Chapter 192: Kankuro's Sorrow [End] (Patreon)

Chapter List: Naruto: Sakura Blizzard

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"What? She can actually fly? How is that possible?"

Kankuro, who had been brimming with confidence, nearly popped his eyes out in astonishment. In his plan, the Sansho Fish was supposed to emerge suddenly from underground and trap Ino. But who could have predicted that at this critical moment, Ino would soar upwards once again just before falling? The Sansho Fish, not designed for flight and with limited jumping power, naturally began to descend after reaching a certain height, instantly increasing the distance between them.

"Are you disappointed?" Ino landed not far from the Sansho Fish, looked at the dumbstruck Kankuro, and said, "Did you think your plan had a high chance of success? Let me tell you the truth; we're already used to these underground sneak attacks!"

Ino wasn't lying. Emerging unexpectedly from the ground was something Naruto often did, especially in tandem with his numerous shadow clones, making it nearly impossible to defend against. Kakashi also had a penchant for using the 'Earth Release—Inner Decapitation Technique' against them. In fact, the moment Sansho Fish stirred underground, Ino had already sensed it. They had fallen for this tactic too many times that it had become an instinctive reaction.

"Tch, it's not over until it's over. Who wins and who loses is still not set in stone!"

Kankuro had lost his earlier overconfidence, but giving up without a fight was not an option for him. He had deployed all three of his puppets, yet hadn't managed to defeat his opponent. How could he willingly accept defeat?

"Then show me what else you've got!" Crimson energy roiled in Ino's hands. "If the puppet masters of the Hidden Sand Village are only this capable, that's truly disappointing!"

"Don't underestimate the puppet masters of the Hidden Sand Village!"

A flash of displeasure crossed Kankuro's eyes. The shattered-limbed Crow puppet stood up again, its arm now replaced with that of Black Ant. Although it wasn't as efficiently operable as the original, it didn't significantly reduce Crow's lethality.

"Black Secret Technique - Main Six Blades..."

Crow, hurtling towards Ino at high speed, sprung six sharp blades from its chest ribs and lunged at her.

"Constant defense is meaningless. Moreover, I've almost figured out the combat style of puppet masters. They rely entirely on their puppets. If the puppet is destroyed or someone breaks through to the puppeteer, the puppet master is doomed!"

Seeing Crow's attack, Ino seemed somewhat disappointed. Puppet masters' offense and defense relied too heavily on their puppets. Without them, or if someone bypassed the puppet, the puppet master was headed for a sure demise.

"I've wasted too much time already; I don't want to be entangled with you any longer..."

Ino pulled with both hands, and the crimson energy enveloped Crow, severing Kankuro's chakra threads and taking control of the puppet. Chaos magic in play, she threw Crow towards the stands.

"My Crow..."

Kankuro cried out, hastily casting his chakra threads to reconnect with Crow. He managed to stop it just before it crashed into the spectator stands.

"I've already figured it out. The weakness of a puppet master is their reliance on the puppets for protection and their vulnerability to close combat. And you, a puppet master, have forgotten this..."

As Kankuro breathed a sigh of relief and reeled Crow back in, he heard Ino's voice close by. Crow fell helplessly to the ground, while Kankuro himself was tightly bound by the crimson energy, immobilized.

"Damn, I've been careless..."

A sinking feeling overwhelmed Kankuro. He had been preoccupied with rescuing Crow, forgetting that Ino was waiting for him to slip up. Now, defeat seemed inevitable.

He hadn't expected to use his trump card and still fail to secure victory. Unwillingness mingled with a sense of profound loss within Kankuro. As he prepared to concede defeat, he realized his mouth had been gagged.

"Mmm... Mmm..."

Confusion and fear struck Kankuro. Was she intending to deliver a killing blow? Blocking his mouth must be to prevent surrender. He hadn't expected such ruthlessness from a Konoha ninja. Was his life to end here today?

"Although I can't kill you, I won't give you a chance to turn the tables either!"

The belief was deeply ingrained in Ino and her comrades: 'Never engage in unnecessary dialogue with the enemy, especially when victory is certain, and never give them a chance to recover'. So, facing a ready-to-concede Kankuro, Ino preemptively gagged him, ensuring he'd lose all ability to resist before she would cease.

"… What are you going to do?!"

Kankuro screamed internally, but no one could hear his silent plea. As for Baki, who might have conceded on Kankuro's behalf, he didn't dare speak up easily, having already been wrongfully accused by Sakura once. Speaking up for Kankuro now might cause further misunderstandings about their relationship. Anyway, as the Kazekage's son, Konoha wouldn't let Kankuro die easily. As long as his life wasn't in danger, injuries were inconsequential, especially considering Kankuro's minor role in the upcoming Konoha Crush Plan.

"Do you know what it feels like to spin in circles non-stop?!"

Ino's voice reached Kankuro's ears, and then he felt himself begin to spin rapidly. The world around him blurred. After a few rotations, Ino controlled him to start revolving around the arena in a circular orbit.

Everything had become a blur, and Kankuro could only hear the whistling wind in his ears. The rapid spinning combined with the orbiting made the wind feel like sharp blades across his face.

The spinning wouldn't stop. Kankuro's vision blackened, and the last thing he sensed was his rapidly escalating nausea.

Kankuro collapsed in the arena, motionless.

"Winner, Ino!"

With a pale face, Kankuro slowly stood up. Though defeated, he wasn't willing to be carried out on a stretcher. As he stumbled out of the arena, the Hidden Sand genin couldn't help asking himself, 'Why do I fight? What am I fighting for?'

Today's battle made him realize how unskilled he was compared to the genin from other villages, especially those from Konoha. The realization was like a sharp thorn, deeply embedded in his heart, inflicting pain with every beat.

Yet, the sorrow in Kankuro's heart was not due to the defeat itself, but the fact that he fought for someone else's ambition, not his own. It was an ambition that brought destruction and despair, an ambition that he didn't believe in.

As he left the arena, Kankuro's mind was a whirlpool of thoughts, and a decision slowly took shape within him—a decision that might change the course of his life and perhaps even the destiny of the Hidden Sand Village.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 193: The Lotus of Konoha Will Bloom Again (Part 1)