Ignoring the potential injuries of his teammates and the agonized roars of the Multi-Headed Hound, Ui kept his gaze locked on the figure emerging from the shadows.
It wasn't a hallucination. He knew exactly who this was.
Everything clicked. Why had Suna sent an elite like Pakura, a master of mass destruction, to infiltrate the Land of Rain during a world war? The reason was to hunt down a rogue ninja. Some time ago, a certain genius had deserted Sunagakure for no apparent reason, leaving the village leadership in a state of confusion and fury.
When Suna received intel that this deserter was active in the Land of Rain, they sent their "Hero." But could Pakura really handle a mission like this? Ui deeply doubted it. Hero? Bloodline Limit? Scorch Release? She was an elite Jonin, yes, but she wasn't Kage-level.
The man she was hunting was on a completely different level. His name was just one word, but the world knew him as "Sasori of the Red Sand."
Honestly, the Fourth Kazekage must have really disliked Pakura to send her on this mission, Ui thought. To use Scorch Release against a master puppeteer? It was a suicide mission.
While the world didn't yet know that Sasori had assassinated the Third Kazekage—the "Strongest Kazekage in History"—at age fifteen, Ui knew. He also knew that while Pakura's name was currently making waves in the war, Sasori was a legend in the making.
If Sasori had shown his true face, Ui might not have recognized him instantly. But this hunched, reptilian creature with the massive, segmented tail was unmistakable.
Hiruko. Sasori's favorite exoskeleton puppet.
At this point, Hiruko wasn't wearing the iconic Akatsuki red-cloud cloak, but rather a tattered, nondescript mantle. Despite the ragged appearance, Ui dared not blink. This was a man who had turned the strongest ninja of his village into a human puppet.
Sasori was strong. Terrifyingly strong. Even though he wasn't much older than Ui in years, he was a genuine Kage-level threat.
Ui didn't bother wondering why Sasori had attacked. Maybe the guy just felt like killing some travelers for parts. You don't ask for logic from a sociopathic artist.
The fact that Ui hadn't detected him earlier was normal. Ui's specific detection method had its limits, and Hiruko was a literal shell that dampened chakra signatures and physical presence. Even a professional sensory ninja would struggle to spot a Sasori-level expert lying in wait.
Hiruko moved slowly, step by step, stopping exactly ten meters in front of Ui.
"Let's negotiate," Ui said, staring into the puppet's artificial eyes. "The road is wide enough for all of us. You go your way, we go ours. No interference. How about it?"
Sasori didn't speak. Instead, a harsh, grating, mechanical laughter erupted from Hiruko's throat. The segmented tail tightened around the Multi-Headed Hound's neck, causing the beast to thrash in pain. It seemed his suggestion was not being considered.
"Your eyes tell me... you seem to know who I am?" Hiruko tilted its head, that raspy voice finally speaking. If it were Sasori in his true form, the gesture might have been almost cute. In Hiruko, it was just grotesque.
Kurenai supported the limping Asuma, moving to Ui's side. Aoba stood behind, ready to provide cover.
"Should we take him together?" Asuma asked, his fighting spirit still burning despite his broken ribs.
Aoba started to move forward as well, but Ui raised his right hand, signaling them to stop.
"I'll hold him back. You guys leave immediately. We'll regroup at Base B."
"Hold him back? By yourself?" Kurenai asked, her voice trembling slightly. "That ninja... he feels incredibly strong."
"He is," Ui said bluntly. "And he's right—I do know who he is. If I'm not mistaken, he is Sasori of the Red Sand."
Asuma froze. Among the four of them, he was the only one besides Ui who truly understood the weight of that name.
"The... that Sasori of the Red Sand?"
"Is there another one?" Ui reached into his vest and pulled out the intel map. With a flick of his wrist, the folded paper sailed through the air like a shuriken, landing perfectly in Aoba's hand. "Your mission is to get this intel back to Konoha. That is the priority."
Ui's tone left no room for argument. Asuma understood: in this situation, "teamwork" meant letting the fastest person buy time while the others secured the mission's objective. Information was more valuable than their lives.
Ui wove a single hand sign. Shadow Clone Jutsu.
The clone moved to the rear to guard the team's retreat, while the original Ui stepped forward, lightning beginning to crackle around his body.
"Alright, Shota-kun," Ui said, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Let's see if I can drag your real body out of that shell."