Chapter 161: Am I Too Late?
A full moon hung high, and sandstorms raged.
Above the boundless desert, within a towering pale crimson barrier, under the merciless moonlight—
Facing Tsukasa's swiftly slashing blade, Ebizō strode out through the white summoning smoke, already gripping two Wind Release: Vacuum Blades in his hands.
Their blades clashed!
CLANG!
Ebizō, in his true form, firmly blocked Tsukasa's Kusanagi sword!
Immediately afterward, five puppets leaped from behind him, wielding three longswords and two wildly spinning four-bladed chakra rotors, aiming for Tsukasa's vital points.
Faced with this onslaught, Tsukasa's eyes narrowed. He kicked Ebizō back, spun around, and wielded the Kusanagi sword in a flowing defense, continuously deflecting the puppets' attacks. He parried left and right amidst the flashing blades with practiced ease.
With a swift, circular motion drawing an arc like moonlight, Tsukasa slashed through an opening, sending two puppets flying. He then forcefully stepped through the five-pronged sword formation and delivered a powerful overhead chop toward Ebizō!
At that moment, Ebizō seized the brief opening, summoning a white-robed female puppet wielding two massive cleavers to replace the damaged puppets.
He manipulated chakra threads with his fingers, and sword components from the white-robed puppet flew out and attached themselves to Ebizō's thick arms.
"Human Puppet Technique: Mechanical Twin Blade Arms!"
Then Ebizō swung the twin swords, slashing at Tsukasa!
CLANG!
The blow was powerful and heavy. Tsukasa felt numbness shoot through his hands and nearly lost his grip on the Kusanagi sword.
Blue flames erupted from the ends of Ebizō's twin blades. With a horizontal thrust, he sent Tsukasa—who was charging forward with momentum—flying backward!
The other puppets immediately seized the opportunity, pressing their advantage!
Three of them leaped out, thrusting their blades at Tsukasa's back as he landed and adjusted his stance!
Tsukasa felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively rolled away to evade the three puppets' attacks. Just as he raised his head to recover, Ebizō—wielding his exaggeratedly large swords—leaped down and slashed at his head.
Forced to form a one-handed seal, he used Wind Release: Great Breakthrough to blast himself away, landing backward with a heavy thud.
This situation left Tsukasa momentarily stunned.
He narrowed his scarlet serpent eyes, scanning Ebizō and his puppets, who were panting heavily and clearly in pain.
He recognized these puppets, of course.
This was a legendary technique—the Secret White Technique: Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets.
They consisted of: a female puppet wielding two massive cleavers; a blue-faced puppet wielding binding ropes; two red-and-white-faced puppets that could combine to form a high-speed spinning four-bladed chakra rotor; three 'Buddha, Dharma, Sangha' puppets; a white-haired puppet capable of extending its limbs to fire spikes and explosives; and a bull-headed puppet responsible for close combat and defense.
Unlike Chiyo, who could perfectly control all ten puppets simultaneously—creating a suffocating offense and impenetrable defense with both combat prowess and medical expertise—
Ebizō seemed only able to control five at once. Furthermore, he couldn't fully utilize the ten puppets' combined power.
However, the forbidden technique he was using—Puppet Performance Dance—was another application of puppet mastery.
He was imbuing himself with the puppets' abilities, transforming himself into a sixth puppet—a human puppet!
The coordination of six puppets greatly enhanced his close-combat capabilities.
Moreover, it seemed that wasn't his limit.
In the blink of an eye, Ebizō summoned the remaining Chikamatsu puppets one by one.
Then puppet components flew out and pierced into the old man's body, splattering blood everywhere.
They combined to form a towering puppet exoskeleton—
A massive cleaver attached to his left arm, a high-speed spinning four-bladed chakra rotor extending from his right arm, and various hidden compartments across his chest, abdomen, back, and legs that could deploy binding ropes and hidden weapons.
This gave Tsukasa the surreal impression of watching a mecha transformation.
As the dust settled, Ebizō—covered in blood, his body almost entirely transformed into human puppet components—suddenly raised his head.
His face, contorted with pain and rage, stared intently at Tsukasa. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, and a sinister grin spread across his face:
"You think you're so tough, kid?!"
"Come on!"
"Today, I'll personally send you to meet the Sage of Six Paths!"
The words were barely spoken when blue flames erupted from behind Ebizō, the violent thrust propelling him forward!
Then a fist, carrying a storm of wind pressure, slammed down!
The four-bladed chakra rotor on his right arm spun wildly, aimed directly at Tsukasa's face!
Tsukasa's crimson serpent eyes narrowed sharply. At such speed, he only had time to raise his Kusanagi sword to block!
Szzzt! Szzzt!
Sparks flew as the four-bladed rotor ground against the Kusanagi sword!
Ebizō swung his left arm fiercely, seizing the opportunity to pierce Tsukasa's abdomen with his greatsword, lifting him high and hurling him away.
Then the fingers on his puppet arms sprang up, and he roared:
"Puppet Technique: Three Treasures Suction Crush!"
The three Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha puppets had already positioned themselves behind Tsukasa during this exchange.
The three puppets formed a triangle, activated their mechanisms—
Instantly, a terrifying windstorm rose from the ground, forming a violent tornado that swept Tsukasa into its vortex.
While suspended mid-air with a gaping hole in his abdomen, Tsukasa felt a powerful pull, his entire body being drawn backward into the center of the Three Treasures Suction formation.
The Three Treasures Suction technique worked like a crushing machine, completely compressing absorbed matter at the formation's center before violently expelling it, utterly pulverizing everything caught within!
If he was hit by this move, even with Orochimaru Style: Oral Rebirth, he definitely wouldn't survive.
Tsukasa felt ice flood his veins. He immediately twisted around, channeling chakra into his Kusanagi sword.
His left hand formed the Snake seal, his right the Dragon seal. He opened his mouth and exhaled, attaching Wind Release: Vacuum Blade energy to Water Release: Water Fang Blade, completing a combination jutsu: Hurricane Water Vortex Blade!
A blue streak shot from the sword tip, instantly piercing the core of the Three Treasures Suction formation. The counter-rotating whirlwind and shredded water blades exploded, forcefully disrupting the formation's core.
As the wind subsided, Tsukasa was about to land—
When at that moment—
Ebizō suddenly shot toward him, violently swinging his arm. His left blade pierced through Tsukasa's throat, his hand gripping Tsukasa's neck in a vice-like hold.
The old man, his face contorted with rage, forcefully lifted him up and carried Tsukasa toward the core of the Puppet Technique: Three Treasures Suction formation—which had just shattered the Hurricane Water Vortex Blade and was now erupting again!
"Old man—what the hell are you doing?!"
Tsukasa struggled to lift his head, staring at Ebizō in utter horror.
Wasn't this old man trying to escape earlier?
Now he actually wanted to take them both down together?!
This series of unexpected moves caught Tsukasa completely off guard.
He hadn't anticipated that Ebizō's final trump card would be transforming himself into a human puppet, creating such a devastating burst offense!
Tsukasa was confident he could handle this technique. After all, Ebizō didn't have the Sharingan. Just as Kakashi without the Sharingan couldn't properly control his Chidori's speed, Ebizō couldn't perfectly control his puppet body's velocity. In this state, as long as Tsukasa avoided being caught by the Three Treasures Suction, victory would be his!
However—
Tsukasa truly hadn't expected that this seemingly cowardly old man would choose such a brutal method to fight him—
Actually willing to perish together with him!
"Hehehehe."
Ebizō, frantically rushing toward the formation's core gap, couldn't help but glance in one direction, deep dread flashing in his eyes.
There, a young man with brilliant blond hair, wearing a Konoha jōnin vest, had suddenly appeared—half-crouching, one hand resting on the handle of a tri-pronged kunai stuck in the ground.
It was this man's appearance that made Ebizō immediately change his mind and commit such a desperate act!
He turned, the veins on his hand gripping Tsukasa's neck bulging, his face twisted as he stared at Tsukasa:
"Shut up!"
"You damned brat!"
"If it weren't for you—if it weren't for you—if it weren't for you!"
Ebizō's wrinkled face trembled violently as he roared furiously:
"How could I have ended up like this?!"
"Now I'll do as you wished!"
"Let's die together!"
A hidden compartment on Ebizō's chest suddenly opened. With a manipulation of his fingers, a burst of purple smoke suddenly sprayed out.
"Puppet Technique: Poison Mist Hell!"
Tsukasa's face was engulfed in the poison mist. His eyes widened as he felt his body momentarily paralyzed. He tried to move, but his limbs responded incorrectly. Even with his battle instincts, he needed time to adapt to this potent neurotoxin.
But this was precisely the moment Ebizō wanted—the instant of complete incapacitation!
He would drag Tsukasa to the afterlife with him!
With this thought, Ebizō—one arm locked around Tsukasa's neck—leaped high into the air, fearlessly throwing himself into the center of the formation!
An almost sinister smirk curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Tsukasa!"
"You are far too dangerous for Sunagakure!"
"Even if I die, I will eliminate this threat!"
However—
At this critical moment—
So fast the naked eye couldn't perceive it—only a flash of golden light—
A young man with brilliant blond hair, wearing a Konoha jōnin vest, suddenly appeared before them.
He smiled gently at Tsukasa, then raised his hand slightly. The intricate seal formula of the Four Symbols Seal instantly unfolded across his palm!
The wind ceased abruptly!
Tsukasa looked up and heard a clear, gentle voice:
"Am I too late?"
End of Chapter 161
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