章 89: Chapter 89
Chapter 89
The iron sand coiled around Haneda's short sword, slithering up the blade and threatening to reach his hand.
This time, the iron sand was not as weak against *Chidori* as before!
Sasori's Magnet Release had temporarily suppressed Haneda's Lightning Style!
Reluctantly, Haneda let go of the short sword and retreated to the side.
But the iron sand behind him had already blotted out half the sky, crashing down toward him like a tidal wave.
The iron sand formed into countless whip-like tendrils, lashing toward Haneda.
Meanwhile, Sasori had already reattached the puppet limb that Haneda had severed.
With a cold and elegant motion, Sasori's fingers danced, sending chakra strings weaving through the iron sand, cornering Haneda and forcing him into a defensive position.
In the midst of this, one of the iron sand whips struck Haneda across the back, sending him flying ten meters into a tree.
The force was so immense that the tree collapsed onto the ground.
Cold rain continued to pour down, and in the dim light, it seemed as though no hope remained.
"Your arrogance will be your downfall, Uchiha Haneda," Sasori sneered.
*Shhh...*
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed—those of the Third Kazekage puppet.
"Your strength is impressive, certainly at the Jonin level."
"But my art surpasses you, and I won't give you any chances."
The puppet raised its hand, forming a metallic spike aimed at Haneda's head.
"Become eternal art, Uchiha Haneda."
The iron spike, forged from magnetized sand, shot toward Haneda like a bullet.
Through the lens of Haneda's Three-Tomoe Sharingan, the spike loomed larger and larger, and time seemed to slow.
But his body was too weak to move with full strength, and Sasori's chakra strings had firmly bound his limbs.
For the first time, Haneda truly felt the icy grip of death approaching.
But just at that moment, a silver flash appeared before him, shielding him.
It was the White Fang of Konoha, his mentor—Sakumo Hatake!
"Sorry I'm late."
*Swish, swish, swish!*
Several swift strikes of Sakumo's blade cleaved through the air. The iron spike was knocked aside, and Sasori's chakra strings were severed.
Even the Third Kazekage puppet, five meters away, was split open, exposing the mechanical modifications in its chest.
"Uncle Sakumo!"
Haneda shouted in relief.
Nearby, Kakuzu staggered into view, his clothing torn and soaked in blood, with deep cuts across his body. He looked visibly worn down.
In reality, Kakuzu had already lost two hearts during the battle. If it weren't for the fact that he had five lives, he would have died by now.
This was the fearsome strength of Sakumo Hatake—the White Fang of Konoha, a name that struck fear across battlefields.
"Haneda, one of us needs to stay behind to cover the retreat," Sakumo said, raising his short sword and fixing his gaze on both Sasori and Kakuzu.
"Uncle Sakumo..."
"You staying behind will only hold us back. You know that."
"You're smart. I trust you understand the situation," Sakumo said calmly, standing in front of Haneda with his silver blade raised defensively.
"I promised Kakashi and the others that I'd protect you. That's a man's promise."
"If I die, tell Kakashi that he's the son of a hero."
"This is your promise now, and your mission."
Haneda's expression darkened. He hadn't expected to become, like Asuma and Kurenai, a burden that needed protection.
"Uncle Sakumo..."
"Listen! Kakashi, Obito, and Gai are all waiting for you back in Konoha!"
Sakumo's voice was firm, almost a shout.
"Alright," Haneda replied, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.
With a determined nod, he mustered his remaining strength and fled in the direction of the Land of Fire.
Now, only three remained on the battlefield.
Sakumo Haneda, Kakuzu, and Sasori.
"I never thought the man who killed my parents would show such tenderness," Sasori remarked coldly.
In that moment, Sasori had seen a flicker of his own parents in Sakumo. Once again, he had allowed Haneda to escape.
Kakuzu, on the other hand, didn't dare charge in recklessly.
Sakumo's strength was overwhelming, to the point where Kakuzu felt as though he were facing the First Hokage all over again.
"Where the leaves dance, fire burns eternal."
"The flames will continue to light the village, nurturing new leaves to sprout."
"This is the Will of Fire, passed down since the time of the First Hokage," Sakumo said, his voice calm and resolute.
The rain splashed against his blade, droplets falling from his face as he stood firm.
The Land of Rain, a country forever weeping...
...
Meanwhile, Haneda was swiftly making his way toward the Land of Fire.
He darted through the rain-soaked forest, leaping from one thick branch to the next.
Suddenly, a group of masked shinobi appeared, blocking his path.
There were four of them—an entire team.
"Who are you? ANBU or Root?"
Haneda eyed the four warily.
"Uchiha Haneda, Lord Danzo has his eyes on your Sharingan. It's time for you to die!"
One of the masked shinobi charged at Haneda with a kunai.
Haneda, still injured from the earlier fight, was in no condition to engage in battle.
Even with his Sage Body, recovering fully in such a short time was impossible.
He dodged to the right, his gaze cold as he looked at the shinobi, who appeared to be from Root.
He couldn't tell if they were real Root members manipulated by Danzo or impostors set up by Madara and Black Zetsu.
But it didn't matter to Haneda.
Whether it was Madara, Black Zetsu, or Danzo, they were all his enemies now.
The rain intensified, the downpour loud and relentless in his ears.
Haneda, after running and evading for so long, was reaching his limit.
Ahead of him was a cliff, at the bottom of which flowed a river whose destination was unknown.
Haneda glanced back at the four shinobi still pursuing him.
He had already clashed with them several times, but each encounter was brief.
"One day, I'll kill you all."
Without hesitation, Haneda jumped off the cliff.
...
Back at the battlefield with Sakumo, Sasori, and Kakuzu.
The three had been locked in a fierce struggle, and Sakumo was gradually falling behind.
His right arm had been hit by one of Sasori's projectiles, and the poison was already taking effect.
If the fight dragged on, his death was inevitable.
Sasori and Kakuzu knew this, and they continued to pressure him relentlessly, slowly wearing him down.
"A hero's time always comes to an end," Kakuzu said, watching Sakumo struggle to catch his breath while gripping his short sword.
"It's time to finish this. You killed my parents," Sasori said coldly, his voice echoing through the rain-soaked forest.
Images of his childhood flashed through Sasori's mind—waiting at the doorstep for his parents to return, only to receive the news of their deaths.
It was a childhood filled with both hope and despair.
And today, that tragedy would finally be avenged.
Yet, strangely, Sasori didn't feel the satisfaction of impending revenge. Instead, he felt nothing but cold indifference.
Perhaps it was because he had been touched by Haneda and Sakumo's sacrificial actions, or perhaps it was because he knew that his parents would never return...
*Shhh...*
Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder, and Sasori, sensing something, quickly retreated as if trying to escape.
***
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