"Heh heh heh, it seems you gained a lot from your trip to Ryūchi Cave..."
Orochimaru smiled slightly, satisfied that his apprentice had returned with something valuable.
After all, he had left the Ryūchi Cave contract scroll specifically for Kazuyama to use.
"Gained what? None of the people in Ryūchi Cave were easy to deal with. It was a miracle I made it back alive."
"Sensei, let's save the catching up for later—first, we fight."
Kazuyama sidestepped a special kunai and turned his gaze back to the battlefield.
With Manda's arrival, the tide of battle had shifted. Even Sunagakure's powerful Wind Release techniques failed to pierce his thick scales.
This was the power of Orochimaru's Ryūchi Cave connection. Take Manda, for example—his body was infused with natural energy.
"Good, let's fight first."
"I'll handle the Sunagakure forces. You and Manda go after Sasori."
"His puppets and poison are the biggest threat here."
Orochimaru's eyes turned cold as he glanced toward the battlefield, where a puppet was mercilessly reaping lives.
He had already fought Sasori of the Red Sand multiple times. The boy's Puppet Technique was undeniably powerful—though he lacked the sheer number of puppets that Chiyo commanded, his craftsmanship far surpassed hers.
Especially his poison. Just one drop was enough to kill a Konoha shinobi.
Orochimaru had already reported the situation back to Konoha, hoping to have Tsunade summoned for medical support—but whether that request would be granted remained uncertain.
If this continued, Konoha's casualties would be far too high.
"Alright, just Sasori? Watch me take care of him!"
The moment Sasori's name was mentioned, Kazuyama's eyes lit up.
The last time they fought, Sasori had provided him with quite a few useful attributes.
Without hesitation, Kazuyama tossed a handful of kunai onto the ground before activating his Transparent Escape Technique—vanishing instantly.
"Heh, this brat..."
"This Transparent Escape Technique is truly something else. He disappeared right before my eyes, and in the next second, I couldn't even sense his movement..."
"And he even left behind coordinates... Haha, should I call him cautious or just a coward? Already planning his escape route before the fight has even begun?"
Orochimaru sighed and shook his head. Then, he also leaped into the battlefield.
"Chōmei, help me find that brat Sasori."
"Now that I'm back on the battlefield, I have to show him my love!"
Chōmei instantly got into the spirit, speaking with enthusiasm.
"Don't worry, I'll send you my chakra and help you track him down."
"If we search together, we'll find that brat in no time."
"But… how exactly do you plan to 'show him your love'? Care to share?"
Kazuyama chuckled. "As they say—some things are better left unsaid!"
Then, he began his search.
With his Hive Mind and emotional perception, it didn't take long to pinpoint Sasori's location.
This kid is talented…
He had actually dug a hole right in the middle of the battlefield, concealing the entrance with corpses. No wonder Orochimaru couldn't find him.
"What a genius… How did he even dig this hole? It's just big enough to fit him."
"And it doesn't obstruct his view either..."
Chōmei couldn't help but admire Sasori's ingenuity. Not only had he created a hidden spot, but he had also used corpses as decoys.
"Puppeteers don't have much direct combat power. To control their puppets on the battlefield, they need a secure hiding place."
"This kid Sasori is really good at it. Lucky for him he's not very tall—otherwise, he wouldn't even fit in that hole."
"In that case… hehe..."
Kazuyama's signature grin returned.
Now that he had found his target, the next step was to take him down.
He strode directly toward Sasori's hiding place.
On the Battlefield
Crows, Black Ants, and two humanoid puppets wreaked havoc, cutting down enemies without mercy.
Deep in his underground hideout, Sasori remained focused, controlling his puppets without a single misstep.
He had no idea that danger had already crept up behind him.
Kazuyama crouched silently, extending his right hand.
"Chōmei, some Scale Powder."
"What effect do you want?"
"Sleep."
"Got it! I'll whip some up for you."
To avoid disrupting his Transparent Escape Technique, Kazuyama refrained from direct contact, letting Chōmei handle it instead.
Within moments, Chōmei gathered his chakra and produced the Scale Powder.
Under Kazuyama's control, the fine dust drifted silently into the underground hideout.
Sasori, completely engrossed in battle, suddenly felt a wave of drowsiness wash over him.
Before he could react—he was out.
Come on, this is Scale Powder made by Seven-Tails Chōmei. It's designed to knock you out in three seconds, so you must fall asleep in three seconds.
As Sasori slumped over, the puppets on the battlefield abruptly lost control, collapsing like kites with severed strings.
Orochimaru, watching from afar, saw the sudden shift and smirked.
He knew Kazuyama had succeeded.
"The Puppeteer has been dealt with! Quickly suppress the enemy and push them back!"
At Orochimaru's command, the Konoha forces launched a fierce counterattack.
Ninjutsu and explosive tags filled the sky in an instant, forcing Sunagakure's forces to retreat.
"Kazuyama, it's time to go, or we'll end up in the line of fire too," Chōmei warned, glancing at the chaotic battlefield.
But Kazuyama simply chuckled.
The next second, he deactivated his Transparent Escape Technique and placed his right hand on the ground.
"Many Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Countless long snakes slithered from his arm, flooding into the underground hideout.
"Damn it, you little brat…"
"I guarantee that when this guy wakes up, he'll be scared to death—sleeping with snakes!"
Under Kazuyama's control, the snakes didn't attack Sasori—they simply coiled around him, trapping him in a writhing nest of scales.
Satisfied with his handiwork, Kazuyama activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and instantly returned to Konoha's defensive trenches.
"Hehehe… I hope Sasori likes my gift."
"Manda! We're heading back!"
Manda, still slithering aggressively across the battlefield, paused upon hearing Kazuyama's voice.
With an annoyed huff, he reluctantly began retreating.
He still had plenty of chakra left and could keep fighting, but since Kazuyama had called for him, he had no choice.
Had it been Orochimaru calling, he definitely would have ignored him.
Orochimaru: …Are you serious?
Manda: What do you think? He's a disciple of the Sage now. And what are you?
Kazuyama: How dare you talk to my sensei like that? You looking for trouble?
Manda: I—! …You win. I can't mess with you, okay?!
"Heh heh heh… I've never seen Manda so obedient before. Should I say that the student has surpassed the master?" Orochimaru smirked.
"Hahaha, Sensei, don't joke. The only reason he listens is because of the Snake Princesses in Ryūchi Cave."
At the mention of the Snake Princesses, Orochimaru's gaze softened slightly.
He, too, had once met the three Snake Princesses.
But the price of learning Senjutsu had been too high… and he hadn't dared to take the risk.
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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