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“Well? Can you move?” Sasori asked Deidara.
“It’s just an arm. I’ll be fine,” Deidara said, feigning ease.
In reality, Deidara was in excruciating pain, but he couldn’t lose face. He had to endure it. As for the severed arm, Deidara wasn’t worried.
He’d just find Kakuzu later and have him stitch it back on.
Kakuzu often did this kind of thing for Hidan—Deidara trusted Kakuzu’s skills. A severed arm wasn’t a big deal in the Naruto world—reattaching it was quite simple.
“Since you’re fine, take Gaara and leave. I’ll hold off any pursuers,” Sasori instructed Deidara.
“Oh. In that case, be careful. Don’t die.”
Deidara said to Sasori with concern, then picked up the unconscious Gaara, jumped onto his clay bird, and quickly departed. He wouldn’t offer to stay and help; he knew his current condition. Though he could still fight, his combat strength was severely diminished. Staying would risk death.
After Deidara left, Sasori looked at Kankurō, who had just arrived.
Kankurō should have arrived much sooner, but Shin’s Wood Release had blocked his path, causing him to be late.
Though Shin hadn’t intended to help Sasori and the others, he had inadvertently done so.
Don’t underestimate this small act of assistance. Without Shin, they might not have successfully captured Gaara.
Remember, Chiyo and Ebizō had been delayed by Shin earlier. If not for that delay, Chiyo and Ebizō would have definitely arrived before Gaara was defeated.
Once Chiyo and Ebizō arrived, whether Deidara could defeat and capture Gaara would have been uncertain.
But now, Deidara had left with Gaara—they had succeeded. As long as Sasori could escape, the mission would be a perfect success.
As for Deidara’s severed arm, it wasn’t a problem. Kakuzu could reattach it.
Sasori easily defeated Kankurō, then quickly departed, showing none of Hiruko’s usual clumsiness.
Kankurō didn’t die, but he was afflicted with a potent poison developed by Sasori. Chiyo probably couldn’t create an antidote.
Though Chiyo was a master of poisons, it didn’t mean she was skilled at creating antidotes.
——
By the time Chiyo and Ebizō arrived, it was already too late. They only saw Kankurō lying on the ground, critically poisoned.
Chiyo helplessly helped Kankurō up and checked his condition.
Suddenly, Chiyo’s expression darkened, a hint of sorrow appearing on her face.
“What’s wrong, Sister?” Ebizō, seeing his sister’s expression, felt a sense of foreboding.
“This is Sasori’s poison—” Chiyo said gravely.
Ebizō wanted to ask how she knew it was Sasori’s poison, but seeing Chiyo’s grim expression, he wisely refrained.
“Gaara seems to have been captured.” Ebizō felt a headache coming on. Their Kazekage had been captured.
Thinking about Sunagakure, it was truly too tragic. The Third Kazekage died mysteriously, suddenly disappearing. Then the Fourth Kazekage was killed by Orochimaru, and they didn’t even know when it happened.
And now—the Fifth Kazekage had been captured within their own village.
This was an immense humiliation!
“Our only option now is to ask Konoha for help…” Ebizō sighed, speaking his thoughts.
“WHAT?! ASK KONOHA FOR HELP?!” Chiyo, who had been lost in grief, suddenly looked up, staring intently at Ebizō.
Seeing his sister’s strong reaction, Ebizō smiled wryly. He knew why she reacted that way.
“I know you don’t want to ask Konoha for help, Sister. But we have no other choice now. Didn’t Suna just re-sign an alliance with Konoha two years ago? We can only ask Konoha.”
What else could they do???
The Kazekage was captured, and even Sunagakure itself was in ruins. What else could they do but ask for help?
If the Kazekage were still here, the decision would be his. But now, with the Kazekage captured, only they could make the decision—
“I know you hold a grudge against Konoha because of what happened to your son and daughter-in-law, Sister. But you also know Sunagakure’s current situation. This isn’t the time to dwell on such things.”
Ebizō knew his sister still harbored deep hatred for Konoha due to the deaths of her son and daughter-in-law, but they had no other choice now.
If they still wanted to be one of the Five Great Villages—they had to request Konoha’s assistance.
“I understand. You make the arrangements. I’ll help him suppress the poison first.”
Chiyo said no more, but her heart felt heavy. She never thought she’d see the day she had to ask her enemies for help.
It was truly pathetic—
Ebizō immediately gathered the Suna ninja, selected Baki, and ordered him to head to Konoha at top speed to request their aid.
Time was of the essence.
With the Kazekage captured, who knew what might happen? What if he was killed?
“What do you plan to do about Shin Uzumaki?” Chiyo, having temporarily suppressed the poison in Kankurō’s body, asked Ebizō.
“What else can we do? Leave him be.” Ebizō smiled wryly, his eyebrows twitching. They couldn’t handle Shin; they could only leave him alone.
Actually, Ebizō didn’t need to worry.
Shin was no longer in Sunagakure—he had already caught up with Deidara.
——
“Shin-dono! Did Sasori escape?” Deidara asked Shin, grimacing in pain.
The agony of a severed arm wasn’t something a normal person could endure. Deidara was quite resilient.
“Sasori is fine—” Shin told Deidara.
“That’s good. If he died, I probably wouldn’t have anyone to compare art with.” Deidara didn’t want to see Sasori die.
Of course, if Sasori did die, Deidara wouldn’t necessarily feel much grief.
“By the way, Shin-dono, can you help me reattach my arm? You should have that ability, right?” Deidara’s eyes lit up slightly as he asked Shin.
Of course, Deidara didn’t hold much hope.
Even if Shin Uzumaki was incredibly strong, skills were specialized. He might not be able to heal his severed arm.
Shin looked deeply at Deidara.
This guy isn’t shy about asking… But it didn’t matter—Shin held no ill will towards Deidara. Besides, for Shin, this was just a small favor, an effortless task.
“Alright, I can help you.” A ball of green chakra appeared in Shin’s hand. He tossed it towards Deidara.
A moment later, Deidara held his severed left arm in his right hand, then looked at his newly regrown left arm, falling into stunned silence.
‘What is this technique?! It made a severed arm grow back!’ Deidara had only thought Shin would help him reattach it.
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