Inside Ryūchi Cave.
As Obito kept the light dragon charging toward Madara at bay, two other light dragons roared ferociously, slamming into Hidan and Sasori with destructive force.
"Boom!"
Hidan, who had just reached the little girl, was sent flying once again.
"Crack!"
The sickening sound of bones shattering echoed in the cavern.
Hidan's body crumpled like a pile of broken debris, the light dragon slamming him into the ground. Over a hundred bones were conservatively broken, and most of his flesh had been corroded. Now, he resembled a grotesque mix of red and white pulp.
Meanwhile, Sasori, seeing the incoming light dragon, immediately retreated. He swiftly controlled his chakra strings, positioning the remaining puppets as a barrier in front of him.
"Boom!"
The light dragon plowed through the puppet army like a juggernaut, reducing dozens of intricate creations to fragments scattered across the ground. Unstoppable, it surged toward Sasori.
"Tch!"
The moment it reached him, the light dragon exploded, releasing a blinding flash of energy. The sheer force tore Sasori into countless fragments.
Satisfied with the destruction, Tagorihime and Ichikishimahime converged near the White Snake Sage. At the same time, the third light dragon charged toward Susanoo.
Madara, unflinching, kicked the writhing serpent head toward the incoming dragon.
"Damn it!"
Tagitsuhime could only watch in despair as her ally's attack became collateral damage. The serpent head exploded, splattering debris and gore everywhere.
Calmly, Susanoo raised its twin sixty-meter blades, effortlessly deflecting the light dragon to the side. Watching this, Obito couldn't help but comment.
"Madara-sama's ruthless… treating allies like sacrificial pawns."
After all, in a way, Tagitsuhime had fallen to the White Snake Sage's own maneuvering.
"You wretches have angered me beyond words!"
The White Snake Sage's voice, though seething with rage, grew unnervingly calm. She turned toward her two remaining subordinates.
Ichikishimahime seemed relatively unharmed, but Tagorihime had paid a steep price, burning her vitality and chakra in a fit of fury. She had sacrificed decades of cultivation, leaving behind irreversible injuries.
"You both have done well. Leave the rest to me," the White Snake Sage ordered.
Ichikishimahime hesitated. "Please be careful, White Snake Sage."
Tagorihime's face twisted with anger. "Make sure to kill every single one of these humans!"
The White Snake Sage nodded solemnly.
"Rest assured, they will pay dearly."
"I'll make sure they beg for death but find none."
Obito snickered at her words.
"Big talk for someone on their last legs."
As Ichikishimahime led Tagorihime to safety, an eerie stillness fell over Ryūchi Cave.
"Click, click."
A mechanical noise echoed, sharp and abrupt in the silence. From the rubble, a puppet—one that had been thrown aside by the light dragon's blast—slowly rose to its feet, its eyes gleaming with renewed life.
Sasori was alive.
Moments before, using his myriad puppets as sacrificial shields had bought him a fraction of a second. In that fleeting moment, he fired his regeneration core away, transferring his essence to safety. Amid the chaos of the light dragon's explosion, the small, dark cylinder had gone unnoticed.
Tagorihime, distracted and assuming Sasori's demise, missed her chance to finish him off. Despite his altered appearance, she immediately recognized Sasori.
"You dare to survive? I'll kill you for good this time!" she roared.
The White Snake Sage's expression darkened but remained composed. She turned to her subordinates and ordered, "Ichikishimahime, take Tagorihime and retreat. Do not get in the way."
"Understood, White Snake Sage."
Reluctantly, Ichikishimahime pulled the fuming Tagorihime toward a safer area.
Sasori, now glaring at his diminished puppet collection, couldn't hide his frustration. Over a hundred puppets had been reduced to just a handful. He retrieved a scroll from his arsenal, preparing to summon more reinforcements.
Before he could open it, Obito appeared beside him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.
"No need for your ultimate art just yet. Focus on that task instead."
Obito's tone was calm, but his words carried weight.
Sasori hesitated, then stowed the scroll away with a nod.
"Understood."
The "task" referred to was Sasori's role in countering the White Snake Sage's area-of-effect techniques, ensuring Obito could maintain his intangibility without interruption. Sasori's function as a support player was clear, while the team's roles were divided: Madara as the main fighter and DPS, Hidan as the mage and tank, and Obito… as a wildcard.
"Sasori," Obito said quietly. "You've seen Hidan's curse technique before, right?"
Sasori nodded. "Once."
"Good. I suspect our opponent might use a dangerous forbidden technique soon. Keep your distance with Hidan and see if you can… patch him up. If that's not possible, use your chakra strings to manipulate him and ensure he can activate his ritual when needed."
Obito glanced at the mangled Hidan, his confidence wavering slightly.
"If nothing else, you must be ready to intervene and disrupt the enemy's technique. Don't let it last longer than five minutes."
Sasori gave a curt nod. "Understood."
Gathering his remaining puppets and dragging Hidan's broken form, Sasori retreated.
The White Snake Sage watched, her expression cold.
"It's futile. Once you two are dead, the others will fall just the same."
Obito chuckled.
"The same could be said for you, White Snake Sage. Tell me, do you regret standing against me, a Uchiha, for a mere stranger?"
The White Snake Sage's gaze hardened. "To be honest, I do regret it… but your chakra will provide me with ample consolation."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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