Battle Analysis

After Yukio's stunt at the puppet warehouse, news spread throughout Sunagakure and eventually made its way outside of it and into the ears of Suna's enemies. The other hidden villages were glad to hear that Suna's brightest genius was attacked.

When the news reached the Third Kazekage's ears, he immediately went to Chiyo's home to personally check upon them.

The entire time, Sasori acted like nothing happened, like he wasn't just nearly killed. Ever since the battle, he had remained silent. Chiyo tried to get him to talk but when she saw his silent expression, she gave up. She knew he was deep in his thoughts and that there was no way to wake him up.

Sasori was recalling what he had seen and felt during the second half of his fight with Smiles. The way the attacker fought and the weird techniques they used.

When he first saw Smiles use puppets, it only took a glance for him to know that Smiles was just a beginner. But as they fought, he noticed that Smiles was quickly getting better. From two puppets with two full hands, four puppets with eight fingers.

Not only that, his chakra threads were invisible. If it were anyone else, they would assume that Smiles had compressed his chakra threads to the point where they appeared invisible. But that was for the narrow-minded.

Sasori knew better. Others would know better. The entire fight, Smiles did not emit a single ounce of chakra. He concluded that Smile's chakra was completely invisible.

When he came to that conclusion, he found it familiar. He then remembered his grandmother talking to him about a boy with an interesting constitution: the inability to possess chakra. Keeping that thought in mind, he continued analyzing Smiles' abilities.

Not only was his chakra threads invisible, he felt like they were different from what he knew. At some point during the second half, Smiles ditched the puppet technique and summoned a long chain.

That moment on, Sasori was essentially beaten up by Sasori and his chain. He would use it to whip and toss him around like a ragdoll. Whenever the chains hit the surface, they would rebound towards him.

Those chains acted alive. He didn't know if Smiles was using a certain technique to assist him, but he had a good idea what it was. While he was getting beaten up, he noticed that Smiles was standing still with one hand holding onto the chain while the other was stretched out with its fingers moving about.

At that time, he didn't think much of it as he was busy dealing with the pain. But now, those hand movements were similar to that of chakra threads controlling a puppet. He was controlling the chains like a puppet.

The problem was those movements were unlike normal chakra threads. The movements were minimal yet the results were extensive. He was interested in how Smiles had accomplished that.

Other than that, Smiles was skilled with using explosive tags. They always somehow appeared on him and would blast him from time to time. Though, they were all non-life-threatening.

After he kept thinking about the final, he only said one word, "Interesting..."

He glanced at the Akatsuki badge and remembered what Smiles had told him after he was defeated.

=====

"Interesting... Although it's just a theory, it makes sense..." Yukio closed the book titled 'Living Puppet Theory,' "If Sasori still refuses to join, maybe I can lure him into the Akatsuki with it."

He had also read the 'Prodigious Puppet Mastery' book which, like with the advanced version, seemed to be written by Sasori. Compared to the book written by Chiyo, this one was far more complex. The most important thing that Yukio did learn from the book was how to turn people's corpses into puppets, just like Canon Sasori had done with the third Kazekage and his friend.

As for the Living Puppet Theory, it theorized the possibility to turn one's body into a puppet body. Just like Canon Sasori did to himself, leaving a core of flesh inside a puppet.

They were both nice reads, but not something Yukio really cared about. At most, it just helped him have a better understanding of how to use the puppet technique.

"It's been two days. Only three more days until we meet up. Hm... that reminds me, what happened to the clone that I sent out to cut wood?"

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Woodcutter Clone Yukio was currently running for his life as a pack of coyotes was chasing him. He could have instantly killed or tamed them, but because of the shinobi watching him, he had to act like a useless brat.

'Don't they see me in trouble? Is no one going to help me?? Huh? They're retreating? Aye, at least help me before leav-'

As he was mentally scorning them, a large gust of wind appeared, kicking up the sand. He was blinded by the sand for at least ten seconds before they died down.

When his eyes were clear, he noticed the coyotes were gone, so were those who were spying on him.

'How nice of them. Should I return now or later? I wonder if OG Me convinced Sasori yet or at least made a plan for him.'

=====

'Hm... So this is where they hid the jinchuriki of the One Tail at. It looks as terrible as I remember.'

One of Yukio's clones was standing in front of a large cave barred with purple, metallic rods. Inside the cave-turned-prison was a middle-aged man with tired eyes. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days. This man was the second, and current jinchuriki of the One-Tailed Beast, Shukaku.

Since Clone Yukio was currently 'hiding' in plain sight, the man didn't notice him. He just aimlessly looked at the ceiling.

Outside the prison are two shinobi wearing armor. They, too, didn't notice the clone's presence.

The clone quietly passed by them and took a glass jar out of his system. On the glass jar were several talismans that read 'Negativity.'

He quietly hid the jar inside the prison and left.

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(A/N: Should I create a discord so that you guys can chat with each other, allow me to personally ask readers for feedback, and suggestions?)