High above the factory floor, atop the viewing platform, An Lushan stood tall in his extravagant garments. A towering hat adorned his head, and a thick beard framed his face. He bowed with theatrical elegance, his expression brimming with arrogance.
"An Lushan, I've stopped the flow of the dragon vein!" Queen Sarah declared, her voice echoing with righteous fury as she pointed a trembling finger at him from below. "I won't allow you to harness this power for war!"
Standing with defiance, Sarah raised her voice again. "As Queen, I command you—cease the development of puppet weapons immediately and release the people you've enslaved!"
An Lushan looked down at her with cold indifference, as though the queen were nothing more than an insect beneath his boot.
"Oh? So you've already discovered this much..." he mused with a smirk. "In that case, I can't let you live any longer. I'll replace you with a puppet—one that will follow my every command."
His tone turned venomous.
"Besides, the army I need to rule the world is already complete. So, my dear Queen... for the sake of this country, please—die."
As his voice fell, the factory shuddered with mechanical vibrations.
Dozens of combat puppets, each crafted with precision and menace, began to move in perfect formation. Their synchronized stomps echoed ominously as they advanced toward Kakashi and the lone warrior beside him.
"Sarah, take your people and go!" Kakashi commanded sharply, stepping forward with narrowed eyes.
"Huh?"
"It's too dangerous. Leave now!" he barked without hesitation.
Kakashi quickly created a Shadow Clone to escort Sarah and the captives to safety. His previous clone, the one treating Naruto, had already completed its mission and dispersed. Maintaining two clones wasn't difficult for him now, given his improved chakra control.
After ensuring Sarah was protected, Kakashi turned back to face An Lushan.
Swish!
With a burst of speed, Kakashi vanished from sight.
Utilizing the Lightning Instant Body Technique, he leapt from pipe to pipe, darting through the factory like a streak of pure lightning. His eyes were locked on An Lushan. Catch the leader first— that was the quickest path to end this conflict.
"Tsk... Didn't I say it already?" An Lushan sneered, lifting his arms. "My puppet army is ready!"
The chakra threads connected to his fingers glowed menacingly.
In response, the thirty or so front-line puppets—those encircling Sarah—suddenly activated the jet devices on their backs. With a sharp hiss, they launched into the air, intercepting Kakashi in mid-flight.
Damn it!
Kakashi's eyes narrowed. These weren't ordinary puppets. They were powered by the dragon vein itself. He couldn't afford to be careless.
"Lightning Style: Armor!"
Lightning surged around him in a crackling cloak of energy, bolstering his speed and strength. The thunder-infused chakra wrapped tightly around his frame, enhancing every fiber of his being.
The sky above them lit with sparks.
Thirty puppets swarmed around him. Their palms lit up with violet light, and from between their metallic fingers, a barrage of kunai erupted—countless blades flying at Kakashi like a rainstorm of death.
Not good!
Kakashi didn't try to block it. Instead, he flicked his right hand.
Several kunai marked with Flying Thunder God seals zipped through the air like glints of silver needles, disappearing into the group of projectiles.
Just as the wall of kunai approached within ten centimeters of Kakashi—close enough to pierce him like a pincushion—
He vanished.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared—behind the enemy line, right in front of one of the combat puppets.
Flying Thunder God Technique!
"Chidori!"
With a single flash, he completed the hand seals.
Thunder roared through the factory.
Kakashi's arm, ablaze with lightning, drove straight through the puppet's head, obliterating it in an instant. But the others were unphased. Puppets, after all, had no fear—no hesitation.
Blades extended from their limbs and they surrounded Kakashi mid-air, closing in from all sides like mechanical reapers.
Still, Kakashi remained calm.
He unsheathed his blade—the treasured Hatake blade—and activated his clan's ancient sword technique. Sparks erupted as steel clashed against steel. Using the recoil from each strike, Kakashi twisted and turned, maneuvering through the narrow skyways like a dancer on the edge of death.
But this wasn't sustainable.
They had near-infinite energy from the dragon vein, while he was expending precious chakra.
After a few intense exchanges, Kakashi made a sudden move.
He sheathed his sword, closed his eyes—and let himself fall.
Freefall. Head-first. Vulnerable.
The puppets lunged immediately, their blades raised. Kakashi looked like he'd given up.
Until—
"Hatake Sword Technique: Thunderbolt Flash—Sixfold Arc!"
His eyes snapped open—brimming with electricity!
Crack!
Like zigzagging lightning, Kakashi shot upward in six explosive movements, cleaving through puppet after puppet. Each move was a thunderous burst—precise and lethal.
By the time he reached the viewing platform once more, dozens of mechanical corpses clattered to the ground in a hail of twisted metal and sparks.
"So fast!" An Lushan exclaimed, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
This brat... he's even stronger than I expected!
But An Lushan had one more move.
With a sneer, he waved his fingers again.
The remaining twenty or so puppets surged forward—only this time, not to attack.
Instead, they began to disassemble and combine, piece by piece, around Kakashi!
Armor, limbs, plates—all locking into place around him.
They formed a giant puppet suit with Kakashi trapped inside, at its very core.
"Now let's see you try anything," An Lushan chuckled darkly. "That puppet is draining your chakra. You're finished."
Below, Sarah had been helping to free her people from their shackles when she looked up—and gasped.
"Kakashi!"
She ran to the edge of the platform, panic consuming her. "Stop it, An Lushan!"
An Lushan merely smirked, stepping onto a slowly descending elevator platform.
"I must thank you, Lady Sarah," he said with mock gratitude. "You've been a great help—ever so devoted to my grand plan. Just like your mother once was."
His smile widened unnaturally.
"But now, you're no longer useful. So, like your mother—please die."
The words hit Sarah like a thunderclap.
She froze, her eyes wide with horror.
"It was you...?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Yes. Your mother was clever. Too clever. She saw through my plans quickly and refused to help me."
He laughed cruelly. "But you? You were a splendid puppet. So easily manipulated. Such a pity I can't add you to my collection."
He shook his head slowly, disappointed.
"If only I had mastered the Scorpion Clan's Human Puppet Technique. What a treasure it would be to preserve you and your mother—eternally loyal, beautiful puppets."
His eyes gleamed with grotesque desire as he looked at her—no longer as a person, but as an object to be possessed.
Sarah's skin turned cold.
She staggered back, the blood draining from her face. His words had pierced her deeper than any blade.
The elevator thudded softly as it landed.
An Lushan stepped forward, his boots hitting the ground with ominous weight.
Each step he took felt like a drumbeat in Sarah's heart, pounding fear and despair into her soul.
"Now," he murmured. "Let's trade you in—for the real puppet."
Sarah's hands trembled.
She stared at An Lushan, frozen, helpless. Her legs refused to move.
Despair swallowed her whole.