Kannazuki scattered into iron sand particles and flowed into the monstrous puppet.
Inside the monstrous puppet, Sasori instantly realized something was wrong.
Kannazuki, in his dispersed iron sand form, began to re-coalesce within the puppet.
With a wave of his hand, Shindai commanded Kannazuki through the brain-machine interface.
"Let's finish off this ugly guy all at once! [Barrage Laser Beams!]"
The entire monstrous puppet froze on the spot. Cracks appeared across its body, glowing with intense light from within.
The next second, multiple laser beams shot out from the puppet. With a loud 'boom,' the entire monstrous puppet exploded into pieces.
Shindai noticed Sasori's core flying out from the explosion.
The core immediately entered another puppet body.
A faint smirk formed on Shindou's face. "The outcome has already been decided, Sasori!"
Kannazuki extended his hand straight through Sasori's core.
Shindai walked up to where Sasori stood. "Now, I am the strongest Puppet Master. And you, Sasori, together with your so-called artistry, can just go to hell."
Sasori turned his head to look directly at Shindai. "You're indeed cautious. Even now, you still won't face me in your true form?"
Sakura stared at Shindai. "Huh?"
"Though I despise you, who knows what underhanded tricks you might have up your sleeve?"
While speaking, Shindai's body turned dark and then collapsed into a pile of iron sand.
At the cave entrance, the real Shindai emerged.
While Kannazuki was locked in battle with the Third Kazekage, Shindai had already used the Iron Sand Body Clone technique and hidden his true form nearby.
Sasori's true body was vulnerable; likewise, Shindai's true form was equally susceptible to attack.
Knowing that Sasori would deliberately target him, hiding himself was undoubtedly the safest choice.
"You didn't specifically target my true form afterward, meaning you figured out from the start that it was just an iron sand clone?"
Looking down at his bleeding core, Sasori replied, "Yes. I've constantly been searching for your true form but couldn't locate it. It seems the thing you're wearing on your head completely blocks my ability to track you.
Unfortunately, I'm neither a complete human nor a full-fledged Human Puppet. I was a human transformed into a puppet—yet remained partially biological. I'm not truly alive, nor am I a complete artificial creation. This immortal body isn't limited by lifespan, and puppets can be endlessly repaired and recreated—but this biological core cannot be restored..."
Shindai snorted coldly. "From the very beginning, you've taken the wrong path. Humans control puppets—not the other way around. If you foolishly try turning yourself into a puppet, then who will command you? Puppets can be vessels for feelings, but trying to give them emotions is sheer folly!"
Sasori fixed his gaze on Shindai. "That's exactly why I loathe you. Our beliefs are completely irreconcilable. What I seek is immortality! Eternity!"
Shindai rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, sure, sure, immortal? Your core should rot away completely after you die, shouldn't it? Death could be considered a form of eternity too. Congratulations on achieving that, Sasori. Well then, let me send you off so you can achieve eternity in hell!"
Kannazuki crushed Sasori's core directly.
Thus, Akatsuki's Red-Sand Sasori and Deidara were both killed in action.
Chiyo approached a puppet fragment—one that was half of the face of Sasori's true form.
Looking at that half-face, Chiyo's eyes filled with sorrow.
Shindai said to Sakura, "Sakura, let's go. We should regroup with Naruto and the others."
"Oh, okay."
Shindai left the cave first. Sakura walked over to the grieving Chiyo and said, "Granny Chiyo, let's go."
Wordlessly, Chiyo nodded and followed Sakura away.
On a grassy field, Shindai's group reunited with Naruto and the others.
Seeing Obito, Itachi, and Shisui, Shindai expressed surprise: "Huh? How come you guys are here?"
Obito explained, "We'd just returned to Konoha when Teacher Minato found us. He sent us here to reinforce you. How did your mission go?"
"Everything went smoothly. In this world now, there's no longer anyone called Red-Sand Sasori. But hey! There's now the strongest Puppet Master in the ninja world!"
With his hands on his hips, Shindai stuck out his tongue and laughed loudly.
Obito nudged him slightly. "Okay, enough laughing. Don't you see the atmosphere isn't right?"
Shindai looked toward Naruto. The boy stared sadly at Gaara's corpse. Kneeling beside Gaara's body, Chiyo also looked deeply distressed.
Sasuke placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto, you've done all you could."
Tears spilled from Naruto's eyes as he angrily shouted at Chiyo, "If your Sand ninja had immediately pursued them when Gaara was captured, maybe Gaara wouldn't have died! You treated Gaara only as a tool—as a monster—never caring how Gaara himself felt! Is this really the fate jinchuriki deserve?
A jinchuriki is still a person! They need comrades too, need recognition from others! Gaara didn't even understand the meaning of his own life. Couldn't you have treated Gaara like one of your own comrades?"
Sasuke, Hinata, and Sakura all looked at Naruto with expressions of sadness.
They hadn't carried tailed beasts within them and couldn't truly empathize with Naruto. But since both Naruto and Gaara were jinchuriki, that's probably what made him so upset.
Shindai was going to make a couple of jokes but changed his mind.
Chiyo stared blankly at Naruto, then turned her gaze toward Gaara.
On Gaara's face, Chiyo seemed to glimpse Sasori's shadow.
A decision formed in Chiyo's heart. She placed both her hands on Gaara's body. Blue chakra flowed into Gaara.
As a Medical Ninjutsu specialist, Sakura noticed something strange about Chiyo's technique and gasped, "Granny Chiyo, this technique… is…"
Hinata activated her Byakugan and observed, "Medical Ninjutsu… no, this doesn't feel like Medical Ninjutsu at all."
Obito, Itachi, and Shisui observed Chiyo's jutsu with their Sharingan eyes.
"This technique… appears to convert one's own life force into chakra, then injects that life-infused chakra directly within Gaara's body."
Naruto didn't quite understand, but he realized there might be hope for Gaara. "If that's the case… then Gaara can be saved?"
Sakura responded solemnly, "If this really can bring back the dead, there has to be a cost. This is definitely Kinjutsu."
Shindai lit a cigarette and took a long drag before muttering, "Looks like it's trading one life for another—a soul for a soul. Still, it's worth it. An old man's life for a young one's."
Naruto stared at Chiyo in disbelief, never having expected her to sacrifice herself to save Gaara.
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