The lightning at Kakashi's fingertips had vanished completely at some point. As he looked at Pakura, a trace of pity unconsciously entered his eyes.
Yet it was precisely that pity that stabbed Pakura to the core.
"You're truly pathetic."
After saying that, Kakashi ignored Pakura below and followed the trail of iron sand on his own.
Pakura stood there in a daze for a long time, blood seeping from her tightly pressed lower lip.
Unwilling to leave without seeing Sasori, she immediately gave chase.
She still harbored fantasies.
She imagined that Sasori's appearance in these joint Chunin Exams was a scheme he had devised with the Third Kazekage, meant to destroy Konoha's future in this examination.
After all, whether it was that Uchiha or Kakashi, if either of them grew smoothly, they would become leading figures in Konoha for decades to come.
They might even become Konoha's future Hokage.
Taking precautions and striking at people like them—wasn't that understandable?!
Or perhaps Sasori's puppetry had improved again. Just like the Second Kazekage, who had created puppetry in the first place, perhaps he had carved out a new path and created puppets capable of imitating Kekkei Genkai.
Wasn't that possible too?!
It didn't necessarily mean that, as that Konoha ninja had claimed, Sasori had assassinated the Third Kazekage and intended to defect from the village!
Countless thoughts raced through her mind.
Yet Pakura's footsteps grew faster and more hurried throughout it all.
At last.
The nearly endless forest ahead was about to come to an end.
Iron sand drifting through the sky came faintly into view.
The lingering mist in the air and the repeated clashes of metal from afar grew increasingly distinct.
At that moment, Pakura stopped instead.
She stood there with her head lowered, her normally nimble legs somehow unable