CHAPTER 114

"Then it's decided." Hyuga Hiashi, ever the decisive leader, gave a curt nod.

On Konoha's side, several ninja had already exhausted themselves just to temporarily disable Deidara. His body was bruised and swollen from the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist. However, the more pressing issue was the Red Sand Scorpion — Sasori. The team had made little progress against him; no one had yet forced him to reveal his full strength.

"What exactly should I do?" Mizuki asked, stepping closer. With Hiashi now leading the offense, Mizuki knew his own weakened body was no match for Sasori.

"Your potion has worked well so far — enough to keep you standing. But the options are limited," Hiashi said, scanning the field. "That puppet master isn't agile. What we need is someone capable of close-quarters combat and breaking through his defenses. Given the uncertainty, Gaara will lead the offensive."

Sasori's abilities varied depending on which puppet he used. Currently, he was fighting with Hiruko, a heavily armored puppet. Its strength and defense were formidable, but its speed was lacking — a fair tradeoff. If Sasori were to switch to using his real body, the battle might shift toward agility, but at the cost of Hiruko's terrifying durability.

"What about the others? We can't just sit here and watch," Mizuki said. Temari's powerful wind-based attacks were useful, but chakra-consuming. She lacked the reserves of a jinchūriki or someone trained in chakra suppression techniques like Mizuki's. Yūhi Kurenai's genjutsu was strong, but illusions rarely worked on opponents like Sasori, whose puppet body included a single chakra core and minimal organic matter.

"If you can't take him alive, eliminate him — especially that blond one," Hiashi ordered. He turned to Kurenai. "Watch Deidara. Stay alive and recover your strength. This fight won't end easily."

Hiashi's sense of unease deepened. The matching cloaks of Sasori and Deidara — both members of the Akatsuki — meant this wasn't an isolated attack. Akatsuki hunted jinchūriki, and their strength rivaled entire villages. If they were targeting Gaara, it meant they had confidence in suppressing a tailed beast.

"When did the shinobi world give rise to such a terrifying organization?"

While Hiashi was issuing commands, Mizuki used what little time he had to treat himself. The combined effect of his Almighty Potion and basic medical ninjutsu restored some of his strength — but at a cost. His body trembled from the artificial surge of energy, a sensation that told him he was burning life force just to stay upright.

"Really hoping for reinforcements right now..." Mizuki muttered. But realistically, he knew they wouldn't come. Not this time.

Konoha's forces were caught in a dilemma: wait and risk Sasori recovering first, or push forward while most of their team was depleted. After weighing their chances, Hiashi chose the latter.

"We'll strike now and try to force him into revealing his cards."

Mizuki treated Deidara's injuries just enough to keep him from worsening, but his eyes were on Sasori. Gaara stepped forward, sand gourd on his back, slower than usual due to the weight, but deadly nonetheless.

Mizuki narrowed his eyes. "Isn't that a clone?"

Hiashi shook his head. "No — at least not one that could fool the Byakugan. It's real."

With that assurance, Mizuki held back, ready to strike.

As Gaara fended off a barrage of poison-tipped senbon and kunai from Sasori, he muttered, "That puppet... its style is familiar."

"A rogue from your village?" Hiashi asked.

"Possibly. I've never met him, but the elders might know."

It was true. Sasori's puppet style was undeniably of Sunagakure. Puppet techniques were passed down through generations, and Sasori's fluid combat style, even with Hiruko, was unmistakably refined.

"Do you know any weaknesses?" Hiashi asked.

"If Kankuro were here, maybe. But honestly? Our chances are slim," Gaara replied.

Hiashi didn't flinch. "We fight with what we have. That's the Konoha way."

"Careful," Mizuki warned softly.

Sasori's attacks were relentless. His concealed weapons, mostly senbon laced with deadly poison, erupted from unpredictable places on Hiruko's body. But Gaara's sand shield blocked them effortlessly. Unfortunately, close-range combat remained dangerous — Hiruko's tail, laced with paralytic poison, could pierce most defenses.

"Dodge it! Don't try to block!" Hiashi shouted.

Mizuki recalled how Chiyo had used chakra threads to bind Hiruko's tail, giving Sakura a chance to destroy it. He couldn't replicate it fully, but maybe a variation would work.

Mizuki pulled out a Fūma Shuriken and handed it to Hiashi. "With Byakugan, you should see the chakra threads."

Hiashi nodded. Mizuki created a shadow clone. The clone launched the shuriken while Mizuki transformed into a second one hidden within it.

The first shuriken arced toward Sasori and was easily deflected. But as expected, the second one emerged — Mizuki in disguise.

Sasori moved to counter — but stopped. His tail had been wrapped in chakra threads, anchored to Hiashi's hand.

"There's a puppeteer among them? Why didn't Zetsu report this?" Sasori thought angrily.

Mizuki broke free of his transformation midair and attacked. With his Chakra Scalpel, he slashed into Hiruko's neck plating. The blade met incredible resistance.

"This puppet was once human... how strong was the original ninja's defense?"

He carved deeper — but Hiruko exploded from within. A spinning blade wheel shot toward Mizuki's head. With no time to dodge, he turned, threw up a chakra shield, and deflected just enough to avoid a fatal blow. The blade embedded deep into his left shoulder.

Pain seared through him, and he staggered back.

"Without the chakra shield, I'd be dead."

Sasori had discarded Hiruko and switched to his true body — the puppet with a core at its chest. Mizuki, wounded and slowing, used his right hand to stab directly at Sasori's regeneration core.

Sasori drew back.

"Our intel was leaked. How do you know my weakness?" he asked, voice mechanical.

Mizuki didn't answer. He was pale, the poison spreading from his shoulder.

Just as Sasori prepared to finish him, Kurenai appeared. She blocked the blade with a kunai, standing between Mizuki and certain death.

"You've been useless all day," Mizuki rasped, "but I'll forgive you just this once."

Kurenai smiled faintly.

Mizuki drank what remained of his potion and splashed the rest on his wound. He collapsed, his strength finally gone.

"At least... we held the line."

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