[Ding! STR +385, SPD +430, PHY +425, ENG +395. Pick up?]
Hearing the system notification echo in his mind, Tatsuma found the numbers hard to believe. This was the single largest attribute pickup he had ever received. He immediately confirmed the command.
[Confirmed. Attributes Acquired.]
Despite the massive gain, Tatsuma knew the price had been far too steep. This "harvest" was the result of nearly seventy lives—both ally and enemy alike—extinguished in this forest.
With his attributes integrated, Tatsuma focused his attention back on Sajin. He didn't charge in blindly. Sajin was a Jonin specialized in puppetry; if getting close to him were easy, something would be seriously wrong.
Sajin might have looked stunned and dazed, but Tatsuma was willing to bet that the man had already prepared several counter-measures for anyone foolish enough to pounce.
As a descendant of the Second Kazekage, Shamon, Sajin had revealed three puppets so far. One had been destroyed by Tatsuma's Rasengan, the second was a spider-type that had been damaged by explosive tags, and the third was a humanoid puppet that Inuzuka Shin had dismantled in their previous encounter.
Since the humanoid puppet had clearly been repaired, Tatsuma operated under the assumption that the spider puppet was also back in commission. Furthermore, just because Sajin had only used three puppets didn't mean he only owned three.
More importantly... the lineage of the Second Kazekage wasn't just about puppetry. Shamon was the pioneer of the Hidden Sand's secret arts—both puppetry and the manipulation of sand. Those sand-based techniques hadn't been lost to time; after all, in the future, Suna would produce that one ninja with the "Sand Susanoo" defense.
Sunagakure had three signature specialties: Puppetry, Sand Manipulation, and Wind Style. Shamon had founded the first two. Sajin, as his descendant, had only showcased puppetry so far, but that was no guarantee he lacked other tricks.
Before Tatsuma had even become a shinobi, Jiraiya had warned him that a ninja must always hold a trump card in reserve. Tatsuma didn't believe for a second that the Hidden Sand lacked that basic wisdom.
Seeing that Tatsuma wasn't taking the bait, a flash of disappointment crossed Sajin's face. He had indeed been waiting for Tatsuma to strike, but the boy had suddenly regained his composure.
The Nine-Tails' chakra within Tatsuma was nearly depleted. This meant his raw power and stamina were dropping significantly, but it also meant the influence of the Fox's corrosive, irrational rage was fading. He was becoming clinical again.
Sajin noticed the shift as well, and it was precisely why he hadn't chosen to flee.
If Tatsuma had maintained that monstrous, berserk state from minutes ago, Sajin would have weighed his options and likely chosen to retreat—or more accurately, to run for his life.
Escaping would have cost Sajin dearly. As a squad leader, he had lost his entire unit and failed to eliminate the target. Even as a descendant of the Second Kazekage and a disciple of the Third, he would have faced a political storm back at the village. But to stay alive, he would have endured the disgrace.
But the situation had changed. Tatsuma's aura was receding; the "glitch" of overwhelming power was over.
A new thought took root in Sajin's mind: I can kill him. Killing Tatsuma wouldn't bring his subordinates back, but it would drastically reduce the severity of his punishment. He could exaggerate the threat, painting Tatsuma as a monster with talent equal to the Third Hokage... no, equal to the Second Hokage or even the legendary pair who founded the era.
If the threat was perceived as great enough, then any price paid to eliminate it would be seen as a necessary, heroic sacrifice.
Furthermore, the brat was Tsunade's disciple and carried the signature weapon of the White Fang. He was clearly a crown jewel of Konoha. If Sajin handled this correctly, he wouldn't just avoid punishment—he might even be hailed as a hero.
With his resolve hardened, Sajin looked at Tatsuma with predatory focus. As long as the boy died, Sajin alone would be the one to write the history of this battle.
Tatsuma sensed the sudden shift in Sajin's killing intent. He glanced at the chakra-infused short sword lying in the dirt nearby but didn't move to pick it up. He was no master of Kenjutsu. In Hatake Sakumo's hands, that blade was a legend; in his own, it was just a liability that slowed his movements.
His own chakra reserves were still relatively healthy. The multiple stacks of [Graveyard Phantom] combined with the Nine-Tails acting as a temporary power bank had kept his physical vitals at peak levels. His only real enemy now was mental exhaustion.
He blinked, fighting the heavy fog settling behind his eyes. He shook his head sharply, forcing himself to stay alert as he locked eyes with Sajin.
Sajin didn't wait any longer. He raised his hands, ten translucent chakra threads shimmering at his fingertips. With a violent flick of his wrists, two puppets lunged from the shadows of the surrounding trees.
The humanoid puppet and the spider puppet.
Seeing only these two, Tatsuma felt a small surge of relief. Both bore visible repair marks—scarred wood and patched joints. This suggested that Sajin didn't have an infinite supply of mass-produced puppets; these were his personal, high-end tools.
Tatsuma noted the small nameplates on their frames. The spider was labeled Jorogumo, and the humanoid was Noterabo.
Before he could process the names, Noterabo blurred into motion. Under the expert guidance of Sajin's threads, it lunged with frightening speed, arms outspread in a crushing embrace.
Its jaw unhinged, revealing rows of jagged, canine fangs coated in a viscous black substance. Tatsuma's expression darkened. Inuzuka Shin had died precisely because he was grazed by those poisoned teeth.
Tatsuma didn't let sentiment cloud his vision. He slipped past the puppet's embrace and delivered a sharp, low sweep to its ankle.
CLANG!
The sound of metal on metal rang out. Tatsuma hissed, instantly using Body Flicker to put distance between them. Landing several meters away, he winced, rotating his ankle to ease the stinging vibration. Even with his high stats, kicking solid reinforced metal was no joke.
The remnants of the Nine-Tails' chakra worked quickly to dull the pain. Just as he recovered, Noterabo was on him again.
This time, Tatsuma didn't counter. He began a high-speed evasion, using the trees and boulders as obstacles. However, he quickly realized this was a losing game. Chakra threads weren't like wire; they were weightless and didn't snag on terrain. Sajin could navigate the puppet through the dense forest with zero drag.
Tatsuma skidded to a halt, his hands blurring into seals as he spun around. He opened his mouth and unleashed a torrent of super-heated, burning oil directly at the incoming puppet.
"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"
"Hah! Pointless!" Sajin sneered.
With a flick of his fingers, Noterabo plowed straight through the inferno. Its outer clothing was incinerated, but the wooden frame merely bore a few charred streaks. It was fireproofed.
Tatsuma didn't hesitate. He flickered away again, the puppet hot on his heels. After several leaps, he landed on a high branch and turned. His hands were already finished with the next set of seals.
"Wind Style: Wind Cutter!"
He swept his hands forward, unleashing invisible blades of compressed air. They slammed into Noterabo, and for a split second, Sajin's smug expression faltered. He jerked his threads, but the puppet failed to respond.
Tatsuma didn't wait to see why. Taking advantage of the momentary stall, he ignored the puppets and charged directly at Sajin's main body.