Wait—wasn't the system supposed to keep him hidden as long as he remained within the secret realm?
How had this guy managed to find him?
"System, what's going on? What happened to the secret realm?!"
Kuzo questioned sharply in his mind.
A familiar chime echoed.
"Ding."
"The system has detected that the host has successfully mastered Bankai and now possesses sufficient strength to survive independently. As a result, the secret protection has been automatically removed."
"...What?"
Kuzo's expression darkened instantly.
He had never expected to be thrown into a situation like this so abruptly.
Before he could process the revelation, the red-haired boy standing opposite him lost all patience. Without hesitation, he pressed his hand onto the summoning scroll.
*Bang!*
A burst of white smoke filled the air.
Then, a towering puppet draped in a gray robe with striking blue hair appeared before Sasori.
The Third Kazekage—
A legend.
In life, he had been hailed as the strongest Kazekage in history.
In reality, his legacy served as nothing more than a testament to Sasori's own skill, a mere stepping stone that underscored the genius of the Red Sand.
Despite his supposed reputation, even his name had been forgotten.
His title as "the strongest" was about as credible as the claim that Sarutobi Hiruzen was the most powerful Hokage in history.
Watching the unfolding scene, Kuzo couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
At that moment, Sasori took a step forward. Ten strands of blue chakra extended from his fingertips, seamlessly attaching to the Third Kazekage puppet.
His gaze locked onto Kuzo, and a slow grin spread across his face.
"You may not fully understand your situation, but I don't have time to explain it to you."
His fingers twitched, and the puppet's arms shifted.
"Consider it an honor. Not many get to face my strongest puppet."
His voice dropped to a chilling whisper.
"Now, die."
With a flick of his hands, the chakra threads surged.
The Kazekage puppet's arms extended, revealing massive, gleaming blades that slashed toward Kuzo with terrifying speed.
The air itself trembled under the force of the attack.
The sheer power behind the strike was overwhelming.
But just as the blade was about to make contact—
*Whoosh!*
Kuzo's figure blurred.
An afterimage flickered momentarily before vanishing.
He reappeared some distance away, untouched.
The Kazekage puppet's blade slashed through empty air.
Sasori's eyebrows lifted slightly.
"Tch. The Body Flicker Technique?"
He scoffed.
"I suppose I shouldn't have expected it to be that easy."
His fingers moved again.
"In that case—"
The air grew heavy.
"Magnet Style: Sand Iron Shower."
A deep hum resonated through the battlefield.
The moment the words left Sasori's mouth, his chakra threads tightened, guiding the puppet into a rapid series of hand seals.
In an instant, a sea of black iron sand materialized before the Kazekage puppet, roiling like an endless tide.
The oppressive weight of its presence filled the air.
Then, without warning, the iron sand condensed into countless razor-sharp needles, launching toward Kuzo like a torrential downpour of steel.
A lethal storm.
Yet, even as the deadly rain fell, Kuzo remained composed.
His expression didn't waver.
With calm precision, he lifted his left hand.
His lips parted slightly, his voice steady and cold.
"Bakudō Number Eighty-One—"
"Splitting Void."
*Boom!*
A massive translucent barrier, shimmering in a deep aqua hue, materialized in front of him.
It stretched high and wide, an impenetrable wall cutting through space itself.
The iron sand needles struck the barrier with relentless force—
Yet not a single one passed through.
Ten seconds passed.
The rain of iron sand ceased.
The barrier remained unscathed.
Sasori's eyes flickered with something akin to surprise.
What was that?
A ninjutsu without hand seals?
Wind Release?
No... That wasn't right.
A Kekkei Genkai, perhaps?
The realization dawned on him.
A power like this—he had to have it.
Sasori's curiosity turned into something darker.
This strange ability only strengthened his resolve.
The brown-haired boy before him would make a perfect puppet.
Maybe, just maybe—he would surpass even the Third Kazekage.
Meanwhile, Kuzo narrowed his eyes.
Initially, he had planned to leave. He had no interest in wasting his time with some red-haired lunatic.
But since Sasori had immediately resorted to lethal force—
It seemed he had no choice but to fight.
Just then, a notification rang in his mind.
"Ding. Side quest triggered:
- Defeat the genius puppet master Sasori of the Red Sand (0/1). Reward unknown.
- Defeat three Kage-level opponents (0/3). Reward unknown."
○○○
Please Support me on patreon
patreon.com/IA_Extra13651
I really appreciate everything