Naruto The Red Spiral Rebirth

The moment Tom confronted Zeji, the puppet master wasted no time. With a flick of his fingers, he commanded the puppet version of Akimichi Retsu—once a noble shinobi of Konoha and Tom's comrade—to attack.

Retsu's puppet body swelled grotesquely, a twisted echo of the Akimichi clan's signature Expansion Jutsu. Though he couldn't fully replicate the technique, Zeji had engineered him to become a towering three-meter giant—brute force combined with mechanical precision.

The monstrous puppet charged forward like a whirlwind, swinging a massive machete in a deadly arc. The air howled as steel tore through it, the blade aimed directly at Tom's torso.

In response, Tom's blade—Iron Fang: Tessaiga—seemed to resonate with a soul of its own. With a clean, swift motion, Tom raised the blade and met the machete with a glinting counterstrike. The tip of his sword traced a delicate arc and struck the puppet's weapon with perfect timing.

Clang!

Sparks flew.

Zeji narrowed his eyes. "Tch... This brat has skill. But let's see how long you can last."

His fingers twitched like they were dancing across invisible strings. The puppet's machete split into three separate blades, spinning like a windmill as it whirled toward Tom's left side.

Caught off guard, Tom tried to dodge, but one blade grazed him. A deep cut opened on his thigh, blood spilling.

Before the wound could weaken him further, Tom activated his innate self-healing ability. Flesh mended rapidly, and within moments, the injury closed as if it had never happened.

Zeji's eyes gleamed with manic excitement. "Fascinating... You can regenerate? Hahaha! You'd make a perfect puppet. Immortality through craftsmanship—bestowed by the great Puppet Master, Zeji!"

Tom's eyes darkened. "If you think you're capable of taking my body, you're welcome to try. But today, one of us dies—and it won't be me."

This was by far the toughest opponent Tom had faced yet.

A flicker of anxiety ran through him as he thought about the infamous Sasori of the Red Sand—the master of puppetry. If this lunatic was already this powerful, how much more terrifying would Sasori be?

Zeji laughed hysterically, his face wild with obsession. "You're still clinging to delusions. Puppet Masters are destined to reshape the world. With enough spiritual power, we can control thousands—create an army of deathless warriors! All who oppose us will be crushed beneath our creations!"

He snapped his fingers. Akimichi Retsu—now a grotesque marionette—lunged again. His left arm transformed into a massive steel tiger claw, while the rotating machetes in his right hand shimmered with killing intent.

Retsu's puppet spun the blade, creating a whirlwind slash aimed at Tom's head.

Tom's chakra surged. He infused his blade with lightning chakra, the Tessaiga glowing with arcs of crackling energy. It howled as he swung.

CRASH!

In two clean strokes, he severed two of the rotating blades. Just as he prepared to strike the third, the tiger claw shot up from below in a deadly upward arc, aiming to tear from Tom's abdomen to his skull.

Tom dropped low, spinning backward in three swift somersaults, barely evading the claw.

Zeji growled and activated another mechanism. The puppet's right arm detached with a mechanical clack, revealing a honeycomb-shaped launcher embedded in the stump.

Whoosh!

Dozens of kunai laced with explosive tags fired through the air, converging on Tom.

Before the projectiles hit, Tom body-flickered behind a tree. But the explosion rang out regardless.

BOOM!

The shockwave slammed into Tom even as he evaded, scorching his back. At the same time, a chain shot out from Retsu's remaining arm, wrapping around the tree trunk where Tom had landed.

The chain retracted violently.

Retsu's puppet body shot through the air like a missile, pulled by the chain.

Tom, mid-air and still recovering, didn't hesitate.

He twisted his body midflight and launched into a devastating horizontal spin. His right leg slammed down like a battle axe.

CRACK!

Retsu's head bent at a horrific angle. His entire body smashed into the earth, leaving a crater in the soil.

But Zeji only grinned.

"You really think my masterpiece is that fragile?"

He waved his hands like a mad composer.

Click, whirr, clank!

Retsu's body jerked unnaturally and stood up. The neck snapped back into place with a bone-chilling pop.

Suddenly, Retsu's chest cavity split open.

His left and right arms detached. From within his torso, two new arms unfolded—both mechanical horrors. Chains wrapped around the wrists. Each palm had four axe blades pointing outward, like a windmill, and a wicked spear-like spike protruded from the center.

The left arm fired first, launching the spear-tip and embedded chain into the tree canopy above Tom's head.

The chain contracted, pulling the puppet upward like a grappling hook.

Then the right axe-hand swung out horizontally with terrifying force, screaming through the air like a meteor.

BOOM!

It cleaved through the tree Tom had just escaped to, shattering the trunk with a thunderous crack. Shards of splintered wood exploded outward.

Tom leapt back, midair. In a flash, he formed a hand seal.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Five identical Toms burst into existence.

Together, they maneuvered in the air like birds in flight, adjusting their momentum and redirecting their fall. The real Tom, hovering highest, raised his glowing Tessaiga.

Zeji sneered and yanked the chain.

The first spear weapon shot back toward Retsu's body. The chain followed behind like a venomous serpent, whipping toward Tom.

Tom's eyes narrowed.

He twisted in midair, raised his sword, and struck with terrifying speed.

CLANG!

The chain shattered under the thunder-augmented blade. Sparks danced through the air.

Spinning with the force of the strike, Tom used the momentum to reorient himself. His next move was a backhanded lunge—sword extended like a lance.

THWACK!

The blade pierced straight into Retsu's chest.

A pulse of lightning chakra exploded from the blade, coursing through the puppet's frame. The surge disrupted Zeji's chakra threads. Retsu froze in place, limbs trembling.

Zeji gasped. "No—!"

Before he could re-establish control, Tom grabbed Retsu's frame and leapt away, dragging the massive puppet nearly 300 meters back.

Zeji stood motionless, fuming.

Even for a master puppeteer, such a distance was far beyond the standard control range.

Tom knelt beside the motionless puppet, breathing heavily.

"I'm sorry, Retsu," he whispered, his voice low and sincere. "I had to hurt you to stop him... But I promise, I'll avenge you."

He pulled out a sealing scroll and carefully began packing the remains. With a few precise hand signs, Retsu's body was stored within the scroll, safe from further desecration.

Tom rose to his feet.

His eyes were different now—cold, predatory.

Like a lone wolf ready to strike.

His gaze locked on Zeji.

"You defiled a hero. I don't care what vision you have for puppetry. You're finished."

Zeji met his stare with a twisted grin. "Finished? Oh, no. That was just my opening act."

pàtreøn (Gk31)