"Are you prepared to die, kid?" Chiyo gazed icily at Takeshi, who rose from the debris.
Her five puppets armed themselves once more, fixing their sights on him with a faint tension.
"This young man isn't to be underestimated, elder sister," Ebizō remarked with narrowed eyes.
"Hmph, true. Tell me, young one, didn't you have an opportunity to escape earlier?" Chiyo regarded Takeshi, her tone playful.
"So, did the thought cross your mind to save your companions by sacrificing yourself? It must not feel pleasant to be abandoned, isn't that so? Are you truly that noble? You must be regretting it now!"Takeshi paused briefly, his gaze shifting to Chiyo, who seemed ready to flee.
He shook his head.
"Just as you've said, I had a chance to flee, but I opted to take on the renowned Sand Ninja Chiyo and perhaps His Excellency Ebizō before leaving.
""You, you, you!!" Chiyo stuttered in response, finding no suitable words.
She hadn't anticipated Takeshi's reply.
Was it confusion, a mishearing, or was he attempting to bolster his own morale?This young man indeed possessed the credentials for arrogance.
By appearance alone, he seemed younger than average Jōnin, yet his strength exceeded that of most.
But his arrogance appeared to overshadow his talents!Takeshi sighed.
First and foremost, he couldn't abandon Tsushima and the other team for this mission.
He had survived the entirety of the substitute Anbu's "mission" once before.
This time, he couldn't afford to escape with his team only. Yet that wasn't the primary motive.
"Perhaps, a ninja can prolong their life by avoiding and enduring in the face of powerful adversaries.
However, one can never reach the pinnacle without the courage to challenge those who are stronger!"Unflinchingly, Takeshi met Chiyo and Ebizō's gazes, even unleashing his aura against the pressure of these two quasi-Kages!
Given that there were no Konoha representatives present, the Konoha wouldn't have immediate knowledge of his capabilities.
Now was the time to fight with all his might!".
Eliminate him!" Chiyo's surprise was palpable.
Was the next generation truly so formidable? It seemed imperative to thwart him at the outset.
The five puppets once again lunged at Takeshi.
Simultaneously, Ebizō activated a mechanism, prompting the lizard puppets to discharge numerous bamboo-like projectiles.
Upon nearing Takeshi, these projectiles erupted in a cacophony, releasing a noxious cloud of steel needles and substantial smoke, completely enveloping him.
"Secret Sword : Wind Barrier!" Takeshi's Kusanagi sword crackled with a fierce blue chakra, employing natural energy to manipulate the surrounding winds.
He twirled his sword wildly, the swirling edge tracing a complete circle as the wind howled, creating a resilient defense.
"Puff, puff—!"The poisonous needles effortlessly rebounded off the wind barrier, while the poisonous smoke dissipated swiftly.
Takeshi's irises turned pale.
This technique emulated Hyuga Kazuki's defensive ninjutsu.
Although he wasn't adept in hand seals or chakra manipulation, he blended this technique with his swordplay, utilizing Wind Release to repel low-intensity concentrated assaults.
Though it didn't match Hyuga Kazuki's defensive prowess, it didn't require seals and boasted flexibility.
"Boom!"As the hidden weapons were deflected, the five white-robed puppets effortlessly shattered Takeshi's wind barrier, their weapons penetrating his body unrelentingly.
Dust filled the air, smoke cleared.
The puppets withdrew their weapons from the blurry mass, momentarily bewildered.
"Cough, cough..!"Takeshi concealed himself behind a boulder, coughing up blood.
He observed the five puppets with a tinge of trepidation.
He clearly wasn't her opponent.
Takeshi's flesh wriggled, the two wounds promptly healing.
A slower reaction could have been fatal.
Had he overplayed his hand? Prolonging the fight seemed infeasible.
It was unwise to remain, inviting further torment.
"This young man possesses various means." Even Chiyo acknowledged Takeshi's display.
The sentiment harbored respect, albeit grudging.
"Is it over?" Ebizō directed the lizard puppet to launch a massive auger.
Its formidable force shattered the colossal rock to fragments, toppling Takeshi with the debris.
"Why, is this the extent of your capabilities? What emboldened you to challenge me?" Chiyo, who had grown increasingly confident, hurled her scorn.
"Little brother, let us dispatch this young man with the final blow.
Our forces continue to battle Konoha!""Agreed, sister." Ebizō nodded, lizard puppet poised.
"Then, come!" Takeshi managed a smile, his Kusanagi sword gleaming maliciously.
With unwavering resolve, he charged headlong toward the duo. "White Secret Technique: The Chikamatsu Collection of Five Puppets Combination!" Chiyo exercised her mastery over the puppets, casting an ethereal glow upon her five creations.
Their motions synced seamlessly, their collective strength and speed heightened.
"Kenjutsu : Phantom Sword!" Takeshi abandoned all restraint. His Kusanagi sword and body radiated a fervent blue chakra, mental fortitude unyielding.
He even consumed a concoction he'd concocted moments before to enhance his stamina.
"Pfft—!" Blood spattered.
Takeshi, who'd unleashed his full might, remained formidable, yet Chiyo's prowess surpassed his.
His body bore numerous scars as the five puppets synchronized their movements.
In combat against ninjas more powerful than him, his arsenal faltered.
Techniques such as the Shadow Snake Hands or extinguishing fire proved futile.
Not that they were subpar, but they'd only serve as fleeting attempts amidst his adversaries' dominance.
Combatting puppet masters often nullified time for hand seals . Takeshi's cells struggled against Chiyo's toxins, consuming his energy as they did so.
His heightened immunity to both physical assaults and toxins allowed him to endure what others could not.
"Sage Art : Chidori!" In a serpentine motion defying human anatomy, Takeshi's body bent.
A swooping arc grazed his cheek, leaving a wisp of raven-black hair in its wake.
With the Chidori technique, augmented by Senjutsu Chakra, speed surged.
No charge was required, and the lightning, tinged faintly with violet, struck one of the bull-headed puppets.
However, radiance pulsed, and a blanket of white light enveloped all five puppets simultaneously.
They coalesced into a singular entity, unyielding against Takeshi's ambush!"What?!"Takeshi recoiled, only to be struck by another puppet, blood spurting forth from his chest.
Hastily, he retreated.
"Escape is futile."A colossal shadow lingered, seemingly lying in wait for an eternity.
Yet, Ebizō remained inert, until the very instant he struck—a lethal blow delivered without preamble.
The immense drill bore into Takeshi with unwavering force, jutting fiercely from his chest.
Blood flowed copiously, an inescapable fate.
"Your rapid recovery and your suppression of my sister's toxins have prolonged your survival.
However, your dismemberment is inevitable.
"Ebizō's finger depressed a button, initiating the iron chain's brutal pull.
The drill's trajectory dragged Takeshi toward the cavernous maw of the lizard puppet, bristling with razor-sharp teeth.
This was the same as the fate of the last Anbu, the puppet's mouth still tainted with blood.
"Damn it!"Takeshi's distress was palpable.
Despite being punctured, his mobility remained intact.
Yet, dismemberment loomed as an ominous prospect. In a swift maneuver, Takeshi twisted his body, his Kusanagi sword agleam.
The chain snapped under the sword's cold light.
"What?!"Chiyo and Eirazo faltered. Could he truly resist? Was this really a normal ninja?Ebizō's demeanor soured, the lizard puppet's forelimbs surging forth with a keen scimitar, sundering Takeshi.
"Hmph--!"The drill quivered as Takeshi's upper and lower halves were propelled by its force, crashing to the ground almost simultaneously.
Yet, this time, blood loss was minimal.
"Finally, dead. "Chiyo and Ebizō's words had scarcely left their lips when an unsettling event unfolded.
Countless white serpents wriggled from Takeshi's severed halves, intertwining and weaving midair, forcefully connecting his body. Takeshi stumbled but regained his footing, both hands wringing his form.
Retreating to a safer distance, he fixed a frigid gaze upon the duo.
His extraordinary capabilities lay bare before them.
"I narrowly escaped death. "Takeshi's laughter rang out, but Chiyo and Eirazo were struck dumb, their voices stolen.
"What manner of beast is this?"