(Things have been a little busy lately. I might take a few days off, or I might not. I'll see how things go...)
"Scorpion."
Chiyo took off her outer garment.
Beneath it were two mechanical arms.
Chiyo had modified her own body, too, but compared to Scorpion's modifications, hers were nothing.
Sakura saw that Chiyo was safe and finally let out the breath she'd been holding. She immediately used a healing technique on herself to recover from her injuries.
Meanwhile,
Gamakichi's summoning time ran out. He said goodbye to Josuke and returned to Mount Myōboku.
Sakura was temporarily unable to fight.
Chiyo brought out her own puppets and engaged Scorpion in a head-on clash of puppets, every strike sending pieces flying.
In a single exchange, several puppets were wrecked.
That was how puppet masters worked: they only had to focus on fighting their enemy. The repair crews in the back, on the other hand, had plenty to worry about.
We can't keep this stalemate going, Josuke thought.
He didn't have much Chakra left, either. It would be best to end this quickly.
After thinking it over, Josuke came up with a plan. He went behind Chiyo and murmured something to her.
Then he used the Shadow Clone Technique.
In an instant, Kunai and Shuriken flew toward Scorpion.
You think that's enough to defeat me?
Scorpion sneered inwardly. He admitted that Josuke had some skill, but that was all.
He would capture Josuke and turn him into a puppet, making him part of his eternal art!
He and Deidara really were the two most famous artists of their time: one pursued art that vanished in an instant, while the other sought eternity. Come to think of it, Scorpion would probably get along well with a certain sakura-haired married woman living in Inazuma.
Ahem.
Turning Josuke into a puppet. How perfect!
Scorpion casually put up a Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wall to block the attack. That's it? That's all you've got? A few Kunai were deflected by the Iron Sand Wall, sailing over his head and behind him.
Scorpion didn't care in the slightest.
He took out several more scrolls, and a large number of puppets appeared.
You let your guard down, little kitty, Josuke thought. He exchanged a glance with Chiyo, who nodded in understanding.
Josuke formed Hand Seals. "Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!" A B-rank Fire Release Ninjutsu. After gathering Chakra in his throat, he spat out a vast sea of flames.
The intense heat melted the Iron Sand Wall.
Scorpion wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He controlled a Water Release puppet to douse the Iron Sand Wall and cool it down.
That was when it happened.
Flying Thunder God! Activate!
Josuke used the Flying Thunder God Kunai he'd thrown behind Scorpion to teleport behind him.
Chidori gathered in his hand as he charged at Scorpion.
Just as he was about to stab Scorpion, a sword pierced him instead!
Scorpion's head turned a full 180 degrees without his body moving. Two swords sprang from his elbows and pierced Josuke's chest.
Even as he struck, he didn't forget to slam his elbows into Josuke a few times.
"Josuke!!!"
Sakura cried out. As a medical ninja, she knew exactly what that meant. Josuke was probably done for.
"No, no!!"
I've got material for a new puppet! Scorpion was delighted. A puppet with a Sharingan—
Bang!
The Josuke who'd been stabbed vanished, unleashing a mass of lightning.
Lightning Release: Lightning Clone.
A tangible clone made from Lightning Release Chakra, this technique added Lightning Style nature transformation to the Shadow Clone. When an enemy destroyed the clone, it turned into lightning and attacked them, causing paralysis.
And there was one more thing.
Once the Flying Thunder God Mark had been placed, it could never be erased.
So Josuke used the second stage of Flying Thunder God. As the Lightning Clone vanished, he teleported behind Scorpion, and the clone's lightning paralyzed Scorpion. Josuke's Rasengan followed right after.
What?
How could this happen?
Scorpion immediately summoned the Third Kazekage Puppet to defend him.
The Third Kazekage Puppet's hands turned into blades and clashed head-on with Josuke's Rasengan.
Scorpion breathed a sigh of relief, though the Third Kazekage Puppet's arms were still broken.
But Josuke wasn't the main force in this battle. Chiyo was!!
Chiyo's puppets sprang into action at the same time, leaping over the Iron Sand Wall and stabbing at Scorpion himself.
Another sudden attack from the blind spot. Scorpion had no choice but to use the Third Kazekage Puppet to defend himself again. The puppets shaped like Scorpion's parents stabbed at the Third Kazekage Puppet and tore it apart.
Without the slightest hesitation, the two puppets turned and rushed at Scorpion. This time, Scorpion didn't dodge. He smiled as he faced the incoming attack.
Pfft!!!
Two blades pierced Scorpion's body. He made no attempt to fight back. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he took control of the puppets shaped like his parents.
Chiyo was shocked. This technique was incredibly difficult. Even she, a puppet master, sometimes couldn't manage it.
With trembling hands, she controlled the puppets to embrace him. It was just like when he was young. The dozen or so unopened scrolls scattered nearby said everything.
Scorpion no longer wanted to fight. He was tired...
In his parents' warm embrace, maybe dying here wasn't so bad...
Scorpion slowly closed his eyes. His hands, which had been controlling the puppets, went limp and hung in the air.
Scorpion was dead.
Josuke, utterly exhausted, collapsed onto the ground. Scorpion had definitely held back in that fight. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy. Those dozen or so scrolls might not have changed the outcome, but they could certainly have made Josuke and the others pay a much higher price.
Scorpion's elbow strikes had startled him. If he'd charged in with his real body, he'd probably have been done for. Fortunately, he'd stayed one step ahead. He'd come out on top after all.
"Granny."
Sakura, having recovered, noticed everything and looked over at Chiyo. Chiyo let out a faint sigh. Scorpion wasn't just an S-rank Rogue Ninja—he was the child of her son and daughter-in-law.
Her own grandson.
Now she truly was all alone.
Chiyo shook her head.
"I'm fine. Let's keep going."
After hearing Chiyo speak, Josuke and Sakura didn't say anything more. They continued toward Gaara.
Josuke lowered his gaze. Once they got there, he would have to carry out the next step of his plan...
Meanwhile, Orochimaru and his group appeared in a distant place. They seemed to be looking for something—or perhaps waiting for someone.
By then, Gaara had already had the tailed beast extracted from him. He was no longer of any use to the Akatsuki Organization, so Deidara had simply dumped him there.
Gaara was on the brink of death.
But, just as in the original story, Chiyo sacrificed herself to use the secret Reanimation Jutsu, trading her life to bring Gaara back.
Gaara's revival marked the end of the mission. After resting for a while, the group planned to head home. The mission was over, so now they had to collect their reward, settle a few remaining matters, and rebuild Sunagakure.
And just then!!!!
Josuke stopped in his tracks!!!!!
Before you continue