A dense curtain of rain fell like layers of beaded drapes, shrouding the sky and the earth alike.
The entire world seemed to be covered by a cold, lifeless veil.
Within the torrential downpour, a hunched figure wearing a cloak the color of burning clouds stood abruptly in the rain, like a grim and silent statue.
Rainwater slid down the outline of the puppet's head, gathering on its face before dripping away, making its already ferocious features look even more sinister.
Droplets splashed against the metal joints of its limbs, producing faint clinking sounds.
The scroll strapped to its back was soaked through, the ropes damp and tightly pressed against it.
In his previous life, whenever "Yujin" thought about Sasori bending over inside Hiruko with his butt sticking out, he could not help but laugh.
But now, seeing this thing appear right in front of him, he could not laugh at all.
Even as a child, Sasori had been capable of killing the Third Kazekage, who was hailed as the strongest of all Kazekage.
Now, he had already reached his ultimate form after modifying his own body into a puppet.
Within the Akatsuki, Sasori was strong enough to fight Kakuzu evenly, neither side gaining the upper hand.
He also had the record of forcing Orochimaru into a miserable retreat.
Uchiha Yujin did not even qualify to fight Orochimaru head-on, let alone face someone like Sasori who had driven Orochimaru away.
In the battle that led to his death, Sasori had shown extreme restraint toward his grandmother, Chiyo.
Otherwise, even if Chiyo put on a swimsuit and brought along Sakura with an antidote, they still would not have been Sasori's match.
The level of restraint in that battle was no less than when Sasuke killed his brother.
But now, not only was Chiyo absent from Uchiha Yujin's side, there was also someone else present—
The son of Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Kakashi, the very reason Sasori's once pure personality had changed so drastically.
Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi looked extremely similar.
If Chiyo could mistake Kakashi for the White Fang, then Sasori could certainly analyze and identify who the ninja before him was.
Uchiha Yujin reached his conclusion after only a single second of analysis.
This battle could not be avoided.
And the casualties would likely be severe.
"Powerful enemy incoming. Formation One-Four."
Kakashi immediately began issuing tactical orders, preparing to move forward himself to probe the enemy.
Uchiha Yujin grabbed Kakashi by the arm.
"A puppet master," he said.
"Expert with poison."
"More lethal than Kakuzu."
"What—what did you say?"
Hearing the words "more lethal than Kakuzu," a flash of concern passed through Kakashi's eyes.
He knew Kakuzu's strength better than anyone.
Even in a one-on-one fight, it had been extremely dangerous.
Now, with two students who could only hold him back, the odds were grim.
At the cave entrance, the two figures—one tall and one short—came into view.
From within Hiruko, Sasori let out a low, hoarse sound.
"Found them."
Nagato had given Sasori the task of guiding the Konoha traitor who had stolen the Thunder God Sword and the Scroll of Seals back to the Hidden Rain Village.
But Sasori chose to strike straight at the heart of the matter.
If he eliminated the pursuing ninja directly, there would be no need to worry about anything else.
Suddenly, Sasori of the Red Sand controlled the Hiruko puppet and launched the first attack.
In an instant, countless poison needles sprayed out from Hiruko's mouth like a torrential storm, forming a devastating Eight Waves of Needles that shot straight toward Kakashi and Uchiha Yujin.
With the rain as cover, the poison needles were almost invisible to the naked eye, and their speed was so fast it made one's vision blur.
Kakashi's eyes sharpened as he shouted, "Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
In the next moment, the ground in front of him surged upward, forming a solid earthen wall.
The wall was tall and thick, and engraved upon it was Kakashi's signature carved dog head.
The poison needles struck the Earth Flow Wall one after another, producing crisp clanging sounds.
Some of the needles even embedded themselves directly into the wall, yet the wall itself did not budge in the slightest, successfully blocking Sasori's Eight Waves of Needles.
Kakashi managed to stop the first wave of attacks and could not help but ask Uchiha Yujin again beside him, "Is he really that strong?"
Uchiha Yujin had already completed half of the hand seals for the Water Dragon Bullet.
Gritting his teeth, he replied, "What you're seeing now is just his puppet."
"His real body is inside."
"The thing outside can only be considered a toy."
Kakashi was already used to his student always possessing information far ahead of others.
Although he did not know the source, he did not intend to ask.
With a powerful enemy right in front of them, he had no time to think about such things anyway.
Kakashi suddenly raised his head.
"He's coming!"
A dark red figure flashed out of the rain like a ghost.
It was Hiruko, the puppet controlled by Sasori.
Its movements were frighteningly fast.
In just a few leaps, it nimbly appeared atop the barrier Kakashi had formed with Earth Style.
Looking down from above, Hiruko's ferocious face appeared even more sinister and terrifying.
Rainwater flowed down its outer shell like winding trails of blood.
It stared fixedly at Kakashi's face below.
Immediately after, an extremely eerie laugh echoed out from within the puppet, reverberating through the empty mountains.
"Copy Ninja Kakashi."
"And a little brat from the Uchiha clan with a three-tomoe Sharingan?"
"Very good."
"I've never had a Uchiha human puppet before."
"Today is a rare opportunity."
"I really want to see what kind of unique 'art' you'll become after I turn you into puppets."
His tone made it sound as though Kakashi and Uchiha Yujin were already in his grasp, like lambs waiting to be slaughtered on a chopping block.
Kakashi's gaze turned cold.
He knew very well that the situation was critical, and he absolutely could not allow Hiruko to seize any opening.
Just as Uchiha Yujin was about to complete the Water Dragon Bullet technique, blue chakra light already faintly gathering in his palm, Kakashi did not hesitate in the slightest.
He swung his arm sharply.
Several shuriken, wrapped in fierce wind pressure, shot toward Hiruko's body like bolts of lightning.
Silver arcs cut through the curtain of rain as shuriken flew out, striking the hard shell of Hiruko with precise accuracy.
Crisp clanging sounds rang out one after another.
However, Hiruko seemed completely unaffected, its gloomy gaze not shifting in the slightest.
If it were any other ninja, refusing to dodge shuriken would have left their body riddled with holes long ago.
But Hiruko was a puppet, and conventional attacks like these could not harm it at all.
"Konoha ninja still haven't made any real progress," Sasori's cold voice echoed from within the puppet, dripping with mockery and disdain.
"Becoming a human puppet and blooming as art should be your honor!"
Uchiha Yujin ignored Hiruko's ridicule.
He clenched his teeth, veins faintly bulging on his forehead, and focused completely as he accelerated through the final hand seals.
At the same time, his heightened perception and three-tomoe Sharingan tracked Hiruko's every move.
Just as the puppet was about to launch another fierce attack, he shouted, "Careful!"
Hearing the warning, Kakashi reacted instantly.
His body flickered to the left, narrowly avoiding the venomous scorpion tail that suddenly shot out from Hiruko's grotesque face-shaped armor.
At that moment, Uchiha Yujin finished his hand seals and roared, "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
In an instant, a massive water dragon erupted, roaring as it surged forward with tremendous force, smashing toward Hiruko, whose retreat had been blocked by Kakashi's Earth-Flow wall.
The water dragon collided violently with the Hiruko puppet.
Water exploded in all directions, like cannonballs detonating in the rain, producing a deafening roar.
The immense impact made the earth wall tremble, cracks forming in several places as chunks of stone fell.
When the water spray and dust finally settled, thick mist slowly rose, completely shrouding Hiruko's form.
Kakashi did not dare relax for even a second.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, revealing his single Sharingan.
The blood-red pupil glimmered tensely through the fog as he stared deeply into the smoke.
Moments later, a hunched silhouette gradually became visible.
It was Hiruko.
The puppet had opened its "mouth," continuously spewing dense, poisonous smoke.
The mist seemed alive, spreading rapidly outward.
Wherever it passed, the air became acrid and suffocating, and the surrounding space seemed to shrink under the pressure of the poison.
Kakashi's heart sank.
Now he fully understood what Uchiha Yujin had meant when he said this puppet was deadlier than Kakuzu.
Kakuzu was strong, but Hiruko's attacks were sinister and unpredictable, making them nearly impossible to guard against.
****
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