The Third Kazekage altered his killing move, and the flowing iron sand surged from all directions, enveloping the central area of Roran.
"Magnet Release: Grand Sand Iron Realm!"
"Now, everything within a five-kilometer radius is my domain of iron sand!"
Floating within the shifting iron mass, the Third Kazekage looked down upon Uchiha Shin with cold pride.
Yet, faced with the Kazekage's proclamation, Uchiha Shin's expression did not waver. He simply responded in a calm, almost indifferent tone: "You hold your head too high."
"Magnet Release: Iron Coffin Seal!"
With a mere flick of his palm, the very iron sand barrier that the Kazekage controlled turned against him. The vast iron grains, once his greatest weapon, now shifted, coiling around him, dragging him toward the earth like a cursed chain.
"W-What?! My Magnet Release!? Impossible!"
The Third Kazekage was paralyzed in shock. For a brief moment, he didn't even attempt to resist.
Seeing his own mastery stolen and turned against him, his mind went blank.
"Your Magnet Release?" Uchiha Shin sneered, his crimson eyes gleaming. "It belongs to me now."
Hearing those words, the Kazekage was instantly jolted back to reality.
Fueled by the power of the Dragon Vein, his chakra flared violently, bursting through the iron sand restraints. He soared into the air, his gaze no longer holding contempt but sheer killing intent.
He spoke no more.
With a furious motion, he waved his hand, causing massive waves of iron sand to surge forward, aiming to obliterate Uchiha Shin. There was no hesitation, no retreat—only mutual destruction.
With an immortal body and infinite chakra, the Kazekage had chosen his strategy—to drown Uchiha Shin in an endless storm of metal until nothing remained.
Meanwhile, deep within the underground factory, Mikoto, Kanako, Sasha, and the others had carved their way toward the core of the facility.
Ebizo, who had been previously restrained by Uchiha Shin, noticed the intrusion and immediately redirected his energy to intercept them.
"Raikiri!"
Four of Uchiha Shin's wood clones unleashed crackling lightning from their feet, obliterating the wave of clay puppets and severing the chakra threads controlling them. With the puppets temporarily destroyed, Mikoto and the others wasted no time pushing forward.
"The Sage Seal allows my wood clones to sustain chakra, but the output is still limited," Uchiha Shin mused as he controlled his clones from afar. "The farther they are from the main body, the weaker they become."
To truly kill Ebizo and the Third Kazekage, he needed to locate their core.
Shin had already 'killed' the Third Kazekage multiple times, yet the man continued to rise. This confirmed his suspicion—the real core of his existence was hidden elsewhere.
Releasing his [Kagura Mind's Eye], Uchiha Shin scanned the surroundings, but his search turned up nothing.
"The Dragon Vein's power is too vast... It's masking their core's chakra signature."
Annoyed, his four wood clones refocused their attention.
From all directions, another horde of clay puppets stormed toward them.
"Tch. Annoying. You couldn't just stay sealed up there—you had to keep making trouble down here too, huh?"
"Sage Mode—ON!"
All four wood clones activated Sage Mode in unison.
"Sage Art: Giant Rasengan!"
Each clone formed a Rasengan, its diameter stretching to nearly 20 meters, before slamming it into the oncoming puppet army.
The devastating force of the attack tore through the factory structure, causing massive collapses. However, amidst the destruction, Ebizo continued controlling his reassembled puppets with unyielding determination.
He had abandoned his focus on the surface battle entirely—his priority was eliminating Shin's clones and protecting the factory's core.
"I won't let a mere clone defeat me!"
"Puppet Art: Light Barrier Seal!"
Harnessing the endless power of the Dragon Vein, Ebizo converted its energy into a massive chakra barrier, reinforcing the puppet army against Shin's relentless attacks.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
All subsequent Rasengan strikes crashed against the barrier, failing to penetrate.
"Puppet Art: Bladed Manipulation!"
Dozens of kunai, each controlled by chakra threads, shot toward Shin's clones in a deadly storm.
"Sage Art: Dragon Flame !"
One of the clones formed a quick seal, unleashing five massive fire dragons at once. Each dragon, formed by highly condensed chakra, carried enough destructive force to obliterate an entire ninja battalion.
The incoming kunai melted into nothingness before they could even reach their target.
"Roar!"
The fire dragons surged toward Ebizo's monstrous puppet.
But Ebizo remained unfazed.
"Puppet Art: Triple Treasure Sealing!"
Utilizing his grotesque puppet form, he activated a technique meant to be performed by three separate puppets.
A violent tornado erupted from the centipede puppet's mouth, sucking in the fire dragons, compressing their chakra within its mechanical belly.
Then, without hesitation, the centipede puppet shifted, its tail splitting open to reveal a hidden compartment.
A scorching beam of fire blasted out from its tail-end.
"Feel the power of your own ninjutsu!"
This modified puppet technique not only absorbed attacks but could also redirect them. Though this method put immense strain on the puppet's body, Ebizo did not care. Even as his mechanical body cracked apart, chakra threads quickly stitched it back together.
"Wood Release: Shield!"
The lead wood clone clasped his hands together, summoning a massive wooden shield, shaped like a grotesque, fanged demon face.
The redirected fire attack slammed against the shield but failed to break through.
Ebizo scoffed.
"It doesn't matter. My chakra is infinite. My body is immortal."
He grinned darkly. "You can't defeat me. You can't kill me!"
However, the four wood clones ignored his rant.
Instead, they shifted positions, standing at the four cardinal points—north, south, east, and west.
"Four Violet Flames Formation!"
This was a barrier jutsu originally belonging to Uzumaki Mito. Typically, four individuals were required to execute it.
But Shin's four wood clones were enough.
A rectangular barrier of violet flames erupted, sealing Ebizo and his puppets within. Any clay puppets outside attempting to enter were instantly incinerated by the scorching flames.
Meanwhile, the centipede puppet trapped inside clawed at the walls, unable to break free.
Seeing his predicament, Ebizo redirected his forces.
"Attack the intruders! Don't let them reach the Dragon Vein's core!"
As commanded, his remaining puppets shifted their assault toward Mikoto, Kanako, and Sasha.
But against them, a dozen clay puppets were nothing.
Kanako scoffed, cutting through them with ease.
"Lord Kazekage! This is bad! The enemy has reached the factory's depths with Princess Sasha!"
Ebizo, now trapped, immediately relayed the dire situation to the Third Kazekage.
"What!? You couldn't stop them!?"
Ebizo hesitated. "I... I was trapped... by shadow clones."
The silence that followed was deafening.
The Third Kazekage's expression contorted with unrestrained fury.
"What do you mean... trapped by a SHADOW CLONE?!" he roared. "Even CLONES can trap you now?! Are you completely useless?!"
--------
Dear Readers
Join Patreon for Complete Novel (240 Chapters) and 100 Early Chapters
https://www.patreon.com/dd44
--------
Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones