Blind spots and breakthroughs

Sasori summoned the Human Puppet of the Third Kazekage. Standing behind it, with chakra threads from all ten fingers attached to its joints, he lowered his center of gravity slightly and took up his puppeteering stance!

Sasuke watched the puppet in front of Sasori closely with his Sharingan and made a startling discovery. Chakra is actually flowing inside that puppet. Could it be...

Pride colored Sasori's soft, delicate voice. "The Human Puppet made from the Third Kazekage is the most satisfying piece in my collection to date. Don't worry, Sasuke Uchiha. Once I kill you, I'll make you part of my collection too. Add Orochimaru, and that will bring me to exactly three hundred!"

Sasuke said gravely, "I'm afraid I can't let you have your way!"

"Heh, let the show begin!"

Red Sand Scorpion tugged his chakra threads and formed a seal before his chest!

Click!

The mechanism in the Third Kazekage's mouth opened.

With a rustling hiss, the talisman inside released a wave of iron sand into the air!

With his extensive knowledge, Sasuke understood at a glance. Iron sand Magnet Release! I see. So a Human Puppet can use the kekkei genkai it possessed in life...

Magnet Release: Iron Sand Shower!

Hiss, hiss, hiss...!

The wave of iron sand in the air instantly formed countless fine needles that shot toward Sasuke!

Against iron sand attacks charged with powerful magnetism, Sasuke could not block with his Kusanagi Sword as he had against Needle Eight Waves!

He put away the Kusanagi Sword and pulled the white cloak from his back in front of him. After forming a two-finger seal, he spun the cloak rapidly with his arm!

Wind Release: Whirling Cloak Technique!

Whoosh! As the cloak spun, wind chakra generated a powerful suction current that swept every incoming needle inside!

Sasuke advanced through the Iron Sand Drizzle, using the Whirling Cloak Technique to clear a path!

"You really do find all sorts of clever ways to use ninjutsu..."

Seeing this, Sasori sharply increased the rate at which he fired the iron sand needles. Sasuke spun his cloak faster as well. The powerful white cyclone even formed a vortex in front of the cloak, drawing in still more iron sand!

But that was already his limit.

The more iron sand the cloak takes in, the heavier it gets. I have to counterattack now!

How could defensive Wind Release become a powerful attack? All it needed was a little fire!

Fire Release: Gale Dance!

Boom! Red lotus flames suddenly erupted along the path of the spreading airflow.

Sasori marveled, "Now I've truly seen everything..."

Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wall!

Boom!

A mass of iron sand formed a solid wall before the Third Kazekage, perfectly blocking the fierce assault of wind and fire!

Knowing the properties of iron sand Magnet Release well, Sasuke pulled off his iron-sand-filled white cloak and threw it straight into the rushing river beneath the Tenchi Bridge!

Meanwhile, the Iron Sand Wall dispersed and reassembled into a terrifying Iron Sand Triangular Pyramid, poised to strike!

Sasuke's gaze sharpened!

He knew that was a genuine killing weapon, no longer something he could defend against by ordinary means.

"It's time to get serious..."

Bzzzt!

The three tomoe in his eyes spun, transforming into brilliant six-pointed stars!

Red Sand Scorpion's expression grew solemn. "Those eyes are quite a surprise. You actually have the same Mangekyō Sharingan as Itachi. And that Wood Release from earlier—did Orochimaru implant Hashirama Cells in you?"

"Fine... It seems treating you like a mere brat will only humiliate me!"

Sasori swept all ten fingers sharply!

Magnet Release: Iron Sand Triangular Pyramid!

Boom! Guided by magnetism, the attack was futile to dodge, and Sasuke had no intention of dodging it!

Boom! Susanoo's skeletal frame rose around him and took the triangular pyramid's impact head-on!

Red Sand Scorpion said, "That ability—is it 'Susanoo'? So it isn't exclusive to Itachi..."

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Under Sasori's control, the Iron Sand Triangular Pyramid changed position and angle, hammering Susanoo's skeletal frame over and over. Cracks continued to appear in the bones, but they never collapsed!

"..." Within Susanoo, Sasuke's eyes shifted, gleaming. When the triangular pyramid shot toward him again, Susanoo met it with a skeletal fist!

Boom...!!!

In that head-on clash, Susanoo's fist ultimately proved stronger!

The triangular pyramid scattered into loose iron sand!

Red Sand Scorpion's gaze darkened. Much as I hate to admit it, iron sand alone can't break through Susanoo's defenses. But if his Susanoo is the same as Itachi's, then the area beneath his feet should be its weakness, right?

Click!

The loose iron sand gathered again, this time forming an Iron Sand Cylinder!

It sacrificed piercing power for greater impact!

Boom...!

The Iron Sand Cylinder came crashing down!

Sasuke's gaze tightened. Its target isn't Susanoo. Did he miss, or...

Boom!

The Iron Sand Cylinder slammed into the bridge deck. The Tenchi Bridge shook violently, its deck caving in at the point of impact!

Sasori brought the cylinder down again. The already battered Tenchi Bridge could no longer withstand it and broke apart at the middle with a thunderous crash!

Sasuke and Sasori both landed on the water!

Splash...!

The Iron Sand Cylinder rose from underwater, dispersed into loose sand, and gathered again above the Third Kazekage's head. Then, as Sasori formed hand seals, it returned to the highly penetrative triangular pyramid shape!

More terrifying still, the triangular pyramid had been given tremendous rotational force, making its piercing power even greater.

"..." Sasuke watched silently as a great sword took shape in Susanoo's hand.

At this point, it was kill or be killed. Words were long past necessary!

Sasori struck first!

Magnet Release: Iron Sand Spinning Top!

Boom...!

Sasuke's Susanoo thrust its sword forward to meet it!

At that very instant, a barely perceptible smile appeared at the corner of Red Sand Scorpion's mouth!

Scrape!

Separated iron sand rose from the water beneath Sasuke's feet and bound his ankles. As Sasori pulled his arm back, Sasuke was dragged bodily out of Susanoo!

"Now!!!"

At the same time, the Iron Sand Spinning Top, just about to collide with Susanoo's sword as it swung on its momentum, suddenly changed angle and shot straight toward Sasuke!

"No... Sasuke!!!"

Seeing Sasuke in danger, Kabuto Yakushi immediately moved to rescue him with Blade Reversal, but Orochimaru pressed a hand to his shoulder in time!

"Don't worry. Sasuke's combat experience is beyond anything you can imagine..."

At the very moment Sasuke was pulled out, Susanoo's other hand suddenly reached out and caught him from outside!

At the same time, Susanoo redirected its sword and smashed the Iron Sand Spinning Top apart with a clang!

"He actually... saw through it?"

Red Sand Scorpion's gaze darkened.

Yes, he had deliberately destroyed the bridge to move the battlefield onto the water. But the cylinder's volume had changed subtly before and after it fell into the river, and that had not escaped Sasuke's Sharingan. Drawing his attention from the front with the Iron Sand Spinning Top while attacking beneath Susanoo with the separated iron sand seemed like a flawless killing move, yet Sasuke had countered it with his exceptional combat instincts!

Rustle, rustle, rustle...!

Susanoo enclosed Sasuke within its protection again.

Orochimaru's gaze was grave. "Regardless of experience, Sasori has so many puppet mechanisms that it's impossible to guard against them all..."

Sasori's lips curled upward. "But the next one is the real killing move..."

Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wings!

Iron sand formed wings behind the Third Kazekage. Sasori's ten fingers danced, and the Third Kazekage shot forward just above the water, extending his left palm from a distance. Thousands of mechanical arms poured from the talisman on his left arm, surging forward like a crushing torrent!

Sasuke frowned. Susanoo swung its great sword, severing the approaching arms, but there were far too many to block them all. Those that broke through tangled around Susanoo's skeletal frame!

Sasori revealed his true intent. "Susanoo isn't airtight, so you can't defend against this puppet mechanism!"

Whoosh!

The mechanical hands wrapped around Susanoo sprayed clouds of deadly poison!

The poisonous mist seeped through the gaps in the skeletal frame.

Though Sasuke held his breath immediately, he still inevitably inhaled a mouthful!

Crack!

After tearing free of the arms with brute force, Susanoo swung its great sword and dispersed the poisonous mist with the wind from its blade.

But the poison took effect immediately, bringing severe pain and paralysis of his central nervous system.

Sasuke crouched on the water, beginning to lose his hold on Susanoo!

His puppet mechanisms are impossible to guard against. So he got me after all...

The two men watching the battle looked on.

Kabuto Yakushi said, "Sasori's poison is no trifling matter. Sasuke-kun may be in serious danger!"

Orochimaru said, "Hashirama Senju's constitution naturally possesses resistance to toxins. But at Sasuke's current stage of transformation into Hashirama Senju, he can't become immune to poison. So, in this desperate situation, accelerating his absorption of the White Cursed Seal is his only way to survive!"

On the water, Red Sand Scorpion announced coldly, "It hurts so much you can barely stand, doesn't it? Don't worry. Your life is already counting down. Even if I do nothing, you'll die from the poison in six hours. But I won't let you die that easily!"

Above the Third Kazekage's head in front of Sasori, iron sand gathered again, forming fine needles that shot forward!

Magnet Release: Iron Sand Shower!

Sasuke clenched his teeth and dragged his half-paralyzed body through a series of desperate, ungainly dodges. Using his Sharingan, which had reverted to three tomoe, he avoided hits to his vital points as best he could!

Crack, crack...! Drip, drip...!

Wounds kept opening across his body, and his blood stained the water beneath his feet!

As though admiring an insect on the brink of death, Sasori said mockingly, "You really are stubborn..."

Sasori did not notice the barely visible white cursed markings on Sasuke's fair skin rapidly fading. They were not disappearing—they were being absorbed!

As the White Cursed Seal on his skin was absorbed, fresh markings were unsealed and released from the White Cursed Seal at the back of his neck...

As his transformation into Hashirama Senju accelerated, Sasuke gradually felt the effects of the poison fading!

Sasori said gravely, "If I remember correctly, your goal is to take revenge on Uchiha Itachi, isn't it? You must hate the thought of dying at my hands. But this is reality. Bow to your fate!"

He raised his hands and formed a merciless seal!

Magnet Release: Iron Sand World Method!

Sasuke slowly raised his lowered gaze. Bzzzt! His Mangekyō Sharingan appeared once more!

"No... it isn't revenge. And I certainly won't bow to fate!"

There was no youthful fervor in his murmured words, only the weight of a lifetime of hardship!

Clap! Sasuke slammed his hands together before his chest!

Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!