Chapter 469: A Lesson in War

"Lord Kazekage, I will take Sasori with me and personally guide his development."

The loss of his parents in the war had deeply affected Sasori, leaving his heart clouded by resentment—resentment toward his enemies and those who had initiated the conflict.

Chiyo understood this. She could even accept being one of the targets of her grandson's anger, knowing she had played a significant role in the war between the Sand Village and Konoha. What she could not accept, however, was Sasori's intent to kill the Third Kazekage.

In an attempt to atone, Chiyo had allowed Sasori to grow up with considerable freedom. But this approach was no longer feasible. She had to step in and take full responsibility for his future.

"Thank you for your efforts," the Third Kazekage replied.

After Shinki's warning, the Kazekage could no longer afford to trust Sasori as completely as before. Even so, he bore no ill will toward the boy. Sasori was still young, and while his thoughts had darkened, he had yet to act on them. Entrusting him to Chiyo's care seemed the best course of action.

Looking up at the azure sky, the Third Kazekage sighed.

"Perhaps only through firsthand experience of bloodshed and war can he come to understand the sacrifices we've made and the challenges we've faced."

Neither the Third Kazekage nor Chiyo sought war for its own sake. The Sand Village's involvement in conflict was always driven by the necessity of survival and development—a reality few outsiders understood.

Chiyo's Resolve

That night, Chiyo, after only a few hours of rest, departed the Sand Village with Sasori. Their destination was the Grass Country camp.

Upon arrival, Chiyo met with the Third Hokage and made a surprising request.

"You want to bring Sasori onto the battlefield?" The pipe in the Third Hokage's mouth fell to the table in shock.

"Chiyo, are you certain about this?"

"Yes," she replied with a calm but resolute smile. "The child is no longer young. Losing his parents in the war has skewed his perspective. I want him to learn the realities of life and war directly."

Some lessons, she believed, could not be taught through words alone.

"Very well," the Third Hokage finally agreed, still astonished by her decision.

Sasori's First Battle

Before dawn the next morning, Chiyo brought Sasori to the battlefield. This was his first exposure to war, and the dangers quickly became apparent. When an enemy unit attacked, Chiyo engaged two of the opponents, leaving the remaining two for Sasori.

She trusted in her grandson's exceptional talent. True to her belief, Sasori used his handmade puppets to swiftly eliminate his foes. Yet, despite his success, his expression was far from triumphant.

Chiyo noticed his turmoil but chose not to console him. Instead, she posed a question:

"Sasori, do you understand why our village goes to war?"

Still catching his breath, Sasori leaned against a tree. "To support our allies?" he ventured.

"Wrong," Chiyo said firmly. "It's for profit."

"Profit?" Sasori's eyes widened in disbelief.

The official narrative was that the Sand Village had entered the war to aid its allies, particularly the Cloud Village. This was the story most villagers believed. But here was Chiyo, revealing a harsher truth.

"Yes, for profit," she repeated, her voice devoid of its usual warmth.

"The war with Konoha depleted our resources. To recover, we needed money and supplies. The Cloud Village offered these in exchange for our allegiance. That's why we went to war."

The Reality of War

Sasori was silent as Chiyo spoke, her tone unrelenting. After dealing with the enemy corpses, she led him to a safer location and continued.

"Do you know what truly drives these conflicts?" she asked.

Sasori hesitated, his understanding of the war shifting under the weight of her words.

"It's survival," she said. "The Land of Wind is barren, lacking the resources we need. In contrast, the Land of Fire is rich and prosperous. Konoha, once untouchable, has weakened since the First Ninja World War. This gave us an opportunity."

She paused, her voice heavy with conviction. "Without adequate resources, our village would stagnate. We have to constantly guard against Rock Village and Mist Village. The Third Kazekage is a visionary. He saw a chance to break the cycle of scarcity, and war was the only option."

Her words left Sasori pale and shaken. The grandmother he thought he knew seemed like a stranger.

A Grandmother's Burden

"Sasori," Chiyo continued, her voice softening, "you shouldn't hate the Kazekage. If you must blame someone, blame me."

She pulled him into a tight embrace, her voice trembling. "Do you know how much I've wished I could bring your parents back? But I've failed. Still, there's hope—hope that lies with you."

The young Sasori stood frozen, torn between the truth his grandmother had revealed and the anger that still burned within him. For the first time, he began to see war not as a stage for revenge but as a grim necessity, one that demanded sacrifices from everyone involved.