Puppet Master's Nemesis

For a time, the Konoha Ninja still on the battlefield sighed dejectedly. Some even began cursing under their breath.

"Those parasites who only know how to protect themselves actually sent someone like this to die in their place?"

"Idiot, this guy must have offended the higher-ups somewhere. Otherwise, why would they send him to the battlefield? Their leader is the renowned Chiyo!"

"Shut up! How could you possibly understand the Third Hokage's orders? Trust the higher-ups' decision and obey orders to hold this position—that is what it means to be a ninja!"

Mimura Hamaki, the Konoha frontline commander assigned to guard this area, shouted loudly. Yet his gaze remained fixed on the figure dressed in a Black Cloak and wearing a Three-Eyed Demon Fox Mask.

No matter what kind of person he is, he has to withstand their attack. If this keeps up, the frontline's morale will be completely crushed.

Without warning, the situation changed drastically. Countless poisoned needles and clouds of toxic smoke attacked from every direction. The two chunin turned pale in terror, their bodies frozen by the horrifying killing intent, unable to move.

Their vision blurred. When they opened their eyes again, they found themselves in the forest.

"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation."

Flames surged forward like a tidal wave, melting the sand and dust into liquid. The roaring sea of fire danced with the morning sun, dyeing the horizon crimson.

The Konoha Ninja hiding in the shadows stared in stunned silence, shocked by that terrifying Chakra and Fire Release.

"S-So powerful... An area-of-effect Fire Release ninjutsu on this scale is beyond what even ordinary jonin can manage. Who is that short guy?"

"Is he an Anbu member? He doesn't seem like one of the village's jonin. His face is covered by that mask, so we can't see anything."

As the smoke, dust, and scorching heat dissipated, countless glittering crystals refracted the sunlight. The terrifying temperature had melted the sand and dust into fragments of glass.

The Sand Ninja concealed beneath the sand, taking advantage of the terrain, revealed themselves. Their indifferent gazes swept over the surroundings as they murmured in low voices.

"Only a little over a hundred? Other than Chiyo, who is keeping the Yellow Flash occupied, there's no one worth noting. So these are the Sand Ninja, their talent pool so depleted that they had no choice but to develop Puppet Technique for war."

"Damn it, even my puppets were... Who exactly is that short guy, to use such a wide-range Fire Release ninjutsu?!"

Among the Sand Ninja, one ninja with the left side of his face covered in white cloth had veins bulging across his forehead, clearly consumed by rage.

"Baki, stand down. He isn't an opponent you can handle. Even I have only seen Fire Release of this level a few times."

"Advisor Chiyo, he's someone we've never encountered before. Please be careful!"

The hundred-plus Sand Ninja did not take a single step forward. Instead, they silently retreated and yielded the battlefield to their true commander.

From among the Sand Ninja, an elderly woman with purple hair and black eyes slowly stepped forward, dressed in the Land of Wind's distinctive black robes. Kunai floated in the air, their tails controlled by nearly transparent Chakra threads.

"An unfamiliar face. Are you a child, or an adult? Unfortunately, this is a battlefield. Even a kunai thrown by a child can be fatal. Here I come—Manipulated Attacking Blades!"

More than ten kunai shot toward him, only to be blasted away by a cold snort. The nearly tangible Chakra caused Chiyo's somewhat aged face to grow solemn once more.

"What astonishing Chakra. Boy, state your name."

"Uchiha Huayue. Please go easy on me..."

Before his words had even faded, his voice echoed quietly beside Chiyo's ear. Her pupils shrank to pinpoints, and when she turned her head slightly, she saw a black kunai—and a figure that had appeared in an instant.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In that brief instant, the two had exchanged more than a dozen moves in taijutsu. Their dazzling hand-to-hand combat drew cries of astonishment.

"The Flying Thunder God—it's the Yellow Flash's Flying Thunder God Technique! That short guy can use Flying Thunder God too?"

"Great! If he knows the Flying Thunder God Technique, he can at least hold them off for a while until Lord Minato comes to support us..."

Amid a series of impacts, the figure flashed back to his original position. His clear, youthful voice made Chiyo pause in surprise.

"Looks like you won't be easily dealt with. Those people are truly an eyesore. At such an advanced age, you still dare to come to the battlefield and fight for your lives. It's genuinely admirable."

"It can't be helped... Among the younger generation, those who could be considered geniuses have either disappeared or died. Even the Third Kazekage, hailed as the strongest Kazekage, has vanished without a trace, triggering this war that has swept across several nations."

"That is enough chatting with a youngster. Next, this will no longer be a mere test. A genius brat of the Uchiha Clan, are you? Someone like you is qualified to witness this move."

Chiyo's tone changed as she withdrew a purple-black secret scroll from her sleeve and removed its seal.

"White Secret Technique: Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets."

As the white mist dispersed, ten puppets dressed in white and varied in appearance emerged. The Sand Ninja immediately erupted into cheers.

"The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets! The Puppet Master Ancestor Monzaemon's ten greatest creations! I never thought Advisor Chiyo would bring those out. Isn't this making too much of it?"

"Don't say something so stupid. He's someone who can use the Flying Thunder God. Short or not, he's an enemy we cannot underestimate."

Baki's expression turned livid. That was precisely why Advisor Chiyo had brought out the Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets, which she had not used for a long time, to deal with this unknown opponent.

"The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets? A Puppet Technique that wins through numbers? Perfect. I happen to have a rather useful technique too, and I was looking for a place to test their strength. Here I come."

"Summoning Technique: Nine-Faced Soha!"

Before everyone's eyes, streaks of spell light appeared—Ao, Vermilion, White, Black, Sora, South, North, Three, Jade...

One by one, numerous Summoning Beasts slowly emerged from the floating spell formations. Each of their faces was concealed by a Three-Eyed Demon Fox Mask. Their strange Chakra and unique forms instantly silenced the cheering Sand Ninja.

"What... are those?"

Mimura Hamaki stood frozen in place. The Konoha Ninja who had retreated to the edge of the battlefield had never even heard of such a bizarre ninjutsu, much less seen it.

"Puppet Technique? That hand seal just now was a Summoning Jutsu. Are those strange Summoning Beasts he has contracted with?"

On the battlefield, Chiyo faced the Nine Masked Beasts standing before Huayue and clearly sensed their differing sources of Chakra. Threads of Chakra attached themselves to the Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets.

"Their Chakra carries something strange and ominous. You truly are no ordinary brat. Then I can only use these old things that should have been hanging on a high platform gathering dust."

Clap, clap, clap...

Clear, ringing applause echoed across the battlefield, accompanied by undisguised praise.

"A Puppet Master's talent is determined by the number of puppets they can control. Controlling ten special puppets at once—worthy of Sand Ninja's Kazekage Advisor, Chiyo."

"However, Nine-Faced Soha is the nemesis of Puppet Masters like you. Care to try it?"