As Monzaemon opened the scroll, five puppets clad in blue robes with bizarre shapes leaped out onto the battlefield. Unlike the White Secret Technique: The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets, which were all humanoid puppets, the Blue Secret Technique: Monzaemon's Five Puppets resembled half-human, half-beast forms similar to Hiruko, and were quite massive in size.
Each puppet was armed to the teeth, with some wielding giant axes, others having their arms modified into dual blades, and even their teeth turned into small blades. Seeing the five massive, heavily armed puppets before them, the faces of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio turned grim.
Facing a Kage-level opponent like Monzaemon was already extremely challenging for the trio, and it was only thanks to their long-standing synergy that they managed to hold on, though they were slowly losing ground. The appearance of the Blue Secret Technique: Monzaemon's Five Puppets completely disrupted the relative balance of the situation.
"Shikaku, what do we do now?" Akimichi Choza, standing at the front, swallowed hard and asked Shikaku behind him. Beside him, Yamanaka Inoichi also looked at Shikaku.
Among the three, Nara Shikaku had always been the brains. Looking at the Monzaemon's Five Puppets before him, Shikaku wore a bitter expression. He knew well that in the face of an overwhelming power gap, no amount of strategy could change the situation.
After a moment of contemplation, Shikaku spoke, "Inoichi, find an opportunity to use the Yamanaka Clan's secret technique to disrupt Monzaemon. I'll seize the chance to use the Shadow Imitation Technique to restrict his movements, then try to use the Shadow Neck Binding Technique to kill him."
"Understood," Yamanaka Inoichi nodded. "But what about these five puppets?"
Shikaku glanced at Choza, who wore the same puzzled expression, and gritted his teeth, turning his head away as he mustered all his strength to say, "Choza, take the Akimichi Clan's red chili pill and use the Multi-Size Technique with all your might. You must hold off Monzaemon's Five Puppets!"
After speaking, it seemed as if Shikaku had lost all his energy, unable to look at Choza again.
"Shikaku, no! If Choza takes the red chili pill, his strength will increase greatly, but it could lead to his death from overexertion!" Inoichi exclaimed, trying to stop him.
Choza was momentarily stunned by Shikaku's words, then smiled broadly at the two of them, "Haha, I've always wanted to see what the red chili pill can do. I've never tasted it before."
"Choza..." Inoichi didn't try to persuade Choza further, as he could see how dire the situation was. If they didn't risk it all, the entire Konoha ninja force might be slaughtered.
"No need, I'll handle these five puppets," Kai's voice suddenly reached the three of them just as Choza was about to take the red chili pill.
Choza paused, looked at Kai, and shook his head, "You must be Mitarashi Kai, the seven-year-old Jonin, truly a genius. But Monzaemon's Five Puppets aren't something you can handle."
With that, he was about to continue taking the red chili pill.
Shikaku suddenly stopped Choza's actions and asked, "Kai, are you sure you can handle Monzaemon's Five Puppets?" He stared intently into Kai's eyes, trying to discern something.
"Yes, I'm sure," Kai replied calmly, meeting Shikaku's gaze without flinching.
"Alright then, Kai will handle Monzaemon's Five Puppets. Choza, you'll assist us in attacking Monzaemon," Shikaku decided without hesitation.
"But..." Choza wanted to say something more, but Shikaku interrupted him.
"No buts, let's move!" With that, Shikaku's shadow stretched out toward Monzaemon.
"Kid, let me know if you can't hold them off," Choza said, patting Kai on the shoulder before joining Shikaku in the attack on Monzaemon.
"What ugly puppets," Kai remarked, looking at the monstrous puppets before him.
Monzaemon controlled three puppets with one hand, attacking the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, while the other hand directed Monzaemon's Five Puppets toward Kai. "Ugly? You brat, these are the greatest masterpieces of our ancestor Monzaemon!"
Kai dodged an attack from one of the puppets and mockingly replied, "Monzaemon's greatest masterpiece? I thought Chiyo's White Secret Technique: The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets was the pinnacle. When did it become these so-called Blue Secret Technique: Monzaemon's Five Puppets?"
Hearing Kai's words, Monzaemon's face turned purple with rage. Despite being from the same puppet lineage, as the current head of the Monzaemon family, he couldn't surpass his junior, Chiyo. This inability to inherit Monzaemon's greatest masterpiece, the White Secret Technique: The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets, had always been his greatest regret. Hearing Kai's words, how could he not be infuriated?
"You damned brat, die!" Monzaemon shouted, controlling a giant axe to swing at Kai.
Steel Fist: Stacked Force!
Kai's fist struck the giant axe puppet's body heavily, but the puppet only wobbled slightly.
"What a tough body, even harder than steel," Kai thought. Even steel would shatter under his Steel Fist: Stacked Force.
"Haha, kid, Monzaemon's Five Puppets are made from a wood many times stronger than steel, impervious to ninjutsu," Monzaemon boasted.
"Is that so? It's just wood? I thought it was something else. Since it's wood, I'll use this technique against you!"
Kai's right fist slowly emitted a deep red flame, resembling molten lava.
Steel Fist: Lava Mountain Collapse!
This was a ninjutsu Kai developed after fusing Fire Release and Earth Release to form Lava Release. No, it should be called a nin-taijutsu, as it required no hand signs and combined the high temperature of lava with the penetrative force of Steel Fist: Mountain Collapse!
A terrifying nin-taijutsu!
Kai's lava-imbued arm pierced straight through the giant axe puppet's head, embedding itself in the puppet's body.
"Impossible! You can destroy Monzaemon's Five Puppets?" Monzaemon's face was filled with shock.
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