Pakura took the intel back to Sunagakure and reported it to the Third Kazekage. And that was how Sasori ended up standing before him.
If it were just about a prodigy emerging from Kirigakure, the Third Kazekage wouldn't have been so alarmed. Every village produced geniuses now and then—it wasn't like they could just go around killing each one that appeared.
Yagura knew that what truly made a Kage's heart waver between murder and greed was something else—something that he possessed.
A Tailed Beast.
The absurd amount of chakra he revealed during that battle made Pakura suspicious of his true identity, and she had passed those suspicions to the Kazekage.
From the perspective of the Third Kazekage, everything he had done so far was rational and justified.
Then, he made a fatal mistake.
Which was exactly why Yagura had taken the risk to come find Sasori.
In another year or two, Sasori would assassinate the Third Kazekage, turn him into a human puppet, and defect from Sunagakure.
Since the Kazekage had already made his move, Yagura had no qualms about pushing Sasori toward that outcome a little earlier.
To hell with the Third Kazekage—Isobu was his Beast!!
Sasori let out a low chuckle, the meaning unclear. "Heh, a work of art."
His gaze deepened.
The intelligence he had gathered—his knowledge of puppetry, his techniques, and even this information—was all somehow known to this Kirigakure shinobi.
It was too thorough, too flawless. Could the village's intel really have leaked so completely?
Sasori was skeptical. His eyes gleamed with interest, seeking the truth.
"Who?"
Yagura didn't answer verbally. Instead, he gestured toward what Sasori was holding in his hand.
Sasori understood immediately.
This time, the target of the ultra S-rank mission... The materials implied... His entire body tensed, pupils constricting in shock.
The one who issued this ultra S-rank mission—
The Third Kazekage himself.
This brat!
Even someone as twisted as Sasori had never considered the idea of turning the Kazekage into one of his puppets.
That was one of the five strongest people in the world! The greatest Kazekage Sunagakure had ever seen!
But now, his dull amber eyes lit up like they had discovered an entirely new world.
The red-haired boy's lips curled into a grin, laced with madness and desire. His hands clenched into fists, fingers trembling from the sheer exhilaration of the thought.
...
Seeing Sasori sink into silent contemplation, clearly intrigued, Yagura let out a deep sigh of relief. Finally, progress.
He leaned back against the wall, calming himself, waiting for Sasori's decision.
They were in a secluded spot. No one passed through here.
But Konoha's security forces hadn't fully withdrawn. One shinobi remained, closely monitoring them to prevent any escalation.
Sasori was aware of the presence nearby. Annoying Konoha shinobi. He pulled out a small notebook and a coded cipher from his pouch and stepped forward.
Yagura immediately took two steps back, maintaining a full meter of distance from this dangerous individual.
Sasori raised an eyebrow and gestured with the notebook, blocking the Konoha shinobi's line of sight with his body, signaling for Yagura to communicate using code. Then, he tossed the cipher over.
Yagura flipped through it quickly, then looked up with an awkward but polite smile.
Sorry, he couldn't read it.
Sasori stared, his expression dark. "How did you even graduate from the Academy?"
Yagura, the dropout who hadn't even completed his first year, scoffed. "I'm a man of pure skill."
Unlike Sasori, who was the type to study college-level material in elementary school, Yagura was a "strength over smarts" kind of guy.
A math and physics genius, an engineering prodigy, Sasori had firsthand experience dealing with Yagura's so-called "pure skill."
His Hiruko puppet was still lying inside a scroll.
Sasori didn't bother arguing.
Troublesome.
He motioned for Yagura to follow.
Hurry up. Don't make him wait.
Yagura stepped forward but remained cautious, keeping a one-meter gap between them at all times.
If Sasori made any sudden moves, he was ready to run.
After the incident with Pakura, Yagura was now on high alert around Sunagakure shinobi.
It was good to be wary.
Sasori himself hadn't realized he was so dangerous that this brat was on edge just being near him.
Heh, not bad.
A twisted smirk formed on his lips.
At the very least, this fragile connection they were building wasn't entirely one-sided. He had some control over Yagura too.
Turning a corner, Sasori summoned two puppets. They quickly took on the appearance of their masters and walked off in the opposite direction, misleading Konoha's surveillance team.
Puppet doubles—far more deceptive than standard clones.
The real duo swiftly moved into an adjacent building, watching as the Konoha shinobi tailed the decoys.
Scaling a wall, they leapt into an alley.
Sasori wasted no time. Leaning against the wall, he let his hands hang loosely at his sides, a silent gesture of peace.
"You want to use me to eliminate the Kazekage's threat?"
The Tailed Beast Jinchūriki's intentions were obvious. Sasori exhaled, displeased at being manipulated like a tool.
He was a puppeteer, not a puppet.
At least the Kazekage was paying him for the mission to capture the Jinchūriki alive.
But with Yagura? His compensation was... nothing. Just a promise.
And yet, he had already swallowed the bait.
Yagura didn't deny it. He clasped his hands behind his back, pretending to stay composed, even as Sasori glared at him like he wanted to skewer him.
Sasori remained still. "I could just kill you right now."
"Are you really that confident you can solo the Kazekage?"
Though, to be fair, Yagura knew Sasori would succeed in the future.
But not yet.
"I can cooperate with you. Your mission is to capture me alive, right? Better than killing me."
Dead Jinchūriki were worthless—even the Akatsuki wouldn't take them.
...
"..."
Seriously, what the hell was up with the Kazekage's intelligence network?!
Sasori turned away, tilting his chin downward at a 45-degree angle.
"Tch."
So that was an admission.
Yagura noted how many times he had heard Sasori click his tongue.
"Keep doing that and your mouth's gonna sag, Sasori-danna."
"What danna—" Sasori scowled. "I'm only a few years older than you."
"Danna" was reserved for older men, like uncles or bosses.
Being aged up twenty years out of nowhere—did this brat have any manners?
And yet... oddly enough, he didn't mind being called that.
"Mind your own business, brat."
Sasori closed his eyes briefly, straightened up, and started walking out of the alley.
Yagura blinked as Sasori passed him.
"Eh, you're leaving?"
Sasori paused, looking back at Yagura.
For the first time, Yagura saw real emotion in those amber eyes—annoyance, pity, the condescension of a scholar... and sheer exasperation.
Sasori found it utterly ridiculous that he was letting an idiot like this have any influence over him.
Also, did the brat not realize the mist creeping in around them?
Sasori sighed. "I'll contact you later, idiot."
Yagura froze.
"I-Idiot?!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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