Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Art is a Puppet?
"Perfect! This is a perfect art!" Sasori of the Red Sand gazed obsessively at the human puppet before him, which looked indistinguishable from a real person, his eyes filled with fanaticism.
"Directly modifying the bloodline traits of living beings is simply unprecedented!" he exclaimed.
Shin smiled faintly. After producing bone materials with his dead bone pulse, he noticed Sasori's enthusiasm toward his newfound abilities. Witnessing the capabilities of Shin's devil fruit powers, Sasori had decided to ally himself with him. As for his previous association with Obito? That, Sasori felt, was no longer relevant.
Of course, like Orochimaru, Sasori probably harbored thoughts of turning Shin into a human puppet someday. However, Shin wasn't concerned; as long as he remained strong enough, Sasori would stay a loyal follower.
Over the next few days, Shin transformed all of Sasori's puppets using his devil fruit powers. Even Sasori's own puppet body had been upgraded with dead bone pulse materials. Not only had his defense significantly increased, but Sasori's new puppet body, now capable of bleeding and healing, appeared alive. He had transferred his core into this rejuvenated form, retaining the ability to use his puppet techniques and dead bone pulse perfectly.
Through this collaboration, Shin also acquired valuable insights into human anatomy from Sasori's research, advancing his own transformation methods.
"Considering my strength, I'm likely one of the strongest pirate in the other world—except for the mysterious Imu. It may be time to search for a third Devil Fruit. But before that, perhaps I should deal with Obito," Shin mused.
With the other Mangekyo Sharingan in his possession, Shin felt confident that he could defeat Obito if he desired.
Just then, Orochimaru entered the room.
"Shin, it appears we have uninvited guests surrounding our base," he informed.
Shin paused, then extended his observation haki, sensing several formidable presences outside.
"Kiri ninjas... bold of them," he remarked.
Sasori's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Perfect timing to test my new human puppets. I might even acquire some new additions for my collection."
"Let's take a look, then," Orochimaru said with a sly smile, his snake-like pupils flashing. "These visitors must be strong enough to come after us intentionally."
Noting the relatively small number of enemies, Shin concluded they must be elite ninjas to be this confident against a group like his.
Sasori was the first to step outside, followed closely by Orochimaru. Shin joined them, wearing the Akatsuki organization's black cloak with red clouds.
"This seems to be the base of those we're after," muttered a seemingly unremarkable Kiri ninja, who held a peculiar mole. With an exceptional sense of smell, this ninja beast could track scents even through soil and water—a perfect tracker in the humid Land of Water.
The ninja turned to the group, which included Terumi Mei, Zabuza, and several other notable Kiri ninjas, and said, "I'll withdraw for now."
As he departed, Terumi Mei and the others prepared for confrontation. Shin observed them as they came into view, recognizing Terumi Mei with her striking features, Zabuza with his distinctive appearance, and Ao, who has a Byakugan.
He couldn't quite recall the others, though their weapons gave them away: the Executioner's Blade, the Lightning Blades, and the Twin Blades identified them as members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
"So, we're facing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?" Sasori remarked with a slight frown.
The power of the Seven Swordsmen varied greatly. While some were merely elite, others could rival the strength of a Kage. Generally, a swordsman's strength correlated with the weapon they wielded. The Lightning Blades, Shark-Skin sword (Samehada), and Twin Blades were known to be wielded by the strongest among them.
A few days earlier, encountering several of these swordsmen might have prompted Sasori to consider escape. But now, with his enhanced puppet body, Sasori felt confident. He turned to Shin and Orochimaru, saying, "Leave these ones to me. It's a good chance to test my new creations."
Neither Shin nor Orochimaru objected although Shin had his doubts. With her Lava and Boil Releases, Terumi Mei was uniquely suited to counter puppet mechanisms. A single wave of her acidic mist could melt the delicate puppet joints and internal components.
And Sasori's trump card, the Iron Sand of the Third Kazekage, might not fare well either—there was a Lightning Blades user in the enemy's lineup.
Sasori, unfazed, summoned two newly crafted puppets. These figures resembled the ninjas of the Kaguya clan.
"Are you responsible for what happened to the Kaguya clan?" Terumi Mei narrowed her eyes at the puppets, quickly discerning that these Kaguya ninjas were devoid of life.
Though she kept a smile, a dangerous glint shone in her gaze.
"No need for talk—let's capture them first," Ringo Ameyuri said impatiently. With her shark-like grin, she swung her hands, summoning bolts of lightning from the sky.
Sasori's puppets moved instantly, exoskeletons sprouting from their bodies like armor, blocking the lightning easily.
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