"So, Sasori of the Red Sand just... walked away?"
Yuhi Kurenai asked, her expression clearly screaming, 'I'll believe you when pigs fly.'
"Of course he did. Otherwise, I wouldn't be standing here in one piece," Ui replied matter-of-factly. "I purposefully lead him toward the Konoha front lines. If Sasori didn't want to be surrounded and crushed by Leaf reinforcements, leaving was his only logical move."
The three teammates exchanged looks of pure disbelief. This was Sasori of the Red Sand they were talking about, not some random Chunin from a minor village.
While Ui was gone, Asuma had given the other two a crash course on Sasori's history and threat level. Now that they knew exactly who he was, they found it impossible to believe that an S-rank missing-nin would give up a pursuit so easily.
"I kept him busy while retreating toward the Konoha-Iwa front. Once he crossed into the Land of Fire and realized where I was heading, he chose to withdraw to avoid a pincer movement."
That was Ui's entire summary of the harrowing battle. Simple, direct, and completely "unscientific." To them, Sasori wasn't the type to fear being surrounded; he was the type to be the surrounding force.
A more realistic version in their minds went like this: "I tried to keep him busy while retreating, and then I died."
It wasn't that they wanted Ui to fail; it was just that, based on the power gap, that was the only logical outcome. The fact that Ui returned without a scratch was practically a fairy tale.
But Ui's explanation stopped there. He didn't intend to share the details—especially not the part about using his "esper" abilities, which he had previously claimed were "sealed." Nor did he mention the stolen iron sand yet.
The Long Way Home
The team set off for the command center. Since Yamashiro Aoba was helping the injured Asuma, their pace was sluggish.
Ui decided against using a summoning beast for transport. Unless it's an absolute emergency, it's better to save the chakra and stay low-profile. Flashy ninjas tend to get ambushed, and Ui needed to conserve his energy in case Sasori changed his mind.
Instead of the fastest route, which hugged the border and was crawling with Rain and Grass ninja, Ui chose a "V-shaped" path: heading deep into the Land of Fire's secure territory before cutting back toward the command center. Safety was the priority, especially with a wounded teammate.
Besides, while the intel was "Major," it wasn't necessarily "Time-Critical." Sasori had retreated into the Land of Rain, a chaotic mess perfect for a rogue ninja to hide in. He posed no immediate threat to Konoha's interior.
It took over a day of cautious travel to reach the Konoha Command Center on the Iwa front. Once there, the team split three ways.
Kurenai and Asuma went straight to the medical camp. Asuma needed professional treatment to undo the damage of a certain "friendly kick."
Aoba went to file the standard mission completion report.
Ui went straight for the big boss: Jiraiya.
The Meeting with the Sage
Ui "swiped his face" (used his reputation) to get past the guards. He specified he had top-secret intelligence to report, so when he entered the office, Jiraiya was alone.
The Toad Sage sat behind a desk, looking up as Ui entered. He immediately blinked, staring at Ui's new accessory.
What is this kid doing? Why is he cosplaying as a Gourd Brother?
But Jiraiya didn't dwell on it. He knew Ui wasn't the type to joke about "Top Secret" labels, even if he was young.
"Ui, I recall your team was sent to infiltrate the Land of Rain. Any news on Hanzo's movements?" Jiraiya asked, his voice grave. If Hanzo was mobilizing, the war was about to get a lot uglier.
Ui shook his head. "It's not about the Rain. Our scouts confirmed their numbers are down, and Aoba is reporting those details to the intel division. But what I found is far more significant."
"What did you find?"
"First, during our retreat, we encountered Pakura of the Scorch Style from Suna," Ui began. "After a brief skirmish, we managed to escape. We didn't know her goal then, but we found out soon after."
Ui paused for breath. "On the border, we ran into her target: the S-rank missing-nin, Sasori of the Red Sand."
"Sasori? Are you certain?" Jiraiya's expression shifted instantly. A rogue S-rank on the border was a massive variable.
But the real bombshell was still coming.
"It was definitely him. He attacked us immediately. Given the threat, I ordered the rest of my team to evacuate while I stayed behind to stall him."
Jiraiya looked at him with a mix of respect and concern. To face a man like Sasori alone just to save your friends... it was either incredibly brave or incredibly reckless.
"The following is based on my direct encounter," Ui continued, noting that this part was his testimony alone. "During the fight, Sasori summoned a very specific human puppet."
"Specific how?" Jiraiya leaned in.
"It was a puppet made from the corpse of the Third Kazekage. Based on Sasori's comments, he murdered the Kazekage himself just before defecting from Suna."
Jiraiya stood up so fast his chair nearly tipped over. The strongest Kazekage in history, dead at the hands of Sasori?
This wasn't just major intel. This was a tectonic shift in the balance of the ninja world.
"After the exchange," Ui finished, "he retreated into the Land of Rain once I lead him into Fire Country territory. It's highly likely he's using the chaos there as a permanent hideout."