"Utter nonsense!"
Sasori roared and controlled the red puppet as it charged at Aoba once more. Its scorpion-tail stinger shot forward, several times faster than before. "You're just stalling for time! Die!"
Aoba's gaze sharpened. Rather than evade, he rushed straight toward the stinger. Just as it was about to pierce his chest, he suddenly lowered his body and swiftly shot out his right hand, accurately gripping the stinger. Chakra from his fingertips instantly poured into it and spread through the puppet's body. His voice was cold. "I told you—I found your weakness."
"Not good!"
Sasori's expression changed drastically as he hurriedly tried to retract the stinger, only to find it firmly gripped by Aoba. Chakra flowed through the stinger and into the puppet, making its movements instantly stiffen as the red glow in its eyes dimmed. Sasori roared, "Let go! Otherwise, I'll detonate the puppet's Chakra Core!"
Aoba did not release the stinger. Instead, he increased his chakra output. Looking at Sasori, he said with a hint of mockery, "Detonate the Chakra Core? Do you think you have the chance? Even if you detonate it, you'll only hurt yourself. I won't give you that opportunity."
"You!"
Sasori trembled with rage, but he could do nothing except watch as Aoba disrupted the puppet's chakra flow. The puppet's body gradually stiffened, until it finally lost all power and collapsed to the ground. Its scorpion-tail stinger drooped as well. Aoba let go and looked at Sasori, his voice calm. "The game is over, Sasori."
Sasori looked at the red puppet lying on the ground, his face pale as paper and his eyes filled with despair and unwillingness. He suddenly raised his head and glared at Aoba, his voice hoarse. "No! I won't lose! How could the puppet I spent so many years