32 Chapter 32: DIE
'They have no sensor, or they would have reacted faster before we projected our approach,' analyzed Tekku as he used the Smoke Cloud to summon his Sword and Shield Puppets. He transformed the Sword Puppet into himself while hiding inside the Shield Puppet. He utilized the Earth Style: Hiding like a mole technique to burrow underground with the Shield Puppet, from where he used his sensing technique to control the Sword Puppet within the smoke cloud.
Meanwhile, his three opponents from Iwa were underestimating him, just as he had hoped. They saw him merely as a Genin and followed him into the smoke cloud, probably thinking he was trying to distract them and make them lose sight while he ran away.
Activating the Chakra Blades in one of the Sword Puppet's hands, he directly manipulated it towards one of the Chunin. His opponent, whose vision was impaired, couldn't feel the attack fast enough and failed to react to the approaching stab.
Blood gurgled out of the impaled neck as the Chunin grasped for air, desperately holding his destroyed throat in an attempt to close the wound. But it was to no avail; the wound was fatal. The other Chunin, having seen the Puppet that resembled Tekku through the clearing smoke, jumped away to create some distance.
"Shit, Kichi!" shouted the Tokubetsu Jonin as he saw the bloody pool beneath his comrade's body. The Tekku puppet, with a hand dripping with fresh red blood, stood above it, staring at them. Seeing his opponent standing in front of him, the Jonin raised the palm of his hand, preparing for an attack—Explosion Release: Landmine Fist.
Feeling the now familiar combination of two Chakra natures, Tekku quickly maneuvered the Sword Puppet out of the blast range of the attack. Just as he did so, a red explosion erupted with a resounding boom, impacting the area where his Puppet had stood moments ago. 'It's really the Explosion Release. This seems to be the same technique as the reanimated Gari used during the Fourth Shinobi World War. He has similar brown hair, but clearly, he isn't him. Well, I can't let myself be hit by that attack, or I'm done,' mused Tekku as he analyzed the situation from his hiding spot below ground, hidden inside his armored Puppet.
"Damn brat, I will kill you. There is no way I can allow Konoha to have another genius," cursed the Tokubetsu Jonin. "I, Mori of Iwa's Demolition Squad, will end your life. Be honored," he arrogantly announced, with the other Chunin nodding in agreement as they prepared to attack.
Mori rushed towards Tekku's Puppet while the Chunin used an Earth Style Jutsu, sending a large stone bullet towards the Sword Puppet from a distance. Seizing the opportunity, Tekku maneuvered his Sword Puppet backward, dodging the bullet and creating more distance between himself and his opponents. He moved below the ground, aware that his oxygen was limited and he couldn't stay there indefinitely.
Mori, intent on getting within striking distance to perform a direct explosion, suddenly found himself distracted as a shocked sound came from where his subordinate was. The ground behind the other Chunin split open, and the massive form of the defensive Shield Puppet emerged in a cloud of dust, striking the Chunin with a massive fist. The Chunin flew through the air, hitting a nearby tree with his back. Mori, momentarily distracted, looked away from the Sword Puppet, which took the opportunity to shoot a kunai from its mouth towards his head.
However, Mori's instincts kicked in. He used his hands to cause an explosion on the ground, breaking it open and dispelling the remaining dust, revealing any opponents still hiding there. But none where there. At the same time, he used the force of the explosion and propelled himself towards the massive Puppet, which moved much slower. "Die, you fucking piece of wood!" he shouted in anger, as he caused an explosion on the heavy body of the defensive Puppet using both palms.
Tekku had anticipated that it wouldn't be so easy to defeat Mori. He escaped through the backside of the Puppet, dodging the brunt of the explosion. Unfortunately, he was hit by a metallic splinter in his shoulder causing him a deep wound as it pierced right through it.
"There you are, you fucking little rat. A Puppet User from Konoha, that is rare. But you will die here today, so it doesn't matter anymore," taunted Mori with a savage grin before he lunged forward, stretching his palm toward Tekku, who was still within his reach slowed down by the sudden pain.
Just as the explosion was about to go off, someone appeared in front of Mori, hitting his palm. Mori stopped for a small moment in confusion as he recognized that person—it was the first Chunin Tekku had stabbed in the neck. But seeing the blood still flowing down the throat, he realized that Tekku was controlling that body with Chakra Strings. This momentary distraction was enough for the Chakra Blade in the Sword Puppet's other hand, which one charge Tekku had saved up since each blade only had one, to fly into Mori's back, ripping a hole through his chest.
"Damn, you fucking brat," Mori muttered with disbelief in his eyes as he saw the hole in the middle of his chest, blood flowing from his mouth. He refocused in anger and, still close to Tekku, grabbed the young Chunin. "Fuck you, I will take you with me!" he shouted as his body began to glow red.
He formed Explosion Release once again, this time all over his body. Tekku realized in a panic that his opponent was performing some kind of suicide technique. "Shit, let go of me! Can't you just die alone?" shouted Tekku, desperately trying to free himself from Mori's grip. However, his attempts were in vain. Mori had tapped into his emergency strength reserves, and his hold on Tekku was too strong for him to escape.
The red glow grew brighter and brighter until it became blinding. Suddenly, Mori muttered, "How? Why isn't my Chakra reacting anymore?" before the light in his eyes dimmed, and the Chakra buildup within him dissipated. The Tokubetsu Jonin of Iwa fell forward onto Tekku, who caught his body.
"That was close. I almost met my end," said Tekku, relieved yet still in shock. He saw that his last move had worked, even though he hadn't expected it to. He had never managed to apply a seal so quickly using the Chakra Printing Method. It was pure luck that he had survived.
His palm still rested on Mori's blood-drenched stomach. When he raised it, a seal was revealed, spreading all over the body. It was a simple Chakra disruption seal that could be easily broken with some Chakra control or by physically scratching or removing the ink. But in that do-or-die moment, this simple seal was enough to prevent the self-destructive technique from triggering and taking Tekku with Mori into death.
It had been a very close call, but Tekku had managed to focus enough to apply a seal using the Chakra Printing Method, something that would normally take him a few minutes. It was sheer luck that had saved him.
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