As a ninja, only by knowing yourself and the enemy can you win every battle. Faced with a ninja whose abilities are unknown, we must first analyze the opponent's skills and then formulate appropriate tactics based on those abilities.
In a shinobi battle, gaining intelligence on the enemy is key to achieving victory.
As for the tactics of the Sunagakure puppet masters, Chao Yanqian had only seen them in the manga. Whether it's Kankuro, Sasori of the Red Sand, or Chiyo, they are all exceptional in puppet jutsu.
Judging by their combat patterns, most puppet masters avoid close combat and instead use chakra threads to manipulate their puppets from a distance.
The strength of a puppet master can be assessed by the number of puppets they control simultaneously. Additionally, the build quality of the puppets greatly affects their combat effectiveness. Puppets are outfitted with numerous hidden mechanisms that can launch weapons from unexpected angles, making them extremely difficult to defend against.
Moreover, since puppets are manipulated externally, they can perform physically impossible movements that the human body cannot replicate, making their close-combat capabilities formidable as well. A skilled puppet master can completely suppress an enemy of the same rank through clever puppet manipulation.
Although the enemy this time consists of just one Jōnin and four Chūnin, Chao Yanqian has no actual combat experience against puppet masters. Joining the battle now might only disrupt Uchiha Chizuru and Itō, contributing little to the outcome.
Carefully observing the puppet master's attack pattern, Chao Yanqian quickly noticed a vulnerability.
When puppet masters engage in combat, they require intense focus to control their puppets. Thus, their actual bodies tend to stay relatively still, relying on their puppets to intercept incoming attacks.
Recalling the battle between Sakura, Chiyo, and Sasori of the Red Sand in the original series: Sasori was struck several times by Sakura. These openings occurred when he was focused on fighting Chiyo, leaving himself vulnerable due to the concentration required for puppet control.
Sakura's Cherry Blossom Impact (Ōkashō) also managed to destroy several of Sasori's puppets during the fight.
Based on this battle, Chao Yanqian believed that if he used the full power of his Cherry Blossom Impact, he could potentially destroy a puppet in one blow.
Given his current chakra reserves, he could only manage one more use of the technique. That meant his sole target had to be Asō Sashū's puppet.
With that plan in mind, he moved silently toward the battlefield near Chao Yanqian, preparing for a sneak attack to reduce enemy numbers and give Uchiha Chizuru and Itō the upper hand.
Even while suppressing chakra presence, Chao Yanqian was still detected by the enemy. These Sunagakure shinobi likely used chakra threads or sensory puppets to perceive intrusions. If he wanted to approach undetected, he needed to avoid those detection mechanisms.
Concealing his presence, Chao Yanqian crept closer and pulled out five shuriken from his ninja pouch, hurling them at the five Sunagakure shinobi.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!" Three dull impacts followed by three pained cries — three puppet masters, caught off guard, were hit, immediately disrupting their assault.
Chao Yanqian took advantage and sprang from the forest, charging one of the puppet masters directly.
As he landed, chakra surged at his feet, propelling him forward. The kunai in his hand flashed like lightning under the sun.
Though the puppet masters were elite, the earlier shuriken had forced them to change formation. Their offensive was broken, but they now knew Chao Yanqian's position.
One puppet master dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding Chao Yanqian's attack, and countered with an elbow strike.
Chao Yanqian sidestepped swiftly, evading the blow, and with a swift motion of his kunai, delivered a deep slash to the puppet master's torso.
Uchiha Chizuru and Itō used the opening to defeat one puppet master each, reducing the Sunagakure numbers by two. Including Chao Yanqian's opponent, the battle now stood at three versus three — a favorable situation for Konoha.
Unfortunately, Chao Yanqian's ambush failed to finish off his target. Had he succeeded, the fight would be three versus two, and they could have overwhelmed the enemy with ease.
By now, the remaining puppet masters had recovered and regrouped, drawing closer to Chizuru and Itō, watching them warily.
"Great job, Chao Yanqian!" Itō called out.
"The puppet masters' weakness is that they need intense concentration to control their puppets. A surprise attack can easily disrupt their offense," Chao Yanqian explained.
For ordinary shinobi, puppet masters are dangerous, but their vulnerabilities are exploitable.
"Chao Yanqian, fall back. Asō can control four puppets at once. That's too much for you to handle," Itō whispered.
Though their enemies had decreased, Asō Sashū's ability to control multiple puppets significantly amplified his threat level.
"Understood," Chao Yanqian nodded, then pulled two vials of antidote from his medical pouch and handed them to Uchiha Chizuru and Itō. He whispered, "Take these. My master just updated the formula. They should counter most of Sunagakure's poisons."
"Got it," Chizuru and Itō replied, taking the vials. They stepped forward to shield Chao Yanqian as he slipped back into the forest.
In truth, Chao Yanqian had briefly considered poisoning Uchiha Chizuru during the chaos to seize his Sharingan.
But after some thought, he realized this was not the time to act recklessly.
With the puppet masters still present, killing Chizuru would not guarantee the retrieval of the Sharingan. Worse, it might get him killed.
And even if he acquired the eye, he couldn't implant it openly. His current medical knowledge was insufficient for transplanting a Sharingan.
So, for now, Chao Yanqian dismissed the tempting idea.
Besides, the Uchiha Clan would eventually be exterminated by Konoha. If he survived until then, he would have another opportunity to claim a Sharingan.
"Damn it!" Asō Sashū cursed under his breath. With four subordinates already dead, his puppet unit was on the brink of collapse. At this point, even his own escape was uncertain.
After all, the Konoha side still had two Chūnin, and one of them possessed the Sharingan.
With its visual prowess, the Sharingan could read puppet movements and substitution techniques, rendering many puppet-based strategies useless.
"The situation is bad, Captain Asō. What do we do?" one puppet master whispered.
"We retreat for now," Asō gritted his teeth, keeping his eyes on Chizuru and Itō as he began to fall back with the two remaining allies.
Uchiha Chizuru and Itō exchanged glances and silently agreed not to pursue.
From morning until now, both of their chakra reserves were nearly depleted. Continuing the fight would risk mutual destruction.