Masters Always Strike Last

"Orochimaru, it seems you don't want your other hand either," Kaguya said, her beautiful eyes fixed on Orochimaru, her gaze sharpening. "Oh, your hand is healed. Did you switch to a new vessel?"

"I was just a bit careless before," Orochimaru said with a smirk. "Do you think you can still harm me?"

"Now isn't the time for small talk," Sasori stepped forward and said to Kaguya, "You stay behind and keep an eye on him. Don't let him escape."

Since there was someone to do the fighting, Kaguya was happy to relax. She took a few steps back, channeled her chakra, and floated up into the air.

"I didn't expect you to have such a unique ability, little girl," Sasori glanced at Kaguya in the air and said.

"Let me know if you need support," Kaguya waved down at him with a slight smile.

"Although this place isn't very advantageous for me, it's more than enough to deal with you," Sasori said coldly, taking out a scroll from his sleeve and opening it, activating the seal inside.

A gust of wind rose from the scroll, blowing the surrounding grass and trees wildly. When the wind died down, a puppet wearing a brown robe appeared — it was the Third Kazekage.

"I couldn't capture you last time. This time, you won't escape," Sasori moved his fingers to control the chakra strings and said coldly.

"The previous technique had flaws. This one is more perfect," Orochimaru smirked and said.

Orochimaru formed a hand seal, and the ground trembled slightly. Amidst the swirling dust, a large coffin emerged from the ground. With a creaking sound, the coffin lid fell, revealing a figure inside.

"Third Kazekage," Orochimaru said with a sinister smile. "This time, you won't escape." He then took out a kunai with a talisman attached and inserted it into the Third Kazekage's head.

White smoke emanated from the Third Kazekage's body, swirling around him. When the smoke cleared, the Third Kazekage's dirt body looked as if it were alive, indicating that the Edo Tensei (Reanimation) had been completed.

"Attack, Third Kazekage," Orochimaru said, licking his lips.

The Third Kazekage flew into the air, quickly forming hand seals.

"Iron Sand Drizzle"

Countless metallic particles rose from the ground, forming bullets that whizzed towards Sasori, creating a piercing sound as they cut through the air. The iron rain covered even Kaguya in the sky.

Sasori waved his hand, controlling his puppet to block the attack. The puppet opened its mouth and spewed out a metallic flow, forming a protective shield that kept the iron rain at bay.

In the sky, Kaguya frowned slightly and waved her hand, releasing a burst of repulsive force that scattered the iron rain.

When the iron rain ended, Sasori's puppet rushed forward, extending numerous fists from its body to smash the Third Kazekage to pieces. However, the Third Kazekage, being reanimated, quickly regenerated.

"Edo Tensei is an eternal life form, never to die," Orochimaru sneered. "After you die, I will revive you this way too."

Suddenly, a large amount of iron sand emerged from the body of the Third Kazekage, slowly condensing in the air and gradually compressing. When it was fully formed, it became a huge triangular pyramid.

Sasori snorted and flicked his fingers, which were connected by chakra strings. His puppet also produced a large amount of iron sand, which condensed in the air into a massive cylinder.

With a wave of their hands, the two enormous iron constructs flew at each other in an instant. With a deafening crash, they collided and shattered, sending a rain of iron sand scattering everywhere.

One side was a puppet, the other an Edo Tensei reanimation. The two fought fiercely, neither gaining the upper hand. The surrounding forest was battered by the impacts of their jutsus, trees snapping at their trunks, debris flying, and the ground becoming a wasteland.

Kaguya shook her head slightly, watching the battle from above. She couldn't stand it any longer; at this rate, who knew how long it would take to end.

"Hey, Sasori," Kaguya called down, "Can you handle this or do you need my help?"

"I can handle it myself," Sasori huffed, "Don't get in my way."

"Confidence is a good thing," Orochimaru said with a smirk, "but arrogance is dangerous."

"Hmph."

Suddenly, the ground began to shake, cracking open as countless sands and stones rose. These were mineral-rich ores. The iron ore in the air gradually turned into powder, forming a huge iron sand curtain.

The iron sand condensed bit by bit, ultimately forming two giant iron spears on either side. Although one was an Edo Tensei reanimation and the other a puppet, both possessed the same jutsu as the Third Kazekage.

"Ha!"

With a roar, the two massive iron spears clashed violently, generating a shockwave that swept out like a hurricane, uprooting nearby trees and filling the air with dust.

"Did I succeed?" Sasori muttered.

As the dust settled, the Edo Tensei reanimation of the Third Kazekage lay on the ground, its body disintegrating and turning into ash that dispersed in the wind.

"Something's wrong." Sasori turned and looked up at the sky, eyes narrowing.

In the sky, Kaguya had just lowered her hand, the black spheres around her gradually disappearing.

"What is this?" Sasori's eyes widened; he could feel an overwhelming, terrifying energy emanating from it, making him shudder.

"Damn it," Orochimaru gritted his teeth. He couldn't understand why his Edo Tensei reanimation was so easily destroyed, but it was undoubtedly related to this girl.

The last time, she had also destroyed his reanimations of the First and Second Hokage. He initially thought it was a flaw in the jutsu, but it seemed it was due to her having a strange ability that could counter Edo Tensei.

"Very impressive. You intrigue me more and more," Orochimaru said, looking up at Kaguya in the sky and licking his lips.