After summoning the Kazekage Puppet, Sasori utilized Magnet Release to manipulate the iron sand buried within the earth.
The iron sand quickly infiltrated Shukaku's body, rendering the previously nimble beast sluggish. Even basic movements became a struggle.
"You've mastered Magnet Release too?!"
Shukaku's expression darkened upon sensing the change in his body.
As a tailed beast nearly invincible in the desert, there were few things Shukaku feared. Chief among them were the sealing techniques of the Temple of Wind and the Magnet Release wielded by successive Kazekages.
The former could seal him away unconditionally, while the latter made him unbearably heavy and ultimately led to his capture.
Thus, Shukaku was in a foul mood when he recognized Magnet Release.
After finally gaining a chance to escape, he had barely begun to savor his freedom in the desert when he encountered a Magnet Release user determined to seal him away again.
But Shukaku wasn't the only one wearing a grim expression; the Sand Ninja were equally troubled.
When Sasori revealed the Kazekage Puppet, the ninjas quickly recognized its origin.
This was no ordinary puppet but a rare Human Puppet, capable of performing ninjutsu because it was crafted from a real body.
In the entire ninja world, there were very few Magnet Release users, and even fewer who had left behind usable remains.
The last known ninja to disappear with Magnet Release was none other than the Third Kazekage. Coupled with the familiar puppet-making techniques on display, they soon connected the dots to Sasori, the once-brilliant puppet master.
The Sand Ninja felt grateful that Sasori had stepped forward to protect the village in its moment of crisis.
But why had Sasori, missing for so many years, suddenly returned to the village—and with the Third Kazekage's Human Puppet? Could it be confirmed now that Sasori was behind the Third Kazekage's disappearance?
Sasori noticed the cold stares directed at him but paid them no mind. His focus was entirely on manipulating the Kazekage Puppet to seal Shukaku's chakra back into Gaara. Before long, Shukaku's enormous form gradually shrank until it finally disappeared into Gaara's body.
Sasori lifted the unconscious Gaara and looked at the Sand Ninja blocking his path before saying coldly, "Why are you standing in my way? If you want to attack me, go ahead. But anyone who dares to strike me will be treated as an enemy, and I won't show mercy to enemies."
The Sand Ninja didn't move aside. Maki, the leading jonin, directly confronted him,
"Sasori, we're grateful you subdued the rampaging Shukaku, but don't you think you owe us an explanation for this Magnet Release puppet?"
Sasori furrowed his brows and replied, "What's there to explain? This is a Human Puppet—something you consider taboo—and it's crafted from the body of the Third Kazekage."
"The Third Kazekage!"
Maki's suspicions were confirmed. He glared at Sasori in anger. "So it really was you! How did you kill the Third Kazekage back then? Do you realize your actions caused immense suffering for the entire village?"
Sasori glanced at Maki and then began walking toward the other side of the crowd.
He had no interest in explaining himself to these Sand Ninjas. Those who didn't attack him would be ignored; those who did would be dealt with mercilessly.
His silence made the Sand Ninja's expressions even more tense, their gazes filled with murderous intent as they watched his retreating figure.
But Sasori's earlier display of strength, subduing a rampaging tailed beast, made them hesitate. If he could handle Shukaku, dealing with them would be child's play.
Even Maki hesitated. Though he was a loyal confidant of the Fourth Kazekage and knew stopping Sasori would earn him praise, he wasn't willing to throw his life away.
Just as Sasori was about to leave, a group of people appeared to block his path.
If it had been anyone else, Sasori might have ignored them or attacked outright. But this time, the person standing before him was none other than Chiyo, the elder of Sunagakure.
Chiyo was the village's most skilled puppet master and Sasori's grandmother.
Ten minutes earlier, Sunagakure's Anbu had realized Shukaku was rampaging and sought the Fourth Kazekage's help, only to find he wasn't in his office.
Left with no choice, they turned to Chiyo, who was living in retirement outside the village.
Upon hearing about Shukaku's rampage, Chiyo immediately donned her ninja gear and rushed to the village. She arrived to find the battle already over, with Shukaku resealed.
Initially, she assumed it was Rasa who had sealed Shukaku.
After all, Rasa was the only ninja in the village capable of suppressing and sealing Shukaku. However, upon reaching the scene, she discovered the one responsible was an unfamiliar puppet master wielding a Magnet Release puppet.
More importantly, this puppet was a Human Puppet.
Chiyo quickly deduced that the puppet's material was none other than the long-missing Third Kazekage.
These suspicions had lingered in her mind ever since the simultaneous disappearance of Sasori and the Third Kazekage.
She had refused to believe her once-sweet grandson would kill the Third Kazekage, especially given his abilities at the time. But the reality was often cruel. Her grandson had killed the Third Kazekage and now stood before them with the puppet as proof.
The two locked eyes before Sasori stopped in his tracks and, feigning indifference, said, "Elder Chiyo, are you here to stop me too?"
Chiyo chuckled coldly and replied, "Elder Chiyo? Sasori, has ten years been enough for you to forget the manners I taught you?"
Unfazed, Sasori responded, "Old hag, even after all this time, you're still meddling in my affairs. Do you think you're any different from those fools who want to fight me?"
"I'm not going to fight you," Chiyo said, glancing at the unconscious Gaara in Sasori's arms. "But why are you holding Sunagakure's Jinchūriki hostage?"
"Hostage?" Sasori scoffed, tossing Gaara to Chiyo. "I was protecting him. If it weren't for me, the Jinchūriki would already be dead."
"Protecting him?" Chiyo raised a brow. "Since when does the Jinchūriki need your protection? Sunagakure can safeguard its own Jinchūriki. By the way, you're not leaving yet—I have many questions for you."
"Still as nagging as ever, old hag," Sasori muttered, though he paused. Pointing to a nearby direction, he added, "If you doubt me, ask a ninja named Yashamaru. He just attempted to assassinate the Jinchūriki under orders from the Kazekage."