[Congratulations, host, for mastering Lava Release.]
[Kekkei Genkai: Lava Release (Stage 1)]
[Current Kekkei Genkai possessed: Sharingan (Stage 10), Wood Release (Stage 8), Ice Release (Stage 1), Boil Release (Stage 1), Lava Release (Stage 1)]
[Current Kekkei Tōta mastered: Dust Release (Stage 1)]
Looking at the Kekkei Genkai and Kekkei Tōta he now possessed, Sasuke's mood was quite good.
It seemed that as long as he was willing, it wouldn't be long before he could become an all-powerful ninja.
A true god!
"The two of them are temporarily not in life-threatening danger, but their chakra has been completely drained, and they've fallen unconscious!"
Gaara looked at Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi, unable to understand why Sasuke had chosen to drain their chakra instead of simply knocking them out. Could it be that Sasuke gained something from absorbing their chakra?
But he didn't feel that Sasuke's chakra had grown significantly stronger.
What exactly was going on?
"Now it's your turn, Gaara!"
Suddenly, Sasuke's voice rang out. Gaara's eyes narrowed sharply as he controlled the sand to carry Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi to a distant location.
Turning around, a massive surge of sand rose up beside him.
Gaara stood up, his gaze fixed on Sasuke.
"Come on!"
"Uchiha Sasuke, I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."
"Now that I bear the title of Kazekage, I absolutely... will not lose to you."
Even though Gaara acknowledged that he might not match Sasuke in raw power, battles were never solely about that.
Combat tested so many things.
As long as the coordination was right, even Sasuke could be defeated.
Gaara glanced at Kankurō and Temari, who immediately understood his intention. To deal with Sasuke, the three of them had specifically devised a set of tactics.
And today, they finally had the chance to put them into action.
The two of them quickly spread out to the left and right, creating distance.
Sasuke paid no attention to Temari and Kankurō as they moved to the sides, his focus remaining entirely on Gaara.
Meanwhile, the Mizukage, Mei Terumī, swallowed nervously. "Kazekage, what are you planning?"
"I'll find a way to hold him off, Mizukage-sama. Later, you and your team just need to seize the opportunity to deliver a heavy blow to this guy!"
They didn't need to kill Sasuke; as long as they could severely injure him, the rest of the battle would become much easier.
Without waiting for Mei's response, Gaara suddenly surged forward.
In an instant, his hands formed a seal, and chakra erupted wildly.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The trembling ground began to stir up waves of sand, forming sharp sand spikes that rapidly surged toward Sasuke.
To Sasuke, these sand tendrils, which were not quite tendrils, seemed utterly powerless.
Even if he stood still, the power of Susanoo would easily block these attacks.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
As expected, the attacks couldn't even shake Sasuke.
They couldn't even leave a scratch on Susanoo.
Just as Sasuke was about to make his move, a fierce gust of wind swept in.
Crack!
It left a gash on Susanoo's face, though it quickly healed.
Sasuke turned his gaze toward Temari, where a strong wind-style chakra was gathering on her fan.
"Uchiha Sasuke... this time... we will wash away the shame you brought upon the Hidden Sand Village!"
Shame?
Sasuke frowned.
Creak! Creak!
A strange, grating sound echoed.
It came from underground. Sasuke suddenly looked down.
The next moment—crash!
Two puppets appeared right in front of Sasuke, having emerged from beneath the ground.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly.
The two puppets were part of Chiyo's Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu.
Sasuke frowned.
He raised his left arm, and earth-style chakra covered his entire body.
Now enhanced to its limit, the earth-style chakra transformation provided an incredible defense, even without forming a specific jutsu.
The defense it offered was not something an ordinary ninja could break through, let alone the attacks of puppets, which carried no chakra.
Clang! Clang!
The puppets' weapons scraped against Sasuke's arm, sending sparks flying.
For a moment, Kankurō was stunned.
'This guy's body... is it made of iron?'
At this moment, Mei Terumī gasped. "Such terrifying earth-style chakra transformation! Just by covering his body with chakra, he can achieve such an insane level of defense?"
But what came next was even more astonishing. From Sasuke's left fingertips, several strands of chakra threads shot out, attaching themselves to the two puppets.
Although the puppets were already under control, and Sasuke couldn't seize control of them, interference was easy.
The next attack, which was meant to force Sasuke out of Susanoo's protection, was halted as the chakra threads disrupted the puppets' movements.
Their actions became jerky and uncoordinated, and with two casual kicks, Sasuke sent the puppets flying.
At the same time, the puppets exploded and disintegrated mid-air.
Sasuke's strength was not something the puppets could withstand.
Kankurō stared at Sasuke in shock. This method of using chakra threads to interfere with puppets was something only a high-level puppeteer could do against a lower-level one.
At the same level, such interference was impossible.
Yet Sasuke had done it.
This meant... this guy's puppetry skills were even stronger than his own?
The thought left Kankurō utterly bewildered.
How... is this possible?
At that moment, sand wrapped around Sasuke's feet.
Sasuke was momentarily stunned.
The next second, the sand grabbed Sasuke and flung him out of Susanoo.
"Temari!"
Gaara roared.
Temari, who had been waiting for this moment, swung her giant iron fan.
Countless sharp wind blades instantly swirled around Sasuke.
With earth-style chakra covering his body, the wind blades could only cut through Sasuke's clothes, unable to harm his body.
But at this moment, Mei Terumī's eyes gleamed.
Sasuke, suppressed by the wind-style jutsu, was now the perfect target for her attack.
"Lava Release: Dissolving Jutsu!"
Suddenly, a massive wave of corrosive lava formed into a giant hand, reaching out to grab Sasuke in mid-air.
In the next moment, Sasuke was engulfed by the lava.
Even if he activated Susanoo now, the terrifying corrosive power of the lava would render it useless.
At the same time, veins bulged on Gaara's forehead.
Countless grains of sand surged into the sky, wrapping around the lava.
In the next moment, countless iron sand particles floated up, forming sharp iron spikes that thrust toward the center.
'Lord Sasuke...'
Haku watched as Sasuke was instantly overwhelmed by the combined attacks of the group. He wanted to intervene, but it seemed too late.
Boom!!!
A deafening explosion rang out.
Gaara let out a light sigh. 'This time... even you... won't come out unscathed, Sasuke...'
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