Chiyo felt a flicker of panic when Shindai asked her whether she really didn't want to know the truth about the Third Kazekage's disappearance.
Chiyo feared the truth might be exactly what she had dreaded most.
Thus, Chiyo flatly denied it, "You couldn't possibly know! You weren't even in Sunagakure at that time!"
Shindai grinned darkly, "Hmm? Are you scared? Don't think I could know? But why couldn't I know? The Third Kazekage is already dead, but Sasori isn't. Since he survived, do I necessarily need to have been in Sunagakure to learn the truth? It's not hard to ask someone who knows."
Chiyo couldn't believe it, "You...you've met Sasori?"
Shindai smiled brightly, "Of course! I've met him, and we actually get along quite well. After all, both of us are one-of-a-kind puppet masters—we truly understand each other. He told me everything. Want to know why he killed Uncle Kaito and left Sunagakure?"
Chiyo stared at Shindai expressionlessly, though the slight trembling of her fingers revealed her inner turmoil.
Kakashi, Obito, and Rin Nohara could sense from Shindai's tone that he was about to start spouting nonsense. After all, hadn't he spoken so bitterly about Sasori before? How could they possibly be close?
Shindai continued sinisterly, "Because...Sasori believed his parents' deaths were caused by Uncle Kaito, you, Ebizō, and the rest of the higher-ups. He thought that during the Second Great Ninja War, if not for your leadership mistakes, Konoha would never have managed to attack the village.
He resented all of you, but he knew alone he wasn't strong enough to take revenge on everyone, so he started researching Forbidden Human Puppets to gain immense power and strike back at you.
Therefore, he needed a powerful ninja with a kekkei genkai and turned him into a Human Puppet to boost his strength.
That's why he targeted Uncle Kaito—because thanks to his Magnet Release kekkei genkai, Uncle Kaito earned the title of 'Strongest Kazekage Ever.' Turning him into a Human Puppet gave Sasori the biggest power boost.
So he deceived Uncle Kaito, just like this..."
Shindai lifted his finger slightly, and two figures emerged from behind the tree.
One was Sasori, and the other was the Third Kazekage.
Chiyo stared blankly at them.
In reality, these Sasori and Third Kazekage were clones created using Iron Sand Body combined with Transformation Jutsu.
As expected, 'Sasori' assassinated the 'Third Kazekage', piercing through his chest from behind.
Naturally, since Shindai hadn't witnessed it himself, this was purely an imaginative reconstruction.
Seeing the 'Sasori' impale the 'Third Kazekage,' Chiyo froze completely.
Shindai started making Chiyo lose her composure: "Just like this, Sasori assassinated the Third Kazekage! Tsk tsk, I bet Uncle Kaito died feeling utterly helpless, didn't he?"
Sasori is your grandson, the one Kaito trusted most. Because of that bond, Kaito placed his trust in Sasori too — and Sasori still killed him...
Lady Chiyo~ If Sasori weren't your grandson, perhaps Uncle Kaito would've kept his guard up, maybe he wouldn't have died. Tell me, isn't his death — the death not only of Uncle Kaito but also of the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure — partly your fault?
You failed to guide your own descendants and protect your grandson. Your grandson not only developed forbidden, inhumane human puppets, but also murdered the Kazekage of Sunagakure. And here you are living comfortably... doesn't that feel wrong?
If I were you and still had any sense of honor left, I'd commit seppuku without hesitation, dying by seppuku to atone for my sins. I wouldn't cling stubbornly to life like this.
Lady Chiyo, will you go ahead and perform seppuku? I can even act as your kaishakunin if you'd like. If you can't bring yourself to do it, I'm happy to help. I'm really considerate — I promise you won't feel a bit of pain, and you'll pass away peacefully~"
Chiyo wasn't just twitching anymore — her whole body trembled violently.
Obito turned to Kakashi and Rin in shock: "She's not really going to slice open her stomach, right? Look how much she's shaking."
Rin frowned: "No way, right? That's too extreme. Being scolded a little shouldn't lead someone to kill themselves."
Kakashi looked awkward: "If Shindai really manages to talk this old woman into committing seppuku, Shindai will brag about it forever. He'll probably never stop reminding us for a whole year."
Of course Chiyo wasn't fragile enough to actually do that.
Chiyo's trembling had already stopped. Chakra threads were now attached to the puppet.
"All of this is just your words alone. There's no way I'd believe a traitor like you!"
Shindai laughed loudly while covering his forehead: "Chiyo, Chiyo... Whether what I said is true or not, everyone here already senses the truth in their hearts. As a high-ranking official of Sunagakure, you covered up for your own grandson while harming loyal ninjas who devoted their lives to the village. When Sasori seeks revenge against Sunagakure, I'll reveal everything!
I'll make every single person from Sunagakure curse your name — yours, Ebizō's, Rasa's — each and every one of you! Everyone will spit at the mention of your name, calling you traitors to Sunagakure! Because it's people like you who're truly to blame for the Third Kazekage's death!
You probably don't care anyway — after all, your face is thicker than a city wall."
Just as Shindai finished speaking, Chiyo suddenly leaped backward swiftly.
In that exact moment Chiyo retreated, the puppet attached with chakra threads exploded into pieces. A large number of extremely fast, powerful iron sand projectiles shot out in all directions.
Since the iron sand projectiles were so densely packed and moving at such incredible speeds, and there were no good cover nearby for Chiyo to hide behind quickly, she could only use Puppet Techniques to defend herself.
[Puppet Technique: Mechanical Light Shield Seal!]
Because Chiyo's hands had been injured during previous battles, they had been modified into puppet hands, allowing her to use the Puppet Technique.
Chiyo used the Puppet as a medium to channel her chakra, transforming it into a defensive shield that blocked the Iron Sand Bullet.
The reason Chiyo's Puppet suddenly shattered and emitted Iron Sand Body was because Shindai, while speaking with Chiyo earlier, secretly manipulated the Iron Sand from underground and quietly adhered it onto Chiyo's Puppet. Then through tiny gaps, he filled up the inside of the Puppet.
Chiyo had been shocked by what Shindai said and completely failed to notice the Iron Sand entering her Puppet. She only realized something was wrong when she tried to control the Puppet but couldn't, immediately prompting her to retreat.
Shindai unfolded a Scroll and summoned Kannazuki.
Shindai manipulated Kannazuki to charge toward Chiyo.
[Iron Sand Drizzle!]
Missing part of its body, Kannazuki scattered into countless fine Iron Sand needles that shot rapidly toward Chiyo.
Since Kannazuki's entire form was constructed from Iron Sand granted magnetic stability by Shindai's Magnet Release, he could directly utilize it to execute some simple Magnet Release Ninjutsu techniques.
Chiyo continued using Machine Light Shield Seal to defend against these Iron Sand needles.
Meanwhile, Kannazuki had already circled behind Chiyo and formed a blade out of Iron Sand Body to slash at her.
Maintaining the Machine Light Shield Seal, Chiyo rolled away from Kannazuki's attack and increased the distance between them.
Chiyo stared seriously at Shindai: "The Third said your talent in Ninjutsu was terrible and that your puppeteering skills were also poor. But right now, that doesn't seem to be the case at all. With strength like this, how could the Third bear to send you on an undercover mission to Konoha?"
"Heh, why don't you go ask Uncle Kaito yourself when you reach the afterlife?"
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