Chapter 25: Chikamatsu's Ten Puppets

The Mother's chakra shield unfolded before her eyes, a lifesaving spectacle. However, the mother puppet remained motionless, hindered by the infiltrating iron sand. A solitary tear trickled down Sakura's cheek, her heart pounding with the desperate hope that this grim reality wasn't actual. With a swift movement, she redirected her gaze to check Granny Chiyo's fate. As the settling dust revealed the scene, her eyes widened in horror.

Granny Chiyo's arm extended like a puppet's, forming a cross to manifest a chakra shield akin to the mother and father puppets. Though panting and struggling to catch her breath, Granny Chiyo was alive.

Sasori's eyes widened in surprise, a smirk gracing his lips. "I didn't see that coming. As a fellow puppet master, it seems we think alike."

The iron sand immobilized Granny Chiyo's arm, leaving her with no more tricks up her sleeves, but her determination to fight until her last breath was unwavering. Sweat saturated the wrinkles on her forehead, dripping down the sides of her temples as her heart raced.

"Granny," Sakura whimpered, her pain evident.

"If the iron sand gets in, it's the end," Sasori taunted. "What are you going to do, Granny Chiyo?"

Granny Chiyo's luck seemed to be waning. She released her puppet arm, and it dropped to the floor. Iron sand spewed from the third Kazekage's mouth, morphing into ominous shapes in the air before them.

Shifting to Sakura, Granny Chiyo urged, "You need to leave now; hurry up."

Sakura defied Granny Chiyo's pleas, contemplating her next move. She couldn't abandon her mentor to face certain death alone. It was time to unveil a secret that would astound everyone in this legendary puppet show.

Granny Chiyo's voice cut through the tension, "What's wrong, Sakura? What are you waiting for? Get out of here."

Sakura, standing tall, approached her Sensei and declared, "I have a lot of explaining to do, but it's not the time for that. This fight has gone on for far too long. I may not be a Jinchuriki, but I am not the little weak girl you make me out to be, Sasori."

Her words seemed to irk Sasori, evident from the frown and the click of his tongue against the roof of his mouth. The once seemingly straightforward opponent now faced a more formidable challenge in Sakura.

In response, Sasori manipulated the Third Kazekage puppet, fashioning iron sand wings on the Kazekage's back with intricate and imposing shapes surrounding him. Sakura's Chakra emanated, a visual testament to the strength she had swiftly acquired through her brief communion with Shukaku.

Granny Chiyo's disbelief was palpable as she whispered, "It can't be...."

Sakura proudly reentered the battlefield, now aligned with Shukaku, who had officially joined her side for protection. A spectacular display unfolded as massive butterfly wings, crafted from sand, sprouted from Sakura's back. With unwavering confidence, she positioned herself before Sasori, ready to bring the fight to its conclusion with the newfound power of Shukaku.

The onslaught of iron sand aimed at her proved futile as she gracefully evaded every strike, leaving destruction in their wake. Even when an iron cylinder plummeted from above, Sakura refused to yield. She skillfully manipulated a mountain of sand into a hardened shuriken, spinning it in her hands as she soared directly toward the descending threat. The shuriken, propelled by formidable speed and composed of naturally settled sand, sliced through the iron, returning it to its original sandy form. The forceful wind sent Sasori reeling, causing him to kneel against the cavern's walls. As the dust settled, he grumbled, "Bitch."

Sasori smirked, deftly manipulating his hands to arrange the iron sand into an intricate upside-down triangle. The metallic formation started spinning like a dreidel, aimed directly at Sakura. In response, she flapped her sand wings, propelling herself backward, and executed a graceful flip to extend her wing, slapping the iron sand to the ground. Despite dragging itself along the surface for a distance, the iron sand resiliently resurfaced, persistently chasing after her.

Annoyed, Sakura groaned, muttering, "He's so annoying." Determined to outsmart him, she sprinted up the cavern wall, leaped off, and hovered behind the pursuing iron sand. She propelled it deep into the wall with a forceful shove, causing the ceiling to collapse. Sasori swiftly formed iron veins webbing across the battlefield to shield himself, preventing the rubble from reaching him. Meanwhile, Sakura crafted a multi-layered hardened sand shield to protect herself from the earth-shaking impact. The shield absorbed the pounding force, shaking her off her feet and nearly crushing her.

As the dust settled, Sakura emerged from underneath the rubble, covered in dirt and blood. Crawling on the floor, she kept her head down, clutching her injured arm. Her blurred vision revealed her blood dripping to the ground, sparking an idea. Faking exhaustion, she collapsed to her knees, allowing her forehead to touch the floor. The ruse aimed to deceive Sasori into believing that the iron sand had inflicted a severe injury. Amidst the charade, she heard Sasori's quiet laughter, fueling her determination to execute her plan.

Sasori calmly remarked, "The poison is beginning to take effect. Soon, your body will go numb, rendering you immobile. You might last a couple of days if I leave you there, but that's not my plan."

With a swift movement of his chakra strings, he propelled the third Kazekage puppet toward Sakura again. The right arm extended a lethal blade, poised to deliver a final blow. In response, Sakura whispered, "I'm sorry, grandfather," as she gathered her strength.

Summoning her determination, Sakura rose to her knees and slammed her hands onto the ground, creating sand spikes that obliterated Sasori's puppet. The third Kazekage puppet ceased to exist, its iron sand slowly flowing back into the earth from whence it came. As the dust settled, Sakura caught sight of Granny Chiyo lying on her back, her left arm pinned beneath the rubble.

In a gasp, Sakura exclaimed, "Granny!" Despite her sore legs, she instinctively rushed to Granny Chiyo. Channeling her sand manipulation, Sakura cleared away the debris to free Granny Chiyo's injured arm. The sight of her Sensei's broken and bruised arm weighed heavily on Sakura's heart.

Confidently, Sakura inquired, "Can you move it?"

Granny Chiyo twitched her arm and replied, "I can move it, but my forearm is broken. I can heal it on my own; it's alright."

Assisting Granny Chiyo in getting back on her feet, Sakura looked sternly at her grandson, who glared back with intense frustration. Angered by being deceived by a mere child, Sasori unbuttoned his cloak, stating, "I haven't used this since I joined the Akatsuki. I can't remember when that was..."

As the cloak fell away, it revealed the transformation Sasori had undergone—a living puppet. Metal rods extended from his arms, releasing five blades soaked in poison. Sasori's left pectoral muscles and organs had been replaced with a cylinder seal bearing his name in red. On his right side, a hidden compartment unveiled another yet-unseen trick. Scrolls were attached to a container on his back, and a coiled wire emerged when he opened his stomach. The wire's tip, with a sharp edge, landed in the dirt by his feet. Standing atop the heavy, bulky wire, he smirked as it slowly raised him off the ground, poison dripping ominously.

Granny Chiyo whispered, "He hasn't aged since leaving my side, and that's why."

Sasori echoed, "It's really been a long time."

Sakura glared at him and retorted, "Now, why doesn't that surprise me..."

Sasori gave them a menacing glare and taunted, "What's wrong? Weren't you going to finish me off?"

He extended his arms, releasing metal nozzles from the palms of his hands, ejecting flames. They swiftly evaded his attack, seeking refuge behind the rubble, uncertain of his next move. A single misstep, and they would succumb to the lethal poison.

Sasori chuckled menacingly, using his flamethrowers to flush them out of hiding, and remarked, "It's useless to hide."

In a desperate situation, Sakura had to devise a new plan. The intense heat threatened to melt her sand to glass, rendering it useless. However, before she could formulate a strategy, Sasori altered the function of his nozzle, now pumping water instead.

Granny Chiyo widened her eyes and urgently exclaimed, "Sakura, get away from here!"

Uncertain why Sakura lingered near the earth formation she hid behind, she braced herself for the gush of water that struck the formation, feeling the steam blowing her hair back. She watched the once-sturdy shield crumble and swiftly move away. Sasori pursued them relentlessly, unleashing water at maximum pressure capable of crushing boulders. Dodging the powerful torrents demanded effort, and Sakura's sand proved ineffective against the relentless onslaught of water.

With his imposing eyes fixed on them, Sasori inquired, "How long do you intend to run about? If that's how it will be, then take this."

The needle-pointed wire unraveled towards them, and instinctively, Sakura raised her sand shield to protect herself. However, the wire proved too formidable, cutting through the defense and slicing her skin right above her hip. Sasori swiftly rebounded from the attack, propelling himself forward and spinning the blades on his arms as if he were soaring.

Granny Chiyo yelled, "Are you okay, Sakura?"

Sasori, fixated on Granny Chiyo, shouted, "Die, you old hag!"

Blood continued to ooze from Sakura's wound, yet it didn't deter her from rushing to Granny Chiyo's rescue. Her vision blurred, and a light-headed feeling overwhelmed her. Despite her condition, Sakura manipulated her sand, forming large hands that seized Sasori's long wire, preventing him from pulling Granny Chiyo closer. His blades barely reached the hair on Granny Chiyo's head, leaving him frustrated. With determination, Sakura held onto the remaining bit of the wire.

Sasori growled, "You..."

Sakura swiftly slapped her hands together, manipulating her sand to create two walls that closed in on him, and she yelled, "That was for killing my best friend."

The sand poured off his cracked body, and Sasori, still in shock from the sudden crushing, found himself unable to speak. Sakura swiftly attached her puppet strings to the remnants of her grandfather's puppet body, extracting every tool that was still functioning, and aimed them directly at Sasori.

Sakura shouted, "And this is for trying to kill my boyfriend and almost succeeding."

With determination, she crushed Sasori to pieces, officially ending the fight. However, Sakura collapsed to her side, unable to move due to the paralyzing numbness of the poison taking its effect on her.

"Sakura!" Granny Chiyo cried out, rushing to her aid and holding her most precious student in her arms.

Losing consciousness, Sakura weakly said, "We were able to beat him."

"Hang in there, Sakura. I've got you now," Granny Chiyo replied with a delicate smile.

A vial with a needle dropped from Granny Chiyo's long sleeve. She adeptly caught it, flipped it in her hand to remove the cap, and swiftly stuck it into Sakura's thigh. Weakened, Sakura lifted her head to see the needle in Granny Chiyo's hand and inquired, "What was that?"

"Tsunade's student made three antidotes. She used one to save Kankuro's life, and I used the second to save yours," Granny Chiyo replied.

"Why didn't you tell me you had that?" Sakura asked calmly.

"Would you have fought so hard if you knew?" Granny Chiyo chuckled.

"You're not wrong, Granny," Sakura laughed.

In their precious moment together, their laughter ceased when they heard clicking noises in the distance. Right before them, Sasori's body floated in the air and began putting itself back together, piece by piece.

With wide, frightened eyes, Sakura whispered, "You've got to be kidding me right now..."

The last piece connected the head backward, so Sasori, using his hands, turned his head back correctly. He still wore that frightening, wide-eyed facial expression, as if he had witnessed something that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Sasori asked, "What did you do?"

Granny Chiyo left Sakura on the ground to rest, stood up, lifted her handless arm, and raised her sleeve to reattach her arm from under the rubble. Once it was attached, she extended her arm so the iron sand could fall out before returning it to its original form.

Granny Chiyo shuffled through her bag for another scroll and said, "The fight is just beginning. This is a Jutsu I sealed. I didn't think I'd ever use it again. But it seems it won't work out that way. Now, let's put an end to this."

She unraveled a black string on her purple scroll with her hands and swiftly opened it, revealing its extended length and numerous Kanji characters. Granny Chiyo performed her summoning jutsu, and instead of puffs of smoke, the Kanji lettering glowed, emerging from the scroll in luminous, see-through purple globs. They transformed into human shapes with the Kanji symbols on their foreheads, and once solidified, they became ten puppet figures of various shapes and sizes cloaked in white. Sakura looked around in awe, surprised at the many puppets at her disposal this time.

"It is said that the ability of a puppet master is measured by the number of puppets they can use. I expect no less from Granny Chiyo."

"Ten puppets, how's that possible? That's amazing," Sakura exclaimed.

"Granny Chiyo's secret 'Number of Fingers.' I'd heard rumors about the device used to bring down a castle yourself—the Secret White Move: Chikamatsu's Ten Puppets—the ten masterpieces by Monzaemon, the first Puppet Master Jutsu. It's a great collection of puppets," Sasori smirked.

With a single chakra string from his index finger, Sasori effortlessly pulled out a scroll from the compartment in his back. As the scroll unraveled above him, he opened the compartment on the right side of his chest, and Chakra burst forth like a scorching flame. High-pitched puppets leaped out of the scroll, creating a spectacle reminiscent of a magic trick. Dozens of chakra strings extended from his right chest, connecting to the puppets. Unfortunately for them, the sheer number of puppets directly above shaded them from the sunlight, each one cloaked in a crimson overcoat.

"However, I used this to bring down a nation," Sasori declared with a menacing laugh.

Although these puppets were not human, Sakura harbored no doubt that she could defeat them too. Her sand manipulation skills were poised to take them on, contingent on their capabilities swiftly.

Sasori lowered his head, rubbing his forehead with his hand, and remarked, "I'm appalled at myself. How long will I fight a little girl and an old bag? I never thought I'd have to bring out my final device. Secret Red Move: Performance of a Hundred Puppets. I'll show you."

Granny Chiyo lowered her head to address Sakura, lying on the floor, and whispered, "Sakura, there's something I haven't yet told you. The antidote's effects will only last three minutes, and we've already wasted that much time. Please, stay out of it." Sakura smiled at Granny Chiyo and replied, "Granny, you should know me by now; I cannot back down from a fight."

"I see, but let's make this the final act. Are you ready?" Granny Chiyo said.

Sakura nodded her head proudly and replied, "Yes."

"Here he comes," Granny Chiyo said.

Over a hundred puppets descended from the sky, wielding weapons like scythes and long swords. Sakura decided to stay out of Granny Chiyo's way to confront the dozens of puppets swarming toward her direction. She sprinted, lifting herself into the air with her wings made of sand, and readied herself for a battle unlike any other. It felt like a lone wolf fighting a war against the world, but she wouldn't back down anytime soon. The antidote worked perfectly well in her system, and she used this newfound strength to fight back.

"I said I'd kill you no matter what it took," Sakura yelled.

Midair manipulated the sand particles around her to form a sand sword. Her wings carried her through the air faster than the puppets, slicing through their joints and beheading them one after the next. To further reduce their numbers, Sakura commanded her sand to hover over the crowds of puppets and performed hand signs, forcing the sand to strike them like heavy hail. The hard sand drizzle crushed the puppets from above in great numbers. However, there were too many of them to count how many she had destroyed already. Regardless of the numbers, her instincts urged her to keep going.

Sakura landed on the ground, slapped her palms on the floor, and yelled, "Prison Sand Burial."

Breaking open the earth, Sakura used her sand to pull the puppets two hundred meters underground, dragging them down so quickly that they could not escape. At this depth, no one should be able to move a finger. Sakura then applied additional pressure with the sand, crushing them to death.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air behind Sakura. The sickening sound of a puppet's blade slicing through skin reached her ears, and she swiftly turned to witness the distressing sight of a puppet cutting into Granny Chiyo's upper arm.

"Granny!" Sakura cried out, her concern etched across her face.

Reacting swiftly, Granny Chiyo manipulated two of her puppets as a defensive shield. One, a male puppet with orange horns and a purple wooden body, clenched its fist and delivered a mighty blow, propelling the attacking puppet through heavy boulders. Sakura kept a watchful eye on Granny Chiyo, ensuring she was fit to continue the fight.

Tightening her grip on her wounded shoulder, Granny Chiyo reassured Sakura, "You don't have to worry about me. More importantly, aim for Sasori. I'll keep the other puppets in check."

Nodding in determination, Sakura replied, "Okay, be careful."

Undeterred by the onslaught, over a couple of dozen puppets closed in on Sakura as she charged toward Sasori, determined to end this battle. A female puppet with round red pigtails joined her, offering valuable support in navigating through the swarm of puppets. Another puppet, a blue bald male with dark blue spots, assisted the red-haired puppet. Sakura skillfully dispatched a few puppets along the way, and a grey spiked-hair puppet, with one eye at the center of its head, moved beside her, seemingly offering a bubbled object.

Granny Chiyo's voice rang out from a distance, "Sakura, use that."

Confusion clouded Sakura's mind as she accepted the peculiar round object handed to her just as five menacing puppets aimed. Reacting swiftly, she vaulted above their weapons, causing the swords to clash with the elderly puppet trailing her. Utilizing the collision, she propelled herself over their heads, evading their lethal strikes. The five puppets turned their attention to the old man puppet, stabbing and rendering it temporarily incapacitated, offering Sakura precious moments to distance herself. She refused to look back, acknowledging Granny Chiyo's sacrifices made through her puppets. Manipulating her sand for cover, Sakura deftly dodged the relentless onslaught, though most of her puppets succumbed to Sasori's deadly arsenal.

Drawing closer, Sakura hurled the mysterious ball at Sasori, surrounded by his puppet army. The ball transformed into a puppet head with sharp white teeth, deep red eyes, and cat ears. Hurtling towards Sasori, it unleashed a mighty roar before clamping down on his torso, shattering him into pieces.

Taking a moment to catch her breath, Sakura leaned forward, palms on her knees, and exhaled, "We did it."

Amidst heavy panting, Granny Chiyo declared, "You can't move, Sasori. That seal completely suppresses all Chakra. You can't use your chakra threads anymore. It's over."

The puppet, once a vessel of dreams and aspirations, now lay lifeless, and Sasori's attempt at closure through his puppets seemed futile. The battle had concluded, leaving Granny Chiyo collapsing to her knees, panting and shivering as she struggled to regain control over her motor skills. The puppet had managed to cut her, raising the ominous specter of poison.

Rushing to Granny Chiyo's side, Sakura urgently urged, "Granny, use the antidote."

However, before Sakura could reach her, a puppet draped in a red cloak slowly rose, swords embedded in its back and bearing the scorpion cylinder seal. Though Sakura sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her, an inexplicable force seemed to impede her progress. Desperately reaching out, she called Granny Chiyo's name, who, in terror, turned to see her grandson holding a knife, poised to strike. The scene unfolded like a dream, with Sakura running to stand between them, a blade piercing through her chest. Despite her pain, Sakura frowned, sweating heavily, staring into Sasori's unyielding eyes.

Granny Chiyo clutched her wound, and through pain-filled cries, she uttered, "Sakura..."

Sakura turned her head, blood seeping down her lips, and asked, "Are you okay, Granny Chiyo?"

Sasori maliciously pushed the blade further and calmly remarked, "Oh? Worrying about others even with such a wound?"

Despite her agony, Sakura groaned and inquired, "But, how?"

Sasori lifted his head, smirking, and continued speaking, "What a shame; I wonder how your boyfriend would feel about this?"

Sakura, blood oozing from her lips, growled defiantly, "Screw you."

With a sinister satisfaction, Sasori responded, "You're a courageous girl. But how long can you hold on?" He pushed the sword deeper through her stomach, just below her ribcage.

Utilizing her medical jutsu, Granny Chiyo clung to Sakura's back, channeling her Chakra to heal her while both women were slowly succumbing to the poison. Despite her panting and groaning, Granny Chiyo held her head high, doing her best to mend Sakura's wound.

Gently tilting her head to see Granny Chiyo from the corner of her eye, Sakura whispered, "It's okay, Granny Chiyo. Hurry and take the antidote."

Sasori chuckled, saying, "It looks like the poison is starting to take effect. Of course, this sword is also poisoned, you see."

Granny Chiyo swiftly retrieved the vial from her sleeve, uncapping the sterile needle. Her determination was unwavering, and she wouldn't let anything hinder her. With resolute speed, she jabbed the needle into Sakura's thigh.

Panting heavily, Sakura whimpered, "Why, Granny Chiyo?"

Collapsing to the floor with the syringe in her hand, Granny Chiyo was a step ahead, struggling to move any part of her body. The poison crept through Sakura's veins, hindering her ability to use Chakra. Despite their weakened state, Sakura, fueled by her youth and the remnants of Shukaku's Chakra, possessed more strength.

Sasori laughed, unhooking his forearm while still holding the blade embedded in Sakura's torso. He revealed a sharp, long blade unsheathed from his elbow joint. Swift as the wind, he aimed for Granny Chiyo.

With a swing of the large knife, Sasori yelled, "Die!"

"No, you don't," Sakura screamed.

Utilizing the bit of Shukaku chakra she had left, Sakura released her chakra strings, lifting the mother and father puppets from the rubble. They wielded two swords and sliced through the Scorpion cylinder seal containing Sasori's soul. His purple blood splattered over his body and face as the puppets exacted vengeance. Sasori struggled to glance at the puppets that had brought about his downfall, the very creations meant to take him down with them.

"You were too cocky and let your guard down, Sasori," Sakura said.

"Now you can't move," Granny Chiyo added, "Am I right? Although you may have the body of a puppet, you use Chakra, so you need a part that's living. That's your weakness. And just that part from your left chest is missing from that shell. You probably switched to a different puppet before the Jutsu was completed. The body of a puppet is just a doll. Your natural body is that chest part that produces Chakra."

Midway through her speech, Sakura collapsed on the floor with the katana still lodged in her stomach. Granny Chiyo crawled to Sakura, realizing the gravity of her situation. She began healing Sakura with her right hand while pulling out the blade with her left. The pain was excruciating for Sakura, to the point where she could faint at any moment. Once the blade was removed, Sakura felt relief, knowing the sharp, unbearable pain was gone. With Granny Chiyo's healing, she gradually slipped into unconsciousness while her recovery process continued at a rapid pace.

Barely clinging to life, Sasori mumbled, "It's futile; I hit a vital organ. She'll soon be dead even without the poison. She's lost too much blood. Since you're a medical Shinobi, I aimed for a spot you can't easily heal."

Granny Chiyo faintly replied, "I've already finished first-aid treatment with Medical Ninjutsu. What I'm doing right now isn't Medical Ninjutsu."

"What?" Sasori asked, widening his eyes.

"I'm giving her my life energy," Granny Chiyo admitted, "It's a Reanimation Ninjutsu. It's a jutsu I spent years creating initially for you, but instead, I taught her despite not being a medical Shinobi herself. With this jutsu, life can even be breathed into puppets in exchange for the caster's life. But in hindsight, it's a dream that won't be realized."

"When did you grow senile, Grandma?" Sasori asked.

Soon, Sakura slowly opened her eyes and sat up while Granny Chiyo halted her jutsu. She was covered in cuts and bruises, some deeper than others. She was unable to smile to assure Granny Chiyo that she was alright.

"How strange?" Sasori said, squinting his eyes, "I thought the caster of that Reanimation Ninjutsu or whatever was supposed to die in exchange for breathing life into someone dead."

"Sakura's wounds were severe, but she wasn't dead. So I got off without serious injury," Granny Chiyo replied.

Sasori smirked and said, "That's unfortunate."

Sakura swiftly rose from the ground, delivering a powerful punch to Sasori's face, causing the puppet to crack. She had grown weary of his infuriating, calm, passive-aggressive demeanor, dismissing them as insignificant.

Despite the damage, Sasori remained alive and glanced at her, uttering, "I'd stop that. This body doesn't even feel pain. The more you hit me, the greater the pain to your wounds. Women sure like to do stuff that's pointless. Even if my blood-related grandmother should die, my heart is just like this body. Up until now, I've killed hundreds, thousands of people. She'd be the same as one of them. Things are simpler that way."

Sakura clenched her fist and yelled, "She did everything she could to raise you right; this is the thanks she gets."

"Come on," Sasori replied calmly, "Is that what a Shinobi should be saying?"

"How can you say that?" Sakura protested.

Weakly, Granny Chiyo called out, "That's enough."

Frowning, Sakura said, "But..."

Interrupting her, Granny Chiyo replied, "It was our village's evil customs and teachings that made him what he is, like Gaara's father."

Sasori asked, "Do you want to have a body like this? If you did, you'd probably understand what I'm talking about. This body won't decay and is not bound to a life span. A puppet can be recreated over and over again. I can create as many people as I want with puppets. It's about more than just increasing the amount. A collection is all about quality. I'm a human who couldn't completely become a puppet. I'm a puppet, but an incomplete puppet possessing a living core. I'm not a person, nor am I a puppet. I'll soon stop moving. Before that, I'll do something pointless. It's your reward for defeating me."

"What are you talking about?" Sakura inquired.

Fading away, Sasori uttered, "Take my puppet body and use me as you will. That is your reward."

With a sudden jerk of his head, Sasori vanished. The puppets crumbled, breaking into small pieces, and he dropped his head protector, revealing the cut across the village logo.

Now that the battle was won, Granny Chiyo had reached her limit. The poison's effects were imminent, gradually seizing control of her ability to move. She was sweating and panting, struggling to pull herself together.

Sakura knelt beside Granny Chiyo, gently patting her back. "We've finished what we wanted to do here, Granny Chiyo. We need to return to our village and neutralize the poison right away."

Glancing at the sky, Granny Chiyo replied, "More importantly, I've still got something to do."

The village elder struggled to get back on her feet, and Sakura was there to assist her every step of the way, no matter how long it took. Sakura wondered what else could be on Granny Chiyo's agenda after all they had been through, but one of her priorities was to retrieve the puppets once she had finished taking care of Granny Chiyo at the village.