Several days later.
Tengen and his team accepted another mission and left Konoha.
At this time, Orochimaru had started assigning D-rank and even C-rank missions, but their difficulty posed little challenge for Tengen.
After all, Tengen's strength had already reached the level of a Jonin, allowing him to complete these tasks with ease.
Even when occasionally facing Chunin, Tengen could take them down one-on-one.
Thus, Orochimaru held Tengen's abilities in high regard, acknowledging that in the short time since graduation, Tengen had already achieved the strength of a Chunin.
As for Anko and Jurin, they could barely keep up. Though they had made progress, it was clear they lagged behind Tengen.
During missions, Tengen would occasionally slip away for a time, and Orochimaru said nothing about it.
Perhaps everyone had their secrets, but Orochimaru's expression grew increasingly peculiar when he looked at Tengen.
And so, time passed. Several months had gone by.
It was now the 46th year of Konoha.
Somewhere in the Land of Grass.
"Who are you, and why are you blocking my path?" A cloaked figure, appearing as a middle-aged man with a hunched posture, spoke with a menacing expression.
"Sasori of the Red Sand." Tengen gazed at the figure, a faint smile on his lips. He knew this appearance was merely Sasori's puppet.
But today, Tengen had no intention of fighting Sasori to the death. If he could complete a task from the system, he would obtain a video fragment, which he could combine into a complete one.
"You know me." Sasori said in a dry rasping voice.
"Of course I do. This time, I'm here to test my skills against you." Tengen drew a gleaming blade.
"Let's see what my newly acquired abilities can do." Tengen's eyes flickered with cold indifference.
Over the past few months, Tengen had absorbed a wealth of knowledge and skills, some good, some bad. The valuable ones he mastered, while those overlapping with his existing abilities he exchanged for honor points, which could be used to redeem higher-value videos.
As Tengen brandished his long blade, he was confident in his swordsmanship.
Through a video from the Naruto world, he had gained this ability.
Hatake Kenjutsu.
At its peak, his level of mastery was far beyond what Kakashi could achieve.
At this moment, Kakashi was more of a versatile ninja, blending taijutsu and ninjutsu, but lacking in swordsmanship.
"Kid, you're awfully arrogant." Sasori sneered. "I don't know what gives you this confidence, but today, you're staying right here."
With that, Sasori's puppet charged toward Tengen but halted midway. A chain, swift as lightning, shot from its back toward Tengen.
"Hiruko."
This was Sasori's first-layer puppet, with his true body hidden within, compensating for the puppet's weakness in close combat.
The chain from its back moved with incredible speed, laced with poison that could strike a fatal blow.
Tengen calmly observed the approaching tail sting. Infusing chakra into his blade, he slashed with force.
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing echoed. Sasori's expression shifted as he felt a tremendous force travel through the tail, causing the metal sting to tremble slightly.
Thud! Thud!
Sasori's puppet staggered back several steps to absorb the overwhelming power Tengen had unleashed.
"Impressive swordsmanship, or perhaps taijutsu." Sasori said, his gaze locked on Tengen. That brief exchange had shown him this opponent was no ordinary foe.
Crack.
Sasori's puppet mouth snapped open, revealing faint traces of seals within. A barrage of poison needles and spikes surged forward.
"Needle Eight Waves!"
The sudden assault of poison needles and spikes left Tengen with no room to dodge, their speed and numbers overwhelming.
"Gale Slash!" Tengen's chakra transformed into wind nature, a massive surge of chakra roaring like an impending tornado.
Boom!
Countless gusts converged, forming a swirling tempest. This was Gale Slash, a devastating attack that swept forward, scattering the poison needles and spikes helplessly to the ground.
"Not good." Sasori's puppet darted to the side to evade. Even as a puppet, taking such an attack head-on would be disastrous.
"What?" Sasori's expression changed again. Tengen had appeared before him, his blade arcing down toward the puppet's head.
But Tengen's eyes flickered as Sasori raised his right hand, blocking the blade.
Crunch!
Tengen's sword carved slightly into the right hand. "A puppet."
"Exactly. A puppet. So die!" Sasori's tail chain shot toward Tengen at blinding speed, capitalizing on the moment Tengen's attack faltered.
"Did you think I didn't know you were a puppet, Sasori?" Tengen's eyes gleamed with cold resolve. He crouched slightly, his blade emitting a faint breeze.
With an explosive burst of strength from his legs, Tengen vanished from Sasori's sight.
"Instant Wind Slash!"
The attacking tail was severed, clattering to the ground, the metal twitching briefly.
"What?" Sasori froze. He hadn't anticipated Tengen's counterattack would be so swift, evading the tail's range in an instant, reappearing behind him, and slicing off the tail.
Sasori hadn't even tracked Tengen's movements.
"Kid, that's some remarkable kenjutsu." Sasori retreating a few steps. "Now, my turn."
Sasori's left hand emerged, slowly unfolding.
A torrent of poison needles erupted in all directions toward Tengen, surpassing the earlier Needle Eight Waves in range and force.
"Prosthetic Arm Senbon!"
***
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