The ones locked in a fierce clash with Kakashi were "Father" and "Mother." The Red Sand Scorpion's two famous puppets on the surface could not even rank among his top five in secret.
Scorpion's biological parents were both rare Elite Jonin of Sunagakure. They had originally had a chance to compete for the position of Kazekage, but during the Second Shinobi World War, they were slain by Hatake Sakumo, known as the Konoha White Fang.
When ninjas of the same level fought, Taijutsu specialists countered puppeteers. That was simply fate. Especially when the opponent was Hatake Sakumo, a swordsmanship master who could be counted among the greatest in Konoha's history.
After losing her beloved son, Scorpion's grandmother, Grandmother Chiyo, hated Konoha to the point of madness, wishing she could feast on the White Fang's flesh. She even came to hate the Third Kazekage.
It was impossible to know whether that hatred had been passed on to Scorpion.
It certainly did not look that way. He beat Kakashi without the slightest trace of fury, standing quietly behind the two puppets with a calm expression, as if he were having afternoon tea.
He did not look like someone who had grown up surrounded by hatred, much less someone beating the son of his parents' killer.
It was hard to say whether this was a ninja's composure or indifference to everything, with only the relief brought by art remaining in his eyes.
Kakashi, on the other hand, had no choice but to fight as if his life were on the line.
At this time, Scorpion was still a beautiful red-haired youth. He was only a few years older than Kakashi, yet he had already firmly entered the Kage-level. Otherwise, he would not have become Akatsuki's second employee.
Kakashi could barely be considered an