Chapter 190: Kankuro's Sorrow [Middle] (Patreon)

Chapter List: Naruto: Sakura Blizzard

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“He didn’t hear it!” Even if he did, it wouldn’t matter since the Fourth Kazekage will soon meet his end anyway!

Sakura didn’t voice the latter part of her thoughts, knowing well that the Fourth Kazekage had, at most, ten days to live before falling to Orochimaru. Her taunts about Kankuro wouldn’t reach the intended ears.

“Walls have ears!” Kakashi retorted, his Byakugan rolling. Though he harbored doubts about Kankuro being Baki's biological son, he kept these thoughts to himself. No sane man could endure the force of such unforgivable comments.

“Are all you Konoha people so annoying?”

Kankuro, who had heard everything clearly, asked Ino with a darkened face.

“It’s not about being annoying,” Ino replied with a smile. “It’s just curiosity about the unknown. It's merely speculation; don't take it to heart. Otherwise, it’ll feel like you’re admitting guilt!”

Her teasing tone and the way she looked at Kankuro only darkened his expression further.

“Other than achieving verbal victories, what else can you Konoha folks do?” Kankuro wanted to argue but held back, not wanting to lose his gentlemanly demeanor. Taking a deep breath, he suppressed his rising anger.

“We can pin the Hidden Sand Village to the ground and beat you!” Ino responded pleasantly, only for her words to anger the Hidden Sand ninjas in the stands. “Haven’t you forgotten? In the past three Great Ninja Wars, your village was practically hammered into submission!”

“You…” Kankuro was livid but found himself at a loss for words. The Hidden Sand Village indeed had a history of defeat in the wars, an irrefutable fact.

“Harsh truths are painful, but acceptance is necessary. One can’t always run from reality,” Ino lectured, seemingly for his benefit. “Instead of avoiding reality, think about how to elevate your village. With effort, you could rise from fifth to fourth among the ninja villages!”

“I refuse to engage in pointless banter. Let's settle this in battle!”

Fuming, Kankuro thought of their aspirations. What did rankings matter when they aimed for the top?

“You’re a puppeteer, right?” Ino eyed the puppet on Kankuro’s back. “I’ve never seen a puppeteer fight. I wonder about your capabilities.”

“You’ll witness the power of a puppeteer soon enough!” Confident in his skills, especially with his puppets Crow, Black Ant, and Sansho Fish—legacy of the renowned Sasori of the Red Sand—Kankuro was brimming with confidence.

“Cough, cough, prepare yourselves. Begin the fight,” Gekko Hayate announced, coughing as he stepped back.

“I’ll end this quickly…”

Kankuro revealed his puppet Crow. The crowd reacted in unison to its bizarre appearance.

“So ugly…” was the collective verdict. Truth be told, the aesthetic of the Hidden Sand’s puppets was unappealing—a reflection of their taste, perhaps?

“You’re all insufferable…”

Kankuro’s face twisted in rage. As a puppeteer, he considered his creations extensions of himself, and insults to their form were personal affronts.

“Black Secret Technique: Blade Arms…”

Crow, now brandishing blades with a sinister sheen—sure signs of poison—moved on Kankuro’s command, its chakra strings leading straight back to him.

“Ding…”

The blades halted right before Ino, surrounded by a scarlet energy. Despite Crow’s struggles, it couldn’t advance.

“Is this your puppetry? Seems lacking to me!”

Ino, her hands radiating the same scarlet energy enveloping Crow’s limbs, countered effortlessly. With a slight motion, the blades receded into Crow.

“What is this ability?” Kankuro was aghast. A bizarre force interfered with his control, rendering Crow's mechanisms unresponsive.

“That’s Ino’s evolved power, what I call 'Chaos Magic.' It can control and annihilate. She can manipulate anything, even energy. Your puppet is no exception,” Sakura explained quietly to Kakashi. “Ino can also create illusions, but that requires proximity. As for annihilation…”

“Your puppet, I return it to you…”

Ino flung her hand, sending Crow wrapped in scarlet energy hurtling towards Kankuro, his chakra strings severed by her chaos magic.

“Don’t throw it…” Kankuro screamed, catching Crow with his Puppet Sandfish, relieved it was undamaged.

“Are you sure it’s unharmed?” Ino sneered, squeezing her hand.

“Crack…”

As Crow’s limbs shattered, so did Kankuro’s spirit.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 191: Kankuro's Sorrow [Part 2]