r18novel Page 249
Page 249
The internal gears and mechanisms emitted a screeching grinding sound, clearly indicating that they had been severely damaged.
A brief silence enveloped the cave, with only the rustling of falling gravel and Naruto's slightly heavy breathing echoing in the air.
Granny Chiyo and Kakashi looked at Hiruko's body, which had been ravaged beyond recognition.
And Naruto, standing amidst the smoke and dust with eyes as cold as knives, filled me with awe.
How can this be called a fight?
This is clearly a catharsis!
It is Naruto's endless grief and boundless rage over his lost friends.
It was poured onto the cold puppet in the most primitive and violent way!
"Click..."
A soft clicking sound of a mechanism being activated rang out.
A severely deformed armor plate on the back of the Hiruko puppet was pushed open from the inside.
A figure leaped lightly from it and landed steadily on the ground.
Sasori's true form has finally been revealed!
He looked unusually young, even with a touch of boyish handsomeness, with short, reddish-brown hair, fair skin, and delicate features.
However, those emotionless eyes were like ice that had stood for ages.
There is no warmth belonging to the living, only endless indifference and an obsession with "eternity".
He was wearing a black robe with red clouds, typical of the Akatsuki organization, and had a tall and slender figure.
He exuded an inhuman, icy aura, like that of a precision instrument.
Scorpion's voice still had that cold, metallic quality.
He raised his hand and gently brushed away non-existent dust from his robes.
His eyes calmly met Naruto's, a faint, mocking smile playing on his lips: "Can you do it?"
Naruto didn't answer immediately; he didn't even glance at Sasori.
His gaze passed over the scorpion and landed deep inside the cave.
The cold, red-haired body that Kakashi carefully placed in a relatively safe corner.
Gaara's pale, quiet face, like a cold awl, pierced Naruto's heart once again, bringing a suffocating pain.
But he forcibly suppressed his surging emotions, and the violence in his eyes slowly subsided.
It transformed into a deeper, colder kind of resolute determination.
He turned his head and looked at Kakashi and Granny Chiyo.
The voice was hoarse yet exceptionally clear, carrying an unquestionable tone of command: "Kakashi-sensei, Chiyo-baba. Can I ask you for a favor?"
Kakashi's Sharingan instantly locked onto Naruto, a warning bell ringing in his mind: "Naruto?"
“Gaara…”
Naruto paused, as if even saying the name was incredibly difficult: "...the corpse, take it out. The farther away from here the better."
"what?!"
Granny Chiyo immediately panicked. Leaning on her cane, she stepped forward: "Wait! Naruto! That guy's true form has appeared! He's even more dangerous than before! You're all alone..."
However, before Chiyo could finish speaking, Naruto abruptly turned his head and looked at her, effectively cutting her off!
Those deep blue eyes no longer held only anger.
Instead, it burned with an almost tangible, chillingly cold flame!
The flames contained endless grief, raging fury, and a mad determination to destroy everything in their path!
Just by making eye contact with him, Chiyo felt a chill run from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.
It felt as if they were being targeted by a ferocious, prehistoric beast that would devour anyone it wanted!
"You'd better hurry."
Naruto's voice was terrifyingly low, each word like an ice bead falling: "Otherwise... I don't know what will happen later."
This blatant threat and the undisguised risk of spiraling out of control left Chiyo speechless.
She had no doubt that if they stayed any longer...
The enraged Jinchūriki boy before them might very well devour them along with him in his rage of revenge!
Kakashi stared intently at Naruto, his Sharingan revealing Naruto's current state—
Although his chakra was somewhat depleted due to his previous rampage and outburst.
But it still boils over massively and dangerously, with emotions on the verge of extreme repression.
He understood that forcibly taking Naruto away at this moment would only cause a greater disaster.
He had to trust Naruto, and he also had to protect Gaara's remains.
Without further hesitation, he appeared beside Gaara with a teleportation technique and carefully carried him on his back.
He looked at Naruto and said in a deep voice, "Naruto, I promise you. But,"
His voice was heavier than ever before: "Promise me you'll be careful. Come back alive!"
Naruto didn't turn around, but simply nodded forcefully and heavily: "Yes!"
Kakashi didn't delay any longer. Carrying Gaara on his back, he called out to Chiyo in a low voice, "Lady Chiyo, let's go!"
It then transformed into a blur and sped towards the cave exit.
Granny Chiyo took one last look at Sasori's cold and ruthless profile.
She glanced again at Naruto, who stood with his back to her, like a solitary peak.
His cloudy old eyes were filled with pain, struggle, and helplessness.
She finally let out a heavy sigh, controlling the Chikamatsu Ten to quickly gather together, turning into smoke and retracting into the scroll.
Following closely behind Kakashi, they left the cave that was about to become a true battleground.
The heavy stone door slowly closed behind us, cutting off both the outside light and our last escape route.
Inside the dark cave, only Naruto and Sasori remained, along with scattered rubble and puppet remains.
The air seemed to freeze, so oppressive it was suffocating.
"Kid, you look pretty angry, don't you?"
Scorpion's icy voice broke the deathly silence.
His eyes scrutinized Naruto with great interest, as if admiring a work of art that was about to be completed.
"Is it because of that red-haired brat? Such fragile emotions. But..."
He abruptly changed the subject, his tone carrying a chilling "appreciation": "His body and his chakra are excellent materials for making puppets."
"If we make him into an eternal work of art, then..."
Naruto suddenly looked up, and the cold flames in his eyes instantly ignited!
He didn't even give Scorpion a chance to finish uttering those blasphemous words!
A roar like thunder exploded, and the golden figure vanished from the spot in an instant!
The rocks beneath their feet were crushed to pieces by a terrifying force!
boom--! ! !
A powerful punch, imbued with superhuman strength and immense chakra, tore through the air with a piercing shriek, heading straight for Sasori's face!
He wanted to punch that mouth that was spewing such vicious words to pieces!
However, just as Naruto's fist was about to touch Sasori!
A brown figure appeared in front of Scorpion like a ghost!
They were so fast that they actually overtook us despite starting later!
clang--! ! ! !
A deafening clang of metal clashing rang out! Sparks flew everywhere!
Naruto's punch was determined to land.
It slammed solidly into a massive shield that had suddenly appeared, formed from countless fine black iron sand particles!
The violent force caused the sand iron shield to dent violently and even develop tiny cracks, but it ultimately failed to penetrate it!
"what?!"
Naruto's pupils contracted!
He could feel that the shield was far more durable than the previous Scarlet Amber shell!
What terrified him even more was the puppet blocking his way!
It wore a brown robe and had a solemn expression.
Although it was also a lifeless puppet, it exuded an aura completely different from other inanimate objects—
A dignified air, an aura of the strong, even...
With a faint, almost imperceptible, lingering "activity"!
This is definitely not an ordinary puppet!
Naruto used the recoil to quickly leap backward, creating distance between them.
His azure eyes were fixed on the blue puppet blocking the scorpion's body.
An expression of disbelief crossed his face: "This...this feeling..."
"Surprised?"
Scorpion's cold voice carried a hint of barely perceptible smugness.
He extended his pale fingers and gently brushed them across the blue puppet's shoulder.