Interestingly, not long after the Dragon Vein shell merged into his body, it transformed into a small, earthen-yellow energy dragon form.
What slightly shook Sora's mind was that from this small earthen-yellow dragon, he actually sensed a trace of aura that shared the same origin as the power of his own Azure Dragon Fruit!
It was a higher level of "dragon" majesty. Although faint, it truly existed.
'Is it because I, as the vessel, naturally allowed the Azure Dragon Fruit's power to seep into it? Or does the Dragon Vein energy itself have some unknown connection to the Azure Dragon Fruit?'
The thought flashed through Sora's mind, but now was not the time for research.
The commotion caused by breaking the seal and the Dragon Vein changing hands was too great. He had to leave immediately!
Glancing at Sara, who was still in shock beside him, Sora had no time for explanations. He wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Let's go!"
Whoosh!
Holding Sara, he transformed into a streak of light, rapidly flying towards the direction of the Land of Rivers!
"Ah!"
Sara, experiencing "ascension to the sky" for the first time, couldn't help but cry out in surprise. She tightly gripped Sora's clothes, looking down at the rapidly shrinking and receding desert and ruins below, her eyes filled with disbelief.
Fly... flying?
This mysterious person could actually fly in the sky like a bird? This completely exceeded her understanding of what a "ninja" could be.
Who exactly was he?
Sora paid no mind to the shock of the girl in his arms. He expanded his perception with full force, scanning the surroundings like an invisible radar.
Even with the sound-dampening barrier, the Dragon Vein's fluctuations were still too significant. It was hard to guarantee it wouldn't attract trouble. He had to leave the Land of Wind at the fastest speed.
...
However, trouble arrived just as he feared.
Just as Sora had flown for roughly the time it takes an incense stick to burn, a powerful chakra source suddenly intruded at the edge of his forward perception!
This chakra was cold, obscure, carrying an inhuman, puppet-like texture, but its total volume was vast as the sea, steadily reaching the Kage level!
Furthermore, this chakra source was heading straight towards his direction at a not-slow speed!
"Tch, trouble's here."
Sora slightly frowned, cursing silently in his heart.
He immediately adjusted his direction, attempting to bypass this unidentified strong individual.
However, things did not go as he wished.
Less than a moment after Sora changed direction, that cold Kage-level chakra source also adjusted its course, still heading straight and unerringly towards his current position!
And its speed even increased slightly!
"Locked onto me? Is it a coincidence, or... was he originally heading for the Dragon Vein fluctuations?"
Sora's thoughts raced, his expression growing more solemn.
Judging by the straight-line speed of the other party, they clearly possessed extremely strong perception and flight capabilities as well.
While maintaining high-speed flight, Sora's brain rapidly operated, analyzing the identity of the approaching individual.
Within the Land of Wind, possessing Kage-level chakra, having flight capability, and being able to track him so accurately after he just triggered the energy fluctuations...
Several key pieces of information collided in his mind, and a name instantly surfaced.
Akasuna no Sasori!
That S-class missing-nin who turned the Third Kazekage into a human puppet!
Only his puppets, relying on the Third Kazekage's Magnet Release ability for flight, could possess such speed and tracking capability.
"Akasuna no Sasori..."
Sora narrowed his eyes.
Sasori's appearance at the border of the Land of Wind, heading straight for the source of the Dragon Vein fluctuations, made his purpose clear. He was likely also attracted by the energy radiating from the Dragon Vein.
Regarding Sasori, Sora's deepest impressions were two points.
First, his artistic human puppet of the Third Kazekage. Second, his equally abnormal grandmother, Chiyo.
Simultaneously, a thought uncontrollably sprang from Sora's mind.
The Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai of the Third Kazekage was derived precisely from the extreme nature transformation of Wind Release chakra, perfectly matching the core requirement for his envisioned "Wind Release clone"!
Originally, he was still thinking about how to obtain the Third Kazekage's cells. He never expected to directly run into Sasori today, who carries the Third Kazekage's "complete corpse" around?
This was hitting the pillow just as sleepiness arrived!
Risk and opportunity coexisted.
Sasori's strength was unquestionable, absolutely a powerhouse among Kage-level, especially his unpredictable potent poisons and overwhelming puppet army, making him extremely troublesome.
But Sora was not without confidence.
Even in his half-beast form, using the Eight Gates could crush an ordinary Kage-level. Not to mention he just acquired the Dragon Vein, supplementing his own chakra shortcoming.
More importantly, he knew Sasori's abilities inside out, while Sasori knew nothing about him.
The information gap was the greatest advantage.
Sora looked down at the somewhat bewildered Sara in his arms, then glanced at the gradually approaching cold chakra. He hesitated no longer, his figure rapidly descending, soon landing on a relatively flat sand dune.
"Summoning Technique!"
Poof!
White smoke flashed, and Tenji, whose aura had grown increasingly steady and condensed, appeared on the sand.
"Master?"
Tenji looked at Sora somewhat puzzled, then its six ears twitched, keenly sensing the powerful threat rapidly approaching from the distance.
"Tenji, you take her, continue heading towards the Land of Rivers, find a safe place and wait for me."
Sora put down the still shaken Sara and quickly instructed, "Be careful to conceal yourselves. Do not be discovered by anyone."
Although Tenji longed to fight alongside its master, it understood that protecting this weak female was an important command. It nodded without hesitation.
"Yes, Master! Please be careful!"
With that, it looked at Sara. "Please come with me."
Sara looked at Sora, then at the powerfully imposing Tenji, knowing she would only be a burden if she stayed. She bit her lip, bowed deeply to Sora.
"Sir, please be careful."
Then she quickly followed Tenji.
Watching the figures of the human and the ape disappear behind the sand dune, Sora slowly turned around, facing the direction from which the cold chakra was approaching.
He gently flexed his wrists. The chakra within his body began to circulate faster. The small earthen-yellow Dragon Vein dragon at his dantian seemed to sense something as well, faint light circulating around it, providing an unending stream of backup energy.
...
In the distant sky, a black dot rapidly enlarged.
It was a figure dressed in ordinary black clothing, floating in the air. His physique did not look tall, even somewhat short.
He stood on a strange, constantly spinning top-like device, relying on it for flight.
As the distance closed, Sora saw the approaching individual's face clearly. It was indeed Akasuna no Sasori, who had defected from Sunagakure years ago.
Sasori appeared to be around 15 years old, abnormally young. Sora estimated that Sasori at this point had likely already transformed himself into the regeneration core form.
Sasori slowly descended onto the sand dozens of meters in front of Sora.
His indifferent eyes looked Sora up and down, assessing this masked ninja who had just absorbed a massive amount of energy but now appeared exceptionally calm.
"Was that huge energy fluctuation just now your doing?"
Sasori's voice, like his person, carried a mechanical, cold quality. "Hand it over. I can make your death quick."
Hearing this, Sora's face showed no fear. Instead, a faint, scrutinizing smile appeared. His gaze went past Sasori, as if searching for something, as he softly spoke.
"Akasuna no Sasori... you have the Third Kazekage with you, don't you?"
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