All of This Was Just a Conspiracy

"Pfft!"

Just as both sides were at each other's throats and ready to fight, a carrier pigeon suddenly landed on Sasori of the Red Sand, making everyone's expressions tighten slightly.

"What a bother. I was going to have some fun with you, but unfortunately, I don't have the time. I'm in a hurry."

Sasori snorted and glanced at the group of Konoha ninja, the killing intent in his eyes instantly receding.

He had more important matters to deal with. He didn't like waiting for others, nor did he like being kept waiting. It only made him more agitated.

He hated that feeling.

"Don't tell me he's planning to come back for another strike?"

The Sharingan in Itachi's eyes was already slowly spinning in silence. By now, he could manipulate his surroundings through such special methods.

Every grain of sand carried by the wind, every scale and feather drifting through the air, moved through his vision frame by frame at an incredibly slow pace, just like a PowerPoint presentation.

"Of course not. If you're interested, we can meet again. But next time, you won't be so lucky."

A mysterious smile curled across Sasori's lips. He couldn't be bothered to keep tangling with this group of unknown people. Pulling out a scroll, he shouted sharply. Amid a puff of smoke, a massive mechanical wooden bird puppet slowly flapped its wings.

Unfortunately, it couldn't withstand the wind and sand, or it would've reached the scene much faster.

Thinking of that, Sasori's face showed no small amount of regret. After all, this was his art. It was hard for him to tolerate his art being anything less than perfect.

"Who was that?"

Izumi asked from the side, still shaken. As she watched that figure fly away and disappear beyond the horizon, she truly felt small for a moment—like a creature trapped in the wind and sand, unable to find room to survive, struggling helplessly yet ultimately unable to escape the suffocating fate of being swallowed by quicksand.

"A genius from the Sand Village, a grandmaster in the world of puppetry. He has another name—Sasori of the Red Sand."

Itachi's assessment was fair. Thankfully, that guy hadn't modified his body yet. Otherwise, he really would've been difficult to deal with.

After briefly packing their things, they set off at once. Yet after only one battle on the road, everyone had already felt the difficulty of an A-rank mission. This definitely wasn't something they could complete through stubbornness or slacking off. One careless mistake, and they could die amid the endless yellow sands, becoming dry bones in some forgotten grave.

None of them wanted to die. This vast and wonderful world was still waiting for them to enjoy it.

"Are there many strong people in the Sand Village? Or rather, many experts like him?"

The younger members beside them kept asking questions.

However, the Land of Wind's daimyo had continually reduced the number of ninja and the village's funding, forcing the Hidden Sand Village's military strength to decline. Rasa used Magnet Release to gather gold dust, bringing stability to the village. That gold dust became the village's funds and was also the capital that allowed the Hidden Sand Village to trade with other nations.

As for anything they could truly boast about, it was their Puppet Technique, which allowed that desolate place to defeat stronger enemies with fewer numbers.

But every victory came at a terrible cost.

The mysterious disappearance of their Third Kazekage had become an inescapable pain in their hearts.

They were, in essence, entering a battered nation to marry a woman, using her as the key to an alliance with the Land of Fire and to deter other forces both within and beyond the country.

"I'm afraid this won't go smoothly. This woman belongs to a prominent local clan. Logically speaking, she shouldn't be qualified to directly present herself as a tribute bride to our daimyo. There might be a conspiracy behind this."

Itachi spoke with concern. Even if there wasn't, the handover involved in this mission probably wouldn't be simple.

After all, they were on someone else's turf and had to live at their mercy. They might not even know if the woman was swapped out. If the other side was dissatisfied, they might even provoke their daimyo's anger and have punishment brought down on them.

To a certain extent, this mission was a trap.

However, Itachi naturally had his own plans for coming here.

"We're here."

The Konoha ninja, racing forward with their hands held behind their backs, saw a massive stone wall appear ahead of them. It blocked the wind and sand trying to enter the village. Hawks swooped down from the sky; they were likely scouting sentries from a raiding unit. Perhaps they had discovered the group, for they screeched as they skimmed past at low altitude.

Every house was built from piled sand and stone. The air was so dry it made people want to tear off a layer of their skin. Who would've thought that one of the Five Great Nations' great ninja villages stood in such a harsh place?

Any village that had stood for years without falling had the means to survive. Even if it had declined, it was probably not something Itachi's group could provoke.

"Who are you? Konoha ninja? This isn't a place you're allowed to enter."

Several ninja wrapped tightly in layers of cloth appeared before Itachi's group and blocked their path. Their fierce, sharp gazes warily watched their movements and ninja tools.

Their clothing made them look just like desert nomads or Arabs.

Even their hair was tightly wrapped in gray cloth. Their faces were covered completely as well, making it almost impossible to distinguish men from women except by their builds.

"We were hired by your designated escorts, so we came here. If I remember correctly, the agreement between us permits small groups of ninja to enter each other's territories."

Itachi tried to negotiate. According to the mission, they were supposed to meet a contact, yet as they walked through the desolate streets, they found no unusual signs.

Everyone around them walked with their heads lowered, coming and going in a hurry. Merchant caravans were restricted to specific areas to sell their goods, and even they were only allowed into certain public zones.

Something was off about the atmosphere.

It was as though they were afraid of something.

"Sand Blacksmith Shop."

Itachi's group stopped in front of a storefront. By all rights, this should've been the place. The local Takita clan had hired them and brought them here.

Rows upon rows of blades and ninja tools hung from either side like salted fish. Yet despite being the largest blacksmith shop, it was practically deserted. Had their reputation really fallen so far?

As ninja, they possessed many ways to make money—refining gold dust and extracting iron ore. Only then could they survive in this barren desert where nothing grew.

"Hello, is Takita Kaito here? We have some business with him."

As the envoy, Hinata Bai called directly to the shop assistant. But several burly men carrying steel blades immediately stood up and began closing in on them.

They didn't come with good intentions!

"Big brothers, you've misunderstood. We're not here to cause trouble. We only came to ask—"

Hinata Bai swallowed hard and hurriedly explained. The sharp blades gleamed with a snowy white light. One moment of carelessness, and blood would be spilled.

He didn't want to be honorably wounded here. Besides, Lord Itachi had already made it clear that they couldn't draw the local authorities into this. Otherwise, things would become extremely troublesome.

Even if they, as Konoha ninja, possessed extraterritorial immunity, they would still end up covered in trouble.