EBE Chapter 802 The Pursuit
Chapter 802 The Pursuit
Just as Luo Sha was chasing after Shouhe, Zhang Hai, who hadn't moved an inch, suddenly had a glint in his eyes. He knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"The time has come!"
Granny Chiyo's screams echoed across the battlefield. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face was twisted with a frenzied rage. She paid no heed to Rasa's orders; at this moment, only the flames of revenge burned within her.
"Kill! Kill them all!" she roared, her ten fingers dancing wildly in the air, chakra threads coiling around the Chikamatsu Ten like venomous snakes.
Under her control, the ten puppets unleashed even more astonishing power. They darted among the Konoha ninja, swords flashing and blood flying in their wake. The Konoha ninjas couldn't even get close to these terrifying puppets; those who did were torn to shreds by their powerful attacks. They were forced into a crushing defeat, suffering heavy casualties. If Tsunade hadn't used her medical ninjutsu in time to heal the large number of wounded, Konoha's death toll would likely have skyrocketed. This proved that the legendary puppet technique of the First Puppet Master, Monzaemon, capable of destroying a city, was no exaggeration.
"We can't let her continue like this!" A glint flashed in Zhang Hai's eyes. He knew that if Granny Chiyo continued to wreak havoc, Konoha would suffer unbearable losses.
He suddenly drew the Unintentional Blade from his back, its blade gleaming coldly in the night. He unleashed his swordsmanship, his figure flashing like a ghost as he charged into the battlefield, heading straight for Granny Chiyo.
"Don't even think about it!" Granny Chiyo sensed Zhang Hai's presence and immediately manipulated ten puppets to launch a fierce attack on him from all directions. Blades, fists, flames, poisonous mist... all kinds of attacks came down like a tidal wave, trying to overwhelm Zhang Hai.
However, Zhang Hai was even faster. His Supreme Blade instantly split into six blades, like six silver dragons circling around him. Three blades were used for parrying and defense, neutralizing the incoming attacks; the other three blades, like venomous snakes striking, sought opportunities to attack the puppet. Offense and defense complemented each other perfectly, and in the blink of an eye, Zhang Hai closed the distance with Granny Chiyo.
"It's you!" Feeling immense pressure, Granny Chiyo gritted her teeth in anger. When she recognized Zhang Hai's face, her eyes flashed with intense hatred. "You're the ANBU who assassinated our Sand Ninja that day!"
She suddenly opened her mouth and spewed out a thick cloud of poisonous mist, attempting to stop Zhang Hai from getting closer. The mist was an eerie green color and had a pungent odor, clearly extremely poisonous.
Zhang Hai raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. But he did not back down; instead, he charged directly into the poisonous fog.
A hint of joy flashed in Granny Chiyo's eyes, thinking that Zhang Hai had fallen for her scheme. However, when she saw Zhang Hai take an object out of his bosom under the cover of the poisonous fog, her previously crazed expression immediately changed, and she stared at Zhang Hai with surprise and suspicion.
Zhang Hai gave her no time to react. He immediately used the Split Technique, and his powerful mental energy instantly invaded Granny Chiyo's mental space.
Within the mental space, all was in chaos. Granny Chiyo's consciousness was pulled into it. She looked at the blurry figure before her, vaguely feeling that it was familiar, but she couldn't recall its name.
"Who are you?!" Granny Chiyo demanded sharply. Her gaze fell on the object in Zhang Hai's hand, and her pupils suddenly contracted. "Why do you have something from Scorpion on you?!" She recognized the object; it was a puppet that Scorpion had given her years ago. Although it was just a crudely made little gadget, she remembered it vividly.
Zhang Hai smiled slightly, a smile that appeared somewhat mysterious in the chaotic mental space.
"Lady Chiyo, I thought you still remembered me," he said softly, a hint of mockery in his voice. "My name is Kurotsuchi."
"Kurotsuchi?!" A long-buried memory flooded Granny Chiyo's mind. Years ago, there was a gifted young puppeteer in Sunagakure named Kurotsuchi, who later mysteriously "died." That incident had seemed strange to her, but the subsequent tragic deaths of Sasori's parents made her forget about it. Now, Kurotsuchi's sudden appearance left her completely bewildered, utterly unable to comprehend the true identity of the person before her.
"It's you?! You're still alive?!" Granny Chiyo asked in shock, her voice filled with disbelief.
Zhang Hai quickly explained, "It was just a fake death. Afterwards, he infiltrated Konoha for many years and successfully became a member of Konoha's Anbu. Sasori knew all about it."
Grandma Chiyo shook her head after hearing this, her face full of doubt.
"So, you're Sasori's spy planted in Konoha? No way!" She shook her head. "How old was Sasori back then? Besides, Konoha would never allow someone of unknown origin to join the Anbu!"
"It's not easy to fool someone this old..." Zhang Hai muttered to himself, but his signature smile remained on his face.
"You can find out the details by asking Scorpion when you get back," he said with a smile. "What I just took out is a token between Scorpion and me. Give this to him, and he will tell you everything."
Granny Chiyo's eyes became complicated. She looked at Zhang Hai, her words full of accusation: "So, you went so far as to expose your identity to tell me all this just to make me retreat and give up on destroying Konoha, is that right?"
When Zhang Hai heard Granny Chiyo's question, he still had that calm and unhurried smile on his face.
"Lady Chiyo, retreating is a wise move," he said casually, his tone carrying an undeniable certainty. "With your and Rasa's strength, it's impossible to destroy Konoha. Since defeat is inevitable, why persist and only increase casualties?"
He paused, his tone becoming more serious: "In the Third Shinobi World War, Sunagakure has already suffered heavy losses. If these Sunagakure ninja are also lost in Konoha, you will find it difficult to face yourselves when you return to the village. More importantly, Sasori's situation will also become difficult as a result."
Zhang Hai's last words struck Granny Chiyo's heart like a hammer blow. Her eyes instantly hardened, her frenzied rage gradually replaced by reason. She quickly grasped the gravity of the situation: the original objective was merely a feint, intended to tie down Konoha's forces and create an opportunity for Rasa's surprise attack. However, now not only had her grandson Sasori's puppet army been utterly destroyed, but the village's puppeteers were also almost entirely wiped out. If these Sand Ninja died in Konoha because of her personal hatred, she herself wouldn't care about being punished, but if the Kazekage were to take his anger out on Sasori, the consequences would be dire. Sasori was her only grandson, her only hope.
“I understand…” Granny Chiyo gave Zhang Hai a deep look, her tone filled with a complex mix of emotions and resentment. “I will order a retreat.”