Chapter 1016

"Still haven't learned your lesson?" She finally moved, her long robe swaying, a blade sliding out from her sleeve—not the "North Wind" the Sand ninja knew so well, but one whose craftsmanship far surpassed ordinary ninja tools, with mist-like energy in a pale green and light violet coiling around the blade, its power clearly perceptible even to non-Sensor-type ninja.

Feral, chaotic.

At this moment Ma Ji's hand seals were finally complete.

The "Wind Release: Dust Storm Technique" shares a similar effect with the Hiding in Mist Technique; the Dust Storm Technique is a concealment jutsu developed by the Sand ninja in accordance with their own environment, using chakra to stir up a small-scale sandstorm over a limited area to alter the surroundings and block the enemy's line of sight—whether used for ambush or retreat, it is an extremely practical jutsu.

Must cover Gaara's jinchūriki—no, should say One-Tail—absolutely cannot let her fall into the enemy's hands.

"Are you all right, let me see! Oh, thank goodness, she didn't hurt you."

"Hey, Grandma."

"Is there anywhere that feels uncomfortable?"

"N-no, I-I was wanting to ask, that big sister—"

"If you think about it carefully, the most powerful technique in the Naruto World should be the Return Kill."

For Sasori of the Red Sand, the appearance of Young Yuanzi directly changed his entire life; whether described as "her" or "it" would actually be more fitting than "he."

Whether it was the way everyone in the village gnashed their teeth describing that person, or the various rumors about them, the young Sasori would instinctively idealize them.

"You're far too weak—too weak for killing you to even seem worthwhile."

Even though the other party was still standing obediently in place, everything from the previous moment told Ma Ji that the opponent had already struck, and not only that, they had used this kind of invisible attack to obliterate them.

The only one still standing was Ma Ji—not because he possessed such strength, but because the other party had deliberately left him alive.

Ma Ji understood this perfectly, because he had not detected in the slightest when the other party had struck or what method they had used; if the opponent truly wished to kill, then at this moment he and all his companions would share the same fate.

Slowly removing the hat from his head, he revealed that face so familiar to Ma Ji.

"Yuanzi! No, no, that's not right! You're not Uzumaki Yuanzi—I just saw her." Ma Ji stared fixedly at the other's hair.

This was the only different part about the other party—completely emerald green, as if composed of some crystalline substance.

"Is that so? I see, ah, hahahaha!" Revealing a clearly malicious smile, a Honkai-style grin as if amazed the other could actually say it, Uzumaki Yuanzi walked toward Ma Ji in a very relaxed posture, one that didn't at all resemble being on a battlefield.

"No matter how much I look like her, I'll still be recognized, huh? What a headache! And yet I'm already so alike. Well then, I just need to kill off everyone like you, don't I?"

Just where does it feel off?

No matter how advanced the material—wood, iron, whatever.

"Tch, why did it fail again?" He immediately gave up operating the chakra strings; the puppet that just now had seemed so lifelike instantly went limp and collapsed to the ground.

In truth, as far as craftsmanship went, the precision of this puppet had already reached the very best a puppeteer could achieve, yet its maker treated it like a worn-out shoe.

"Right, with only this crude level of skill, how could I possibly not be recognized? Unsatisfied, unsatisfied, unsatisfied!"

If it were that scroll of forbidden techniques hidden away by Grandma.

Memories are for filling in plot holes, after all.

"Wind Release: Gust Technique"—even if the chance of a successful escape was extremely low, refusing to resist was absolutely not his style; moreover, in such a short time Gaara and the others hadn't gotten far!

Thinking of all this, Ma Ji instead calmed down; in fact, if he stopped considering how to escape afterward and devoted himself wholly to clamping onto the opponent without letting go, he might be able to buy more time.

"Far too weak, Ma Ji, you are far too weak! So weak that I can't help sighing that time really is a wondrous elixir—it can turn you into a piece of trash like this."

That tone, and that way of mocking—even if he was unwilling to believe it, Ma Ji could already confirm exactly who this "Uzumaki Yuanzi" before his eyes truly was.

The one whom Sand Village, the Elder Council, even his own grandmother refused to mention, the one who could be erased from everyone's mind—a puppeteer so genius he was horrifying.

Sasori of the Red Sand!

"What a disgrace, Sasori—if your grandmother knew what you've become now, hmm, not just your grandmother, your parents would feel ashamed too!" Knowing full well this would only enrage the other, Ma Ji nonetheless felt that the pent-up fury in his chest had been vented considerably; feeling exhilarated, he even found his fear of the death he would soon face had lessened.

In the past, Ma Ji's taunts might have had some effect, but for the Sasori of today these were nothing more than topics that didn't even sting—listening, they even sounded like someone else's story.

"Ah, for you people, this much is already unbearable? How shallow!"

To be able to merge with the one you admired in this way—surely that is the most beautiful thing in this world.