Naruto: Puppet Master Undercover in Konoha

As Pakura turned to leave, she noticed an eyeball staring at her.

Pakura's skin prickled instantly.

This was just an eyeball, but it felt so creepy!

Just as Pakura was about to destroy the eyeball, it began shaking wildly.

Although it shook violently, it didn't move away, as if trying to draw her attention.

Pakura suddenly shivered – she recalled the [Third Eye], a technique commonly used by Sunagakure's Magnet Release ninja.

Could it be that a Magnet Release ninja from Sunagakure was sending her a Code?

But this eyeball was shaking without any apparent pattern at all.

"You're one of those eyes created by our village's Magnet Release Ninjutsu, right?"

"Are you trying to tell me something?"

"How can I understand anything when you just keep shaking like this?!"

...

Meanwhile, Shindai was utterly speechless watching Pakura's behavior.

"It's just a deaf eye! Why's she talking to it?!"

Controlling the Third Eye, Shindai made it float toward Pakura and stopped it in front of her before shaking it again.

Pakura seemed to understand slightly: "You want me to follow you, right?"

Shindai became frustrated with Pakura: "This idiot, what's she muttering about? Just follow already! Isn't it obvious enough!"

Seeing Pakura take a few steps forward toward the eyeball, Shindai finally relaxed: "Finally figured it out, this idiot."

"Kakashi, Obito, Rin, wait for me here. I'm just going nearby and will come back immediately. Wait for me a moment."

Pressing his left eye, Shindai headed forward.

No sooner had Shindai taken a couple of steps than Obito excitedly shook Kakashi: "Quick! Let's get moving!"

Kakashi looked puzzled at Obito: "Stop! Don't shake me. What are we supposed to do? This is Shindai's thing alone, isn't it?"

Obito whispered mysteriously: "Kakashi, aren't you curious about what Shindai wants to say to Pakura?"

Rin still looked worried: "But..."

Obito wouldn't let her finish: "Don't you want to see what Pakura really looks like?"

Rin was caught off guard: "Uh..."

Want? Of course she did! More than anything else!

Obito hurried Kakashi along: "Hurry up, Kakashi, or we'll lose them later!"

Kakashi quickly made a decision: "We must hide our presence carefully and not expose ourselves! Move! Let's follow and see what happens!"

Obito, Kakashi, and Rin quietly followed after Shindai.

...

Guided by the floating eye, Pakura moved forward cautiously.

Now, however, Pakura became sharply alert.

Because... this Magnet Release ninja who lured her here using the Third Eye might not actually be an ally.

During this past month, Pakura had also heard about the rogue Magnet Release ninja from Sunagakure killing many Sand ninja on another battlefield.

So Pakura kept her right hand inside her ninja tool pouch, always ready to attack.

Suddenly.

[Iron Sand Body] The eyeball disintegrated into metallic dust and scattered onto the ground.

A familiar voice sounded.

"It's been a long time, Pakura."

Shindai emerged from behind a tree, looking toward Pakura in the distance.

At the very moment Pakura saw Shindai, she froze in place, stunned.

Smiling, Shindai said to Pakura, "It's only been a year and a bit. Surely you haven't forgotten me already? If that's true, then our connection must've meant nothing to you."

Coming back to her senses, Pakura stared at Shindai with red-rimmed eyes, her voice choked with emotion. "When I returned to the village and found you gone, I thought you were dead! What happened to you, you little brat? Why did you vanish without even saying goodbye? Don't you know how worried I was? And that message you sent via Ninja Hawk was so confusing — just mentioning a 'special mission' without any explanation!"

Obito, having overheard Shindai and Pakura's conversation, remarked, "Whoa! See? I told you these two weren't just ordinary acquaintances!"

Kakashi replied curiously, "Not special? But from what Shindai mentioned before, it sounds like Pakura treats Shindai like a younger brother, showing nothing more than a sister's concern for her sibling."

Rin Nohara nodded in agreement, "I agree completely. Their relationship does seem pretty straightforward. Though... Pakura really is stunning."

Obito disagreed, "Kakashi, Rin, you just don't get it. Only someone like me can truly understand. This is going to be a deeply emotional reunion."

Pakura broke into a sprint toward Shindai.

But suddenly she halted mid-stride, staring in disbelief at Shindai's forehead. "A Konoha forehead protector? You're the Sunagakure traitor? How could it possibly be you? Didn't you hate fighting more than anything else?" She cried out, "Tell me, Shindai — it's not true, is it?"

Sighing, Shindai said, "Pakura, it's true, but I didn't betray Sunagakure. It was Sunagakure that betrayed me..."

Seeing Pakura had already drawn a kunai, tears streaming down her face as she prepared to attack, Shindai quickly pleaded, "Can't you at least wait and hear me out first?"

With pain etched across her face, Pakura said, "I don't want to do this either, but... you've already killed many comrades. Shindai, I can't allow you to keep making mistakes! I'll plead on your behalf — I'll beg the Kazekage to spare your life."

Shindai rubbed his temples and said gravely to Pakura, "You should know what kind of person I am, Pakura. You know how much I fear battle—I've hidden my strength and avoided going outside completely because of it. Do you really think I would recklessly leave Sunagakure to join Konoha, intentionally lure out Uncle Kaito, and let them kill him?

Though Uncle Kaito wasn't exactly kind to me, he at least gave me shelter and never let me starve. Do you think I'm the kind of ungrateful person who betrays those who help me?

If that were true, why would I risk meeting you at all? Why not just set a trap here, drag you into it, and kill you outright?

So, hear me out first. After hearing my explanation, you can still decide what to do, right?"

Pakura froze and fell silent for a moment. She wiped her tears with her sleeve before meeting Shindai's gaze with red-rimmed eyes. "Fine. Explain."

Shindai exhaled in relief. It was fortunate that Pakura was willing to hear him out.

What worried him most was that the Pakura of today—who loved Sunagakure so deeply—might attack him without hearing him out.

Shindai continued, "In the letter I sent you via the Ninja Hawk earlier, I mentioned that I had to undertake a special covert operation. You must have heard about it back then too—Sunagakure's plan to trade a Magnet Release kekkei genkai bearer with Iwagakure. That Magnet Release kekkei genkai bearer ... was me."

Pakura's eyes widened in shock. She had suspected at the time whether that person was Shindai. After all, Shindai had disappeared around that time too. So it really was him.

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