Just as everyone was busy preparing at full speed, no one expected that the first battle to break out would instead take place in a desert within the Land of Wind.
"Sasori, are you really going to do this?"
The Third Kazekage looked at the red-haired boy before him, unable to hide the regret in his eyes.
"Third Kazekage-sama, do you think I can still go back?"
"There's no going back. No one can slaughter Sand Village shinobi and walk away."
The Third Kazekage spoke calmly, glancing at the fallen Sand ANBU beside Sasori.
Bang.
"Karasu. Kuroari."
Two puppets appeared in front of Sasori.
"These two puppets are what give you the confidence to defect from the Sand Village?"
The Third Kazekage couldn't understand—how could just two puppets give Sasori the courage to betray the village? Even if he hadn't happened to run into him today, there was no way Sasori could escape the Land of Wind with just these.
"When people get old, do they really like to talk this much? Whether I have the confidence or not—you'll find out if you try."
Sasori flicked his fingers, pulling the puppet strings. Karasu and Kuroari screeched as they lunged toward the Third Kazekage.
The Third Kazekage observed while evading. Aside from Chiyo in her younger days, it had been a long time since he'd fought a puppet master. This was a good chance to reacquaint himself.
When Karasu flew above him, its abdomen suddenly opened.
Swish, swish, swish—
"Secret Technique: Needle Hell: Hundred Blackwood Spikes."
At the same time, Kuroari emerged rapidly from the sand, its mouth opening wide.
"Secret Technique: Poison Mist Hell."
A massive cloud of purple poison instantly engulfed the Third Kazekage's position.
"As expected of Chiyo's grandson. At such a young age, your puppet techniques are already masterful."
From within the purple mist came the Third Kazekage's voice, along with the sounds of intense collisions—bang, bang, bang.
"Wind Style: Rising Gust."
A powerful wind swept the poison into the sky, blasting Karasu and Kuroari away.
Sasori pulled his hands back, retrieving the puppets to his side.
As the mist cleared, a ring of iron sand surrounded the Third Kazekage. He used it to lift a wooden senbon and examined it carefully. Touching something from a puppet master with his bare hands? That was just asking to die.
The Third Kazekage wasn't stupid.
"Blackwood from the Land of Demons? They say it's as hard as iron. Sasori, it seems you've been planning this for a long time."
He stared at Sasori with a dangerous gaze. At first, he thought this encounter was a coincidence. Now it was clear—this was a trap set specifically for him, even prepared with such materials.
"How perceptive, Third Kazekage-sama."
Sasori put away Karasu and Kuroari and tossed them aside. Using such trash puppets now would be disrespectful—to the Third Kazekage, and to his own life.
He took out three scrolls.
Three humanoid puppets appeared. One of them, a bald, muscular figure, held a massive blackwood blade.
"New puppets… so you've got more up your sleeve."
The Third Kazekage grew serious. In his understanding, humanoid puppets were far superior to those bizarre-shaped ones.
The Chikamatsu Ten Puppets: Yes, we're talking about us.
"Puppet: Attack."
The bald puppet instantly charged forward, swinging the blackwood blade at the Third Kazekage.
Boom.
The Third Kazekage blocked with iron sand. The moment they collided, a huge explosion erupted, the shockwave forcing him back a step.
"Explosive Tags? That blade is packed with them."
Explosive Blade: Is he copying me? Does no one care?
The Third Kazekage had barely steadied himself when—
"Hm?"
A stream of water surged from the left, and flames roared from the right, both attacking him simultaneously.
"Iron Sand Barrier."
He thrust his hands outward. Two massive walls of iron sand instantly formed, blocking the attacks from both sides.
But at that moment, the bald puppet charged in from the front. Its chest mechanism opened, revealing a device riddled with holes.
"Puppet Secret Technique: Needle Rainstorm."
Countless steel needles made of blackwood shot toward the exposed Third Kazekage.
The barrage stirred up a thick cloud of smoke.
When the smoke cleared, the Third Kazekage, who had been surrounded by the three puppets, was nowhere to be seen—only a dissolving shell of iron sand remained.
The real Third Kazekage had already appeared behind Sasori.
"Iron Sand Drizzle."
A storm of iron sand senbon rained down on Sasori.
"Puppet: Salamander."
Sasori quickly wrapped himself inside the Salamander puppet.
After a series of crackling impacts, the Salamander was left battered and broken.
The Third Kazekage tore it open with iron sand—only to find Sasori was already gone.
Looking up, he saw Sasori once again controlling the three humanoid puppets, having pulled back to create distance.
"What incredible combat instincts. In terms of puppet mastery, I'd say you're no worse than your grandmother Chiyo."
The Third Kazekage spoke with genuine admiration.
"That old hag's primitive puppet techniques? I surpassed them long ago. Third Kazekage, the warm-up should be over by now, right? Surely the strongest Kazekage isn't limited to just this."
"Heh, looks like I've been underestimated. Earlier, I intended to capture you and send you back for Chiyo to discipline, letting you atone for the rest of your life. But now it seems… Red Sand Sasori, you are a complete traitor to the Sand Village. In the name of the Third Kazekage, I will end your life here."
"You talk too much. Let's see who ends up killing whom."
The tense atmosphere between them intensified further.
...
Back in Konoha—
"Hokage Order: Tsunade will lead a force consisting of the Uchiha clan, Senju clan, Kurama clan, Yūhi clan, Mitarashi clan… totaling 1,200 shinobi, along with 4,000 additional ninja—for a total of 5,200—to the Land of Grass to defend against an Iwagakure invasion."
"Hokage Order: Jiraiya will lead the Hyūga clan, Nara clan, Yamanaka clan, and Akimichi clan—1,500 shinobi, along with 4,000 others, totaling 5,500—to the Fire–Lightning border to resist a Kumogakure attack."
In a short time, the two Hokage orders spread throughout Konoha.
"Damn, you must've paid your grandmaster—he's taking really good care of you."
Hyūga Hiyasu couldn't help but sigh.
They actually put Uchiha Kamito and Senju Hideki together—and even had Tsunade leading the team.
If you didn't know the inside story, you'd think they were trying to lose.
Putting a Senju in charge of the Uchiha—who could even come up with something like that?
As for what the Uchiha clan thought, no one really knew.
But Uchiha Kamito was clearly thrilled.
He was already dragging Senju Hideki along to celebrate.
"Just follow me—I'll carry you to victory."
Senju Hideki, however, wasn't very happy.
After all, being the tank side meant doing all the dirty, exhausting work—taking the hits while others dealt the damage.
Who could feel good about that?
Still, keep it up, Senju Hideki. You might not be the most handsome, but you're definitely the most important. Tank side forever the MVP.