Hattori , Puppet Tyrant in Sand

There's a saying: Flattery always finds its mark. 

No matter where you are, only a rare few genuinely prefer blunt honesty. Most people, after all, appreciate a little praise. 

Especially when that praise comes from someone like Hattori, just a kid, his compliments feel all the more genuine, harder to resist. 

Even someone as dignified as Lady Chiyo wasn't immune. When she heard Hattori's words, she froze briefly, then couldn't help but smile.

"An undying flower of the shinobi world? Your mother certainly thinks highly of this old woman. But... alas…" 

She trailed off with a sigh, her gaze toward Hattori tinged with a hint of sorrow.

"Shi, your home is uninhabitable for now. Until repairs are complete, come stay with me. I can teach you medical ninjutsu as well."

"Yes, thank you, Lady Chiyo! I'm sorry for the trouble!" 

Hattori had no reason to decline her kindness—his home had been destroyed when Shukaku ran wild, and he needed a place to stay.

Seeing how "thoughtful" Hattori was, Chiyo grew even fonder of him and gently patted his head again.

"Such a good child. Well, let's head ba—"

*Bang!*

Before she could finish, the door burst open. A medical ninja in a white coat rushed in, face full of panic.

"Lady Chiyo! Bad news—Komushi... he's been poisoned!"

"What? Take me to him immediately!" 

Chiyo jumped up in alarm, leaving Hattori behind to hurry out with the medical ninja.

Watching the two leave, Hattori thought for a moment, then hopped out of his bed and quietly followed them.

After a few turns in the hallway, Chiyo and the medical ninja entered the emergency room and shut the door behind them.

Outside the room stood a teenage boy, around fourteen or fifteen, wearing a Sunagakure forehead protector. He had red hair and an expression of cold indifference. 

Hattori's instinct led him to quickly scan the boy's information:

- **Name:** Sasori

- **Level:** 39

- **HP:** 523/524

- **MP:** 703/803

- **Specialties:** Puppetry, Poison

- **Combat Power Rating:** A-

Hattori's eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the data.

"So, it really is the infamous 'Sasori of the Red Sand.' Even at this young age, he's reached level 39 with an A- combat rating—almost at the level of a jōnin. Sasori... you're a genius!"

Feeling Hattori's gaze, Sasori turned and fixed his cold eyes on him.

"And who are you?"

"Uh…" 

Hattori snapped back to attention and bowed respectfully.

"Master Sasori, my name is Hattori. I'll be learning medical ninjutsu from Lady Chiyo starting today. I look forward to your guidance!" 

"…"

Sasori didn't respond, merely turned back to stare at the emergency room door.

Hattori was not surprised by Sasori's indifference; in fact, he felt a wave of relief. 

"Glad he's not paying me any mind. What a relief… This guy makes puppets out of his own friends. What was the name of that poor soul again? Right, it was…"

"Komushi!"

A voice suddenly broke his thoughts. He looked over to see a woman in a pale yellow dress stumbling toward them, her face stricken with fear.

She ran straight to Sasori, grabbing the hem of his coat in desperation.

"My Komushi… is he okay? Please… tell me he's okay!" 

"…"

Sasori did not respond, his cold eyes remaining fixed on the emergency room door.

Soon, the door creaked open, and the medical ninja from before stepped out, looking defeated.

"You… can go in."

The woman's eyes lit up as she released Sasori's coat, a glimmer of hope on her face.

"My Komushi… he's okay? Oh, thank goodness!" 

She hurried into the room, only for a heart-wrenching scream to follow.

"No… my Komushi!"

Hattori shivered as a chill ran down his spine. 

He remembered that, in the original story, Sasori's first human puppet had been Komushi!

Because Komushi often said things like "I want to be a great ninja, like one of your puppets" or "I wish I could be as skilled as your puppets," when he lost his right arm in a mission, Sasori crafted a puppet arm for him. 

But he secretly coated it with poison, and that poison eventually killed Komushi.

After Komushi's death, Sasori turned his body into a human puppet, fulfilling his "wish."

"Sasori… he's utterly twisted, a terrifying guy!" 

Hattori lowered his head, careful to keep his expression hidden so Sasori wouldn't notice.

Luckily, Sasori ignored him entirely, walking into the emergency room with a calm, indifferent expression.

Seeing this, Hattori breathed a sigh of relief and glanced into the emergency room.

There, he saw Komushi's mother on her knees, clutching Sasori's pants as tears streamed down her face.

"Please… please save him. You gave him his right arm; surely you can give him a left arm… his legs, his body… his very soul… please, bring back my Komushi… please…"

Her anguish over losing her beloved son had shattered her completely.

Sasori's face, however, remained expressionless as he looked at the figure on the bed.

To be precise, he was looking at the corpse on the bed, covered with a white cloth. His face showed neither joy nor sorrow.

The woman's desperate pleas didn't affect him in the slightest, as though the person before him was not human but a lifeless object.

His reaction sent chills through Hattori's heart.

"Sasori really is a monster… this is no place to linger!" 

With that, Hattori quickly returned to his own room, carefully closing the door behind him.

Once back on his bed, he rested his chin in thought.

"Sasori is too dangerous. Living with him would be like dancing with a wolf. I might have to refuse Lady Chiyo's offer, but what reason should I give?" 

(End of Chapter)