"Sasori of the Red Sands."
Yuhi Shinku spoke each word slowly, every syllable heavy. "That spy specifically warned me to be careful of him, especially his puppet techniques. They're extremely powerful and unpredictable."
"Sasori of the Red Sands?"
Kawaki Aoba's brow furrowed even deeper. A trace of doubt, along with a nearly imperceptible curiosity, flashed through his blue-gray eyes. "I think I've heard that name before. He's Sunagakure's genius puppeteer, right? They say his puppet techniques have reached the pinnacle—even allowing him to create puppets identical to real people, and control them to use ninjutsu. Is that true?"
"That's right."
Yuhi Shinku nodded, a note of wariness in his voice. "Sasori of the Red Sands' puppet techniques truly live up to their reputation. He first made a name for himself in the Shinobi World with his formidable puppetry when he was young, then disappeared for a time. I never expected him to reappear now—and to be behind this conspiracy against Konoha.
"When that spy mentioned him, he became extremely agitated. He was clearly terrified of Sasori's puppet techniques. That alone shows that this man's strength cannot be underestimated."
Kawaki Aoba fell silent for a moment, lightly tapping the short blade at his waist with his fingertips as though deep in thought. After a while, he raised his head and looked at Yuhi Shinku, his tone firm. "No matter how strong he is, we can't back down.
"Teacher Shinku, what should we do next? Return to Konoha immediately and report this intelligence to Lady Tsunade and the Third Hokage?"
"Yes, that's necessary."
Yuhi Shinku nodded, his expression solemn. "This intelligence is extremely urgent. There can be no delay. We must return to Konoha at once and report everything, so the village can prepare in advance and guard against a surprise attack