"Fourth Kazekage, are you all right?"
A short, gray-haired old woman appeared beside the fallen Rasa the instant Guy sent him flying.
She crouched and deftly examined the wound on Rasa's abdomen.
After checking it, she rose slowly, her expression grave.
Her sharp gaze settled on Guy, who carried Gaara on his back.
Beneath his conical hat, Guy narrowed his eyes.
"Chiyo?"
Guy recognized her.
She was one of the pillars of Sunagakure.
The legendary puppeteer—Chiyo.
Chiyo and Fourth Kazekage Rasa might not have gotten along,
but faced with a powerful enemy, they had clearly chosen to stand together.
Guy glanced at Rasa.
Though Chiyo had saved him in time, the wound to his abdomen was severe, and his internal organs were damaged.
He would be unable to fight again anytime soon.
"That bastard... he's from the Land of Lightning!"
Rasa fought through the pain, speaking to Chiyo with anger and weakness in his voice.
"Chiyo, don't let him leave!"
Chiyo snorted.
"You don't have to tell me."
Her aged but still straight-backed figure slowly turned toward Guy.
Guy regarded the legendary puppeteer, his gaze calm beneath his hat.
"Are you sure you can stop me?"
"How would I know without trying?"
Chiyo's voice was raspy and cold.
Before the words had even faded, she snapped both hands outward!
Swish, swish, swish!
A huge scroll unfurled before her, and she slapped it against the ground!
Bang!
White smoke burst forth!
Ten white puppets of different designs, each radiating a chilling menace,
appeared in the open space between Chiyo and Guy!
They held blades, hidden weapons, and chains.
Chakra glimmered faintly at their joints.
The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets!
Guy's gaze sharpened.
This was Chiyo's signature secret art, one of Sunagakure's supreme Puppet Techniques.
Legend held that each puppet could