Naruto: The Ninja World's Life Buyer

Chapter 228 Sasori of the Red Sand, The Art of Being Crushed

The Land of Wind, Sunagakure Village.

Sandstorms raged.

The Third Kazekage sat in his office, his face grim.

The battle reports from the front lines are on the table.

Ceramic knife.

That non-magnetic, extremely hard, fragile yet lethal disposable weapon became the nightmare of Sunagakure. His Magnet Release lost its myth of absolute defense in the face of this new weapon.

"The casualty figures have risen again."

Grandma Chiyo sat to one side, her voice weary.

"Ceramic swords are expensive to make, but Konoha has the support of the Takaya Trading Company—we can't outlast Konoha."

Sunagakure Village is resource-poor.

It's that name again.

A hint of killing intent flashed in the Third Kazekage's eyes.

From the start of the war until now, the Takaya Trading Company has been like a ghost, appearing in every piece of intelligence that gives him a headache.

"Then let's destroy that ceramics factory first."

Feng Ying's eyes were resolute.

"Without these ceramic pieces, the magnetic escape technique can immediately turn the tide."

"We had considered this plan before, but the factory is heavily guarded, and it would be difficult for ordinary ninjas to infiltrate it."

Granny Chiyo rejected the idea. She had considered this approach before, but the Takaya Trading Company wasn't stupid; they had deployed a large number of elite samurai to guard the area.

"There's no other way; we have to do it this way. And we're not going to launch a frontal assault."

Feng Ying's eyes were cold.

"This kind of sophisticated sabotage mission only requires one person."

"Go and call Scorpion here."

Granny Chiyo raised her eyelids and glanced at Kazekage.

"You want to send—that child?"

"He is the most suitable candidate."

Fengying stood up and looked at the yellow sand outside the window.

"At this age, he has already shown a puppetry talent that surpasses yours."

"Moreover, he harbors hatred towards Konoha."

Chiyo's hand trembled slightly.

That was her grandson. Ever since his parents died at the hands of Konoha's White Fang, the child's heart had been completely closed off.

"Let him go."

Fengying gave the order.

"Tell him that if that factory is destroyed, many people will not have to die like his parents."

Sunagakure Village, Puppet Making Room.

The dimly lit room was filled with severed limbs and dismembered parts. These were puppet components, along with some biological specimens.

A red-haired boy, head down, focused on his work.

Sasori of the Red Sand.

He was only thirteen years old at the time. But his young face held a deathly stillness and indifference that belied his age.

His fingers moved nimbly, connecting a human puppet with chakra threads.

It was the corpse of a Sand Ninja. The internal organs had been removed, and the skin had been preserved.

"Not enough—too crunchy."

The scorpion murmured softly.

"This kind of body will decay quickly. It cannot last forever."

He detested things that were fleeting.

After his parents died, he developed a morbid obsession with "eternity." Only a puppet that would not decay, would not betray, and would exist forever could give him a sense of security.

"scorpion."

The voices of the secret agents came from outside the door.

"Lord Kazekage has given the order."

Scorpion's fingers stopped.

The puppet lowered its head with a click.

"What is it?"

"S-rank mission. Infiltrate the Land of Rivers and destroy Konoha's ceramics factory."

three days later.

The land of rivers, Black Kiln Gully.

The night was deep. This was the site of the ceramics factory.

The huge chimneys spewed out black smoke, and even in the dead of night, the firelight from the kilns still illuminated half the sky.

On the wall, there was a searchlight every ten meters. Warriors were patrolling.

In the shadows.

A small figure sat quietly on a tree branch.

Sasori of the Red Sand.

His fingers twitched slightly. Several chakra threads extended from his fingertips into the darkness.

"The defenses are very tight."

The scorpion muttered to itself.

"However, they are all living beings. Anything that is alive has flaws."

He hates waiting.

"Go."

With a flick of the finger.

In the darkness, a few extremely faint clicking sounds of mechanisms engaging could be heard.

"Click".

Several small, scorpion-like puppets, skimming the ground and avoiding the beams of the searchlights, scurried into the drainage ditch.

Their bellies are filled with a high concentration of explosive clay. The explosive clay from Iwagakure is also very popular in Sunagakure.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Several muffled thuds.

Several breaches were blown into the factory's perimeter wall.

The alarm sounded immediately.

"Enemy attack!!"

"In area three!"

The guards were thrown into chaos and rushed toward the breach.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Scorpion's figure drifted into the factory.

His goal was clear: the core kiln.

If that place is destroyed, the factory will be unable to operate for at least six months.

He walked through the corridor without being noticed by any of the guards. He concealed his presence to the extreme, like a puppet.

Finally, he arrived at the core area.

Push open the heavy iron gate.

A huge kiln stands in the center, burning with raging fire.

"Too easy."

Scorpion frowned.

Has this journey been too smooth?

Although things were in complete chaos outside, there wasn't even a single guard in the core area.

He walked to the kiln and casually picked up a finished ceramic knife from the shelf.

"This is the weapon that's giving the Kazekage a headache?"

He squeezed hard with two fingers.

"Smack."

The knife shattered. It disintegrated completely.

That was an unfinished product that hadn't been fully fired. It wasn't even a proper clay mold.

Scorpion picked up another one. It broke again.

He looked around at the mountains of boxes piled up.

Open one. Empty.

Open another one. It's full of broken porcelain shards.

'

Scorpion's eyes instantly turned cold.

It's an empty shell. An abandoned factory that pretends to be in full production, but is actually just burning coal.

"trap."

The scorpion reacts extremely quickly.

He wants to leave.

But it was too late.

"Buzz"

Complex runes suddenly lit up around the core area.

The barrier has been activated.

Four blue walls of light rose up, sealing off the core area.

"Since we're here, why rush to leave?"

A calm voice came from behind.

The scorpion raised its head.

Two people stood there, illuminated by the firelight.

A man wearing a black trench coat and an eyepatch over one eye. Beside him was a burly man with ashen skin and pure white eyes.

Sosuke Takaya.

Hyuga Katsumi.

"Using a crumbling earthen kiln that should have been abandoned long ago, burning several tons of coal every day —"

"This deal, although a bit costly, is worth it to see you here—"

Sousuke smiled.

"I think it's great value for money."

Although surrounded, Scorpion did not show much panic on his face.

"Do you know who I am?"

His voice was cold.

"Of course. Granny Chiyo's grandson, a genius of Sunagakure, and the rising star of the puppet army."

"as well as----"

A profound meaning flashed in Sousuke's single eye.

"A solitary artist in pursuit of eternal beauty."

Upon hearing the word "artist," Scorpion's pupils contracted slightly.

This word touched his heart.

In Sunagakure, he was a weapon, a genius, and a beacon of hope. But no one ever saw him as someone who pursued art. Those old fogies only cared about how many people his puppets could kill.

"If you think you can make me surrender with a few flattering words—"

Xion sneered.

"That would be too naive."

His fingers twitched slightly, and a reel snapped open instantly.

"Hiruko!"

He was enveloped by a grotesque humanoid puppet with a huge, demonic face on its back.

"Click!"

""

Hiruko's back split open.

Countless poisoned senbon needles were fired at Sousuke and Hyuga Katsumi.

It is extremely fast and has a very wide coverage.

"Let's do it."

Sosuke did not dodge.

Hyuga Katsu stood in his way.

Faced with a hail of poison needles, he simply stretched out his arms to protect his face.

"Ding ding ding ding—"

—"

Those thousand sticks were strong enough to pierce through rock, but when they hit Hyuga Katsu, they made a crisp sound like metal clashing, and then bounced off and fell to the ground.

Some of the needles pierced his clothes but got stuck on his skin, unable to go any further.

That is the periosteum.

The bone membrane, which incorporates the power of Kaguya, Senju, and Uzumaki, is harder than metal.

"What?!"

Inside the Hiruko, Sasori's eyes narrowed.

"They actually took the hit with their bare hands?"

Those ginseng roots are coated with a deadly poison. Even a slight scratch will cause the paralyzing toxin to take effect instantly.

But Hyuga Masaru stood there, as if nothing had happened.

He casually pulled off the few senbon needles stuck in his clothes and threw them on the ground.

The vitality of the Uzumaki clan endowed him with terrifying metabolic abilities. Combined with the activity of Hashirama cells and the terrifying regenerative power of the Shikotsumyaku, toxins of this level entering his body were instantly broken down.

"This kind of attack is useless against me."

Hyuga Katsu stared coldly at Sasori.

"Arrogant."

Sasori moved his ten fingers in quick succession, and the chakra threads tightened instantly.

"Puppet Technique: Thousand Prosthetic Hands!"

Hiruko's left arm suddenly shot out, revealing the mechanical cannon barrel inside. The barrel spun, and countless kunai with explosive tags attached shot out.

Since poison needles are ineffective, let's use explosions.

"BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!"

A series of explosions erupted around Hyuga Masaru. Smoke and dust engulfed his figure.

"Hmph, even rocks will be blasted to pieces."

Scorpion snorted coldly.

However, the smoke and dust had not yet dissipated.

A grayish-brown shadow tore through the smoke and rushed out.

Hyuga Katsumi.

His body was covered by a thick layer of bone armor, which was bone that grew from his body, forming all-around protection.

Although he was charred, he was not injured.

He rushed towards the scorpion.

Distance, five meters.

"So fast!"

Scorpion manipulated Hiruko's tail, and the huge steel stinger pierced Hyuga Masaru's heart.

"Die!"

The stinger's penetrating power is such that it can pierce even thick steel plates.

"Clang!"

Hyuga Katsu did not dodge.

He stretched out his right hand and grabbed the stinger that was coming at him.

Bone spurs grew on his palm, gripping the steel tail spikes.

Sizzle sizzle—

Sparks flew everywhere.

The tail spike stopped.

No matter how much chakra Sasori channeled, his stinger could not penetrate any further.

"Is this your limit?"

Hinata Sheng pulled hard.

"Snap!"

He actually managed to tear off the steel-forged tail spike.

"What?!"

Scorpion was finally shocked.

He knew about the defensive capabilities and material of Hiruko, yet it was torn apart by his bare hands?

"Gentle Fist Technique - Baguazhang!"

Hyuga Katsu unleashed a palm strike.

His disdainful gaze had already revealed the inner workings of Hiruko.

This palm strike seemed light and effortless.

But within his palm lay a chakra shockwave powerful enough to shatter internal organs.

"Thump!!!"

With a muffled thud, the internal mechanisms of Hiruko were shattered in an instant.

The gears flew off and the bearings broke.

The scorpion hiding inside felt a tremendous force penetrate his body, causing his blood and qi to surge.

"cough!"

Scorpion was forced to jump out of Hiruko.

His red hair was a little messy, and he looked incredulous.

"Gentle Fist—the Hyuga clan?"

Sasori looked at Hyuga Katsu's grayish-brown bones.

"No. Why would the Hyuga clan possess this ability?"

The bone armor on Hyuga Katsu's body slowly receded, and he returned to human form.

"Even without this ability, I can easily defeat you."

"Your toy is too fragile."

"Toy?"

These two words enraged Scorpion. For someone who pursues eternal art, this was the greatest insult.

"Then I'll show you what real art is!"

Scorpion pulled a scroll from his pocket.

"Come forth, Melting Demon!"

boom!

A hideous puppet appeared.

"Lava Release: Melting Monster Technique!"

The puppet opened its mouth and spewed out a large stream of highly corrosive acid.

"Sizzle!"

When the ground came into contact with the acid, white smoke instantly rose, and a large pit was corroded out.

Acid covered Hyuga Katsumi.

"it's useless."

Sosuke, who was standing to the side, shook his head.

Hyuga Masaru didn't try to withstand the attack head-on. He instantly leaped into the air, avoiding the acid on the ground.

This puppet actually possesses the ability of a bloodline limit.

However, in Hyuga Masaru's eyes, this was meaningless.

Before the Byakugan, the chakra threads on the puppet's body were clearly visible.

"Cut off."

Hyuga Katsu instantly teleported between Sasori and the puppet.

Extend your index finger and gently draw a line in the air.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The chakra threads connecting the puppet were severed.

The puppet, now free of its strings, fell to the ground with a clatter.

"How is that possible—"

Scorpion, unbelievable.

Chakra threads are condensed using special secret techniques; they are formless and intangible, so how could they possibly be cut?

"Your line won't escape a disdainful look."

Hyuga Katsumi's tone was cold, like a god looking down on ants.

This is the domineering power of the Byakugan and the Gentle Fist.

Sasori's strongest weapon had no effect on Hyuga Masaru.

He lost. Utterly defeated.

"How could this happen—"

The scorpion's eyes were vacant.

His art and his pursuits appear so pale in the face of absolute power.

"Is this... the end of art?"

He looked at Hyuga Katsu, a man radiating a powerful life force.

At that moment, his belief that "the body is fragile" began to waver slightly.

"No, the body will eventually age and die."

The scorpion gritted its teeth.

"Only puppets are eternal!"

Just as he was preparing to fight desperately and use the last of his poison to perish together with others.

"Alright, we win."

Sosuke's voice came through.

"Stop bullying him."

"6

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