"Sasori-sama."
Having just completed the slaughter, the Sunagakure's Ninja waiting in ambush knelt on one knee, speaking with deep respect.
Logan glanced toward the passage stretching behind the Ninja. The howling wind and scorching sunlight were blocked outside, yet the scene at this entrance was even more desolate than the world beyond. Life had withered away, and the dim light reflecting off the walls revealed eerie, oddly shaped bloodstains.
'So, all the Ninja on the city walls had been killed by him.' Logan's cold gaze fell upon the seemingly unremarkable Sunagakure's Ninja, 'With an insider aiding them, no wonder Sasori and Deidara remained so calm.'
The thick scent of blood filled the passageway.
'To execute such an attack in so little time, the infiltrator's skill and status within the village must have been significant. Who knew how long this sleeper agent had been in place?'
"Yura, do you remember now?" Sasori looked at the Sunagakure's Ninja kneeling on the ground without any surprise.
The traitor, Yura, lowered his head, "Yes, Sasori-sama!"
"Since you remember, you're still useful."
Deidara's gaze swept over the dozen corpses, then shifted to the hollow yet fervent eyes of the brainwashed Sunagakure's Ninja, and a sarcastic smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
Logan observed silently, recalling a detail he had long forgotten from his days watching the Anime, 'Yura, this traitor of Sunagakure, had had some sort of Ninjutsu implanted in his brain by Sasori. When the time came, it activated, making him aware of his true role.'
'However, was it the power of the Ninjutsu, or was it sheer ruthlessness that allowed Sasori to discard a long-time ally so easily?' Logan remembered the backlash he had faced online after leaving Konoha in the end of the Chunin Exams. Few understood the weight of his decision.
Compared to Sasori's methods, though, his own actions seemed trivial.
"Well done." Sasori gave a rare word of praise before stepping forward, paying no more attention to Yura.
The towering cliffs on either side made the passage narrow, the sky ahead reduced to a thin, golden sliver. Light seeped through, shifting westward as the sun began its descent.
Daylight was fleeting in the Land of Wind. The setting sun cast a weary, somber glow. As they traversed the hundred-meter-long corridor of death, fresh blood continued to drip from the sleeves of unknown corpses.
The dimming sunlight filtered in, illuminating the silhouettes of the Akatsuki cloaked in black and red clouds. Apart from the rhythmic footsteps, silence reigned.
Logan sighed inwardly.
Deidara reached into his Ninja Pouch, Chakra surging through him. The imminent battle had an artistic flair to it, and he was already getting excited.
As they reached the exit, the raging winds and swirling sand weakened. The view before them opened up, with rows of houses lined neatly along the streets. It was dinnertime, the hour of rest. The tiny, busy villagers remained blissfully unaware that an invasion was upon them.
"This is far enough." Deidara declared. His eyes took in the sprawling expanse of Sunagakure, and he withdrew his hand from the pouch, revealing a small, white clay bird.
Bang!
The tiny bird, lifelike with delicate carvings, flapped its wings and soared into the sky. Deidara formed a hand seal, and in a burst of smoke, the bird expanded into a massive creature, two meters tall with a wingspan of nearly seven or eight meters.
"Sasori-danna, just watch from here." Deidara said something that would surprise outsiders. The duo was planning to capture a Jinchuriki with just one person.
"Hm." Sasori acknowledged him indifferently.
Logan glanced over and secretly rolled his eyes.
"And one more thing!" Deidara suddenly shouted. He had already jumped on the giant bird and turned to stare at Logan. He raised his hand and pointed, "Sasori-danna, don't forget to keep an eye on him! If he screws things up for me, I'll be seriously pissed!"
The corner of Logan's mouth curved into a mocking smile, 'You're more dramatic than Neymar.'
Sasori glanced between his partner and Logan, both of whom seemed equally troublesome. With a sigh of resignation, he said, "I will."
"Heh." Deidara struck a pose atop the giant clay bird, but something still felt off, like he was missing that final artistic touch.
Logan, feigning nonchalance, glanced around and casually remarked, "Now that I take a closer look, this pre-departure aesthetic is quite artistic."
Deidara's eyes lit up as he clapped his hands in appreciation, "You've got a keen eye."
He turned around again, about to engage in further discussion.
"Deidara, don't keep me waiting too long." Sasori's voice cut through, cold and sharp.
Noticing the look in Sasori's eyes, Deidara quickly snapped back into his 'cool and ruthless' persona. Silent. Detached.
Without another word, he commanded the clay bird to beat its wings, and with a satisfied expression, he soared away.
…
A few pebbles tumbled across the ground as the white silhouette in the sky shrank into a mere speck, blending into the hues of the evening clouds. Whether it was just an illusion or not, Logan couldn't help but feel that Sasori seemed visibly relieved once Deidara was gone.
"The young one has left." Logan said, gazing at the setting sun with a falsely aged wisdom in his tone.
With Deidara gone, the atmosphere felt significantly quieter.
Sasori cast a glance at Logan, his expression void of amusement, as if he couldn't even be bothered to call him out. Without a word, he turned and headed back toward the village's entrance, with Yura silently following in tow.
"You're really letting Deidara go alone?" Logan asked absentmindedly, slipping into the shadows beneath the wall to avoid drawing the attention of any wandering villagers.
"Mind your own business."
"It's a bit boring to wait. Hey, why doesn't your guy talk? Let him share a few words about the thrilling life of an undercover agent."
The sound of gears shifting echoed from Hiruko as it let out a faint warning hum, "If you're bored, leave. As long as it's not during this moment of intrusion into Sunagakure, go as far as you want."
After saying that, Sasori closed his eyes and began to rest.
Logan glanced at Yura, who had silently widened the distance between them at some point. This traitor stood at the ready, his unwavering loyalty now directed entirely toward Sasori.
'Fine then.'
Logan hadn't intended to watch, but now that he was here, his gaze naturally drifted toward the village. The gray and yellow buildings of Sunagakure, so different from Konoha's style, exuded a tough, survivalist spirit.
In an area like the Land of Wind with a large temperature difference between day and night, the transitions between light and darkness, warmth and cold, always happened swiftly, just like this dusk.
Sunagakure was vast, yet before the slow, powerful advance of the terminator line, the boundary between day and night, it seemed insignificantly small.
The sunlight dimmed from blistering gold to a soft orange before fading into nothingness. Whether ordinary villagers or Ninja, everyone grew quiet with the arrival of night.
A thick layer of sand had already settled on the windowsills, only to be diligently swept away by the household caretakers. Even though they knew that by tomorrow, new hardships would bring fresh layers of dust and grime, they still held on to the hope of a new day.
As the last rays of sunlight receded from the west, Logan waited for the battle between Deidara and Gaara. He came here not to change everything, but to do what he could.
Logan was not very familiar with Gaara and the people of Sunagakure Village, and given his past as a Ninja, he had likely killed more than a few Sunagakure's Ninja before.
Just as he had told Sasori and Deidara earlier, he had no intention of interfering. Akatsuki had their own business, and he had no reason, or need, to get involved.
Strictly speaking, this had nothing to do with him.
He was merely here to wait.
Sasori opened his eyes and looked at Logan, who was staring at Sunagakure in a daze. Once again, he saw the same expression as that night when he first met Logan…
Calmly watching the scenery. Leisurely remarking on how idle he was.
BOOM-
Until the first explosion finally erupted.