chapter 156 part 1
Chapter 156: Reinforcements! Kakashi-sensei, I'm late!
The dense curtain of rain, like layers of pearl curtains, enveloped the entire world, as if it were covered by a cold, silken veil.
In this downpour, a figure in a red-clouded cloak stood abruptly in the rain, like a cold and solitary sculpture.
Rainwater slid down the puppet's conical head, gathering on its face before dripping down, making its already sinister features appear even more ominous.
Raindrops splattered on the metallic joints of its limbs, emitting faint sounds. The scroll on its back was soaked, and the wet rope clung tightly to it.
In his previous life, Ren Arakawa had always wanted to laugh whenever he recalled Sasori of the Red Sand sticking his butt out while operating from inside his Hiruko puppet.
But now, seeing this thing appear before him for real, he couldn't laugh at all.
Even as a child, Sasori had been able to defeat the Third Kazekage, who was hailed as the strongest of his time.
Now, he had already transformed himself into his ultimate puppet form.
Within the Akatsuki, Sasori's strength could rival that of Kakuzu.
He even had the battle record of forcing Orochimaru into a desperate retreat.
Uchiha Ren currently didn't even have the qualifications to fight Orochimaru, let alone Sasori, who could make Orochimaru flee.
In his final battle, Sasori also went easy on his grandmother, Chiyo. Otherwise, even if Chiyo had Sakura as an antidote specialist, they would have been no match for Sasori.
The extent to which that battle was thrown was on par with Sasuke killing Itachi.
And now, not only was Chiyo absent from Uchiha Ren's side, but there was also Hatake Kakashi, the son of Konoha's White Fang, whose existence was the true reason for Sasori's drastic personality change.
Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi looked strikingly similar. If Chiyo could mistake Kakashi for the White Fang, Sasori could similarly deduce who the ninja before him was.
Uchiha Ren took only a second to analyze the situation and reach a conclusion.
This battle was unavoidable.
And the casualties would likely be devastating.
"A powerful enemy is approaching! Formation 1-4!"
Kakashi immediately made a tactical decision, preparing to go first to gather information.
Uchiha Ren grabbed Kakashi's arm. "He's a puppet master, skilled with poison. More deadly than Kakuzu!"
"What?! What?!"
Hearing the words "more deadly than Kakuzu," a flicker of worry flashed in Kakashi's eyes.
He knew Kakuzu's strength better than anyone.
Back then, even a one-on-one fight had been perilous. Now, with two students who would only hold him back, his chances were slim!
Seeing the two figures, one tall and one short, at the mouth of the cave, Sasori of the Red Sand, from within the Hiruko puppet, uttered a low phrase: "Found them."
Nagato's mission for Sasori was to retrieve the Konoha rogue ninja who had stolen the Sword of the Thunder God and the Scroll of Seals and bring them back to the Hidden Rain Village.
However, Sasori chose to strike at the heart of the problem by directly eliminating the pursuing ninja, saving himself any further trouble!
Suddenly, Sasori, controlling the Hiruko puppet, launched the first attack!
In an instant, countless poison needles shot out like a torrential downpour from Hiruko's mouth, forming a powerful needle storm that headed straight for Kakashi and Uchiha Ren.
The poison needles were almost invisible to the naked eye with the aid of the heavy rain, and their speed was blindingly fast!
Kakashi's eyes narrowed, and he shouted, "Earth Style: Earth-Flow Wall!"
Instantly, a sturdy earth wall rose from the ground in front of him!
The earth wall was tall and thick, and on it was carved Kakashi's signature dog-head sculpture. The poison needles struck the Earth-Flow Wall one after another, emitting crisp clattering sounds. Some needles even embedded themselves directly into the wall, but it remained completely unmoved, successfully blocking Sasori's attack.
Kakashi successfully fended off the first wave. He couldn't help but ask Uchiha Ren beside him again, "Is he really that strong?"
Uchiha Ren, who had already completed half of the hand seals for the Water Dragon Bullet, gritted his teeth and replied, "What you're seeing now is his puppet. His real body is inside. This outer shell is just a toy!"
Kakashi was already used to his student always having advanced intelligence. Although he didn't know the source, he didn't want to press for details.
With such a formidable enemy before them, he couldn't afford to dwell on such thoughts.
Kakashi suddenly lifted his head. "Here it comes!"
A dark red figure emerged from the curtain of rain like a phantom; it was the Hiruko puppet controlled by Sasori.
Its movements were astonishingly fast. In just a few leaps, it agilely appeared on top of the barrier Kakashi had erected with his Earth-Flow Wall.
Looking down from above, Hiruko's sinister face appeared even more ominous and terrifying. Rainwater streamed over its outer shell, like winding tear marks.
It stared intently at Kakashi's face below. Then, a profoundly eerie laugh emanated from within the puppet, echoing through the empty mountain range.
"Sharingan Kakashi... and a three-tomoe Sharingan brat from the Uchiha clan? Very good!"
"I've never had a Sharingan user as a puppet before. Today is a rare opportunity. I'd really like to see what kind of unique 'art' you two will become once I turn you into puppets."