117 Hardcore Retribution Through Gratitude

The right arm was shattered, the body mutilated, parts of it petrified... This human puppet’s condition was worse than ever before. Yet its formidable aura had not diminished; on the contrary, it seemed even stronger. What was once a mere lifeless puppet now appeared to have been revived.

Wanshe dared not be careless. Since mastering the sage arts, his beast instincts had sharpened once more, clearly warning him of the enemy’s tenacity.

Without hesitation, he unleashed a torrent of murky water.

The Third Kazekage instinctively began to evade, his movements more agile than before when controlled by Sasori. But after transitioning from flesh to steel, this body was still unfamiliar to him. The muddy stream struck his lower limbs, and a grayish sheen spread upward along his thigh.

The Third Kazekage spun in midair to stabilize himself, then glanced down calmly. A massive blade shot forth from his left arm, severing the petrified legs outright.

Having done this, he seemed slightly unsettled by the foreign parts within his body. Casually swinging the blade, his eyes shifted toward the enemy who had attacked him.

His gaze briefly passed over Wanshe but fixed on Orochimaru, the great serpent atop Wanshe’s head. He spoke coldly, his voice hoarse yet magnetic—not emanating from a throat but rather from the mechanical maw of the human puppet, which had no vocal cords. Sasori wouldn’t have preserved any useless parts.

Where then did this voice come from? That question alone was intriguing.

But compared to that, the Third Kazekage’s current state was also worthy of contemplation.

Orochimaru’s eyes gleamed with interest. “Third Kazekage, the one who killed you and turned you into this human puppet wasn’t me. It was a ninja from your village—the grandson of Chiyo from the Hidden Sand Village, the Red Sand, Sasori.”

“Sasori...” The Third Kazekage repeated the name thoughtfully, surprisingly without much astonishment. “He tried to assassinate me three times. In the end, he succeeded, huh...”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk... three times. You were really indulgent with him,” Orochimaru chuckled. “But this rogue ninja from the Hidden Sand has caused quite a bit of trouble for Konoha. Remember, the Hidden Sand and Konoha are allies now—these matters need to be addressed.”

“Oh, really?” The Third Kazekage fell silent for a moment before sighing. “But I am already dead. Let this generation of Kazekage worry about these matters.”

The chakra core’s binding to his spiritual form was now minimal. The only reason he remained was to understand how he died.

Unlike Sasori had anticipated, the Third Kazekage was surprisingly philosophical about life and death. He did not rage or attack indiscriminately with vengeful fury.

Still, despite his words, Sasori’s goal had been achieved. Orochimaru was indeed drawn to the Third Kazekage and no longer paid heed to his death’s significance.

“Lord Third Kazekage, you may ignore the affairs of the Hidden Sand Village, but what about your own matters?” Orochimaru licked his lips. “I saved you from Sasori—how does that weigh into things?”

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