The black-clad figure blocking the path of the Konoha group was none other than the long-deceased Third Kazekage!
Looking at the cracks on his face, Kakashi's pupils suddenly shrank sharply.
It seemed he realized something and said in shock, "You're… a reanimated corpse brought back by the Impure World Reincarnation?!"
Only those reanimated through the Impure World Reincarnation technique would have bodies marked with cracks like these.
"Impure World Reincarnation?" Chiyo obviously did not understand this forbidden jutsu.
"It's a ninjutsu that forcibly summons the souls of the dead from the Pure Land and reincarnates them into living human sacrifices," Kakashi explained with a heavy heart.
"Those summoned from the Pure Land possess immortal bodies and nearly infinite chakra. It's a very troublesome forbidden technique!"
Chiyo was silent for a few seconds, then looked meaningfully at Kakashi.
"If my guess is correct, this forbidden jutsu should have been developed by the Second Hokage, right?"
Obviously, it was a well-known fact in the ninja world that the Second Hokage researched forbidden techniques.
Kakashi nodded awkwardly.
"Yes, it was indeed a forbidden jutsu studied by the Second Hokage. But… I don't understand how the Aurora Order could have mastered the Impure World Reincarnation."
Normally, only a few people could use this jutsu—besides the founder, the Second Hokage, only Orochimaru was known to have mastered it.
Could it be that Orochimaru joined the Aurora Order?
Kakashi's heart sank.
If that were true, then Konoha was in serious danger!
"White-haired boy, don't overthink it," Chiyo suddenly interrupted everyone's thoughts.
The old woman pulled two scrolls from her sleeve, her eyelids drooping slightly.
"Their goal is very clear: to use the Third Kazekage to hold us back. This means we are already close to the Aurora Order's main base."
"Just you alone?"
Kakashi frowned as he looked at Chiyo.
After all, the opponent was the famed Third Kazekage, and his Magnet Release was especially effective against puppets.
This had been clear from their recent fight.
Chiyo was a puppeteer, but she was old now. Her stamina and chakra had severely declined and were nowhere near her prime.
Facing the Third Kazekage at his peak alone, her chances of winning were almost zero.
"No way. We can't leave you behind alone!" Kakashi firmly rejected her proposal.
If Chiyo stayed behind alone to hold off the Third Kazekage, and something went wrong, Konoha would be in a difficult diplomatic position with the Sand Village.
"Do you think I will lose?" Chiyo glared at Kakashi angrily. "I am the strongest puppeteer, and I know the Third Kazekage very well. Although I can't defeat him, holding him off for a while won't be a problem, and nothing will go wrong. Don't worry, son of White Fang!"
With that, ignoring Kakashi's objections, Chiyo summoned her signature technique.
"Chikamatsu Ten Puppets!!!"
As smoke billowed from the scroll, ten puppets in white robes appeared beside them.
"Wow, amazing!" Sakura was instantly shocked. In her memory, a puppeteer's strength was usually proportional to the number of puppets they could control.
Even a powerful puppeteer like Kankuro could only manipulate up to three puppets. But the seemingly aged Chiyo was controlling a full ten!
"The ten puppets made by the puppetry ancestor Monzaemon Chikamatsu," the Third Kazekage said with a nostalgic expression as he watched Chiyo summon the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets. "I never thought I would see them again. It's truly an honor."
"I never expected that one day the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets would be used against our former Kazekage!" Chiyo's eyes showed a trace of sadness, but it quickly turned into determination.
Her fingers moved swiftly, and thin chakra threads controlled the ten puppets as they lunged toward the Third Kazekage.
"Chiyo, you should know very well that my Magnet Release jutsu is the perfect counter to puppeteers!"
Black mist surged around the Third Kazekage like crashing waves, rolling toward the ten puppets.
"Now!"
But Chiyo seemed to see an opportunity and hooked three fingers.
The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha puppets instantly changed tactics and formed a triangular formation, immediately triggering a fierce tornado!
"Puppetry Technique: Three Jewels Suction Crushing!"
The sealing technique cast by the three puppets created a powerful suction within their formation.
Whoosh!
A vast black mist of iron sand surged irresistibly, drawn toward the center of the three puppets.
At the same time, two puppets took advantage of the moment and flanked from behind. Blades shot out from their arms, slashing directly toward the Third Kazekage's neck—clearly aiming for a killing blow!
"Trying to seal me with this Magnetic Release?" The Third Kazekage shifted his foot lightly, sliding sideways several meters to avoid the puppet's blade. A mocking smile curled on his lips.
"Too bad. My iron sand is inexhaustible, but your seal has its limits."
"Hurry, run!"
Chiyo glared fiercely at Kakashi and snarled, "Don't waste the chance I fought for! You must rescue that child. You must save Gaara!"
Looking at the stubborn yet resolute Chiyo, Kakashi gritted his teeth and ordered, "Everyone, follow me—rush through!"
"Want to run? Dream on!"
The Third Kazekage's face darkened with rage as he saw the Konoha group trying to escape. "Stay here, all of you! Iron Sand: Shigure!"
In an instant, the massive iron sand spread like a dark cloud covering the sky, transforming into countless fine needles shooting toward the Konoha group!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
The iron sand needles rained down like a storm, carrying incredible piercing power.
The jungle ahead was instantly riddled like a sieve by the dense needles. Just as the Konoha group was about to be stopped, two puppets shot out.
"Puppet Technique: Machine Light Shield!"
The two puppets instantly positioned themselves before the group, converting chakra into huge shields.
Rumble, rumble.
The azure chakra shields violently trembled under the bombardment of iron sand needles.
Still, the two puppets bore the relentless storm, forcefully pushing the Konoha group forward—though iron sand began to invade their joints as a cost.
"Magnetic Release: Iron Sand Trilateral Pyramid!"
The Third Kazekage struck again, condensing a massive amount of iron sand into a spinning, whistling cone flying at the Konoha group with terrifying speed.
"As long as I'm here, forget it!"
With a sudden pull, the three puppets shot forward.
The clash of blades and iron sand exploded in midair, dazzling sparks flying. The fierce sound of metal ringing out as the pyramid was repelled, and the three puppets were blasted backward.
In just a few seconds, every attempt by the Third Kazekage to block them was perfectly stopped by Chiyo.
Just to help the people of Konoha escape, the price paid was the loss of two puppets from the Chikamatsu Ten.
"Chiyo."
Watching the people of Konoha disappear into the distance, the Third Kazekage knew he couldn't catch up.
His face darkened as he looked at Chiyo, his eyes filled with furious killing intent.
"Originally, I didn't want to kill you, but this is all your own doing!"
"Stop saying those sour jokes."
Chiyo sneered coldly and looked at the Third Kazekage.
"From the moment you betrayed the Hidden Sand Village, you became my enemy!"
This sentence struck like a heavy hammer on the Third Kazekage's heart, leaving him momentarily silent.
"No, you're wrong, Chiyo."
The Third Kazekage took a deep breath, a complicated expression flashing in his eyes before turning into determination.
"The Aurora Order is the future of the ninja world. What I'm doing is to save the ninja world, to save the Hidden Sand Village!"
*******
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