Three days later.
The sun blazed relentlessly over the endless desert, where golden dunes stretched beyond the horizon. The sky was cloudless, the heat so intense it seemed to warp the air itself.
Somewhere within this arid wasteland, a fierce battle had erupted.
The sharp clang of clashing steel echoed across the sand, followed by the rhythmic thud of footsteps and bursts of chakra.
A lone figure darted between attacks, his movements swift and precise.
Closing in on him were three bizarrely shaped puppets, their frames armored and deadly, each controlled by threads of glowing blue chakra.
In perfect synchronization, the three puppets lunged forward—
BOOM!
A massive explosion kicked up a storm of sand and smoke.
For a moment, everything was obscured in dust. But as the desert breeze slowly cleared the scene, the aftermath became visible: a large crater carved into the ground—and no trace of the target.
From a nearby dune, a young man with reddish-brown eyes and a delicate, almost doll-like face clicked his tongue in frustration.
Thin chakra threads shimmered from all ten of his fingers, connected to the trio of puppets that had just failed to land their blow.
His expression darkened.
"Tch... He dodged again."
This boy was no ordinary shinobi—he was the notorious prodigy of Sunagakure: Sasori of the Red Sand.
But even now, despite his confidence and the custom puppets he had crafted for this very fight, he was being outmaneuvered.
Then—
A short distance away, the missing figure reappeared.
Arms crossed, robe fluttering in the hot breeze, he stood calmly atop a dune. His spiked blue hair gleamed under the sun, his piercing yellow eyes cool and unwavering.
The white robe he wore bore five bold black kanji on the back:
"風影 (Kazekage)"
He was none other than the Third Kazekage—revered as the strongest Wind Shadow in the history of the Sand Village.
He looked at the crater below him, then slowly turned to face Sasori, speaking with calm authority:
"Sasori… even after all this time, you still want to kill me?"
"This is the second time you've tried to ambush me."
"Give it up. With your current strength, you're not ready."
Sasori's eyes narrowed, his smile cold and cruel.
"You noticed my puppets, didn't you?"
"I designed them specifically to dismantle you."
"When you die, I'll make you my most prized creation."
His voice twisted with madness as he raised his hands—chakra threads flaring to life.
The Kazekage sighed, a tinge of regret in his eyes.
"You're still a genius, Sasori. Return to the village. I can forgive what you've done."
"Or do you truly believe the title of 'Strongest Kazekage' was just for show?"
With that declaration, his chakra surged, and an oppressive wave of wind burst forth, sending sand and debris flying in all directions.
The very air seemed to ripple with raw power.
But Sasori was undeterred.
His eyes burned with obsession.
"This is perfect! Just what I need…"
"To immortalize you as a work of art!"
With a flick of his fingers, chakra threads whirled—and one of the puppets extended an enormous, gleaming blade from its arm.
It lunged forward—
Swoosh!
The blade sliced through the air at terrifying speed, aimed directly at the Kazekage.
But the Wind Shadow didn't flinch.
"Stubborn brat…"
"Very well. I won't hold back."
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wall!"
CLANG!
Just before the blade struck, a black iron wall burst upward from the sand—completely blocking the attack with a screech of metal on metal.
Then came the follow-up.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Triangular Pyramid!"
The wall flowed like liquid, rising and twisting into the sky before condensing into a massive, razor-sharp pyramid of black sand iron.
It launched toward Sasori with devastating force.
Eyes widening, Sasori reacted instantly—pulling his puppets in front of him like a shield.
BOOM!!!
The impact was brutal. His puppets were shattered like twigs, and Sasori himself was blasted backward, skidding through the sand and coughing up blood.
He finally stopped, dragging a long trench behind him.
Staggering, he looked up—horrified.
"What power… That's why he's worthy… to be my ultimate masterpiece!"
But before he could move again—
A voice rang out behind him. Cold. Final.
"It's over, Sasori. Your puppets are destroyed."
"You've lost."
Sasori's breath caught. He jerked his hands—but his threads sparked uselessly. The puppets… were completely unresponsive.
He stared in disbelief.
"No… It can't be…"
"Am I… really going to die here?"
Just then—
Another voice cut through the desert air. Calm. Playful.
"Yo…"
"Looks like someone's in need of my help."
----------------------------------------
Support me at patreon.com/Arthorain and read upto 50 Advanced Chapters!