"By order of Lord Anrokuzan—seal off the Ancient Kingdom of Loulan!
No one is permitted to leave!"
On the streets, guards rushed past from both sides of Kaito's group.
Just as they noticed the three and prepared to act—
From the inner city towers, puppets began emerging one after another, both from inside and outside the buildings.
In mere moments, five massive humanoid puppets, each taller than the previous one, stood surrounding the trio.
"T-This is Lord Anrokuzan's power…!"
"Let's get out of here!"
"Now!"
The guards fled without hesitation.
Kaito wasn't surprised. He calmly scanned the five puppets, then asked:
"How are you holding up, little Guren?"
"What do you think, Master?"
"Oh? Then I'll leave it to—"
"No."
Guren answered instantly.
She wasn't stupid. These puppets were clearly on a different level from the last one.
"So this is your answer, Lord Anrokuzan," Kaito said with a smile.
"Of course," Anrokuzan replied coldly.
"You think I'd let you reach the tower that houses the Dragon Vein?"
He stood within a fortress-like chamber, controlling the five puppets.
"Go to hell, you three young ninja."
At the same moment, all five puppets' eyes flashed purple.
These were Dragon Vein Golems, reinforced by Dragon Vein chakra.
They stood on the only bridge leading into the inner tower.
One golem raised its right arm.
Click—whirr—
A rotating stone disk began spinning—
"Careful!"
Nawaki blocked several chakra-propelled iron spikes with a kunai and leapt back.
Too many. Dodging was the only option.
Before he could react—
A shadow loomed above.
A different Dragon Vein puppet raised a cannon, purple chakra gathering rapidly.
"Chakra Cannon!"
BOOM!!
Smoke exploded outward.
When it cleared, Nawaki was gone—replaced by a log.
He gasped behind a wall.
"Where are Kaito and Guren…?"
Anrokuzan's voice echoed through the surveillance system.
"You should worry about yourself first."
Three more Dragon Vein puppets appeared midair.
"They can fly?!" Nawaki froze in disbelief.
Kaito and Guren hadn't moved at all.
In front of them, iron spikes—moving with bullet-like speed—were deflected effortlessly.
If one looked closely, countless chakra threads, harder than steel, formed an invisible barrier.
"Not bad," Kaito remarked.
"Impressive numbers for this stage."
"But using the Dragon Vein just for puppets is such a waste."
One puppet spoke with Anrokuzan's voice.
Its head opened, revealing a cannon.
"War requires numbers! Only soldiers win wars!"
Purple chakra gathered.
Kaito patted Guren's head and nodded toward the front.
She blinked.
"Me?"
"Defense technique," he said calmly.
"Real combat experience is rare. Don't waste it."
"Oh! Got it!"
She completed hand seals rapidly.
"Maximum Chakra Cannon!"
"Crystal Release: Crystal Wall!"
A towering pink crystal barrier erupted—
CRACK!
Anrokuzan sneered.
"Bloodline limits… disappointing."
Guren paled, crossing her arms instinctively.
"Slime Susanoo!"
Chakra surged upward.
A gigantic humanoid construct formed around Kaito and Guren, its palm stopping the residual blast—
BOOM!
Dust filled the air.
When it cleared—
A ten-meter-tall figure, eerily similar to a Susanoo, stood there.
Kaito crossed his arms, controlling it with pure chakra intent.
The damaged arm regenerated instantly.
Blue magatama-shaped energy formed.
"Slime Susanoo: Ninety-Nine!"
"What—?!" Anrokuzan screamed.
The blue energy fired—
BOOOOM!!
Three puppets were erased before they could react.
Kaito frowned slightly.
Not bad… but still far from the real thing.
Then—
More puppets arrived.
At the same time, Nawaki landed nearby, chakra still surging.
Kaito glanced once.
Still rough. Nowhere near Tsunade's control.
Nawaki stared.
"That technique… that's supposed to be Mangekyō-only, right?"
Kaito smiled faintly.
"When power reaches a certain level,"
"Anything can be copied."
Seventy-one puppets filled the sky.
"Puppet control?" Kaito laughed.
"That's not your monopoly."
Suddenly—
Nawaki and Guren froze.
Their bodies moved against their will.
"Kaito, you bastard!!"
"Master!! I really can't—!!"
Chakra threads linked them both.
"I believe in you," Kaito said lightly.
"You're my chosen code members."
Their bodies lifted.
They were flying.
"That's impossible!" Anrokuzan screamed.
"Puppet control can't do that!"
Kaito smiled.
"Then I'll destroy your army."
The sky exploded with purple light.
Cannons. Bullets. Towers collapsing.
Yet every attack missed.
Under Kaito's control, Nawaki and Guren moved like veteran warriors.
Nawaki's slime kunai sliced clean through a rotating iron grinder—severing a puppet's arm.
I… did that?
Kaito observed calmly.
Still not perfect. A bit more precision…
A golem lunged at him.
Iron spikes fired.
Kaito's feet sprouted hooks, blocking everything—and impaling the puppet.
"I was just playing," he said flatly.
"This level… insults the word 'strong.'"
His right eye glowed.
Magnetism gathered.
Anrokuzan felt terror.
"Magnet Release: Railgun."
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The beam pierced everything.
Puppets vaporized.
The second floor of the central tower was annihilated.
Nawaki and Guren crashed to the ground, completely drained.
"How did you even do that…?" Nawaki gasped.
"By understanding your chakra points, meridians, bones, joints—"
"And guiding your chakra with mine."
"Simple," Kaito said.
"Want to learn?"
"…???"
Simple my ass.
The dust cleared.
Kaito tilted his head.
"Huh~? He escaped."
"Guess we'll settle this near the Dragon Vein."
Underground.
Anrokuzan fled through spiraling tunnels, half his face regenerating as he neared the Dragon Vein.
A heart-only puppet body—just like Sasori.
At the end, doors opened.
A ritual chamber.
At its center—
The Dragon Vein altar.
Beside it—
A chained woman on a bed.
The Queen of Loulan.
He ignored her and fled deeper.
Moments later—
A glowing cut split the stone door.
"Ah~ we're here."
"Your knight has arrived, Your Majesty."
The Queen laughed bitterly.
"So… here to kill me?"
"My daughter Sara will never submit!"
"…Impressive speech," Kaito nodded.
"Anything else?"
Nawaki: This guy is unbelievable.
"I… just want to see Sara once more…"
"Sorry," Kaito said seriously.
"I can't do that."
She closed her eyes.
Then—
Slash! Slash!
The chains fell apart.
"…It doesn't hurt?"
She opened her eyes.
The three masked figures were whispering.
"She's pretty. Want her?"
"…You're sick."
"Can I have her, Master?"
"Sure."
"…ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT DATING?!"
Nawaki snapped.
"Enough," Kaito said, adjusting his mask.
"Queen."
"We saved you."
"You'll repay us."
"…You're here for the Dragon Vein, aren't you?"
"Yes."
She spat defiantly—
Before Nawaki threw a kunai at Kaito's mask.
"Stop it!"
Kaito laughed, then turned back.
"You misunderstand."
"We fight for peace."
"Our name is—"
"White Cross."
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
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