Who Controls the Weather?
The one who attacked Uzushiogakure was Orochimaru, a legendary Sannin whose fame and strength rivaled that of the Five Kage. His involvement spelled certain destruction for the village, as he was known for his insidious experiments and ruthless tactics.
Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin and a mentor to the Fourth Hokage, was the only one who could stop Orochimaru's assault. He managed to force Orochimaru into a retreat, proving that he was at least on the same level. Just thinking about it sent a shiver down his spine.
But under Naruto's relentless questioning, he had no choice but to respond with a straight face: "Orochimaru, who could force one of the Legendary Sannin back, doesn't seem like someone who should be hiding behind the rank of a mere Chūnin from a minor village."
After being seen through by Zabuza Momochi, Jiraiya simply smiled and said, "I don't think that one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist came all the way to the Land of Whirlpools just for sightseeing. There aren't exactly any famous attractions here."
Zabuza fell silent, no longer looking at Jiraiya.
After a brief pause, Jiraiya continued, speaking meaningfully: "Since we all have our own missions, let's not expose each other. It's better to keep our identities hidden while we carry them out."
With that, Jiraiya rushed toward Shisui Uchiha—he needed to confirm the identity of the mysterious puppeteer.
After Jiraiya left, Naruto turned to look at Zabuza once more. The latter remained expressionless as he said, "The immediate threat has been neutralized. Now, let's see what this uninvited guest wants."
Zabuza nodded, regretting his decision to take on a mission in the Land of Whirlpools. This was clearly a battlefield where titans clashed.
…
As time passed, the battle between Shisui Uchiha and Sasori of the Red Sand reached its climax.
Both used their respective secret techniques, but neither could land a decisive blow. Instead, they probed each other for weaknesses, each aiming for a complete victory.
Clang!
Using the enhanced dynamic vision of his Mangekyō Sharingan, Shisui evaded a puppet's attack with precision.
Unlike standard metal puppets, human puppets were crafted from the corpses of fallen shinobi and retained their jutsu from life. Though Shisui had heard of them before, this was his first time encountering one in battle.
He severed a chakra thread with his tantō, but his eyes narrowed as the thread quickly reattached itself. He was at a disadvantage—his speed and genjutsu were ineffective against puppets, which neither bled nor had minds susceptible to illusions.
Fortunately, he wasn't fighting alone. In addition to his Uchiha comrades, he had the support of the formidable Uzumaki clan.
Though the Uzumaki warrior aiding him had yet to reveal himself, Shisui could sense his potent chakra signature. He suspected this was a contingency left behind by Master Menma to protect the village.
Realizing this, Shisui abandoned his defensive stance and shifted to an aggressive assault.
Even if it meant sacrificing an Izanagi, he needed to expose his opponent's true form. His clan needed a decisive victory to secure their place in this new shinobi village.
Otherwise, even if Master Menma never said a word, the Uchiha would still feel indebted, making true integration impossible.
And the Uchiha knew all too well the consequences of being outsiders within a village. They had been systematically marginalized in Konoha, eventually leading to their downfall. They couldn't afford to repeat history.
Taking a deep breath, Shisui's chest expanded as he gathered chakra.
A massive surge of fire erupted from his mouth, enveloping the battlefield in roaring flames.
Using the inferno as cover, Shisui closed in on Sasori's puppet armor, Fei Liuhu. His body blurred into a dozen afterimages as he struck at its weak points, slashing relentlessly.
With a final, well-placed blow, Fei Liuhu shattered into countless fragments, revealing Sasori's true form.
Sasori's body was that of a striking red-haired youth, but Shisui's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected his opponent to have transformed himself into a living puppet. The concept was chilling.
Forced out of his protective shell, Sasori's expression darkened.
Since his battle against Konan years ago, no one had ever forced him to reveal his true body. Shisui was the first. If he could turn Shisui into a puppet, his collection would reach new heights.
With a flick of his fingers, Sasori deployed ten chakra threads, reanimating a dozen puppets at once.
Just then, Jiraiya arrived on the battlefield. Without hesitation, he launched an attack from behind, his Rasengan spinning at high velocity as it slammed into Sasori.
Slam!
Sasori's body shattered instantly.
The sudden strike left him no time to react, but as long as his core remained intact, he wasn't truly defeated.
Sasori reassembled himself, his sharp blade lunging toward Jiraiya's back—only to be stopped by the hardened bristles of the latter's Wild Lion's Mane Technique.
Realizing his attack had failed, Sasori quickly retreated.
Glancing around, he noticed that Orochimaru had vanished. He frowned, before placing several puppets between himself and his enemies. Then, he unfurled a summoning scroll.
Poof!
With a burst of smoke, Sasori summoned his most prized creation—the human puppet of the Third Kazekage.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wings!"
Leaping onto the Kazekage puppet's back, Sasori manipulated it to unleash a barrage of iron sand needles at Jiraiya below. However, Jiraiya's hardened hair blocked the assault.
The moment the iron sand appeared, Jiraiya and Shisui exchanged glances. They had both noticed something unusual about the Kazekage puppet.
Magnet Release was no ordinary kekkei genkai—it was an ability wielded exclusively by Kazekage of Sunagakure. Each wielder had perished mysteriously, with no bodies recovered.
Wait…
Jiraiya suddenly recalled an old mystery.
The Third Great Ninja War had been triggered by the disappearance of the Third Kazekage. He had possessed Magnet Release, and his body had never been found.
Could it be that the Third Kazekage's disappearance had been Sasori's doing?
As Jiraiya pieced together the truth, Sasori recognized his opponent as well.
Curses.
If Orochimaru hadn't fled, they might have had a chance. But against a Sannin and Shisui, staying any longer was a gamble he wasn't willing to take.
Sasori manipulated the Kazekage puppet to ascend into the sky, soaring higher and higher. Soon, it became nothing more than a black speck against the clouds.
Just as the puppet was about to disappear from sight, a sudden gust of wind erupted from the ground.
A powerful hurricane spiraled upward, engulfing the puppet mid-air.
With its wings torn apart by the raging winds, the Kazekage puppet plummeted into the forest below. Its fate remained unknown.
Shisui smirked. He knew what this meant—Master Menma had returned.
But Jiraiya narrowed his eyes.
That storm…
It hadn't been natural. Someone had controlled the wind, manipulating the weather itself.
How much chakra would it take for a shinobi to wield such power?
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