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Mastermind of the Akatsuki 308
🕑 Added 2025-01-28 14:00:03 +0000 UTCChapter 308: An Invitation from Orochimaru
Rasa wants to break his promise and deal with Gaara tonight?
This thought crossed Yashamaru's mind as he wiped the blood from his lips. Clutching his kunai tightly, he turned to Gaara and said, “Gaara, he’s here to assassinate you. Quickly, hide! I’ll hold him off.”
Gaara let out a cold laugh, his gaze fixed on Yashamaru. “Uncle, aren’t you here to kill me too? Why don’t the two of you team up? It’d be easier to get rid of the burden that’s been a curse since birth.”
Sweat beaded on Yashamaru’s forehead. He didn’t know how to explain.
Indeed, he had come tonight with the intent to kill Gaara. But his goal wasn’t to end Gaara’s life—it was to provoke him into controlling Shukaku. Once Gaara harnessed enough power, Yashamaru had planned to deliberately expose a fatal opening and sacrifice himself.
Left with no choice, Yashamaru said, “Karura loved you until her last breath. If not, why would the sand and chakra she left behind continue to protect you? Please, listen to me! Run far away from this village and find a new life elsewhere!”
Hearing this, Gaara’s expression shifted. But instead of escaping, he remained rooted, yearning for more information about his mother.
Seeing this, Yashamaru gritted his teeth and, abandoning further explanations, charged at Sasori.
He believed that, combined with Gaara’s abilities, they might stand a chance of defeating this puppet master. But if Rasa had indeed orchestrated tonight’s events to deal with Gaara, defeating Sasori would mean little—they wouldn’t escape Rasa’s pursuit.
The clash between metal rang out as Yashamaru’s kunai snapped against Hiruko’s impenetrable exterior.
He marveled at the puppet’s durability, simultaneously scanning for the puppeteer. Typically, puppet masters operated from a distance, often hidden underground, in blind spots, or camouflaged as part of their puppets.
Failing to locate Sasori with ninjutsu, Yashamaru’s attention returned to Hiruko. A puppet of such size could easily conceal its operator within.
If he could break through Hiruko’s defenses, he might secure victory.
But before Yashamaru could act, Sasori calmly retrieved a summoning scroll and called forth over a dozen puppets.
The swarm of puppets overwhelmed Yashamaru, submerging him in a sea of sand and wood.
Having subdued Yashamaru, Sasori refrained from killing him outright. Instead, he dragged Yashamaru toward Gaara and threw him to the ground, his tone laced with mockery. “Gaara, if you have questions, ask him now. He won’t dare lie to you.”
Gaara glanced at Yashamaru before turning his icy gaze on Sasori. “Why are you helping me? What do you want from me?”
Sasori smirked, his tone indifferent. “I was once a child too. I know there are questions that, if left unanswered, will haunt you forever. I can see it clearly—he doesn’t want to kill you. The real assassin lies elsewhere.”
Sasori’s words sank into Gaara’s mind. After a long silence, Gaara finally raised his head and muttered, “Thank you.”
Yashamaru, too, had heard Sasori’s words and was filled with confusion.
As his thoughts cleared, his mind raced to piece together the clues from their brief encounter. Who was this man? What was his true identity? What was his ultimate goal? Despite his efforts, Yashamaru couldn’t unravel the mystery.
This puppet master didn’t seem to belong to the village. But could any other village produce a puppet master of such skill? Or was he a rogue ninja—a deserter unaffiliated with Rasa’s hidden plans?
As Yashamaru was about to continue deducing Sasori's identity, Gaara stepped closer, his voice cold and commanding, “Uncle Yashamaru, tell me everything you know! Or you will regret it.”
---
After a busy day, the Fourth Kazekage stretched his back and gazed into the distance.
His eyes seemed to pierce through space, seeing Temari diligently training her wind-style ninjutsu at home, Kankuro engrossed in his study of puppetry, and Gaara undergoing a crucial test of his abilities.
Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara—each represented a distinct facet of Sunagakure’s strength, and all were the children of the Fourth Kazekage.
- Temari symbolized the traditional Sunagakure shinobi, adept in wind-style jutsu and direct combat techniques. She epitomized the mainstream type of shinobi that many in the village aspired to become.
- Kankuro represented the puppeteer’s craft—a profession that didn’t require elemental affinities but demanded mastery in chakra control and assassination skills. Although rare, puppeteers held a fearsome reputation on the battlefield. With sufficient puppet supplies, a single puppeteer could perform the work of several shinobi, maintaining battle readiness for extended periods and easing offensive pressure.
- Gaara, on the other hand, embodied the terrifying might of a jinchūriki.
Sunagakure was one of the first villages to utilize jinchūriki as living weapons. In the vast deserts of the Land of Wind, Shukaku's overwhelming battlefield control made Sunagakure a force to reckon with. This power was a key reason why, despite losing battles, the village had never fallen.
The Fourth Kazekage believed that with strict guidance and thorough training, his three children would grow into formidable tools for the village.
Once all three reached adulthood, he envisioned them as shadow-level powerhouses bound by blood ties—shinobi who would never betray him.
At that point, he could break free of Konoha’s shadow and elevate Sunagakure to the position of the most powerful hidden village.
Pulling himself from these grandiose thoughts, the Kazekage sipped a strong coffee, preparing for another night of mining operations. The funds he accumulated would lay the foundation for Sunagakure’s future dominance.
At that moment, an Anbu operative hurried in and presented a message.
“Kazekage-sama, this is a message from a merchant in the village. He wants to purchase a large quantity of our ore.”
“A big client?”
The Kazekage licked his lips. He had been troubled by the surplus of ores in the village. If they couldn’t be converted into funds, they would merely waste valuable storage space.
But his attention soon shifted to the serpent-shaped emblem at the bottom-right corner of the message, and his brow furrowed.
Few shinobi in the ninja world used a serpent insignia. Among those, one figure stood out—Orochimaru, a former adversary he had encountered on the battlefield.
In the past, Orochimaru had been a thorn in his side, complicating his plans.
After Orochimaru’s defection from Konoha, the Kazekage had privately reached out, attempting to recruit him into Sunagakure’s fold. But Orochimaru had declined the offer.
Now, with Orochimaru reaching out again, the Kazekage couldn’t help but wonder about his true intentions.
“What is that snake up to this time?” he muttered, suspicion flashing in his eyes.
Still, after some thought, he decided to meet Orochimaru. Shrewd and treacherous as Orochimaru was, the man had one undeniable advantage: he was wealthy.
Comments
Sabo
Are you going to upload kazekage today?
