Sasori's poison left even Chiyo helpless.
As her grandson, Sasori naturally understood her habits when it came to poison. He created one so perfectly tailored that even she couldn't counter it.
It was also his way of telling his grandmother that he was still alive, and that he had returned.
Despite everything, Sasori still had some feelings for his grandmother. After all, she was the one who had accompanied him in childhood and taught him the art of puppetry.
If not for the deaths of his parents, the lack of parental love, and Chiyo's failed methods of raising him, perhaps Sasori could have grown up normally. Perhaps he might have even taken Rasa's place as Sunagakure's Fourth Kazekage, leading the village toward a very different future.
But there are no "ifs" in life.
In the end, he killed the Third Kazekage, became a rogue ninja, joined Akatsuki, and years later returned to Sunagakure to abduct its Sixth Kazekage.
He had struck down Kankurō, poisoned him, and left Chiyo powerless to cure it. Familiar with her medical techniques, Sasori created a toxin she could not remove.
But what he hadn't anticipated was that Sunagakure would invite help from Konoha. Even more unexpected was that among them was the disciple of the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade.
Tsunade's methods of using and countering poisons were entirely different from Chiyo's. Under her guidance, Karin and Sakura had each developed their own unique approaches. They drew the poison from Kankurō's body in ways completely outside Chiyo's system, then matched it with antidotes they themselves prepared—successfully saving his life.
Temari, finally breathed a sigh of relief. After standing guard for so long, seeing her brother free from danger was the greatest comfort.
Thankfully, the Fifth Kazekage had requested help from Konoha.
After a night's struggle, Kankurō finally woke up.
...
"Where… am I?"
Opening his eyes, Kankurō stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, dazed.
Kiyosuke leaned over and said,
"You're awake. The surgery went very well. You're now a cute little girl."
"What?!"
Startled, Kankurō sat bolt upright despite his condition. His hand immediately shot downward, feeling for his "little brother." Still there. Only then did he let out a breath of relief.
"Hey! Don't joke around like that!" he snapped, not caring who he was talking to.
Karin stepped forward and smacked him right on the forehead.
"Don't speak to Kiyosuke-sama like that! And as a patient, you'd better be lying down in bed!"
"Ow! I'm an injured man here!"
"Then get back in bed, now!!"
In Konoha's hospital, Karin was already well-known.
Part of it was because she was one of the youngest working medical-nin there. But even more so, it was her fiery temper. Patients who ignored medical advice quickly found themselves on the receiving end of her wrath. She was infamous as the "Explosive Doctor"—the complete opposite of Rin, the "Gentle Angel."
In terms of temper, Karin was on par with Sakura. The difference was that Karin inherited hers—after all, the Uzumaki clan were known for hot tempers, explosive when provoked. Sakura, meanwhile, seemed to have been born with hers… perhaps even with a double personality.
Terrified, Kankurō scrambled back into bed. He had never been scolded like this before. This woman was scarier than Temari!
Kiyosuke coughed lightly.
"Enough. Kankurō, I heard you chased Akatsuki the farthest. Did you find any clues?"
Kankurō's face darkened.
"The one who took Gaara was Sasori of the Red Sand. Alongside him was a rogue from Iwagakure, I think his name was Deidara."
He turned to one of Sunagakure's shinobi.
"Did you recover my puppet parts?"
"Yes."
"In Crow's palm, there should be a piece of Sasori's clothing."
In his clash with Sasori, every puppet he used had been effortlessly countered. It was only natural—those very puppets were once Sasori's own masterpieces during his time in Sunagakure. Who better than Sasori to know their flaws? He dismantled them with ease.
And then he struck Kankurō with poison, leaving him to die. Whether he survived or not was left to chance. To Sasori, Kankurō's death had been certain.
But as one of Sunagakure's finest puppet masters, Kankurō used his last conscious moment to command Crow's arm to snatch a scrap of Sasori's clothing—leaving behind a clue.
Sunagakure's shinobi carried in the remains of Kankurō's puppets. All of them had been dismantled into piles of broken pieces, scattered across the floor of the hospital room.
Kankurō's heart ached at the sight. How long would repairs take? And the cost of materials…
Just thinking about it made him wince.
Still, when he pried open one of the puppet hands—its palm equipped with blades—there lay a scrap of cloth the size of a coin.
"Akamaru, Kiba!"
Now came their turn to shine. The boy and his dog bounded forward, sniffing at the cloth. Akamaru barked, then pointed his nose in a certain direction.
Kiba said,
"Akamaru's picked up the scent. But it's too far away. Should we set out now, Kiyosuke-sensei?"
"Mm. No time to waste. Let's move."
Kiyosuke rose and joined Kakashi in rallying the team.
...
The group stepped out of Sunagakure's hospital.
Temari and several Sunagakure shinobi were already waiting.
"I'm going with you to rescue Gaara," Temari declared.
But Baki stopped her.
"No, Temari. You must remain in the village. With the Sixth Kazekage taken and the Fifth unconscious, things are unstable. You're needed here."
"But Gaara, our Kazekage, has been kidnapped—and you're saying Sunagakure won't send anyone to rescue him?!" Temari shouted, furious. At a time like this, how could they still be worrying about politics?
Kiyosuke rubbed his chin. Sunagakure's Council of Elders was even more troublesome than Konoha's.
In Konoha, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu had little say anymore. With Tsunade firmly in charge, and Hiruzen Sarutobi retired in peace, the two elders were left to handle only minor tasks. Decisions of importance were Tsunade's alone.
But Sunagakure was different. It functioned more like a council, where meetings decided everything. Even the Kazekage's word wasn't absolute. Pakura had once held heavy authority as Kazekage, but after Gaara's succession, he often found himself outmaneuvered by those old schemers. Over time, he had built up some prestige, but there were still elders who defied him.
Truly taking control of Sunagakure was a long road ahead.
"Then let this old woman represent Sunagakure instead!"
Chiyo-baasama appeared on the rooftop, a pack slung on her back, looking down on them all.
"Chiyo-sama?! You're supposed to be retired!" Baki exclaimed.
"Hmph! Retired or not, I do as I please. No one can stop me!"
She leapt down, landing gracefully despite her age, and said,
"I want to see my dear grandson again with my own eyes!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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