Chapter 10 – Crimson Puppeteer vs. The Demon of the Mist
Group V – Round 1: Sasori vs. Zabuza Momochi
~
The arena materialized as a mist-covered graveyard of steel and broken trees. Rusted kunai, shattered trunks, and discarded weaponry littered the soaked earth. Above, storm clouds churned—just ambiance, but enough to drown visibility in gray.
Zabuza crouched low, sword resting on his shoulder like a butcher's blade. The air around him already tasted of blood.
Across the field stood Sasori, half-human, half-puppet. No emotion. No movement. His cloak fluttered in the manufactured breeze, revealing the puppet scroll on his back.
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]
Match Start: Group V – Round 1
Combatants: Sasori (Akatsuki) vs. Zabuza Momochi (Mist)
Arena: Fog-Ravaged Battlefield
Rules: Non-lethal. Absorption Mode: Active.
Timer: No limit. Begin.
No taunts. No hesitation.
Zabuza vanished into the mist instantly. Sasori's fingers twitched—five chakra threads unraveled and latched onto the scroll behind him.
Clack.
The Third Kazekage puppet emerged in a burst of chakra smoke. Its arms snapped open.
Iron Sand Release: Scatter Shot.
A barrage of black sand needles exploded from the puppet's mouth. They ripped through trees and kunai, neutralizing hiding spots—turning cover into dust.
But no blood.
A water clone disintegrated.
The real Zabuza emerged behind Sasori in a silent sprint.
Silent Killing Technique.
His sword cleaved through the puppet's midsection. Sasori's body turned—no panic, just calculation.
Flame-Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets.
Three more puppets burst from a second scroll, surrounding Zabuza.
He twisted, deflecting two—but one latched onto his leg with poison-tipped wires.
He dropped a mist bomb, filled the battlefield again with choking haze.
Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu!
Visibility dropped to near-zero.
Zabuza used it well.
He struck again, this time cutting the legs off one puppet and backing off, using sound to track movement.
But Sasori didn't need eyes.
The Iron Sand moved on its own.
Iron Sand: World Shaker.
All the black grains on the field suddenly surged upward like spears. Zabuza leapt into the air—but miscalculated.
A puppet with blades for arms met him mid-air.
Clang!
Zabuza took a deep cut to the side but landed on his feet, blood leaking into the mud. Still fighting.
He slammed his sword into the earth.
Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!
A massive serpent of water erupted from below, smashing through the puppets and sending Sasori sliding across the field.
But Sasori's real body never moved.
It was a puppet core inside the chest of a shell.
He stood up, unharmed.
Zabuza narrowed his eyes.
"Tch. Freak."
They clashed again.
Steel vs. chakra strings.
Zabuza cut down puppet after puppet—ignoring shallow wounds—but poison began slowing his movements.
He gritted his teeth and launched a final frontal assault.
Sasori activated a trap in the Third Kazekage puppet.
Iron Sand: Drizzle of Death.
Micro-needles filled the air like ash.
Zabuza turned to water—Hydrification Technique—a trick learned from Hozuki mercenaries. He reformed behind Sasori and rammed his blade into the puppet's chest.
Sasori's body split.
Puppet parts flew.
But the heart core rolled behind Zabuza.
Wires wrapped his ankles.
Too late.
Zabuza gasped—poisoned needles grazed his neck.
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]
Winner: Sasori.
Victory Condition: Immobilization by Puppet Bind and Poison Containment.
Post-Battle Sync Activated…
The system voice now shifted into game-mode:
[ABSORPTION COMPLETE]
+9% Chakra Capacity
+7% Water Style Resistance
+4% Silent Killing Technique Recognition
+11 EXP – Puppet Mastery Path
+5% Iron Sand Precision (Recalibrated from Live Combat)
Zabuza coughed.
"You're one cold bastard…"
Sasori said nothing. The puppets returned to his scroll like silent soldiers.
The system faded the arena away.
Zabuza's body was stabilized by support chakra fields. He lived—but he wouldn't forget the needles. Or the feeling of control slipping away inch by inch.