Konoha, reported by the Fourth Hokage at the start.

Chapter 451 Chiyo's Scheme

"I've said it countless times: there can only be one Kazekage of Sunagakure, and that is the Fourth Kazekage. I will not allow anyone else to become Kazekage, including myself!"

The scorpion's puppet bird spoke with unwavering resolve, without the slightest hesitation.

For Sasori, the only one he truly understood was the Wind Release clone of Li Yao, who had helped him kill the Third Kazekage. It was this Wind Release clone who wholeheartedly supported his pursuit of eternal art.

Everything he has now is inspired by Li Yaofeng's clone.

It can be said that without Li Yaofeng's clone technique, there would be no Scorpion as he is today.

Therefore, Scorpion will not hesitate to retaliate against anyone who tries to sabotage Li Yaofeng's clone, even his own mother-in-law.

"That Scorpion guy..."

Inside the interlayered space, Li Yaofeng's clone smiled, somewhat surprised that Scorpion was actually on his side.

Chiyo clearly didn't understand Sasori's stance.

Or rather, as Scorpion's mother-in-law, in her mind, Scorpion should unconditionally obey her decisions.

So Chiyo didn't think much of Sasori's words and instead scolded him, "Sasori, this is not the time for you to be willful. Have you forgotten what I told you? The Fourth Hokage, he..."

"I know," said the little bird puppet scorpion.

"Then you also..." Chiyo suddenly realized, staring at the little bird puppet with a shocked expression, "You mean..."

"That's right, I knew it all along," said the little bird puppet scorpion.

After Li Yao killed the Third Kazekage with his Wind Release clone, he invited Sasori back to Sunagakure to study puppetry, saying that he would give Sasori a reasonable explanation for returning to the village so that no one would suspect that he killed the Third Kazekage.

After Sasori returned to the village, he learned that the mysterious Explosion Release ninja had not only attacked the village, but had also revealed that he had killed the Third Kazekage.

At that time, Sasori knew that the mysterious Explosion Release ninja and Li Yao's Wind Release clone were in cahoots.

Naturally, the mysterious Explosion Release ninja was specifically targeting the high-ranking ninja clans of Sunagakure, led by the three major clans, and Sasori immediately recognized it as the intention of Li Yao's Wind Release clone.

Therefore, from the very beginning, Sasori knew that the person who colluded with outside ninjas and caused heavy casualties to the three major clans was the Fourth Kazekage, Li Yaofeng, who used his Wind Release clone.

But so what?

Sasori himself also attempted to assassinate the Third Kazekage from the very beginning.

Therefore, he and the Fourth Kazekage are on the same side.

"You...you...could it be that...you are also the third one...?"

Chiyo instinctively took a few steps back from the little bird puppet scorpion, her face filled with shock and fear, not daring to voice her suspicions.

If everything is true, then the mastermind behind the killing of the Third Kazekage and the weakening of the three major clans is actually his own grandson!

"No...this can't be real!"

"No, this can't be real!"

Chiyo instinctively reached out to grab the little bird puppet and questioned it, but Sasori dodged her.

"Scorpion, you..."

Hai Laozang, who was manipulating the barrier to blur the image so that others wouldn't see it, was also shocked. He hadn't expected that his sister's grandson had been involved in that attack back then.

Why?

Chiyo was, after all, a Kage-level ninja. After the initial shock, she calmed down, but she was still puzzled by Sasori's choice.

As a ninja from one of the three major clans, Sasori was born noble. If it weren't for that attack back then, the position of the Fourth Kazekage would most likely have been held by Sasori.

Chiyo couldn't understand why, if she could become the Fourth Kazekage, she would still join forces with that Fourth Kazekage and do things that would harm her own clan.

"No reason!"

The little bird puppet scorpion was too lazy to explain the greatness of eternity to these foolish humans like Chiyo. He coldly said, "I'm telling you this so you can face reality and hurry up and seal Shukaku. Stop having illusions."

"No, it's too late." Chiyo suddenly laughed.

"You...could it be..." Scorpion suddenly realized something, and a hint of barely perceptible fear appeared in the little bird puppet's lively eyes.

"That's right, I've already imprisoned Ye Yi." Chiyo looked at the little bird puppet scorpion and chuckled, "You have no way out now. Given the Fourth Hokage's personality, once he finds out that we've made a move against Ye Yi, you, as my grandson, will only have one path left: to become his enemy."

"Even if you survive, the trust between you and the fourth generation will be gone, and you will become enemies sooner or later."

Chiyo is indeed Chiyo. Even Li Yao, in the interlayered space, couldn't help but admire Chiyo's scheming, which took into account Sasori's stance and Li Yao's reaction if he returned in time.

In Chiyo's plan, Sasori becoming the Fifth Kazekage would place him squarely in opposition to Li Yao's Wind Release clones, leaving no possibility of reconciliation.

At that time, even if Li Yaofeng's clone returned, she could still rely on Scorpion's strength and the village's righteousness to avenge Li Yaofeng's clone.

This is the best outcome Chiyo hoped for.

Another possible outcome is the current situation: Sasori is unwilling to become the Fifth Kazekage, nor is he willing to offend the Fourth Kazekage.

Chiyo's act of imprisoning Ye Yi left Sasori with no other choice.

Because Chiyo saw through the logic behind that attack back then, she could see the domineering side of Li Yaofeng's clone's personality.

A man who could collude with foreign enemies to kill the third Kazekage of his own village would not allow his wife to be imprisoned and remain indifferent.

As Chiyo's grandson, Sasori will inevitably become the adversary of Li Yaofeng's clone.

This kind of conflict is not something that Scorpion can decide.

However, Chiyo still considered her grandson's safety to some extent and did not completely leave Sasori and Li Yaofeng's clones with no room for maneuver.

She merely imprisoned Ye Yi; she did not allow Ye Yi to be humiliated.

In this case, if Li Yaofeng really does return after using his clone, he might kill Chiyo and the other members of the three major families, but there's a high probability he won't kill Sasori, who is on his side.

However, once Scorpion and Li Yaofeng create clones, they will definitely not be of one mind.

After all, Chiyo was Sasori's mother-in-law. Li Yaofeng killed her with his clone, so he definitely wouldn't trust Sasori as much as before.

Two people who have developed a rift will eventually become adversaries.

However, it takes time to accumulate experience.

Chiyo was betting on the accumulation of power during this period, believing that Sasori's strength would definitely improve to the point where he could defeat and kill Li Yaofeng's clone.

If one Shukaku puppet isn't enough, then two, eight, or nine tailed beast puppets together will definitely be enough to kill Li Yao's Wind Release clone.

Sasori's talent in puppetry and the path he has taken have given Chiyo absolute confidence, which is why she couldn't wait to set up this scheme a month after Li Yaofeng's clone disappeared.

It can be said that Chiyo considered every possibility.

Either way, she's guaranteed to make a profit.

After figuring all this out, Li Yaofeng, who had used his clone to escape, couldn't help but sigh, "Chiyo is indeed Chiyo; experience counts."

However... no matter how sure a scheme is, it is still no match for absolute strength.

Moreover... Chiyo doesn't understand Sasori well enough.

(End of this chapter)