Mastermind of the Akatsuki

Under the pale moonlight, Gaara quickly spotted the figure lurking outside his room. The person wore a Sunagakure forehead protector and the attire of an ANBU operative, revealing only part of their face, making it hard to discern their true identity.

Despite this, Gaara recognized the person—it was Yashamaru, his uncle, one of the few people in the village who cared for him. If this had been just a few hours earlier, Gaara would have been delighted to see Yashamaru.

Yashamaru was different from the other villagers. He told Gaara stories of brave shinobi and encouraged him to resist Shukaku's influence, urging him to take control of his destiny. But earlier that evening, two mysterious figures had intruded into his room. They subdued him with overwhelming power and told him something he found hard to believe: that tonight, a close confidant of his would attempt to assassinate him.

If that information was true, then the assassin tonight could only be Yashamaru. Feeling anxious and uncertain, Gaara opened his door and looked at Yashamaru.

Yashamaru glanced into Gaara's room, then casually sat down in a corner. With a sigh, he said, "Gaara, this will be the last time I visit you..."

"Why? Are you going on a mission, Uncle Yashamaru?"

Yashamaru nodded, his gaze lingering briefly on the gourd on Gaara's back before he said, "You could say it's a mission. I am about to carry out a very dangerous plan. Whether it succeeds or fails, you won't see me again."

Gaara sensed that something was wrong. Instinctively stepping back, he bumped into the wall behind him. "Why would you say that, Uncle? You're one of the strongest shinobi in the village. What mission could be too dangerous for you?"

Yashamaru took a step forward, forcing Gaara into the corner. Slowly, he said, "Ordinary missions wouldn't be a problem for a shinobi of my level, but dealing with a Jinchūriki is another matter. The power of a Jinchūriki far exceeds that of a regular shinobi. Even now, I have no guarantee of success."

Gaara froze. Staring into Yashamaru's eyes, he cautiously asked, "Did Father order you to get rid of me? Just because I'm not the kind of Jinchūriki he wants? Because I don't meet his standards?"

Yashamaru shook his head and said, "This has nothing to do with Rasa. I want to kill you. Don't you know? Your birth caused Karura's death, my beloved sister. If not for you, Karura would still be alive. Rasa wouldn't have lost his wife, and Kankurō and Temari wouldn't have lost their mother. Your existence was a mistake from the very beginning."

As he spoke, Yashamaru's tone grew increasingly intense, his eyes wild. He pulled out a kunai from his pouch and thrust it toward Gaara's throat. Just before the blade made contact, a clump of sand blocked the attack.

Seeing the sand automatically protecting Gaara, Yashamaru's eyes flickered. He quickly formed a series of seals and unleashed several advanced Wind Release techniques.

Blades of translucent wind took shape and shot toward Gaara.

Gaara simply waved his hand, and the sand intercepted the wind blades. Staring at Yashamaru, he said firmly, "Uncle Yashamaru, my birth wasn't a mistake. I didn't kill my mother!"

Yashamaru's expression remained blank. Before coming here, he had steeled himself for this moment. To force out Gaara's latent potential, he was prepared to say anything, no matter how cruel.

Only this way could Gaara's value as a Jinchūriki be fully realized, ensuring he remained Shukaku's host.

After two rounds of probing attacks, their battle spilled outside the room. One was a Sunagakure elite jōnin; the other was a Jinchūriki host to Shukaku. The clash between uncle and nephew caused quite a commotion, even shaking the ground.

Not far away, Byakuya and Sasori watched the fight unfold. For them, a jōnin-level skirmish was mildly entertaining but ultimately unimpressive.

In his current state, without entering full Tailed Beast Mode, Gaara was just a child protected by his mother's chakra. He could borrow some of Shukaku's chakra, but doing so would drive him to lose control of his sanity. In contrast, Yashamaru's abilities paled in comparison.

While being a jōnin was respectable within the ninja world, it was unimpressive in the Akatsuki, an organization filled with powerhouses. A mere jōnin was at best a peripheral member, suitable for running errands.

Byakuya watched Gaara and Yashamaru's battle with interest. He had no intention of interfering; he was just enjoying the show. Besides, he was curious to see how Sasori would handle his relationship with Gaara.

To secure the position of Kazekage, one needed more than the elders' approval—control over the Jinchūriki was essential. After all, Jinchūriki were the ultimate weapons of mass destruction for the hidden villages.

As he observed the fight, Sasori seemed distracted.

From Gaara's current expression, Sasori could sense the pain and helplessness buried deep in the boy's heart. He himself had felt a similar despair when he learned of his parents' deaths.

Back then, he had a clear goal: to avenge his parents. That purpose had kept him going, driving him to regain his composure quickly. However, things hadn't turned out as he'd hoped. Just when he was ready to go to the front lines and take revenge, the village signed a peace treaty with the Hidden Leaf.

A few years later, his nemesis, Sakumo Hatake—better known as Konoha's White Fang—died in his home under ridiculous circumstances. With his enemy gone and no reason to continue, Sasori lost his purpose in life. He buried himself in the art of puppetry, eventually killing the Third Kazekage—the one who had signed the treaty—and leaving Sunagakure behind.

Now, standing before him was a child with a story eerily similar to his own.

This boy was also the target of his mission: the One-Tail Jinchūriki, whose Tailed Beast was destined to be extracted and sealed into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

As countless thoughts raced through Sasori's mind, he suddenly disappeared from his spot. Hiruko, his puppet body, moved at incredible speed, appearing behind Yashamaru in an instant. The sharp tail of Hiruko wrapped around Yashamaru and smashed him into the ground with brutal force.

Sasori's unexpected intervention immediately caught the attention of both Yashamaru and Gaara. Yashamaru was shocked to discover such a powerful ninja hidden nearby, while Gaara was surprised that Sasori would act at this moment.

After rolling across the ground, Yashamaru struggled to his feet, his eyes locked on Sasori. Though he didn't recognize Sasori's altered appearance, the design of Hiruko gave him a clue—it had to be a puppet master, a profession unique to Sunagakure.

Could it be that Rasa had sent another puppet master besides him?

Had Rasa's promises been lies as well? Was tonight's mission to ensure Gaara's death so they could replace him with a new Jinchūriki?