Konoha: The Honored One

"But it seems you can't keep this up for long. There's no artistry in brute force."

Sasori sneered as he retrieved a scroll from his back. With a swift motion, he unrolled it, and a plume of white smoke erupted. From within the smoke emerged a puppet crafted in the likeness of the Third Kazekage.

Sasori had transformed the dead into tools, and his genius lay in his ability to preserve and use the unique abilities of his creations. The bloodline techniques of those he turned into puppets could still be wielded, making him a pioneer in the art of puppetry.

He flexed his fingers, and the Third Kazekage puppet responded, clapping its wooden hands together. "Magnet Release: Iron Sand Barrage."

The ground rumbled, and black sand began to rise, shimmering like metallic waves under the sun. It surged forward like a tsunami, aiming to engulf Might Guy.

Guy, however, stood resolute. "Bloodline ability? Impressive. But let me show you a technique I've perfected to keep up with the likes of Gojo and Kakashi!"

Clapping his hands together, Might Guy focused the energy coursing through his body. The air around him distorted and compressed, forming an intense vortex of power in his palms.

"Morning Tiger!"

With a thunderous roar, a massive tiger-shaped shockwave tore through the air, its sheer force distorting the very fabric of space. The pressure from the technique obliterated everything in its path, shattering rock and earth as it collided with Sasori's wave of iron sand.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Barrier!" Sasori's puppet formed another seal, commanding the iron sand to rise and coalesce into an impenetrable wall.

The tiger's impact was cataclysmic. The iron sand wall crumbled under the pressure, and the Third Kazekage puppet was reduced to splinters. Sasori himself was caught in the shockwave, his body cracking apart before disintegrating into ashes.

When the dust settled, Kakashi stared at the remains in disbelief. "That… that power. Guy, were you aiming for me with that? You said you made it for me and Gojo..."

Guy exhaled heavily, his body trembling from the strain of opening the Seventh Gate. He said nothing, his intense focus still locked on the battlefield.

From the sidelines, Deidara watched with a mix of frustration and awe. "Sasori, you went down too easily, hmm. I'll pray for your soul, I guess."

But there was no time for reflection. Guy, with his nunchaku spinning, charged straight at Deidara. His movements were swift, almost a blur, as he swung the weapons with devastating precision.

Deidara's eyes widened in panic. "Such a bold display of art!" He tried to activate a body-flicker technique to evade the attack, but the air around him was distorted by the sheer force of Guy's swings. Trapped, he braced for the inevitable.

Yet just as Guy closed in, his expression changed. Blood sprayed from his mouth as his body seized up. He collapsed to the ground, steam fading from his body as his skin took on a sickly, dark hue.

"What's… happening?" Guy rasped, struggling to move.

Deidara, now several paces away, exhaled in relief. "You're strong, I'll give you that. Even with your muscles damaged earlier, you pushed through. But it seems Sasori's poison finally caught up to you."

Sasori, now fully reformed, emerged from the wreckage unscathed. His puppet body shimmered under the light, his heart—the only organic part of him—pulsing within a casing in his chest.

"You're formidable, Might Guy," Sasori said, his tone as cold as his wooden visage. "But your ignorance cost you. My true body isn't made of flesh. It's this—" He tapped the pulsing mass in his chest. "My heart is my essence. As long as it remains, I cannot die."

Guy, still grounded, stared at him in disbelief. His Morning Tiger technique, an attack capable of obliterating mountains, had failed to destroy Sasori entirely. "Your body… it's not human. How is this possible?"

Sasori smirked. "Humans are fragile. By becoming a puppet, I've transcended mortality. I'll never age, never die. My art is eternal."

From the sidelines, Kurenai clutched her bleeding arm, her crimson eyes scanning Sasori. Despite her injuries, her sharp instincts picked up something crucial.

"His heart… it's his weakness!" she shouted.

Kakashi's gaze sharpened as he locked onto the pulsating mass within Sasori's chest. "That's it. If we destroy his heart, he'll be finished."

Sasori chuckled darkly. "Too little, too late. You've uncovered my secret, but there's no one left who can act on it. Guy is down, and you're all too weak to face me."

As if to prove his point, he shed his Akatsuki cloak, revealing a sleek, puppet body adorned with razor-sharp appendages. A spinning propeller-like device emerged from his back, humming with lethal intent.

"I'll add you all to my collection," Sasori declared, lunging toward Kurenai with inhuman speed.

Kakashi, blood trickling from his right eye, activated his Mangekyo Sharingan. "No. Not again." Memories of Rin's death surged through his mind, fueling his resolve. Despite his depleted chakra, he was ready to risk everything to protect his comrades.

Meanwhile, Guy, writhing on the ground, clenched his fists. His body screamed in protest, his muscles and organs straining under the poison's effects. Yet his determination burned brighter than ever.

"I'm not done yet," he growled. His body began to radiate steam once more as he forced the gates open again, pushing himself far beyond his limits.

Kakashi's Sharingan flared, his voice steady. "Guy, you don't have to—"

But Guy cut him off, his gaze fierce. "There's no time, Kakashi. Protect the others. I'll handle this."

With that, he launched himself forward, his body a blur of motion as he closed the distance between himself and Sasori. Despite the poison weakening him, his sheer willpower kept him moving.

The final clash was inevitable.