The Sand ANBU's breath hitched at the sight of Sasori. He hadn't expected to encounter the Red Sand Sasori here—let alone be saved by him.
"Sasori-sama…!"
Sasori had once been a rising star in Sunagakure, famed for his unparalleled puppet mastery. As the grandson of Elder Chiyo, he was highly regarded—even the Third Kazekage had acknowledged his potential. But one day, he had simply vanished. Chiyo had searched for him for years, but to no avail. Out of respect for her and Elder Ebizō, the Third Kazekage never officially labeled Sasori a rogue ninja.
Now, here he stood.
Sasori cast an indifferent glance at the ANBU before him. "Go. Spread the word. Rasa is dead."
The ANBU's eyes widened in shock. "What? The Kazekage…?"
It had only been a short time since the battle began. Could he have truly fallen already?
But as he strained his ears, he realized something—the sounds of battle had stopped.
A wave of panic surged through him. If the Kazekage was gone, what would become of Sunagakure?
Then, from the distance, he saw figures approaching. His gaze landed on the shark-like rogue ninja from Kirigakure—Kisame Hoshigaki.
And in his grasp… was the limp body of the Fourth Kazekage.
The sight made the ANBU's heart sink.
"What are you standing around for?" Sasori snapped, his voice sharp. "Run back and deliver the news. Or has Sunagakure become so weak that even this is beyond you?"
The ANBU jolted back to his senses. "Thank you, Sasori-sama!" Without another word, he turned and sprinted toward the village.
He had to warn them.
The Kazekage had been assassinated. And considering how abruptly this ambush had been executed, there had to be a traitor feeding intel to the enemy.
"Hold on now," Kakuzu sneered. "Did I say I was letting you leave?"
With a flick of his hand, two of his heart-possessed masks emerged.
"Fire Release: Searing Migraine!"
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
The combined fire and wind jutsu surged forward in a devastating inferno.
Sasori merely scoffed. "Pathetic chakra control."
With a flick of his wrist, a sealed scroll unfurled. A massive puppet burst forth, its metallic body gleaming with an icy blue sheen. The symbol for "Water" was carved into its chest.
"Ice Release: Raging Blizzard."
Twin cannons emerged from the puppet's arms, releasing an overwhelming blast of freezing air.
Crack!
The very air crystallized.
The firestorm met the incoming frost, but within seconds, the combined jutsu froze solid, transforming into towering ice spires. Yet the blizzard did not stop. It continued to spread, racing toward Kakuzu.
His instincts screamed at him to retreat.
Even with his five lives, standing in the path of that jutsu was not an option.
Kakuzu leapt back just in time, narrowly escaping the freezing wave.
He scowled. "That's… not normal ice. Even my Fire Release couldn't burn through it…"
Sasori deactivated his puppet's ice cannons. "I modified it after studying the Yuki Clan's bloodline limit. Had to 'borrow' a few preserved corpses from Kirigakure to make it work."
At that moment, the four Akatsuki members regrouped, taking in the surreal scene before them.
The desert—normally scorching—was now home to a frozen battlefield, a massive sheet of ice cutting through the sands.
At its center stood Sasori, unfazed, surrounded by his puppets.
Konan's golden eyes narrowed. "Sasori of the Red Sand."
She had expected their mission to go smoothly, but now…
Sasori met their gazes, his voice calm yet unyielding. "Assassinating the Kazekage? You lot have some nerve. Leave his body behind, or none of you will be leaving."
With the ANBU saved and his obligations fulfilled, he was now free to do as he pleased.
Raiga scratched his head. "Man… that Ice Release is ridiculous. Even the Yuki Clan doesn't have techniques like this. You sure that thing's just a puppet?"
Kisame bared his teeth in amusement. "We just killed the Kazekage, and now we run into another guy with a counter to my jutsu? Not a great day for me, huh?"
Water, after all, was inferior to Ice Release. And if that puppet could freeze even Kakuzu's Fire Release, it could do worse to his Water Release.
Above them, Konan's paper wings unfurled as she rose into the sky, her expression unreadable. "Sasori… since you're here, you can't be allowed to leave. However, if you join Akatsuki, you may yet live."
"Hah, are you joking?"
Sasori scoffed at Konan's words, his gaze flicking between the four Akatsuki members as they subtly shifted into a formation—one designed to surround and eliminate him.
The thought only fueled his excitement.
What was the point of art if there were no spectators?
Hyuga Mirai had seen his puppets before and even praised them, but much of Sasori's recent work had been influenced by Mirai's mecha designs. What he craved now was a new audience—to witness the culmination of his latest artistic masterpiece.
"Today, I'll show you the ultimate puppet artistry!"
With a flick of his wrist, several scrolls unfurled, summoning six additional puppets. Each bore a single kanji on its chest: Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Body, and Three.
A gleam of anticipation flashed in Sasori's eyes. "I hope you make this entertaining for me."
With a snap of his fingers, the seven puppets sprang to life, launching toward the four Akatsuki members.
Back in Sunagakure, the surviving ANBU barely held on long enough to report Rasa's assassination before collapsing unconscious.
Many were present to hear the news—high-ranking officials, ANBU captains, and even Pakura.
They wasted no time—Pakura was immediately dispatched with four squads to the site of the ambush.
The revelation sent shockwaves through the village.
Of course, 18 was already aware of Rasa's fate. By the time Pakura left the village, Sasori's battle had already ended.
Kakuzu had lost three hearts and had to sacrifice a fourth just to seize Rasa's severed head before making a hasty retreat.
Raiga's Thunder Blades had been shattered, Kisame had taken a hole through his abdomen, and even Konan had been forced to retreat in disarray.
Although Sasori hadn't killed any of them, the battle had given him invaluable insights—new strategies for puppet coordination, synchronization, and even fusion techniques.
His time alongside Hyuga Mirai had dulled his thirst for killing, shifting his focus toward research.
However, Rasa's corpse was another matter entirely.
The headless body belonged to him now.
With Magnet Release embedded in its very flesh, it would make an excellent addition to his collection.
By the time Pakura and her team arrived, all that remained were the scars of battle.
A desert lake, an icy ravine, sand that had been crystallized by searing flames, and deep craters left by explosive force.
Every detail painted the picture of a brutal confrontation.
Yet, there was no sign of Rasa's body—or Sasori's.
Only three fallen ANBU remained.
Pakura ordered a thorough search, but after half a day of scouring the area, the results remained the same.
"Let's head back."
Her expression was grim.
The Fourth Kazekage was dead. Sunagakure was on the verge of chaos.
And now, Sasori of the Red Sand had resurfaced.
Once they returned, Pakura wasted no time—she immediately summoned Sunagakure's elders, including Chiyo and Ebizō.
The surviving ANBU, barely recovered, was also brought in to recount what had transpired.
By the time he finished, rage filled the council chamber.
The Kazekage—a village leader, a Kage—had been assassinated within his own land by mercenaries from the underground Bounty Exchange.
A humiliation beyond compare.
If word got out, Sunagakure would become a laughingstock.
Not just to the other great villages, but even to the smaller ones.
Unacceptable.
Chiyo's voice cut through the furious murmurs.
"There are three urgent matters we must address immediately."
She coughed lightly before continuing.
"First—we must select a Fifth Kazekage. Without a leader, the village cannot function. I am but an old woman in retirement—I have been called back too many times already."
The room fell silent.
Many looked away in shame. It was true—having to rely on an elder who had already retired made them look incompetent.
"Second—we must finalize the alliance with the Keikou Trade Association. Our village's survival depends on it. Some concessions may be necessary, but we cannot afford to delay any longer."
"Third—we must take revenge."
Chiyo's voice grew cold.
"A Kage has been assassinated in his own territory. Even if we can't find the assassins, the one who hired them must be eliminated."
The ANBU captain furrowed his brows.
"The Bounty Exchange's classified requests are usually reserved for major figures—either prominent leaders or daimyos of small nations. I will send our agents to investigate…"
Ebizō's voice, calm yet sharp, interrupted.
"No proof is necessary."
His eyes gleamed with a dangerous glint.
"Who else within the Land of Wind had both the motive and the resources to orchestrate this?"
Everyone in the room knew the answer.
The only one who stood to gain from Rasa's death.
The Daimyo.
(End of Chapter)
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