"I won't do it. I'll be killed..."
Orochimaru looked down at the red-haired boy who had suddenly come to see him and refused his request in a flat voice.
The boy before him was named Sasori.
Orochimaru knew him because Sasori had begun attending their monthly family dinners.
Sasori's circumstances were unusual. He came from Sunagakure, but Yanbai had signed him to a separate one-year contract because of his talent for puppet-making.
In the Land of Fire, someone Sasori's age was a half-grown child-both an adult and a child, yet neither an adult nor a child.
At his age, Sasori was already old enough to become a guardian in the Land of Fire, as well as to live independently.
However, given Sasori's unusual circumstances and Yanbai's assessment that he posed a Kage-level threat, Yanbai had effectively become his temporary guardian and kept him close.
On the surface, Sasori was extremely well-behaved and loved his work.
Apart from his necessary Taijutsu training, Sasori had none of the recreational activities enjoyed by others his age.
One could say that if Yanbai hadn't required him to leave the Hokage Building, he wouldn't have gone outside even once a month.
He could do his Taijutsu training in the training grounds and rooms provided for staff right in the Hokage Building.
Apart from his puppets, Yanbai, and Shikaku Nara, Sasori had no contact or communication with anyone.
Apparently, Granny Chiyo had come to visit several times, but Sasori had refused to see her because he was busy working.
Even when ordering puppet materials, Sasori simply wrote down the materials and component dimensions, then handed the list to Shikaku Nara to pass on to the Engineering Department staff.
Yet today, for the first time ever, Sasori had asked Yanbai for permission to go out alone.
His