"Hey... Sōmi...!"
Under the dim yellow glow of dusk, two young boys walked side by side across the vast Gobi Desert. Their faces were wrapped in white headscarves to shield their eyes from the frequent gusts of sand-laden wind that obscured the path ahead.
"Sasori! What's wrong?" The boy walking ahead turned back to address his companion. His delicate features were framed by messy black hair that hung loosely across his forehead, a clear sign of recent intense exertion.
"Konoha's White Fang is dead. How are we supposed to get our revenge now?" The red-haired boy, Sasori, muttered, his eyes losing focus as if the very belief that had sustained him had suddenly crumbled to dust.
"Wasn't the Third Kazekage said to be the strongest Kazekage ever? Why couldn't he protect our parents?" Sasori stopped in his tracks, lowering his head as he spoke in a voice heavy with resentment.
During this mission outside the village, the two had stumbled upon an unexpected piece of news: Konoha's White Fang, a shinobi whose fame rivaled that of the Legendary Sannin, had taken his own life back in the Hidden Leaf Village.
After confirming the authenticity of this information multiple times, Sasori found it impossible to accept. Ever since his parents' deaths, he had been meticulously investigating the cause and had ultimately identified White Fang as the enemy he needed to avenge.
Seeking revenge against White Fang had become Sasori's all-consuming obsession...
The other boy, Sōmi, was different. His soul had been reincarnated into this war orphan of Sunagakure after an unfortunate death on a certain blue planet. He cherished this new, healthy life all the more for it.
Raised by monks, Sōmi had demonstrated extraordinary talent and determination upon entering the Ninja Academy. Though slightly younger than Sasori, he had encountered the prodigious puppeteer there, and their similar experiences as orphans, coupled with Sōmi's deliberate efforts to approach him, had forged their friendship.
After their graduation from the Ninja Academy, the Third Kazekage himself had tested Sōmi and, impressed by his potential, accepted him as a personal disciple.
Lady Chiyo, noticing the friendship between Sōmi and her grandson Sasori, had arranged for them to be placed on the same team. Since then, the two had frequently been dispatched on missions together.
Hearing Sasori's words now, Sōmi immediately understood what was happening. With White Fang dead, Sasori had lost the direct target of his vengeance, leaving him to redirect his hatred toward the Third Kazekage. This, Sōmi knew, would eventually lead to Sasori's assassination attempt and defection from the village.
Acting as Sasori's "therapist" and "life coach," Sōmi adopted a thoughtful expression before speaking. "Sasori! I understand how you feel... It's true that with White Fang's death, we can no longer personally avenge our parents. There's no denying that!"
"But think about it—what's the real reason so many of our village's shinobi have died? Was it because the Kazekage initiated the war?"
Sōmi's dark eyes locked onto Sasori's as he firmly gripped his friend's shoulders.
"The reason? It's because life is fragile, fleeting. Perhaps only puppets are truly eternal..." Sasori glanced up at Sōmi, but his eyes remained lifeless, like a stagnant pool of water.
"No, Sasori! Life may be fragile, but it's the souls of your parents, my parents, that are eternal. You've kept your parents' puppets all this time, haven't you? A master puppeteer can imbue puppets with souls. As long as those puppets and your exquisite craftsmanship are passed down, they will never fade away!" Sōmi shook Sasori's shoulders as he spoke with passionate conviction.
"The Kazekage is strong, but he's not the strongest in the shinobi world. That's why he couldn't end the war. Our parents died because of the conflict, and as long as wars exist, such losses will continue! Only by becoming the strongest can we put an end to this cycle of violence!"
"Is... that so?" Light began to rekindle in Sasori's eyes. His previous pursuit of "eternal" art, unyielding to decay, now seemed to pale in comparison to the "eternity" Sōmi described—something deeper and more profound.
"Moreover, Sasori! I once read in the Kazekage's secret archives that Konoha possesses a Forbidden Jutsu. As long as you have information about a deceased person's body, you can summon their spirit back from the Pure Land!"
"And if you can find someone with the legendary eyes, they can use another Forbidden Jutsu to fully resurrect the dead!" Sōmi spoke with calculated excitement. When someone loses their purpose and falls into despair, setting a higher goal can reignite their determination.
"Is that true, Sōmi?!" Sasori grabbed Sōmi's hands tightly, his eyes filled with shock, anticipation, and a hint of worry, fearing this might be false hope.
"Absolutely!" Sōmi declared with unwavering certainty.
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