Red Sand Sasori

After a long journey, Uchiha Yufeng and his group finally arrived at their destination.

After taking over the patrol duties from the ninja stationed there, life gradually became dull.

For an entire week, they did not see so much as a shadow of a Sand Shinobi.

Uchiha Yufeng felt that the location of this mission was relatively remote.

The Third Hokage had probably taken into account that Yufeng and the other two had only recently become Chunin and given them special consideration when assigning the mission.

Under a simple wooden shed.

Yuhi Kurenai and Uzuki Yugao vigilantly watched their surroundings.

"Ha!~"

Uchiha Yufeng gazed at the vast expanse of sand. Bored, he found a clean spot, leaned against one of the shed's pillars, and yawned.

Staring all day at the scorching sand baked by the sun left his eyes extremely tired.

Uchiha Yufeng took out some eye drops from his pocket and put them in his eyes.

Protecting his eyesight started with himself.

As for Yuhi Shinku, since things were relatively safe here.

He had already been called away to provide support in the southern area, where Sunagakure ninja activity was more frequent.

"Seems like ninja are coming from the west!"

Uzuki Yugao's voice suddenly rang out.

Uchiha Yufeng looked in that direction. When he saw the approaching figure clearly, his pupils suddenly contracted.

The newcomer looked fourteen or fifteen. He wore a green ninja vest, and his delicate, harmless-looking face carried a faint air of melancholy. His red hair was center-parted and slightly curled.

Why did this person look so familiar?

As if sensing the trio's gazes, the youth approaching them raised his head.

His figure instantly vanished from the spot.

Immediately afterward, a Chakra thread seized control of the wooden shed's pillars and yanked them outward.

Without the slightest hesitation, Uchiha Yufeng grabbed one girl in each hand and instantly left the shed.

The moment the three landed, the wooden shed they had just occupied collapsed.

"Sunagakure ninja, as long as you leave the Land of Fire, we will let bygones be bygones!"

Uzuki Yugao called out the words they had prepared earlier, stopping and shouting directly at the surroundings.

When there was no response, she looked toward Uchiha Yufeng.

"It's useless!"

For Uchiha Yufeng, his Sharingan could now easily see Chakra threads.

That was clearly the hallmark of Sunagakure's Puppet Technique.

Red hair, a youth, Sunagakure, and those Chakra threads just now...

There was an eighty percent chance that this person was Sasori, Sunagakure's puppet prodigy.

"Not bad reflexes. I'm still short a few dozen puppets. Perfect, I'll use you three!"

A cold voice rang out.

A puppet standing in midair shot out from the shadows toward the three of them.

The crimson puppet's frame was broad, and an unnatural color gleamed from the blades modified into its hands.

Poison!

Uchiha Yufeng formed hand seals.

"Water Release, Water Wall!"

He spat out a stream of water, which formed a watery barrier around the three of them.

Then he brought his hands together.

"Water Release, Water Shockwave!"

The spinning Water Wall surged upward like a tornado, followed by a massive wave that crashed toward the puppet.

In the span of a breath, the puppet was blasted apart by the powerful current.

"To unleash Water Release on such a massive scale in a waterless desert environment... you're the first I've ever seen!"

Sasori stepped on the flowing water as he emerged from the darkness.

There was an added hint of fervor in the way he looked at Uchiha Yufeng.

"If I turned you into a puppet, wouldn't that make another exquisite addition to my collection?"

As soon as he finished speaking.

Sasori took a scroll from his pocket.

After a puff of smoke, a Red-Clad Male Puppet appeared before the three of them.

"Looks like I'm really lucky! I was just passing through, but I never expected to find such good materials!"

Sasori sneered as he raised and crossed his hands. Chakra threads immediately connected to the puppet.

"Don't worry. I'll turn you into a collectible of the same caliber as him!"

"Click, click!~"

The puppet's two mouths opened and closed, producing strange clicking sounds.

Two blades pierced through its clothes and revealed themselves.

Like a spinning top, it charged toward the three of them.

Uchiha Yufeng patted Yuhi Kurenai and Uzuki Yugao on the shoulders.

The two retreated.

Slash!

The puppet's spinning twin blades chopped Uchiha Yufeng, who remained where he was, directly into three pieces, blood splattering across the ground.

"Yufeng!"

Yuhi Kurenai stared at everything in disbelief.

Her whole body trembled as she drew a Kunai and was about to rush forward.

Seeing this, Uzuki Yugao immediately grabbed her arm.

"Wait!"

The moment she spoke.

Bang!

Uchiha Yufeng's "corpse" was replaced by three logs.

"Substitution Technique?!"

A trace of shock appeared on Sasori's cold face.

When? When had he switched himself out?

Before he could say anything, a Ronin Katana coated in dense Water Chakra stabbed directly into his lower back.

Splat!

Feeling the intense pain in his body and seeing hot, bright-red blood spurt out beneath him.

Sasori's eyes were filled with shock.

Unable to worry about anything else, Sasori twitched his fingers.

Uchiha Yufeng's eyes flashed. He did not press his advantage and immediately used Body Flicker to retreat.

Almost at the same time, a mass of black powder struck the spot where Uchiha Yufeng had just been.

"Sand Iron?"

Uchiha Yufeng stared at the black, sand-like substance and muttered softly.

A highly intricate Blue-Haired Yellow-Eyed Puppet stood guard beside Sasori.

"Looks like that's the Third Kazekage..."

Uchiha Yufeng's gaze swept over the puppet that had suddenly appeared, and his expression grew more serious.

"The human body really is so fragile!"

Sasori muttered to himself as he felt his body weakening.

Then he instantly unfurled the scroll on his body.

Another eight puppets appeared before them. However, judging from their patterns, they seemed less refined than the Blue-Haired Yellow-Eyed Puppet from before.

Sasori operated them all with Chakra threads from both hands, controlling a total of ten puppets as easily as his own limbs.

They charged toward Uchiha Yufeng once more.

With Water Chakra coating the Ronin Katana in Uchiha Yufeng's hands, nearly every strike carried powerful Chakra vibrations.

Crack!

One puppet's arm was cut off with a single slash.

The instant it was severed, poisonous needles rapidly shot from the break.

The pair of Ronin Katana in Uchiha Yufeng's hands formed an impenetrable defense, blocking every poisonous needle.

Hiss, hiss, hiss.

Switches on the puppets' backs opened, revealing holes as tube after tube emerged from within.

They blew poisonous mist at Uchiha Yufeng.

Uchiha Yufeng threw down his swords and brought his hands together.

"Wind Release, Great Breakthrough!"

He opened his mouth and blew out a gust of wind. As Chakra poured into it, the gust turned into a gale.

It directly blew away the poisonous mist.

"What a troublesome opponent!"

Sasori hid behind a large boulder, manipulating the puppets more cautiously as a trace of apprehension flashed through his eyes.

Do I have to use that?

Sasori thought of the modifications he had installed on the Third Kazekage puppet. Combined with the Sand Iron of the Magnet Release that his own "material" possessed...

He should be able to turn things around.

Suddenly, he sensed ninja approaching from nearby.

He immediately dismissed the thought.

He quickly recalled the Third Kazekage puppet, while the remaining nine puppets instantly activated their self-destruction.

Explosions rang out one after another, mixed with hidden weapons and poisonous mist, making it impossible for anyone to approach.

Taking the opportunity, Sasori cast a wary glance at Uchiha Yufeng, clutched his wound, and fled in a sorry state.

Not long afterward, Yuhi Shinku and three Jonin from the Yamanaka Clan arrived.

Yuhi Shinku looked at the mess around them and asked worriedly.

"Yufeng, what happened just now?"