Chapter 50: Capture the Flag
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"Hmm, these three little brats are actually pretty skilled. They've managed to push me into using four puppets already!" thought Akasha Shūki, clicking her tongue in disbelief. This was nearing her limit.
At this moment, Hidan was still locked in combat with White Wuchang (White Impermanence). However, the once-imposing puppet was now a shadow of its former self. Its hat had been knocked off, its white robes were in tatters, and the mourning staff it wielded was now broken in half. Its body was riddled with scars.
Meanwhile, Black Wuchang (Black Impermanence) wasn't faring much better. Its clothing had been completely corroded by Ban no Shō's (Chapter of Boiling) Boil Release, exposing its original wooden structure. The soul-reaping chain in its hand had lost its metallic sheen and would likely need a good polish after the battle.
The Horse-Face puppet, however, remained unscathed. It was still tightly bound to the flagpole by the Blue Crystal Coiled Dragon, and it seemed Wu Zhong Furong (Furong Wu Zhong) wasn't planning to release it anytime soon. After all, the fewer puppets involved in the fight, the better their chances of capturing the flag. Whatever material the Blue Crystal was made of, Horse-Face simply couldn't break free.
The puppet currently facing off against Wu Zhong Furong was Ox-Head, known for its offensive prowess among Akasha Shūki's battle puppets. As Furong's Crystal Release attacks clashed with Ox-Head's fierce strikes, the two were locked in a stalemate.
Akasha Shūki reached for her last remaining scroll, hesitating as she contemplated whether to deploy her final two puppets. A puppet master's strength was often judged by how many puppets they could control simultaneously. Within the village, the most skilled puppet master was her grandmother, Chiyo, who could control ten puppets at once. Second was her husband, Akasha Kikumoku, who could manage eight. Akasha Shūki herself ranked third, capable of handling six puppets. But did she really need to use her Six-Finger Technique against three kids who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy?