This trip was definitely worth it. Not only did my understanding of puppetry improve greatly, I even learned poison-making and antidote techniques. In Konoha, only Tsunade would have the ability to teach these skills—and she probably wouldn't even be willing to teach poison use at all.
Sasori deserves special credit—he may be young, but he's incredibly bold, daring to experiment with all sorts of poisons. Some of the poisons they developed were so potent that even he couldn't fully explain the exact mechanisms behind them, yet their toxicity was amazingly powerful, which Anya absolutely loved.
These two kindred spirits would finish studying puppets, then eagerly move on to experimenting with a range of toxins. Sometimes Anya would even go into the desert to capture poisonous creatures. During these months alone, the two had likely created over a hundred types of toxins.
Several months passed in the blink of an eye when Chiyo hurriedly returned to the village, looking more than twice as weary and haggard as before. It seemed the war situation wasn't going well at all—after all, in this era, no single Hidden Village had any hope of defeating Konoha.
She returned to find Sasori and Anya soaring through the sky aboard their newly crafted eagle puppet, clearly enjoying themselves.
"Scorpion, come down now. Granny's back," Chiyo called from below, watching anxiously, fearful they might fall.
Upon hearing her voice, Anya didn't hesitate and carefully guided the eagle puppet gradually downward until landing steadily. After months of research, this eagle puppet had become completely stable. While its flight speed couldn't match a real eagle's, it was still impressive. Most importantly, it didn't require feeding—only regular maintenance—which pleased Anya greatly.
"Granny," Sasori obediently walked forward and hugged Chiyo's leg.
Chiyo affectionately scooped him up into her arms and looked at Anya. "So you're the student my brother took in, right? Well, your performance recently has been quite good—you've kept my grandson very happy. Even while I was at war, I heard about it."
"Not at all. Sasori is my good friend—we learn together and grow together."
To be honest, the greatest benefits Anya gained since arriving in Sunagakure didn't come from his master, but from this child prodigy, Sasori. Anya sensed that this little guy would surely become an elite puppet master and toxicologist one day.
Clutching onto Chiyo, Sasori chimed in enthusiastically, "Yeah, we're best friends. We study how to make puppets together. See this eagle puppet? We worked together to create it."
Chiyo moved in for a closer, more detailed look before nodding in approval. "Mm, although some craftsmanship is still slightly crude, the fact that you managed to make it fly is truly impressive."
Sasori smiled shyly and said, "We should also thank Grandma for the power core; otherwise, it couldn't have flown that long."
"The power core? You used my power core and installed it into this basic puppet?" Chiyo raised her voice slightly.
Sasori pouted, "I didn't steal it—I just took it. Didn't you say yourself, Granny, that everything you own will belong to me eventually?"
"Ahh..." Chiyo sighed helplessly before finally saying, "Okay, okay, taken is taken. Since things are like this, you'd better modify this eagle a bit further. Don't let such a valuable power core go to waste."
Anya's eyes lit up at the suggestion, and she quickly seized the opportunity. "Lady Chiyo, may I watch too?"
Sasori chimed in with a childish plea. "Grandma, I want to see as well."
Chiyo happily replied with a chuckle. "Alright then, come along together."
No wonder she was such an elite puppet master—experience truly trumps youth every time. With just a quick analysis, she could tell both of them had crafted their puppet using mediocre skill. Taking various materials, she refined and modified the creation. After some careful adjustments, the original hawk grew significantly larger, its expression lifelike and vivid. Its wings stretched wide, exuding a powerful aura.
"This must be true art," Sasori murmured in awe, unable to stop praising it.
Chiyo was quite satisfied with her work and said with a light smile, "Kurotsuchi, take it up for a test flight."
"Yes." Eagerly, Anya manipulated the chakra threads, sending the newly improved hawk soaring into the sky with a mighty roar.
The wind whistled past their ears, while the giant wings proudly sliced through the blue skies, overlooking the land below. Then those iron-like claws spread open, stretching its neck and flapping its wings, even letting out a sharp cry like a real hawk, echoing throughout the valleys of Sunagakure Village.
"This speed is absolutely incredible."
One move and you know who's who—an expert upgrade like this speaks for itself. This hawk blows the last one out of the sky. Its flight was not only faster but far steadier. More importantly, its beak and talons now carried offensive capability, making it much more than a simple flying puppet.
From below, Sasori watched with rising excitement and shouted aloud, "Brother Kurotsuchi, take me with you!"
"Sure."
Anya guided *the* hawk into a steep dive. Right before hitting the lowest point, it suddenly came to a halt and yanked Sasori upward with blinding speed.
Immediately, the entire sky filled with Sasori's joyous laughter.
"Hasn't laughed like this in ages."
"Yeah."
The man and woman who had secretly observed Anya earlier—Sasori's parents—appeared behind Chiyo unnoticed.
Chiyo's expression slightly stiffened as she sighed, "Are you leaving already?"
"Yes. Mother, the frontlines need us now more than ever. Now that you're back, the command structure has collapsed. The Kazekage has ordered us to head there for combat."
"Aren't you going to say goodbye to Sasori?"
"No need. That child is having fun right now. Let him continue enjoying himself. We'll make up for lost time once we're back."
With deep concern, Chiyo urged one last time, "Okay then—but promise me you'll return alive."
"Don't worry. We've inherited your true Puppet Technique from you. Not even Kages will be able to stand against us."
Thus, after casting one last glance at Sasori high in the sky, his parents turned and left Sunagakure Village. This very scene coincidentally entered Anya's sight.
After spending a little more time with Sasori, Anya sealed the hawk puppet into a scroll, then went alone to find Chiyo.
Looking stunned at her brother's student, Chiyo exclaimed, "What? You also want to go to the battlefield? Why?"
Anya naturally replied, "I've studied in Sunagakure for so long now; I'd like to do my part to help."
Trying to talk him out of it, Chiyo said, "War isn't a game—it can cost you your life."
Anya replied firmly, "How can a ninja fear death? Besides, I still have the powerful Puppet you created. Since I'm here, I can move between squads to deliver intelligence—wouldn't that be convenient?"
Chiyo found herself convinced by this reasoning. After a moment's thought, she gritted her teeth and said, "Fine, then go. Just remember to watch your back on the battlefield, follow your superior's orders, and don't recklessly throw your life away."
"Yes."
Seeing Chiyo's approval, Anya let out a sigh of relief. After spending so long in Sunagakure Village, it was finally time to leave. And the battlefield was the perfect place to disappear forever. It was time for Kurotsuchi to vanish.
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