Back to the present in the Sand Village.
In the end, the matter was resolved only after the Third Kazekage personally stepped in to conduct a more "heartfelt" orphanage protection campaign.
Because of this incident, the "Orphan Song" gradually became a means to protect orphans.
Whenever a shinobi village acted poorly, people would sing this song to mock them.
Within just a week, four minor villages had already suffered this humiliation.
Among them was our very own Grass Village from the Land of Grass.
This village was particularly despicable, so the backlash was especially harsh—so much so that Ōnoki of the Hidden Stone nearly seized the opportunity to extort them.
Afterward, to keep Uchiha Yato from causing more chaos, the Third Kazekage assigned Sasori to accompany him at all times.
The Third Kazekage was very pleased with this arrangement.
Not only would it allow him to monitor Uchiha Yato, but it also came at no cost to himself.
Sasori was also very satisfied with the Third Kazekage's idea—being able to stay close to his idol and assist him was everything he could ask for.
Chiyo, too, was pleased with the Third Kazekage's decision. Having Sasori interact more with Uchiha Yato meant potential benefits from the Hidden Leaf—Chiyo felt the Sand Village had won big.
As for Uchiha Yato? He was also quite happy with the Third Kazekage's plan. Having an Emotion Coins dispenser by his side meant he could endlessly exploit it.All four of them felt they had gained immensely from this exchange.
After spending some time together, Sasori was no longer as aloof as before.
The main reason was that Uchiha Yato treated him as a friend, and Sasori gradually became more open around him.
However, given his inherently solitary and cold nature, getting him to talk more or lighten the atmosphere was still somewhat challenging.
One day, they arrived at the Hidden Sand Village's hospital.
Here, members of the Hidden Leaf exchange group and the Hidden Sand's medical ninjas discussed diagnoses and treated the wounded.
Seeing this scene, Uchiha Yato felt inspired to strike up a conversation.
He then asked Sasori, "What do you think about the work here in the hospital?"
By now, Sasori no longer resisted Yato's questions too much.
Calmly, Sasori replied, "They're sick and have no choice but to be treated."
"Life and death are commonplace here—nothing worth lingering over."
It had to be said that Sasori's words carried an innate melancholy, likely tied to his childhood experiences.
Uchiha Yato said, "Don't you think your Puppet Technique could help them?"
This question left Sasori momentarily stunned.
Amused by Sasori's reaction, Yato elaborated on his perspective.
"Why must the Puppet Technique only be seen as a killing art?"
"If you treat a tool as a weapon, then it becomes a weapon."
"But if you use it to heal and save lives, then it becomes a tool for healing."
Yato's words were somewhat cryptic, leaving Sasori struggling to grasp their meaning.
Without holding back, Yato picked up a few wooden sticks to demonstrate.
"See, these sticks can represent a little figure—one with no offensive power."
"But such a flexible and versatile figure could spark interesting ideas and bring joy to children."
Though Yato didn't know the Puppet Technique, he managed to twist the sticks into a few simple shapes.
Sasori seemed to catch onto something—
Yet at the same time, he didn't, leaving him even more confused.
Yato continued, "There's someone in my village who's been pursuing immortality."
"Guess how that turned out?"
Yato knew what Sasori sought and deliberately brought up Orochimaru's story.
Though he hadn't shared the full truth, Orochimaru's current mindset was far healthier than in the original timeline. There would be time to guide Sasori properly later.
Hearing that someone shared his pursuit immediately piqued Sasori's interest.
Eagerly, Sasori asked, "What's his attitude toward this art? Is it the same as mine?"
Seeing Sasori's curiosity ignited, Yato pressed further, "How do you view immortality?"
"Do you see it as art? As the ultimate pursuit of your life?"
This time, Sasori didn't speak—he simply nodded firmly, affirming his conviction.
Yato explained, "He seeks immortality by continuously transferring his soul into new vessels."
This was the first time Sasori had heard such an idea, and it left him with an indescribable feeling.Uchiha Yato continued, "Personally, I still reject his way of thinking."
This immediately unsettled Sasori.
He wasn't sure whether Uchiha Yato was rejecting this method of immortality or the very concept of immortality itself.
Noticing the rise in Emotion Coins, Uchiha Yato knew it was time to feed the kid some inspirational words.
With a probing tone, Uchiha Yato asked, "Suppose there's a skeleton before you. Do you think it can represent you?"
Sasori shook his head without hesitation. How could a mere skeleton represent a person?
Uchiha Yato then added, "What if I add a few more things to it?"
"It has the same flesh and skin as you, the same body, the same appearance."
"Then, can it represent you?"
This time, Sasori pondered for a moment before shaking his head again.
Without a soul, it was merely something resembling him—not yet a person.
Uchiha Yato pressed further, "Then, if your soul and consciousness were transferred into this skeleton, tell me—is the original body, now devoid of a soul, still you? Or is it the skeleton now housing your soul that is you?"
This was the hidden trap Uchiha Yato had laid.
Which do you value more—your physical body or your soul?
Would this version of you still be the original you? Is this the immortality you truly desire?
As expected, Sasori fell right into the trap.
He wanted to refute, but the words died on his lips.
Because all the previous rejections had come from his own mouth. Uchiha Yato had merely posed the questions—the reasoning was his own.
He couldn't accept that a body identical to his own could be considered "him."
Yet a body stripped of its soul could no longer be proven to be "him."
And so, Sasori plunged into self-doubt.
Uchiha Yato had done this entirely on purpose.
In the original story, Sasori had replaced every part of himself except his heart with puppets.
He believed this would grant him immortality, achieving his pursuit of perfect art.
But with only a heart remaining as his own, was this truly immortality?
Imagine having no independent thought, acting solely on the instincts and behaviors programmed into your former body.
Such mechanical actions, in Uchiha Yato's view, were utterly unacceptable.
This wasn't immortality—it was the creation of a deranged machine forever chasing a twisted artistic vision of eternal life.
Such an existence couldn't even be called human!
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