XII

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Arc XII Chapter 14

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Repositioning herself immediately, Asami was quick to put some distance between herself and the enemy. Distance gave space. Distance gave time. Distance gave safety. Her umbrella once again accompanied her in a single fluid motion, shielding and camouflaging her retreat behind its thin veil.

Her eyes narrowed and her glare hardened. Her annoyance was directed at the perpetrator, the one responsible, a certain old hag and her pathetic collection of puppets. What game was the woman playing at here? What was she trying to achieve here? What was she even doing here? Nobody knew, nor did she particularly care. So far, the woman merely succeeded in displeasing her. And displeased she was.

“...” Asami clicked her tongue, mightily irritated. Her hand gripped the umbrella leaning on her shoulder. To think that the woman would dare to interfere in matters not her own. Even going as far as trying to butcher her! A commoner raising her proverbial sword against her, the last self proclaimed surviving Uchiha and heir to the imperial throne no less. How outrageous. Imagine, her being felled by the blades of some ignominious puppets like some mere forlorn peasant girl in the middle of godforsaken nowhere.

“...” Asami shook her head, entirely self absorbed as usual. No, no, no, it was still too early for her to die, nor could such brazen impertinence, such arrogance, go unpunished.

The puppets flanked their mistress and master, their sharp blades protruding from their amputated limbs. The puppets protected the woman, guarded her, their loyalty forever unwavering. They obeyed her every command, and they would even serve her in death and beyond. Not that she expected otherwise. Her puppets were nothing but inanimate objects, mere tools, mere weapons, mere extensions of her will.

The old hag clicked her tongue, mirroring her reaction.“Oh, fucking dammit, and I thought I got the bitch. I guess Ebizo is right after all, I must be growing old. My skills aren’t what they used to be back then during the war. Oh, how the years fly by. Yesterday, Captain of the Puppet Brigade. Today, old and senile.”

Asami raised her eyebrow. Captain ... of the Puppet Brigade? Oh, so, it was her, after all. What a surprise. The one and only. The legendary. The master puppeteer of Suna herself. No wonder that her name sounded familiar. “Lady Chiyo, wasn’t it? The former Captain of the Puppet Brigade, I presume. The Terror of the Sand. The Scourge of Sunagakure.”

“The Scourge of what?” Naruto blinked, equally dumbfounded and confused, with more questions than answers. His gaze wandered between her and Chiyo. Of course, he was unaware of the identity of their most recent ally. Not that he would care. Naruto was still the clueless boy she had since come to know.

The elder woman grumbled, responding with defiance despite the innocuous nature of her question. She was the enemy, and she was treated as such, with little hospitality given. “Oh, so you know of me, Black Princess. I guess, I should feel honoured.”

Asami smiled with a dispassionate coldness in her voice that belied her petite appearance. “Well, well, in my trade, you come to know a thing or two, Lady Chiyo. It is only natural. Unlike certain other less informed individuals present. How ironic it must be for you to fight now side by side with your former sworn enemies, Lady Chiyo. You cost Konoha dearly during the Second Ninja War. How many sons and daughters of Konoha did you slaughter again without mercy? How many lives did you claim, Lady Chiyo?” 

Chiyo, however, narrowed her eyes, defying her openly once more. The old hag was a veteran of many battles. Of course, her resolve would not be easily shaken, nor would she allow others to waver. “Tsk, far less ironic than the little girl suddenly talking about the sons and daughters of Konoha after turning traitor and slaughtering her former comrades in cold blood without even the faintest hint of remorse.” 

Chiyo’s response elicited an amused smile from Asami. “Touché.” It was a fair point to make. Not that it mattered. Yet the enemy was quick to take advantage of her apparent weakness. The old woman gave her no respite now that she smelled blood.

Chiyo grinned in victory, her voice laced with provocation. “Oh, so is that all that the great Black Princess has to say? Nothing more? Curious, you were quite the cheeky one just a moment ago, weren’t you? And now what? Silence. Perhaps I overestimated you. Perhaps you are just a little girl, after all. A little girl with a tongue far too sharp for her own good.”

“...” Asami narrowed her eyes, clenching her fists ever so slightly. The woman was directly attacking her pride, her ego, not forgetting her intellect. How brave of her. The old hag had chosen her targets well. She struck where it hurt. The woman was provoking her. The woman was taunting her, openly no less. She was trying to distract her, trying to divert her attention. And it was working fabulously. Of course, she would have to respond. Such an open provocation could not be left unanswered. Her pride and honour would not allow so, even when her enemies were already scheming again behind her presumed back.

Naruto glared at her. Sakura readied herself for combat. Temari prepared for the next round. Kakashi was already positioning himself. Their posture betrayed their intentions. It was amusing. They really thought that she wouldn’t notice them and what they were doing, even with a fraction of her attention. Such plebeian hubris. They completely underestimated her. 

Asami smirked, confronting Chiyo with a dangerous smile colder than ice. “Careful, Lady Chiyo, I hope you realise that you are playing a dangerous game here. Though your loose tongue might have served you well in the past, Lady Chiyo, it does not today. It is generally judged unwise to displease me. I suggest thus weighing your words more carefully in the future. After all, we don’t want any mishaps to occur, Lady Chiyo, do we?”

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