The Kazekage arrived

Born of the same root, why torment each other so relentlessly?

Why did one redhead have to make life difficult for another?

Uchiha Mai maintained that his hair was dyed dark red, so it hardly belonged in the same category as the other boy's red hair.

Jiraiya lowered his head in thought, considering whether Uchiha Mai's proposal was feasible.

Sunagakure and Konoha had fought during the Second Shinobi World War, twice in succession at that. There was old bad blood between them.

After the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha had all but recovered, thanks to its possession of the Ninja World's most fertile land, the finest geographical advantages, and a steady stream of talented shinobi.

Sunagakure, on the other hand, had exhausted its strength in the fighting and could no longer launch a war of its own.

Sunagakure's advantages were poison, the desert, and puppets. Together, those three were more than enough for defense, but advancing beyond that was difficult.

Jiraiya's party had been ambushed, so they had every right to fight back. If Sasori of the Red Sands died, his death would go unavenged.

Unless several major shinobi villages besieged Konoha again, Sunagakure would lack the strength to avenge him, even if it wanted to.

That might actually work.

Jiraiya rubbed his chin, his gaze turning decidedly unfriendly as he looked at Sasori of the Red Sands.

Doing his best not to damage Father and Mother, which meant so much to Sasori, during the battle was an act of compassion. Considering killing Sasori afterward was an act of loyalty—loyalty to Konoha.

Sasori of the Red Sands was clever. He soon understood his predicament, and the humiliation and fear within him grew ever stronger.

Death itself did not matter.

What Sasori feared was dying before he could avenge his parents.