If encountering the Third Kazekage had been intentional, and meeting Ebizō had been unexpected yet still within reason, then facing the masked man in front of him made Sasori realize, for the first time that night, that events were slipping beyond his control.
A sharp irritation rose within him, laced with killing intent.
Sasori was not a man prone to impatience. He could wait years for a single goal if necessary. But that patience was reserved for opponents he could not yet overcome, not for some unknown figure who appeared out of nowhere at the worst possible moment.
More importantly, his injuries were not minor. His chest ached with every breath, and he needed immediate recovery. He had no time to waste exchanging words about ideals or the future of the ninja world.
"Sasori of the Red Sand, your strength is not bad. Join me."
The masked man spoke again, his voice low and carrying an undeniable arrogance.
Hayashi stood beneath the broken sky, his black cloak torn by the wind. His response came in the form of hidden weapons fired from within the sleeve of his robe.
Hayashi did not move.
As the senbon closed in on his head, he simply raised his right hand. The needles froze midair, suspended as though caught in invisible strings.
Sasori's eyes narrowed slightly.
To halt projectiles like that could be Magnet Release, like the Third Kazekage, or perhaps Earth Release from the Third Tsuchikage.
But the sensation felt closer to Magnet Release.
The problem was that Sasori's senbon were not ordinary weapons. They were specially engineered to counter the Third Kazekage. Their materials were designed to resist magnetic manipulation.
A technique beyond known abilities in the ninja world?
A faint glint appeared in Sasori's eyes, replacing caution with interest.
"A useful body," he muttered. "If turned into a puppet, it would not lose to the Third Kazekage."
He looked at Hayashi like a craftsman inspecting rare material.
Hayashi gave a soft laugh. "Relax. I am not going to poison you. Your poison may have worked on the Third Kazekage, but it is useless against me."
Only one eye was visible beneath the mask. Yet even that was enough to project overwhelming confidence.
A faint, chilling laugh followed, carried by the stormy air. It was unsettling enough to make the surroundings feel heavier.
Sasori remained expressionless.
Hayashi's intention was simple. If he was going to move under the identity of Madara, everything had to be controlled. The presence had to be overwhelming, the techniques incomprehensible, and every word had to carry weight.
Sasori tilted his head slightly. "You seem to know quite a lot about me."
"Not particularly," Hayashi replied calmly. "I have seen many battles in my life. There is little I have not witnessed. Even the First Kazekage of your village would not dare act carelessly in my presence."
Sasori's eyes sharpened.
"You talk too much."
A faint smile formed under the mask.
"Do I?"
Sasori continued, almost amused, "Let me guess. Next you will say you have fought the First Kazekage before."
Hayashi froze for a fraction of a second.
That was exactly what he had been about to say.
A pause lingered in the air.
Sasori's tone grew sharper. "People like you are predictable. I have heard similar lines before. Konoha's so called Lightning Flash once said he had fought legends of every village. It is not impressive anymore."
Hayashi said nothing.
Inside, he felt a rare sense of frustration. His carefully prepared atmosphere had been interrupted at every turn.
Sasori studied him. "So what are you really?"
"Forget that," Hayashi replied smoothly, recovering his tone. "I am recruiting. My organization is in need of capable individuals like you."
"I am not interested," Sasori answered immediately.
His injuries, the unknown ability of the masked man, and the lack of a clear opening made continuing the fight inefficient. Retreat and recovery were more important.
Hayashi continued anyway. "Do not reject it so quickly. You were able to kill the Third Kazekage, whether through poison or another method, it proves your value. I need people like you."
Sasori's gaze sharpened. "How do you know I killed him?"
The air shifted slightly.
So this was not coincidence.
Hayashi chuckled. "My intelligence network is better than you think. I know not only that you did it, but also how long you prepared the poison."
Sasori's silence deepened.
He began reassessing the situation. This man was not random.
"I see," Sasori said quietly. "You are more capable than you look."
For a brief moment, he considered whether this man could be useful for gathering information.
Hayashi lifted his hand slightly. "Sasori, I came only to deliver a message. You are not ready yet. When your injuries heal and your body is fully perfected, I will return. Do not disappoint me by refusing again. No one refuses me twice."
Without waiting for a response, his body slowly lifted into the air.
"Also," he added, "leave the Land of Rain. It will not remain peaceful for long."
Sasori did not respond.
He only let out a quiet snort.
---
In a dim cave far from the battlefield, White Zetsu sat near a faint fire.
"You are just letting him go like that?"
Hayashi, still wearing the mask, sat nearby and stirred the burning wood.
"What else should I do?" he replied calmly. "We need people, not unnecessary enemies."
He did not expect Sasori to agree immediately. People like him never did. Not even Nagato had accepted at first.
But that did not matter.
Everything would fall into place eventually.
The fire crackled softly.
After a moment of silence, Hayashi spoke again.
"Inform Danzo about Nagato's Rinnegan."
His plan had originally been to pressure Hanzō into acting against Akatsuki, forcing conflict from the shadows.
But things had changed.
After his confrontation with Hayashi, Hanzō had been broken, more concerned with survival than power. A man like that would not move against Akatsuki.
So a new catalyst was needed.
Danzo was ideal.
A man like him would not hesitate.
And if handled correctly, Konoha itself would begin to turn its attention toward Akatsuki.
White Zetsu tilted its head slightly. "You are accelerating things."
Hayashi stood up and extinguished the fire with a single motion.
"Yes," he said quietly. "I do not have patience for delays anymore."
The mask turned toward the darkness outside the cave.
"Let's go. The next target should be at the underground exchange."