had broken free.
Countless chakra threads erupted from Chiyo, entangling Sakumo's body to restrict his movement.
Instead of retreating, he pushed forward. The veins on his exposed forehead bulged.
The white glow on his blade intensified.
Silent but straining with everything he had—
CRACK!
A fissure split the blue shield.
"Impossible!" Chiyo's eyes widened in disbelief.
But it was happening.
CRACK—CRACK—CRACK!
The shield shattered.
Now, only a single step separated them.
Sakumo's blade was already raised—faster than the puppets behind him—as it descended toward Chiyo.
...
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(End of Chapter)