Chapter 108: Returning to the Village

Sand Hidden Village stood quiet under the desert sun as Kirito recounted his battle with Sasori to Kakashi on the hospital roof.

"Really?" Kakashi said with a hint of relief. "I didn't expect Sasori to be such a formidable opponent. Fortunately, you were there. Otherwise, Sakura and the others wouldn't have stood a chance against him."

Kirito twirled a scroll casually in his hand. "Luckily, I was there for his puppets," he said with a grin. "These will keep me entertained for quite a while."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Though he had no idea when Kirito had learned Sand Village's puppet techniques, he decided not to pry. Kirito's abilities often defied explanation.

Yesterday, Naruto had carried the unconscious Gaara back to the village. He had insisted on doing it himself, refusing to let Sasori's puppet, the one responsible for Gaara's near-death, touch his friend.

To everyone's relief, the villagers had turned out in droves to welcome their Kazekage back. Seeing Gaara so beloved and respected brought Naruto to tears.

Now, Gaara was awake and chatting with Naruto in the ward. Naruto, bursting with curiosity, peppered him with questions about how he had gained the villagers' trust and become Kazekage.

Kirito entered the ward after finishing his conversation with Kakashi. Not wanting to interrupt, he quietly sat in the corner and resumed tinkering with Sasori's puppet.

The puppet's intricate design captured Kirito's full attention.

This is truly the work of a master, he thought, admiring the efficiency and creativity with which Sasori had utilized every inch of internal space. Weapons were cleverly hidden in layers of the puppet's construction, even in places one wouldn't expect. The entire puppet was coated in poison, making it lethal to anyone who handled it carelessly.

"Don't touch it; it's highly poisonous," Kirito warned as TenTen approached to inspect one of the parts.

"It's so dangerous, and yet you're playing with it so happily?" TenTen asked, sitting beside him.

Kirito chuckled, continuing to reassemble the puppet. "It's fascinating. For me, it's like solving a complex puzzle. Piecing these parts together into a perfect mechanism is immensely satisfying—kind of like collecting rare weapons, right?"

TenTen rolled her eyes but smiled. "Fair point."

Chiyo and Sakura soon arrived. Chiyo carried a translucent jar containing Sasori's core, the faint pulse of life within still intact.

"Brother, we need to head back to the village immediately," Sakura announced.

Chiyo spoke next, her tone solemn. "Thank you for granting me the chance to communicate with my grandson one last time," she said, holding out the jar. "Here is his core. He's your captive, after all."

Kirito accepted the jar, sealing it into one of his scrolls with practiced ease. "Let's go. There's no reason to linger any longer."

TenTen stretched. "Finally! I can't wait to get back and soak in a hot spring."

Soon, the seven members of Kakashi's and Guy's teams gathered at the village gates, preparing for the return journey.

Naruto, gazing at his palm, appeared lost in thought. Meanwhile, Guy enthusiastically declared, "Let's make it back to Konoha in two days!"

"One day is enough!" Lee challenged. "And I won't lose this time!"

"Here we go again," TenTen muttered with exasperation, watching the duo's antics.

"Do they always train like this?" Sakura asked, glancing at Kirito.

"Pretty much," TenTen replied with a resigned shrug. "No matter how much you try to stop them, it's impossible."

Guy and Kakashi soon escalated the friendly competition into a race—one that involved both teams sprinting at breakneck speed through the desert and into the forests beyond.

After two days and nights of relentless running, the familiar gates of Konoha finally came into view.

"I didn't think Naruto and Sakura could keep up," TenTen admitted, panting slightly as she turned to Kirito.

"They've trained hard over the past two years to grow stronger for Sasuke," Kirito explained. "It's no surprise they can handle this."

"Sasuke..." TenTen's expression grew serious. "I hope everything goes well this time."

Kirito glanced at the jar containing Sasori's core. "It probably won't," he said quietly.

As they crossed the gates into Konoha, the weight of their mission lingered in the air.

(End of Chapter 108)

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