Hatake Sakumo's senses were heightened to the extreme, and his eyes swept through every Rock gap and every shadow area, searching for Third Kazekage's hidden aura.
However, Third Kazekage seems to have blended into the terrain shaped by his abilities, leaving no trace and extremely cunning.
Just when Sakumo was on alert, preparing to expand the search range, or simply use himself as Decoy to lure the snake out of the hole.
An unusually calm young voice sounded from behind him without warning:
"Konoha's White Fang... found you."
Not Third Kazekage.
Sakumo felt a chill in his heart, and his body reacted instinctively.
Instead of rashly turning around and exposing his back to possible attack directions, he exerted force with his feet and slid forward a few meters to the side like a ghost. At the same time, he half-turned around, with the short sword already lying in front of him, forming a perfect offensive and defensive stance.
His eyes were precisely locked on the source of the sound.
There, stood a red-haired young man with a slightly thin figure and a delicate but lifeless face.
He was wearing dark, strange-style clothing, which looked like Puppet Master's clothing, but was different.
The most eye-catching thing is his red hair and his empty, emotionless eyes.
Sasori of the Red Sands.
Sakumo recognized the other party.
Although the other party's current appearance is much younger than that described in the intelligence, his appearance matches the intelligence and is enough to confirm his identity. More importantly, the intelligence shows that Scorpion now seems to belong to the Konoha side?
Sakumo breathed a sigh of relief, it turned out to be a teammate.
"Although now, I can be regarded as one of Konoha's 'own'..."
Xie's tone was calm, as if he was stating a fact that had nothing to do with him, but his eyes were firmly locked on Sakumo, and there seemed to be a trace of very faint emotions flowing in them that had been suppressed for a long time.
"But..."
Scorpio slowly raised a hand.
"I still want to fight you."
As he spoke, he took off a simple Scroll from his waist with his other hand, shook it gently, and unfolded it.
Scroll is densely covered with complex Sealing Formula.
"Solution!"
With the injection of Chakra, the seal is lifted.
A burst of smoke exploded.
The smoke dissipated, and a humanoid figure, Puppet, appeared in front of Xie.
The face of Puppet is no stranger to Sakumo. It is the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure that he was looking for just now.
However, at this moment, Kazekage has dull eyes and a stiff expression. His whole body has been modified to suit the control of Puppet, and he has become a Human Puppet that retains the abilities of Kekkei Genkai.
White Fang looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar Third Kazekage Human Puppet in front of him, and then looked at the almost terrifyingly calm face of the red-haired young man behind him. In his mind, a distant figure with the same bright red hair appeared involuntarily.
That is the son of Puppet Master, the genius of Sunagakure, Chiyo.
A dusty past, with the appearance of Scorpion and the words "I want to have a fight with you", quietly came to mind.
It was a Encounter Battle that took place during Second Shinobi World War. It was fierce and cruel, and both sides paid the price...
Sakumo's eyes fluctuated slightly, and then he regained his composure.
He shook his head, his voice calm and firm:
"I don't think I have a reason to fight you now, Scorpion."
His eyes swept over other parts of the battlefield, where there was a faint sound of fierce Chakra collision. It was his son Kakashi, Might Guy and others who were fighting hard.
"The top priority now is to deal with the enemy's effective forces and then support my comrades.
Instead of engaging in unnecessary internal fighting with people in your own camp."
Sakumo's tone carries an unquestionable sense of priority.
However, Scorpio seemed untouched by Sakumo's rejection.
His eyes were still staring at Sakumo without blinking, and his voice came over calmly but clearly:
"The reason is simple."
He paused, as if confirming a fact that had already been engraved in his soul:
"You killed my Parents."
There was no fierce accusation, no angry roar, just a calm statement, but it was heavier than any emotional accusation.
"This is why I challenge you."
After the words fell, Xie's hands suddenly opened, and his fingers moved like the most dexterous instrumentalist.
Countless nearly invisible Chakra Threads flew out from his fingertips like spider webs, accurately connecting to each joint and energy core of Third Kazekage Human Puppet in front of him.
"Former Land of Wind Sunagakure Jonin, now Land of Fire Konohagakure Elite Jonin?"
Scorpion seemed to be a little unaccustomed to his new title, but he quickly ignored this detail, nodded slightly, and performed a standard etiquette with Puppet Master characteristics:
"Sasori of the Red Sands, please enlighten me."
His posture and tone seemed to be engaging in a serious competition involving skills and glory, rather than a life-and-death vendetta.
But deep in those eyes, the complex emotions intertwined with the suppressed blood feud about Parents and the dedication to Eternity's art made this etiquette seem particularly cold and dangerous.
Sakumo looked at the young man in front of him who regarded blood feud and battle as some kind of art or ritual, and was silent for a few seconds.
He could feel that this battle was unavoidable.
Scorpio's obsession will not be given up just because they are in the same camp or the overall situation.
Finally, Hatake Sakumo sighed slowly and deeply.
In this sigh, there is helplessness, heaviness about the past, and perhaps a hint of emotion about fate.
But his hand holding the knife was more stable.
He said no more, but slightly raised the White Fang short knife in his hand. The blade reflected the dim light in Canyon, emitting a biting cold light.
He also bowed slightly and his voice was steady and powerful:
"Land of Fire Konohagakure, Elite Jonin..."
He paused slightly, as if the title Shinobi World that once resounded had been dusted by the past.
"Hatake Sakumo."
He raised his head, his eyes as sharp as knives, and locked onto Scorpion and the Third Kazekage Human Puppet that exuded a dangerous aura.
"Please enlighten me."
In Canyon, the wind and sand seemed to be stagnant.
On the other side, is the famous Shinobi World Konoha's White Fang"
, Swordsmanship is a psychic, but his heart carries the scars of the collapse of faith and the heavy past.
On the other side, there is Legendary Sunagakure Rogue Ninja, now Konoha's "colleague", Sasori of the Red Sands, who controls the ultimate Human Puppet made with the body of Third Kazekage. Under the calm appearance, there is an obsession entangled with blood feud and artistic pursuit.
Xie arrived here early and solved Third Kazekage again.
It's not that Third Kazekage's strength is too weak, but that Scorpion has a way to restrain Third Kazekage Magnet Release Iron Sand.
In order to make Human Puppet before Xion defected, it was impossible to use poison to destroy the fine material of Kazekage's body, so he planned for a long time with Third Kazekage as his imaginary enemy before killing Third Kazekage.
Now it's Hatake Sakumo's turn.