The Soul Living Inside the Puppet
Retreat… Retreat!
The Chakra Threads of world-class Puppet Masters can control humans
as well as their puppets.
But once the Chakra Thread is cut, there's no harm to the human.
I'm indebted to you.
I was about to slay an ally.
There's a special way to fight between Puppet Users.
And I'm the only one here who can do this…
Right, Granny Chiyo?!
Kankuro…
Sasori…
I erred in everything I did…
But after meeting Naruto,
I was able to do the right thing in the end.
I thought I died,
leaving some hope for a bright future.
But…
As I stand before you,
I can't help but regret the past… Sasori…
When are mother and father coming back?
Well, they'll be gone a little bit longer…
I see…
I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth…
Sasori was too young to know about his parents' deaths…
Sasori…
Sasori had already figured out, that his parents were dead.
Sasori! How've you been?
Huh?
Granny Chiyo said your last puppet was a huge hit.
Some day, I want to be a shinobi like you,
where everyone praises my puppets…
Hey! Are you listening?!
Hey, it's me!
Komushi has come to see you!
Hey! Answer me!
H-Hey, I didn't mean it. I'm sorry.
But you're treating me worse than a puppet.
Oh well, I might as well wait until hell freezes over
to get a response from you.
I have a message from Granny Chiyo.
She wants the puppets she ordered sooner…
The Crow, Black Ant and Salamander…
Oh…
Everything she requested is done.
Oh, so these are your new creations.
Man, that was quick…
I don't like to keep people waiting.
Yeah… That's true.
Hey… That's amazing.
They look so human!
Oh, I almost forgot.
About your new creation…
She asked me to inquire about the poison for the Crow puppet.
Huh?
These are all rare medicinal plants!
You're gonna make a mixture out of these?
This is going to require permission.
All right!
I, Komushi, will negotiate this! So give me some time.
I don't want to wait.
I guess not. Then let's go!
It's me, Komushi!
What is it?
Oh… Did you relay my message…?
Granny Chiyo, Sasori has a request.
What is it?
There's not much I can say
without knowing the blending ratio of the mixture.
But since this is coming from you, I have no issues with it.
I'll clear it with the Pharmaceuticals Division.
I'm in the middle of research, so you may leave.
Man, you've got it made, Sasori.
You're still young, but you're already contributing to the village.
Granny Chiyo must be so proud of you.
Are you listening to me?
Granny Chiyo is always worried about you.
I can't wait to be acknowledged as a full-fledged shinobi…
just like your puppets!
My own parents still treat me like a kid!
They tell me I'm not suited to being a shinobi…
But this time, I was assigned to border security.
It's just guard duty, but if I can prove myself…
Komushi!
What have you been doing at this hour?!
I was so worried!
Wait… Cut it out, you're embarrassing me!
I'm going to be assigned border security missions from now on…
You can turn down things like missions!
I'll take care of you for the rest of my life.
I want you to stop it!
Thanks, Sasori!
I heard that you were injured on duty?
I messed up.
But…
That's…a puppet arm!
That's not all!
I feel stronger than before.
And it fits perfectly.
It feels like it's always been a part of my body.
How could you ingest your own poison?!
Granny Chiyo…
He's… He's not to blame.
I'm the one…who messed up…
Where is Sasori?!
Do we have the blending ratio of the poison yet?
Please heal him…
Heal him! Please!
You attached his right arm too, right?
Then his left arm can be…
His legs, his body…
You can even heal his soul, can't you?!
Give him back to me!
Heal my Komushi and give him back to me!
It was a painful accident.
Komushi was my link to Sasori…
Not only that…
He was Sasori's only friend.
How has Sasori been lately?
The same as usual.
He's been working on small puppet parts recently.
And they look like real human hands…
Huh? What?
Impossible. It has to be a coincidence…
But something is…
I hope my fears are ungrounded!
I don't like to make people wait.
From what I can see,
I thought there'd be a little more progress.
Sasori! What are you doing?!
You barely got it to the standard size…
Sasori!
It's Komushi?!
As requested…
The model is finished.
I wasn't able to be at his side when he was suffering the most.
When he desperately needed love…
No, I made excuses and distanced myself from him.
I'm the one who distorted him.
I'm sorry…
Much good it does at this point…
An apology from a reanimated corpse to the puppet that you are now!
Your technique is as sharp as ever.
But you don't have any fighting spirit!
I guess Puppet Masters aren't good at being a puppet, eh?
Inexperienced ones shouldn't act as if they know….
Don't make light of the Reanimation Jutsu.
If the user of the jutsu gets serious…
Oh, speak of the devil!
Reverse Secret White Technique…
Esematsu's Ten Puppets!
What?!
Wires?
Wha—?!
Sasori…as well as Sasori's Mother and Father…
I recovered and repaired them.
Sasori told me…
that he was a human who wasn't able to become a puppet.
An incomplete puppet with a core that was living flesh…
Do you think he wanted to be closer to his parents
who had become puppets?
How could anyone want to become a puppet without a soul?
Possibly…
But you know…
I can sense the souls of Sasori's mother and father
inside these puppets.
I'd like to believe that Sasori felt it as well.
Granny Chiyo said…
that Sasori was able to see his mother and father's final attack.
But for some reason, he didn't counter it.
Yeah… It must've reached him.
The cry of his parents' souls.
I admit I'm inexperienced.
But I'm not so ignorant that I couldn't feel
your regret and sadness through your Chakra Threads.
You say the first thing that pops up in your mind!
That's why you're inexperienced!
There are things one wants to atone for, but can't.
Besides, I'm a corpse.
There's nothing I can do!
Sasori entrusted me…
I entrust you with the Father and Mother puppets.
Sasori entrusted you…?!
Puppets that only Sasori could create.
Their workings are so delicate… all the way down to the fingertips.
So he shares a love and passion for puppets,
just like Sasori did?
Sasori's soul dwells in these two puppets!
And his love instilled the souls of his parents in them too!
Sasori, at least, was able to feel it.
Puppets with souls?!
That's not all, Granny Chiyo…
The love you gave to his Father and Mother puppets
became a part of their souls.
Huh?
Sasori was aware of that.
And he gave them all to me…
Rather, he entrusted them to me
for future generations of the shinobi world.
Passing it on is our duty too.
Sasori did that…?
Sure, I'm inexperienced and in your eyes, a stranger.
But my kid brother…
Gaara received your soul and came back to life.
So I'm not a stranger at all.
And I can sense it through the Chakra Threads.
Sasori and his mother and father…
The family's thoughts, their love…
Their souls are saying…
"Please stop Granny Chiyo!"
Family…
Mother!
It's only a family portrait. Don't be so stubborn.
You fool! The meaning of the word "shinobi" is to be stealthy!
I will not take a photo, to be put up as decoration…
and have people say, "Oh, what a fine photo" at parties!
W-We wouldn't go that far…
Of course, you will!
Granny Chiyo…
Don't you want to take a photo with us?
No… It's not that.
What are we going to do with you?
Oh, what are you doing?
– Oh! – Hey!
I will say though,
they are in the hands of a fine puppeteer.
Granny Chiyo!
Just kidding!
Playing Possum for real!
Now then…
Sasori left his Mother and Father to you as a present…
I must leave you with something too.
All I can give you now are my Secret Puppetry Techniques.
Learn, by experiencing them firsthand!
Hey, wait…!
Secret White Technique! Army of Illusions!
This is bad!
When I was a kid, I begged you to train me.
But you said you didn't care about the future of the village
and totally ignored me!
I guess I was young back then too!
You were already an old hag by then!
Did you say Omoi deserted the battlefield?!
Is this true, Kakashi?
Yes. Reports say he ran from his post
after saying he needed to leave for a bit.
Deserting one's post under enemy fire
is considered a serious offense in the Hidden Cloud Village!
Next time on Naruto Shippuden: "Run, Omoi!"
Damn it, Omoi, what are you thinking?!
RUN, OMOI!
Tune in again!