chapter 157 part 1
Chapter 157: Uchiha Ren vs. Sasori of the Red Sand
Sasori of the Red Sand, manipulating the Third Kazekage puppet, originally had victory firmly in his grasp, but now his face was filled with shock!
He stared wide-eyed as the powerful Magnet Release Iron Sand cylinder and three-pronged spike he controlled were effortlessly sent flying by the suddenly appearing Uchiha Ren. The initial cold, resolute gaze in his eyes instantly flashed with disbelief.
Rainwater slid down his hood, dripping into the mud beneath his feet and splashing up tiny water flowers. Yet, he seemed oblivious, staring intently at Uchiha Ren, as if trying to see through him.
After a long while, he finally squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "How is this possible...?"
From what he knew, the Iron Sand controlled by the power of Magnet Release possessed a hardness and impact force sufficient to destroy most defenses, let alone being directly struck and sent flying.
His gaze slowly shifted, sweeping over Uchiha Ren's fist and left leg, which were enveloped by Armament Haki and shimmered with a black luster. His eyes were filled with confusion and inquiry.
"How can his physical strength reach such a degree..." Sasori mumbled to himself, his voice carrying a tremor, barely perceptible but indicating a profound shock within him.
"To possess such monstrous strength!" He almost frantically raised his voice, the shock in his eyes gradually replaced by a kind of fanaticism. It was the expression of an artist encountering an unparalleled masterpiece.
Moments later, Sasori threw his head back and laughed loudly, his laughter echoing through the rain, tinged with grimness and insanity.
After laughing, he pointed a finger at Uchiha Ren, speaking in his unique, captivating voice: "Your body... it's simply the most perfect masterpiece bestowed upon me by heaven! I've never seen a body so suitable to be made into a work of art!"
As he spoke, he manipulated the Third Kazekage puppet to take a step forward, its mechanical joints creaking, as if declaring its dominance over Uchiha Ren, or perhaps eager to claim this "perfect body" for himself.
At this moment, Uchiha Ren, who had activated the Tier 2 Genetic Lock and whose battle IQ was soaring, was assessing his current fighting strength.
If he were to compare himself to Sakura during the Shippuden era, her so-called monstrous strength was merely equivalent to a normal Tier 2 Genetic Lock.
But Uchiha Ren possessed the Heavenly Cursed Seal Stage Two and a bloodline that, though it no longer had wings, was enhanced with Devouring power.
Finally, adding Armament Haki, his fists were far more solid than Sakura's.
And while Chiyo initially used Chakra threads to control Sakura to evade attacks, Uchiha Ren, with his Observation Haki and Three-Tomoe Sharingan, was even stronger than Chiyo in this regard.
Overall, he alone could match Sakura Haruno from the Shippuden era with Chiyo's assistance.
But the problem was, he wasn't Sasori of the Red Sand's grandmother.
This guy wouldn't hold back at all.
In the original plot involving Chiyo and Sakura vs. Sasori of the Red Sand, Sasori only used the three scrolls on his back when he was at death's door.
As for the last one, Uchiha Ren didn't believe it was Deidara's "art photo" that netizens joked about, or some puppet maintenance manual.
This guy probably had something even bigger.
Thinking like this, Uchiha Ren's inclination to escape was greater than his desire to fight.
After all, stable development was the foundation; a fight to the death offered no benefit.
He glanced at Kakashi. "Can you run?"
Kakashi furrowed his brow. "I feel my upper body is already paralyzed. Soon, my whole body might become paralyzed."
"This is big trouble!" Uchiha Ren muttered. "You know I can't fly anymore."
Earlier, for the sake of future development, Uchiha Ren had removed his wings and given them to Orochimaru. It was too late for regrets now.
Kakashi gritted his teeth and nodded. "You go quickly! I can still buy some time. If we wait, neither of us will get away!"
"This isn't the first time we've faced life and death, so why are you spouting such nonsense!" Uchiha Ren roared. "Scram! Stop dawdling! Run as far as you can! Don't become a burden to me!"
Kakashi's brows were tightly knit, his eyes reflecting a hint of unwillingness. He tried to clench his fist, forcing back the agonizing pain spreading through his arm like a venomous snake. But as his fingers barely curled, a piercing pain, like an electric current, instantly shot through his body, causing his arm to tremble uncontrollably. The once simple action of clenching a fist now became an impossible luxury.
He sighed inwardly, knowing that in his current injured state, continuing to fight would only drag Uchiha Ren down.
Helpless, he had to heed his student's sensible advice.
Kakashi took a deep breath and quickly formed hand seals. As a burst of white smoke rose, Pakkun's familiar figure was the first to appear, followed closely by two imposing, golden-furred dogs.
However, just as Kakashi was about to make a move, the Magnet Release Iron Sand cylinder and three-pronged spike, which Uchiha Ren had previously struck away, once again flew back toward Kakashi like hungry wolves pouncing.
*Bang!* A kick sent the cylinder flying toward the Third Kazekage puppet, nearly knocking it over!
*Pow!* A punch caused the three-pronged spike to deviate from its course, flying out diagonally before finally *clanging* into the mud.
"Sasori!" Uchiha Ren stood tall, staring directly at Sasori, who was controlling the Third Kazekage puppet.
"Your opponent is me!"
Upon hearing this, the fanatic gleam in Sasori's eyes, which had dimmed slightly from shock, instantly blazed even more intensely, like a bonfire being ignited.
Through the empty eye sockets of the Third Kazekage puppet, he stared fixedly at Uchiha Ren, his heart swelling with wild joy.
This body was simply a masterpiece tailor-made for him by heaven!
He urgently needed such a physically powerful puppet as his main shield to bear his most exquisite Performance of a Hundred Puppets formation.
Wasn't this exactly what he needed?
Under Uchiha Ren's cover, Kakashi seized this brief window of opportunity, leaning sideways onto the broad, warm backs of the two golden-furred dogs.
"Go!" Kakashi gritted out, using all his remaining strength. The two golden-furred dogs moved at his command, their paws scrambling as they agilely charged away from the battlefield.
In the blink of an eye, they carried Kakashi away, disappearing into the rain.
Sasori didn't rush to make a move. He commented in his fifteen-year-old voice, "False ninja bonds. As a ninja, emotions are the most unnecessary thing. You betray these principles, and you will eventually die because of your grand ideals."
Uchiha Ren had never lost a verbal sparring match. His gaze locked onto Sasori of the Red Sand, seemingly seeing through everything. "You, on the other hand, have no emotions. You transformed yourself into a puppet, sealing your heart and locking away your love. But in doing so, you've actually proven one thing."
"What?" Sasori of the Red Sand asked, confused.