The sky gradually darkened. Time dragged on as they waited, until finally, the moment Saitama and his companion had been waiting for arrived.
It was around the time when most people in Sunagakure were starting to cook dinner, and the Ninja Academy was about to let out its students.
Rasa was just finishing up at the school, but he wouldn't be heading home right away. His working hours were long—he would return to the Kazekage building later to continue his duties.
"Father!" Temari walked up to Rasa and gave him a polite nod, her face carrying a smile.
Kankuro, by contrast, struck a rather dramatic pose—back straight, head slightly bowed. The puppet strapped to his back made him look even more ridiculous.
Rasa ignored his children's antics, placing his hand gently atop Temari's head and stroking it affectionately.
"When you get home, make something to eat yourselves. Don't wait for me!"
"Yes, Father!" Temari nodded and tugged Kankuro along as they walked out of the academy. At this time, many others were also packing their things and leaving school.
For the Kazekage, this was just another ordinary day. With so much responsibility piled onto him, especially during such a critical period, Rasa rarely had time to share meals with his own children.
Most of the time, it was Temari herself who looked after her two younger brothers at home.
...
Yura, a ninja from Sunagakure currently holding the rank of Chunin, had been assigned to guard duty at the outermost perimeter of the village due to his outstanding performance over time.
At the same time, he was also a deeply embedded spy within Sunagakure—a spy known only to two people.
Yura had voluntarily allowed Sasori to implant the ninjutsu [Mind Control Sand Technique] into his brain, using this to gain Sasori's trust. In doing so, he had become Sasori's planted spy inside Sunagakure.
Yura was also a devoted admirer of Sasori—considerably younger than him—but having been captivated since childhood by Sasori's world-shaking talent and charisma.
Recently, Yura had received a message from Sasori. It was the first contact since Sasori mysteriously vanished from the village years ago, so Yura felt particularly excited.
Sasori's message stated, "I will infiltrate Sunagakure in several days. I hope Yura can create a path allowing me free entry and exit."
Though extremely difficult, Yura still refused to give up. Ever since receiving Sasori's message, he had already begun preparations.
Sunagakure had a unique division of ninja—the Puppet Masters!
These incredibly powerful and intricately designed puppets were one of the main reasons Sunagakure earned its fame across the Shinobi World. But what truly terrified people about the Puppet Masters was something else entirely.
And what made them truly terrifying? Poison.
In a world where the technological tree had evolved in completely bizarre directions, scientific advancement was practically a punchline.
When it came to poisons, only a few great ninja villages had the capability to develop antidotes.
Even among these villages, not all types of poison could be effectively counteracted.
What Yura prepared was poison—an especially crafted toxin based on a formula provided by Sasori. This poison could temporarily paralyze the victim, blocking the flow of chakra within their body.
If no antidote was administered within a certain timeframe after being poisoned, the victim's blood would begin to coagulate due to paralysis and clogged veins.
Such poison wasn't immediately lethal upon contact with blood, but it was far more difficult to detect—colorless and odorless, making it completely unexpected.
There were nearly 40 ninja stationed at the outermost layer of the village, including several jonin, though most were chunin like Yura.
The poison provided by Sasori could mix into food or spread through the air.
Depending on how it's used, this toxin could be transmitted in various ways to infect different individuals.
Noticing how late it had gotten, Yura silently walked toward the exit passage leading into and out of the village.
Since the entire village had been surrounded, this was the only entrance and exit. As night approached, the corridor became a wind tunnel.
Because of the temperature difference, air from the desert would flow into the village, creating strong wind currents.
This was Yura's opportunity—Saitama and Sasori had been waiting for it too.
"Hey, Yura, where are you going outside? The wind's blowing hard out there. Sand might get in your eyes," warned a fellow chunin who often worked missions with Yura. Although they both wore cloth draped over their heads that somewhat blocked the wind and sand, it only worked when the breeze was light.
"Don't sweat it. I'm just restless and wanted to take a walk. You don't have to worry about me."
Yura touched the fabric on his face, which the wind had blown tightly against his skin, feigning nonchalance.
"All right then!" The ninja didn't suspect anything. Guarding this area was indeed very boring, and the next shift wouldn't arrive for at least another hour or two.
Smiling at the ninja, Yura continued forward until reaching the windy passage.
Looking out, he could already see the endless desert—the golden sands shifting with the wind, almost like a rolling sea of gold.
He pretended to observe for a while before turning his gaze back to the passage.
A few meters wide, barely enough space for one vehicle to pass, the narrow path had scattered Suna ninjas standing guard along both sides.
Since its founding, Sunagakure hadn't experienced any direct attacks on the village itself, so most of the guards weren't alert, chatting and laughing casually.
A sudden jolt ran through Yura's head—he knew it was Sasori's signal. This was the moment they had agreed upon to begin their operation.
Double-checking that no one was watching him, Yura quickly crouched down and pulled out a bamboo-shaped container from his pocket. With one finger, he punctured the sealed lid.
Hiss! Only Yura himself could hear the sound of the escaping gas—the roaring wind drowned it out beyond a short distance.
Holding his breath, he silently stepped aside.
He'd already taken the antidote earlier. Still, it was best not to breathe in even a whiff of a poison meant to kill silently.
...
"It's done. You can go now." Sasori formed a ninja seal inside Hiruko, sending Yura a signal. Then after waiting nearly ten minutes and feeling the timing was right, he spoke to Saitama.
Saitama propped his chin lazily and looked up when he heard Sasori's voice. Glancing at the sun already dipping behind the mountains, he slowly rose to his feet and stretched.
After speaking, Sasori had already started moving forward without waiting for Saitama.
"What an impatient guy. What would happen if you just waited a moment?"
Saitama shrugged slightly and muttered under his breath. He knew well that waiting was something Sasori hated the most.
He adjusted his body to peak condition—every muscle engaged and fully alert.
He understood that the journey ahead would definitely be difficult, yet thrilling with challenges!
Soon he caught up with Sasori. Saitama placed both hands at his sides, his sword hidden beneath his trench coat. The white cloth hanging from the brim of his hat drifted forward at a slanted angle as he walked.
"Sunagakure… I'm really looking forward to it!" Saitama recalled his first battlefield experience. Back then, he had been pathetically weak, barely surviving several missions.
The most vivid memory from that battlefield was witnessing a fierce battle between Orochimaru and Rasa.
That suffocating sensation—Saitama had never forgotten it.
Not because Orochimaru or Rasa were so powerful that even today's Saitama would fear them, but because back then, Saitama himself had simply been too weak.
That unforgettable feeling remained deeply embedded in him—a reminder of how powerless he once was.
They simply walked forward without concealment, neither hiding nor using any unusual ninjutsu to mask their presence. They didn't look like infiltrators heading into enemy territory at all.
As they drew closer, Saitama saw a massive enclosure built from sand, shaped somewhat like a bird's nest in his memory.
There lay Sunagakure Village—where their target was located.
Still quite far away, Saitama's sharp eyes caught sight of a dark figure standing at the only entrance, staring straight toward them.
"That must be your subordinate. Impressive—he handled things quickly."
Keeping the same pace, Saitama spoke teasingly.
"Hmm." Sasori made a sound. Whether that "hmm" meant confirmation, approval, or both, was unclear.
"Lord!" More than ten meters away, Yura knelt down and looked toward Sasori inside Hiruko, somehow instantly recognizing his dramatically changed appearance.
"Hmm." Sasori gave no further reply as Hiruko slowly approached.
Amusement flickered across Saitama's face beneath his hat brim while he stood beside Sasori.
"You've done well. After this mission, come with me."
Hiruko's skull gradually lifted, as if scrutinizing Yura.
"Yes! I will surely follow you, Lord!" Yura appeared extremely excited, bowing low until his head nearly touched the sand.
"You'll remain here on guard and prepare for support—we're going in first!"
After speaking again, Sasori headed straight into the tunnel.
Saitama paused briefly, glancing at Yura who still knelt on the ground.
From memory, during Sasori and Deidara's last mission to capture Gaara in Sunagakure Village, Yura had been the one to clear their path.
And after that mission, Sasori had taken him along too.
However, in the end, he seemed to become a reincarnation vessel for Pain's Chikushōdō (Animal Path Technique), transformed into Itachi Uchiha, and died at the hands of Team 7.
"He's just another pathetic pawn!" Saitama scoffed, not giving him a second glance. Narrowing his eyes, he followed behind Sasori.
The tunnel was long, carved from solid rock with small alcoves where ninjas could hide or take cover. But now, they were completely empty.
All the shinobi had collapsed onto the ground, staring wide-eyed in helpless silence as Saitama and Sasori passed by.
They struggled with all their might, but couldn't move an inch—only able to watch helplessly as their enemies advanced deeper into the village.
Poison coursed through their bodies, continuously eating away at their strength, leaving them powerless and unable to resist.
"They're still this weak!" Sasori muttered under his breath as he kept moving forward, clearly unimpressed by Sunagakure's ninja.
Saitama followed behind, smirking slightly. He casually stepped past the fallen ninjas, his entire body wrapped in his coat, hiding his true power.
The passage was nearly one hundred meters long—but that didn't mean the entire wall surrounding the village was one hundred meters thick.
Standing at the end of the tunnel, Saitama and Sasori looked out toward Sunagakure Village. A crimson sun sank low on the horizon above the sand village, half-hidden now, casting its final rays across the land.
"I can feel the Tailed Beast's presence—this chakra alone is enough to send chills down anyone's spine!"
Saitama took a deep breath, locking his gaze in a specific direction. As someone extremely sensitive to chakra, he had already pinpointed the One-Tail's location.
"If everything looks good, we can start moving in."
The puppet made some mechanical sounds as its parts shifted, and Sasori spoke directly to Saitama.
"Fine! Let's finish it quickly! After all, we're inside another village."
Saitama nodded, placing his right hand over his hat to adjust it firmly.
A more serious look appeared in his eyes, though his expression remained unchanged—cold and impassive as always.
"Welcome back, Sasori!" The real Sasori, hidden within the puppet, suddenly felt a warmth rise within him, along with those words echoing in his mind.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two figures leapt downward and dashed off in unison.
Their [Black Cloak Bearing Red Clouds] flapped violently in the wind mid-air, stretching blurred afterimages across space.
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