Kankuro stood rigidly in place, his hands hanging limply at his sides, all ten fingers trembling slightly.
The purple markings on his face twisted into something even more hideous from his overwhelming fury and unwillingness, while his bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at Kawaki Aoba, his killing intent so intense it nearly took tangible form.
He looked at the broken puppet remains scattered across the ground, at the Puppet Technique he had taken pride in and painstakingly trained for years.
It had been repeatedly countered and completely destroyed by an unknown Konoha ninja, shattering his pride and confidence beyond repair and leaving behind only utter humiliation and rage.
Kawaki Aoba slowly withdrew his hand as the lingering lightning around his fingertips gradually faded.
He turned slightly and raised a hand to brush the miasmic mist and fine sand from his shoulder. His expression remained calm, without the slightest hint of triumph, and he maintained his vigilance.
"All three puppets are finished."
Kawaki Aoba looked at Kankuro and spoke evenly.
Kankuro's Adam's apple bobbed. He gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse and low, filled with icy fury. "Do you know that what you destroyed were my exclusive puppets, painstakingly crafted with my own hands over several years?"
"I know."
Kawaki Aoba nodded, his tone utterly unchanged. "But on the battlefield, your trump card is also your weakness.
Since you use them to kill, you should be prepared for them to be countered and destroyed."
"Good! What a Konoha ninja! What a Kawaki Aoba!"
Kankuro slowly clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white and veins bulging faintly along his arms. Chakra surged violently around him again, and his presence became increasingly savage. "You've successfully enraged me!"
Kawaki Aoba's gaze narrowed slightly as he sensed the explosive rise in Kankuro's aura. "Now that your