Chapter 402: The Revengeful Man

"It's been a long time."

A voice emerged from the smoke, light and almost childish, yet brimming with unmistakable malice. As the haze cleared, the figure's form sharpened, and Obito and Rin couldn't help but stare.

"This person is so… beautiful," Rin muttered under her breath, her eyes wide.

Standing before them was a young man, barely older than fourteen or fifteen. His fiery red hair framed his face, messy yet striking, and his features were delicate, almost doll-like. Pale skin gave him an ethereal quality, but his piercing eyes, filled with murderous intent, stripped away any illusion of innocence. His beauty was haunting, a sharp contrast to the ferocity in his gaze.

"Sensei, do you know him?" Kakashi asked, his voice steady but curious as he took a defensive position.

Minato stepped forward, shielding his students with a calm yet grim expression. "I do," he replied, his tone heavy. "So it was you… Sasori of the Red Sand."

Obito and Rin exchanged confused glances at the unfamiliar name, but Minato's recognition brought a gleam of satisfaction to the young man's eyes.

"As expected of you, Namikaze Minato," Sasori sneered. "You figured it out. I've waited for this moment for years."

Minato remained composed, his gaze unwavering. Sasori's voice grew sharper as he continued, "You may not remember me, but I'll never forget you. You killed my parents on the battlefield. If I'd known back then who you'd become, I would have ended you before you had the chance."

Minato sighed softly, his voice tinged with regret. "Your parents were strong shinobi. Their deaths were the result of war, not malice. If we hadn't acted, my comrades would have fallen instead."

Sasori's lips curled into a bitter smile. "And that's supposed to absolve you? Spare me your excuses, Namikaze. You took everything from me, and now I'll take everything from you. Your life, your student Hatake Kakashi's life, and his father's life. I'll make you all pay!"

Kakashi's usually impassive face darkened at the mention of his father. His voice cut through the tension like a blade. "You'll regret those words."

Rin and Obito looked toward their sensei, understanding the weight of the confrontation. Minato, a hero of the last war, had faced countless enemies, and this boy was another scar left behind by the conflict.

Minato's voice was calm but firm as he addressed Sasori. "Revenge won't bring your parents back. It will only consume you. This isn't the path they would have wanted for you."

"Enough!" Sasori roared, his face contorting with rage. "You speak as if you knew them! You're nothing but a murderer!"

Suddenly, the horse pulling their cargo let out a strangled cry before collapsing to the ground, its body convulsing. Rin rushed forward in alarm.

"It's poisoned!" she exclaimed, her hands trembling slightly.

Sasori's smile returned, cold and triumphant. "Your chakra may delay the effects, but the poison will claim you soon enough. Not even Tsunade could save you now."

But Minato's expression didn't change. "You underestimate us," he said simply.

Sasori's confidence faltered. "What?"

"I recognized the symptoms of your poison, Sasori. It's a variant of 'Desert Sorrow,' a toxin I encountered during the war. I had Tsunade prepare antidotes in advance."

Obito and Rin's eyes widened in surprise. They hadn't even realized they'd been inoculated. Kakashi, however, remained stoic, clearly already aware of the precaution.

"That's impossible!" Sasori snapped.

Minato's gaze softened, almost as if he pitied the young man. "You're talented, Sasori. More so than your parents. Sunagakure could have thrived with your gifts. But this hatred is only destroying you."

Sasori's expression twisted, his calm unraveling into rage. "Shut up! I'll prove my strength to the world, and I'll start by killing you!"

Without warning, he pulled a scroll from his pack and unfurled it. A puff of smoke filled the air, revealing a humanoid puppet. Its features were disturbingly lifelike, and even Minato's composure wavered when he recognized it.

"The Third Kazekage," Minato murmured, his voice low and tense.