In the original series, Sasori of the Red Sand was a character portrayed with significant depth—far more than even some of the main cast. This had little to do with his screen time; Sasori was a tragic figure whose story was easily understood and left a lasting impression. Even though he was a villain, he wasn't someone you could truly hate. (Seriously, can we just agree this was all the White Fang's fault?)
Because of this, even a "non-professional" fan like Ui knew exactly who he was dealing with.
Knowing that puppeteers excel at mid-to-long range, Ui knew that getting too close would force Sasori into a state of hyper-alertness. It is never easy to ambush a Kage-level powerhouse when they are fully braced for impact.
From that perspective, Ui's earlier flight wasn't a retreat. If he had really wanted to ditch Sasori, he would have gone full Lightning Speed from the start. His actual goal was to pull Sasori into a false sense of security by putting distance between them.
With the Third Kazekage puppet acting as a mid-point, the distance between Ui and Sasori had grown to over fifty meters. At this range, most ninjutsu lose their efficacy, and Sasori's guard naturally lowered.
Then, mid-stride, Ui spun around.
The Spear of Retribution
This distance might have been outside the range of most shinobi, but with Ui's abilities, a single glance was all he needed for a precision lock. He knew that if he relied purely on ninjutsu against an S-rank like Sasori, his win rate was zero.
His white hair stood on end. The "Esper" was fully online.
Lightning Spear!
Powerful electrical currents converged into a blinding blue-white lance of light. The speed of this attack wasn't just fast; it was outside the physical and neurological limits of human reaction. Even a battle-hardened Kage-level ninja couldn't perceive it in time.
In terms of sheer dimensional speed, it was unavoidable. Theoretically, since even Space-Time ninjutsu like Flying Raijin or Kamui require a startup time, if Ui fires first, the target is hit.
(For future reference, to keep his secrets, Ui decided to tell people this was "Chidori Sharp Spear: Stage Three.")
A path of light connected Ui and Sasori instantly, vaporizing everything in its trajectory. Trees were bored through. Rocks were pierced. And at the end of the line... Sasori.
"Tch!"
Ui landed on a thick branch, clicking his tongue in annoyance. He had aimed for the neck. By his calculations, that shot should have taken Sasori's head clean off. It wasn't that Ui was overly violent; he just knew that with a puppeteer like Sasori, anything less than decapitation might not stick.
Who knew what kind of inhuman modifications the guy had already done to himself?
However, the head stayed on. In a perfect world, the Spear is undodgeable, but the activation still takes a fraction of a second. Ui himself isn't light-speed; only the attack is.
The moment Ui turned and a spark ignited at his temple, Sasori's instincts screamed. His Kage-level intuition kicked in, and his body subconsciously jerked to the left.
The Lightning Spear struck, causing what would be a fatal wound to any normal human: Sasori's right arm was vaporized at the shoulder.
But Ui saw it clearly: not a single drop of blood fell. That arm had already been fully converted into a puppet limb.
Ui felt a pang of regret. He had revealed one of his ultimate trump cards, and for Sasori, it was barely a flesh wound. This battle was sustainable only because of the information asymmetry—Ui knew Sasori, but Sasori knew nothing of Ui. That advantage was now bleeding away.
The Iron Sand Paradox
Losing an arm didn't slow Sasori down. Chakra threads erupted directly from his shoulder stump, re-establishing control over the Third Kazekage. Without a word or a flinch, he pressed the attack. He knew now that this Leaf ninja was hiding terrifying secrets, and he had to get serious.
The puppet entered range. Its mouth unhinged, and a black, mist-like substance began to swirl and coalesce.
Iron Sand.
Ui knew exactly what was coming.
Magnet Style: Iron Sand Drizzle!
Like Hiruko's needles, but denser, faster, and far more overwhelming. The sky turned black with metallic projectiles.
And then... Ui froze.
Not out of fear, but out of pure, bewildered irony. This attack posed zero threat to him.
Iron sand? You're throwing iron sand at me?
As the torrential rain of metal descended, Ui simply reached out a hand. Blue sparks flickered. Like a whale inhaling water, the massive cloud of iron sand condensed into a single stream, flowing directly toward Ui's outstretched palm.
Sasori felt the connection snap immediately. He had lost control of the Third Kazekage's signature weapon!
Within seconds, Ui had hijacked the iron sand. With a thought, he used intense magnetic pressure to compress the entire mass into a giant, iron gourd.
THUMP.
The iron gourd, nearly as tall as Ui himself, was slammed onto the branch beneath his feet. Then, he hoisted the heavy weight onto his shoulder.
It was a total fluke of instinct. A sudden, inexplicable urge took over.
(Serious Warning: There was no tactical meaning to this. It was purely a "brain-fart" of epic proportions.)
Ui carried the gourd, his hands cupping the opening, aiming it directly at the bewildered Sasori. He then took the famous quotes of two legendary "life mentors" from his previous world, adapted them creatively, and recited them in a rhythmic, dramatic tone:
"Gold gourd~ Silver gourd~ They can't compare to my Iron Gourd~"
"Sasori of the Red Sand! I call your name—do you dare to answer?!"