"Lightning Release-Chidori Stream!"
Just as the enormous white clay puppet was about to explode, a cool, indifferent voice rang out nearby.
At the same time, a streak of white light suddenly appeared in the sky and slashed straight through the white puppet with a crackling hiss.
Blue-white lightning swiftly rippled over the white puppet as the light struck it, and it fell to the ground in two halves like a dud.
Pakura's attention was drawn to the voice. She saw a young man dressed in a kimono, wearing a forehead protector and holding a longsword. He looked very familiar.
Clang!
With a clear ring, the young man slid his longsword back into its sheath. Noticing Pakura's gaze, he frowned slightly but still bowed to her.
"Sasuke Uchiha greets you, Lady Pakura. Good day to you, Master's wife."
Hearing how the young man addressed her, Pakura finally realized that he was Shin's disciple, Sasuke Uchiha.
The last time Pakura had seen Sasuke Uchiha had been during the Konoha Crush.
After Sasuke had been sent back to the Uchiha Clan's Uchiha District and she had become Sunagakure's Kazekage, they had never met again, which was why she had not recognized him immediately.
Pakura paused briefly at Sasuke's words, then nodded and asked:
"Sasuke, what are you doing here? Did your teacher send you?"
Sasuke's expression did not change at all. He looked up at the white giant bird still circling overhead and answered as calmly as ever:
"Lady Pakura, I was traveling in the area when I received a message from my teacher. He said some members of the Akatsuki intended to harm Sunagakure, so he sent me here.
"The man up there is Deidara, a member of the Akatsuki and a missing-nin from Iwagakure. He specializes in explosive clay and is