"I'm not afraid!"
Sasori roared, suppressed fury in his voice. "I fight through puppets not because I'm afraid, but because puppets are true eternity. They are true art.
"I won't stoop to fighting mortals like you myself. That would defile my eternal art!"
"Defile it?"
Aoba gave a soft laugh. "I think you're fooling yourself.
"You won't fight me yourself because you're afraid. Afraid of losing, afraid your Puppet Technique will be broken, afraid your so-called eternal art is nothing but a joke."
"You're dead!"
Sasori flew into a rage. His fingers worked the Third Kazekage Puppet at blinding speed. "Third Kazekage! Magnet Release: Iron Sand Meteors!"
The Third Kazekage Puppet raised both hands. Countless massive Iron Sand meteors appeared overhead and hurtled toward Aoba with overwhelming force.
They fell too fast and covered too wide an area. Aoba had nowhere to dodge.
Aoba's gaze sharpened. There was no escaping this time. He could only give everything he had and use his strongest jutsu to stop them.
He formed Hand Seals at speed. Chakra surged wildly through him, and brilliant blue light flared around his body. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bite Explosion Technique!" A torrent burst from his mouth and became a giant water dragon. It opened its jaws and lunged at the Iron Sand meteors above.
Boom! The water dragon collided with the meteors. The impact shook the entire cavern, sending stones raining from the ceiling.
The water dragon was powerful, but the Iron Sand meteors were stronger. They gradually forced it back until it dissolved into water and scattered through the air.
The Iron Sand meteors kept falling toward Aoba.
"Aoba!"
Shinku shouted, his eyes full of alarm. He struggled desperately to break free and help Aoba, but the chains binding him were too strong.
Aoba stared at