Naruto: Troublesome Ninja Haruta

Chapter 20: Damn Bastard, You Deserve to Die!

In some ways, Sasori's significance to Sunagakure was comparable to that of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, to Konoha.

To put it bluntly, given his power and status back then, becoming Kazekage wouldn't have been difficult for him at all.

The Third Kazekage might have been labeled the strongest Kazekage, but his fate was beyond tragic.

His demise wasn't just miserable—it was a textbook example of being utterly exploited even after death.

But this only proved that if Sasori had truly wanted to become Kazekage, the so-called strongest Kazekage would have been nothing more than a joke to him.

Haruta never expected that coming to this tiny Land of Wind for a mission would lead to him encountering so many hidden dragons and crouching tigers.

Sasori was incredibly dangerous, but upon seeing him, an idea suddenly flashed through Haruta's mind.

With someone of his influence... wouldn't it be a waste not to take advantage of this situation?

—

"Oh?"

Sasori strolled forward at a leisurely pace. After scanning Haruta and his team, he suddenly chuckled.

"Well, well. I didn't expect to run into you all here. I've actually been looking for you for a few days now."

"Who are you?"

Shisui frowned.

He didn't know Sasori, but he could sense just how dangerous this man was.

"You don't seem to be from Sunagakure, either. Why are you looking for us?"

"Hmm. No, I'm not from Sunagakure anymore," Sasori nodded, pulling out a scroll unhurriedly before smiling.

"As for why I'm looking for you… well, I happened to come across the traces of your battle. And I need some materials. You all seem like great candidates, so..."

Materials?

Great candidates?

Shisui didn't quite understand what Sasori meant.

But Haruta did.

"This lunatic..."

Haruta cursed inwardly.

So this guy had come to Sunagakure to restock on materials, and now he had his sights set on them—and Pakura?

He had always known that in the ninja world, there were those mentally sharp and those who were mentally unwell.

The Uchiha were a prime example of the latter.

But compared to them, Sasori wasn't far behind.

"Alright, enough chit-chat."

Sasori casually unrolled the scroll.

With a burst of white smoke, a human puppet appeared before Haruta and Shisui.

"I suppose it doesn't matter if you don't tell me where you're from. I can always check after you're dead."

"A puppeteer?"

Shisui raised an eyebrow.

As a Uchiha with the Sharingan—especially one with the Mangekyō—he could see the chakra threads controlling the puppet.

He wasn't too concerned.

But then—

He saw the floating black iron sand around the puppet.

His expression immediately changed.

"Black iron sand... Wait. Is that the Third Kazekage?!"

The Third Kazekage had been missing for years, neither dead nor alive.

His disappearance had even sparked a war.

But now—

The so-called strongest Kazekage had been turned into a puppet?!

And suddenly, Shisui understood what Sasori meant by "materials."

"What kind of psycho—"

"You're insane!"

"...?"

Haruta shot a strange look at Shisui.

An Uchiha calling someone else insane?

That was... quite something.

"You can say whatever you want. But now..."

Sasori tilted his head, unfazed.

Then—his hands moved.

"It's time for you to appreciate my art."

The moment Sasori finished speaking, the floating iron sand around the Third Kazekage transformed into a storm of fine needles, raining down on Haruta and Shisui like a torrential downpour!

Unfortunately for Sasori—

Both Haruta and Shisui were too fast.

The iron needles completely missed their targets.

But Shisui's expression darkened.

"He's still able to use his Kekkei Genkai after death? Just who is this puppeteer?"

Unlike Shisui, Haruta remained calm.

As he weaved between the incoming iron needles, his hands formed seals at high speed.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

The sandy ground collapsed inward, and a massive earthen wall erupted from the ground.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The iron needles embedded themselves into the wall.

Haruta wasted no time.

He formed another seal—

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

A massive dragon head took shape on the earthen wall, its mouth opening wide.

With a roar, a barrage of hardened mud projectiles blasted toward Sasori and the Third Kazekage puppet!

"This kind of Earth Release..."

Sasori narrowed his eyes.

A true expert didn't judge by flashy techniques—but by fundamentals.

For example, when Orochimaru defected, the Third Hokage had countered him with a single explosive tag.

Sasori wasn't slow to react.

With a flick of his fingers, the Third Kazekage puppet manipulated the iron sand, forming a dense iron shield to block Haruta's attack.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wall!"

Even though both he and the Third Kazekage were puppets, Sasori had no intention of letting his art sustain unnecessary damage.

"Now's my chance!"

As Sasori focused on Haruta's attack, Shisui seized the moment and rushed in!

He knew the best way to deal with a puppeteer—close combat.

If he could reach Sasori's real body, the fight would be over.

But—

"Naïve."

Sasori barely even turned his head.

With a slight motion of his fingers, countless black iron spears surged toward Shisui!

Shisui's pupils shrank.

Forced to retreat, he clicked his tongue.

"This magnetic-based Kekkei Genkai is ridiculously hard to counter..."

—

Meanwhile, at the back, Pakura—still under Yuugao's watch—was completely stunned.

They weren't far from the battle.

And as a Sunagakure ninja, she immediately recognized the black iron sand.

"No way..."

She had never imagined that the missing Third Kazekage had been found—only to be turned into a puppet?!

And the one controlling him—

"Could it be...? But how? Why would he do this...?"

Pakura clenched her fists.

This was not something she wanted to believe.

Nor was it something she could accept.

"You know that guy?"

Yuugao noticed Pakura's reaction and demanded,

"Tell me everything you know about him, or—"

"No need to threaten me. It won't work."

Pakura shook her head and sighed.

"Don't get me wrong. If anything, I want you to kill him.

But unfortunately... I don't have any intel on him either."

Pakura hated Sasori.

If she had the chance, she would gladly see him dead.

But Sasori had left Sunagakure a long time ago.

Even she had no idea what he had become.

And even if she did—

Would it really make a difference?

Sasori wasn't just some rogue ninja.

He was Sunagakure's strongest prodigy—

And he had singlehandedly assassinated the strongest Kazekage.

Now, armed with the Kazekage's power—how were they supposed to win?

—

BOOM!

The ground shook violently.

Yuugao and Pakura struggled to stay on their feet.

Then—

Pakura's eyes widened in disbelief.

"No... impossible!"

At the same time, a signal flare shot into the sky, bursting into a dazzling display of light.

Pakura's face turned deathly pale.

It was her signal flare.

And she knew what it meant.

Her hands trembled in rage.

"You... damn bastard...

YOU DESERVE TO DIE!"

***

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