Naruto: Aizen's Shadow in Konoha

Sasori the puppet's left arm, activating the mechanisms with intricate seals etched onto them.

In an instant, countless puppet arms shot out, encasing puppet in a protective cocoon.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The iron sand bullets from the Third Kazekage's Magnet Style rained down, colliding with the puppet arms and producing a cacophony of metallic clangs.

After a relentless assault, most of the puppet arms were left in shreds. However, some remained functional, albeit damaged.

Through sheer persistence, the surviving mechanical arms extended despite the strong magnetic interference from the surrounding iron sand.

At their tips, small muzzles opened, revealing their payloads.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

White ceramic bombs, uniquely crafted by Sasori, shot out and landed around the Third Kazekage.

As the bombs shattered, a deep purple poisonous smoke spread out, rapidly covering an area of several hundred meters with the Kazekage at its center.

Sasori had specifically designed these ceramic gas bombs to counter the Third Kazekage's Magnet Style. With iron sand rendering metal weapons ineffective, ceramic materials were his only viable option.

"Magnet Style: Iron Sand Wing!"

However, the Third Kazekage merely summoned a pair of iron sand wings, which spread wide with a single flap, lifting him high into the air and away from the poisonous cloud.

As he soared effortlessly above the battlefield, Sasori's expression darkened.

"As expected... my current strength is still insufficient to face a powerhouse like the Third Kazekage alone," Sasori thought bitterly, his confidence shaken.

"Magnet Style: Iron Sand Giant Needle!"

The Third Kazekage, glaring down at Sasori, wasted no time retaliating. With a grim expression, he summoned iron sand that coalesced into massive needles several meters long, imbued with immense magnetic force.

Whizz!

The giant needles hurtled toward Sasori with blinding speed, their sheer power enough to annihilate the defenses in moments.

Crack!

Despite Sasori's attempt to retreat into the quicksand below, a massive iron sand needle penetrated the puppet's back, narrowly missing Sasori's body.

As the iron sand began to disintegrate and spread through the puppet, eroding it from within, Sasori acted swiftly.

Recognizing the imminent danger, he activated an escape mechanism, leaping out of the puppet just before the magnetic erosion could reach him.

As Sasori fled, the Third Kazekage sneered, his hands forming rapid seals.

"Magnet Style: Iron Sand Strike!"

The surrounding iron sand converged, swirling with incredible force. In moments, it solidified into massive structures: a towering iron sand spike and an enormous cuboid, their deadly intent unmistakable.

Whoosh!

Under Third Kazekage's precise control, the iron sand triangular pyramid spun rapidly, emitting a low, ominous hum as it hurtled through the air toward the figure of Sasori.

Simultaneously, the iron sand cuboid approached from the sides, converging to trap and crush Sasori. The attack seemed inescapable, ensuring certain death.

However, elsewhere in the desert...

The real Sasori, emerging from beneath the sand, observed Third Kazekage unleashing such a devastating attack on nothing more than a distant rock.

His expression twisted with incredulity, but he quickly pieced it together—this was undoubtedly Aizen's doing.

Realizing the opportunity, Sasori acted without hesitation.

"Secret Art: Erosion Flow!"

Sasori shed his cloak, revealing his puppet body, and extended a jet mechanism from his palms, aiming directly at Third Kazekage, who was hovering in the air.

Whoosh!

A scroll behind Sasori disappeared as a high-pressure jet of toxic water erupted from his palms, streaking toward Third Kazekage with lethal speed.

This was one of Sasori's most powerful techniques—renowned for its unparalleled range and penetrating force.

The deadly stream closed the gap between them in mere moments, heading straight for Third Kazekage's back.

A chill of foreboding surged through Third Kazekage's mind—a primal, instinctual sense of impending danger that only a battle-hardened Kage-level ninja could possess.

At the last possible moment, Third Kazekage reacted. Years of experience and his sharpened instincts compelled him to summon a dense iron sand wall behind him, intercepting the attack just before it could land a fatal blow.

Clang!

The high-pressure stream collided with the iron sand barrier, splattering harmlessly against it.

Despite successfully defending himself, Third Kazekage's expression darkened. He quickly deduced that some form of illusion was interfering with his perception, enabling these sneak attacks.

But illusions alone wouldn't leave him helpless—not at his level.

"Magnet Style Secret Art: Iron Sand World!"

Pulling the iron sand triangular pyramid and cuboid back into the air, Third Kazekage fused them together with a cold, calculating gaze.

"I don't need to know your exact location. I'll simply attack everything within a several-kilometer radius and see where you can still run!"

His voice carried chilling authority.

The fused iron sand constructs shattered in midair, unleashing countless fine particles of iron sand that spread outward like fractals, resembling the branching growth of trees.

Shhhhhh!

The black iron sand rapidly expanded, creating a dense, deadly web that reached out in all directions.

Watching the unfolding spectacle, Sasori felt his advantage slipping away.

Meanwhile, Aizen, observing the battlefield with calm precision, realized it was time for him to intervene.