Chapter 336: Confronting Hiruko and Sasori
Obito said, "I'll rescue Hiruko in secret. Now is not the time to provoke Uchiha Haneda."
White Zetsu snickered, "Haneda really has a special place in Madara-sama's heart. Always thinking about him, huh?"
"Silence!"
...
Currently, Hiruko and Sasori were both in the Land of Rain, overseeing a railway construction project.
Pain was aware that Hiruko possessed research skills comparable to Orochimaru's, while Sasori was an exceptionally skilled puppeteer. Assigning the two to handle engineering problems made sense.
In reality, however, Pain had a different intention: to give Hiruko a long-term task that would keep him occupied while Sasori observed and tested him.
Inside a railway tunnel, Sasori's real body was making minor adjustments to Hiruko, his puppet.
Since parting ways with Orochimaru, who was a volatile and unpredictable companion, Sasori's life had become significantly less stressful.
Previously, he wouldn't dare reveal his true body in front of someone like Orochimaru.
"Still not done? I don't like being kept waiting," Sasori said coldly toward the depths of the tunnel, urging Hiruko to hurry up.
Hiruko, unimpressed by so-called geniuses, was equally indifferent to Sasori's attitude.
From inside the tunnel came Hiruko's irritated voice.
"Just wait quietly outside."
Sasori snorted. If this were Orochimaru, he'd already have taken action. But Hiruko was harder to read.
Sasori knew Hiruko wielded at least three Kekkei Genkai: Swift Release, Steel Release, and Dark Release. These were just the abilities Hiruko frequently showcased.
Suddenly, a butterfly fluttered into the tunnel and landed on Sasori's hand as he worked.
Sasori unfolded the butterfly roughly, revealing a piece of paper with a coded message.
It was a paper butterfly, a message from Konan.
Decoding the message, Sasori read it to himself:
"Haneda is coming. Hiruko is in danger. Be extremely cautious."
Sasori's eyes narrowed as he burned the message to ashes with a small burst of fire from his fingers.
Sasori knew all too well who Uchiha Haneda was.
During the Third Shinobi War, Sasori had fought against Haneda three times, resulting in one victory, one escape, and one defeat.
Even seven or eight years ago, Sasori had recognized that Haneda's talent and potential rivaled his own.
After the Nine-Tails incident, Sasori had classified Haneda as an invincible opponent.
Initially, Sasori had planned to retire and live in seclusion for a century to avoid Haneda.
But threats from Pain and Konan forced him to contribute to the Akatsuki organization.
Later, noticing that Haneda seemed to halt his vendetta due to his position as Hokage, Sasori felt more at ease staying with Akatsuki and working under Pain and Konan.
But now, with Uchiha Haneda on the move, Sasori couldn't ignore the grudge Haneda still bore.
At that moment, Hiruko emerged from the depths of the tunnel, his pristine white attire contrasting sharply with the filthy, freshly-dug surroundings.
Hiruko glanced at Sasori and asked, "Why are you packing up your things?"
"Someone's coming," Sasori replied curtly.
"Who?"
Sasori didn't answer directly. Instead, his brows furrowed as he moved Hiruko to stand in front of him.
"The person I mentioned has already arrived—and much faster than expected," Sasori said as he retreated.
Hiruko, sensing the growing danger, initially moved to take cover behind Sasori. But Sasori pushed him forward instead, keeping him at the forefront.
"I'll cover the rear. Uchiha Haneda wouldn't come alone," Sasori said as he retreated further into the tunnel.
Hiruko glanced at Sasori, now several meters away, and then at Haneda, who was steadily approaching.
Through gritted teeth, Hiruko hissed,
"So this is the legendary Sasori of the Red Sand, a so-called hero among the Shinobi—utterly shameless!"
Unperturbed by Hiruko's insult, Sasori kept retreating. He knew all too well that facing Haneda meant certain death.
In Sasori's eyes, pride was meaningless. In the grand pursuit of eternal art, nothing mattered more than survival.
Sasori fully intended to outlive Haneda and one day dance atop his grave in triumph.
However, his plans quickly unraveled. After only a few steps, Sasori found himself face-to-face with Deidara and Kakashi.
"Master Sasori!"
"While I acknowledge you as a great artist, Haneda-san is undoubtedly the greatest artist of our time, hmm."
Sasori glanced at his former partner and said coldly, "You're here to kill me as well?"
Deidara frantically shook his head.
"I'm here to showcase the fleeting beauty of explosive art, Master Sasori!"
"Let me guess, you'll blow me to pieces to prove your 'art.' Your so-called art is nothing more than explosions—hardly comparable to true artistry," Sasori retorted with a sneer.
Summoning the Third Kazekage puppet, Sasori prepared for battle.
Deidara wanted to argue, but Kakashi cut him off.
"Save the debate for later. Focus on the enemy first."
Kakashi wasn't interested in the philosophical musings of art. He hurled several kunai and charged forward with his short sword.
Sasori, experienced in countering lightning-style and kenjutsu users, chose to avoid direct confrontation. He deployed several puppets to stall Kakashi before continuing his retreat.
Kakashi's plan fell apart, leaving him no choice but to pursue Sasori alongside Deidara.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the tunnel, Haneda was steadily advancing toward Hiruko. His deliberate pace added immense pressure to Hiruko's already frayed nerves.
Hiruko had always been fascinated by the Sharingan, but facing Haneda's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan filled him with an instinctive dread.
Haneda's overwhelming chakra and ocular power were suffocating—several magnitudes stronger than any of the Legendary Sannin.
"Why don't you test your Gigerou Jutsu?" Haneda suggested, his voice calm but laden with authority.
"I'm not particularly interested in you. If you hand over the Gigerou Jutsu, join Konoha's research division, and make sufficient contributions, I can pardon your crimes as Hokage."
Haneda's words were measured, confident. There was no hint of urgency in his tone—he knew Hiruko had no chance of escaping.
Not even Obito could evade him now, as Haneda had already unraveled the mysteries of Kamui's dimension.
Hiruko, however, had no intention of returning to Konoha, at least not until he had achieved his ultimate goal.
He had already acquired four Kekkei Genkai: Swift Release for speed, Steel Release for defense, Dark Release for regeneration, and Storm Release for power.
Only one more remained to complete his collection: the Sharingan, representing the mind and soul.
With the Sharingan, Hiruko believed he would become a perfect, immortal shinobi—surpassing Orochimaru and the Legendary Sannin.
His collaboration with Akatsuki had been driven by Black Zetsu's promises to help him gather rare Kekkei Genkai.
As Haneda's Eternal Mangekyo bore into him, Hiruko's fear was mingled with a deep, almost desperate longing.
"Can you provide me with Sharingan eyes? Any three-tomoe Sharingan will do!" Hiruko offered, naming his price.
Loyalty wasn't an issue for Hiruko—his allegiance lay with whoever could meet his demands.
"No," Haneda replied without hesitation.
The Uchiha clan had supported him since childhood; he would never exploit them for personal gain.
"Then we have nothing more to discuss," Hiruko said, taking a deep breath as he prepared for battle.
"Then fight," Haneda replied calmly.
He was certain of one thing: Hiruko wouldn't escape.