For a moment, the Konoha Ninja still on the battlefield sighed in dismay. Some had even begun muttering curses under their breath.
"Those parasites who only know how to protect themselves are actually making someone like him die in their place?"
"Idiot. He must have offended some higher-up somewhere. Otherwise, why would they send him to the battlefield? Their leader is the infamous Chiyo!"
"Silence! How could you possibly understand the Third Hokage's orders? Trust the leadership's decision, obey orders, and hold this position. That's what it means to be a ninja!"
Mimura Hamaki, who had been assigned to guard this location and was the Konoha forces' frontline commander, shouted out. His gaze remained fixed on the figure in black robes, wearing a Three-Eyed Demon Fox mask.
Whatever kind of person he is, he has to withstand their attack. If this goes on, the front line's morale will be completely ground down.
Suddenly, the battlefield erupted into chaos. Countless poisoned needles came flying from every direction amid clouds of poison gas. Two Chunin paled in terror. The dreadful killing intent froze their bodies, leaving them unable to move.
The scene before their eyes blurred. When they opened them again, they found themselves in the woods.
"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
Flames surged forth like a tidal wave, melting the sand into liquid. The roaring sea of fire danced with the rising sun, dyeing the horizon crimson.
The Konoha Ninja hiding nearby stared in shock, stunned by the terrifying chakra and Fire Style technique.
"S-so powerful! A Fire Style technique with that kind of range is beyond most jonin. Who's that shorty?"
"Is he with Anbu? He doesn't look like one of the village's jonin. His face is hidden by that mask, so I can't make it out."
As the smoke and heat cleared, countless glittering crystals reflected the sunlight. The terrifying heat had melted the sand into shards of glass.
The Sand Ninja hidden beneath the sand, who had been taking advantage of the terrain, were revealed. Their indifferent gazes swept across the area as they murmured under their breath.
"Only about a hundred of them? Apart from Chiyo, who's keeping the Yellow Flash occupied, there aren't any fighters worth worrying about. So this is the Sand Ninja, whose ranks are so depleted they've had to develop the Puppet Technique to fight in this war."
"Damn it, even my puppets got—! What kind of person is that shorty, to use a Fire Style technique with such a huge range?!"
Among the Sand Ninja, a shinobi with the left side of his face covered by white cloth had veins bulging on his forehead. He was clearly consumed by rage.
"Baki, stand down. You can't handle this one. Even I have rarely seen Fire Style of this caliber."
"Advisor Chiyo, we've never encountered this opponent before. Please be careful!"
The hundred or so Sand Ninja didn't advance. Instead, they quietly retreated, leaving the battlefield to their true commander.
Among them, an old woman with purple hair and dark eyes, dressed in a black robe typical of the Land of Wind, slowly stepped forward. Kunai floated in the air, their ends controlled by nearly invisible Chakra Threads.
"A new face I've never seen before. A child or an adult? It's a pity this is a battlefield. Even a child's kunai can be deadly. Here I come, Manipulated Blade!"
More than a dozen kunai flew toward him, only to be deflected by a cold snort. The nearly tangible chakra made Chiyo's somewhat aged face turn grave.
"What incredible chakra. Boy, tell me your name."
"Uchiha Hanazuki. Pleased to meet you..."
Before he could finish, his voice suddenly echoed beside Chiyo's ear. Her pupils shrank to pinpricks. Turning her head slightly, Chiyo saw a black kunai—and the figure who had appeared in an instant.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In a mere moment, the two had exchanged more than a dozen Taijutsu strikes. Their dazzling moves drew cries of amazement from the crowd.
"Flying Thunder God! That's the Yellow Flash's Flying Thunder God Technique. Can this shorty use it too?"
"Thank goodness he can use the Flying Thunder God Technique. He should be able to hold them off for a while, at least until Lord Minato arrives to reinforce us..."
Amid the repeated bangs, the figure flickered back to his original position. His clear, youthful voice made Chiyo pause in surprise.
"Looks like you won't be easy to beat. Those people are really getting in the way. At your age, you still dare to risk your life on the battlefield. I have to admire that."
"I have no choice... Among the younger generation, those who could be called geniuses have either disappeared or died. Even the Third Kazekage, hailed as the strongest Kazekage, has vanished. That's what sparked this war, which has swept across several countries."
"Enough chatting with the younger generation. This won't be a test anymore. You're a prodigy of the Uchiha Clan, are you? Someone like you is worthy of witnessing this technique."
Chiyo's tone changed. She took a purple-black scroll from her sleeve and removed the seal.
"White Secret Technique: Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu!"
As the white smoke cleared, ten puppets clad in white and shaped in various forms appeared. The Sand Ninja burst into cheers.
"The Chikamatsu Ten Puppets! They're the ten greatest masterpieces of Monzaemon, the founder of puppetry! I can't believe Advisor Chiyo brought these out. Isn't that overkill?"
"Don't be stupid. The opponent can use the Flying Thunder God. Shorty or not, he's not someone to underestimate."
Baki's face turned ashen. That was exactly why Advisor Chiyo had brought out the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets, which she hadn't used in a long time, to deal with this obscure opponent.
"The Chikamatsu Ten Puppets—a Puppet Technique that wins through numbers? As it happens, I have a pretty good technique of my own. I've been looking for a place to test their strength. Here I go."
"Summoning Technique: Nine Mask Svāhā!"
Under everyone's watchful eyes, one after another, glowing spell formations appeared: Blue, Vermilion, White, Black, Void, South, North, Three, and Jade...
Within each spell formation suspended in midair, a summoned beast slowly emerged. Their faces were all concealed by Three-Eyed Demon Fox masks. Their strange chakra and distinctive appearance instantly silenced the cheering Sand Ninja.
"What... are those?"
Mimura Hamaki stood frozen. The Konoha Ninja retreating to the edge of the battlefield had never even heard of such a thing. They had never seen a technique this strange.
"Is that the Puppet Technique? The hand signs just now were for the Summoning Jutsu. Are those strange summoned beasts he made a contract with?"
On the battlefield, Chiyo faced the Nine Masked Beasts standing between her and Hua Yue. She could clearly sense the different chakras emanating from them. Chakra Threads stretched from her fingers to the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets.
"Their chakra is strange and ominous. You're certainly no ordinary kid. I suppose I'll have to use these old things that should have been left gathering dust on a high shelf."
Clap, clap, clap...
Clear, resounding applause echoed across the battlefield, followed by unabashed praise.
"A puppeteer's skill is measured by the number of puppets they can control. Controlling ten special puppets at once—no wonder you're the Sand Village's Kazekage Advisor, Chiyo."
"But for puppeteers, the Nine Mask Svāhā is your natural enemy. Want to give it a try?"