Land of Wind, Sunagakure.
An abstract-looking white bird was circling high in the sky.
On the bird's back, Deidara and Sasori, dressed in black robes with red clouds, looked down at the village below.
"Hey, Sasori-danna, this is your hometown too!" Deidara, whose blond hair covered one eye, teased his companion with a laugh.
The only response he got was a cold, "Boring."
Sasori's true body was hidden within the short puppet [Hiruko], but due to the Chakra Core Connection, this puppet could also be considered his body.
He could see the outside world through the puppet's eyes.
"So, old man, where's your spy?" Deidara knew that Sasori had planted a mole in Sunagakure to keep an eye on the village's movements.
Sasori didn't answer his noisy companion but carefully sensed the location of the target controlled by [Memory-Concealing Manipulative Sand Technique] using Chakra. Then, he pointed in another direction, and the two landed on a dirt slope outside Sunagakure.
The ninja controlled by Sasori was named Yura, a Sunagakure's Jonin. This guy usually seemed no different from an ordinary Ninja, but when Sasori activated the control technique, his self-awareness would quickly be replaced by obedience.
From his perspective, he had always been 'Sasori-sama's' subordinate, and he had just sealed away those memories voluntarily.
Sasori had also used this control technique on a guy named Kabuto, whom he had now assigned to work under Orochimaru as a mole.
Of course, at this moment, Sasori was unaware that this Kabuto, who had been Orochimaru's care, had long since broken free from the control.
"Is that so?"
From this Jonin's mouth, the Art Duo had already obtained the information they wanted.
After exchanging a glance, Deidara spoke first.
"Then leave this to me!"
"...Fine. Make it loud." After saying this, Sasori manipulated Hiruko to burrow into the sand and disappear.
Meanwhile, Deidara controlled the clay bird to take off again.
Not far ahead was the Shukaku Temple, where the One-Tail's Jinchuriki was imprisoned.
"Let's say hello first."
[C3: Number 18!]
A large clay doll dropped from mid-air, heading straight for the top of the Shukaku Temple.
"Kats!"
A large clay doll dropped from mid-air, heading straight for the top of the Shukaku Temple.
Deidara's greeting seemed completely unconcerned with the Jinchuriki's life.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
At the same time, several voices rang out.
Although this technique was just a simple C-Rank Ninjutsu that generated a gust of wind for attack, once it reached a certain scale, the effect was equally impressive.
Several whirlwinds simultaneously hit the flames, and like an expanding air film, they forcefully held back the spread of the explosion.
Although they didn't completely block the high temperatures, they successfully prevented the destruction of the buildings below.
"Wind Release: Great Sickle Weasel Technique!"
Below, at the entrance of the temple, Temari directly swung her giant fan, unleashing a Jutsu she had only recently mastered.
Countless wind blades swept toward Deidara high in the air.
At the same time, the noise from the explosion attracted the attention of Sunagakure, and more and more Ninjas began to gather.
Deidara glanced down at the densely gathering Ninjas, who looked like ants, but instead of being alarmed, he was pleased.
"This time, it's really thanks to Sasori-danna."
As he spoke, his hands reached into the attached tool pouches again.
The two mouths on his palms began continuously devouring the explosive clay.
If Naruto were here, the two might have found some common topics to discuss.
C1!
Countless clay spiders fell like rain, scattered into the crowd of Ninja below as the large bird flew.
Deidara seemed intent on just causing a disturbance, not planning to land, instead using his aerial advantage to kite the Sunagakure's Ninjas endlessly.
"Those things will all explode! Destroy them all!"
Standing among the crowd, Baki issued orders to the surrounding Sunagakure's Ninjas.
Like Temari, he had been stationed at the Shukaku Temple early on, and had witnessed everything that just happened.
Although a single Chunin or even Jonin might be easily slaughtered by a genius like Deidara, once the number of Ninja reached a certain level, it could still lead to a qualitative change.
The strength of a Great Ninja Village was not something Deidara alone could contend with.
But because the Fourth Kazekage had already died, and none of the Sunagakure's Ninjas below had the ability to fly, they could only passively defend.
Even if a few attacks were launched at Deidara, he would preemptively detonate bombs in the air to neutralize them.
"Is this the Ninja from that Akatsuki? Quite troublesome."
Baki moved to Temari's side. Both looked up at Deidara in the sky, their eyes filled with indescribable gravity.
Fortunately, the people of Konoha put aside their past grudges and had passed on the news that the Akatsuki would take action against the Tailed Beast and Jinchuriki to them in advance.
At first, Sunagakure remained skeptical.
But when they learned the source of this information was one of the legendary [Sannin], Jiraiya, and the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Naruto, who had recently demonstrated his power, the doubts quickly subsided.
The former had reputation, the latter had strength.
After Naruto and the others returned to Konoha, Jiraiya relayed all the information about the Akatsuki that he had learned from Naruto to the village.
This was done with Naruto's silent approval.
If those villages could delay the Akatsuki, it would also make it easier for his side to follow the clues.
Of course, this message was also passed on to the other Great Ninja Villages through Konoha, but whether it was the Tsuchikage, Mizukage, or Raikage, none responded as Sunagakure did.
The true source of the intelligence was Orochimaru's memories.
Although the plan was still in its preparatory stages when Orochimaru defected from the Akatsuki, the goal had been established early on.
Orochimaru didn't know the deeper reasons behind it, and of course, he didn't care either.
After all, what this researcher wanted most was to seize the power of Pain or Itachi.
"According to the intelligence, Akatsuki's members usually operate in pairs of two. It seems now the other guy has probably already gone into the village."
By this time, Gaara's figure had long disappeared from the cells of the Shukaku Temple.
This was a setup specifically designed to fish.
…
Meanwhile, inside Sunagakure.
Chiyo sat alone in front of an inconspicuous building, looking no different from an ordinary empty-nest elderly person.
Click-
That was the faint sound of mechanisms colliding.
To Chiyo, this sound was all too familiar.
"Sigh-" She stood up from her chair and looked toward the approaching Hiruko.
This old lady truly wanted to see her grandson, but she never imagined it would be today, under these circumstances, that they would reunite.
"The Jinchuriki is in the building behind you, right?"
Sasori's deliberately disguised voice emerged from Hiruko. Without waiting for Chiyo's response, his attack came first.
"Senbon Wave!"
Countless fine needles coated with potent poison shot out from Hiruko, covering the entire area ahead.
But Chiyo just stared blankly forward, as if she hadn't reacted.
Clatter, clatter, clatter!
Three puppets jumped down from upstairs, blocking in front of Chiyo.
The poison needles lodged into the ugly-looking puppet bodies.
"Hey! Granny, stop spacing out! This is a battle!"
Kankuro landed beside Chiyo, accompanied by many other Sunagakure's puppeteers.
They are the second line of defense.