Chapter 191: Kankuro's Sorrow [Part 2] (Patreon)

Chapter List: Naruto: Sakura Blizzard

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"My dear Crow..."

With a rush of emotion, Kankuro lunged forward, embracing Crow, his heart spasming with pain. He looked on the verge of tears, as if he might break down at any second.

"I merely broke the limbs of your puppet," said Ino, her voice dripping with disdain. "You can repair it after the match, can't you? Is there a need to be so heartbroken?"

Kankuro's grief-stricken expression, akin to a man who'd lost his wife, left Ino feeling profoundly uncomfortable, sending a shiver down her spine. She had heard of people who invested their emotions in lifeless objects, sometimes to extreme lengths. 'Could it be that I have encountered such an individual?' she wondered.

"What do you know?" Kankuro turned around, his voice a roar of anguish. "Crow has been with me since I graduated. For many years, I've handled it with the utmost care. And now, you've managed to break its limbs. How could I not be heartbroken?!"

"It's one thing to be heartbroken," Ino replied, raising her left hand where two blades, sprung from the puppet's arm, halted behind her back. "But do you have to resort to sneak attacks during such a moment? It doesn't speak well of you!"

The blades, serrated and menacing, promised a dire outcome if she were to be slashed. Yet, even amidst the potential danger, Ino continued, "You claim to care, yet you perform this charade to cover your treacherous attacks. Are you truly sincere in your feelings for your puppet?!"

"Battles inevitably damage puppets. I've long accepted that," Kankuro retorted, standing up, his previous despair replaced by a stoic expression. "As for sneak attacks? Ninjas survive in the shadows. Direct confrontations are for warriors, not ninjas!"

"And if you can defend against two blades, can you handle six?"

Kankuro's fingers moved with blinding speed, and four more blades embedded in the puppet's limbs emerged from the shadows, thrusting towards Ino's vital points.

"Only six blades? You're underestimating me," Ino said, a confident smile playing around her lips. "Compared to Tenten's assault, your attack hardly qualifies!"

Her crimson chaos magic solidified, stopping the six blades mere inches from her. Despite their proximity, they couldn't breach the defense wrought by her chaos magic.

"You blocked Black Ant's six blades... But you must be at your limit now," Kankuro said, first in shock, then breaking into a grin. With a light flick of his fingers, Crow levitated once more, its mouth opening to reveal a glint of cold, menacing light.

"Secret Black Technique—Poison Needles..."

Fine, lethal needles shot from Crow's mouth, their tips gleaming wickedly. Upon closer inspection, they were coated with a deep green substance—a clear indication of potent poison.

"While Black Ant's limbs engage you, Crow strikes. I may not command Crow in detail while controlling Black Ant's six blades, but activating Crow's mechanisms? That I can manage. Struck by these poisoned needles, without prompt treatment, death is certain..."

Kankuro was brimming with confidence. Crow, a puppet rigged with numerous devices, was currently his main focus. While he couldn't afford the luxury of detailed control, launching an attack via Crow's mechanisms was within his capabilities.

Originally, Kankuro had intended to use only Crow for victory, reserving Black Ant and Sansho Fish for the imminent Konoha collapse scheme. However, Crow alone had proven insufficient against Ino. Reluctantly, he had deployed Black Ant and Sansho Fish. Though he disliked revealing his hand prematurely, his youthful pride refused to concede defeat in his first match.

"Attempting a poisoned needle attack?" Ino retorted, eyeing the rapidly approaching needles. Her hands glowed intensely with chaos magic, the crimson energy pulsating like living blood. "I'm not one for defense alone. When it comes to offense, I excel just as much!"

The six blades, enveloped in chaos magic, swiftly repositioned to form a protective shield in front of her. The needles clinked harmlessly against the blades, their frail structure relying on their toxic coating rather than force. They could not penetrate the shield formed by the blades. After repelling three waves of needles, the blades remained unscathed.

"Let's return these blades to you..."

With a forceful swing of her arm, Ino sent the six blades, along with the attached Black Ant limbs, spinning back towards Kankuro.

"Secret Black Technique—Puppet's Shield..."

Kankuro quickly ceased his tug-of-war with Ino for blade control, instead connecting with Sansho Fish. In an instant, a shield rose from Sansho Fish's back, providing a sturdy barrier.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

Six successive clangs echoed as Black Ant's blades failed to penetrate Sansho Fish's defense, allowing Kankuro a moment of relief.

"Secret Black Technique—Sansho Fish..."

Suddenly, the ground beneath Ino trembled. Puppet Sandfish emerged from beneath her, its shield ready to ensnare. The recently defensive Sansho Fish transformed, revealing itself as Black Ant, the original wielder of the six blades.

"First, you used Sansho Fish to defend, then swiftly transformed another puppet into its likeness. The real Sansho Fish burrowed underground to ambush me. You planned to trap me with the puppet shield from behind and launch your attack," Ino deduced swiftly. Her frequent sparring with Kakashi and others had honed her tactical acumen.

As Puppet Sandfish nearly reached her, Ino, airborne, showed no panic. She appeared completely at ease.

"Chaos magic isn't just for manipulation. My growth in these two years isn't for show."

In a blink, her chaos magic formed a solid platform beneath her feet. As she landed, the platform shot upwards at an alarming speed, elevating her beyond Sansho Fish's reach.

From her vantage point, she glanced down at the puppeteers, a smirk playing on her lips. "Your Secret Black Techniques are indeed formidable, Kankuro. But they seem somewhat lackluster in catching someone who refuses to stay grounded."

Kankuro's eyes narrowed as he watched Ino soar above. He knew he had underestimated her, but her ability to adapt and retaliate was beyond what he had anticipated.

The battlefield, now more a spectacle of soaring and diving figures, had everyone's attention riveted. The puppet master and the chaos magician, each with their unique styles, clashed in a dazzling display of strategy and raw power. The outcome remained uncertain, the tension palpable in the air. The next move could very well decide the victor in this intense showdown.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 192: Kankuro's Sorrow [End]