Hiding in the sand, splitting into many places, starting with Arkham

Puppet masters usually start battles by creating distance. This was no exception. Both Ant and the little boy opened their mouths simultaneously, firing a rain of senbon needles at the two Konoha ninjas.

"Konoha-style Swordsmanship: Whirlwind!"

The Konoha ninja wielding the sword swung it in a tight, impenetrable circle, accurately blocking most of the senbon aimed at them.

Even the parts that were hit were non-vital areas that wouldn't affect combat.

Without the Sharingan or extremely powerful dynamic vision, this was all he could do.

"This is troublesome. These puppet masters love to coat their weapons with poison."

The middle-aged ninja offered a warning before throwing a few kunai to try and disrupt them.

"It's alright. I still have a few antidote pills made according to Lady Tsunade's recipe. They're enough to suppress most toxins."

The sword-wielding ninja calmly swallowed an antidote pill that he had been holding in his mouth since the beginning of the battle.

"Black Secret Technique: Puppet Manipulation Dance."

Sasori pulled the chakra threads, activating the mechanisms installed in the Ant puppet.

Six puppet arms clicked and whirred, extending outwards section by section like an octopus, with cone-shaped spikes at the tips, baring its fangs and claws as it engaged the sword-wielding ninja in combat.

Clearly, Sasori had made significant modifications to this puppet after it was brought back from the exam, greatly enhancing its performance and power.

Shimizu's little boy didn't have as many fancy features. One hand was a mechanical claw, and the other was a spiral toothed blade, moving with incredible speed.

All of this B-rank puppet's performance was focused on agility. When a puppet master could unleash its full power, its speed, combined with a certain level of attack ability, was enough to threaten a significant number of Chunin-level ninjas.

The two puppets working together were enough to suppress the sword-wielding Konoha ninja.

But the sword-wielding Konoha ninja had help.

He removed the summoning scroll from his back and instantly released hundreds of shuriken, scattering them like a celestial maiden scattering flowers.

The Ant's six arms froze in place for a moment.

Upon closer inspection, each shuriken was connected to a barely noticeable steel wire, firmly restricting the Ant's movements.

The little boy was faster and smaller, and almost all of the steel wires it came into contact with were cut open by its two rotating weapons, allowing it to escape unscathed.

"It's not over yet!"

The middle-aged ninja tugged on the steel wires with his teeth, continuing to form hand seals.

Snake - Dragon - Rabbit - Tiger!

"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"

A thick stream of fire spewed from the middle-aged ninja's mouth, spreading along the oil smeared on the steel wires earlier.

Shimizu pulled the chakra threads, manipulating the little boy to cut the steel wires in an attempt to save the Ant, but he didn't expect the opponent to be prepared.

"Now!"

The sword-wielding ninja plunged his ninja sword into the ground and also used ninjutsu.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

A gale swept through the flames, intensifying the fire.

Sasori and Shimizu hurriedly pulled back their respective puppets.

The Ant was likely destroyed, but the little boy was fast and only had a few parts damaged.

"Black Secret Technique: Total Shield."

Sasori hurriedly manipulated the Salamander to deploy its defenses, while looking at Shimizu with anxious eyes.

"Watch yourself."

Shimizu said to Sasori with a calm expression, preparing to move forward for close combat.

The fat puppet's hand joints had already begun to push the cylinder pistons under the control of the chakra threads, compressing air.

"Konoha-style Swordsmanship: Crescent Moon Dance!"

Wind-attribute chakra was attached to the ninja sword, emitting a nearly one-meter-long sword aura that bypassed the Salamander's defense from the side, attempting to behead Sasori and Shimizu with one strike.

In the distance, Keno and Kana had already raised their hands, preparing to provide assistance.

"Black Secret Technique: Pneumatic Fist!"

The tall and sturdy fat puppet quickly turned around and punched out.

With chakra + pneumatic pump, driven by dual power, the power of one punch was enough to shatter gold and split rocks.

The sword aura dissipated, the ninja sword shattered, and the sword-wielding ninja's body flew out like a broken rag doll.

"Took one down."

The diamond-like burly figure turned around, stepping towards the middle-aged ninja step by step.

The middle-aged ninja's face showed despair.

His strength was already considered good among Chunin. Although his talent was mediocre, he steadily climbed up step by step after graduating from Genin, relying on a steady style of doing things to survive until now. He also exchanged some ninjutsu for more than twenty years of accumulated war merits.

Even though his talent was really limited and he simply couldn't learn those B-rank or higher ninjutsu, he also mastered multiple Fire Release ninjutsu through hard work and effort, with an extremely solid foundation, worthy of being called an elite ninja. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been chosen to perform such a mission.

But it was precisely because of his rich experience that he knew that in this situation, there was no chance of survival.

"Black Secret Technique: Body Manipulation Dance."

Sasori excitedly manipulated the Ant, which was already close to being scrapped, to disassemble its body, trying to block any escape route that the middle-aged ninja might have.

Even if he couldn't escape at all.

The middle-aged ninja was still resisting stubbornly, trying to find a way to survive.

For a time, even with Shimizu wearing the Fatso puppet, he couldn't kill him—there was no way, although the flexibility was much higher compared to Black Gold, it was only relative.

Ninjas were originally professions specializing in agility and attack, and there were no slow ones. In this way, speed became a shortcoming of the Fatso puppet.

After all, the Fatso puppet's own positioning was as a puppet that Shimizu himself wore as armor to protect himself.

What's more, Shimizu wasn't just able to manipulate one puppet.

The Little Boy puppet's agility ability complemented the Fatso puppet perfectly.

Coupled with Sasori's assistance, this Konoha ninja's death was only a matter of time.

"Really... amazing, as expected of members of the puppet squad."

Kana looked at Shimizu and Sasori with a look of amazement.

The older one definitely had the combat power to defeat most Chunin, and the younger one was definitely at the top level among Genin, and even ordinary Chunin would probably not be able to take him down.

These two children looked to be only ten years old, right?

Even more surprised was Keno.

Sasori's progress was not beyond Keno's expectations, but Shimizu's current combat power really surprised him.

"There's no point in continuing to train. Brother Kana, let's take action together and eliminate the rest of these guys."

After observing for a few seconds, Keno turned his head and said to Kana.

"Alright."

Kana nodded slightly, forming hand seals, preparing to attack.

Just then, a sudden change occurred.