Puppet Strings and Serpent Fangs
"Orochimaru," Sasori whispered, his voice laced with so much venom that the nearby demons instinctively recoiled. The air grew thick, suffocating under the weight of his killing intent. His crimson eyes locked onto the snake-like man, unblinking, unrelenting.
"So, the so-called immortal finally found the guts to show himself." Sasori's voice was steady, but his fingers twitched, itching to strike—to tear Orochimaru apart piece by piece.
Orochimaru only smiled, unfazed. "Ah~ I see you're still upset about what happened..." His tone was almost playful, like a parent chiding a child for holding a grudge. "But there's no need for such hostility. I haven't come to fight."
With an exaggerated motion, he tossed something forward. A half-conscious demon landed at Sasori's feet with a dull thud.
"Consider this a gesture of goodwill," Orochimaru continued smoothly. "This one was meddling—trying to bring Lower Moon One back to life. I took care of it for you. You're welcome."
His smugness made Sasori laugh—a sharp, bitter sound.
"Oh, I'm still upset about that," Sasori admitted, amusement lacing his voice. Then, without warning, shadows shifted behind Orochimaru. "But don't worry..."
A gunshot rang out.
Orochimaru moved in a blur, dodging just as the bullet whizzed past him. It tore through the skull of an unfortunate demon standing to the side, splattering blood across the floor.
Orochimaru clicked his tongue. "Ah, I see you're finally learning some new tricks, Sasori. How delightful."
Sasori didn't respond—he was already moving. In an instant, he surged past the fallen demon at his feet, closing the distance between them. With a single, powerful kick, he sent Orochimaru hurtling through several buildings, each impact shaking the ground.
Without hesitation, Sasori unfurled a scroll, summoning his entire arsenal of puppets. The sky darkened as they took flight, their gleaming weapons poised for battle.
"Oi! Who said you could ignore me?!" Nanami snarled, lunging toward Sasori in a rage.
Behind him, the purple-skinned demon boy Orochimaru had thrown at Sasori's feet remained motionless—until the floor beneath him gave way. A sliding door snapped open, swallowing the boy whole without resistance.
Sasori didn’t even look back as he stepped smoothly over the open pit. As Nanami came in close, Sasori spun and delivered a brutal kick to his head. The impact shattered Nanami’s skull on contact.
"Stop wasting my time," Sasori muttered.
Before Nanami's body even hit the ground, Goro emptied an entire round of bullets into him, then kicked him, sending him skidding across the battlefield.
Sasori landed gracefully, only to sidestep immediately as several shuriken whizzed past him. His eyes narrowed.
'Looks like more pests want to interfere...'
From the shadows, multiple shinobi emerged in black attire covering most of their appearances, their movements swift and calculated. One rushed forward with a katana, aiming straight for Sasori's throat.
With minimal effort, Sasori caught the blade in his bare hand, the steel screeching as he crushed it in his grip. Before the shinobi could react, Sasori wrenched the broken blade free and slashed upward in one fluid motion. Blood sprayed as the man's head tumbled from his shoulders.
Sasori exhaled, unbothered. "Annoying."
His puppets whirred to life, forming a defensive wall between him and the shinobi as he darted through the holes in the buildings he had sent Orochimaru crashing through. He moved with precision, weaving through the debris like a ghost, his mind focused on his target.
A figure suddenly landed in front of him, assuming a stance he recognized immediately.
'A Nara?' Sasori thought, mildly surprised.
The shinobi wasted no time, forming the signature hand seal of the Shadow Imitation Technique. Sasori flicked his wrist, sending a shuriken flying toward the man. As expected, the Nara's shadow leaped forward, stretching unnaturally toward Sasori's own, aiming to trap him.
But then, something unexpected happened.
The shadow twisted, morphing into the shape of a wolf. It lunged upward, jaws snapping around the shuriken in midair before tossing it aside.
'Damn it. Their jutsu evolved?' Sasori narrowed his eyes. 'I suppose it has been several decades.'
Still, he didn't stop his charge. The wolf snarled and lunged, but Sasori was faster. He sidestepped the beast effortlessly, closing the gap between him and the Nara in an instant.
The shinobi's eyes widened in shock. He tried to retreat, severing his shadow technique, causing the wolf to vanish—but it was too late.
Sasori's blade was already aimed at his throat.
Another blade intercepted it. Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal.
Sasori's gaze flickered to the newcomer. White hair, a scarred face twisted in fury.
Sanemi.
"What the hell are you doing!?" Sanemi barked, pushing back against Sasori's strike with raw strength. "We're supposed to protect them, not attack them! Go kill a demon!"
Sasori didn't move, his crimson eyes cold and calculating as they bore into Sanemi's.
"You're in my way."
The Nara, seizing the moment, reached for what appeared to be an explosive tag. His fingers barely brushed against the seal before a blade sliced clean through his neck.
His head hit the ground with a dull thud.
Behind him stood Taro, his blade dripping with fresh blood.
Sanemi's eyes widened, momentarily stunned by the sudden execution. That hesitation was all Sasori needed.
With brutal efficiency, Sasori drove his foot into Sanemi's ribs, the force sending the Wind Hashira crashing through the side of a building. The impact cracked bone, but not enough to kill—just enough to keep him out of the way.
"Don't meddle in my business," Sasori muttered, his tone devoid of concern.
His gaze lifted ahead, locking onto Orochimaru, who was sitting against a crumbling wall, watching him with an analytical gleam in his serpent-like eyes. A smirk curled at the edges of the rogue shinobi's lips.
"Ah~ It's been so long since I've seen you fight," Orochimaru purred.
Before Orochimaru could continue, Ryukan crashed down from the ceiling, aiming to crush Orochimaru beneath his massive weight. But in a blur, Orochimaru substituted himself with a broken slab of rubble, leaving Ryukan's strike to shatter useless stone.
Sasori barely spared a glance. His fingers twitched, extending his chakra threads toward the fallen Nara's corpse. The body lurched upright, its lifeless form now a puppet under Sasori's control.
Kunai and shuriken whistled through the air toward Sasori, but the reanimated Nara moved in an instant, its body shielding Sasori from the incoming projectiles. Metal embedded itself deep into flesh, yet the puppet did not falter.
Orochimaru chuckled, watching with amusement.
"As vigilant as ever," Orochimaru mused, his eyes glinting with intrigue.
Daisuke lunged at him from behind, his massive cleaver swinging in a deadly arc. But before the blade could connect, a snake slithered out from Orochimaru's robes, rapidly enlarging as it sank its fangs into the cleaver, stopping the attack mid-swing.
Sasori barely spared them a glance. Instead, he maneuvered the fallen Nara's corpse in front of an incoming wind projectile. The attack struck the body with a sickening crack, shattering ribs and tearing through flesh.
"So, you've made allies with Konoha?" Sasori remarked, his tone flat as he tossed the ruined corpse aside like a broken puppet. His crimson gaze flicked toward a Hyūga wearing a Konoha headband.
Orochimaru chuckled. "I did. Anyways—Tomika, leave Sasori to me. Just keep his puppets off my back."
Without another word, Orochimaru lunged, a kunai gleaming in his grip.
Sasori met the attack head-on, his blade intercepting the kunai with a sharp clang. Orochimaru's mouth suddenly stretched unnaturally wide, a sword shooting out from his throat like a serpent striking its prey. Sasori twisted his head at the last second, narrowly avoiding the attack.
Before he could counter, another snake erupted from Orochimaru's robes, fangs bared as it struck at Sasori. He leaped backward just in time.
Suddenly, a hand burst from the ground, seizing Sasori's ankle in a crushing grip. A shinobi, half-buried beneath the battlefield, tried to yank him down into the earth.
But Sasori didn't even flinch.
With a sharp jerk of his leg, he effortlessly ripped the man from the ground, dragging him up like a puppet with severed strings.
"Still relying on cheap tricks?" Sasori muttered.
Then, without hesitation, he swung his leg sideways, sending the man crashing into a nearby wall with bone-snapping force.
"Let's take this outside, shall we?" Orochimaru suggested, his voice laced with amusement.
The massive snake coiled behind him suddenly surged forward, its body growing to an enormous size. With a single, powerful strike, it smashed into Sasori, sending him hurtling through the wall. The building crumbled under the force of the impact, reduced to rubble beneath the snake's weight.
Sasori landed gracefully on a nearby rooftop, his movements precise and controlled. His crimson gaze flicked through the swirling dust and debris, sharp and calculating.
Something was approaching—fast.
Using the dust cloud as cover, the figure lunged at him. As it emerged, Sasori caught sight of its form—a puppet. But not one of his.
The unfamiliar puppet charged at him, its wooden limbs moving with mechanical precision. But before it could get close, Sasori released Riku from his side. The scorpion-like puppet lashed out, crushing the enemy construct with ease.
'They have puppets as well?' Sasori thought, his interest piqued.
"Looks like you brought an army to fight me," he remarked, his tone even as he turned.
A few feet away, Orochimaru stood seemingly appearing out of nowhere, watching him with that same serpentine grin.
"I knew you'd try to pick a fight," Orochimaru said smoothly. "So I simply brought some allies with me."
Orochimaru's jaw unhinged unnaturally wide, and from the depths of his throat, he pulled out the Kusanagi Sword—its pristine blade gleaming even in the dim light.
Sasori raised an eyebrow. "Resorting to legendary weapons already?"
Orochimaru smirked, gripping the hilt with ease. "You should feel honored. I only bring this out when things get interesting."
Without another word, he lunged. The Kusanagi cut through the air with deadly precision, aimed straight for Sasori's neck.
Sasori leaped off the rooftop, landing effortlessly on Ryukan's back as the massive puppet ascended into the sky. With a flick of his fingers, he maneuvered Ryukan backward, putting distance between himself and Orochimaru.
"Sasori! What are you doing?! Where's Lower Moon One?!" Shinobu's voice rang out from below as she struck down the last standing demon.
Sasori glanced down at her, but before he could respond, a shadowy figure shot toward him from behind, its blade gleaming as it aimed for his head.
The attack stopped mere inches from Sasori's neck.
"You think using a puppet against the greatest puppet master is a good idea?" Sasori said coldly.
With a single movement, he severed the chakra threads connecting the puppet to its previous user, claiming it as his own. Its body twitched for a moment before turning its blade on its former master.
-Sanemi-
Sanemi pushed himself up from the rubble, wincing as pain shot through his body. Several of his bones were broken, but he forced himself forward. As he stumbled out of the alley, his eyes landed on a scattered stack of papers—the same notes he had given Mitsuri.
His breath hitched.
"How did he...?" he muttered, staring at them before his gaze lifted to the sky.
There, above the ruined cityscape, Sasori was locked in battle with a pale-skinned man.
"Damn it!" Sanemi staggered forward, gritting his teeth against the pain as he spotted Shinobu nearby.
"Shinobu! Sasori knows—he found the notes!" he warned.
Shinobu bit her lip, uncertainty flashing across her face. "Do you know who that man is?" she asked, rushing to Sanemi's side and helping him lean against a wall.
"Probably Orochimaru," Sanemi grunted. "We need to stop them. They're tearing the city apart."
"It's not just them," Shinobu said, her sharp eyes catching movement in the shadows. Several figures lurked just beyond the wreckage.
"There are more. Probably with Orochimaru," she muttered, frustration finally creeping into her voice. "Damn it."
-Sasori VS Orochimaru-
"Sasori, I'm not here to fight you," Orochimaru said, his golden eyes studying the puppet master with an unreadable expression.
Sasori remained silent. His response came in the form of three puppets surging forward—Jiro, Shiro, and Ren.
Ren's twin blades crackled with lightning chakra, arcs of electricity dancing across their surface. Jiro's sword ignited with roaring flames, while Shiro's weapon shimmered with slicing wind.
Ren struck first, launching several lightning bolts at Orochimaru, each streaking toward him like the fangs of a thunderstorm. Orochimaru weaved between them effortlessly, his movements unnaturally fluid.
Shiro was next, his blade humming with wind chakra as he slashed forward, sending a razor-sharp wind cutter slicing through the air.
Jiro followed immediately, his flaming sword blazing as he hurled a firebolt at the wind cutter.
The moment the two attacks connected, an explosive firestorm erupted, engulfing Orochimaru in a raging inferno.
The storm raged on, its intensity finally subsiding. Orochimaru stood amidst the aftermath, his skin charred and his body seemingly melting. His arm barely clung to his shoulder, held together by a thin strip of skin.
"Wow, you're not holding back, are you?" Orochimaru's voice, though strained, still carried that signature smug grin. Even as his body was on the brink of falling apart, the smile never wavered, as if he were secretly enjoying the pain. Sasori could see it clearly—Orochimaru was savoring every blow, perhaps hoping Sasori's attacks would break him down even further.
With a sickening squelch, Orochimaru's severed arm fell to the ground, the wet sound echoing in the silence. But then, something strange happened. The arm twitched, shifting unnaturally as if it had a life of its own. Orochimaru's body crumbled into a mass of twisted, melting flesh, but slowly—methodically—his form began to reassemble itself, the skin knitting together, reshaping into his familiar form.
Sasori's eyes narrowed in realization. 'So, he really has found a way to become truly unkillable.'
Thinking quickly, Sasori signaled Ren, who launched a bolt of lightning at Orochimaru's rapidly reforming body. But the attack missed as Orochimaru fluidly dodged, the serpentine figure seemingly unaffected as he continued to piece himself back together.
Just as Sasori prepared for another strike, a sliding door appeared on the ground, and the same demon boy—dragged along by Orochimaru—emerged from it.
The demon scanned the area, its eyes widening as it took in the destruction of its family. The charred remains and ash seemed to have no effect on it, but it couldn't hide its visible shock.
"Shit, we've got one more..." Sanemi muttered, struggling to get up.
"Don't move. I'll deal with him," Shinobu said sharply, drawing her stinger. Without another word, she rushed toward the demon.
The demon, seemingly oblivious to Shinobu's approach, made no effort to react as she closed in. But just as she reached striking distance, a sliding door appeared beneath her feet, causing her to fall through it. She emerged on the other side, several feet above the ground, off-balance and disoriented.
Shinobu's eyes widened in panic as she plummeted through the air.
Her mind raced, desperately searching for any way to slow her descent. But with her balance completely gone, there was no hope of controlling her fall.
She was only about thirty feet above the pavement when Riku suddenly tackled her, wrapping his arms tightly around her and flying backward, far from the chaos of the fight.
Sasori halted his assault on Orochimaru, his attention fully shifting to Shinobu's safety. His mind was already calculating the best way to tank or counter whatever Orochimaru might throw at him, using this moment of distraction. But the attack never came.
Orochimaru had fully reformed by now, his eyes narrowing as he smirked at Sasori. And then, just as the tension in the air thickened, the demon began to scream, its cries echoing through the ground.
The boy's body writhed as if struggling to contain the overwhelming power surging within him. His purple skin, once smooth and consistent, rippled and shifted, dark veins glowing like molten rivers beneath the surface. His features twisted and stretched unnaturally, as though his very being was being torn apart to make room for something far darker, something far worse.
"You think you understand what it means to be family..." The boy's voice was low at first, but with each word, it grew louder, filled with an unsettling, chilling conviction. "But you have no idea. This... this is what true family means. Unity. Power. A bond that never fades, never breaks."
His arms shot up, palms open, as if reaching for something beyond this world. "Nanami... Father... I bring you back, as you wished. I'll make us whole again."
His body began to vibrate violently, skin shifting in waves as the boy's once juvenile form expanded. Dark tendrils of energy erupted from his back, twisting and pulsing with a familiar, malevolent force. The transformation was violent, his body stretching and elongating as it reshaped into something far greater, something monstrous.
"This is the destiny you created, Father," he spat, his cruel smile widening. "By my will, we are reborn—one with all that you were, all that you hoped to be."
The boy's chest expanded, and with an agonizing crack, jagged, blackened wings tore through, unfurling with a bone-rattling screech. The wings, twisted and malformed, seemed more like a prison than a gift, dark energy arcing violently through them, unpredictable and wild. His form continued to grow, reshaping, becoming something incomprehensible to the human eye. Pulsing orbs of light appeared across his body—signs of his growing power, marking his connection to something far beyond mortal understanding.
A hideous grin spread across his face, his teeth elongating into sharp, jagged fangs. "You'll see. You'll all see. This world... will bow before us. To family, to power—and to our unending reign."
And with that, the boy—the demon—was no longer just a creature. He was Nanami, reborn and reshaped into something far more terrifying than anyone could have ever imagined.
"Can’t you just stay dead?" Sasori muttered, his gaze locking onto Nanami’s.
In the demon’s eyes, a new title gleamed ominously—Upper Moon Six.
"Not until you're dead..." Nanami hissed as his massive wings unfurled. With a powerful beat, he ascended into the sky.
"Friend of yours?" Orochimaru inquired teasingly.
"Shut up," Sasori snapped.
At that moment, Goro fired his gun. The sharp cracks of gunfire echoed through the night, but Nanami twisted through the air, effortlessly dodging each bullet.
"He's a shifter, correct?" Orochimaru mused as the enormous serpent from earlier slithered onto the rooftop, lifting him onto its head.
"Figure it out on your own. And don't you dare try to run away," Sasori warned, his voice edged with menace. He sent his puppets forward, their bladed limbs striking at Nanami. The demon either blocked or evaded each attack with unnatural speed.
With a sudden burst of movement, Nanami lunged. His arm stretched grotesquely, growing longer and larger as it shot toward Sasori.
Sasori tensed, ready to move himself and Ryukan out of harm's way—when suddenly, the enormous snake clamped down on Nanami's extended arm, its fangs sinking deep.
Nanami snarled, his remaining arm shooting forward to strike, but Orochimaru leapt from the serpent's head, sword in hand. With a swift slice, he severed Nanami's limb, and he landed gracefully on the rooftop once more.
Sasori spared Orochimaru a brief glance, a flicker of curiosity and confusion crossing his face—but he wasted no time, seizing the opportunity to press the attack.
Daisuke shot forward, its blade gleaming in the moonlight as it aimed to behead Nanami.
But the demon merely grew another arm. In a single, monstrous swing, he shattered Daisuke, sending broken limbs flying.
Before Nanami could recover, Ren struck.
Twin blades crackling with electricity plunged into Nanami's back, sending a powerful current through his body. The demon let out a bloodcurdling scream, thrashing wildly to shake Ren off.
Seeing an opening, Sasori unleashed Kenji.
The puppet lunged forward, its poison-tipped stinger piercing directly into Nanami's eye.
Nanami shrieked, his remaining arm lashing out blindly. His hand collided with Kenji's, obliterating the puppet in a single, devastating blow.
But the battle was far from over.
Ren charged at Nanami, his blades crackling with lightning, followed closely by Seraphina.
Ren unleashed several bolts of lightning, keeping Nanami distracted, while Seraphina closed in. Her helmet opened up, releasing a burst of smoke that enveloped Nanami. She struck, the smog momentarily clouding his vision.
As Nanami inhaled the smoke, his eyes blurred for a moment, disoriented. But he quickly shook it off, breaking free. However, the brief lapse was enough to give Riku the opening he needed.
Riku seized the opportunity, lunging toward Nanami and slicing at his wings. The attack severed them, causing Nanami to lose his momentum and plummet to the ground.
Without missing a beat, Riku wrapped his chain whip around Nanami's neck, digging it deep into his flesh. But Nanami retaliated, elbowing Riku in the stomach and forcing him back. His wings quickly regenerated, gusting with force to stop his fall and keep him afloat.
-Sanemi and Shinobu-
As Nanami and the others clashed, Sanemi and Shinobu stood apart, quietly observing the chaos unfold. The raw force on display was undeniable—Sasori and Orochimaru moved like predators, controlling the field with cold, surgical precision.
Sanemi’s jaw tightened as he watched Sasori manipulate his puppets with effortless control. “Didn’t expect a puppet to run the show,” he muttered. It wasn’t praise—just grudging acknowledgment.
Shinobu didn’t respond right away. Her eyes tracked every movement, analyzing the coordination between man, puppet, and demon. Orochimaru’s serpentine attacks, paired with Sasori’s unflinching precision, created a rhythm—one too deliberate to be coincidence.
“They’re not just strong,” she finally said, voice quiet. “They’re efficient. Coordinated.” She wasn’t impressed. She was calculating.
Sanemi grunted. “Efficient’s one word for it. Dangerous is another.”
Shinobu gave a slight nod, gaze locked. “Exactly.”
They watched in silence, each drawing their own conclusions. For all their different temperaments, both knew the truth: these two weren’t just powerful—they were unpredictable. Dangerous allies. Worse enemies.
Then, without meaning to, Shinobu’s eyes lingered a little too long on Sasori.
Something about him still didn’t sit right. That first meeting—his voice, his composure—there was something off. Not fear, not fascination… more like a splinter she couldn’t pull out. A presence that lingered.
She exhaled through her nose, grounding herself. Focus. He’s a puppet. A tool. Not something to understand—something to dismantle if necessary.
Sanemi glanced sideways, picking up on her hesitation. “You spacing out on me?”
Shinobu didn’t flinch. “Just thinking,” she said flatly.
He didn’t believe her, but he didn’t push. The battlefield still demanded their attention.
Whatever feelings were creeping in—whether curiosity or suspicion—Shinobu buried them. For now.