Inside the puppet formation—
Tsunade's chest rose and fell sharply as she panted, her breath ragged.
Facing an entire puppet army alone, she was inevitably at a disadvantage in stamina.
Sasori only had to wiggle his fingers to command his swarm.
But Tsunade had to punch, kick, and tear her way through with her own body—every strike paid for in sweat and strain.
The balance of the battle was gradually tilting in Sasori's favor.
Sasori stared at Tsunade, triumphant.
"When you die… I'll turn you into my beloved collection."
"Accept the fate that's been chosen for you."
Tsunade clicked her tongue.
"Getting happy now?"
"It's still too early."
"Who wins and who loses… isn't decided yet."
Sasori's lips curled into a cold smile.
"You're almost out of stamina."
"Is it really worth forcing yourself like this?"
Tsunade gave a light smile.
"My stamina's definitely been spent."
"But crushing you… is still more than enough."
Sasori clearly didn't believe her.
"Is that so?"
"Then I'll be watching."
Tsunade slowly brought her hands together in a sealing stance.
"I won't disappoint you."
"Try it, brat."
That casual word—brat—instantly ignited Sasori's temper.
His fingers twitched.
Dozens of puppets closed in around Tsunade.
"Die!"
Tsunade leapt upward, stepping directly onto the weapons in the puppets' hands like footholds.
Then she spoke calmly:
"Strength of a Hundred Seal… release."
"Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth — Strength of a Hundred Technique!"
The moment her words fell—
Dark, seal-like markings spread rapidly from her forehead across her body.
A dense surge of chakra erupted outward.
Sasori's eyes flickered with confusion.
"Strength of a Hundred…?"
"What is that?"
He had never heard of such a technique.
Even Orochimaru, who knew Tsunade well, narrowed his eyes.
He licked his lips and chuckled.
"So it's not only me developing new jutsu."
"Tsunade… you too."
Tsunade answered flatly.
"It's not new."
"I've just been accumulating chakra for years… and finally using it."
The Strength of a Hundred Technique required long-term chakra storage within the seal.
Once released—
It granted continuous automatic regeneration.
In battle, it was practically a locked-health state.
Even lethal wounds could be healed instantly.
Until now, Tsunade hadn't been able to directly target Sasori's true body because the puppet army pressed too tightly.
If she lunged recklessly, she would be wounded—and poison would become a threat.
But now?
That restriction vanished.
As long as she controlled the bleeding and maintained focus—
She could charge straight through.
Sasori still hadn't grasped the danger.
He continued commanding the puppets to suppress her.
But this time—
Tsunade did not retreat.
She advanced.
Sasori's gaze sharpened.
All-in?
Trying to take the commander first?
If you abandon defense, you'll be riddled with poison.
Even if she had shown precision chakra control earlier—
Repeated poison exposure should overwhelm her.
A one-time emergency countermeasure was possible.
But performing dozens of micro "surgeries" mid-combat?
Impossible.
Seeing what appeared to be a reckless gamble, Sasori seized the opening.
"Hundred Puppets Performance — Senbon Chaos Dance!"
A massive senbon storm blanketed the battlefield.
Dodging that attack while fully committing to offense was unrealistic.
But—
Tsunade didn't dodge.
She didn't need to.
Under the Strength of a Hundred, the wounds closed almost as soon as they formed.
She only had to prevent blood from spilling freely.
Senbon pierced her shoulders, arms, legs—
Yet her movement didn't slow.
To Sasori, the sight was deeply unsettling.
What is she doing?
Trying to die with me?
She didn't seem irrational earlier.
Why suddenly fight like a berserker?
Tsunade continued advancing.
Sasori grit his teeth and escalated.
"Hundred Puppets Performance — Venom Piercing!"
Blades and spikes joined the senbon barrage.
Tsunade dodged most of the lethal cuts—
But the poison-coated needles struck repeatedly.
In moments, she looked like a human pincushion.
And yet—
She kept moving forward.
Sasori's confidence wavered.
If she were poisoned, her movements should already be slowing.
So why—
Why is she still advancing?
He trusted his toxin completely.
Even he required rare materials to produce the antidote.
There was no way Tsunade had prepared one here.
And she hadn't.
What Tsunade was doing was simpler—
And far more terrifying.
She was using the Strength of a Hundred to continuously regenerate, delaying the poison's effective impact long enough to finish the battle.
All she needed—
Was one clean opening.
Sasori commanded the remaining puppets to intercept her at full strength.
Hit by my poison…
Let's see how long you can keep pretending!
But Tsunade broke through.
She reached Sasori.
"End of the line, brat."
"Take my punch!"
Sasori was still directing his puppets and didn't have time to evade.
With a resounding crack—
His puppet body shattered under her fist.
Tsunade exhaled slowly.
Victory.
The battle was decided.
She turned—
And the shattered Sasori moved again.
"The outcome isn't decided."
"Are you trying to run in the middle of a fight?"
Tsunade spun around sharply.
His body had been destroyed—
Yet he was still alive?
Sasori straightened what remained of his frame, expression calm.
"That punch just now… pretty strong."
"But unfortunately…"
"This body doesn't feel pain."
Tsunade laughed coldly.
"Turning yourself into a doll—what are you proud of?"
"You're just a walking corpse."
Sasori showed no anger.
"Eternal beauty."
"That is the art I pursue."
"Compared to it… fragile life is worthless."
Tsunade clicked her tongue.
Talking to a lunatic is pointless.
Then I'll just keep hitting.
Sasori's eyes flickered.
Poison seemed ineffective.
His puppet army was nearly exhausted.
Defeating Tsunade—this monster—would not be easy.
Tsunade analyzed calmly.
If he could control puppets, there had to be a chakra core somewhere within his body.
Destroy the core—
End the battle.
But Sasori didn't give her time to think.
After nearly being destroyed once, he was genuinely cautious now.
Dozens of remaining puppets—each at least elite jōnin level in combat output—charged together.
Tsunade had no choice but to engage again.
By now, both sides had consumed massive chakra reserves.
Without a decisive breakthrough—
This would become a pure endurance war.
"Hundred Puppets Performance — Venom Spray!"
Even at the brink, Sasori's attacks remained vicious.
Tsunade responded in kind.
She lifted her leg high and slammed it down.
"Monstrous Strength — Heaven Kick of Pain!"
The ground split.
Puppets shattered.
Neither side gained decisive ground.
This battle had already dragged far beyond Sasori's preferred tempo.
He gave a bitter chuckle.
"Heh… I'm really making a fool of myself."
Tsunade glanced at him.
"That's nothing."
"Today I'm going to beat you into a joke."
During the exchange—
Tsunade's eyes locked onto a conspicuous mark at the center of Sasori's chest.
It stood out too clearly.
Sasori immediately sensed danger.
…Did she discover it?
Tsunade inhaled and lunged forward.
Sasori's heart sank.
Damn it—
That really is my core!
Under mortal threat, Sasori forced the remaining puppets into desperate defense.
But Tsunade's punch was overwhelming.
BOOM!
Her fist tore through the defensive cluster.
Seven or eight puppets exploded into scrap.
With layers of bodies taking the blow, Sasori barely slipped away.
But that defense cost him everything.
His puppet army was finished.
A puppet master without puppets—
Was exposed.
Sasori couldn't help cursing.
"Damn it!"
"I got careless!"
Tsunade pressed forward relentlessly.
Sasori retreated step by step—until he reached the cliff's edge.
Ask Orochimaru for help?
He couldn't swallow that pride.
He had always hated Orochimaru's condescension.
How could he beg now?
"Machine Shot!"
"Spiral Slash!"
"Needle Rain Senbon!"
Technique after technique burst forth.
Tsunade met them all head-on.
Orochimaru watched from the side, amused.
"So puppet art ends at this level, huh…"
"Still. To push Tsunade this far… impressive."
He murmured softly.
"The Leader said partners should assist each other."
"And I don't intend to leave Akatsuki yet. It's too interesting."
"So… what to do?"
Genma's team went pale.
What does he mean?
Is he planning to intervene?
Genma immediately drew his kunai and stepped in front of Orochimaru.
"With us here, you won't disturb Lady Tsunade!"
Orochimaru cast him a chilling glance.
"Ants."
"Move aside."
"Don't overestimate yourselves."
Cold sweat soaked Genma's back.
But they had been ordered to protect Tsunade.
They couldn't retreat.
Even if they couldn't win—
They could at least delay him.
They began forming seals—
But Orochimaru was faster.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
A massive snake burst from his sleeve, binding all three instantly.
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
"Now do you understand the difference in strength?"
Genma and the others struggled helplessly.
The gap was absolute.
Orochimaru casually subdued them—then leapt toward the battlefield.
His sudden entry forced Tsunade to halt her pursuit of Sasori.
He looked at Sasori with a teasing grin.
"Sasori of the Red Sand… why are you so pathetic?"
"Well?"
"Need help?"
Sasori's face twisted with humiliation.
"Orochimaru, you cheating snake—get the hell away!"
"Don't ruin my fun!"
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