"You arrived so quickly—it's really reassuring to have allies like you!" Temari forced a smile.

"Where's Gaara? Where is he?" Naruto pressed urgently.

"Well…" Temari's expression darkened. "He was taken almost a day ago. Kankurō went after them alone, but there's been no word since."

Naruto clenched his fists. "How could this happen… Kakashi-sensei, think of something, quick!"

Kakashi wasted no time. He summoned Pakkun.

Pakkun looked displeased. "Kakashi, what do you want now? I was waiting for Megumi to summon me. Can't you leave me alone?"

Kakashi's mouth twitched. "No fooling around. This is serious. Do you remember Kankurō's scent? Track him down immediately! Once you fix the direction, we'll follow on the giant eagles!"

Pakkun dropped the act and switched to work mode. His tracking skills were exceptional—as long as it was a familiar scent and there were traces left behind, he could follow it.

Since Kankurō hadn't left long ago, the trail was still fresh. Pakkun quickly locked on to the direction.

Tenten once again summoned Batora and his mate. The group leapt onto their backs, and the eagles soared skyward, following Pakkun's guidance.

Only then did the group notice that not just Temari had joined them—an elderly woman had as well.

Temari blinked. "Granny Chiyo, why are you here?"

The old woman, toothless, spoke with a whistle: "I heard my useless grandson is the one who captured Gaara. I must confirm it myself. And if it's true… then I'll punish him with my own hands!"

The intel about Deidara and Sasori had already been shared with Konoha, which was why the Sand siblings were on edge.

Chiyo was a decisive woman. Waiting idly was not in her nature.

But when she caught sight of Kakashi, she froze for a moment as though seeing an enemy. Instinctively, she lunged to strangle him.

"Damn White Fang! Give me back my son and daughter-in-law!"

Kakashi nearly jumped out of his skin and quickly dodged aside.

Fortunately, Temari grabbed her. "Granny Chiyo, look carefully! That's not the White Fang! That's Hatake Kakashi!"

Chiyo blinked, scrutinized him again, and then suddenly broke into a silly grin. "Oops, my mistake. Ehe~!"

Everyone was dumbfounded.

What does "Ehe~" even mean?! This old woman…

Still, thanks to Natsuki and Sasuke both learning White Fang's kenjutsu, everyone was familiar with who Konoha's White Fang was. From Chiyo's words, it was clear: White Fang had killed her son and daughter-in-law. That kind of hatred ran deep. But it was a grudge of the previous generation. The young ones had no say in it.

Naruto, however, was curious. "Granny Chiyo, you said your grandson took Gaara? Is your grandson that clay-using guy?"

Temari quickly shook her head. "Not Deidara—Sasori of the Red Sand!"

"Eh? That puppet guy?" Naruto looked her up and down, struggling to see the resemblance.

"Hohoho, puppet guy? Fitting name."

Chiyo chuckled toothlessly. "Sasori was always a genius puppeteer. From a young age, his talent was extraordinary. By now, his puppet arts must have reached their peak. You've seen Kankurō's Karasu puppet, right? That was just Sasori's childhood toy."

Everyone was stunned.

Kankurō was no weakling, and his puppet was formidable. Yet that puppet had merely been Sasori's plaything as a child. It was hard to imagine just how terrifying Sasori had become now.

Oh, but they had already experienced a taste. With just his scorpion tail, he had bound them in knots. Later, his barrage of poisoned needles nearly killed several of them. The memory still stung.

But this time, they had a chance for payback. They hadn't been wasting the past two years.

Guided by Pakkun, the eagles flew swiftly. Soon, they spotted Kankurō collapsed in the desert.

"Kankurō! Are you alright?!" Temari leapt down in panic but didn't dare touch him, helpless in her worry.

Chiyo moved forward, but Sakura beat her to it. She knelt to examine him and quickly reported: "He's been poisoned. We need to extract it immediately and prepare an antidote. Luckily, we found him early. The poison hasn't sunk too deep yet—he can still be saved. But this environment…"

Chiyo was surprised and checked for herself, then nodded. The girl was right.

"And you are…?" Chiyo asked curiously.

"I'm Lady Tsunade's student!" Sakura declared.

"Ah, Tsunade-hime's disciple. No wonder you're so capable. In that case, I'll leave Kankurō's treatment to you!"

Chiyo had little confidence in undoing her grandson's poison herself. But here was Tsunade's apprentice, brimming with confidence—it was better this way. She still had her own debts to settle.

Kakashi turned to Tenten. "Tenten, can you carry others with Flying Thunder God?"

Tenten shook her head. "Not yet."

Kakashi sighed. "Then we'll have to send Sakura and Kankurō back to Sunagakure on the eagles…"

Before he could finish, Kankurō coughed violently and struggled upright. "W-wait! Here… here's something… that can track Sasori…!"

He worked his broken puppet's hand, revealing a scrap of cloth.

He must have ripped it from Sasori with his last strength. With this, tracking Sasori would be easy.

"Alright then. Sakura and Kankurō, you two return to Sunagakure with Temari and Sai escorting you. The rest of us will continue with Pakkun and pursue Sasori. We must rescue Gaara at all costs!"

Kakashi gave his orders.

Tenten quickly spoke with Batora, and together they lifted Kankurō onto the eagle's back. Sakura, Sai, and Temari joined, and the bird carried them away.

Pakkun locked onto the new scent, and the others remounted the second eagle, resuming pursuit.

To their surprise, the trail led them beyond the desert, into the Land of Rivers. Forest stretched below them, making the trail much harder to follow—without Pakkun, they might have lost it.

Kakashi used Water Release: Telescope Technique as they flew. Soon, he spotted three figures.

Sasori. Deidara. And a clay bird flying low, clutching Gaara's body.

They had caught up!

Sasori and Deidara, sharp as ever, already noticed their pursuers.

"Damn it! They're too fast! We haven't even reached the hideout!" Deidara cursed.

Within the puppet armor of Hiruko, Sasori's gaze fixed on the old woman leaping down from the eagle's back. He froze for a moment, not expecting to see his grandmother here.

For the two of them to meet again at this moment… the timing couldn't be worse.

(End of Chapter)

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