"Little girl, get back!"
Granny Chiyo shielded Sakura behind her, her expression utterly grave.
This was a puppet army capable of conquering a small country.
Sakura gritted her teeth, the chakra glow around her fists flickering. She knew this was no longer a situation they could handle.
"Hahahaha! Let your flesh and blood offer the final tribute to my art!"
Sasori spread his arms, his expression crazed.
The next instant, a hundred puppets moved at once!
Countless poisoned blades, dense volleys of senbon, and firing mechanisms swept in from every direction, forming a net of death without a single gap.
"We're done for..."
Temari went pale and instinctively clutched the hem of Goten's clothes.
Naruto's face was grim as well, his body already unconsciously settling into a defensive stance.
Kakashi, Might Guy, and the others were even preparing to fight to the death.
At this critical moment, a lazy sigh rang out.
"Ah, women fighting might be nice to watch, but they sure take their time."
Son Goten took a step forward.
A very casual step.
It placed him right in front of Sakura and Granny Chiyo.
His back was not particularly broad, yet at that moment, it was like an insurmountable mountain, keeping every murderous threat outside.
Sakura stared blankly at his back, her heart skipping a beat.
Temari's clenched fists unconsciously relaxed as well.
"Oh?"
Sasori's movements paused, and the scarlet puppet army stopped with him.
He studied the black-haired man who had finally deigned to act with interest.
"Finally done watching?"
"Let me see what qualifies you to take my core!"
Sasori suddenly exerted force through all ten fingers, pulling the chakra threads taut to their limit.
"Die!"
Performance of a Hundred Puppets activated again!
An attack even more violent than before came sweeping down from every