In Sunagakure, Naruto and the others were released under Tsunade's guarantee.
Not that Sunagakure had intended to give them a hard time in the first place.
However, Naruto was summoned to an office alone.
There, he saw an old woman.
She was Granny Chiyo, Sasori of the Red Sands' only surviving relative.
"Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. That Tsunade really is bold, letting a jinchūriki out and even allowing him to visit another shinobi village."
Chiyo could not help remarking when she saw Naruto.
Naruto offered an explanation.
"Granny, first of all, I'm Naruto Uzumaki, a jonin of Konoha, not some jinchūriki. Second, our Hokage really is pretty bold."
"You're quite an interesting young man."
Chiyo smiled, then turned serious.
"Young man, are you certain the puppeteer hiding inside that puppet was this person?"
As she asked, Chiyo took out a photograph of Sasori as a child.
"Ah! That's him. He looks a little younger in the photograph than he did in person, but I'm sure it's him."
"I see. Thank you, young man."
"So, Granny, do you know him? You even have his photograph?"
At Naruto's question, Chiyo's gaze grew a little forlorn as she looked at Sasori's photograph.
"He's my grandson. His name is Sasori. He was once a genius puppeteer in our village, but certain things happened, and he eventually became a rogue ninja and left."
"Ah! He's your grandson?! But why did he become a rogue ninja?"
"Heh, heh, heh."
Chiyo could not help laughing.
"As it happens, your Konoha had a hand in making Sasori what he is today."
Naruto instinctively wanted to ask more, but quickly caught himself and clapped a hand over his mouth.
He knew that asking any further might land him in trouble.
"Lady Chiyo, all the elders of the Elder Council have