Sasori released a shockwave from his palm, repelling Shindai while simultaneously scattering him into iron sand particles.
Shindai raised an eyebrow slightly.
That shockwave had a demagnetizing effect, removing the magnetic properties from Shindai's body.
Since Shindai was composed of iron sand, losing his magnetism meant he lost his combat capabilities entirely.
Shindai pulled out a scroll labeled "Sasori" and began to unfurl it while saying, "Looks like you've made thorough preparations against me. But well, I've also made some small preparations myself."
Shindai pressed his palm onto the scroll, and with a 'puff' sound, smoke appeared.
When the smoke cleared, a puppet appeared beside Shindai.
This puppet looked exactly like Shindai.
Actually, this puppet wasn't particularly effective against Sasori, as Shindai's Magnet Release inherently countered human puppets.
But both Sasori and Shindai were puppet masters, and Shindai wanted to settle their match through puppet versus puppet.
If the previous puppet was all about precision, this new one was pure brute force!
The puppet's eyes burned with red light as it shot forward at high speed toward Sasori.
Third Kazekage deployed Iron Sand World Method attempting to block the advancing puppet.
[Lightning Arc] erupted from the puppet's chest, instantly blasting apart the iron sand spears.
This blue glow originated from a pulsed electric arc capable of reaching tens of thousands of volts. Besides destroying the iron sand spikes, the intense heat ignited nearby trees, causing flames to erupt and spread.
Thrusters emerged from the right arm joint and back of Shindai's puppet, shooting out flames as it accelerated with incredible speed, swinging its right fist powerfully toward Third Kazekage.
Before Third Kazekage could activate any Magnet Release techniques, the punch smashed directly into his body, sending him crashing heavily into the ground, creating a deep crater. This destructive power rivaled even Tsunade's signature monstrous strength.
Sasori threw down a device that blasted violent gusts of wind to hinder the charging puppet's speed.
Additionally, the device spewed large quantities of oil mixed within the winds, igniting into a fiery whirlwind sweeping forward.
However, Shindai's puppet released chakra from its left palm, converting it into a protective barrier that shielded against the flames.
Taking this opportunity, Sasori manipulated the Kazekage puppet already buried in the ground to fly upward toward Shindai in the sky, trying to knock him down from midair.
Shindai's puppet stopped generating the shield and instead emitted [Laser Beams] to prevent Third Kazekage from approaching Shindai.
After successfully stopping Third Kazekage, Shindai's puppet redirected its [Laser Beams] toward Sasori.
Sasori took out a scroll and activated it within his body. From his palms, continuous bolts of lightning shot straight forward, colliding with the laser beams.
An explosion instantly occurred where the lightning and lasers met.
However, once the smoke from the explosion cleared, Sasori suddenly lost sight of Shindai.
Immediately, Sasori aimed both hands toward the airborne Shindai, attempting to unleash another electric attack.
Yet Shindai eerily appeared on Sasori's right side.
Because Shindai's surface had a chromium-like coating that allowed it to blend with its surroundings and become invisible.
Shindai's chest opened, revealing an aperture aimed directly at Sasori.
Though Sasori attempted to evade with Shunshin, Shindai suddenly fired a powerful chakra blast from its chest, sending Sasori flying.
Sasori's right abdomen was completely shattered into fragments.
This was the brutal essence of Shindai—it disregarded ninjutsu or other techniques, opting solely for the most direct and violent method of battle.
Although Shindai could also employ the magnetic field of Magnet Release, Sasori was immune due to the demagnetizing effect, so it abandoned that approach entirely.
Sasori had specifically countered Shindai's Magnet Release, yet he found himself helpless against these straightforward and immensely powerful brute-force attacks.
Watching from afar, Kankuro was stunned into silence.
This was the battle between the two greatest puppet masters in the ninja world?
Compared to them, his own puppet techniques—and those of all Sunagakure's puppet masters—seemed like mere child's play!
Temari called out urgently, "Kankuro! Don't just stand there—run while you still can!"
Kankuro silently followed Temari. This fight had shocked him deeply. He secretly vowed that in the future, he would develop his own unique puppets and become the greatest puppet master!
Shindai looked at Sasori, whose right abdomen had been destroyed, and sneered, "I've stopped using my Magnet Release, and now you seem helpless, huh? My Shindai surpasses both your puppets and the Third Kazekage's Human Puppet in speed, power, and destructive force!
I told you—I am the strongest puppet master! I think ahead further and prepare more thoroughly than you ever did. Did you really believe my only strength was Magnet Release? My mastery of puppet techniques far surpasses my skill in Magnet Release!
That core in your chest is your weakness, right? But I won't bother targeting weak points—I will destroy you entirely through sheer physical force!"
Shindai issued an order to Shindai: "[Chakra Cluster Cannon!]"
Shindai joined both hands, automatically assembling itself into a massive cannon barrel.
At the tip of the cannon muzzle, light gathered, condensing all the chakra stored within its chakra capacitors.
Shindai drew a card: "[Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!]"
The ground beneath Sasori turned liquid, quickly becoming a swamp that dragged him downward.
Sasori fired cables from within his body, hooking onto a distant tree, trying to use it to pull himself out of the swamp.
But it was already too late. The Chakra Cluster Cannon fired from Shindai's cannon.
Sasori quickly unfurled a scroll behind him.
[Scarlet Secret Technique! Chain of Human Marionettes Performance!]
A giant figure emerged from the scroll.
Seeing this giant, Shindai's pupils slightly contracted.
This was because the giant puppet was made up of many human puppets linked together. Its enormous body was covered in countless human hands and faces, warped and grotesque beyond belief.
The giant puppet unleashed five different types of Ninjutsu, clashing head-on with the Chakra Cluster Cannon from Shindai. It not only held its ground—it seemed slightly stronger than the cannon blast.
"You've truly lost all your humanity, Sasori. How could you turn so many people into human puppets and sew them together like this?"
Sasori scoffed, "Humanity? Hmph. Humanity is totally ineffective. What I pursue is eternal art!"
The chakra inside the chakra capacitors within Shindai was completely exhausted, causing it to lose power.
Just as Sasori was about to command this giant puppet to fight against Shindai, a spatial rift suddenly formed beside him, and a disheveled Setsuna Uchiha stepped through.
"Deva Path wants you to evacuate with me immediately—the Konoha people are chasing us. Don't waste time here."
Sasori glanced up at the Shindai floating in the sky.
"Next time, you and I will definitely determine a winner."
Then Sasori followed Setsuna Uchiha into the spatial rift and vanished in an instant.
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