As the others dispersed, Uzui sauntered over to Shinobu, a curious glint in his eye. "Hey there, mind if we have a quick chat?" he asked, a playful smirk on his face.

Shinobu raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Sure, what's on your mind?" she replied, her tone laced with curiosity.

Uzui knelt down to eye level with Shinobu, his expression serious. "It's about your suspect," he said, his voice low and confidential.

"What about him?" Shinobu asked, her interest piqued. "Do you know the redhead can control people's bodies?" Uzui asked, concern evident in his voice.

"I... Have heard of that ability of his," Shinobu confirmed, recalling the rumors she'd encountered.

"You do?" Uzui's surprise was palpable. "Yes, when I went to the swordsmith village, there was quite the brutal scene at the entrance. A band of bandits attempted to raid the village, but Sasori killed them," Shinobu explained, her tone thoughtful.

"Well, that's more proof," Uzui remarked, his tone resolute. Shinobu's expression turned skeptical. "Uzui, he protected the village. That doesn't prove he was the killer," she countered, shaking her head.

"What? No, I'm not talking about the murder," Uzui clarified, catching Shinobu off guard. "Then what are you talking about?" she inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"This may sound crazy, but..." Uzui paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "But I think he's a ninja," he finally revealed, watching Shinobu's reaction closely.

"You're joking... Right?" Shinobu's disbelief was evident in her tone. "No, but what he clearly did was some kind of Ninjutsu," Uzui asserted, his conviction unwavering.

"Sure that ability of his is unnatural but that doesn't prove he is a 'Ninja' " Shinobu said "Shinobu. You about my past don't you?" Uzui asked placing a hand on Shinobu's shoulder "Yes. I do." Shinobu answered.

"Then you know I know my stuff. You have to trust me on this," Uzui asserted, his confidence unwavering.

"Okay, fine, let's say he is a ninja. What does that have to do with anything?" Shinobu sighed, feeling a bit uneasy about where the conversation was heading.

"Well, Shinobu, as you know from my backstory, I unfortunately had to... Kill my sibling," Uzui began, his tone somber. Shinobu nodded, recalling the painful memories Uzui had shared with her in the past. "Yes, I do know that. But what does that have to do with Sasori?" she pressed.

"Well, Shinobu, this Sasori could be a part of my family, one who left like me," Uzui revealed, his voice tinged with uncertainty. Shinobu looked taken aback by the suggestion. "Do you really have relatives with red hair?" she asked, trying to make sense of Uzui's theory.

"For all I care, he could be my third cousin twice removed. Shinobu, you have to help me see if he is a family member of mine," Uzui implored, his eyes earnest.

Shinobu sighed, feeling torn. "Fine, I'll help. But first, we need to know if he even is a ninja," she stated firmly, trying to bring the conversation back to practical matters.

"Good point. I'll go ask him," Uzui declared, standing up with determination.

"No, you can't just ask him," Shinobu interjected, her tone firm. Uzui looked puzzled. "Why not?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Uzui, if he is a ninja, do you really think he would tell you? And even if you say you're a ninja too, he'll think you're a family member here to get him back," Shinobu explained patiently, trying to make Uzui see reason.

"Fair point," Uzui conceded, bending down again. "What do we do then?"

"We have to be discreet," Shinobu replied, her mind already racing with plans. "Ninjas are usually known for their stealth, so we need to give Sasori a stealth mission. Depending on how good he is at it, we will have at least some kind of proof he is a ninja."

"Okay, but how do we know if he's good at it? We need someone to be there to review his stealth. But who?" Uzui pondered aloud.

"From what I know of him, he's smart enough to realize meeting me so soon is suspicious. And you aren't... well, stealth material," Shinobu pointed out, suppressing a smirk.

"Understandable. I'm too flashy for someone to ignore," Uzui admitted. "So, who else can we trust on this mission?"

"Muichiro? He's pretty stealthy," Shinobu suggested.

"Yeah, but he'll probably forget what he was doing in the first place. What about Gyomei?" Uzui countered.

"Uzui, did you forget Gyomei is like ten feet tall? He isn't exactly stealth material either," Shinobu reminded him, shaking her head.

"He isn't ten feet tall. Well, I guess he would be to you. What about Giyu?" Uzui proposed.

"Well, I agree he has good stealth skills, but anyone who's ever talked to him can tell he's much more of a solo guy. So, he will most likely be suspicious that he would want someone to go with him. What do you think of Sanemi?" Shinobu considered.

"He'd most likely jump off a cliff before he asked for someone's help. What about Rengoku?" Uzui suggested.

"He's a good guy to team up with on any mission except stealth. I once went on a stealth mission with him, and he gave away our position within the first minute," Shinobu recounted, shaking her head at the memory.

"Well, we're obviously not asking Mitsuri because she's... emotionally unavailable," Uzui said.

"Which leaves us with the 'snake prince' himself," Shinobu concluded. "Okay, you go talk to the Master about what he thinks, and I'll go cash in a favor from him," she instructed, already heading towards where Iguro.

"Iguro. Owes you a favor?" Uzui asked incredulously.

"Yep, he asked me what Mitsuri's favorite restaurant is," Shinobu confirmed with a grin.

"Hmm, what is it?" Uzui inquired.

"Any type of buffet. Now, go talk to the Master while I go talk to Obanai," Shinobu instructed as she left, leaving Uzui to ponder their next move.

Iguro peered around the corner of the building, his gaze fixed on the figure of Mitsuri, who appeared lost in thought, her expression tinged with sadness. He held a melting ice cream in his hand, contemplating how to approach her without seeming creepy. Just as he was lost in thought, a sudden tap on his shoulder jolted him back to reality.

"Oh, Shinobu, what do you want?" Iguro asked his tone a mix of annoyance and curiosity.

"I need to cash in that favor you owe me," Shinobu stated matter-of-factly.

"Ugh, fine. What do you want me to do?" Iguro relented, already feeling a sense of irritation.

"I need you to go on a stealth mission with someone, and I need you to tell me how good he was at it," Shinobu explained, her expression serious.

Iguro huffed in exasperation. "I'm not a babysitter, you know. But luckily, I already have a stealth mission," he retorted, feeling slightly relieved to have a task at hand.

"That's good," Shinobu acknowledged. "But it starts next week," Iguro added, realizing the timing might not align with Shinobu's needs.

"Sure, no problem. Just make sure to keep an eye on him," Shinobu instructed before starting to leave. "Also, your ice cream is melted," she added casually before disappearing from view.

"Ah, damn it!" Iguro cursed under his breath, annoyed at the melted treat in his hand. With a resigned sigh, he tossed the ice cream aside and focused his attention on the upcoming mission, determined to fulfill his obligation to Shinobu, albeit begrudgingly.

-Several days later in the Kagaya household-

A white hird woman was looking at two other white-haired children playing as a familiar Kasugary crow landed in front of her.

"It's been a long time since I have seen you, Ken," She said as he looked at the crow.

"The name is Aki now," Aki said

"You changed your name?" She asked with a bit of amusement in her voice.

"Yes," Aki stated making the woman hum in Ecnolagmant.

"Anyway, I'm here to see master kagaya." Aki said, "I see follow me." The woman said as began to walk.

"My love your pet project is here to talk to you." The woman said, "Now, now don't call her my pet project it is rude." Kagaya said.

"Rude? You didn't concede taking me from my mother was rude. Besides it's not like she is lying." Aki said sounding sad.

The woman looked awkward and slowly walked out of the room.

"Ken-" Kagaya was interrupted by Aki "The name is Aki." She said.

"What's wrong with the name I gave you?" He asked sounding disappointed.

"The name you gave me was a pun, not a name," Aki stated.

"Anyway's heard anything interesting?" Kagaya asked back to his nonchalant deminer.

"Nope, nothing." Aki said "No interesting demons?" He asked making Aki swatt a bit "No no interesting demons."

"Any interesting slayers?" He asked, " Well I finally picked a slayer." Aki answered.

"You did? Who is it?" Kagaya asked courease.

"His name is Sasori," Aki answered.

Kagaya gave that full experience "Do you Sasori would be capable of murder?"

"Aren't all slayers capable of murder? It's in their job description." Aki answers.

Kagaya smiled "It seems you still have your hummer."

"Let me rephrase that question." Kagaya said his smile quickly disappearing making Aki swat "Do you think Sasori is capable of killing a human?"

"Of course not!" Aki said flabbergasted by the master's question.

"Are you sure from what I have heard from him he has quite questionable morals?" Kagaya said.

"What are you talking about?" Aki asked.

"While Sasori was in the sword Smith village a couple of bandits attacked the village. But Sasori dispossessed them in quite a disturbing affinity. All most like he has experiences in killing." Kagaya said.

"Are you implying Sasori is a killer?" Aki asked not liking how the conversation was going.

"I have told you about Uzi. yes?" Kagaya asked "Yes you told me about the former shinobi. But what does he have to do with... Sasori." Aki slowly realizes what the master is implying.

"You think Sasori was a shinobi?" Aki asked shock avoidant in her voice.

"Quick as always Ke-... Aki." Kagaya said quickly correcting himself.

'It can't be but. it makes sense.' Aki that to herself.

"So do you think it's possible he was a shinobi?" Kagaya asked seeing the gears in Aki's head spine.

"No. I don't think so." Aki answered making Kagas's brows furrow.

"I see. You can leave Aki." Kagaya said as Aki flew off.

As he last Kagaya signed 'She is hiding something from me. I can't trust her anymore to get me information.'

-whit Sasori-

"With don't kill me please!" A demon begged Sasori but it fell in death's ear as Sasori cut the demon's head off.

"As Sasori wiped the blood from his sword, Aki fluttered beside him, her voice brimming with admiration. 'Sasori, that makes it 38 demons now!' she exclaimed.

Sasori's expression remained stoic as he cleaned his blade. 'Just another day's work,' he replied casually, his demeanor unfazed by the grim task.

Noticing Aki's unease, Sasori furrowed his brow. 'Is something bothering you?' he inquired, observing the abnormal flaring of her chakra.

Aki hesitated, her wings twitching nervously. 'It's nothing, really,' she dismissed, attempting to mask her anxiety.

Shrugging off her response, Sasori's curiosity was piqued by their next mission. 'Where to next?' he asked.

Aki's reply was ominous. 'There have been reports of missing people and slain slayers in the nearby area,' she explained, her voice tinged with concern.

"Lead the way," Sasori said. As they followed Aki's lead, Sasori couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. Aki's unease was palpable, her feathers ruffled and her movements jittery. Despite her attempts to mask it, Sasori could sense her apprehension, and it put him on edge.

-Night time-

The trail led them to a small village with only eight buildings. "How many people even live in this village?" Sasori inquired.

"Sixteen humans," Aki responded, perched atop Sasori's head. "Seven have disappeared, and three slayers are missing as well."

Sasori's intrigued asked. "Do you think this demon could be one of the Twelve Kizuki?"

Aki shook her head. "Probably not. Judging from the size of the village, the demon might not be powerful enough to be one of the Twelve Kizuki, but it's likely cunning enough to have taken down three slayers."

"Let's get this over with," Sasori said, determination evident in his voice as he strode into the village.

As Sasori made his way through the village, he noticed several pairs of eyes peering at him through the windows. It was clear that his presence was unsettling to the villagers, but he paid them no mind and focused on his mission ahead.

As Sasori walked around the village, his gaze fell upon a grand, weathered structure that stood at the heart of the village. It was a church, its ancient stone walls adorned with intricate carvings and stained glass windows depicting scenes of religious significance.

The church loomed over the village, its imposing presence a stark contrast to the humble homes that surrounded it. Sasori couldn't help but be drawn to it, his curiosity piqued by its somber beauty.

"What is that?" Sasori asked, eyeing the looming church ahead.

"Oh, it's a church. Not very common to see," Aki answered casually as Sasori approached a nearby house and knocked on the door.

The door cracked open, revealing a finger poking out cautiously. "What do you want?" a raspy voice called out from within.

"I'm here to talk about recent disappearances," Sasori replied evenly.

The man inside glanced around before shutting the door. The sound of multiple locks being undone echoed through the door, and then it swung open wider. "Come in," he said, motioning for Sasori to enter. "And don't step on the salt."

Sasori obeyed, stepping over the salt line cautiously. "You know demons aren't repelled by salt?" he remarked. "The thing that has been doing the kidnapping is a demon?" he questioned.

The man nodded gravely. "Do you know anything about the demon that's been causing these disappearances?" Sasori asked, his voice low and measured.

The man hesitated, his gaze shifting nervously. "I've heard rumors," he admitted reluctantly. "Everyone who has disappeared had at least gone and met the priest at one point."

Sasori's brow furrowed even deeper at the mention of the priest. It was a curious lead, one that warranted further investigation.

"The priest?" Sasori repeated, his voice tinged with intrigue. "Do you know where we can find him?"

The man nodded, his expression grave. "He resides in the church," he replied, "but be warned, he is not like any ordinary priest." 

"Thank you for your assistance," Sasori said as he began to leave, but the man grabbed his hand firmly. "Be careful. There are whispers among the villagers that he possesses powers beyond mortal comprehension. Maybe they are a gift from God or the Devil," he warned before letting go of Sasori's hand and closing the door.

"Well, that was an interesting conversation," Aki remarked as they walked towards the church. "At least we know who is most likely the demon," Sasori replied as he approached the door, finding it already opened.

Pushing the door further, Sasori entered the building, his eyes immediately drawn to the numerous mirrors adorning the walls. "The priest residing here is a real narcissist," Aki commented as Sasori laid his eyes on a man in black robes sitting on one of the benches.

The priest stood up and turned to face Sasori, his appearance striking with a bald head. "Hello, my child. What can I do for you?" he asked calmly.

Sasori observed the priest carefully, noting the calm demeanor that seemed at odds with the rumors surrounding him. Despite the eerie atmosphere of the church, there was an air of serenity about the man who belied his alleged connection to the disappearances.

"We're investigating the recent disappearances in the village," Sasori explained, his tone neutral. "We've heard rumors that some of the missing individuals had interactions with you prior to their disappearance."

The priest's expression remained unchanged, his gaze steady as he regarded Sasori. "Yes, I have offered guidance to those who seek solace in their time of need," he replied, his voice measured. "But I assure you, I am but a humble servant of God, and I would never harm another soul."

Sasori narrowed his eyes, searching for any hint of deception in the priest's words. But try as he might, he couldn't discern any falsehood in the man's demeanor.

"Perhaps we've been misinformed," Sasori conceded, though his suspicions lingered. "Thank you for your time, priest. We'll continue our investigation elsewhere."

As Sasori turned to leave, Aki fluttered beside him, her eyes reflecting his uncertainty. Suddenly, a faint sound cut through the air, and Sasori instinctively dodged a short sword made of glass that flew past him.

Opening the door, Sasori gestured for Aki to leave. "Okay, Aki, get out. I've got the demon," he declared firmly. Aki nodded and swiftly exited the building.

Turning back to face the priest, Sasori's expression hardened. "So, you were the demon all along. So much for being a 'servant of God'," he remarked with a mixture of disappointment and sarcasm.

"My child, why couldn't you have died like the other slayers? It would have been so much easier for you and me," the priest lamented as his human-like features morphed into a more demonic appearance, complete with black hair and a pair of protruding horns, his breath ragged with malice.

"And by God, I meant the God of demons," the priest clarified before hurling one of the benches at Sasori. With swift precision, Sasori cleaved the projectile in half with his blade. "You're not the first demon I've faced, and you won't be the last," Sasori retorted calmly, his voice resonating with unwavering resolve.

"It seems you're quite a strong slayer," the priest remarked as several other demons in black robes materialized around him. "Good thing I'm not alone."

Sasori surveyed the room with a slight smirk, a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes. "Did this tactic really work on the other slayers?" he inquired, his tone tinged with curiosity. As he grabbed an invisible hand and the other demons dissipated and the real priest appeared before him, Sasori prepared to defend against the incoming attack aimed at his heart.

With a sudden burst of flame erupting from his mouth, Sasori caught the priest off guard, prompting him to hastily sever his own arm to evade the attack.

"What is the name of my lord did you do?" the priest exclaimed in surprise. "Are you a demon?" he questioned, taken aback by Sasori's unexpected ability.

"Me, a demon? No, I'm much more than a demon; some say I'm worse than a demon," Sasori replied cryptically, his eyes narrowing as he unleashed another shot at the priest.

Dodging the projectile, the priest realized the gravity of the situation. "Looks like I have to get serious," he muttered, cloaking himself in invisibility.

Sasori remained steadfast, his senses heightened as he tried to discern the true threat amidst the illusions. "I can't tell what's an illusion and what isn't. The only reason I blocked his attack is because I sensed his chakra, but all the illusions had chakra as well. It must be his ability," Sasori deduced as he blocked an attack from above.

"I'm starting to think you can see me invisible or not." The priest said as he became visible again. 

As the priest multiplied into seven identical forms, Sasori tensed, his gaze darting between each apparition. "Let's see if you can tell which one is the real one," the priest taunted, his voice echoing through the chamber. Sasori's mind raced, calculating his next move as he prepared to face the ultimate test of his skills.

As the seven identical forms of the priest surrounded Sasori, he remained calm, his mind clear and focused. With a swift motion, he launched a barrage of attacks, aiming for the one he believed to be the real demon. But his strikes met only air as the illusions dispersed, leaving Sasori momentarily disoriented.

The priest's laughter echoed through the chamber, taunting Sasori as he struggled to distinguish reality from illusion. "You're more perceptive than I anticipated, Slayer," the priest remarked, his voice dripping with malice. "But can you keep up?" the priest added, his tone laden with challenge.

Sasori gritted his teeth, refusing to succumb to the psychological warfare. He focused on his breathing, centering himself amidst the chaos of illusions.

As the priest's illusions circled around him, Sasori remained vigilant, his eyes darting between each apparition. Suddenly, he noticed a minute distortion in the reflection of one of the mirrors a subtle shimmer.

Without hesitation Sasori pulled out one of his kunai and threw it at the mirror shattered into a thousand shards as one of the priests dissolved into thin air making Sasori smark.

"Don't smirk, slayer. You may have figured out my weakness, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to destroy all the mirrors in the church," one of the priests sneered as Sasori shited his blade.

"Any ordinary person in this realm might struggle," Sasori mused, his hands swiftly weaving through intricate seals. "But I am no ordinary being, Earth Style: Quaking Shatter!"

Sasori channels his chakra into the ground beneath the mirrors, causing the earth to tremble and quake violently. The seismic energy surges upward, creating powerful shockwaves that reverberate through the surroundings, destroying the church's interior.

With a surge of chakra, the ground beneath Sasori began to tremble, resonating with the power of the earth itself. As the vibrations intensified, cracks spiderwebbed across the surface, extending towards the mirrors with ominous purpose. With a final, focused command, the earth erupted, sending shards of rock hurtling toward the mirrors, shattering them into countless fragments.

Sasori stood amidst the debris, his gaze fixed on the now shattered mirrors. The illusionary duplicates of the priest vanished one by one, dissipating into thin air as the source of their power was destroyed.

With the threat neutralized, Sasori's attention returned to the real priest, who stood before him with a mixture of shock and fury etched upon his face. "You may have destroyed my mirrors, but you will never defeat me," the priest spat, his voice tinged with desperation.

Sasori remained silent, his expression unreadable as he prepared for the next phase of the battle.

The air crackled with tension as Sasori and the priest faced each other, both bracing for the inevitable clash. Despite the priest's defiant words, Sasori sensed the undercurrent of fear beneath his bravado.

With a calm demeanor, Sasori took a step forward, his eyes locking onto the priest's with unwavering focus. He could sense the raw power emanating from the demon, but he refused to let it intimidate him.

"You talk a big game, priest," Sasori said, his voice steady and unwavering as he unshitng his blade glimmering in the light of the church "But words mean little in the face of true strength." 

The Prist smark "You sure about that?" as a piece of the earth came out attempting to stab Sasori but he quickly stepped back dodging the attack.

The priest's smirk widened as he observed Sasori's swift evasion. "You may be quick on your feet, slayer, but can you trust what your eyes see?" he taunted, his voice dripping with malice.

Several tendrils came out of the ground and launched at Sasori 'Was I wrong about the mirror being his power?' Sasori that as he dodged the tendrils.

As the tendrils continued to lash out towards him, a sudden idea sprang into Sasori's mind. With a swift motion, he focused his chakra, infusing it with the element of wind.

Channeling his chakra into his blade, Sasori's sword began to shimmer with a faint, ethereal glow as the wind chakra enveloped its surface.

As Sasori looked at the tendrils he noticed them flicker but he ignored it and aimed his sword at the priest realizing a slash of wind at the priest.

The wind blade sliced through the air with ferocious speed, aimed directly at the priest. However, to Sasori's surprise, the attack passed right through the priest as if he were nothing but an illusion.

Sasori's eyes widened in realization as he watched the priest's form flicker momentarily before solidifying once more. "Illusions," he muttered to himself, his mind racing to devise a new strategy.

With a swift motion, Sasori shifted his focus, channeling his chakra to enhance his senses. Closing his eyes briefly, he honed in on the subtle fluctuations in the air, searching for any indication of the true priest's presence.

Sasori opened his eyes, dodging a strike from a seemingly wooden appendage.

"How do you keep dodging my attacks?!" The priest asked, irritation in his voice, as his invisibility flickered on and off.

Sasori noticed the priest keeping his eye on his sword when a sudden realization crossed his mind. "You're using my sword's reflection to cast your illusion," Sasori said.

Realizing the source of the priest's power, Sasori shited his sword making all the illusion disrepair.

 "Even if you took away the source of my power how are you going to kill me without your sword?"The priest asked

"Simple. I'm going to overwhelm you," Sasori said as he lunged at the priest, punching him and making him crash into the altar.

Sasori swiftly performed several hand seals as he yelled, "Earth Release: Bottomless Swamp!" Turning the ground around the priest into the deep mud, he caused him to sink into it.

Sasori began to walk toward the priest as he continued to perform more hand seals. "Water Release: Water Prison!" The mud trapped the priest, raising him and the mude transforming into a bubble. "Usually water is used, but mud works as well."

With the priest trapped in the mud-turned-prison, Sasori's expression remained cold and unwavering as he approached. The priest struggled futilely against the mire, his powers rendered useless in the face of Sasori's earth and water techniques.

"You thought you could outwit me with your illusions," Sasori remarked, his voice dripping with disdain. "But in the end, your tricks were no match for my strength."

Sasori's eyes gleamed with fierce determination as he drew his sword. "Now, it's time to put an end to this once and for all," he declared, as he struck the final blow.

With the combination of jutsu dropped, the body of the priest crumbled to ash, already dispersing in the wind. Sasori stood amidst the remnants, a sense of accomplishment washing over him as he left the now-destroyed church.

As Sasori opened the door of the church, Aki came rushing at him. "Are you okay?! Is the demon dead?! Are you hurt?!" she bombarded him with questions.

"Yes, I'm fine, the demon is dead, and no, I'm not hurt," Sasori answered, already accustomed to her barrage of questions.

Aki sighed. "Okay, that's it. You, young man, are taking a break," she declared.

"Aki... I'm pretty sure I'm older than you. And no, I don't need to take a break," Sasori replied, causing Aki to grow a tick mark on her head.

"I know you said you don't need to rest physically, but what about mentally?" she retorted, making Sasori pause to consider. "Okay, fine, I'll take a break," he conceded.

Aki huffed in victory. "Great, you take a break from killing demons while I go do something," she said as she flew off.

Left alone, Sasori pondered his next move when a woodpecker landed on his shoulder. "Hello there—" Sasori began, but the woodpecker started pecking at his neck.

"Oi, what are you doing?!" Sasori exclaimed in annoyance as he grabbed the bird with his hand.

As he and the woodpecker made eye contact, it began to peck at Sasori's hand. "Oi!" Sasori screamed as he threw the bird into the air. "Maybe I threw it a bit too far," Sasori said as he watched the woodpecker disappear into the distance. He sighed and rubbed his hand where the bird had been pecking. "That was unexpected," he muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"What do I do? Maybe the beach ya the beach." Sasori said to himself as he began to go find a beach.

-Author's Notes-

Sorry for not uploading last week was on vacation with my Family.