The Puppeteer's Natural Enemy

For a moment, the Konoha ninjas remaining on the battlefield sighed and groaned, while some even began to curse under their breath.

"Are those parasites who only know how to protect themselves actually sending a kid like this to die in their place?"

"You idiot, he must have offended the higher-ups somewhere; otherwise, why would he be sent to the front lines? The enemy leader is the legendary Chiyo!"

"Shut your mouth! How could you possibly understand the orders of the Third Hokage? Trusting the decisions of the superiors and obeying orders to hold this position—that is what a ninja does!"

Mimura Hazaki, the Konoha frontline commander assigned to hold this post, shouted loudly, though his eyes remained fixed on the figure in black robes wearing a three-eyed demon fox mask.

No matter what kind of person he is, he must hold off the enemy's assault. If things continue like this, the morale of the front line will be completely extinguished.

Suddenly, the situation on the field shifted drastically. Countless poison needles accompanied by toxic smoke struck from all directions. Two Chunin were struck with terror; the horrific killing intent left their bodies stiff and unable to move.

Their vision blurred, and when they opened their eyes again, they realized they had already been transported to the forest.

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame."

The flames surged like a tidal wave, melting the sand into liquid. The roaring sea of fire danced with the morning sun, staining the horizon a deep crimson.

The Konoha ninjas hiding in the shadows were dumbfounded, stunned by such terrifying chakra and Fire Style technique.

"So... so powerful. Even an average Jonin couldn't perform a Fire Style technique of this scale. Who is that shorty?"

"Is he an Anbu member? He doesn't look like a village Jonin, and his face is hidden by a mask; I can't see him clearly at all."

As the smoke and heat dissipated, countless glittering crystals refracted the sunlight; the terrifying temperature had actually melted the sand into shards of glass.

The Sand Ninjas, who had been hiding in the sand to gain a geographical advantage, revealed themselves. Uchiha Hanazuki swept his indifferent gaze across the surroundings and muttered to himself.

"Only a hundred or so? Aside from Chiyo, who is keeping the Yellow Flash occupied, there isn't a single talent worth noting. This is the decline of the Sand, forced to develop puppet techniques just to cope with the war."

"Damn it, even my puppets were... What is that large-scale Fire Style technique? Who exactly is that shorty?!"

Among the Sand Ninjas, a man with his left cheek covered by a white cloth had veins bulging on his forehead, clearly consumed by rage.

"Baki, stand down. This is not an opponent you can handle. I haven't seen a Fire Style of this caliber more than a few times in my life."

"Advisor Chiyo, this is an opponent we have never seen before. Please be careful!"

The hundred-odd Sand Ninjas did not take another step forward; instead, they silently retreated, leaving the battlefield to the true commander.

Among the many Sand Ninjas, an old woman with purple hair and black eyes, dressed in the black robes characteristic of the Land of Wind, slowly stepped forward. Several kunai hovered in mid-air, their tails controlled by nearly transparent chakra threads.

"A fresh face I haven't seen before. A child or an adult? It's a pity this is a battlefield; even a kunai thrown by a child is lethal. Here I come—Manipulated Blade!"

Over a dozen kunai struck out, only to be deflected by a cold snort. The nearly materialized chakra made the slightly aged face of Chiyo turn solemn once more.

"Such astonishing chakra. Boy, state your name."

"Uchiha Hanazuki. Please, treat me well..."

Before the words had even faded, the voice echoed softly in Chiyo's ear. Her pupils shrank to the size of needlepoints. As she tilted her head slightly, all she saw was a pitch-black kunai and a figure that had appeared in an instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In a mere heartbeat, the two had exchanged over a dozen blows in taijutsu, the dazzling display drawing gasps from the onlookers.

"Flying Thunder God! It's the Yellow Flash's Flying Thunder God Technique! Can this shorty use it too?"

"Great! If he can use the Flying Thunder God Technique, he can at least stall for time until Minato arrives to support us..."

Amidst the clashing sounds, the figure flickered back to his original position. His crisp, youthful voice left Chiyo stunned.

"It seems you aren't an opponent that can be taken down easily. Those people are truly an eyesore; to be fighting and dying on the battlefield at such an advanced age is truly admirable."

"It can't be helped... Among the younger generation, those who could be called geniuses have either gone missing or died. Even the Third Kazekage, hailed as the strongest, has vanished, triggering this war that has engulfed several nations."

"Our small talk ends here. What follows will not be a test. A genius brat of the Uchiha clan, is it? Someone like you is worthy of experiencing this move."

Chiyo's tone shifted. She pulled a purple-black scroll from her sleeve and broke the seal.

"White Secret Technique: Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu."

As the white mist dispersed, ten white-robed puppets with distinct designs appeared. A wave of cheers erupted from the Sand Ninja side.

"The Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu! It's the Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu! The ten greatest masterpieces of the puppet ancestor Monzaemon. I never thought Advisor Chiyo would bring these out. Isn't that overkill?"

"Don't be a fool. The opponent is someone who can master the Flying Thunder God. Whether he's a shorty or not, he is an enemy that cannot be underestimated."

Baki's face was ashen. It was precisely because of this that Advisor Chiyo had brought out the long-unused Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu to deal with this unknown individual.

"The Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu, a puppet technique that wins through sheer numbers? As it happens, I have a decent technique as well. I've been looking for a place to test their power. Let's begin."

"Summoning Jutsu: Nine-Faced Svaha!"

Before everyone's eyes, streaks of ritualistic light emerged: Azure, Vermilion, White, Black, Void, South, North, Three, Jade...

Within each hovering ritual circle, numerous summoning beasts slowly emerged. Their faces were all concealed by three-eyed demon fox masks. The eerie chakra and their unique appearance instantly silenced the cheering Sand Ninjas.

"What... is that?"

Mimura Hazaki stood frozen in place, and the Konoha ninjas retreating to the edge of the battlefield had never heard of such a thing; they had never seen such a strange ninjutsu.

"Puppet technique? That seal just now was a Summoning Jutsu. Are those strange summoning beasts he signed a contract with?"

On the battlefield, facing the Nine-Faced Beasts blocking Hanazuki's front, Chiyo clearly sensed the varied sources of chakra, with threads of chakra attached to the Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu.

"Their chakra reeks of something eerie and ominous. You are certainly no ordinary brat. In that case, I have no choice but to use these fellows who were supposed to be gathering dust on the high platform."

Clap, clap, clap...

Crisp, resonant applause echoed across the battlefield, and unmasked praise rang out at that moment.

"A puppeteer's talent is determined by the number of puppets they can control. Controlling ten special puppets simultaneously—you are truly worthy of being the Kazekage's advisor, Chiyo."

"However, for a puppeteer, the Nine-Faced Svaha is your natural enemy. Shall we see if that holds true?"