Original Posted On: Mar. 8, 2020

Beta Read by: Heckelman88, Crowfeast, Tachyon99, xhope14x, Neostardustdragon101

Review Response:

Draegoon: I liked the review, because not many stories use the Seven Swords outside of the canon users, and so having Irina use Hiramekarei is going to be fun. For the 'Human Puppet' name, don't worry, I have it under control.

DarklightDragon21: Thanks for pointing that out, I was able to go back and fix it.

Calderoneric758: I have sprinkled bread crumbs for that through out the story.

Spacecore94: Hm, that is too predictable.

Demon87: Thank you.

AxeMan18: For… Sage of DXD, I am thinking about it for Irina and Xenovia.

Nekolover1474: Well, I would be predictable, and I don't want that.

Emn93: I have a plan for the Haki, so please be patient for it. Also, bread crumbs, they are everywhere.

Guest: Why did Lee and Kakashi join Ravel? Well, one is a rival and wants to get stronger while the other was given a mission to help Naruto.

Haseothesage: Sasori isn't a devil.

Youngdrgn: Thank you.

Primarx: Yeah, Irina with Naruto. Took a lot of talking from Crow and Tachyon to help me as I wasn't in the best mindset when that option was brought up and I straight up ended up having a panic attack. Afterwards, I was able to think about it and made my decision.

Autobot-Wolfsketch: Oh, that will be a doozy, but with what has happened, Naruto doesn't want to talk about Kuroka, yes, I had him bring her up after the lemon, but it was to get answers on what Koneko, Xenovia, and Ravel thought about it, and with the very negative response Koneko gave, telling her he is to marry Kuroka won't be a good idea. Yep, Ravel is now up to three members, excluding herself, of her peerage. Xenovia, Rook. Kakashi: Pawn X4. Lee: Knight. Irina having Hiramekarei will be fun as it is similar to Mimic, but very different and possibly stronger depending on how it is used. Why do people assume Kushina is going to be a puppet?

Harem:

Koneko, Ravel, Kuroka, Xenovia

OKAY, LETS READ THIS SHIT! I DON'T OWN NARUTO, ONE PIECE, OR HIGHSCHOOL DXD!

"Hey" = Speaking

'Hey' = Thinking

'Hey' = Memory

"Hey"= Sacred Gear/ Communication link

Chapter 21: House of Wooden Corpses

Kyoto…

Kakashi and Lee walked behind Ravel.

"You know," Ravel said as she turned to look at them. "You don't have to walk behind me."

"Nonsense." Lee declared loudly. "As your Knight, it only makes sense that we would walk behind you."

Ravel was embarrassed as she felt many of the other yokai around them turn and look at her, accusations being whispered.

"Please, don't do that." Ravel practically begged. "We are a family, so none of this supposed 'you are better than me' thing, please."

"ALRIGHT!" Lee shouted, the young oni jumping in the air, Kakashi nodding.

"So, what can you guys do?" Ravel nervously asked, as she had no idea what Kakashi and Lee were able to do fighting wise.

"I am an Oni, meaning I have superb physical strength and durability." Lee said as he demonstrated this through picking up Ravel and Kakashi with ease, before putting them down. "And I have a secret ability to push myself past my limits. I can't use magic or chakra, sadly, but I won't allow this to get me down. I will continue to push forward, and with your Knight piece, I will now become faster."

Ravel nodded.

"So, you are a CQC fighter." Ravel said, very surprised.

"Correct." Lee stated. "However, I sometimes use nunjucks and tonfa, but I prefer my fists."

"That is amazing, Lee." Ravel said honestly. "And what about this special ability you mentioned?"

Lee blinked, losing his luster as he looked at Kakashi.

Kakashi nodded.

"Well, I can…" Lee said before leaning in and whispering it to his King.

"No kidding?" Ravel gasped when Lee finished, her eyes wide in awe.

"No, but it does hurt me after long term usage." Lee replied honestly. "So, its my ace in the hole."

"I understand, and thank you for telling me, Lee." Ravel thanked. "I am a strategist, but I know a little hand to hand, and with the help of my grim, I can enhance my abilities for a short time. However, I'd rather not fight."

"I understand that." Kakashi said as he sat down, the three of them reaching the park. "You don't have much training, like you said, so we will be your muscle."

Ravel smiled.

"Anyway, as a Mink, I have enhanced senses and physical abilities." Kakashi started to explain. "Minks, inherently, have an ability called Electro."

Kakashi demonstrated by producing an electrical current from his palm to his fingertips.

"Oooh." Ravel awed as she watched the Electro fade.

"That is what every Mink has, however, I have evolved this with the help of my late master, Minato." Kakashi said as he did the hand signs for Ox, Hare, and Monkey.

Kakashi's hand was covered in electricity, this time charged with senjutsu. It engulfed his hand in a spherical form with the sound of birds chirping.

"I was able to create this with senjutsu and my own natural ability, the Chidori." Kakashi explained as he de-activated his jutsu.

Ravel was amazed in all of this.

"But what about your eye?" Ravel asked as she looked at the covered body part. "You didn't cover it when you arrived during the Kokabiel Incident."

Kakashi sighed as he lifted the headband, and opened his sharingan and the scar on his forehead and cheek.

"I received this years ago." Kakashi said melancholically. "Me, Kuma and my friend Obito were abducted when we were ten years old. They were Fallen Angels. They took my eye and replaced it with one of Obito's. It worked and before they could do more, Obito and I were freed, however, Kuma was left behind and saved shortly after by the church. Ever since, I have had Obito's eye, with magic keeping its power active."

"Kakashi." Lee said as he put his hand on Kakashi's shoulder as he covered his eye.

"I'm fine, Lee." Kakashi said as he looked at his King, who had a very sad look her eyes. "Ravel deserves to know."

Ravel, meanwhile, felt horrible for bringing up Kakashi's eye.

"As for what this eye does. It's called sharingan, and it allows me to copy jutsu, predict my opponent's movements, and then I have my Ace jutsu." Kakashi explained.

"Thank you." Ravel said sadly.

"It's fine Ravel." Kakashi replied as he placed his hand on Ravel's head. "I would have had to tell you eventually."

Ravel accepted this gesture.

"I look forward to us working together, oh, and I can't wait to introduce you to my Knight, Xenovia." Ravel said as Kakashi removed his hand from her head.

Kuoh, Phenex House…

'I got this down, easily.' Koneko thought as she walked across the wall, sticking to it with her magic.

Naruto had told her about it the night before, and she decided to try it out.

'This will be helpful.' Koneko thought as she disconnected from the wall and landed on the ground.

Koneko heard the front door open, and she looked down the stair well and saw Xenovia shuffle in with five small boxes, easily carried thanks to her Rook enhanced strength.

"Hey, you need help?" Koneko asked as Xenovia used her foot to close the door.

"Yeah, I would like some help." Xenovia accepted said help. "They aren't heavy, but I would like to see in front of me."

Koneko made her way down the stairs and took a two of the boxes, allowing the taller girl to see.

"Why did you grab this many boxes?" Koneko asked as she, with relative ease, lifted the two heavy boxes.

"Ravel asked me to grab these from the ORC Clubroom." Xenovia said as she walked up to Ravel's room, putting the boxes she carried down before wiping the sweat from her head. "Where is Ravel anyway? I know Naruto is in Kyoto with Irina."

"Phenex…" Koneko started to say before her eyes widened in recognition. "Oh, that bitch."

"What?" Xenovia asked, confused at Koneko's sudden outburst.

"She went with Naruto and Irina." Koneko stated angrily as she put the boxes down.

"Oh…" Xenovia said with hidden disdain. "I see."

There was a silence between the two girls.

"Koneko, can I ask you something?" Xenovia said as they headed down stairs, it being close to noon and both of them a little hungry.

"Sure, what is it?" Koneko replied in an upset tone.

"Your sister, do you really hate her as much as you show, or is it just an act?"

Koneko stopped dead in her tracks.

"I hate Kuroka." Koneko said after a short silence. "She isn't my sister. She is a monster. One who took advantage of Naruto."

"Okay, I understand." Xenovia said cautiously, knowing she overstepped a boundary.

Koneko entered the kitchen and started pulling out ingredients for lunch.

'Damn, I fucked up.' Xenovia thought as she watched Koneko burn the bread with the toaster and cut through the cutting board with the knife.

Xenovia sat in silence as she leaned into the back of her chair, her short blue hair following gravity as she did this.

"Xenovia." Koneko said as she continued to make lunch. "I want to apologize."

"For what?" Xenovia asked as she looked at the nekoshou.

"Well, for our first time actually talking, when you and Irina came to us for a place to stay." Koneko said nervously. "I acted rude… no, I was a complete bitch."

Xenovia stood up and walked next to Koneko, who didn't look at her friend.

"It's okay, Koneko." Xenovia said as she touched her friend's hand. "I was never mad at you for that. It was understandable why you acted the way you did. You were trying to protect Naruto, and yourself."

Koneko nodded and hugged Xenovia's waist, her head being enveloped by Xenovia's breasts.

"Thank you." Koneko said.

"You're welcome." Xenovia replied as she hugged Koneko back.

Hour later…

Sasori made the final upgrade to his puppet.

'With this, I am finished.' Sasori thought with a smile, pride flooding his body.

"Sasori."

The smile Sasori had vanished and he became apathetic as he tapped the communication seal near his ear before he resealed his puppet.

"What is it." Sasori asked with attitude.

"The boy is alone with only one of the girls." A female voice said on the opposite end of the seal. "Get your ass out there and get him. Master is waiting."

Sasori's eyes thinned dangerously.

"I don't keep people waiting." He said with clear disdain. "The boy will be captured soon. I needed to finish my preparations. I am leaving now."

Sasori ended the call and put the sealing scroll away from under his cloak.

(The one he wore after being resurrected via Reanimation)

Sasori walked past a few of his creations as he went to leave.

He stopped before looking over his art.

'I guess I'll take precaution and take Hiruko out.' Sasori thought as he stuck his hand out, magic strings spinning out and connecting to one of the puppets, moving it before him.

Sasori used his second hand to open the puppet up and got in before closing it.

"Now," Hiruko Sasori said in a very gruff and angered voice. "I will get you, Naruto Bael. I hope you are prepared to be brought to my master's employer."

Meanwhile…

"Alright, that will be 6438.51 yen." The yokai shop owner said as he handed Naruto the receipt.

Naruto looked it over, making sure it was the correct amount before glancing at Irina, who was looking at the nearby kimono displays.

"Sir, could you do me a favor?" Naruto whispered as he kept looking at Irina.

"Depends on what you want." The owner said.

"Could you make one for my friend over there." Naruto asked as he pointed towards Irina.

The owner looked her over for a few seconds, calculating everything he needed to know.

"I can do that, but it will cost you more money." The owner asked as he looked at Naruto.

"I'll pay what I need to." Naruto replied. "And I want it to be just like the one for Xenovia."

"Alright." The owner said in understanding as he added the new object to the receipt. "That will now be 9656.77 yen."

Naruto paid the man the yen.

"Perfect." The owner said with a big smile. "Your orders will be done tonight, so please come by tomorrow morning."

"Can you actually send it to my house through the mail." Naruto asked.

"Sure, write down your address and we will have it delivered." The owner said as he pushed a piece of paper towards Naruto and handed him a pen.

"Alright. Thank you." Naruto said as he wrote his address down before he took the new receipt and walked up to Irina. "Irina, its time to go."

Irina blinked and turned, nodding.

"Alright." Irina said as the two of them left the clothing store. "Why did we go there again?"

"I had to make a special clothing order for…" Naruto said embarrassed, smiling nervously as he avoided eye contact with Irina. "You, Xenovia, and Ravel."

Irina blinked.

"Why me?" Irina asked as she and Naruto walked out.

Hiramekarei was sealed away like Durandal for Xenovia, ready to be used by Irina if needed and had some magic stored within it.

"Because you are important to Xenovia, so I wanted to do something to help you." Naruto said. "And you are my friend, so I wanted to do something nice."

"You already have." Irina said as she touched the shorter boy's shoulder. "You helped me get a new sword. You have done plenty."

"Yeah, but that was only because Yasaka allowed it." Naruto replied. "I wanted to give you something. And since I was here, I thought this would work."

Irina wanted to refute, but decided to keep her mouth shut and accept it.

Naruto walked through the street with Irina, holding her hand so they didn't separate.

Irina felt a smile on her face as Naruto lead her through the Yokai Kyoto streets, which were exactly the same as Kyoto, but with yokai instead of normal humans.

"So," Naruto said as he walked. "How did you meet Xenovia?"

Irina didn't expect this.

"We met a few years ago in the Vatican." Irina said as she smiled a bit at the memories. "We were training together and did mock missions. It was fun."

Naruto nodded.

"It does, a little bit." Naruto replied. "It feels weird being in a relationship with her now."

"How so?" Irina asked curiously. "I mean, she has had a crush on you since you were children, she told me herself."

"I mean with this whole 'Harem' thing." Naruto explained. "Being with Koneko, Ravel, AND Xenovia, it just feels awkward."

"Oh." Irina said as she nodded in agreement.

"Like, if you were with Issei, and he was still with Asia, Akeno, and Rias. You would probably feel uncomfortable knowing he is messing with other women." Naruto said nervously. "I should not be talking about this, as I am in a harem…"

Irina felt Naruto squeeze her hand.

"I agree, it would be difficult." Irina said reassuringly. "But I know they love you very much, Naruto."

"What about you?" Naruto asked as he looked at Irina. "Don't you have someone you care about in the same manner?"

Irina blushed a bit as she thought of Issei.

However, the longer she thought about it, the more Irina looked at Naruto.

"Irina? You alright?" Naruto asked as he waved a hand slowly in front of her eyes, making her blink.

"What?"

"You sort of zoned out there for a second." Naruto said worriedly. "You okay?"

"Yeah, totally fine." Irina said as she waved it off. "Was thinking of my family…"

The mood went south, depression lines appearing over Irina's head.

"They must be worried sick about me." Irina whispered as she felt even more downtrodden.

"Have you called them?" Naruto asked as he moved to a bench with Irina, both sitting down.

"No, I can't." Irina said as she leaned into the bench. "I am a devil, meaning they won't want to talk to me."

There was a pause.

"My mom once said…" Naruto replied weakly. "That parent's will love their children, no matter what. And if they don't, they are monsters. I think you should reach out to them, Irina."

Irina felt it hard to breathe a bit as she heard this, her throat becoming dry.

"I don't think I should."

"I say you do." Naruto said as he leaned into Irina, facing forward, his head against her arm.

"Naruto…"

"Do it."

"Naruto, stop it."

"I won't until you do."

"I am not going to."

"Then I guess you are stuck with me doing this."

"Cut it out."

Naruto blew a raspberry.

Irina felt extremely childish as she and Naruto continued to bicker.

He kept leaning into her, and he ended up laying across her lap, limp like a soggy noodle with his tail wrapped around her waist.

"Try to get me off now." Naruto said with emphasis on 'now'.

Irina took deep breathes.

'We have been doing this for thirty minutes.' Irina thought tiredly. 'He should have given up by now.'

"Excuse me." A very, very gravely voice said, prompting Irina to look up and see a hunched over man with a bamboo hat that had white clothe strips over it, covering his face.

"Yes…" Irina answered.

"Would you like some help getting your brother off of you?" The person offered.

"Uhm, no, we are fine." Irina said as she stood up, her arms around Naruto to keep him from falling.

"Oh, I think you do." The man said as he pulled out a thick bamboo stalk, popping it open.

Purple mist bellowed out of it, right in Naruto and Irina's faces.

"What the hell?" Naruto shouted as he and Irina inhaled it.

Irina and Naruto felt like their bodies were Charlie horsing, causing them to tense up and collapse.

"Hm, I got to hurry, or else authorities will show up." Sasori said as he discarded the bamboo stalk and grabbed Naruto, before looking at Irina. "Killing you isn't in my contract, so I guess I'll let you live."

Irina, painfully, turned her head and saw, not a man's face under the hat, but a wooden puppet's face.

"What…" Irina gasped, subtly grabbing the bamboo stalk. "Are… you…"

Sasori ignored her before he took off with the paralyzed Naruto.

"Na…ru…to…" Irina said slowly before her body ruptured in more pain, causing her to scream, alerting civilians and nearby law enforcers.

Skip…

"WHAT!" Ravel and Yasaka shouted as Irina lay on her bed, a medic purging the toxin from her body as she relayed what had happened.

Lee and Kakashi were there as well while Kunou was outside playing with a friend of hers.

"A man… he gassed me and Naruto…" Irina gasped out. "And he wasn't human or a yokai, he was made of wood, like a manikin."

"Wooden…" Kakashi said as he went into thought.

"Doesn't sound like anyone we have heard of." Yasaka said seriously.

"But I got this…" Irina winced as she held the bamboo stalk. "It was what he used to gas us. You could probably get his scent off of it, Kakashi."

'Going to ignore that accidental racist comment.' Kakashi thought as took the stalk and held it up to his nose, sniffing it. "Oh, this is interesting. You are right, this guy isn't human or yokai."

"What's that mean?" Ravel asked as the medic yokai finished the toxin extraction and started healing Irina's body.

"It means I can track him due to how unique his scent is." Kakashi stated as he put the bamboo stalk in a small bag, handing it to Yasaka. "We can leave as soon as everyone is ready, but we need to be swift. Naruto's life is on the line here."

"I'll go." Ravel and Lee said in unison.

"Me too." Irina said as she was helped up.

"Irina, I think…"

"I know you want to help, but I am making this decision." Irina cut Ravel off. "I have let people make decisions for me as of late, it's about time I start gaining control in my life again."

"Alright." Yasaka said as she had the doctor dismissed. "If there is anyone I can send, I'll do it as soon as possible."

Kakashi nodded and he took his leave, followed by his King, Lee, and Irina.

'Hold on Naruto.' Kakashi thought as he exited the room, his black suit being swapped out for his covert outfit (Anbu outfit) via Clothes Replacement. 'We are on our way.'

Sasori…

Sasori raised an eyebrow as he felt Naruto try to move.

"Don't worry about moving or dying." Sasori stated as he made his puppet body move quickly. "The gas I used removed mobility in your muscles and weakens the brains commands over movement for half a day. You can't move unless the time runs out or I give you the antidote."

"Where…" Naruto gasped weakly, having found it extremely hard to talk.

Sasori ignored the werefox when a communication circle appeared, tapping it.

"Sasori, has the target been captured?" the same female from before asked.

"Yes, the boy has been taken and we are on route to my hide out." Sasori reported with attitude.

"Good, don't fuck this up, puppet." The woman said before the seal vanished, leaving Sasori in a foul mood.

'Fucking bitch.' He thought as he picked up his speed.

Naruto, meanwhile, was in his thoughts as he could barely talk or move. The only things he could do was think, see, hear, feel, smell, and taste.

'Ravel, Irina…' Naruto thought as he felt like panicking.

Meanwhile…

Kakashi held Irina on his back, Lee carrying Ravel on his, as the two of them ran as fast as they could to catch up to Sasori, who, from Kakashi's sense of smell, was about an hour ahead of them if they didn't slow down.

Flight was an option. However, it would be much slower than the two yokai running.

Thus, Irina and Ravel were being carried.

"Lee, how you feeling?" Ravel asked as she was still slightly surprised at how easily her Knight could carry her despite his weaker looking frame.

"I AM AMAZED!" Lee shouted with joy. "I thought I was fast before, but this is AWESOME!"

He felt faster, lighter, and freer than before.

Ravel smiled at Lee's enthusiasm.

"Kakashi, are we getting closer?" Irina asked as she felt Hiramekarei, which was strapped onto her with its special harness which held it onto Irina's back for easier access, press against her back as Kakashi's tail kept her from sliding down.

"Yeah, I can smell Naruto's scent as well, and its very strong." Kakashi informed them. "However, I feel a sense of dread the closer we get, like we are being watched."

"Hopefully its only the one guy who took Naruto." Ravel stated, Ameyuri and Gilga whimpering. "I don't think the four of us could go against a large group."

Kakashi nodded.

Lee agreed as well.

'However,' Lee thought as he looked at Kakashi. 'Kakashi is strong, and could take on hordes of enemies. But his sharingan's overwhelming abilities drain his chakra fast and wears him out. Hopefully he doesn't need to use its stronger powers. Gai-sensei once said that Kakashi was hospitalized for over a month due to over using sharingan.'

The two yokai continued to run, trying their best to quicken their pace.

Meanwhile…

"Here." Sasori said as he forced a glass of liquid down Naruto's throat. "This will allow you to talk."

Naruto, having no choice or drown, drank the liquid and after several moments he felt the muscles in his face stop hurting and relax.

"Why are you doing this?" Naruto demanded, trying to stay calm before he felt terror when a large scorpion like tail embedded itself into the wall next to his head.

"I don't think you understand your position." Sasori said as he pulled his tail back. "But if it is any conciliation, you won't be killed."

Sasori looked up and down Naruto, analyzing him.

"But, to pass the time, why don't you tell me about your… friends." Sasori said with a hint of cruelty and sick enjoyment.

Naruto stayed silent.

"Oh, don't be like that, werefox." Sasori goaded. "I know all about your life with the devils, but your friends, Rias, Sona, and Ravel… what about them? Tell me about their peerages and what can they do?"

"Why would I ever tell you that?" Naruto demanded.

Sasori ignored the aggression and laughed.

"Why? Well, I want to expand my art." He said as his wooden hand snapped its fingers and lights lit up, revealing all the excessive puppet parts and few completed puppets. "I am Sasori, and I wield the Sacred Gear known as: Corpse Party."

"Never heard of that type of gear." Naruto stated with spite.

"It isn't a common type." Sasori stated as he sat down… well, stopped moving. "It isn't an overly powered type either, but what it allowed me to do, that is where the terror of my gear is revealed."

Sasori pointed at his Hiruko puppet, which he was residing in.

"This body you see, it itself is a puppet that was created from the corpse of a human."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"I see you understand what that means." Sasori continued. "Most of these puppets you see around you are wood and metal, while this one, and my true master pieces, are made out of humans or yokai of extrodinary power. I call them: Living Flesh Puppets."

"You are sick." Naruto muttered.

"Art is beauty, which is in the eye of the beholder." Sasori countered. "Now, tell me about the peerages, I have been feeling like making new puppets from your friends."

Naruto felt anger grill into his body as his captor looked at him serious in his words.

"I'm not saying anything about them to you." Naruto declared.

"Hm, to bad." Sasori said as he moved over, turning his back to the young werefox. "I guess I'll turn you over to my employer and get the money to my master."

"What?" Naruto asked.

Sasori ignored him as he activated a communication seal.

"Yes, Sasori?" A male voice, gruff and dark undertone. "You know I am busy, so make it fast."

"I have the target that our… employer has asked for." Sasori explained. "Please let him know that I will be on my way in a few minutes… never mind, make that an hour."

"Hm, fine, but if you screw up, I will make sure you suffer."

"I understand, Master." Sasori said calmly and respectfully, despite being threatened.

Naruto didn't understand what caused Sasori to change his mind on how long it would take him to drop him off, until his ears twitched.

'Kakashi?' Naruto thought as he heard a faint voice outside the large base.

"It seems I was followed." Sasori said as he sent a pulse of magic through the room, sending all his puppets and spare parts away, clearing it out to make room. "This shouldn't take too long."

The door was kicked open, Lee landed in the room with Ravel on his back, getting off as soon as Lee stopped moving.

Kakashi and Irina entered after them, Irina getting off of Kakashi.

"So, you were treated for the paralysis." Sasori said in amusement. "Well, I shouldn't be surprised, it was a weak gas poison anyway."

He threw a chunk of his 'clothing' away, revealing the puppet body.

"I'll make this quick, for I hate keeping people waiting, especially my employer." Sasori finished as his scorpion like tail twitched slowly, readying itself.

"HE IS A SACRED GEAR USER!" Naruto shouted, angering Sasori and shocking the four devils. "AND ITS ONE THAT ALLOWS…"

Naruto had the wind knocked out of him by Sasori's tail, slamming him into the wall.

"Silence, brat." Sasori said slowly, emphasizing every word with hot anger.

"NARUTO!" Irina and Ravel shouted as the dazed werefox was dropped to the ground.

"Stay where you are." Kakashi said as he and Lee stepped forward. "We will take care of him, you wait for a moment to grab Naruto and then run."

Irina and Ravel were about to argue with this, but decided to play it safe and obey Kakashi.

"Who are you," Kakashi asked as he revealed his sharingan. "And why do you want Naruto?"

"Hm, I am not obligated to tell you why, but my name is Sasori, former Hero." Sasori revealed, hinting at his past, not wanting to give away on his employer or master.

"Sasori…" Kakashi whispered, his eyes widening as he recognized the name after two hundred years since he last heard of it. "The Puppeteer."

"Oh, you know my name." Sasori muttered with slight glee. "I'm honored to know I wasn't forgotten."

"You should have died decades ago, being a human." Kakashi said in slight unease.

"Life is a funny thing." Sasori said before he made his Hiruko puppet lunge at Kakashi and Lee. "It's just full of twist and TURNS!"

The facial mask on the Hiruko puppet was removed, revealing its puppet like mouth, which opened.

Poison coated senbon launched from its mouth, causing the two yokai to jump out of the way.

Ravel and Irina, who had drawn Hiramekarei, moved aside, the senbon whizzing past them and into the wall.

"You move to slow." Lee said as he landed on the ground.

Kakashi and Lee sped towards Sasori, who lifted his left arm, revealing a strange contraption on it.

It had small cylinder protrusions sticking out, and it launched itself off of Sasori's arm, spinning at a high speed.

Lee and Kakashi widened the gap between them, avoiding the projectile, which the cylinders broke open, revealing more senbon, but this time, at all angles.

Kakashi was able to see them all, and nimbly avoided the senbon.

Lee saw that he wasn't going to be able to dodge due to the lack of light and openness.

He reached into his pouch and pulled out a set of nunjucks, and with ease and fluid movements, he batted away all of the needles sent his way.

"Hiramekarei, RELEASE!" Irina shouted as she put the tip of the sword into the ground to block the senbon with the flat of Hiramekarei, the stored magic being released and used as a shield to protect her and Ravel as they kneeled behind the sword and the expanded magic.

Sasori frowned within Hiruko as the four of them evaded/blocked his sneak attack.

'No matter.' He thought as he positioned his tail around his body, blocking Lee's and Kakashi's path. 'They won't even touch me.'

Lee prepared to strike with his nunjucks.

Kakashi summoned Kubikiribocho, channeling his Electro into the massive blade and poised to strike.

"Gate of Opening: Open." Lee shouted.

His skin turned red, eyes became white, and his horn became bigger as raw power burst from his body and flowed through his weapon.

Sasori circle whipped his tail, intending on pushing the two away.

The empowered nunjucks and blade connected with the iron tail, striking the joint areas.

The Electro channeled blade and raw powered nunjucks broke the iron tail.

Sasori was shaken from the inside.

'Hiruko… lost.' He thought as he watched the two take their other hands and pull them back. 'This… my art is flawed with you, dear Hiruko. I bid you farewell.'

Kakashi and Lee's fists struck the stomach of Hiruko, breaking him wide open.

Sasori leaped from the back, where the opening mechanism was, and landed twelve feet away from his destroyed puppet as Lee deactivated his Gate.

"I am not surprised that a human Living Puppet was destroyed by you, yokai." Sasori said in disgust as he looked at one of his favorite puppets, now destroyed.

Sasori stood up straight, revealing his face to the four devils.

"You look exactly like your Bingo book bio page." Kakashi said, seeing magic flow through Sasori's body.

Sasori smirked as he relaxed.

"I said earlier, life is just full of twists and turns, and thus my art is just like life itself."" Sasori gloated as he pulled out a scroll, opened it, revealing a seal, which started to smoke before it unsealed what it was holding in a large puff of smoke.

"No way," Kakashi said in horror as the smoke cleared. "It can't be…"

"Kakashi, what's wrong?" Ravel asked as she peered over the protection of Hiramekarei.

"I didn't want to use my absolute favorite puppet. He is my last resort due to how strong he is, you see." Sasori said as said he moved said puppet into battle, it drawing a tri-pronged kunai from its waist pouch. "It has been a while since I last used him, so, I guess you will do as some practice."

It was hunched over as it was summoned.

Its build was slightly taller than average, thin, covered in a dusty brown cloak with a fur inline, blonde spiky hair peeking out.

As it lifted its head, the hood fell off, revealing the puppets face.

It was wood like, yet held the once human color of tan skin in its wood like structure. Its eyes were cerulean blue with bar pupils, and had yellow rings around the eyes. It had a headband with a blank metal plate on it, like Kakashi's.

While human looking, it had multiple warts covering its exposed skin.

"Y…YOU BASTARD!" Kakashi shouted angrily.

Standing before him, Ravel, Lee, and Irina was Kakashi's mentor, the second Toad Sage: Minato Namikaze, now a puppet of Sasori the Puppeteer, armed with his signature kunai and senjutsu being pulled into the puppet.

Chapter 21, DONE!

Holy… shit…

A Minato Namikaze Living Flesh Puppet… oh this was such a good idea. I'm getting shivers thinking about the next chapter.

Yeah, so, the puppet isn't Kushina. Two reasons. One: Naruto buried her years ago as a skinned husk so her corpse wouldn't be good. Two: Sasori thought she was dead, like everyone else. So, there was no way Sasori could have gotten her body for his Sacred Gear, Corpse Party, which allows him to make puppets from dead bodies.

He hasn't achieved Balance Breaker, or else this would have been completely different. However, this gear has a few flaws, which will be explained later.

But, what do you guys think?

I know the Hiruko fight was weak, but Hiruko was a human made Living Puppet, this he was weak.

Minato, on the other hand, is a Toad Yokai, thus he is much stronger.

And what about the interactions between the characters?

Ravel learning about Lee and Kakashi, getting some of said Mink's background.

(Also, if you want a better visual for what Kakashi looks like, look up Luna from Helluva Boss, but male, Kakashi's hair style, and his legs aren't three-jointed).

Koneko and Xenovia's friendship is getting better, showing that Koneko was feeling sorry for her actions against Xenovia.

And I did say the fight with Sasori was bland, which it is, but it will be better next chapter with the majority of the fight.

Also, side note, for lemons: Who should be next? I set up a poll, and you can multi-vote twice.

As usual, please leave a review, even if you hated.